“Insooooo…”
The corner of Dayun's lips greatly curved downward in a pout as she blinked and let out soft whispers, calling his name.
At that, Insoo’s jaw dropped even more in complete horror.
Uh oh-
As she didn’t receive any reply from him, she went back to pour yet another glass of vodka when Insoo, coming out of his shock, rushed to stop her.
He grabbed her hands saying, “You’ve already drunk too much. Stop it. That’s enough!”
“Too much? I- I’ve haaad just thu- jus two……… Drinks.” She said blinking, pointing her index and middle finger in the air.
“Sorry but in my language, we don’t call it a two! You’ve had enough. Stop!” He said as he tried to take the bottle away from her hands.
Noticing that he was coming for her bottle, Dayun panicked and started running.
Insoo followed her but she made her way upstairs to the terrace. “Dayun- No! Come here.” He ran behind her.
Damn. How is she running like this while drunk?
“Dayun. Come back. It’s really cold here and it’s not safe for you to roam here in that condition………. You might fall off!” He warned simultaneously reaching her.
“Nooo…” She said hugging the bottle. “Dayun. Listen to me. Come downstairs.” He said again softly, only to receive an even longer “Noooooo…”
Realizing that talking was not going to work, Insoo decided to take violence as the solution, as he grabbed her hand, dragging her, making her drop the bottle at that.
“Ahh...” She screamed and wailed at forcefully being taken away, but quickly got a tight hold of the railing.
“Dayun! Leave. It. And. Come. With. Me.” Insoo asserted, struggling to get her off. But she held the railing rather too tightly and almost seemed glued to it.
Is she even drunk? How can her grip be so tight? Insoo struggled really hard to remove her hands from the railings.
“Dayun!”
“Insoo!”
“C’mon just leave the damn railing!”
“No!” She screamed again. “Welllll… If you- If you answer this question. I’d leave it- The railing.”
“What..?” He asked confused and then, “Okay. Ask me.” He said still trying to pull her away.
“Okey! What…… has four legs, baaarks, looks like a- a dog- but is smaller?”
“What- What kind of question is that?” He asked annoyed.
“Answer it!”
“I don’t know!”
“It’s- a……………. Puppy, dumbo!” She said and laughed hard at her own pathetic joke, content at making fun of Insoo.
“It’s not funny.” He scoffed and it made her laugh even harder. While laughing, she quickly let go of the railing and her sudden action made Insoo lose balance as he fell down, holding and dragging Dayun down with him and she landed on top of him.
Their faces just inches away from each other, making Insoo grow nervous.
After a moment, he quickly started to get up but
Dayun pinned him to the floor.
“Da-Dayun…” He struggled as she looked into his eyes with surprise, hypnotising him.
When suddenly, her face broke into a playful smile, as “Wow… You- smell niceee! Really nyssss… ” she said sniffing.
At that, Insoo got out of it and tried to get up again, “Well. Can’t say the same about you. You reek of alcohol.” He said pushing her away.
After a moment, Dayun’s face grew very sad as she opened her mouth to speak, “I drank because I felt guilty-” She said.
“What?” Insoo asked her confused.
“I felt guilty. I- I called my father a piece of- a piece of garbage…” She let the words out as soft whispers.
“What?” He asked her again, not quite getting her words.
“I called my father a- piece of- a piece of gar- garbage!” She said again louder, letting out whimpers, covering her face with her hands. “Garbage- I called him garbage-” She repeated whining and then looked at him, making a pout.
At that, Insoo looked at her for a solid 5 seconds with wide eyes, before bursting into a laughter. “I- I know I’m not- I’m not supposed to laugh. But you sound way too funny. You’re- You’re upset about that? Calling him garbage? That’s the reason you've been drinking?” He said between his laughs.
But quickly stopped laughing at the sight of Dayun glaring at him.
Silence fell between them at that. And Insoo took a moment to think about her words again, after which, “Do you perhaps… Regret it? Regret calling him that?” He asked slowly looking at her.
“Yes.” She said sadly nodding but immediately changed it to a “No!” and said, “He spoke- He spoke ill of you, I can’t stand someone speaking ill of you- I can’t-” She paused before continuing, “But I- I slapped him… I slapped him hard! I- I slapped my father. My own… Father.” She said whimpering, again covering her face.
Insoo took a few seconds to process her words and realise things. “Dayun………” He paused a moment to play back the events of the Gala. Dayun really spoke back at her father just to… Defend him.
‘Keep my man’s name out of your mouth’
Her words echoed through his ears.
