He really does such embarrassing things.
“I’ll let him know you called when he wakes up. Then.”
Rashanin, who finished the call, held out the cell phone toward me. Unable to look at him, I snatched the cell phone with my head turned away.
“You should have woken… you should have woken me up.”
My voice was terribly hoarse. I remembered making moans and screams without rest last night. My face burned.
“How could I wake you when you were sleeping so soundly. The bell kept ringing and you had no thought of waking up. So I answered. As you heard, I only gave good compliments. I also made excuses for you.”
I know. That Rashanin gave embarrassing compliments. But that wouldn’t let me avoid the Department Head’s nagging. Well, it might reduce it a bit though.
“You’re trying not to make eye contact. You were so proactive last night, but you change when the sun comes up. Are you embarrassed?”
“Well… I might be.”
I mumbled while looking down at the wrinkled bed sheets, not at Rashanin. It was true that I was embarrassed and awkward enough not to look at his face. In my head, last night’s events kept flashing back like flashbacks, and the fact that I was naked in front of the fully dressed Rashanin really bothered me.
“May I ask how you feel?”
“I’d prefer if you didn’t ask that. I’m too embarrassed to answer properly.”
“But you’re speaking well right now?”
Even without looking at Rashanin, I could feel through the air that he was smiling. It’s really embarrassing, but the man won’t withdraw his gaze as if he must hear an answer.
After rubbing my cheeks, I slightly lifted my head. Rashanin, whose eyes were shining with anticipation, looked hateful. Someone’s waist is hurting to death here. On top of embarrassment, I felt unreasonably wronged.
“Just.”
“Just?”
“It hurts a bit, throbs, I have a fever and such. I have no strength either.”
When I complained about my physical pain, Rashanin let out a laugh.
“I asked how last night was, but if you say it hurt, doesn’t that only sound like I should try harder next time?”
“……?!”
“I felt very good. So I’m really looking forward to next time. Unhyuk.”
I was so dazed by his words that it felt good that I couldn’t even think to avoid the soft lips that lightly touched my cheek before pulling away. Unlike me, who was embarrassed, awkward, thinking I really did such a thing, and even feeling self-loathing, he looked really happy.
“Your expression is strange. Why? Do you regret it?”
Compared to his gentle voice, Rashanin’s eyes became sharp. If I said I regretted it, he looked ready to strangle me. It was my first one-night stand, my first time sleeping with a man, but it wasn’t something I’d regret right now. Instead, I was a bit confused.
“Rather than regret… this is my first time with something like this, so I’m still recovering from the shock.”
“Shock?”
“I don’t know what kind of face I should make when looking at Rashanin-ssi.”
Even though it was coming from my own mouth, I didn’t know what I was saying. I just babbled what came to mind, and Rashanin smiled ambiguously.
“I told you to be shameless.”
Rashanin’s answer was consistent. I don’t regret sleeping with him, but I don’t know what to do now.
As I pulled up the sheets to hide my awkwardness, something crossed my mind. I didn’t know how it happened, but I was lying in my room’s bed right now. But what we did last night was in Rashanin’s room. I remembered that the sheets on his bed had been dirtied in a mess.
“Excuse me, what about the sheets?”
“Hm?”
“I mean, those dirty sheets……”
“Of course they’re in that room? Why are you looking for them?”
“If they get into the maid’s hands…… Ah, really. That……”
It was the first time I felt my face turning pale. Thinking of the room maid who would have collected the sheets that must have been a mess with bodily fluids made me dizzy. What would they think happened on the bed in a suite room where not even a hint of a woman could be seen? And it was only a matter of time before that was reported to the higher-ups.
There wouldn’t be anything to connect me and Rashanin…… No, when I asked the Department Head to take me off work, I said Rashanin was hitting on me, so suspicion could arise.
