Try to Tempt Me - Episode 1

Prologue

“I can’t help but love you, even in this life.”

From my past life, and the one before that, and the one before that… All I remembered during nine lifetimes was her.

In every life, without a single exception, I came to love her.

Perhaps I had loved her from the very first moment life began.

But even such a desperate and long-lasting love did not meet a beautiful end.

It was always a one-sided love.

As I ended my ninth life, I vowed never to love her again.

However.

The moment I saw her again, I realized.

Ah… I can’t help but love this woman.

*

It was a midwinter day with snow falling heavily.

Clearly, what was falling from the sky were pretty snowflakes, but to Yu-bom, who was driving, they looked like white trash.

Driving was already difficult on an unfamiliar road, and the snow made it truly awful.

“Secretary Lee, you’d be faster walking.”

Moreover, Do-hyun kept urging Yu-bom from the back. He didn’t seem to realize how dangerous driving on a frozen road was.

“I’d be slower walking.”

Yu-bom felt a surge of annoyance but forced a smile.

“I’m just saying! Hurry up.”

Does he think I want to go slow? If I go faster, I’ll be heading straight to the afterlife, not the training center!

I wanted to shout that out loud, but,

“Okay, I’ll go as fast as I can.”

I swallowed it down, not wanting to argue with Do-hyun.

After driving for about an hour, the navigation system announced that we would soon arrive at our destination.

Yu-bom slowed down and carefully turned the steering wheel.

As she rounded a curve, she saw a red sign in the middle of the road. Behind it were also six or seven burly men.

One of them spotted the car and made an X with his hands.

“What’s this?”

Yu-bom scanned her surroundings and slowly applied the brakes.

As the car came to a stop, a man approached and tapped on the window.

Instead of rolling down the window, Yu-bom got out of the car.

“As you can see, we’re doing snow removal, so you can’t go this way.”

“…Excuse me?”

Yu-bom asked with wide eyes.

“We’ve had heavy snow since last night, so the road is like this. It’ll take at least an hour to finish the work, so please use another route.”

Yu-bom was speechless. There was only this narrow road, and he was telling her to use another route?

“Um… Where is another route? I’m not familiar with this area.”

“You passed an intersection, right? You can turn back there.”

As the conversation dragged on, the man looked increasingly annoyed.

“An intersection? Surely…”

There was only one intersection in her hazy memory. And it took more than 30 minutes to get here from there.

“Yes. There. There’s only one road here, so you have to go back there.”

Oh, my god.

What time is it?

Yu-bom checked her watch.

3:34 PM. Only 26 minutes left until the appointment time.

That meant she would be completely late if she turned back.

And the one who would get an earful for being late wouldn’t be the CEO, Do-hyun, but me, the secretary.

As Yu-bom fidgeted, looking at her watch, the man added, as if doing her a favor.

“You’re going to the training center, right? It’s only a 20-minute walk from here. You can leave your car parked over there.”

“Really? Thank you! Thank you!”

Yu-bom bowed politely to the man and then got back into the car, putting on the most pitiful expression she could muster.

Her plan was to somehow persuade Do-hyun to walk.

“Mr. CEO… The road is closed because of the snow.”

Yu-bom closed her eyes and then opened them slightly again. She also drooped the corners of her eyes.

“Is that so? Then turn around and go.”

Do-hyun swirled his finger around as if it were no big deal.

Yu-bom gritted her teeth at the sight of that annoying gesture.

“Isn’t this too wasteful in a country that doesn’t produce a single drop of oil? I think it would be better to walk.”

“How long will it take?”

“15 minutes, no, about 10 minutes.”

Yu-bom subtly reduced the time.

“Really? That’s closer than I thought.”

Do-hyun nodded slightly.

Yu-bom took that as a sign of agreement and quickly parked the car before he could change his mind.

She hurriedly got out of the car and even opened the door for Do-hyun so he could get out comfortably.