She called him…… Her man.
Even though he has received a handful of titles before, that title, she gave him, made him feel the most happy, and if it was any other normal scenario, those words of hers would have been enough to cause a volcanic eruption inside him.
…
“I’m sorry…” Insoo said softly. “I’m sorry that you had to go against your father to defend me, even when it affects you so much. But I’m not sorry for him. He deserved every piece of it. Except I should’ve done it. I should’ve protected you. I feel bad for letting him hurt you.” He said looking at her while she was just lost in her own drunken world, counting the stars.
“You- You feel bad and- sorry?” Dayun who was so into her own world that she didn’t even seem like, she had heard his words, asked. She had listened to him, after all.
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“Yeah, I do.” He replied looking at the eyes that turned to look at him.
“Then if you- If you feel sorry, wouldj you do something for me- for me so that I can forgive you..?”
Insoo read her eyes as she said those words. Her words sounded rather deep. “Dayun…” He said. “You know, you just have to tell me and I’d do anything for you, anytime.”
“Anything?”
“Anything.” He said without missing a beat.
“Then………” She said moving near him as he watched her place her hands on his shoulders and sit on his stretched legs. He instantly brought his hands forward to hold her waist for balance as he watched her stumble. After taking a moment to adjust her position, “Then…” she said again, staring right into his eyes.
He looked at her without speaking a word, waiting for her to continue and wondering what she was going to say. “Drink. With. Me.” She said and her words were clear despite her heavily drunken state.
“What?” Insoo’s eyes grew wide with surprise.
“Yuupp! Dreeenk with me. Let’s drink together!” She said suddenly breaking into a mischievous smile, her approach changing quickly.
“No.” He said and she pouted, whining. “Whyyy?”
“Because-” He paused for a moment before continuing, “It’s dangerous……… It’s dangerous if we both get drunk.”
“Dangerous?” She asked him with wide eyes.
“Yeah……………… I’m dangerous. I can’t trust myself with you, if I drink.” He said looking at her.
That statement of his made Dayun surprised. “Ohh!” She let out, raising both her eye brows, wondering. Then, after a moment of thinking… Her lips, that were parted due to surprise, came together again to form a smirk. “Ohhhh…………” She said again but it was much longer and had a teasing tone to it.
Her hands that were placed on his shoulders slowly started to trace their way to surround his back, pulling him closer, making him stare right into her eyes. “What are you-” Insoo’s throat dried up at that, and his heart rate quickly picked up as he started growing breathless.
“I…” Dayun began and the tone she used made Insoo’s heart stop for several seconds. “Loooove ‘Dangerous’. So- Let’s- Let’s drink and see how dangerous you can get.”
Even though she stuttered and spoke unclearly, it didn’t stop her words from conveying the things they wanted to convey.
“Dayun……… I can't-” Insoo let her name out taking a gulp down, his gaze lingering on her captivating eyes that were clearly inviting. Slowly, moving down to look at her hands, that were now playing with the neck of his T-shirt, pulling it down as her fingernails brushed his skin underneath… Teasing him, mercilessly.
“Dayun………” His mouth said her name for a second time in a row, as he raised his head to look at her eyes again which still held the same emotions it was holding before.
But they were more intense. And Insoo almost fell for it when,
No-
No. No. No.
“No!” Insoo shook his head hard, like a pup out of shower. “I. Don’t. Want. To. Drink. And… Get off of me, first.” He said simultaneously trying to push her away.
His action made her quickly panic as “Okay… Okay…” She said rushed and held him tightly, sticking her face to his chest. “Please, don’t push me away. Just let me stay like this- for a while. I won’t ask you to drink- I won’t-” Her words were fast as she held him even tighter.
And he couldn’t proceed with his actions anymore… Not when he too wanted to keep her as near as possible.
He sighed.
“You really are testing my level of self-control, woman. You have no idea what you’re doing to me. Would you even remember what you’re doing in the morning…”
His words didn’t seem to reach Dayun’s ears. For she, was too busy listening to his heartbeat, with a worried expression from the time he tried to push her away. And only when his arms wrapped her back did her face relax as they both stayed like that, in each other’s embrace.
…
After several moments, she carefully raised her head to look at him asking slowly, “Can I- Can I tell you something?”
“Unless it’s not something related to drinking, you can.”
She nodded at that. Then, softy spoke, “I’m really glad- like really really really glad to have been a part of your life.” She said and her words were sincere. Insoo’s movements stopped for a second at that to read her eyes and the way her eyes looked at his, drove him insane.
