A Night Soaked With You - Chapter 17
‘What a ridiculous thought to have toward someone just standing still.’
Yeong-won quickly shook her head, trying to shake off the embarrassing scenes from her mind. If she kept looking at Tae-geon, she felt like she might have a heart attack.
After hastily applying the ointment, she stood up and took a step back.
“I did what you asked, so you won’t be coming around anymore, right?”
“Well.”
“What do you mean by that uncertain answer?”
“I won’t come if the wound heals completely.”
Tae-geon replied with a low laugh.
Despite his vague response, Yeong-won couldn’t press further, as his gaze had settled on her lips.
Wondering if something was on them, she reached to touch her lips, but Tae-geon was quicker, gently pressing down on them with his finger.
At the slight pain, Yeong-won let out a soft gasp and turned her face away.
But his hand insistently followed her.
“Does it hurt?”
It was a surprisingly new question. While her injury couldn’t compare to the one on Tae-geon’s lips, Yeong-won was aware that her lips were also hurt.
With flesh torn, there was no way it wouldn’t hurt.
Yeong-won was about to argue that he should know better, but upon seeing the amusement in Tae-geon’s eyes, she sealed her lips shut.
Something felt ominous.
“No, it doesn’t hurt.”
Yeong-won shook her head vigorously. His eyes narrowed.
“Even if it doesn’t hurt, you should heal quickly. What good is it for an actor to have a scar?”
“Since I’m playing a role of rolling around in the mountains anyway, it doesn’t matter.”
Yeong-won glanced at the ointment Tae-geon was holding, preparing to flee if he lunged at her to apply it.
Tae-geon clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“Seems like you don’t know about give and take, Kim Yeong-won.”
“……From what I can tell, Seong Tae-geon…… you’re someone who overly cares about those kinds of things.”
Yeong-won subtly conveyed the meaning that he was being petty, considering he was the one chasing her with ointment after getting a cut on his lips.
As Yeong-won maintained her wary gaze, Tae-geon let out a low chuckle.
He nodded readily.
“Right. I might easily forget kindness, but I will never forget a grudge.”
Yeong-won felt an inexplicable discomfort at how easily he admitted that.
‘What is this? What did I miss?’
While Yeong-won pondered what she had missed, Tae-geon stood up.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
“Really, is that all you came here for?”
As he prepared to leave, Yeong-won asked in surprise.
She still couldn’t believe that someone like Seong Tae-geon had come just to apply ointment on a wound.
“Yeah.”
He replied briefly and then stared at Yeong-won as if to say, what more could there be?
Facing him, Yeong-won bowed her head slightly and said, “Goodbye.”
Then Tae-geon chuckled and, as if all his business was truly finished, opened the door and left without a trace of hesitation.
A large sedan was waiting for him outside the door.
As the massive vehicle disappeared from view, Yeong-won exhaled the breath she had been holding.
‘……Is he perhaps a lunatic?’
He hadn’t come to scold her for injuring his lip, and yet he had only applied some ointment and left.
Yeong-won seriously considered whether she should sprinkle salt in front of the store.
“Did our puppy get a lead role in a movie?”
“Yeah. Yeah. Grandma.”
As Yeong-won nodded vigorously, her grandmother’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
“What, then, does that mean she’s become a top star or something?”
“Ah, not exactly…….”
Yeong-won waved her hand with a half-hearted smile.
As expected, her grandmother was extremely happy about the news of Yeong-won’s lead role.
Was she really making the right choice? Yeong-won felt her mind swirling, but seeing her grandmother’s joy eased her worries.
“I need to go to the market tomorrow and really flatten that butcher’s nose.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Yeong-won was startled and stopped her grandmother. It was clear that she was trying to use this as an excuse to go back to the market to work.
“I’m just going to stop by for a bit.”
“Absolutely don’t think about leaving.”
Even as Yeong-won firmly stated this, her grandmother hesitated, seemingly reluctant. Yeong-won let out a small sigh and took her grandmother’s hand.
“I’ll be quitting the convenience store soon, so let’s go together this weekend to tidy up.”
“Yeah. That sounds good.”
Her grandmother responded weakly.
The market was the foundation of her grandmother’s life, having worked there her whole life. It was only natural for her to feel down about having to suddenly leave it behind.
Still, it was out of the question to tell her ailing grandmother to go work at the market.
“By the way, what’s that on your lip? Did you fall somewhere?”
Startled out of her thoughts, Yeong-won lifted her head. Her grandmother’s sharp gaze was fixed on Yeong-won’s lips.
“Hmm? Oh…… I fell.”
“You need to be careful. Didn’t I tell you to watch your step when I walk?”
Having often fallen as a child, her grandmother always worried about her even now that she was an adult.
“I’m not a child. Why are you worrying about my walking?”
“Don’t wear those tight shoes. Wear something comfortable.”
“Got it, Grandma. Don’t worry.”
Yeong-won smiled lightly, pretending it was nothing, and continued to eat her soup.
After finishing dinner while chatting warmly with her grandmother, Yeong-won headed to the bathroom.
As she was about to brush her teeth, she paused when she noticed the wound on her lip. Her fingertips unknowingly hovered over her lips.
Suddenly, she felt warmth at the tip of her lips. The warmth that seemed to belong to him.
Yeong-won hurriedly started brushing her teeth, scrubbing a bit harder to clean even the deeper spots where Tae-geon had pressed.
Yet the sensation from that dizzying day resurfaced, tormenting her.