However.

“What are you doing?”

Do-hyun remained seated with his legs crossed, just staring blankly at Yu-bom.

“Excuse me?”

“It’s cold, close the door.”

“…Close it? Weren’t you going to walk?”

Yu-bom blinked rapidly.

“I asked how long it would take, I didn’t say I was going to walk.”

“…”

“The wind’s coming in. Close the door quickly.”

Ugh, I can’t even hit him!

Yu-bom barely suppressed the curse that came from the bottom of her heart.

Forcing a fake expression, she smiled at Do-hyun once.

And then slammed the door shut hard enough to make a bang before getting back into the driver’s seat.

“You did that on purpose.”

“No, the wind blew it shut.”

“Making excuses.”

“…”

Yu-bom pouted. Do-hyun glanced at Yu-bom and then closed his eyes.

“I’m going to sleep, so wake me up when we get there.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Just answer once. Don’t stare at me while I’m sleeping, it’s creepy. We’re late, so hurry up and leave. If you see a cafe on the way, buy me a coffee and wake me up.”

“…Yes. I will.”

Imagining throwing her resignation letter in Do-hyun’s face, Yu-bom stepped on the accelerator.

As she drove back the way she had struggled to come, she suddenly felt a surge of emotion.

It was even more so when she saw Do-hyun sleeping in the back without a care in the world.

She wanted to smack him on the forehead just once.

“Anyway, what excuse should I make…”

Yu-bom muttered to herself as she turned the steering wheel.

The thought of the man waiting for her at the training center with a scowl on his face made her feel down.

Why did it have to be Lee Jin-hyuk from HR?

Their already bad relationship was about to get even worse.

Sigh.

Yu-bom sighed and looked around.

Getting a cold glare from Director Lee Jin-hyuk was something for later, first she had to buy Do-hyun a coffee.

“Seriously. There’s no way there’s a cafe in this desolate place… Oh, there is one.”

Yu-bom glanced at the time.

3:58 PM.

Either way, there was almost zero chance of arriving at the training center by the appointed time.

She parked in the parking lot in front of the cafe. She grabbed her wallet and got out of the car.

“Can I take your order?”

The part-time worker, who had been bored with no customers, greeted Yu-bom happily.

“One iced Americano.”

“Okay. Please wait a moment, ma’am.”

The part-time worker skillfully pulled a shot. Soon, the subtle scent of coffee filled the small interior.

“Here’s your drink.”

“Thank you.”

Yu-bom, holding the iced Americano, left the cafe.

Holding a glass full of ice in the already cold weather made her feel annoyed.

“Should I just spit in it?”

At the same time as the thought, Yu-bom’s hand moved. She slightly tilted the clear plastic lid back.

Would Cha Do-hyun know if I spit in this?

While she was seriously contemplating,

“Are you going to spit in it?”

“I’m still thinking about it… Ack.”

Yu-bom quickly shut her mouth, but it was already too late. Do-hyun was leaning against the car with a crooked expression, having come out at some point.

“Thinking about it?”

His voice was even more sarcastic.

“No, no! Spit? What are you talking about?”

“Then why did you open that?”

Do-hyun gestured with his head to the lid in Yu-bom’s hand.

“No, I thought there was something floating on top… I’ll buy another one!”

Yu-bom quickly turned around before Do-hyun could ask any more questions. She went back into the cafe.

“Do you have any sugar?”

Yu-bom blocked the window with her body, obscuring Do-hyun’s view.

She didn’t want to buy a new coffee when the one she had was perfectly fine, so she planned to kill some time before going out.

“Yes. How many would you like?”

“Just one.”

“Here you go. But… Is that man a model?”

The part-time worker asked with a face full of anticipation.

Yu-bom turned her head, following her gaze.

“A model…?”

How could he look like one?

…But he did have a model-like aura.

Yu-bom nodded without realizing it. She thought that a stranger might misunderstand.

