A Contracted Gangster Who Has to Die to Survive - Chapter 115

When I had teased him about the picture looking like a mugshot, he had seemed annoyed. So, I never imagined he would actually go through the trouble of framing it.

And the frame itself well, it was something. It was either ridiculously tacky or strangely cute, I couldn’t decide. Tiny hearts and shapes were embedded along the edges, and a small crown sat perched at the top. There was no way Choi Taejoon had picked this out himself.

“…Did you pick out the frame yourself, Executive Director?”

“Yeah.”

“…From where?”

His expression seemed to ask, Why do you care? but he answered anyway.

“Near the office.”

The thought of Choi Taejoon standing in a fancy stationery shop, picking out a decorative frame, nearly made me burst out laughing.

“…Did an employee recommend it to you?”

He gave me a look but nodded.

“If you don’t like it, give it back.”

“No! I love it!”

I quickly hugged the frame to my chest, backing away slightly.

Seeing the hint of embarrassment on his face stirred something in my chest—a feeling I couldn’t quite name. My usual playfulness faded, leaving behind a quiet warmth.

“…Thank you.”

From paying off my father’s debt to securing a home for me, making sure I had food, clothes, and everything I needed—there wasn’t a single part of my daily life that wasn’t touched by his presence.

And how had I repaid him?

When he bought me clothes, I joked about organ trafficking. When he showed kindness, I assumed he would demand something in return. I had doubted him at every turn.

I had convinced myself that he must want something from me. That he would eventually take what he desired in a way that was true to who he was.

I had dreaded the possibility that he would treat me like he had treated Park Ha Hyun in Alcohol Swab.

But he never did.

Not only had he refrained from hurting me, but he gave without expecting anything in return. It was as if he thought no matter how much he gave, it still wouldn’t be enough.

My suspicions had slowly morphed into confusion.

Why?

And with every glimpse of a new side of him, that why slowly faded away.

“…I don’t think you realize how grateful I am to you.”

“I have a rough idea.”

I always told him I would repay him, but it was clear he had never expected anything back. If anything, he only mentioned repayment to lessen my guilt. Even that was a kindness.

I looked down at the framed photo again.

It was a gift, one that carried nothing but sincerity.

A lump formed in my throat, my chest tightening.

“I know I say this all the time, but… I really, really appreciate everything you’ve done for me. And it’s not that I didn’t appreciate it before. I just… I feel it even more now.”

Taejoon exhaled as if he found my words unnecessary. He glanced at the book in his hand.

“You don’t have to keep saying the same thing over and over. If you’ve received something, it’s natural to be grateful. You think I don’t know how you feel? That’s enough.”

“I—I know, but I just feel like—”

“You really don’t get it, do you?”

He finally looked up from his book and met my gaze.

“I’m already getting plenty from you.”

I blinked.

“…What?”

“You probably think I’m about to say something like, ‘Thanks to you, I got to visit a karaoke room for the first time’ or ‘I finally got to eat street food.’”

“Please don’t say something like that.”

Taejoon smirked slightly but kept his eyes on his book.

“I wouldn’t say something that embarrassing. What you’ve given me is a lot more useful than that.”

“…Like what?”

Instead of answering, he merely tugged at the corner of his lips in a faint, unreadable smile. Then, as if muttering to himself, he said,

“…You seemed indifferent to everything, but you really like photos, huh? Should’ve gotten you a hundred frames earlier.”

“…Was I really that indifferent?”

“You weren’t indifferent. More like… you only accepted things because you felt like you had no choice. Sometimes, you even looked at me like I was some kind of sex-crazed lunatic.”

“…Executive Director, you would have acted the same way if you were in my position. Would you really trust someone who suddenly started giving you things for no reason?”

Taejoon considered this, then nodded.

“You were right to be cautious. If it were anyone else trying to give you things, you should never accept them. There’s a good chance they’d have ulterior motives.”

I scoffed.

“What kind of logic is that?”

“But if it’s me? You can take anything I give you.”

Taejoon chuckled briefly and shut his book.

“Printing out photos, shopping for a frame… You’ve got me doing things I never would’ve done before.”

