A Lucky Find That Rolled Right In
"Whew, whew, whew! ...Haa."
I was jogging along the riverside at night. It wasn't exactly part of my regular workout routine, but the air was crisp tonight, and the feeling of the night breeze seeping into my skin was pleasant. Most of all, I liked that it was deserted. The sense of accomplishment that comes from wearing a hoodie, ignoring everyone else's gaze, and just pushing forward—it was exhilarating.
'Though, I suppose it’s hard not to stare at my chest and ass.'
It might sound crude, but I could afford to provide that much of a service to the world. I’d lived thirty years like this; why would today be any different? Thinking that to myself, I stood in front of a glowing vending machine. I inserted a bill and reached out to quench my thirst, but—
'...Ugh, is this really all they have?'
I’d been looking for a decent sports drink or a zero-calorie option, but the selection was pathetic. I had no choice but to avoid the carbonated stuff and settle for some sikhye—
Bzzzt, bzzzt...!
Suddenly, my smartwatch vibrated. I immediately lifted my wrist to see a phone number I’d never seen before, displayed in small text: 02-XXXX-XXXX. I stared at it intently. It didn't look like a telemarketing call, so I answered. The calm music playing through my Bluetooth earphones was replaced by a composed voice.
『Hello, am I speaking with someone related to Joo Young-cheol?』
"Yes, that's my dad. Who is this?"
I tried to sound calm, but the moment I heard my father's name, my expression soured. I’d expected it to be him causing trouble somewhere again, but—
『Ah, I see. Yes, I’m calling from the emergency room at XX Hospital.』
"Whaaaat!? The emergency room!?"
My pupils dilated instantly. I’d braced myself for a bad feeling from the start, but this wasn't just him breaking into someone else's house to take a nap.
『The patient was found collapsed in a dark alley after choking on some food—』
"And!?"
『Ah~ don't worry. Fortunately, he has been rescued. His condition is improving, but I called just in case.』
"Oh, thank you, thank you so much!"
『Also, the person who rescued him is still here. They’ve been staying by his side to monitor the situation.』
"They went that far...?"
I was genuinely surprised. It was nearly midnight; such kindness was rare. Seeing that an angel like that existed in the world, I realized the world wasn't as cold as I’d thought. I calmed my heart. I was relieved that the situation didn't seem critical. Then, a thought occurred to me—
'Wait a minute...'
I felt a flicker of suspicion. "Um... you aren't pulling a prank after getting some pocket money from my Uncle Yong-jae, are you?"
『Ye-yes? ...Who?』
"No, never mind! I'm coming right now. You said XX Hospital, right?"
Hearing their bewildered reaction, I quickly changed direction. I’d been pranked like this by my dad's drinking buddies before, so I’d tested the waters, but I guess that wasn't it. After telling them I’d be there as his guardian, the call ended. Perhaps detailed service is a necessity in this day and age; I checked the address sent via text, and it was only 800 meters away.
"Ugh, that old man is such a headache...!"
I ran. It was an awkward distance to take a taxi, so I left the vending machine—bill and all—and kept running.
I strode into the room. In the hospital ward where groans echoed, I looked around until I spotted a familiar silhouette and slammed my hand onto the patient's bed!
"Really... Dad!"
I shook him, chiding him for whatever he’d done to end up with an oxygen mask on. I thought he was just playing a prank to look critical so I’d rush over, but—
"I really think he fainted. Um... he’s been out cold ever since he spat something out in the alley."
I was stopped. Only then did I notice someone sitting next to the table. A man in his mid-20s, wearing a suit. It was easy to tell that this man was the one who had saved my father.
'Ah! So this is the guy?'
He was sitting, but he seemed quite tall. He had a lean build and a slightly dorky face. He looked normal enough on the surface, but there was a distinct, vacant look in his eyes—completely devoid of life. He looked like someone crushed by a repetitive, exhausting daily routine, but—
"......"
'Yeah~ men's software is all the same in the end.'
He suddenly regained his vitality. That dead look in his eyes was replaced by a spark of energy. It was a common occurrence. This man couldn't take his eyes off my chest. He couldn't quite make eye contact, sneaking glances at my cleavage, looking slightly aroused.
Heh♥
For some reason, that was fun. The human with pure white wings in his heart who saved my dad was, as long as he was a male, just another wolf in the pack.
'Or maybe I’m the one making him that way♡'
The fresh atmosphere was perfect. For the first time in a while, my self-esteem got a little boost. 'Come to think of it... when was the last time I met a man?' I thought about it suddenly. Looking back, I’d spent all of last year doing external activities like working out or entering competitions. I’d been in a rut regarding dating. The pestering from men had become annoying, and I was tired of the repetitive ends to relationships, so I’d kept my distance. Above all, I had a grudge against my dad’s nagging about when I’d get married now that I was thirty. So, I felt a slight interest in this current encounter. At a glance, I knew he’d try to get this cute daughter’s number, so I decided to give him a little service.
"Ah! So you're the one who rescued my dad!"
I approached him, pretending I didn't know everything. I reached out and squeezed his hands. As I returned the gesture, I could see the hair on his arms stand up.
"Th-th-th-that!"
'Heh~ he’s actually pretty cute up close♡'
We had a brief chat after that. I’d expected us to talk pleasantly and for him to naturally reveal his ulterior motives, but—
"Well... now that his real guardian is here, I’ll be going."
"Whaaat!!? You're leaving already?!"
