Chapter 26: The Unexpected Kiss

“Why are you here…?”

His sudden appearance was so startling that his name only belatedly surfaced in my mind. Yes, Seon Woo-jung. Having grown quite close, I certainly couldn’t have failed to recognize him.

Yet, why was he in my home? Just as this question began to flood my thoughts, he finally parted his tightly sealed lips.

“I told my manager I wanted to visit you, and they said they’d ask. So I waited, and when they said today was fine, I came…”

I knew I would never have agreed to his visit while in my right mind. It seemed I must have given the wrong answer while delirious with fever.

Still, it wasn’t as if I didn’t resent my manager for letting him into the house without question, but that was a matter to address later.

“Perhaps… I came for nothing?”

Observing my expression, he hunched his broad shoulders, making himself smaller. While his sudden visit wasn’t entirely welcome, he had come out of concern for my illness.

Now that he was here, I couldn’t simply turn him away. Instead, I decided to view him as an unexpected guest, and my heart settled.

“No, not at all. Thank you for coming. I was feeling quite lonely, so this is perfect.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Relieved by my polite words, he beamed as if nothing had happened, presenting a fruit basket he’d brought as a get-well gift.

Beside it lay a large bouquet of flowers. Honestly, it felt a little excessive, but I made an effort not to show it.

“Has your fever gone down a lot? My manager said you took some medicine.”

“I took medicine and rested well, so I’m much better than before. My fever has gone down a lot—”

Before I could even finish speaking, a large hand settled gently on my forehead. Unlike me, who was startled by the sudden touch, he focused intently, his expression serious as he took my temperature.

‘He really is handsome, now that I think about it.’

During drama filming, I had seen his face countless times, almost to the point of boredom, yet seeing him now felt different.

Was it because his face was free of makeup, or perhaps because the setting—my home—felt so unsuited to Seon Woo-jung?

Whatever the reason, as I meticulously observed Seon Woo-jung’s face, a face that stirred not just envy but a sense of deprivation, the warmth on my forehead vanished.

“Your fever seems to have gone down a lot, but I think you should rest a bit more.”

“No, I’m fine—”

“Just lie down a little longer.”

He cut off my words decisively, giving my shoulder a gentle push. Though he hadn’t used much force, my body swayed lightly and settled back onto the bed.

He then pulled the blanket up to my chin, ensuring I couldn’t get up again. After that, he softly patted the duvet, as if about to sing a lullaby.

“What, are you going to sing me a lullaby now?”

“Would you like me to? I’m quite good at singing.”

He tilted his head slightly, a charming smile gracing his lips. For a fleeting moment, a desire to hear his lullaby stirred within me, but I quickly extinguished it.

“No, I’ll decline.”

Despite my firm refusal, he looked disappointed, yet his hand continued to pat the duvet. Was he truly intent on putting me to sleep?

However, despite his efforts, my eyes remained wide open, showing no sign of closing. Eventually, the hand patting the duvet ceased its rhythm.

Giving up on putting me to sleep, he opted instead to engage me in conversation, ensuring I wouldn’t feel lonely. These were simple, everyday stories, completely devoid of any pressure.

‘Why is he being so kind to me?’

While grateful for Seon Woo-jung’s kindness, I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. After all, the time when I could believe in people’s pure goodwill had long since passed.

He must want something from me, though whatever it was, there was nothing I could do to help him.

“Senior, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Well…”

Unlike moments before, Seon Woo-jung was now hesitant. Wondering what significant question he was about to ask, I waited patiently until he seemed to make up his mind and continued.

“Did you have a nightmare earlier?”

I had momentarily forgotten. Forgotten that I had shown Seon Woo-jung a side of myself I wished to keep hidden. In my embarrassment, I averted his gaze, carefully choosing my words.

How could I make it seem as though nothing was amiss?

“If it was a nightmare, then yes, it was a nightmare.”

“Was it terrible?”

Seon Woo-jung’s question was likely innocent, yet it foolishly stirred a tremor within me. Lowering my wavering gaze, I took a steadying breath.

“It was nothing much. Just… a typical nightmare.”

I composed myself, forcing a casual smile to brush off the situation. If there was one thing I was confident in, it was acting.

