Try to Tempt Me - Episode 5

“Do you like Lee Yu-bom?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Nam-jung tried hard to maintain his composure. He opened the front door and went inside.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Seriously?”

Da-jung kept asking.

“Seriously. Don’t talk nonsense and go to sleep.”

“Don’t you dare change your mind later.”

“That won’t happen.”

Nam-jung pushed the chattering Da-jung into her room. He even kindly closed the door for her.

And then he sighed.

Nam-jung’s feelings for Yu-bom began to confuse him.

–

Assassins wearing masks secretly infiltrated the Sinhyeol Temple.

“This time, we must kill him.”

The man at the forefront drew his sword. The chilling blade gleamed in the moonlight.

At that signal, dozens of assassins scattered in all directions in an instant. Their movements were as agile as animals.

However, the assassins could not find the child even after an hour. They searched every nook and cranny of Sinhyeol Temple, but there was no sign of the child, let alone the child himself.

Just as they were about to give up and return, the largest man among the assassins strode into the hermitage.

The inside was as quiet as a mouse.

He closed his eyes and focused on the sound.

Soon, he heard a faint breathing sound.

The assassin pushed the bed in the center to the side. When he removed the board underneath, a large hole appeared.

He drew his sword and went inside.

Sure enough. A terrified boy was huddled in the corner of the underground cave.

Without a moment’s hesitation, the assassin plunged his sword into the child’s heart.

.

.

.

“Huff!” Do-hyun gasped and shot up.

It was a dream.

However, Do-hyun clutched his chest, feeling the pain that was too vivid.

His back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Do-hyun got up from his sticky body and went straight to the bathroom.

In the mirror, the face of the child in his dream overlapped with his own.

Do-hyun’s body began to tremble like an aspen.

He turned on the shower without even taking off his clothes. Ice-cold water drenched his body.

“Damn it.”

Do-hyun swore and roughly swept his hair back.

He hadn’t had this dream recently, but it had started at the training center and he’d been having the same dream for two days now.

Do-hyun turned off the shower and came out of the bathroom with water dripping from his body.

But he stopped dead in his tracks before he could even take three steps.

The water flowing with each step looked like blood.

“…….”

Do-hyun shook his head, trying to erase the afterimage, and changed his clothes. But he couldn’t block all the memories that were getting stronger.

He went to the living room and took out a bottle of whiskey and a crystal glass from the display case.

He filled the glass with light brown whiskey. Then he drank the whiskey, which was over 40 degrees, in one gulp.

His head, which was bent back and then lowered again, touched the clock on the wall.

1 a.m.

It was too late to call someone.

But Do-hyun didn’t care and picked up his cell phone. He called Dongwook.

“Where are you?”

[Where else would I be at this hour? Home.]

Dongwook replied curtly.

“Right now…….”

[No.]

Dongwook refused before Do-hyun could even speak.

“Come to my place.”

But Do-hyun had said all he wanted to say.

[Why would I go to a guy’s place, not a girl’s, at this hour?]

“I have something to say.”

[Tomorrow.]

“Don’t you want to get fired from your director position?”

Do-hyun’s threatening way of speaking was fair to everyone. It applied equally to his close friends.

[……Hang up.]

Click. The call was cut off irritably.

But Do-hyun was sure he would come.

Sure enough.

The doorbell rang less than 10 minutes later. It was Dongwook.

“Why are you so analog? Do two guys really have to face each other at this ungodly hour? A phone call is enough.”

Dongwook, who came in grumbling, was dressed in the most comfortable clothes. He was wearing pink silk pajamas inside and a black coat outside.

Do-hyun’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Even if it’s night, your clothes are too…….”

He didn’t say the rest. Instead, he said everything with his expression.

‘Tacky.’

“Please respect my taste.”

Dongwook took off his coat and threw it on the sofa, then sat down opposite Do-hyun.

And he filled the glass Do-hyun was drinking from with whiskey.

