Try to Tempt Me - Episode 3

“Hup, hup…!”

Startled, Yoomi clapped her hand over her mouth.

Her whole body froze, unable to move. Even blinking felt difficult.

“What are you doing right now?”

The sharply clipped syllables conveyed Do-hyun’s state of mind.

“Uh… well…”

Yoomi’s voice trembled like a candle flame. Suddenly, she felt dizzy, and her heart pounded.

She needed to say something, but she had no idea what to say.

“How about getting up first?”

Do-hyun raised his upper body.

“Yes? Yes!”

Yoomi hurriedly scrambled down. Not only that, but she pressed her back against the wall and moved as far away from Do-hyun as possible.

Do-hyun, who had gotten up after her, turned on the light. Yoomi squinted as the sudden bright light hit her eyes.

“You must have something to say.”

Do-hyun spoke like a teacher.

“Ah. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

Yoomi bowed deeply. Her body was practically folded in half.

“Tell me why you sneaked into my room.”

“No, no! I didn’t sneak in!”

Yoomi’s face turned bright red in embarrassment. She waved her hands, repeating that she hadn’t.

“Then?”

“I thought it was my room…”

“That’s a likely excuse.”

Do-hyun scoffed.

“It’s true. I was drunk, and I just…”

“I think you know that being drunk isn’t an excuse.”

“…I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”

“You know it’s your fault; at least you have a conscience.”

“But I really didn’t have any impure intentions. So, could you please forgive me just this once?”

Yoomi hung her head low.

“Hmm. What should I do?”

Do-hyun pretended to consider it, sitting on the sofa. He rested his arm on the sofa headrest and tilted his head back. His eyes naturally narrowed.

“At first, I found my room just fine. But the door wouldn’t open. So, I thought I had mistaken the room and came into this one…”

“Then why did you grope my body?”

“No! I didn’t grope your body; I groped the blanket. But, unfortunately, your body was under the blanket.”

Yoomi’s voice grew softer and softer.

“Either way, you touched my chest.”

“Touched?!”

Yoomi was startled as if she was having a seizure.

“You touched it.”

In contrast, Do-hyun was calm. He completely separated himself from the situation and acted like a third party.

“No, well, yes, but still, the word ‘touched’ is a bit…”

Yoomi felt wronged by the expression “touched.” But that was just Yoomi’s situation.

“How are you going to take responsibility?”

Do-hyun raised his chin.

“Responsibility…?”

“Yes, responsibility. You weren’t planning on just ending this with a simple apology, were you?”

“N-no, of course not.”

Yoomi’s pupils flickered like a heat haze.

Watching the restless Yoomi, Do-hyun chuckled. But as if he had never smiled, his expression quickly hardened.

“I’ll think about how to resolve this serious matter, so go for now.”

When Yoomi hesitated, Do-hyun nodded as if telling her to leave quickly.

“…Yes. Then I’ll be going. I’m really sorry.”

Yoomi bowed deeply in apology and went outside. Then, she banged her head against the wall.

“Lee Yoomi. Why do you live?”

Even if she was drunk, how could she go into someone else’s room…?

If she had turned on the light and checked the room, this misfortune wouldn’t have happened. No, if she had just checked the room number properly.

She regretted it too late, but the milk had already been spilled.

“Sigh. By the way, where’s the key?”

No matter how much she searched her pockets, the card key didn’t come out.

…Could I have dropped it in the CEO’s room?

That was truly the worst-case scenario.

Yoomi despaired and sat down on the floor.

Even for Yoomi, she didn’t have the nerve to go back into Do-hyun’s room after causing that accident.

But as if there was no law saying she had to die, she saw the card key on the floor.

“Thank you, thank you!”

Yoomi gripped the card key tightly in both hands as if she were carrying the Olympic torch. She quickly got up and went into the room.

She turned on the light, checked inside, and sprawled out on the bed in a starfish position.

“Ugh. What do I do?”

Not only did she go into the wrong room, but she also lay on top of Do-hyun! And groped his body!

