“Ughhh—.”
Ouch, my head.
It’s pounding like it’s going to split after last night’s drinking.
‘How long did I sleep?’
I groped beside the pillow for my phone. Even drunk, I always leave it in the same spot.
With my eyes still closed, I buried my head into the pillow and felt around with my hand. Then—
Squish.
“…?”
My fingertips brushed something incredibly soft and smooth.
‘Not a pillow.’
Yet it felt squishy and plush, like stroking silk or velvet. Almost like human skin…
A strong sense of wrongness shot through me.
“…huh?”
Snap—.
I opened my eyes, and pure white, creamy flesh filled my view.
A soft, elegant neck led to prominent collarbones. Below them stretched a long, gentle curve to rosebud breasts. Still flesh-colored. Nothing but flesh-colored.
“……”
My thoughts froze.
A woman.
A woman is sleeping next to me, wearing nothing but her skin.
And worse—
‘Yoo Sia?’
She’s the youngest female staff in my department. A new hire, just three months in. A contract intern with almost a year left to go.
‘What the hell…?’
Around us, my clothes and hers lay discarded like shed skins. The room made it obvious—a motel.
‘What on earth happened last night?’
Panic set in as I tried to piece it together.
I squeezed my eyes shut and sought memories.
‘Company dinner….’
Right, we had a company dinner.
Thanks to securing the biggest contract in our department’s history, we had the unlimited corporate card from the Executive Director. First round: hanwoo, second: beef gopchang, and we went all out. Nobody held back; by the third round, nobody was sober.
Assistant Manager Choi just collapsed, Manager Oh and Senior Staff Park and Kim were busy listening to Department Head Ma’s complaints about his wife. I was hammered, and intern Sia sat staring at her spoon, giggling.
Around 3:00 a.m., the third round ended. The team stumbled out of the bar, none of us can stand straight.
“Ugh, Manager Ma, I can’t drink another drop.”
“Aiy, don’t you know if we stop now, they’ll take back the card?”
“Even so, I can’t. Forget the baekseju, if I drink more I won’t make it to work tomorrow.”
“Tch, back in my day we drank till five and came in at eight.”
The Department Head, forgetting tomorrow was the weekend, clicked his tongue regretfully.
“Then Mr. Park, you head home. Manager Oh and Assistant Manager Choi can stay.”
“We’ll go all the way!”
Department Head Ma turned to me.
“How about you, Assistant Manager Song?”
I wanted to die. I enjoyed the first two rounds, but by the third I couldn’t tell booze from water. I just wanted to go home and sleep.
“I’ll keep going too!”
Company life doesn’t bend to my will. The promotion exam is at year-end; fall is crucial for performance reviews. Four rounds, five rounds—drink until he collapses.
Thud—.
Suddenly, intern Sia collapsed to the floor beside me.
“Aiyo, Sia, you’re completely out.”
“Hehe… I’m drunk.”
“Let’s get her in a taxi, then the rest of us go.”
“Yes, let’s.”
But taxis at 3 a.m.? Impossible. Sia, drunk and wobbly, clung to my sleeve to keep from falling.
“If we wait, dawn will break. Song, send Sia home and come back. I’ll text you the place.”
“Understood.”
After the team left, I finally flagged a cab. I helped Sia into the back and asked,
“Sia, where do you live? Address?”
“I don’t know, I don’t know. My home is a secret.”
“No, I need an address to send you home. Manager Ma’s on the line—just tell me.”
“Nooooo, my dad told me not to say…”
After about five minutes of back-and-forth, the driver glared.
“Ma’am, will you get out now?”
“…Sorry.”
I handed him a ten-thousand-won bill in apology and pulled Sia out.
She giggled and clung to me again.
“Aah, what do we do now?”
No address, no taxi. And I can’t take her home. These days…disaster.
“Sia, let’s walk and sober up first.”
“Okaaay.”
It was the only option. Only after some sobering could I call a taxi.
But we stopped in less than ten minutes.
“Assistant Manager, my legs hurt. I can’t walk.”
“…What now?”
“These heels are killing me!”
She looked about to collapse.
So I found the nearest lodging. ‘Let’s have her sleep here and leave.’ I checked the lobby CCTV on the first floor—no suspicion if I left right away. I even started a phone recording to cover any contingency.
“Sia, sleep here. I’m going. Sober up.”
“Assistaaaant Manager Song.”
“Again?”
As soon as I turned—
Swoosh—.
Sia wrapped her arms around me.
That was it. A drunk young man and woman, a motel room charged with electric tension, skin-on-skin contact igniting hormones. The rest was inevitable.
“Damn….”
I ruffled my hair. The memories flooded back, making things even more confusing.
Usually, they say if you have a one-night stand, you slip out at dawn. But—
‘She’s someone I know.’
A coworker. I couldn’t just run off.
Last night aside—
‘How do I face her at work?’
Before I could answer that,—
“Ughmm….”
Sia shifted beside me. She stretched her limbs, then slowly—very slowly—opened her eyes. Alarmed, her eyes rounded like a rabbit’s, and our gazes locked.