That made sense. He couldn’t exactly have asked Team Leader Seo or Assistant Manager Yoon to do something like this for him. And with Kim gone, he had no choice but to do it himself.

“Fine. But don’t tell me I can’t even say thank you. What am I supposed to do if I can’t even say that?”

There was a tinge of frustration in my voice—a mix of guilt and gratitude.

Taejoon studied me for a moment before suddenly asking,

“Do you remember what I said that day in front of the hospital, when it was snowing?”

The memory of Taejoon’s whispered words under the umbrella rushed back to me.

My cheeks immediately burned. Clutching the framed photo, I instinctively leaned back, my lips parting slightly.

The payment he had requested instead of money.

“…Huh?”

Taejoon’s gaze locked onto mine as he leaned in slightly. I squirmed under his scrutiny, struggling to look anywhere but at him.

“I asked if you remember.”

“You said… every time we make eye contact, we should kiss.”

“Exactly.”

His grip on my shoulder tightened ever so slightly, pulling me toward him.

“Ah—”

His expression was a mix of amusement and something else—something warmer, more expectant.

I couldn’t tell if he was just teasing me or if he was genuinely waiting for me to react.

His upper body leaned in closer, his breath warm as it brushed over my nose.

“…!”

I kissed him first.

On purpose.

And as I pulled back, I made a soft, playful pop sound, grinning as I did.

“There. Happy?”

Was it mischief? A spur-of-the-moment impulse?

Either way, the instant embarrassment hit me like a wave.

My ears burned, and my heart pounded.

The ridiculousness of my own actions made my entire body tense.

But surprisingly, Taejoon also seemed caught off guard.

His shoulders stiffened for a brief moment before he leaned back against the couch, staring at me.

His thick lashes fluttered, and every blink seemed to send a shiver down my spine.

“…That wasn’t enough.”

His long fingers slid from my shoulder to the back of my neck, while his other hand traced my waist with slow, deliberate movements.

The touch was careful, almost reverent—like he was smoothing down something delicate.

Then his lips found mine again.

This time, it wasn’t a fleeting, teasing touch.

It was deeper.

His breath mixed with mine as he kissed me with an intensity that left no space for doubt.

As if he meant to commit my very existence to memory.

His arms wrapped tighter around me, pulling me flush against him.

Between kisses, his voice rumbled low in his chest.

“You asked what you’ve been giving me.”

My heart pounded so hard it was difficult to hear my own thoughts over the sound.

“…Time.”

I barely had the strength to whisper.

“Time?”

“You make me want to be with you. You’re always on my mind. You make me think about what I can do for you.”

He pressed a kiss to my forehead, then to the arch of my brow.

Then my nose.

Then my cheek.

Then my lips again.

Every soft touch only quickened my pulse.

He murmured against my lips,

“I don’t think I can do without you anymore.”

His hands never stilled.

One glided down my back, smoothing over every inch of skin beneath my shirt, while the other cupped the side of my face.

At some point, I had stopped resisting.

I let myself lean into his touch, tilting my head to match the movement of his lips.

His hold tightened slightly, lifting me into his lap with ease.

I barely had time to register the shift before I felt his heartbeat against mine, the heat radiating between us.

His voice was barely above a whisper when he said,

“As soon as everything is settled, let’s leave. Somewhere far. Somewhere warm, where it never rains.”

The words wrapped around me, heavy and intoxicating.

My head tilted further, eyes fluttering shut.

As my back met the couch, Taejoon’s weight pressed down, his body folding over mine.

He pulled away for a brief moment, trailing his fingers along my lips before capturing them once more.

Slowly at first.

But as the heat between us grew, his grip on my waist tightened.

His breath became heavier, filling the space between kisses.

I gasped softly against his lips.

He stilled.

Then, his gaze burned into mine, searching for something—confirmation, permission.

I barely managed a nod.

“…Not here,” I murmured.

His lips quirked slightly.

“Then… should we go to the bedroom?”

As soon as the words left my lips, he lifted me effortlessly into his arms, as if he had been waiting for the signal.

And without hesitation, he carried me toward the bedroom.

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