A Man Who Catches Her Eye

"How's the Best Course looking for reservations?"

Having finished a session, Suhyun came down to the front desk and asked the manager.

He ran the Premium Course, so the Best Course wasn't really his problem. Still, it paid to stay informed — he'd be running a parlor of his own someday.

"Not bad. The price hike cost Gwanghyun and the other masseurs a few regulars, but stacked against the new rates, we're actually coming out ahead. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠From their side, it's a pretty sweet deal. Less work, more money."

"That's good to hear."

"But Suhyun. Still not interested in going full-time? The boss was on my case about it again yesterday. You take the offer, and we'll back you on everything — pay structure, promotion, the works."

This offer again.

Of course L Massage Clinic was desperate to lock him down. He'd hit number one in bookings in less than a week of starting, and word of mouth had spread like wildfire. The number of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠clients walking through the door had exploded. Customers brought in more customers — that was a formula that worked in any business.

Most of the people who came here came for Suhyun, which meant the clinic had to keep him. The massage industry was a revolving door. If he ever walked over to another parlor, L Massage Clinic's glory days would vanish overnight.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to be tied down anywhere just yet. I like things the way they are right now."

"Haa... I see."

But Suhyun couldn't take the offer. He was preparing to open his own place — how was he supposed to go full-time? He could always sign on and quit right around the time he opened shop, but that would be a real dirtbag move.

"The boss is losing his mind trying to keep you. Tsk. Just give me this much. You're not thinking of jumping ship, are you?"

"No. I have no plans to switch jobs anytime soon. If that changes, I'll let you know."

He didn't mention the part about opening his own parlor. There was no need to make things awkward.

"Is that Kim Suhyun?"

"Oh my god, he is gorgeous."

"Teacher! Teacher! Over here, just one look!"

The conversation with the manager over, Suhyun was about to head upstairs when voices called after him. The waiting room was packed. Some of them had come because L Massage Clinic had gotten famous, but more than half were here for Suhyun himself — women camping the lobby in case a reservation fell through, ready to snatch the empty slot. It looked like a fool's errand, but the hit rate was higher than you'd think. Everyone wanted him. Some people booked whatever opening they could find without a second thought, and when the day arrived and they couldn't make it — the way Manager Cheon Yuhwa sometimes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠couldn't — a cancellation was inevitable.

"Hi, everyone. Did you all come to see me?"

Suhyun, who loved every woman he met, wasn't about to snub the ones sitting in the lobby. He flashed them a brilliant smile and waved. That sunshine grin sent them into a frenzy.

"Kyaaaa! Oh my god, he's so handsome!"

"Whoa. Insane..."

"What's someone like him doing here? He could debut as an idol with a face like that."

"Who cares? That's what makes it great, right?"

The women packed into the waiting room spanned every age — teens through their forties. A dozen of them squealed and shrieked at Suhyun's smile, and even the clients who hadn't come for him in the first place found themselves falling under his spell.

"Teacher! My reservation's still three weeks out. Can't you bump me up? You said you wanted to see me too."

"I can't do that, Jieun. I do want to have a good time with you — that's true. But if I pull a stunt like that, the other clients will trash L Massage Clinic, and they'll trash me. You want people talking garbage about me?"

A high school girl had darted out of her seat and planted herself in front of him. The request was absurd enough to make anyone frown. Suhyun only smiled, gentle, and talked her down. To his eyes, she was simply adorable. Even a stunt that far outside common sense was, at the end of the day, something she was doing because she wanted him all to herself.

"Looks like it's time for me to go. It was good seeing you all. If you want to meet me, make a reservation. We'll have our time together — just the two of us."

Suhyun's breaks ran five to ten minutes. His next session was waiting, so he wrapped up the little fan meet and turned to leave. The women who'd been locked on him stared hard at the clock. One minute until his next massage. The cancellation they'd been praying for felt close enough to taste.

Then, against every hope, a chime rang from the door. No — wait. It might not be the appointment. It could just be a walk-in.

Why are they staring at me like that?

Im Nayeon stepped into L Massage Clinic and flinched, just a little, under the women boring holes through her with their eyes. She didn't let it show. That would have been so uncool. She had no idea why they were looking at her, but she threw her shoulders back and walked like she owned the place.

Being stared at was familiar enough. She'd been getting celebrity offers from entertainment agencies since elementary school, as routinely as meals. As she'd grown, she'd collected countless looks — men's eyes full of interest, women's eyes full of envy. They were staring because she was pretty. Obviously. She strode forward with her chin up and her expression composed.

A few seconds later, that carefully built confidence shattered.