“I’m really crazy.”

Yoomi shook her head and picked up her phone. But her fingers, still affected by the alcohol, moved without going through her brain.

[CEO, I’m really sorry. If you felt any shame please report me as a sexual harasser. Of course, I would be really grateful if you didn’t.]

By the time her brain recognized the words, she had already sent the text to Do-hyun.

“Aah!”

She should have only written, “CEO, I’m really sorry.” Saying things like shame or sexual harasser was worse than saying nothing at all.

While Yoomi was sobbing, hugging her phone, it vibrated softly.

Vrr, vrr, vrr.

Three vibrations followed in short intervals.

What on earth was he trying to say that he sent three texts?

Yoomi checked the texts with a tearful face.

[Not shame.]

[My heart fluttered.]

[So, I won’t report you.]

“…Huh?”

Yoomi blinked her big eyes. She couldn’t understand what it meant at all, so she read it again.

She still didn’t know what it meant.

“Not shame. My heart fluttered. So, I won’t report you.”

This time, Yoomi read Do-hyun’s texts aloud, clearly.

She understood what it meant by not shame, but what did it mean that his heart fluttered?

[Your heart fluttered?]

Yoomi’s fingers moved on their own again.

[Yeah. I’m going to sleep. Don’t reply.]

“…What?”

So, what did it mean that his heart fluttered!

Yoomi rubbed her chest for no reason. For some reason, her chest seemed to be fluttering too.

“What! What’s fluttering! The other person is Cha Do-hyun!”

Yoomi shook her head and opened the green search bar. She searched for “fluttering.”

“To have one’s heart beat repeatedly due to being very surprised or anxious.”

Yoomi’s brow furrowed as she read the dictionary definition.

Surprised or anxious.

Surprised.

Anxious.

“That’s right.”

Yoomi threw her phone away and burrowed into the blanket.

*

The next day.

“Ugh. My head.”

Yoomi woke up, holding her throbbing forehead. Judging by the light coming through the curtains, the sun had already risen.

She checked her phone and saw that it was 9 a.m. She had fallen asleep a little before 11 p.m. last night, so she had slept for a full 10 hours.

Yoomi got out of bed and pulled down her rolled-up skirt.

The thought of driving in this uncomfortable outfit already made her feel overwhelmed.

Yoomi was about to go into the bathroom to at least wash her face when there was a knock, knock, knock, from outside.

“Yes. Who is it?”

“Me.”

An arrogant voice.

There was only one person in the world who would say such a thing without even revealing their name. It was obviously Cha Do-hyun.

But Yoomi, who had committed a sin last night, opened the door with a smiling face.

“Is there anything you need?”

She peeked her head out and answered in a kind voice.

“No.”

“Then why did you come?”

“This.”

Do-hyun held out a white paper bag.

“What’s this?”

Yoomi asked with a suspicious expression.

“Clothes.”

“Clothes?”

Yoomi rummaged through the bag. Inside were a black hoodie and pants.

“I’ll give you 30 minutes, so wash up and change into those.”

“…Thank you.”

Yoomi was puzzled, but she felt a strange warmth in her heart. She had committed such an act last night, and yet he even brought her clothes. Could this man be an angel?

“Don’t thank me. I have my reputation to think about.”

“Yes? Reputation?”

Yoomi didn’t understand Do-hyun’s words well and asked again.

“If Secretary Lee goes out in that outfit, I’ll be pointed at too.”

Do-hyun didn’t add any further explanation and turned around.

“What is he talking about?”

Yoomi tilted her head and went inside.

And when she saw her reflection in the bathroom mirror, she couldn’t help but be shocked.

“Aah!”

Her white shirt was all stained. Red marks were engraved here and there. There was even dried-up kimchi stuck to it.

Could it be that she didn’t just drink last night but made kimchi?

No matter how hard she tried, Yoomi couldn’t remember anything from yesterday.

However, Ji-yeon’s smiling face clearly came to mind.

“No. This is not the time for this.”

