The Scent of Temptation
While the advertisement flashed across the screen—Surpassing 10 Million Subscribers! Nobel Pi…—Soyeon ignored Yu Jihwan’s quiet call. She slumped deep into her seat and turned down the volume on her phone, then slipped the device into the bag resting on her lap. Only then did she glance sideways at the man sitting beside her.
“Did you mute your phone?”
When she spoke so casually, Jihwan’s face tightened with clear displeasure. He stared at her for a long moment, let out a heavy sigh as though swallowing his frustration, and finally opened his mouth.
“That’s not what matters right now… Be honest with me. How did you get these tickets?”
“…I asked some friends for a favor.”
The moment she told the truth, his eyes filled with disbelief.
“The same friend who sent the alcohol before?”
The alcohol had come from Midori and the tickets from Rarenick, but there was no need to split hairs. Soyeon simply nodded. Jihwan’s brows drew together in clear disapproval as he spoke carefully.
“…Are those friends even okay? How can they get tickets to a movie like this? The alcohol last time was already too much, but this… this isn’t right.”
He looked genuinely angry, his expression dead serious.
…Why is he making such a big deal out of watching one movie? He does whatever he wants.
The fact that Jihwan—who had done far more disgusting things than she ever had—was now lecturing her made something inside Soyeon snap.
“…It’s just a movie. Why are you getting so worked up? Is it a crime to ask a friend for a favor?”
Her voice carried real heat. Jihwan’s lips twitched as if he had a mountain of things to say. She held his gaze, waiting.
Their eyes locked in silent confrontation.
“…Haa.”
Jihwan turned his head away, drew in a deep breath, then met her eyes again.
“…I’m sorry for speaking so harshly.”
His gaze had changed. The irritation was gone, replaced by something warm and gentle. It was a short apology, but it carried his sincerity completely.
Slightly embarrassed by how maturely he handled it, Soyeon fiddled with the ends of her hair and mumbled back.
“…Sorry, too.”
He nodded, saying that since they were already here they might as well enjoy the film, and quietly lowered his phone volume once more.
…Good. Watching him, Soyeon thought with relief that she had gotten through the moment safely.
After the small disturbance passed, she pretended to watch the screen while secretly opening her messages. She checked the “gift” she had received one more time.
S-Rank Charm Perfume
Made from the heart of a Succubus Queen. Normally colorless and odorless, but the moment the user designates a target and activates the effect, it transforms into an irresistibly seductive fragrance that the target cannot help but fall for.
Details: Volume…
She had sprayed it in the bathroom right before entering the theater. By now Jihwan had to be thoroughly steeped in the scent. All that remained was to trigger the effect at the perfect “highlight.”
…Stay calm. Calm…
She mentally rehearsed the movie’s plot points she had checked countless times. The theater lights gradually dimmed, then flashed—finally, the movie began.
“Haa… haa… I love you…!”
The female lead and male lead shared a deep, passionate kiss.
The wet, fervent sounds of their intimacy echoed through the theater.
…Is this even allowed? No matter how you look at it, this is practically an adult film.
True to its title, At the End of the World, the story took place in a ruined world and featured only two characters. Yet the content was… strange.
In an extreme situation, the pair met by chance and luckily discovered an underground bunker. That bunker turned out to be a massive, luxurious shelter built by the world’s wealthiest people. In a perfect facility that could last at least two hundred years, the two began living in abundance and naturally developed intense sexual interest in each other.
It was sensational, provocative—a B-movie among B-movies.
There was no way Soyeon had genuinely wanted to watch this.
…
I carefully turned my eyes and glanced at Soyeon beside me. She sat with her lips pressed tightly together, staring at the screen with complete focus. She looked so serious that for a second I wondered if she really had come just to see the film.
…No, that can’t be it.
Feeling oddly awkward, I scolded myself for jumping to conclusions and quietly continued watching.
Time passed. The movie reached its final act.
“Ah, a baby…? Do you think we can really raise it well…?”
“I’m right here… Just trust me…!”
The two protagonists who had been recklessly intimate throughout the entire runtime naturally conceived a child. Upon hearing the news of her pregnancy, the male lead was reassuring the female lead.
…
Watching them, I suddenly remembered the day I first learned my wife was pregnant. Despite all the worries, I had walked around grinning like an idiot from morning till night.
Looking back on that memory, even a B-movie seemed to have done its research fairly well.
But then—
“Until the baby is properly settled… we can’t… do it anymore, right…?”
“…I suppose not…”
Even while saying that, the two leads looked devastated that they could no longer be intimate.
…Are these people insane?
Having made every preparation, they began to entwine their bodies with the desperate passion of people who might never touch each other again.
…Wow.
The powerful sound system shook the theater while the explicit visuals made me frown. It felt exactly like watching an adult video on the big screen. My head began to spin.
I was about to close my eyes—better not to watch at all—when I heard voices from the row directly behind us.
“…N-no, oppa… this is a movie theater…!”
“…It’s fine. Everyone’s too busy watching the movie to look at us…”
In a public place? The sheer lack of manners made me consider giving them a hint, but at that exact moment—
…Huh?
