Chapter 10

Jin Seonghan took off his shirt and lay down on the bed.

True to his reputation as a fitness enthusiast, his back was tightly lined with well-defined muscles.

No wonder people said he had a way with women. He had the kind of body that made women flock to him without him needing to lift a finger.

Of course, to Haruka, he was just a target without emotional weight.

Standing by the bed, she bent at the waist.

“I’ll begin.”

She warmed her hands first, then reached for the tray she had brought. She dropped a blend of melissa, which was effective against migraines, and petitgrain, which had antibacterial and calming properties, into her palms.

When she rubbed her hands together, the scent rose slowly with the heat.

“What is that.”

“It’s a blend of melissa and petitgrain oil. It helps stabilize the nerves.”

“Hmm. Not bad.”

His broad shoulders tensed slightly when her hands touched him.

She applied firm pressure as her fingertips moved along his lymph nodes, the oil seeping into his skin.

In the silent room, the only sounds were their skin meeting and Seonghan’s occasional sighs.

She thought that next time, she should put on some classical music, when his voice cut through the air.

“A little harder.”

It was a commanding tone, but she complied without hesitation.

Fifteen minutes passed. She picked up the mist bottle to test the oil.

Her earlobe tingled.

The thought of every action being streamed live to Baek Jin-ha heightened her tension.

She shook the bottle to mix the oil and water layers and poured a little into her palm.

“The scent changed a bit.”

Seonghan had a keen sense of smell too, not unlike his younger brother.

People with sharp nervous systems often had sharp senses as well.

“It’s a detoxifying mist to enhance the effect on your relaxed lymph nodes.”

He didn’t reply.

Taking that as a yes, she placed her hands on his back again and began massaging slowly, pressing his nerves with precision so the poison would gradually seep in.

Then

Bang.

The door swung open. Someone entered the room without knocking.

There was only one person who could come in like that.

Jin Seo Woo, his beloved daughter.

‘Guess I should step back.’

Haruka moved aside casually and lifted her head.

“…!”

Her eyes widened briefly, then returned to normal.

It wasn’t Seo Woo. It was Ihan.

So much for Chief Cho’s claim that Ihan rarely visited the annex. That information was clearly wrong.

Haruka clasped her hands together and took a step back.

Seonghan turned his head toward the door.

“What the hell, you.”

Recognizing Ihan, Seonghan sat up in surprise.

The oil that hadn’t fully absorbed trickled down his spine.

Haruka instinctively reached for a warm compress to wipe it off.

But Ihan strode in and snatched the compress from her hand.

His unexpected action left both Seonghan and Haruka stunned.

‘What is he thinking.’

He’d been strange a few days ago too, but now he was worse.

She couldn’t guess his intentions at all.

Then he said something that shocked her even more.

“Mind if I borrow her for a bit?”

“What?”

“I haven’t slept in days. I’m at my limit.”

Both she and Seonghan knew it was a ridiculous excuse.

Seonghan scoffed.

“You came here for that? What am I supposed to make of that?”

“You said it works well. Isn’t that why you call her every night?”

“That sounds weird. Are you drunk?”

Annoyance furrowed Seonghan’s brow.

Ihan nodded without resistance.

“Yeah. Just think of it as drunk talk.”

But he didn’t smell like alcohol.

Before she could process it, he grabbed her wrist.

His grip burned against her skin.

Before she could pull away, he threw out another line to Seonghan.

“Then she can treat my insomnia tonight.”

He glanced at her tray. It was a gesture for her to bring it.

She was suddenly caught between the two brothers.

When Seonghan nodded, Haruka had no choice but to follow Ihan.

“Do what you want.”

With that, Ihan led her out of the room without looking back.

Seonghan stared at the closed door, rubbed the back of his heated neck, and muttered to himself.

“Ha, that bastard. He’s going a bit too far this time.”

Every year around this time, Ihan became extremely sensitive and on edge.

His insomnia worsened and he would down liquor for days on end.

It was a yearly pattern.

But it had been a while since Ihan had acted this unhinged, so Seonghan neither stopped him nor complained.

Left without his therapist, Seonghan plopped back down, feeling oddly irritated.

* * *

Haruka followed Ihan up to the second floor.

Her grip on the tray tightened, but nothing spilled.

Eventually, he stopped.

It was the same room he had used years ago.

When he turned the doorknob, the creak of the old hinges sent a chill down her spine.

“Go in.”

The room hadn’t changed at all.

The curtains with the same patterns. The thick bedding unfit for the season.

Dried flowers so brittle they could crumble into dust.

Aside from the brown stain pressed into the rug, everything was exactly as it had been eight years ago.

‘It’s just a memory. Nothing more.’

Her expression remained neutral as she stepped inside.

Calmly, she began setting up her tools.

“Normally, I tailor the blend to the individual. What I brought today is a standard product, so I can still use it, but please avoid making last-minute requests like this in the future.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

His unexpectedly mild response left her with nothing to add.

She took out the oil bottles one by one and placed them on the nightstand.

He sat slowly in the wing chair by the window.

“Do you dislike any scents?”

“Not particularly.”

“Then I’ll start preparing.”

Her movements were precise and composed.

Even though she could feel his sharp gaze on her, she didn’t falter.

Ignoring the faint echo in her ears, she worked steadily.

Once ready, she opened the lamp’s lid and lit the thin wick. A soft scent filled the air.

‘I need to open the window now.’

Lighting incense in a closed room could become toxic. Proper ventilation was essential.

But the man behind her was the problem.

‘Why is he staring like that.’

Ihan sank deeply into the chair, arms draped over the armrests, legs crossed. His tilted head and the sharp angle of his gaze were suffocating.

It was as if he were trying to read her hidden thoughts.

Haruka straightened her back and spoke.

“Excuse me, I’ll open the window.”

“Go ahead.”

She could open it, but the chair’s position made their distance uncomfortably close.

She always carried the perfume she’d worn for her interview in case she ran into him, but she hadn’t used it today.

She hadn’t expected this situation.

He cocked his head.

“Why aren’t you opening it? Do you want me to?”

With his shirt half unbuttoned and that careless posture, he looked dangerously relaxed.

“…No.”

There was no point in exchanging more words.

She squeezed through the narrow space behind the chair.

Her hand hesitated for a split second before she opened the window.

The night breeze carried a faint floral scent that made her exhale in relief.

The fresh air would mingle with the aroma and confuse his sharp sense of smell.

She turned back with a barely audible sigh.

“…!”

He was right in front of her. She flinched.

“Do you… have something to say…”

She tried to stay composed, but her heart pounded wildly.

“That man back then. Is he your boyfriend?”

“…Who are you talking about.”

“The man in front of the branch.”

“As I said, he’s a coworker.”

His eyes narrowed.

“You two looked pretty close for coworkers.”

“Why is that your concern.”

“Good question. Why do I care.”

“I think that’s an unnecessary question in the workplace. Especially coming from you.”

“But I’m curious.”

“You’re crossing a line.”

“Crossing a line, huh…”

His eyebrows rose slightly.

“Can I cross it more?”

The insolent question came as he pulled her forward.

Her lower body caught on the wing chair’s headrest and she fell closer into his arms.

His face filled her vision.

Their gazes tangled. Her heart thrashed wildly.

“I need to check something.”

With a faint hint of intoxication in his eyes, he lowered his face to her shoulder.

She instinctively held her breath.

His messy bangs brushed against her skin.

“Stay still for a second.”

He reached out.

His large hand suddenly gripped the back of her neck.

“Mr. Jin! Huht!”

His strong grip seized her completely.