Cha Gil-Do raised his hand, and a staff member approached. He leaned in and quietly spoke to the staff who came close.
“Skip the entrée and bring dessert.”
“There’s mousse cake, sherbet, and ice cream. Which would you like me to prepare?”
At that question, Cha Gil-Do looked at me and asked.
“What can you eat more of?”
“…Ice cream?”
“Ice cream, then.”
The staff politely said they would prepare it and left.
“No wonder you don’t gain weight.”
Cha Gil-Do said it like that, and it made me feel a little wronged.
“…I’m not picky.”
“I’m sure you aren’t. If you were picky with that amount, you would’ve starved to death already.”
Cha Gil-Do seemed to have gotten sharp—was it because he was still hungry? I wasn’t paying for this, but still, I should probably get him to eat something more.
Just then, the staff placed the ice cream in front of me. I pushed it toward him and said.
“If you’re hungry, here, eat this.”
“…Ha.”
Cha Gil-Do suddenly pressed his forehead and let out a small laugh.
“What is this even….”
He muttered like that, then scooped up the ice cream in front of him. I was secretly expecting him to eat it, but instead of putting the spoon in his own mouth, Cha Gil-Do brought it to me.
I meant for you, not me.
I tried to shake my head, but suddenly the ice cream was shoved into my mouth. The sweet, soft ice cream spread and melted inside. At that moment, Cha Gil-Do’s phone rang, and after glancing at the screen, he pushed the ice cream away in front of me and took the call.
I stared blankly at the ice cream that had suddenly become mine again. Meanwhile, Cha Gil-Do kept talking with someone on the phone.
“Why did you change your mind? If you want something from me, you need to prove yourself too. Fine, if you can do that, I’ll erase it from your life, just like you want.”
I felt his glance flick toward me in the middle of the call.
“Forever.”
When he finished the call, Cha Gil-Do was openly staring at me. I felt like the ice cream was going into my nose. I struggled to avert my gaze, but he rose from his seat and said.
“If you’re done eating, get up.”
I hurriedly shoveled down the half-eaten ice cream, and just as he told me to leave, I stood up quickly. We left the restaurant and headed to the car, but since he was the male lead, calls kept coming in for Cha Gil-Do. He frowned and answered while gesturing at me.
‘Go away?’
It seemed he meant not to eavesdrop, so I nodded and stepped aside. I was just about to get into his parked car when—
“So damn hot. When are we ever going to finish this?”
“Ugh, annoying. Paint got all over my clothes.”
“How much did they say this pays per hour?”
“Ten thousand won, I think.”
“…Hey, should we bail?”
Hearing voices from somewhere, my feet unconsciously moved that way. Behind the restaurant, I saw spilled paint and brushes scattered on the ground. On the wall, half-finished traces of something drawn. Likely the group I heard had ditched the mural job.
“No wonder it’s taking forever with such small brushes.”
Looking at the printed sheet discarded on the ground, I realized what they had been trying to paint. It was too detailed for a mural that had to be done quickly.
“Hm….”
Compared to the flashy front, the back of the restaurant looked desolate. The food was good, the interior stylish, but it was a shame there weren’t more customers. Feeling that way, I picked up the biggest brush and began covering over the abandoned traces with bold strokes. How long had I been painting? Just as my wrist began to ache, the picture was done.
‘Looks better now.’
Since I painted quickly without a sketch, it was just whatever came to mind, but it was better than the mess from before.
I set down the brush and turned back toward the car, then stopped, realizing my hands were smeared with paint.
If I went back like this, Cha Gil-Do would definitely get angry.
‘…….’
Without thinking, I rubbed my hands on my clothes. Instead of cleaning, the paint spread on both my hands and my shirt.
“Ah.”
Once again, I realized too late that I’d made it worse. My white T-shirt was blotched with stains. Cold sweat broke out as I turned, deciding I’d better find somewhere to wash. At that moment, a sharp voice rang out behind me.
“Baek Eun-Seong.”
“Eek!”
It was Cha Gil-Do.
He had spotted me from afar and was striding over. I stepped back nervously, but I didn’t even think of running. I just clutched at my dirty shirt to hide it.
In no time, Cha Gil-Do stood before me, taking in a deep breath before glaring with piercing eyes. Like a cornered rat, I couldn’t move at all.