“Then are you his manager?”

The sociable part-time worker quickly changed her address from “ma’am” to “sister.”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant.”

Yu-bom muttered to herself, but the part-time worker didn’t hear her at all.

“Wow!”

“Haha. Well, something like a manager.”

Yu-bom answered with an awkward smile. She wasn’t going to see her again anyway, so she didn’t bother to correct her.

“I’m jealous.”

Jealous? If you knew how nasty that man’s personality was, you wouldn’t say that.

Yu-bom swallowed those words and stuffed the sugar roughly into her pocket.

“Then goodbye.”

As she opened the cafe door, Do-hyun’s jet-black eyes stared intensely at Yu-bom.

Feeling uneasy for no reason, Yu-bom took an awkward step.

Was he watching me the whole time?

Should I have just bought a new one?

Yu-bom was so busy thinking that she didn’t pay attention to the ground.

As if trying to trick Yu-bom, the frozen snowball grabbed her ankle.

“Uh-oh?”

Yu-bom’s body slowly tilted forward in slow motion. Surprised, she involuntarily stretched her arms upward, and the Americano cup shot up like a rocket. Cracks formed in the weak plastic lid, spewing black liquid.

And it poured down like fireworks.

Of all things… onto Do-hyun’s head.

“Uh…”

If I had fallen, I would have had an excuse.

Thanks to her good reflexes, Yu-bom stood up straight like a tumbler doll.

“So…”

Yu-bom tried to say something in her defense. But she had no choice but to swallow it back because of Do-hyun’s cold gaze.

“Hah.”

Do-hyun glanced at Yu-bom with an expression colder than ice and shook his head. Black liquid stained his hand.

The droplets hanging from Do-hyun’s long fingertips looked as precarious as Yu-bom’s lifeline.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Yu-bom bowed her head 90 degrees and apologized.

“…It’s late, so let’s get in the car and talk.”

His voice sounded like he was barely holding back his anger.

Yu-bom glanced at Do-hyun and quickly got into the driver’s seat. Following her, Do-hyun got into the back seat with an annoyed expression.

“I’m really sorry. It wasn’t intentional. It was a mistake, really.”

Yu-bom made excuses, glancing at Do-hyun’s expression in the rearview mirror.

“It’s okay.”

“…It’s okay?”

He’s not the kind of man who would say that.

Yu-bom thought it was strange and looked at his face again.

The slightly raised corner of his lips made her feel uneasy.

“Secretary Lee is a responsible person. She’ll take responsibility for me in a reasonable way.”

“Excuse me?”

Yu-bom blinked.

“You’re not going to try to get away with just saying sorry after doing something like this, are you?”

Do-hyun fluttered the collar of his shirt, which had already lost its original color.

It was an expensive shirt imported from France. I think he said it was a limited edition.

“Of course not. Of course, I have to take responsibility.”

At that time, Yu-bom had no idea how she would take that “responsibility.”

*

HS Group Training Center in Gangwon Province.

About a hundred college graduates who had broken through the competition rate of dozens or even hundreds to one to join HS Group were gathered at the training center in Gangwon Province for new employee training.

The new employees received basic training for two weeks.

Various programs were conducted, including understanding the various business areas of HS Group, practical training, and mentoring with seniors.

Today was the last day of the grueling training, with the graduation ceremony.

“Wow. Who’s that guy?”

“OMG. He’s so handsome.”

Some of the new employees who were passing through the training center corridor turned around as if possessed and whispered.

“Sigh.”

Yu-bom sighed as she listened to their sparkling voices.

Their future was clear as day to her.

“Take care of it.”

“Yes.”

Yu-bom understood Do-hyun’s words perfectly.

It was an annual event that happened every year when new employees came in. Being drawn to Do-hyun’s captivating appearance and confessing to him without realizing it.

Yu-bom was always the one who cleaned up the mess. She was also the one who got the blame.