“I brought my car.”

Dongwook said that and emptied the glass.

“But why are you drinking?”

“It means I’m going to sleep at your place.”

Dongwook smiled slyly.

“No way. Absolutely not.”

“Then you can take me home. Oh, but you can’t because you’ve been drinking too.”

“…….”

Do-hyun closed his mouth and took out another glass.

“But what wind blew you to call me at this hour?”

“What do you think about past lives?”

“Not that again?”

Dongwook replied with a bored face. That past life, past life.

He wondered why Do-hyun was so obsessed with past lives and filled his glass.

“I wonder if Lee Yu-bom would believe it if I told her.”

“Are you even saying that? Of course, she wouldn’t believe it. How could she believe such a ridiculous story?”

“Ridiculous, huh…….”

Do-hyun smiled bitterly.

Well, who would believe that he remembers his past life?

–

“Why are you so late?”

Yu-bom, checking the time, looked up at Nam-jung with a sulky face.

“Sorry. Because of Kim Da-jung.”

Nam-jung said in an annoyed voice. Judging by his expression, the reason was obvious. It must be because of Im Kyung-soo.

“Did you go to meet Im Kyung-soo again?”

“Yeah.”

Nam-jung took a seat opposite Yu-bom. He drank the soju she had poured for him in one gulp.

But he still couldn’t get rid of his annoyance, so he poured another glass. Another shot.

“No matter how I think about it, I don’t understand. What does Kim Da-jung like so much about Im Kyung-soo?”

Yu-bom really hated Kyung-soo.

A man who calls Da-jung out all the time but draws a line with her with the selfish word ‘female friend’, a man who is only a ‘friend’ in name.

“How would we know what’s in Kim Da-jung’s heart?”

“Everything else is perfect, but how can she have such a bad eye for men?”

“I don’t know, she’ll do what she wants. It’s her life, what can we do?”

“I guess. It’s not like she’ll listen to us.”

The two soon clinked glasses cheerfully and changed the subject.

“Haven’t ordered yet? What should we order?”

Nam-jung asked, looking for the menu with his eyes.

“Beef. I’m on a diet, so I’ll only eat two servings.”

“What diet?”

“My clothes don’t fit these days. Order soybean paste stew and rice too. Oh, and cold noodles.”

“……You’re on a diet?”

Either don’t go on a diet, or don’t order so much.

Shouldn’t you only do one of the two?

“Just order.”

Yu-bom sent him a stinging look, and Nam-jung turned his gaze back to the menu. Let’s see…….

Beef short rib ₩23,000

Boneless short rib ₩29,000

Sirloin ₩20,000

Tenderloin ₩17,000

Strip loin ₩17,000

Looking at the prices, Nam-jung’s seeds of distrust grew rapidly.

“What favor are you going to ask me to buy me this expensive beef?”

Nam-jung asked, looking at Yu-bom with squinted eyes.

“I said I got paid.”

Nam-jung didn’t miss the moment Yu-bom flinched.

“If you make me do makeup or something again, I’ll kill you.”

A few months ago, Yu-bom fed Nam-jung a lot of sashimi at an expensive Japanese restaurant and asked him to participate in an event for HS Cosmetics, one of the HS affiliates.

‘Beautiful Man Contest.’

Nam-jung refused her request outright, but for some reason, a mysterious video was sent to him on KakaoTalk the next day.

It was a video of him, drunk, saying that he would do that kind of thing a hundred times over.

Using that as an excuse, Nam-jung spent three hours at the hair salon and had Da-jung do his makeup for two hours.

Also, he had to shop for clothes for a whopping five hours. But 80% of what he bought was for Yu-bom and Da-jung.

The most serious thing was that Nam-jung’s photo won first place in the contest.

He received a set of cosmetics and prize money as a reward, but…….

The cosmetics set all went into Da-jung’s hands, and the prize money was squandered with Yu-bom and Da-jung in one night due to external pressure.