After all, I had lived my entire life knowing nothing else.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve already forgotten what I dreamt about.”

Unlike my awkward smile, Seon Woo-jung remained silent. He had been chattering away just moments ago, but now he was as quiet as if his lips were sealed, which couldn’t help but make me feel uneasy.

The uncomfortable silence persisted, making me wish I could simply fall asleep. It was then that Seon Woo-jung, having seemingly made a solemn decision on his own, finally spoke.

“Senior, may I do something… naughty?”

That was what he finally said after such a long pause, leaving me considerably flustered. As I hesitated, unsure how to respond, Seon Woo-jung moved.

“If you don’t like it, push me away.”

No sooner had he spoken than a large, warm hand grasped my arm. Drawn in by the gentle force, I found myself in Seon Woo-jung’s embrace, blinking my eyes.

The arms around my shoulders were cautious and deliberate, as if holding fragile glass that might shatter at the slightest touch. They were also trembling slightly.

He should have been either brazen or timid, not both. Seon Woo-jung was truly peculiar, being neither one nor the other. Perhaps that’s why it didn’t feel unpleasant.

“You must have been through a lot.”

That single remark from Seon Woo-jung, who couldn’t possibly know the nature of my nightmare, stirred something within my heart. Slowly, I lifted my hand, which had been resting limply on the bed, and gripped the lapel of his shirt.

How much time had passed? When he finally released me from his embrace, he pressed the back of his hand firmly against my flushed cheek. Then, his voice trembling faintly, he offered a belated apology.

“I-I’m sorry. For suddenly hugging you without permission…”

Despite it being merely a hug, he apologized profusely, as if he had committed some grave offense. Was I the strange one for having expected something far worse when he’d mentioned doing something “naughty”?

A faint irritation began to prickle. It was a strange, twisting sensation in my gut.

“Is that all?”

“…Huh?”

Startled by my provocative remark, he widened his eyes. One would think he’d catch on after such a blatant hint, but Seon Woo-jung seemed far more innocent than I had imagined.

Rumors about him certainly didn’t paint him that way, making me wonder if one truly had to experience things firsthand to know a person.

‘I want to kiss him.’

The reason for this sudden impulse remained unknown to me. Was it simply frustration that he had promised something “naughty” and only delivered a hug?

I grabbed the collar of Seon Woo-jung’s stiffly frozen shirt. Then, I pulled him sharply, closing the distance between us. Until that moment, he hadn’t even grasped the situation, but as I tilted my head, he visibly flustered.

‘Ah, my cold.’

Just before our lips could meet, I suddenly remembered I was recovering from a cold. A hug was harmless enough, but a kiss, involving mucous membrane contact, could easily spread the illness.

With reason returning, I released Seon Woo-jung. Perhaps it was for the best. If I had acted on a momentary impulse, things between us might have become awkward.

‘It’s because of the fever.’

Offering an excuse, I lay back on the bed as if nothing had happened. All that remained was to tell Seon Woo-jung I wanted to rest and send him away, but then the bed suddenly dipped on one side.

Following the shadow that fell over my head, I looked up to find Seon Woo-jung. A hand, cautiously approaching, cupped my chin, and then, without a word, his lips met mine.

What I thought would be a light kiss transformed the moment I unconsciously exhaled the breath I’d been holding. His tongue, slipping through the slightly parted gap, traced my even teeth and then delicately brushed against the tender mucous membrane.

“Hngh…”

My toes instinctively curled at the sensation of goosebumps prickling over my skin. For a long while afterward, Seon Woo-jung continued to explore me, slowly yet persistently.

It wasn’t a kiss so fierce that I couldn’t breathe, yet my brain felt as though it were melting into a soft puddle. ‘Perhaps it’s the fever,’ I mused, tightening my grip on Seon Woo-jung’s lapel without realizing it.

The hand that had been caressing my chin slowly descended, slipping beneath my open pajamas. His cool fingers gently tickled my side, occasionally pressing against my flat stomach. But that was all.

Even after his lingering lips finally pulled away, Seon Woo-jung did not move from above me. His gaze remained fixed on my lips, which were unconsciously twitching.

“I’ll be careful not to catch your cold.”

Smiling faintly, he leaned in once more. I gently closed my eyes.