“You’ve arrived.”

An unwelcome voice was heard as she turned the corner. It was Lee Jin-hyuk from HR.

“I’m sorry I’m late.”

Yu-bom closed her eyes tightly and then opened them, saying briefly without making excuses.

“It’s okay, Secretary Lee.”

Jin-hyuk’s cold voice wrapped around Yu-bom’s body. It didn’t sound okay at all.

“Mr. CEO. The schedule is tight, so you should give the congratulatory speech first.”

Jin-hyuk turned his gaze away from Yu-bom and spoke to Do-hyun.

“Okay.”

As soon as Do-hyun’s answer fell, Jin-hyuk went up onto the stage.

“Ah, although it’s a bit late, we will now have a congratulatory speech from CEO Cha Do-hyun.”

At Jin-hyuk’s words, the new employees began to buzz.

Some moved their seats forward to see Do-hyun up close. It was not often that they had the opportunity to meet him, the CEO of HS Electronics.

Cha Do-hyun. A man who became the CEO of HS Electronics at the young age of thirty.

From a young age, Do-hyun had followed a solid elite course, skipping grades as easily as eating, and graduating from school much faster than others.

He majored in business administration at a prestigious American university, and his minor was surprisingly psychology. In addition, he studied various fields such as economics, society, humanities, and science as a hobby, earning a 4.3 GPA.

Does that mean he’s just smart? Not at all.

In just two years after taking office as CEO of HS Electronics, Do-hyun raised HS Electronics, which had been second place for years, to the undisputed number one in Korea.

In addition, as befitting the nickname “Midas Touch,” he made huge profits in everything he touched, but he did not monopolize the profits and distributed them fairly to his employees.

So, it was no wonder that he had a good reputation among the employees.

“We’ll get a lot of incentives too, right?”

“Is it just incentives?”

The new employees who had heard the rumors were no exception.

“Our CEO is a real-life visual.”

“Really? I saw a picture of him in an article that came out a while ago, and he looked like a celebrity.”

Of course, there was another reason why the female new employees were shining their eyes more than the male new employees.

It was because of his unique appearance.

His distinct features were so handsome that they were selfish. In addition, he had perfect symmetry, so the phrase “the standard of beauty” fit him perfectly.

As if that wasn’t enough, he was 186cm tall with broad shoulders, a solid body built through years of exercise, and long, straight legs that made him look like a model.

He was truly a flawless man.

“The CEO is coming in. Please welcome him with a big round of applause.”

…Clap, clap, clap!

The applause came a beat late. Everyone hesitated because of Do-hyun’s aura that overwhelmed their gaze.

Every time Do-hyun took a step onto the stage, exclamations burst from the mouths of the new employees. It was like a fan signing event, not a training center.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Cha Do-hyun, CEO of HS Electronics. First…”

How can a congratulatory speech be so cool? The congratulatory speech, which they thought would be as boring as the principal’s speech, was so cool that they were sad to see it end.

Of course, his appearance and voice also played a part. Their eyes were pleased and their eardrums were sweetened.

“I look forward to working with you in the future.”

The will to bury their bones in this company welled up. This was true not only for the female new employees but also for the male new employees.

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

The applause and cheers were louder than before.

Do-hyun gave a slight eye smile and slowly came down from the stage. Then, as if he had remembered something, he went back up onto the stage.

“Ah, I almost forgot to say something important. It’s a personal story, but I thought I should tell you in advance.”

Do-hyun, smiling prettily and speaking in a friendly voice, felt like a different person from the man who had given the congratulatory speech a moment ago.

“Wow. His real-life tone is amazing…”

Several new employees collapsed at the sight.

Do-hyun scanned the faces of the new employees sitting in front of him. He had no trouble finding his secretary, Yu-bom, who was taking pictures among them.

“I have a girlfriend.”

Do-hyun’s eyes, curved like a crescent moon, were filled with Yu-bom.