Between Love and Colleagues (2)
By the time the two of them had met up on a weekday, the soju was vanishing in no time. After a few rounds of pouring for each other, the glasses overflowed, and the pile of empty bottles rolling neatly beside the sofa began to grow one by one. He'd wondered how she'd amassed so many on her own, but it seemed Minjeong's tolerance ramped up inside the house compared to out in public. By the time she'd downed her third bottle alone without a break, Yuchan had barely finished a bottle and a half. Her pace was intimidating.
“Phew~ And back then, it was all thanks to you that I made it through that rough patch.”
“Parents can be pretty sensitive about those things.”
“I get it now. I was just a green newbie back then~”
The atmosphere, which could easily have turned awkward, warmed up with old stories and the power of alcohol. They reminisced about minor past memories and problems they'd tackled together, emptying glass after glass. Buzzed and feeling good, Minjeong had undone the front of her hoodie, flashing glimpses of the white tank top underneath. She might not have realized it herself, but it felt like blatant seduction. The way her soft, pale skin folded invitingly as she leaned back made him want to reach out and touch. How many unfamiliar sides of her had he glimpsed since stepping into this house today? Gone was the pristine, top-daughter-in-law image of the diligent Do Minjeong from the academy. This was the clumsy domesticity of a 25-year-old woman, laced with an endearing charm he'd never seen in her usual poised demeanor.
“Come to think of it, I dumped everything on you back then too.”
“No choice. I couldn't just boss around a fresh college grad.”
“Looking back now, I should've handled it myself. It was my job, after all.”
Not long after Minjeong had started as a Korean instructor at the academy, she'd faced hell from an overzealous parent. As a mere assistant teacher, she had no real reason to take responsibility for mock exam results, but she lacked the experience to see that at the time. Yuchan had stepped in as her shield. The middle-aged man who'd been berating the flustered, apologetic Minjeong had tucked tail the moment the sturdy-built Yuchan intervened. Come to think of it, that incident was what started her frequent visits to his counseling office. A whole year had passed since then—time flew.
“Anyway, you absolutely can't try to handle everything alone this time. Promise me.”
“I'll do my best.”
“Best isn't good enough. Promise.”
Minjeong clung to Yuchan's sleeve with her slurring tongue, imploring him earnestly. As their glasses emptied, the space between them subtly shrank. What had started as two cushions' worth of distance now closed to where a mere stretch of the hand would bring their bodies into contact. Her long, gracefully curled lashes glimmered, her skin shone like it was lit from within— all within arm's reach. Yuchan sensed the ambiguous tension rippling between them.
“You might not believe me, but this is the first time I've ever come to a guy's place like this.”
“I thought you said you had a boyfriend.”
“That was ages ago. And he wasn't even serious.”
“So why'd you invite me over?”
Yuchan met her gaze squarely with his dark, gleaming eyes. The expression reflected in them was one of facing something utterly alien. She'd invited him initially to check the documents left by the intruder, but even someone oblivious would catch that his question meant more. After hemming and hawing, Minjeong sighed.
“Sigh, this makes me sound like a total bitch.”
“No idea what you mean.”
Their distance narrowed once more—this time, Yuchan closed it. Their faces nearly touched. Far too intimate for mere coworkers. Even the cheap alcohol stench of soju mingled with her sweet scent turned oddly seductive.
“You've got a dirty side too, Yuchan. How could you do that with a student? If it weren't for that, I wouldn't be throwing myself at you like this!”
“Still no clue what you're talking about.”
“Stop treating me like an idiot?”
Minjeong knew about his sticky entanglement with Nayae. And yet here she was. As expected, friendship between men and women couldn't hold up against booze and the night.
“You're dating Nayae, so why didn't you just leave?”
“You wouldn't let me.”
“You let yourself get held back?”
“If I just left, you'd be embarrassed.”
“...So how long are you planning to stay like this?”
“Are you embarrassed now?”
Their faces hovered nose-to-nose. Her excited breaths wafted between them like heat haze, her eyes screaming yes. Their lips met softly. A rough tongue slipped between lips softer than magnolia petals, twisting together. Her hydrangea-like innocence ripened into glossy allure. She gripped his collar tight, pulling him in as if to prevent escape. Yuchan stroked her long straight hair, his hand firm on the slender waist peeking from under her tank top. Her alcohol-flushed skin yielded elastically to his touch. Her sleek thigh, stretched out at an angle, twitched and clenched. Finally, he nipped her tongue tip lightly before slowly pulling away. Minjeong touched her still-warm lips.
“It's been ages since I kissed anyone. How are you so good at it?”
“Guess I was born that way.”
With a sly grin, Yuchan kissed her again.
“I always figured you were a player.”
“Isn't this a bit harsh, considering we're both up to no good?”
“Who cares?”