The couple sitting right in front of us quietly began kissing.
…Insane.
It wasn’t just them. Nearly every couple in the theater, as though infected by the excitement on screen, had begun passionately making out.
Smooch— Mwah—
Hngh…!
Erotic sounds came from every direction. It felt like being trapped inside a cheap motel with zero soundproofing.
Gulp—
Tension made my throat dry. I swallowed hard and wiped my sweaty palms on my thighs. Then—
Grab—
Min Soyeon suddenly seized my hand.
“…Uht…!”
I let out a startled sound and looked at her, unable to hide my panic.
…
She sat rigidly, body tense, staring at the screen. But her hand gripped mine tightly, fingers perfectly interlocked.
While my thoughts were still scattered from the sudden contact, a strange fragrance drifted to the tip of my nose. It smelled like flowers, like sweet fruit—like a woman’s intimate scent.
Ugh…!
I snapped back to my senses and tried to hold my breath, but it was already too late. The mysterious fragrance had filled my lungs completely; I could even taste a strange sweetness on my tongue.
“…Puhhaa…”
The moment I exhaled, a fresh wave of the scent flooded in. My mind grew hazy. I even forgot I was holding Soyeon’s hand.
Squeeze—
Soyeon quietly tightened her fingers, as if reminding me of her presence.
“!”
That small action brought me back to reality. I whipped my head toward her.
…
She was no longer looking at the screen. Her eyes—filled with tension only moments ago—were now fixed on me.
Our gazes met.
Her eyes sank deep into my chest. My heart began to hammer wildly, as if it were broken.
Thump— Thump—
I wasn’t the only one. I could feel her pulse racing against my wrist—strong, fast, uncontrollable.
Thump. Thump.
The excitement surged against my will. I instinctively realized Soyeon had planned this from the moment she brought me to the theater.
But…
Gulp—
I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t pull my hand free.
Min Soyeon gazing at me with those misty, longing eyes looked unbearably lovable.
On the way home, I didn’t exchange a single word with Soyeon. We simply left the theater, caught a taxi, and headed naturally toward her house.
“Uh… We’re here. Is this the right spot?”
“Ah, yes… Thank you.”
After paying the driver and stepping out, the dim sky had turned completely dark.
Click-clack. Thud-thud.
Our footsteps scattered through the chilly night air. We continued walking in silence.
Then—
Whiiiing—
A cold wind blew, probably because it was so late. Worried she might be cold, I glanced at Soyeon walking beside me—only to meet her eyes. She had been secretly watching me too.
A brief flicker of embarrassment passed between us.
“…Soyeon.”
The moment I tried to speak—
Grab—
She took my hand again.
“…Uht!”
Startled, I tried to yank my arm away. But Soyeon quickly laced our fingers together, refusing to let go.
…No.
My stomach churned with fierce rejection.
…This can’t happen.
I could have forced my hand free if I truly tried. But I didn’t. A strange, sweet excitement—exactly like the day I first held my wife’s hand on our very first date—held me in place.
If Soyeon tried to cross the line any further, I would push her away without hesitation. Yet she seemed to read my boundaries perfectly and attempted nothing more.
I felt like I was being toyed with. I knew this was wrong. And yet the terrible thought that maybe—just holding hands—wasn’t so bad kept blooming inside me.
Even though I despised myself for thinking such things, I couldn’t bring myself to violently shake her hand away. It was as if I were under a spell.
Confused and conflicted, I walked hand-in-hand with her until we reached her house.
“…See you tomorrow.”
“…Go on.”
When she released my hand, a trace of reluctance lingered on her face. I averted my eyes and promised to see her the next day.
Clank—
After the door closed behind her, I let out a long sigh and repeatedly tapped my forehead.
Heavy with guilt, I trudged the rest of the way home.
It was late.
“…Welcome home.”
As expected, my wife was waiting for me.
“…Yeah. Sorry I’m so late…”
I tried to hide it, but the turmoil in my heart refused to stay hidden. I dropped everything and walked straight to the bed, pulling my wife into my arms.
Squeeze—
Without the slightest sign of surprise, she quietly embraced me. I buried my face in her scent, trying to smother every impure thought.
Sssip—
Her sweet, familiar fragrance filled my lungs. It was the comforting smell I knew so well.
“…Haa…”
When I let out an unconscious heavy sigh, the hand gently stroking my hair paused.
“…Did you have fun?”
“…Yeah…”
She continued stroking my head, pressing down softly, and asked again.
“…Did something happen with Soyeon?”
I breathed in her warm scent and pondered. Then—
“…No. It’s nothing… I don’t really know.”
I couldn’t bring myself to confess what had happened with Soyeon, or the terrible conflict I was carrying.
Even with my vague answer, my wife didn’t press further. She simply held me with tender affection and gently soothed my exhausted heart.
The guilt tightened like a vise around my chest.
To shake off even a fraction of the crushing weight, I hugged her tighter and whispered.
“…Thank you. I really only have you… I love you.”
Far from easing the guilt, the words made my heart feel like it would burst.