“……”
“……”
We fell into heavy silence. Then, without a word, we both turned away and dressed.
I wanted to go home immediately, but first I needed to sort things out. As I fastened my belt buckle, I glanced at her hooking her black underwear. I asked,
“…Shall we get hangover soup?”
Glug—.
Slurp—.
The menu was gukbap—hangover soup with rice. Fortunately, a 24-hour place was near the motel.
We drank the broth in silence. As expected, neither of us added rice. After last night’s binge, we just craved the soup.
The broth soothed our stomachs, but sobering up brought reality crashing back.
She’s beautiful. Perfect features, an excellent figure—anyone would call her a beauty. I hear she’s popular in the office too.
But that’s all.
‘I’m not dating her.’
I’m 31 now. Time to face reality. It’s late to just play around. I need someone to marry.
Yoo Sia is 24. Too extravagant. Every day her bag is a different luxury brand; never wears the same outfit twice. She brags about overseas buyers—she’s traveled so much herself.
‘What vanity.’
This is her first job—I can only imagine how much debt she’s in.
And I’m supposed to go out with a girl like that?
‘I’d go broke in no time.’
Last night was a mistake—just a one-night flame. We’re adults; no point clinging to it.
I opened my mouth to say, “Sia, about last night….”
But then—
“Assistant Manager, for me…”
She spoke before I could finish.
“It was good.”
“…What?”
“It was my first time.”
Clank.
I dropped my spoon.
Bzzz—.
Her phone rang. She frowned, got up carefully, and said,
“I have an important appointment today. Let’s talk again another time.”
With that she left the gukbap house in an instant.
‘…What?’
My head felt like it would explode. She’s 24, and I was her first?
‘Come to think of it, maybe….’
But that wasn’t the point.
‘Wait. Is she using last night as leverage?’
I’ve followed an elite path and am on track for promotion at a big company.
‘Does she want to marry me for my money?’
My head throbbed painfully.
‘I’m really screwed here….’
That evening.
A grand mansion in Naegok-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. Over three meters of walls, dense trees beyond—no outsider could peek in.
Luxury sedans queued up.
This was Chairman Yoo Jin-gap’s private residence.
Once a month, only Yoo Jin-gap and his direct descendants gathered to discuss the family and the group. Even daughters-in-law were excluded—only blood descendants could attend.
Lavish dishes covered the large table. One by one, the Yoo family took their seats.
Only one odd thing: peppers everywhere.
A pepper field, you might say.
It was inevitable.
Chairman Yoo had five children, all sons. Each of the first four sons had only sons. The fifth son had three sons. Thirteen grandsons in total.
At first they thought it a genetic quirk. But tests proved it was just luck.
Then, miraculously—
“Princess! Here comes the princess!”
The youngest of the fifth son was a daughter. A miracle—a fourteenth grandchild, first granddaughter.
“Grandfather, hello.”
“Oh.”
“Grandfather, how have you been?”
“I’ve been well.”
“Chairman, good evening.”
“I know.”
Despite the formal greetings, Yoo Jin-gap barely acknowledged them.
But just before the meeting—
“Grandfather!”
The one and only lady in the room: Yoo Sia arrived.
“Have you been well, Grandfather?”
“Oh my, my granddaughter!”
Yoo Jin-gap’s face lit up.
“She’s even more beautiful now!”
His gummy smile bloomed.
How could he not adore her? Five sons, thirteen grandsons—and now the baby granddaughter with more charm than any actress—of course he doted on her.
“Granddaughter, anything you want to eat?”
“Aah, Grandfather, you know I eat anything.”
“That’s right, that’s right. But why formal speech? Don’t be so distant with your grandpa.”
“Aah, I’m an adult now, so I speak formally. What if I slip into informal speech at work?”
“You can with me…”
“I won’t. At work, I mustn’t show it.”
“Is that so? Our granddaughter is all grown up!”
“Hehe, thank you.”
The meal began. Given the grandchildren’s ages, talk turned to marriage.
“Father, there’s a suitor arranged for Jung-hoon this time.”
He was the twelfth grandson.
“Did you choose from my recommended candidates?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
All the grandsons faced arranged marriages—to be born into a chaebol meant it.
Daughters of top bank presidents, IT founders, senior judges, legislators—all from prestigious families.
But then they came to the youngest granddaughter.
The fifth son cleared his throat.
“Father, they’ve proposed for Sia.”
It was the son of a former president. Perfect match by standards.
“No.”
Yoo Jin-gap’s refusal was firm.
“I won’t send my young, pretty granddaughter to some thief.”
One by one, her uncles and brothers nodded. In their world of sibling rivalry over inheritance, at least this was a rule: protect Yoo Sia above all.
“Sia.”
Yoo Jin-gap spoke gently.
“Our Sia doesn’t need an arranged marriage. You just follow your happiness.”
Suddenly Yoo Sia lifted her head.
“Grandfather.”
“Yes, my granddaughter.”
“I have someone I want to marry.”
She dropped the bomb casually.
“I want to date him.”
The entire household fell silent. The chatter died. Not even a fork clinked. It was as if a storm was about to hit.