“It was pretty, though.”

“Pretty? Do you know how much I suffered because of that photo?”

Dozens of women contacted him every day after seeing Nam-jung’s photo spread on the internet. SNS was even worse.

Thanks to his cell phone ringing day and night, Nam-jung had to change the number he had been using for a long time. He also turned his SNS account to private.

“Hey, why don’t you mention that the cafe’s sales went up?”

Instead, the sales of the hanok cafe ‘Suryeon’, which Nam-jung and Da-jung run, also rose vertically. It’s because it became known as a cafe run by a beautiful man.

“……I’m grateful for that.”

“Then let’s stop talking about this. Can you order? I’m hungry.”

Just then, a waiter approached.

“Give us four servings of boneless short rib here. No, five servings.”

Nam-jung ordered the most expensive boneless short rib. Then he straightened his posture and asked Yu-bom.

“So, what are you going to ask me to do this time that you’re buying me meat?”

“Ah. Well…….”

Judging by her hesitation, it didn’t seem like an easy request. The quick-witted Nam-jung quickly replied.

“I won’t do it.”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“I still won’t do it. You’re going to make me do something weird again.”

“It’s not weird. HS Cosmetics is launching a men’s line soon. You’re the promotional model…….”

Before Yu-bom could finish speaking, Nam-jung shook his head.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I’m tired even now. I can’t live if I become any more famous than this.”

Nam-jung said with an arrogant expression.

“Huh! It’s not even a grand model.”

“Then I hate it even more. Maybe if it was a commercial.”

“Know your place. Don’t you know Socrates’ famous saying?”

Yu-bom was convinced that Socrates’ saying, “Know thyself,” was made for Nam-jung.

“Who was it that came to ask a favor of a guy who doesn’t even know his place?”

Nam-jung sneered.

“……Oppa. Please do it for me. I’m begging you.”

Yu-bom folded her eyes into crescents and acted cute. It was her trump card.

For a moment, Nam-jung felt an impulse. The impulse to shut Yu-bom’s mouth.

“Do you like Lee Yu-bom?”

At the same time, Da-jung’s question came to mind.

“Crazy.”

Nam-jung muttered to himself.

“What? You don’t have to call me crazy.”

Yu-bom said with a pouty face.

“Ah. I didn’t say that to you. I suddenly remembered what Kim Da-jung said.”

“What did she say?”

Nam-jung hesitated for a moment. But soon he opened his mouth nonchalantly.

“She asked if I liked you.”

“Are you crazy?”

Yu-bom put her chopsticks down on the table as if throwing them. And continued.

“Go and tell Kim Da-jung. Don’t do that kind of thing with family.”

To Yu-bom, Nam-jung was like family. No, they were closer than family.

Just as Nam-jung was about to answer, the waiter brought five servings of boneless short rib with plenty of marbling.

Yu-bom looked at the beef with sparkling eyes.

It would sting a little when she paid, but at this moment, it seemed like only the boneless short rib and those two existed.

Beef, boneless short rib at that! It’ll be delicious. It’ll definitely be delicious.

.

.

.

Just 30 minutes ago, what was in front of Yu-bom’s eyes was the glistening beef.

But, in just 30 minutes, it had turned into Cha Do-hyun’s face.

“Secretary Lee.”

“Yes, yes.”

“I told you to answer only once.”

“Yes.”

Yu-bom had been Do-hyun’s secretary for five years, so why wouldn’t she know that he didn’t like answering twice?

She knows everything, but she still does it.

30 minutes ago.

Just as Yu-bom was about to pick up her second piece of meat, her cell phone rang.

The caller was Cha Do-hyun.

For a moment, she thought about turning off her cell phone, but she was afraid of the retaliation she would face on Monday, so she pressed the call button with a sullen face.

“Something urgent came up. Come to the company right away. Now.”

“Mr. President-……!”