This guy suddenly stood up. He offered some decent, monk-like comfort about being glad my dad was safe, then turned to leave. 'Just... just like that?!' At first, I thought he was playing hard to get. But there was no sense of "push and pull" at all. He literally said, "My work here is done," and walked out through the automatic doors of the emergency room. He turned his back on me without a shred of lingering attachment.
"......"
I was bewildered. He’d clearly been very interested in me, so I’d naturally expected him to shyly ask for my number. I’d even held his hand!
Thump!
"Ouch!?"
I was so annoyed I slammed my hand on my dad’s bed. I quickly stripped off the jersey I was wearing and tossed it onto the bed. Feeling the weight of my breasts swaying with every stomp of my feet, I chased after the man who was about to disappear forever.
"Hey, you!"
When he turned around at my call, I bowed my waist deeply. "Thank you so much! Thank you for saving my father!" I gave him a sweet, polite greeting until the very end. Or rather, I made sure it *looked* that way. I was wearing a thin tank top under my jersey. Thanks to that, I could land a decisive blow. I could finish this here.
"......"
'Heh, he’s looking, he’s looking♥'
A killer move for any man. I bowed, showing off my cleavage. 'Geez~ is he shy? What a hassle.' As expected, he stared blatantly again. After letting him enjoy the visual feast as a service, I pretended to be oblivious and asked, "Um... excuse me?"
"Ah! Yes, well..."
This time, it was certain. If this were an RPG, he’d be under a that forced his next move. With that bright red face, I’d forced him to walk back toward me. Usually, that would be the case.
"It... it was just a coincidence, and it wasn't really a big deal."
'What?!'
But the man actually stepped backward. He spouted some useless, polite nonsense. "Ahaha... well then." With a weak, hollow laugh, he turned around again. And just like that, he really left. The benefactor who saved my father had left without ever revealing his hidden desires. It was the first time in my life I’d experienced this. A scratch on my record of seducing men, which started back in kindergarten when I controlled the strong boys in class.
"......What a strange person. I laid it all out on a silver platter, and he just leaves?"
Grind!
My teeth gnashed in anger. I shouted at his stupid retreating back, not caring who was watching. "How dare you leave without even asking for my number?!"
Suddenly, my blood was pumping. I felt a bit flushed, as it was the first time I’d been this heated in a while. My dating rut? Completely shattered.
"Phew, good work today, everyone."
-Good work, Director!
After class, I wiped the sweat with a towel. Burying my face in the towel to soak up the moisture, I thought about what happened again. 'Ugh... the more I think about that guy, the angrier I get.' Ever since that incident, he’d been bothering me. Like a small thorn stuck in my throat, the bitterness remained every time I had a spare moment. An indescribable frustration. I could see why he didn't ask for my number if he was interested. Some might argue with a "MZ" perspective that in this day and age, anyone can make the first move. But I am Joo Yeoeun. This wasn't just about exchanging phone numbers; it was directly tied to my thirty years of pride. I had never once made the first move on a man in my entire life. I never even initiated the "let's date" talk or expressed interest first. That was simply how Joo Yeoeun lived.
"Whew, really— ...Oh, a call?"
I checked my phone in the office to see a call. . My dad, who’d been causing trouble like a nuisance lately, had left a message. Even when he was in the ER, I’d emphasized that he needed a thorough check-up, but he’d snuck out pretending to go to the bathroom. For him to call again after only a day was shameless. Regardless, I sighed and hit redial.
『Uh, Yeoeun-ah. Can you talk now?』
"Haa... listen to your voice. Where did you go to have a drink this time?"
『Enough, your mother’s nagging is enough for me. Anyway, is it okay to talk now?』
"What is it now? Did you mess up somewhere else? I don't have time to play along with your friends' pranks—"
『No, do you want to be introduced to a guy?』
"......!"
I felt a hunch. A hunch that this might be good news. Because even though I’d been nagged by my dad to meet someone to marry, he’d never actually "introduced" me to a man in my entire life. I leaned in, intrigued. I pretended to know nothing while acting like I didn't know what was going on.
"Suddenly, what kind of introduction? Dad, I’m not going to get married just because—"
『No, that’s not it! Just meet him lightly for now.』
"Who?"
『You’ve seen him before. That, that guy, the young man who saved me in the ER!』
Heh. A victory smile crept across my face. I’d had a feeling, and it was true. Things were working out on their own, so I suppressed the urge to hum a tune.
『It’s not necessarily because he saved my life, but he was a pretty polite young man. He might not be your... style, but I thought you should meet him at least once.』
"Hmm, I don't know... it’s sudden, so I’m a bit troubled."
『No, he was a really good guy! There aren't many kids these days who are that polite to us old folks! Plus, he’s the benefactor who saved your dad!』
"That’s from your perspective, Dad..."
I intentionally took two steps back. I pretended to be reluctant. I knew my dad’s impatient personality well, so I acted uninterested, scratching at him gently to make him pull out more cards.
『Fine, then if you two meet, I’ll give you my credit card! How about that?』
"Yes! Okay, if you put it that way, I’ll meet him once♥"
I waited, and when the expensive bait came out, I bit immediately. It was a triple-threat: resolving the frustration that had been bothering me, meeting him without compromising my pride, and getting pocket money to boot. That was how it happened. That was how I ended up at a meeting with him.
『Then it’s settled! Ah! I think his name was Son Seungwoo.』
"Okay, so it’s Seungwoo-ssi."
Son Seungwoo. I was looking forward to it. I was excited to punish this cowardly male who dared to leave without even taking my number. Lick♥ Let’s see how long he lasts in front of me when we meet again. For the first time in a while, my heart was racing.