The Most Difficult Person in the World
Jo Ihyeon stole a glance at Jeongseo sitting quietly in the passenger seat.
Worried that his damp clothes might soil the upholstery, he was doing his absolute best to stay still, barely shifting an inch.
Chuckle. So adorable.
From the moment she met Jeongseo this morning, Ihyeon had genuinely wondered if she had developed a sudden cardiac arrhythmia. Watching him open the front gate and step into view had sent her heart thumping at a terrifying speed. Even in the dim chill of early morning, his face seemed to glow with its own soft radiance. His oversized coat and slightly short shorts only emphasized how delightfully small and cute he was.
Ihyeon found it nearly impossible to tear her eyes away from his pale, tender-looking legs.
Haah... I want to touch them so badly.
Despite being a boy, not a single stray hair grew on Jeongseo's legs. She yearned to run her fingers over those smooth calves and soft thighs. She had a distinct feeling they would feel just like marshmallows under her palms.
And those cheeks, too. Ahem... Hehe.
Gazing at the healthy, rosy flush on his cheeks, Ihyeon caught herself wishing she could give them a gentle pinch—or, if she were being just a little greedier, a tiny bite. But it was far too soon to let such scandalous desires show on the surface.
"Noona?"
"Huh?"
"The light changed."
"Ah. Right."
Had she been staring too openly? Jeongseo turned his head slightly and looked straight at her, blinking his large, clear eyes. His long eyelashes were still beaded with fine drops of moisture.
Eek! Looking at me like that... Aaargh. Calm down. Keep it together!
She was barely holding herself back. Just having Jeongseo look in her direction triggered an electric, dizzying reaction throughout her entire body. She felt lightheaded just meeting his eyes; if he dared to smile at her on top of that, she was certain she would lose her mind completely.
It couldn't just be that she was broken. The fact that she had been dripping wet with arousal the entire time she spent with him felt mortifying, but she tried to comfort herself with the thought that nine out of ten women in her shoes would be in the exact same state.
Haah... Please stop racing, heart. I'm driving right now.
Ihyeon gripped the steering wheel, trying desperately to concentrate on the road. Yet like an inner demon lying in wait, thoughts of Jeongseo immediately flooded back to hijack her mind.
His looks weren't the only thing that made him special. The way he thought, the way he carried himself—everything about him was entirely unlike ordinary men. He didn't look at her body or her unusually large chest with disgust. In fact, he went far beyond mere tolerance, acting with the considerate, sensible gentleness of a romantic male lead straight out of a novel. He cooked well, he took care of himself, and he never threw hysterical tantrums or made unreasonable demands just because of his gender. The more she thought about it, the more absurd it seemed that he possessed only virtues.
And most dangerously of all, that little devilish smirk he shows every now and then... Ugh.
She couldn't tell what it was about her that prompted that mischievous look. At times, she felt utterly exposed, mortified by the suspicion that he saw right through her lecherous thoughts. Whenever her body flared hot and she squirmed in agony, Jeongseo would smile as if genuinely amused.
Wait... He couldn't possibly know, could he?
By the time they pulled into the officetel's underground parking garage, her spiraling thoughts had brought her to that terrifying conclusion. There were definitely moments when he watched her with an analytical, calculating gaze, as though studying her every twitch.
"Um... this is my first time visiting a woman's home who lives alone."
"Huh? Ah."
"I came completely empty-handed. What should I do?"
Every anxious thought in Ihyeon's head vanished in a flash. What did any of that matter?
"Oh, no! I'm just grateful you came at all. I was worried I might have been too hasty asking you over..."
"What? Why would that be hasty?"
"Uh? Ah... well, that is..."
"Noona, you told me you didn't have any strange intentions. I came because I trust you, you know?"
Jeongseo looked at her with a bright, utterly guileless expression. Confronted with those clear, innocent eyes and that harmless smile, Ihyeon clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white.
"Right. You can trust me completely. Let's head up."
"Okay."
She had to endure this, no matter what. She needed to play the long game and build absolute trust. Enduring... is the one thing I'm good at.
Repeating that mental mantra, Ihyeon forced her legs to move. It was the same walk back to her apartment she took every single day, yet the sheer tension left her palms slick with sweat.
"Noona, thank you anyway."
"Huh? For what?"
"You're suddenly taking a guest into your private home. It could be a real imposition, but you did it because you were worried about me..."
"Ah, no! Imposition? How could you be a guest? This place is basically your home too! Later on, I could... wait, no, not that! I meant you can treat it comfortably, like it's your own house. Wait, what am I even saying? Anyway, just be comfortable! Yeah. Wash up comfortably... I mean, no, no! Just rest comfortably. Haah..."
Her nerves had completely shattered her composure, reducing her words to a tangled, babbling mess.
I'm ruined...
Whenever she stood in front of Jeongseo, keeping her composure became an impossible task. The ironclad poker face she had cultivated through years of professional medical practice crumbled to dust before him, leaving her acting like a bumbling fool.
"Pfft. Noona."
"Yeah... I'm sorry. I'm just talking complete nonsense."
"Noona, look at me."
"Huh?"
She couldn't bring herself to lift her head. How pathetic must she look to him right now? She had tried so hard to rack up points during their date, only to blow it all with a humiliating slip of the tongue. Still, she couldn't ignore his request, so she sheepishly raised her gaze to meet his.
