Chapter 57
The weekend had arrived.
It wasn’t particularly grueling work, but perhaps it was because she’d been sticking to a regular routine of commuting to her job.
“Lying in bed like this feels so good.”
Baek I-hae found the morning where she didn’t have to wake up to an alarm utterly precious.
She buried her face in the blanket, grinning and rolling around, when her phone vibrated.
It was a text from Seo Do-gyeom.
[Seo Do-gyeom: Are you up?]
Come to think of it, she hadn’t changed his saved name even after they started dating.
The stiff name didn’t feel like it belonged to a boyfriend, and realizing how indifferent she’d been about it, Baek I-hae sent a reply.
She texted that she’d just woken up and was pondering how to save his name when—
“I-hae, can I come in?”
As if he’d been waiting for her response, Seo Do-gyeom’s voice came from outside the door, startling Baek I-hae into sitting up abruptly.
“Wait a second!”
Sure, he’d seen her raw, just-woken-up look plenty of times before!
‘But now that we’re dating, I can’t let him see me like this! No eye crust, right?’
She dashed to the vanity to check her appearance. She hurriedly combed her disheveled hair with her hands and rushed back to the bed.
Trying to calm her panting breath, she put on a prim expression as if nothing had happened and gave permission.
“You can come in.”
Soon, Seo Do-gyeom opened the door and stepped inside. It wasn’t even 8 a.m. yet, but unlike her, he looked neat and freshly washed.
Comparing herself to him brought a fresh wave of embarrassment, but she tried to act nonchalant.
“You didn’t have to rush like that; I could’ve waited.”
“R-rush? What do you mean?!”
“I heard you running.”
Baek I-hae’s face flushed red. She resented Seo Do-gyeom for bluntly pointing out the truth without tact, but she hated herself even more for not tiptoeing.
Noticing the change in her expression, Seo Do-gyeom approached with a small smile. He sat on the edge of the bed, gazing at her steadily, then stroked her cheek.
“It’s nice seeing your face in the morning.”
His smile had become so familiar now that it no longer reminded her of the blank expression from their first meeting.
That gentle smile and the affection in his eyes quickened Baek I-hae’s heartbeat.
Now, this fluttering didn’t feel uncomfortable—it actually felt good.
“Yeah. Since I’ve been working part-time, we have less time to see each other than usual. I missed you, right?”
Baek I-hae rubbed her cheek against Seo Do-gyeom’s hand, speaking in a voice laced with playfulness.
It was just light teasing, and she was curious how he’d handle it with his usual maturity.
“……”
But then Seo Do-gyeom averted his gaze slightly!
Shocked, Baek I-hae wondered if her flirtation had been that off-putting and started to pout, when she noticed his neck turning red.
“…Are you embarrassed right now?”
Seo Do-gyeom pursed his lips slightly. Then, with a resigned look, he met her eyes and said,
“I just… wondered if it showed that much.”
In other words, her question about whether he’d missed seeing her was spot on.
‘I didn’t see that coming.’
He was fine with casual skinship like holding hands now, yet he got embarrassed over a single comment like this!
“What’s wrong with it showing? It’s natural to miss someone you like.”
Seeing Seo Do-gyeom embarrassed made Baek I-hae feel shy too, since she’d been the one to ask. Fidgeting with her fingers, she flopped back onto the bed to lighten the mood.
Then, she extended her slender arm and tapped it with her other hand, drawing his puzzled gaze.
“Noona will be your arm pillow.”
“Your head might be heavy.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine! Don’t let appearances fool you—I’ve got a sturdy body from learning self-defense!”
At Baek I-hae’s bold declaration, Seo Do-gyeom hesitated before slowly lying down. As the distance closed, he caught the scent of the shampoo she usually used.
It was a strange feeling.
‘Huh, this position is a bit… off?’
She’d suggested it without thinking, but now that he was lying there, it looked like Seo Do-gyeom was nestled in her arms.
Embarrassed, she held her breath for a moment.
‘What if I smell? I haven’t even washed yet!’
She was wondering if it would be weird to tell him to get up now, when Seo Do-gyeom, who had also been silent, suddenly sat up. The bed shook violently, startling her into widening her eyes, and he hurried off the bed as if being chased.
“I’ll head down first, so come down slowly for breakfast, I-hae.”
“Huh? Wait, Do-gyeom…!”
What kind of manners is it to leave without responding when someone calls you!