Click.

What kind of manners are those that he cuts off other people’s stories without even listening?

Today is even Sunday. A legal holiday that is designated as a day off!

To suddenly call and tell her to come out on such a day.

This is really unfair! See if I go!

Yu-bom vowed never to go. But a vow is just a vow.

“Why are you so late?”

In a company where a perfect superior-subordinate relationship exists, the words of a superior are law.

Besides, he’s not just a superior, but the president of the company, so how could she ignore Do-hyun’s words?

She didn’t like the way Do-hyun was tapping his wristwatch, but she couldn’t help it.

The beef was already gone, and she had taken a taxi all the way here. It was meaningless to get angry at him.

“The traffic was bad. But what did you call me out for at this late hour?”

Yu-bom said with a fake smile. Especially putting an accent on the word ‘late’.

“7 o’clock is not a late hour.”

That sly guy.

While Yu-bom was cursing at him with her eyes, Do-hyun continued.

“I called you because I have something to ask. It’s a very important matter.”

“What is it?”

“Can you postpone next week’s China schedule?”

“……No. I can’t postpone it. But, Mr. President. Surely that’s not a very important matter, is it?”

“That’s right.”

Yu-bom clenched her teeth at Do-hyun’s clear answer. And she ground them softly.

“You could have asked that over the phone.”

Yu-bom’s voice trembled as she held back her anger.

“That’s right.”

It’s clear. This man’s hobby is screwing me over.

“Ah, yes……. Then all your questions have been answered, right? I’ll be on my way.”

“No. Not yet.”

“What else?”

Yu-bom said bluntly.

“Which hotel did we book?”

Haa…….

Yu-bom picked up the tablet on her desk.

“K Hotel.”

“What room number?”

“Room 2001.”

“What about Secretary Lee?”

“Room 2002.”

“Is that so?”

Was it an illusion that Do-hyun’s raised lips looked like a devil?

“Yes. Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“No. There is.”

“…….”

“Why do you have that expression?”

“It’s all here. Are your fingers very weak? Is it so hard to touch like this?”

Yu-bom, overwhelmed, poured out all the words in her heart.

“Yes. My fingers are a little weak. And my hands are precious hands that approve things, so you can’t use them as carelessly as Secretary Lee’s hands.”

“Huh…….”

“How many people are going on the China trip in total?”

Another meaningless question began.

“Mr. President, seven people including me.”

“What’s the cost per person?”

If she left it like this, it seemed like he would ask about everything on the schedule.

Yu-bom quickly read through the schedule. From beginning to end, without giving Do-hyun a chance to interrupt.

Only after reading the entire five-page China trip schedule did Yu-bom catch her breath.

“Is that all? I’ll be going now. Goodbye.”

Yu-bom put the tablet back in its place and bowed politely to Do-hyun.

She turned her body around towards the door, vowing not to waste any more time.

“Wait. I still have something to say.”

Do-hyun said urgently, getting up from his chair.

He caught up with Yu-bom, who was five steps away, in just three steps.

One step. This time, he passed Yu-bom. Another step. And he quickly turned around and blocked Yu-bom.

Do-hyun bent down and matched his eye level with Yu-bom.

“What……is it.”

Yu-bom’s pupils blinked slowly.

“Yu-bom-ah.”

The title that had always been ‘Secretary Lee’ had changed to ‘Yu-bom-ah’.

Not only that, but Do-hyun moved even closer to Yu-bom.

“…….”

Yu-bom stopped breathing for a moment at the excessively close distance.

“Yu-bom-ah.”

Do-hyun called Yu-bom again.

Do-hyun’s breath, which seeped out with his voice, tickled Yu-bom.

Yu-bom felt like the surrounding temperature had risen by about 5 degrees. Her face also flushed.

“……Yes.”

Yu-bom replied in a trembling voice.

“Want to date me?”

Without warning. Do-hyun came in with a hook.