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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Unarmed
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Haeyun tightened her grip on Yeongin’s arm, which kept wobbling as her legs gave out.
“Where’s the restroom?”
She looked around, but the hall was so vast that she couldn't pinpoint where the restrooms were. There were no staff members nearby to ask either. To make matters worse, the body she was holding onto so tightly grew heavier and heavier.
“Teamjang-nim, try to pull yourself together.”
The unconscious woman remained silent.
“Ji Seungchan, you bastard.”
Haeyun gritted her teeth, picturing the face of the one responsible for getting Yeongin drunk.
No matter how handsome he was or how well he acted, how could she feel anything but contempt for a lecher so desperate to get his hands on her precious Teamjang-nim?
“Did you think you could take her if she got drunk?”
His devious intentions in proposing the game were so obvious it made her scoff.
Haeyun had reluctantly followed along for the sake of other team members who were curious about the celebrity’s birthday party. Now, she looked down pitifully at her Teamjang-nim, who had become the target. She sensed a presence and looked up.
Her eyes, wide and round, fixed on the man standing before her.
“Daepyo-nim!”
Seonghyeok, who had been looking at Yeongin with a frown, shifted his gaze to Haeyun.
“Why did she drink so much? It’s not even her birthday.”
Haeyun couldn’t help but gauge his mood, as he seemed angry for some unknown reason.
“She kept losing games, so she had to drink penalties…”
His already narrowed brow furrowed even deeper.
“I’ll take her.”
Haeyun’s eyes narrowed.
A surge of vigilance rose within her as Seonghyeok overlapped with that guy who had said, ‘I’ll take Yeongin Teamjang-nim home.’ His sudden appearance, acting as if he was claiming what was his, was also unsettling.
“Why would Daepyo-nim do that?”
Seonghyeok liked Haeyun’s guardedness. He hadn’t said it to test her, but he was grateful she didn’t just hand Yeongin over to him.
“Your name?”
He had heard it in the elevator that morning and again at lunch, but he couldn't recall it at all.
“It’s Ahn Haeyun.”
He stored her name in his mind and answered Haeyun’s question.
“Yeongin and I have a personal connection.”
“What kind of…”
“Her brother’s friend. A university senior. Is that enough?”
No, it wasn’t.
Haeyun was naturally suspicious. Still, she couldn’t openly demand proof from the person who held her livelihood in his hands, so she rephrased it carefully.
“I haven’t heard anything about that.”
It was at that moment that the limp body twitched.
Haeyun’s face brightened as she lowered her gaze.
“Teamjang-nim.”
As Yeongin slowly lifted her bowed head, Haeyun decided to pass the ball to the person concerned.
“Should I take you home, or will you go with Daepyo-nim?”
She had planned to find another way if she didn’t get an answer, but Yeongin’s eyes, blurry with intoxication, turned toward the face that resembled a meticulously carved sculpture.
Yeongin’s lips parted slightly as she stared blankly at Seonghyeok’s face.
“Cha… Seonghyeok…”
Having received her answer, Haeyun instantly released Yeongin’s arm.
“Please take good care of Teamjang-nim.”
She had only referred to him as Daepyo-nim, but the fact that Yeongin could clearly say "Cha Seonghyeok" meant that no further verification was needed.
Seonghyeok supported Yeongin’s swaying back with his hand and pulled her toward him. Her slender body nestled into his embrace. His hand, wrapping around her narrow waist, was incredibly natural.
Haeyun watched the two, a strange atmosphere flowing between them, with meaningful eyes.
Her brother’s friend and university senior—was that truly all there was to it? She sensed something that couldn’t be explained by just that.
As her imagination took flight and her eyes narrowed, they suddenly widened.
“Oh, right. Teamjang-nim’s bag, I’ll go get it.”
“Ms. Ahn Haeyun, please take it and bring it to the company.”
Seonghyeok didn't want Yeongin to stand there any longer.
“Yes, alright. Please go ahead.”
Haeyun watched the two receding figures and a man lingering nearby for a moment before turning away.
“But why was Daepyo-nim here?”
She couldn’t believe it was a coincidence, remembering that she had mentioned the birthday party venue and how excited her team members were because it was too expensive to go to on their own, just that lunchtime.
“Is my hunch correct after all?”
Haeyun’s face clearly showed excitement as she walked toward the room.
***
The man Haeyun thought was lingering near Seonghyeok and Yeongin was Jisang.
His eyes, which had widened when Seonghyeok suggested they leave, showed no signs of returning to their normal size.
He kept glancing at Yeongin’s face, half bewildered, half curious.
“I never thought I’d see her like this.”
He could guess why Seonghyeok had chosen a spot near the entrance out of all the available seats.
“Did you come here because you knew Yeongin was coming today? And you sat near the entrance so you’d know when she left the room?”
Jisang chuckled knowingly, tapping his foot as if he understood everything.
“To turn Cha Seonghyeok, of all people, into a stalker, Yeongin is truly an amazing woman.”