She knew full well she was cheating, yet she didn't dodge his eyes. Her boldness appealed to him.
“My conscience stings a little... but you know this is just for tonight, right? Mmmph...”
He silenced her chattering lips with a deep kiss, slowly wrapping around her body. Leaning her back toward the sofa, he teased her firm form with his fingertips. He caressed her thighs stretching from her pink dolphin pants, slithered up her narrow waist like a serpent, to her chest. As his hand ventured toward sensitive spots, Minjeong's body stiffened. Yuchan, eyes closed in the kiss, cracked one open. The reaction differed from his expectations. With her beauty and sweet personality—plus rumors of past boyfriends—he'd assumed she had experience. Or maybe it had just been too long? Each time his hand neared her intimate areas, she squeezed her eyes shut, trembling like a virgin untouched by men.
“Why...?”
Do Minjeong smacked her lips regretfully as his tongue withdrew, opening her eyes narrowly to ask.
“This might be rude to ask, but...”
“Sigh, you caught me? I was trying to keep it secret till the end.”
She stuck out her tongue playfully, shrinking back in embarrassment. The catlike motion was sinfully alluring, nearly shattering his restraint. If he'd lunged then, it would've devolved into raw animal rutting, no tenderness spared. Minjeong nibbled her thumb.
“Just as you guessed—I never slept with that guy.”
“What about women?”
“Huh? Of course not! What kind of talk is that?”
Seohyun had flitted to mind, but it fell flat. Minjeong burst into giggles, collapsing in laughter. She already smiled prettily often, but alcohol made her grin even more.
“I'm twenty-five already. Any later, and I'd feel like a total loser. Might as well give my first time to a cool guy like you. Who knows? In this risky situation, I might die a virgin otherwise. Sorry to Nayae, but I'm no saint either.”
“You've always had feelings for me?”
Minjeong blinked in wide-eyed shock at his words, then laughed uproariously half a beat later.
“Honestly, I thought you liked me all this time. What guy treats a woman that nicely if he's not into her?”
She sighed deeply, fiddling with his hand like a toy.
“If I'd known the great Counselor Yuchan would end up with a student, I'd have come on stronger. Now I feel like the dog that chased away the chicken.”
Her unusually chatty demeanor wasn't just the booze. First times were awkward; she was masking it with words. For tonight, melting her away with experienced finesse seemed right. Yuchan didn't always take women by force. He'd spent nearly a year easing into Harin's first time, after all. Building trust, then betraying it bit by bit—that was exquisite sport.
“My first time, huh? Guess I'll have to give it my all. Want me to shower first?”
His face lit up with smug satisfaction at the unexpected windfall. Minjeong pouted.
“Never seen you smirk like that before. That thrilled about it being my first?”
“Just your imagination. I've always smiled the same. Or do you want to go first?”
“Trying to do it right since it's my first? That's kinda funny too.”
Who knew he'd see her even white teeth so many times today. Minjeong flashed a sly smile and glanced toward the bathroom.
“Screw it—let's shower together.”
2.
The old apartment's bathroom was honestly nothing special. No bathtub, just tacky red tiles on the walls and floor that screamed for a red rubber basin to complete the retro vibe. Pushed in first, Yuchan fiddled with the unfamiliar faucets to adjust the water temperature. Blue handle for cold, red for hot—needed the right mix. Soon, Minjeong slipped in, stepping on the cold hallway tiles.
“Don't stare so much.”
“You're covered head to toe in that towel.”
A massive towel, like one for staying warm in a valley stream, wrapped around her. Where was that boldness from earlier? She clutched the seam tight, lest it slip. It pushed up her breasts into plump, perky mounds that looked delightful. Her sleek curves slid teasingly where the towel couldn't hide. She glanced around, then grinned wide.
“I thought showering together before sex would be romantic. But this bathroom? Total letdown. Give me back my fantasy.”
“Haha.”
Yuchan chuckled, rising from his crouch after setting the temp. Minjeong's eyes traced the dense muscles rippling over his massive frame, unwittingly biting her lower lip. That body screamed sex. Impressive even clothed at the academy, but naked? Beyond imagination. Like a feline predator. Swollen lats, armor-plated intercostals, thighs as thick as her waist—then her gaze hit his dangling cock, and she looked away. Porn cocks were one thing; real life burned. And the size she'd vaguely worried about? Yuchan's symbol dwarfed her fears into outright dread.
“What're you doing? Come here.”
Ignoring his beckon, she hurried over. Yuchan pulled her in towel and all. Her pounding heartbeat thrummed through the thin fabric. Her throat parched relentlessly.
“Yuchan, um... you're really built.”
To the shrinking, giggling girl, Yuchan delivered a truth she'd never laugh at again.
“It's not even fully hard yet. Sure you wanna freak out now?”
“Huh?”
Her sheepish smile froze solid—a natural progression.