Yoomi shook her head and went into the bathroom. She didn’t have much time.

She simply washed her face and brushed her teeth. She thought about washing her hair but just brushed it down with her hands.

Yoomi, who came out again, turned the clothes that Do-hyun had brought her this way and that.

“What? Did he buy them?”

As if to prove that they were new clothes, the clothes had tags on them. The price wasn’t written, but judging by the brand, the price seemed to be quite high.

She thought that she should wear them carefully, wash them again, and return them.

[Come down to the lobby.]

Do-hyun, who said he would give her 30 minutes, sent a text exactly 30 minutes later.

“Ah, already.”

Yoomi roughly stuffed the clothes she had taken off into her bag and left the room.

When she went down to the lobby, Do-hyun, who had been leaning against the sofa, got up. Fortunately, his expression wasn’t bad.

“CEO, shall we go then?”

Yoomi smiled prettily and treated Do-hyun with the utmost respect.

When they went outside the training center, the weather was mild, unlike yesterday. The frozen ground had also melted quite a bit.

“Get in.”

Yoomi opened the back-seat door. It was something she didn’t usually do, but for some reason, she felt like she had to please him today.

“Secretary Lee.”

Do-hyun called her as Yoomi got into the driver’s seat.

“Yes?”

“Drink this.”

Do-hyun held out something. It was a hangover cure drink.

“What is it?”

Although she asked what it was, Yoomi was newly moved. From the clothes to the hangover cure drink. Whatever the reason, she was grateful to him.

“Can’t you tell by looking? It’s a hangover cure drink.”

…If he just spoke nicely, he would be perfect.

“Who would ask what it is if they didn’t know?”

Yoomi snatched what was in Do-hyun’s hand. Then, she muttered as if for him to hear.

“I bought it for you. Couldn’t you say something like that a little more kindly?”

“It’s true that I bought it for Secretary Lee. In case there’s an accident. I’m a valuable person, so I have to live a long life.”

Do-hyun said kindly.

“…Yes, of course.”

Yoomi opened the hangover cure drink with a sullen face.

She slightly frowned at the smell of oriental raisin tree water, which she didn’t particularly like, but she drank it all the way to the last drop.

“Don’t speed. Always drive carefully.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Answer only once.”

“Yes.”

It was always the same pattern.

Whenever Do-hyun got in the car, he always nagged, “Don’t speed, drive carefully.”

It was now time for him to say, “Don’t wake me up because I’m tired.”

But Do-hyun’s voice was no longer heard.

“Aren’t you sleeping?”

Yoomi turned her head back while the light was red.

“When did you tell me not to sleep?”

It was what Yoomi said habitually.

“CEO, can’t you not sleep when I’m driving? When I see you sleeping, I get sleepy too.”

“I see. Since when has the CEO listened so attentively to my words?”

Yoomi grumbled.

He didn’t even pretend to listen when she told him not to sleep, but how was he so awake only at the moment when she wanted him to sleep?

As she always felt, she and Do-hyun were truly incompatible. There was nothing that matched between them, to the point where she wondered how they could be so mismatched.

Yoomi was newly surprised that she had worked with such a man for a full 5 years.

“You shouldn’t say things like that. Surely you haven’t already forgotten about last night…”

“CEO!”

Yoomi, who realized what Do-hyun was about to say, urgently called him.

“Why.”

She, who hadn’t even thought of the rest of the words, hesitated and rolled her eyes. Just then, she saw a udon restaurant outside the window.

“I’m hungry. Can’t we eat udon there?”

“If you want.”

Do-hyun nodded willingly.

“…Yes?”

“Let’s eat.”

“Hey. You don’t like udon, CEO. Let’s just go.”

Just as she was about to pass the restaurant, Do-hyun opened his mouth.

“I like it.”

Thump.

Yoomi’s heart almost sank at those words.

“My heart fluttered.”

At the same time, the text from last night came to mind.

I like it. My heart fluttered.

The words, separated by a day’s time difference, mixed together and created a perfect sentence.