“I had a reason to come. Who are you calling a stalker?”
Seonghyeok retorted curtly as he walked toward the entrance, then gestured somewhere with his chin.
“Stop chattering and pay the bill.”
“Me? I only had one glass of whiskey!”
“You had a glass. I didn’t even touch a drop, so you should pay.”
“Huh? Oh…”
Jisang floundered for a moment before dashing to the counter.
By the time he returned after settling the bill, the two were nowhere to be seen.
Jisang hurriedly ran up the stairs and caught sight of Seonghyeok’s back.
Yeongin had her eyes closed, her head resting gently on his shoulder. Seeing Seonghyeok’s large hand cupping the back of her head, it seemed more accurate to say he had made her lean on him rather than she had simply leaned herself.
Jisang straightened his twitching lips and stood beside Seonghyeok, who was waiting for his car from the valet.
“Did you bring your car intending this from the start? Is that why you didn’t drink?”
“I intended for this to happen, but I honestly didn’t expect it would.”
“Huh?”
What was he talking about?
Jisang only understood half of what Seonghyeok said today.
It was at that moment that a black SUV pulled up and stopped in front of the three of them.
Jisang stepped forward and opened the passenger door, and Seonghyeok gently lifted Yeongin and seated her in the passenger seat. Every small movement was incredibly careful, as if he were handling something fragile.
Seonghyeok closed the passenger door and glanced back at Jisang.
“I’m leaving first.”
“But didn’t you say you had something important to tell me today?”
“It’s less important than taking Yeongin.”
Jisang’s expression became disgruntled.
“Yes, yes, I’m sure it is.”
“I’ll call you.”
Jisang waved his hand at Seonghyeok, who was walking to the driver’s seat. Of course, Seonghyeok didn’t even spare him a glance.
***
As soon as Seonghyeok sat in the driver’s seat, he turned toward the passenger side.
As he leaned slightly to pull the seatbelt, a faint rose scent brushed his nostrils. A desire surged within him to freely touch Chae Yeongin’s body and freely inhale her scent, just like before.
He forcefully suppressed his impure desires, fastened her seatbelt, and straightened up.
Just in case, he placed a finger beneath her nose, feeling a faint but warm breath.
Relieved, Seonghyeok openly admired Yeongin’s sleeping face.
Even if he hadn’t come, Haeyun probably would have taken good care of her, but he still thought it was good that he came.
He was originally supposed to meet Jisang tomorrow. He had moved it to today after finding out where the birthday party Yeongin was attending was.
During their meal, a comment Haeyun made, momentarily forgetting his presence, became the decisive catalyst.
“I’m worried Seungchan will persistently push drinks on Teamjang-nim again, like at the last company dinner. It’s obvious what he’s up to, but I don’t know why he keeps doing it.”
He had only come because he was concerned, but he hadn’t expected Yeongin to become completely unconscious.
It was then that he heard a timid tap on the passenger window.
He looked up to see the valet standing with both hands politely extended towards the road.
Realizing it meant to move the car, Seonghyeok straightened himself and fastened his seatbelt. Then he immediately started the car.
He quietly smiled, remembering Yeongin saying she would go with him earlier, then took advantage of a red light to glance at the passenger seat.
Yeongin, having woken up at some point, was blinking with a dazed look.
Watching drunk people, whether male or female, was something he absolutely detested. Even more so when he was the only sober one. But he wondered why he didn’t find this woman unpleasant, even when she was completely intoxicated.
“Go back to sleep.”
Yeongin, who had shifted slightly to face the driver’s seat, parted her lips.
“Hey… Cha Seonghyeok…”
Seonghyeok’s eyes curved gently. He liked hearing his name from Chae Yeongin’s lips, who had stubbornly called him 'senior' even when they were dating.
“Are you… upset… that I broke up with you…? Is that… why… you’re like this…?”
Seonghyeok thoughtfully re-examined his emotions to answer Yeongin’s question.
No matter how much he thought about it, he wasn’t upset.
Only regretful.
He regretted it bitterly—regretted getting dumped like that, regretted accepting it so easily.
“If you’re… regretting… not dumping me first… then I’ll dump you… Then it’s… fine… right…?”
He emerged from his deep thoughts and naturally responded.
“If I were to dump you, we’d have to get back together first, wouldn’t we?”
“Oh… that’s a bit… difficult…”
Could even her slurred voice be this cute?
“I take back saying you were cute when you were young. You were cute then, and you’re cute now.”
As Yeongin lowered her gaze as if embarrassed even in her drunken state, he let out a laugh. It was a refreshing feeling, realizing how long it had been since he had laughed like this.
“Sleep until we get home.”
Seonghyeok stretched his right arm out and covered Yeongin’s eyes. Instead of an answer, he felt a subtle nod.
A moment later, when he checked, Yeongin was fast asleep like an obedient child.
Watching Chae Yeongin, completely disarmed before him, a pang went through his heart.
“Should I make her drink every day for a while?”
He fell into serious contemplation.
