So-hyun orders Ji-hun to stop drinking and get ready. He just coolly asks her why. Looking him dead in the eye, she tells him she wants this arrangement finished the second that alcohol kicks in. Ji-hun just blows her off entirely, sipping his drink without a care. Clearly annoyed, she grabs his arm, demanding they head upstairs. Then a sudden noise from behind makes her freeze.
She cautiously glances over her shoulder, completely horrified to find her ex-boyfriend, Seong-min, sitting at a nearby table, looking just as surprised. Pure panic. So-hyun makes a wild split-second choice to save face, lunging forward and planting herself right on Ji-hun's lap. He is completely caught off guard. A wicked smirk spreads across his features. He asks what she is doing.
Meanwhile, So-hyun is internally screaming, just praying Seong-min did not recognize her. She wraps her arms tightly around his neck and desperately whispers a plea. Just hold her. He asks what she means by that. She repeats herself, begging him to just carry her anywhere else. Catching on to her little game, Ji-hun looks thoroughly amused.
Clinging to him, So-hyun feels completely overwhelmed. His hold on her is way too intense. Her only thought is escaping right now, but they are clearly not leaving yet. She just cannot figure out why. In one fluid motion, Ji-hun stands, effortlessly lifting her into his arms. A worker approaches, asking if they are heading out. Completely ignoring the guy, Ji-hun drops a chillingly simple command.
Move them to a private room. So-hyun's desperate little escape plan just backfired in the worst possible way. Ji-hun carries her into a lavish VIP lounge, completely different from what she expected. A huge wave of relief finally washes over her. At least she is safely hidden from her ex-boyfriend. She asks about their next move, but Ji-hun just hits her with the silent treatment.
Ji-hun strides right up to the table. He grabs a bottle of expensive liquor and takes a long, heavy pull straight from the neck. One single drop trails down his neck. He makes it completely obvious that from right now on, they are playing by his rules. Then he completely flips the script. In a flash, the expensive drink pours straight onto So-hyun.
She just stares at him in absolute shock. Before she can process the mess, he yanks her forward, straight into his arms. Staring her down, he delivers a totally outrageous order. Lick it off. So-hyun is absolutely frozen. But then a wild spark of pure defiance flashes across her eyes. She meets his dark stare, licks her own lips, and coolly calls him rude, refusing to give him the reaction he wants.
So-hyun scoffs internally. Is she his personal laundry service now? Still, she quickly admits she walked right into this trap. Holding her tightly against him, Ji-hun leans in and whispers that they might skip the room entirely. Simply zero time. This is his style. Bold, unfiltered, and totally direct. Despite all the chaos, his overwhelming presence drags her right in.
Totally captivated by his intense stare, she knows exactly what is happening. Pure madness all over again. Getting absolutely lost in his heavy aura, So-hyun feels like she is floating inside a dream. That burning look practically gives her full permission. It tells her everything is fine. She can cross any line. Pulling her even closer, Ji-hun offers a silent promise, a guarantee of total understanding, assuring her there is zero judgment for whatever happens next.
In that exact second, So-hyun realizes something huge. He gives her absolute freedom. The world around them fades out. They are left in a deeply personal, pivotal moment that shifts their entire dynamic. Instead of backing off, Ji-hun pulls So-hyun into an impossibly tight embrace, her cheek pressed flat against his bare chest. She slowly rests her hand on him, a quiet move in their dangerous game.
He lets out a low hum, his face completely unreadable, plotting his next move. He looks down at her, absolutely loving the raw power he holds right in this very moment. The room goes dead silent, but this standoff between them screams louder than any dialogue, leaving So-hyun wondering what he plans to do. Then that heavy tension softens into something surprisingly gentle.
Ji-hun's hand comes up slowly, brushing a stray lock of hair from So-hyun's face. As his fingers trace her cheek, the wild energy from their night at the grand hotel shifts. A strange, heavy silence hangs right there between them. He pulls her in tight, refusing to let go.
It is four thirty-one in the morning. While the whole city sleeps, So-hyun is wide awake. She wakes up and quietly grabs her phone, doing her best not to disturb Ji-hun sleeping beside her. He looks so peaceful resting there, and she hesitates. It feels wrong to wake him up now, but then his words from last night rush back. He had begged her to stay, making her promise to wake him. Watching this totally unguarded man, So-hyun feels completely stuck.
Should she break the promise so he rests? Deciding to risk it, she taps Ji-hun gently on the chest. Nothing. But right as she prepares to slip away, he shifts. She jumps a little as he drops his head into her lap. He looks so calm that she pauses, assuming he is out cold. Whispering that she is leaving, she tries easing back.
But in a split second, his hand shoots out, clamping down on her wrist. His eyes stay shut tight, but that grip is solid. He is not letting her go anywhere. Without even opening his eyes, Ji-hun murmurs for her to stay. So-hyun insists she has to work. He casually tells her to just call in sick. She flatly refuses, pointing out she is perfectly fine.
Ji-hun just asks why she cannot tell one simple lie. A very sly smile spreads across her face as realization hits. Catching on, he leans in closer, whispering a bold offer to make that lie true. Totally unfazed, she just smirks and points out his awful sleeping habits. She lets out a heavy sigh, silently admitting that all these complicated feelings are a hassle.
A massive part of her really does not want to work either, but responsibility wins. She gently pushes him down, telling him to get some rest. Then, in a surprisingly tender moment, she kisses his forehead. Even as he drifts back to sleep, he clings to her hand, pulling it against his face. The bedside lamp clicks off. A bright new morning is finally here.
So-hyun steps out of the hotel and slides into a taxi, giving the driver her next stop. The car pulls away, but her mind is totally racing. Her heart suddenly begins pounding hard in her chest. Is she just completely sleep deprived? The crazy butterflies swarming in her stomach tell a very different story. Completely overwhelmed by these intense new feelings, she just clutches her chest.
Her heart will not stop racing. Slumping back into her seat with a heavy sigh, she desperately tries to figure out what exactly is happening inside her head. The taxi speeds down the road and she tries to regain control. She tells herself this highly complicated relationship is almost over anyway. Just one more meeting left. But while she tries to rationalize things, someone else is drowning in his own feelings.
Back at the hotel, Ji-hun sits alone, quietly swirling the ice in his drink. He takes a slow sip. That somber expression proves their morning together left a very serious mark on him. Swirling his drink, his mind replays the entire morning. He remembers So-hyun telling him to get more sleep. Her name constantly echoes in his thoughts.