Even though she knew it couldn’t be, Yoomi felt like it was a confession to her.

“…You mean you like udon?”

Yoomi glanced at the rearview mirror and asked.

“Then what else would I like here?”

Judging by his prickly tone, the subject of “I like it” was, without a doubt, “udon.”

“That’s right.”

Yoomi felt like a fool for having expected it even for a moment.

Right. Cha Do-hyun wasn’t the kind of man to say such words to her.

No, he wasn’t the kind of man to say words like “I like you” to any woman, not just her.

Yoomi shook her head and parked in front of the restaurant.

The building, which had only the word “Udon” written on it without a sign, had peeling paint in places.

“Hello?”

Yoomi, who got out of the car, went into the restaurant first.

The inside was so quiet that it was hard to tell if they were open for business. It was so quiet that it was even eerie.

Just as Yoomi was about to tell Do-hyun to just go to another restaurant, an old woman who looked to be in her 80s came out of the kitchen.

“Come in.”

“Yes? Yes.”

Yoomi carefully went inside. Do-hyun also scanned the interior with a blank face as usual, then sat down in a chair without saying anything.

“Two bowls of udon, please.”

Surprisingly, it was Do-hyun who ordered. The old woman nodded and went into the kitchen.

“Isn’t it a bit strange?”

Yoomi whispered in a small voice that only Do-hyun could hear.

“What is.”

“No, just. The atmosphere is a bit…”

“Not really.”

Do-hyun shrugged.

Yoomi didn’t raise any further objections and opened the cutlery container.

“…”

Yoomi, who was taking out the spoon, paused for a moment. It was clearly an old, run-down restaurant that seemed like it would collapse soon, but strangely, the spoons sparkled like new.

“Udon is here.”

Soon, the old woman placed two bowls on the table.

“Already?”

It didn’t seem like even 2 minutes had passed since they ordered…

Yoomi looked down at the udon with a sullen face.

“Thank you for the food.”

Although she felt uneasy somewhere, Yoomi was very drawn to the cool broth because she had drunk last night.

“Secretary Lee, didn’t you say you were going on a diet?”

Do-hyun said, watching Yoomi eat udon busily without stopping.

“Starting tomorrow.”

“Is that ‘tomorrow’ ever going to come?”

“…”

Yoomi flinched for a moment at Do-hyun’s words that hit the nail on the head. But she didn’t put down her chopsticks.

She put the spoon on the table only after completely emptying the broth.

“Ah. I’m full.”

“Of course, you’re full since you ate so much.”

How could he say such annoying things?

Yoomi glared at Do-hyun once and scanned Do-hyun’s bowl.

“Huh? You didn’t eat?”

Do-hyun’s bowl was no different from the beginning. Judging by the fact that even the spoon was clean, it seemed like he hadn’t even touched it.

“I don’t like udon.”

“Yes? But you said you liked it earlier?”

“When did I.”

Do-hyun answered nonchalantly and got up from his seat. He left Yoomi behind and went outside alone.

“When did you say you liked it.”

Yoomi grumbled and approached the counter.

Just as she was about to go outside after paying,

“We finally met again in this life.”

The old woman’s voice was heard.

“Yes?”

Yoomi reflexively turned around. But the old woman only wore a meaningful expression and didn’t give any answer.

“…”

Feeling a chill, Yoomi didn’t ask any further and went outside.

*

Two hours later, Do-hyun’s penthouse parking lot.

“CEO. We’re here.”

Do-hyun slowly opened his eyes at Yoomi’s voice.

His expression, having just woken up, didn’t look good, but Yoomi didn’t have the time to care about that.

She was so tired that she wanted to go home and rest as soon as possible.

Yoomi pushed Do-hyun’s back as if to force him and stopped him in front of the door.

“Then rest well. I’ll see you at the company on Monday.”

She bowed to Do-hyun and turned around right away.

“Wait a minute.”

“Why?”

Yoomi turned her head towards Do-hyun.

He paused for a moment, then said in a very sticky voice.

“…Want to stop by my place?”