Then,
She did something he never expected her to do. As she carefully cupped his face and placed the softest of her kisses against his cheek… Just barely missing his lips.
And with that
She fell against his chest again, asleep.
Making the man freeze, right on the spot.
His lips parted.
All the emotions he has been trying so hard to control, came exploding, like an instigated volcano.
His heart forgot it’s functions for a few concerning seconds after which it suddenly started to beat like crazy as if trying to amount to the missed beats… Too loudly, for him to hear them against his ear drum.
The place where she placed her lips a second ago burned and his muscles stopped moving for several moments,
“Darn-”
He let out as a soft whisper, still shocked looking forward,
“I guess, I’ve fallen for you really hard…………… I-” He carefully brought his hand to place it against the left side of his chest and the way his heart was beating, was disturbing.
“Not just a crush, or an admiration, but……………… Raw……… Love.”
He spoke his words on delayed self realisation.
Then, he slowly turned his head down to look at Dayun, who was sleeping peacefully in his arms with a chirpy smile, at the sight of which, Insoo’s heart rate raised even more if that was even possible, further ensuring the validity of his statement.
…
~
~
Next morning,
“You lost again, dada…” Iseul exclaimed happily, laughing at Insoo.
“Ow… I guess I’m not as good as you, little one.”
“Shall I teach you?” She asked him, excited.
“Can you do that?” He asked her pretending to not know how to play the goose video game they were playing, at all. Iseul nodded enthusiastically at that and started giving him instructions and tips on how to play the gane wisely and Insoo listened to her carefully.
“So, when the fire dragon comes, you have to slid down to escape from the fire.”
“Ohh… Is that so? Then, what if the water-”
He paused his statement in the middle as he heard some noises coming from Dayun’s room indicating that she had woken up.
“Play for a while, Iseul. I guess your momma has woken up. I’d be right back.” He said before switching the game to one-player mode and Iseul nodded positively. “Okay…”
He headed to her room.
And there, he saw Dayun, holding her head and squinting her eyes in pain.
“That’s what you get for drinking so much.”
He said and his voice made her open her eyes as she looked at his direction.
“My head hurts so much.” She let out, sighing.
“I know.” He said and continued, “Go and freshen up. I’ll go make you something to ease your pain.”
Dayun slowly nodded at that sensing the painful piercing in her head and suddenly feeling nauseous, she rushed towards the bathroom holding her stomach after saying a, “Excuse me.”
Insoo looked at that in disbelief before shaking his head slightly and leaving the room, thinking of making something that would ease her hangover.
…
After about 15 minutes, Dayun came out of the bathroom rubbing her hair with a towel after showering and right at that moment, Insoo too entered the room and sat on her bed with a bowl of porridge in his hands.
And as soon as he entered, his attention got directed towards Dayun as she walked, water dripping from her bouncy hair onto the honey-coloured skin of her collarbone. She was wearing a simple lace jacket that fit her body perfectly.
Sun rays from the window complimented her face, highlighting her naturally plump lips. She moved to stand in front of her dressing table as she gathered her hair to give it a slight shake before tying it in a loose ponytail.
And all along, Insoo couldn’t help but stare at her in awe and carefully notice all of her little movements, clearly smitten.
Having been lost, he did not realise Dayun moving close to sit beside him and taking the bowl from his hands.
And only when she opened her mouth to speak, “You know what…” did he come out of his fantasy world and looked down at the floor blinking but quickly looked back at her to listen to what she was about to say.
Sh*t. That was hella hot. He thought.
“If you keep on doing these kind of things for me, I might actually forget that I’m your secretary. Are you even my boss? Learn to act like one, if you don’t want other to misunderstand our positions.” She joked.
“Well… If people come to think of me as a simp, then be it, it won’t be completely wrong anyways.”
He said and she laughed at that. The sound of her laughter brought a pleased smile to his face without his knowledge.
Dayun’s POV,
I held the hot bowl of porridge in my hands. And took a spoonful of it.
“Be careful. It’s still hot.” Insoo advised me and I nodded at that. And then, carefully blew on the spoon before having it.
That’s when I remembered to ask him something. “Insoo.”
“Hmm…”
“I don’t remember changing my clothes yesterday. Did you change it?”
“Yeah… I did.” He said and I nodded at that saying a ‘Okay’, and after a few moments he added, “What? Aren’t you going to ask me anything like everyone would do at a time this? On how I changed it? And if I saw… anything?” He suggested.