"Noona."
"Yeah..."
"I said thank you. I really mean it. Why the long face? Smile for me."
Jeongseo reached out and gently traced the corners of her lips with his fingertips. Even amidst her mortification, Ihyeon felt her heart melt into a puddle at his tender smile, finding herself utterly helpless against his charm. Thanks to that touch, she managed to mirror his grin.
"Yeah. Thank you too, for coming over. You're actually the very first person to ever visit my place."
"Really? Not even your family?"
"Not even my family has been here."
"Whoa. I'm honored, then."
Taking a quiet breath, Ihyeon tried to compose herself, subtly tightening her lower abdomen to regain control. But standing this close, looking down at Jeongseo, presented an entirely different problem.
Is this just from the rain? Surely it's just the rain, right?
She felt a warm moisture slowly trickling down the inside of her thigh. She desperately told herself it was only water dripping from her soaked clothes. After all, she had made sure to change her panty liner in the research lab's restroom before leaving!
"Noona? Let's get in."
"Ah, right. Let's go up."
The elevator doors slid open, and the two stepped inside. Jeongseo looked up at her once more, beaming brightly.
I'm good at holding back... right? I can do this, right?
Staring down into his face, Ihyeon felt as though she had arrived at the single greatest trial of her entire life.
Just as Ihyeon had said, her place was not far at all. Leaving the research institute's parking lot, it took barely any time to reach the officetel where she lived.
It's a lot bigger than I expected.
Knowing that Ihyeon was a building owner, I had assumed her property would be modest, similar to the building housing Cafe Dalteulak. Contrary to my expectations, what loomed before us was a massive structure well over ten stories tall. The footprint was substantial, and a well-known franchise cafe occupied the ground floor. It looked brand new, recently constructed with sleek modern architecture.
What's gotten into her today?
From the moment we drove out of the lab until we stepped into the elevator, Ihyeon had been acting like someone with a screw loose. She had always possessed a somewhat endearing, clumsy side beneath that sharp, elegant appearance, but usually, she spoke with poise and clarity.
Is she nervous?
The sudden realization that she was trembling with nerves brought an involuntary smile to my lips. Looking at it through the lens of my past life, her behavior made total sense. She was in the exact same shoes as a young bachelor whose long-time crush had just agreed to visit his apartment for the very first time.
"Noona, what floor?"
"Ah, sorry."
She pressed the button for the fourteenth floor—the top floor.
Despite my efforts to put her at ease, Ihyeon was still practically radiating nervous energy. Watching her squirm so helplessly made me want to tease her just a little bit more. Unlike Yeo-eun, whose forward and assertive nature led her to demand what she wanted directly, Ihyeon would grit her teeth and do everything in her power to hold back. Watching that desperate internal struggle was far too entertaining.
Even if the place is a mess, I should pretend not to notice.
At the same time, I made a firm mental note. It was bad manners to judge or comment on the state of someone's living space, especially during an impromptu visit. Since she hadn't planned on having guests today, the odds were high that she hadn't tidied up. Ihyeon seemed naturally neat, but that could easily have been a facade maintained only in public.
"We're here."
While I was turning over those thoughts, the elevator arrived at her front door.
"Come on in. I had to leave in a hurry this morning, so it's a little cluttered, but..."
"It's totally fine."
She unlocked the door and stepped aside, gesturing for me to enter first. I took a deep breath and stepped across the threshold.
"Wow. It's spotless, isn't it?"
"Well... I do try to clean fairly often."
My worries had been completely baseless. Her apartment was just as pristine as our house. The interior design was sleek and modern, and the living room visible from the foyer was devoid of any loose clutter. It was also considerably more spacious than I had anticipated.
"Hold on just a second. I'll grab you a towel."
Seeing me linger politely in the entryway, Ihyeon hurried into the living area first. Taking in how immaculate the apartment was, my satisfaction deepened. It felt like the perfect opportunity to turn up the heat on my teasing. It might put her through sweet agony, but it would undoubtedly make her day, too.
"Here you go, Jeongseo."
"Noona."
She emerged from the bathroom carrying a fresh towel. Taking it from her hands, I looked up and asked casually,
"I feel a little sticky from the rain... would it be okay if I took a quick shower?"
"Huh?"
Ihyeon's eyes went wide as saucers.
"Ah. Is that too much to ask? Maybe I should just head home early today after all..."
"No, no! Please, shower! Take your time! You can do whatever you want here, Jeongseo!"
She cut me off in a frantic rush, her voice pitching up with urgent desperation.
"Okay, thank you. Sorry for the trouble. I'll just take a quick shower, but about my clothes..."
"I have a Styler! And a dryer! I'll take care of all your clothes, don't worry about a thing!"
"I feel like I'm imposing far too much."
"Not at all! Ah, underwear... I'll dash down to the convenience store right now, so can you wait just a minute? Ah, wait, let me show you where the bathroom is first...!"
Ihyeon looked consumed by an unyielding determination to see me step into that shower no matter what. Her flustered slip of the tongue in the hallway had given me the perfect opening, and seeing how readily she took the bait only heightened my anticipation. I could hardly wait to see how she would react once I walked out clean and damp.