I thought it would be fine if we didn’t get caught, but there was this variable. I should have destroyed the evidence before the sheets were collected. Trying to endure the pain and get up, my legs gave out and I plopped down. But Rashanin, who was standing beside me watching, lightly burst into laughter.
“I understand what you’re worried about, but the maid hasn’t come yet. And no story will come out of the maid’s mouth, so don’t worry.”
“……What?”
“It’s simple to suggest that the dirty sheets didn’t come from this room, that nothing happened. It’s a bit troublesome, but seeing your pale face, I can’t not do it.”
“……”
“Are there any other worries?”
My frozen head finally started turning. I remembered that Rashanin had been talking about next time continuously.
“I’m speaking seriously, but this is the end.”
I was serious. I thought it was a one-night stand from the beginning. But Rashanin didn’t bat an eye.
“I didn’t agree to that, did I?”
“Rashanin-ssi.”
“You’re too careful with your body. Enjoy yourself.”
“You know what my job is.”
“It’s already something we’ve done. And the first time requires the most courage. The second time is a choice. Last night was good, wasn’t it.”
It was good. If it wasn’t, I would have kicked him and run out. But it was dangerous.
“This time I’ll be the one to seduce first. If you don’t like it, you can refuse.”
“That’s……”
I was about to protest that he couldn’t call that a proper response when Rashanin smiled brightly and kissed my cheek, forcing me to shut my mouth.
“I won’t give your boss any reason to bite into you, so don’t worry about that. More importantly, what should we do about food? Aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m fine.”
“Even if you’re not hungry, you should eat something. Otherwise your body won’t be able to handle it.”
Rashanin kissed my cheek once more and got up from the bed. I quietly watched the man’s broad back disappear beyond the door, then stroked my cheek that burned as if it had been scalded. Despite saying it would be just one night, Rashanin was acting sweet.
Somehow I felt like I’d dug my own grave.
*
“You look like you’ve drowned. Open your eyes if you’re alive.”
I heard Rashanin’s voice from above my head. When I opened my eyes narrowly, I met Rashanin’s purple eyes looking down at me. I hadn’t noticed the bathroom door opening or the man approaching and sitting on a large towel he’d placed at the edge of the bathtub.
With my body heavy and submerged in hot water with bath salts added, I’d ended up dozing off slightly.
“Not even thinking about eating.”
“Because I don’t really want to eat.”
“Your skin is red.”
Rashanin held out a glass filled with cool ice water. It was lemon water.
“Thank you.”
Since my throat was parched, I didn’t refuse and drank the water in one gulp. When I returned the empty glass to Rashanin’s hand that he held out naturally, he set the glass aside.
“Isn’t it hot?”
“It’s just right.”
It had been a bit hot at first, but after some time had passed, it had cooled to just the right temperature. But Rashanin frowned slightly, then rolled up his shirt sleeves and dipped his hand in the bathtub water before pulling it out. The wrinkles in his frown deepened.
“You call this just right? You’re going to cook.”
“Well… it’s a matter of preference. This is just right for me.”
“Your taste is peculiar.”
“Better than someone who watches others bathe.”
“Huh?”
Because of the bath salts, the water had turned a pale pink color, but it was still transparent, so my naked body was clearly visible below the water. On the other hand, Rashanin was fully dressed in a vest and even a jacket. No matter how much we’d spent that kind of night together, this was still a somewhat embarrassing situation.
But Rashanin’s left eyebrow twitched as if wondering what ridiculous thing I was saying. Then he casually glanced below the water’s surface, making my face feel hot separate from the hot water.
“Aren’t you too shy? This is such a cliché thing to say, but we’ve already seen everything there is to see.”
“Still, this isn’t on top of a bed, is it?”
“It doesn’t have to be on a bed. The water is a bit hot, but right now this could substitute for a bed. It would be fun.”
Rashanin slyly tugged lightly at the ends of my wet hair. I avoided his hand and stated firmly.
“I’ll pass.”
“Why?”