I laughed at that. “Well… Did you do that..? I don’t think you’d have done something like that.”
“Mm... Hmm…” He smirked. “You trust me more than I trust myself, love.” He said before jokingly tease me by adding, “Even though I did nothing last night… You should know that……………… I’m no saint.”
The soft yet deep tone he used to say the last words made me gulp hard and I immediately felt the urge to change the topic.
“Where’s Iseul?” I asked him.
He laughed knowingly at that, but decided to just drop it and answer my question. “She’s in the hall. We were playing a game.” He replied.
“Ah… The duck game?”
“It’s a goose.”
“Same thing.”
Then, I remembered to ask, “Did you both have your breakfast?”
“Yeah… We had ours hours ago. We had our lunch too.” He said and it made me surprised. “Really?” I asked simultaneously looking at the small clock at my bed side. And it read 1:30.
“Ohh…” I let out, laughing awkwardly. And proceeded to take the next spoon of porridge.
“Hmmm… What did you add in it? It tastes really good.” I said taking another spoon and then another. Only the porridge he makes, would taste this good.
“Really?” He asked me.
“Yes. Do you want to taste it? But don’t ask for more because, there’s only one spoon left, I ate the rest.”
I told him stretching the spoonful of porridge in front of him. But then, I suddenly remembered that I just ate with the same spoon.
“Uhm- I just ate with it. Let me look if there’s any other spoon in here.” I said and took my hand back, but Insoo quickly held onto my wrist stopping me. Then, he proceeded to feed himself from the spoon in my hand as I looked at him.
“Hmm… It does taste good.” He said smiling, a contagious smile.
Whoa… Why does he have to look this cute? I'm melting .
“Told you so.” I said looking at him and a moment later, I stood up to take the finished bowl to the sink but Insoo stopped me, holding my forearm. “Dayun…” He called me and the tone he used was serious.
I turned back to face him again. “I don’t know how you’d take it, but I have something that I really want you to know. Actually, I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while now.” He said.
“Oh…” I let out taking his words in and thought for a moment before saying, “Okay. Then, I’d go keep this in the sink and would be back in a minute.” I told him and was about to resume walking but he held my arms making me turn back again.
“No. Let me tell you this, first. Because, not going to lie, but I’m really afraid of how you’d react to it and I’m not sure when I’d be able to tell you this again. So, please… Listen to me.”
The way he said that and the tone he used, made me feel anxious. And his eyes weren’t helping either. If I’m not mistaken, I could see affection in them.
Not the usual care and affection that his gaze usually carries. It was different.
Very different.
That I might… mistake it for……… Love.
It was faint but it was there. Maybe it’s not, because I’m still slightly hungover. But the mere possibility made me anxious all of a sudden.
“Dayun……… I really…” He began and I took a little step forward and slightly adjusted my position to stand more comfortably.
But who knew that the step I took would be on the part of the blanket that was spread across the floor, from when I forgot to make my bed, and would make me slip. But it did, and I felt myself losing balance when Insoo grabbed my waist to prevent me from falling and now I was sitting on his lap.
…
I carefully turned my head to face him and our eyes met, making me get some flashes of last night. It was not clear but I remember falling on top of him. And our faces were so close just like how it is now.
I quickly tried to get up but Insoo pulled me back. I tried again but his grip just got more firm. He did not move, his gaze was fixed too. Fixed on me.
“Dayun…” He called my name and I instinctively looked up to face him. There’s something magical about the way he calls my name. Even though, it’s not my real name, whenever he calls me by that, I feel instant butterflies inside my stomach and this time is no exception for that either.
In fact, this time, I got the entire zoo running inside me from the soft and sweet voice he used to pronounce my name and the way his eyes were looking into mine.
He looked at me for a long moment after which I felt him slowly move closer to me, leaning in. And just like the last time we were in a situation like this, this time too, he had the same effect on me if not more intensified.
He paused just a couple of inches from me, only to bring his finger forward to move a bunch of my hair behind my ear and looked at me as if asking for my permission.
After a moment, I gave a small nod, giving him my permission, not even sure if he’d have noticed it.
I’m not even sure what I gave him my permission for. And also not sure if he had asked me anything in the first place. Because everything that was happening felt blurry and like a dream. An uncommonly realistic and spellbinding dream.
And it got even more realistic when I watched him start to move even closer to me, trying to close the distance between us.
And the next moment-
I felt his lips on mine.
“Dada!”
Or maybe not.
To be continued…