His rough hand yanked my wrist.
“Ugh.”
I couldn’t hold back the groan of pain. Cha Gil-Do dragged me along without mercy.
“Uh, um….”
“Shut up. One more word and I’ll tear you to pieces.”
I hurriedly covered my mouth with my free hand, and Cha Gil-Do shoved me into the car. Before I could even sit properly, he gripped my shoulders, forcing me down, then buckled the seatbelt. I looked up at his face. His expression was so frightening as he drove straight ahead that my hands trembled.
‘Why, why is he angry?’
Because of the paint stains on my clothes? That thought jolted me, and I glanced at the seatbelt I held—paint had smeared there too. This car must be worth way more than the clothes I was wearing….
The realization that I had messed up made my mind go blank.
The car stopped. A familiar sight—it was Cha Gil-Do’s house.
I thought he’d throw me out, but instead, we returned home. As I unbuckled, the car door opened and Cha Gil-Do roughly grabbed my arm.
“Ugh.”
If only he would slow down a little, but he gave no leeway, dragging me inside. The servants avoided my eyes, none daring to block Cha Gil-Do’s path.
I tried to follow with my own steps, but it was hard to even keep balance as I was pulled into the room.
He threw me onto the bed, and that unfamiliar pain repeated again. I swallowed back groans and lifted my head, but Cha Gil-Do loomed over me, caging me in with both hands.
“Still can’t find a place to run?”
Pulling me close, Cha Gil-Do muttered with eyes like he would kill me.
“…I almost fell for it.”
He suddenly clamped my throat. His gaze bore into me, filled with disappointment and resentment.
“You dared to deceive me?”
“W-what….”
“You ignored my warning and tried to do filthy things again, didn’t you?”
I didn’t understand what he meant. I just wanted to escape, so I tried lifting my body, but he forced me down by the chest and gripped my throat. Breath cut off, I grabbed his wrist desperately.
“Feel what you did to Kang Ji-a.”
When he finally released my neck, I gasped for air, coughing. Breathing was possible again, but the pain had been unbearable. I curled to the side clutching my throat, when he seized my hair and yanked hard.
“Ugh.”
His fierce gaze bore down with no warmth at all. It was the same chilling presence I’d felt in the basement, making my skin crawl.
His fingers traced my lips. Before I could understand what he was doing, they forced inside my mouth. I tried to turn away, but the hand in my hair wouldn’t allow it.
“Open.”
I kept my mouth closed, enduring the pain, but Cha Gil-Do’s cold voice pressed in. When I still resisted, he crushed his lips against mine.
“Ah!”
His fingers pushed into my mouth. He pinned me down, driving deep toward my throat, choking me. Saliva pooled and spilled as I struggled to swallow. I smacked his shoulders with my hands, but he only laughed, catching my wrists and prying my mouth further.
How long it went on, I didn’t know, until finally Cha Gil-Do withdrew.
As I coughed and gasped, I saw him stripping off his shirt. His muscles, cut sharp, looked like those of a beast.
That beast closed in again as if to devour me. Startled, I scrambled on hands and knees to escape, but my ankle was seized, dragging me back.
“Ugh!”
“Where do you think you’re running again.”
He pressed on my back, his other hand sliding downward. In shock, I grabbed his wrist, but my lower half was caught.
“H-heuk!”
It was worse than being strangled—I couldn’t breathe at all. Pain tugged from my abdomen, my body twitching. My head couldn’t make sense of what was happening.
“How does it feel, to have done to you what you tried to do?”
“H-hngh.”
My groin, gripped tight, jerked in shameful pleasure. I couldn’t even form words.
When I didn’t answer, Cha Gil-Do’s hand tightened.
“Argh!”
“I asked how it feels.”
“I-I don’t know….”
“Really?”
I had never touched another man’s groin, never even thought of it. I wanted to tell the truth, but he scowled before I could finish.
In an instant, he yanked off my clothes, tossing them aside. Naked, I tried to cover myself, but he pinned my thighs with his knees, forcing them apart.
‘Shameful!’
The unfamiliar position shocked me, and I tried to close my legs, but he crushed my groin in his grip. While I squirmed in pain, he spread my buttocks and reached for something nearby. When a cold liquid spilled between, my body trembled.
“It should work the same.”