"Holy... he's insanely hot... ah!"

She'd come face to face with Suhyun, and the words tumbled out at the sight of that luminous face before she could stop them. Nayeon clapped a hand over her mouth the instant she realized what she'd done. Too late. You couldn't unsay a thing like that. The handsome man had heard it too — he broke into an easy smile.

"Thanks. I never get tired of being called handsome, no matter how many times I hear it. You're pretty yourself."

"Ah — yes... wait, huh?"

Suhyun complimented her looks, then slipped past her and was gone. That was it? The exchange had been so matter-of-fact it left Nayeon blinking. Most men who ran into her went out of their way to impress her. This one had tossed off a single compliment — as if that was all a face like his obligated him to give — and walked away. Like he had not the slightest interest in her.

He's got a girlfriend. That's gotta be it.

She told herself that and tried to let it go. Her heart had raced for the first time in a long while, but that was all it was. Even if he'd asked for her number, she wouldn't have given it. She meant that.

"Welcome. How can I help you?"

"Ah! I have a reservation. It should be under Cheon Yuhwa."

"Haa..."

"She actually showed up."

Sighs rose from the women behind her. What was their problem? Nayeon made herself ignore it. They weren't even cursing at her on purpose — no reason to react.

"Yes. Premium Course, aroma, thirty minutes. Room 1, please. Your masseur will explain the rest once you're inside. Take this with you."

"Got it."

Nayeon took the questionnaire-like sheet from the rough-faced man at the desk and headed for Room 1, reading as she walked.

The questions were the sort you'd expect at a massage clinic. The rest of it made sense. But pleasure intensity? What on earth was that? She'd just ask once she got inside.

"Ah! It's that guy from before!"

Nayeon opened the door to Room 1 and found Suhyun standing there. The handsome man she'd just run into at the front desk. So he was a masseur here. Then again, this was a women-only clinic — if there was a man on the premises, of course he was staff. She still hadn't expected him to be her masseur.

"Hm? Come on in. This should've been Yuhwa's slot. Looks like she cancelled."

"What? You know Aunt Yuhwa?"

"Aunt, huh. So you're related?"

Cheon Yuhwa and Im Nayeon were first cousins once removed, which made the technically correct title something closer to a distant aunt. Nobody bothered with that kind of precision in daily life, so Nayeon just called her Aunt Yuhwa.

"Yes. Aunt Yuhwa and my mom are cousins. She suddenly got tied up today, so I came in her place."

"I see. Anyway, go ahead and give me that form, and would you mind changing? Since this is aroma, you'll need to change out of everything — underwear included. You didn't fill any of this out, though."

"The front desk said my time was almost up and told me to hurry in. What's this 'pleasure intensity' written on here?"

Nayeon asked carefully, circling the thing she'd been wondering about. Left to her usual temperament, she wouldn't have phrased it like that. She'd have come right out and asked if this was some kind of shady establishment. But the person in front of her was Suhyun, and those words wouldn't leave her mouth.

"My massages feel really, really good. Sometimes that makes the person on the table self-conscious. Sometimes they... slip. You know what I mean?"

"Ah. Yes..."

She had to worry about that for a massage? Nayeon wasn't entirely convinced. But she'd heard he was the kind of masseur whose bookings ran a month out, and he was so handsome she just nodded.

"Time's ticking, so go ahead and change first. I'll step out for a moment."

The door slid open, then clicked shut. Only then did Nayeon look at the disposable underwear and gown in the massage basket.

"What is this. You can see right through it."

The disposable underwear was sheer. Put this on and everything would show. Should she ask to switch courses even now? There was a sports massage too.

What if they change my masseur, though?

It had been so long since she'd met a guy she actually liked. Nayeon had a beautiful face and was worshipped for it, which meant her standards were sky-high. Her family was well-off besides, so she'd never had reason to feel small in front of anyone. Finding a man who actually caught her interest was genuinely rare.

Mm, I'll just go with it. And I should ask if he has a girlfriend.

The thought of being rejected didn't even occur to her. If he was single, of course he'd be interested. So she'd just take the aroma massage.

"All changed? I'm coming in."

A polite knock, and Suhyun stepped into the massage room. His eyes found Nayeon standing there in the gown.

Is it because I'm basically wearing nothing...? Why is my heart pounding like this?

She couldn't decide what expression to make. She just smiled, a little helplessly. Suhyun spoke to that smile.

"Please lie face-down on the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠table."

"Huh?"

"That's how we start the massage."

"Ah...!"

Nayeon scrambled onto the massage table and lay on her stomach.