Baek I-hae blinked in confusion at Seo Do-gyeom’s behavior as he exited the room without even looking at her face.
Then, she buried her nose in her clothes and sniffed.
‘It doesn’t seem like I smell… Was it my imagination?’
Pouting, Baek I-hae got up to wash.
She hadn’t noticed how red Seo Do-gyeom’s face had become.
Meanwhile, after closing the door behind him, Seo Do-gyeom tried to cool his flushed face.
He’d thought Seo I-heum was being overprotective, but now it seemed like he needed to get a grip himself.
‘This is dangerous.’
Her skin felt different from his own as a man’s—soft and yielding against his cheek. And as soon as he lay down, his view had been filled with Baek I-hae’s…
Seo Do-gyeom slapped his own cheek hard. The sharp smack left both cheeks red, but at least it helped him regain his composure.
“Hyung? What are you doing?”
Seo-yeol, who happened to spot him, wore a bewildered expression.
Then, glancing between Baek I-hae’s door and Seo Do-gyeom’s red face, he furrowed his brows deeply.
“Even if you’re my brother, if you try anything funny with my noona, I won’t let it—mmph!”
“It’ll reach I-hae. Be quiet. It’s not what you’re thinking.”
Hoping desperately that Baek I-hae wouldn’t pick up on his impure thoughts, Seo Do-gyeom clamped a hand over Seo-yeol’s mouth and headed downstairs.
“Young Master Do-gyeom?”
On the way down, they ran into one of the organization members. The man, who had been heading up to the second floor, stopped and bowed deeply upon seeing Seo Do-gyeom.
“Good morning, sir.”
Seo Do-gyeom stared at him silently before glancing upstairs. Then, to the man still bowing, he asked in a chilling voice,
“Why were you heading up to the second floor?”
The second floor was the family’s private space, including Seo I-heum’s.
It meant that unless you were a housekeeper cleaning rooms or a close aide like Old Man Oh, a regular organization member had no business there.
Seo-yeol, realizing the oddity only then, shook off Seo Do-gyeom’s hand and glared at the man.
“The boss asked me to call the young masters. Breakfast is ready early today.”
“Ah, well then.”
Seo-yeol relaxed his expression and said he’d go down first, stepping away. His pace was a bit hurried, as if afraid of being grabbed again.
Seo Do-gyeom, about to follow, turned his head at the sight of the organization member still standing there.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“Why aren’t you going down?”
The man wore an odd expression. Normally, Seo Do-gyeom wasn’t overly polite to the members, but he did use honorifics.
Without showing his unease, the man smiled and said,
“I was thinking of fetching the young lady as well.”
“Go down. I told her, so she’ll come on her own.”
“But the boss is waiting…”
“If she’s late, we can wait.”
Seo Do-gyeom’s expression was resolute. He stood there as if he wouldn’t move until he saw the man descend.
The man’s face twisted oddly again. Then, he nodded briskly and turned to head downstairs.
“Yes. I’ll go down first!”
How much time passed?
Even after the footsteps had faded far away, Seo Do-gyeom leaned against the stair railing, waiting.
Until Baek I-hae emerged, freshly washed.
“Huh? Weren’t you going down first?”
She tilted her head, her hair still not fully dry. Even so, she smiled happily upon seeing Seo Do-gyeom’s face.
“Just… wanted to go together.”
He extended his hand, in case she might trip while hurrying down.
Baek I-hae was an endearing person. She blushed and smiled shyly over the simplest words.
That’s why he couldn’t help but be mindful of any talk directed at her.
‘I should tell Old Man Oh to warn people not to come up to the second floor casually.’
If it were just him and Seo-yeol, it might be fine. But with Baek I-hae there, he couldn’t let outsiders in so easily.
Seo I-heum had said to treat Baek I-hae as a guest, but the perceptive ones would have realized she was more than that.
But what about the oblivious ones? Or those with impure intentions?
‘It’s unsettling.’
For the first time, Seo Do-gyeom realized that even home could be a dangerous place. And he resolved to stay by her side even more from now on.
“It’s so nice when you say sweet things for me, Do-gyeom.”
Unaware of his inner turmoil, Baek I-hae simply beamed brightly, linking her arm with his.
Somehow, the soft sensation from the arm pillow earlier resurfaced in his mind, and he quickly turned his head away.
‘…Maybe I’m the dangerous one too.’
They were already touching, so why did he crave more?
Seo Do-gyeom felt utterly confused by the deepening dilemmas that had arisen since they started dating.
