Episode 17

“It’s too much for me to eat alone.”

The table was completely filled with food—far too much for just one person. Given So-hee’s usual small appetite, finishing it all was impossible.

“You’re at the age where you should be growing. You should be able to eat at least this much.”

His words came at her unilaterally, leaving her unsure of how to respond.

When she hesitated, unable to find the right words, the man pulled a set of chopsticks from his pocket and forcibly placed them in her hand.

“I….”

“What, is the meal not good enough for you?”

“…No, that’s not it.”

Of course.

She had to eat if he was going to get what he wanted from her.

That was why he was feeding her such good food and pushing her to eat.

Would he even believe her if she said she wasn’t actually someone who sold her body?

Or would he just get angry, thinking she had lied to him?

What was she even thinking, after shamelessly demanding money from him?

It was pathetic.

Her mind was full of nothing but useless thoughts.

Swallowing down the loneliness creeping up inside her, So-hee carefully took a spoonful of seaweed soup.

As the warm broth slid down her empty stomach, an unexpected sting pricked at her nose.

She couldn’t even remember the last time she had a proper, warm meal.

Now that something hot was settling inside her, hunger hit her all at once, almost shocking in its intensity.

She quietly filled her mouth with the delicious food, chewing diligently.

Flavors she had never experienced before spread across her tongue.

I never knew food could taste like this….

Sitting here, eating while the man waited to take her body afterward, sent a mess of thoughts spiraling through her mind.

But still, she ate in silence, focusing only on filling the hollow ache in her stomach.

A cold gaze traced the way she sat hunched over, chopsticks moving steadily.

“…Fuck.”

At the low curse, So-hee’s eyes widened.

She looked up at him, startled.

His jaw was clenched tight as he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out his wallet.

“Put some weight on that body while I’m gone.”

Gone?

His words sounded like someone about to leave for a long trip, making a faint crease form between her brows.

“Are you going somewhere?”

“I won’t be around for a while. If you don’t eat properly, you’ll regret it.”

He took out several crisp, white checks and placed them on the table before turning toward the door.

With a heavy slam, the door shut behind his broad back.

Left alone, So-hee stared at the spot where he had been standing, unmoving for a long moment.

Then, slowly, she lowered her gaze to the table.

He was gone.

But the warmth of the food he had left behind still lingered.

Had he changed his mind?

Or was it something else…?

An inexplicable heaviness pressed against her chest, a dull weight settling beneath her sternum.

At the same time, a faint, tingling sensation crept up her throat.

Regardless of her tangled emotions, one realization struck her.

Many people had invited her to meals before—

But he was the first person who had ever simply made sure she ate.

* * *

The black sedan came to a sharp halt, tires scraping against the pavement.

Stepping out of the car, Gye Won-ho moved swiftly, his polished shoes clicking against the ground.

The penthouse—secluded even from the few other luxury units in the massive mansion—was his destination.

Striding through the entryway into the expansive living room, he shrugged off his coat and yanked at his tie, loosening the suffocating knot around his throat.

He grabbed a bottle from the display shelf, pouring into a glass until the liquid nearly spilled over.

Downing it in one gulp, he swiped his thumb across his damp lips.

“Mm.”

Spreading his legs, he sank into the leather sofa, undoing his wristwatch and tossing it onto the table.

The heat coursing through his body refused to settle.

Nor did the insatiable thirst gnawing at him.

Leaning his heavy frame against the backrest, Gye Won-ho reached for the side table, fingers searching until they caught on something soft.

A small piece of fabric.

He lifted it, letting the delicate material slip through his fingers.

Why the hell is it so small?

His slow caress traced over the fabric, barely larger than his palm—

Then, his phone rang.

The irritation twisting his features shifted into something darker the moment he saw the familiar number.

「I ate well. Thank you.」

Yoon So-hee’s first message sat neatly on the screen.

When he tapped on her profile, the bare-faced girl he had just seen earlier stared back at him.

“Fuck.”

Leaning back against the sofa, Gye Won-ho’s throat moved in a slow swallow.

Because of that face, he was royally screwing things up right now.

Baek Mu-gyeong was right—this wasn’t like him.

With a quick flick of his fingers, he unfastened his belt.

Then, without hesitation, he reached into the thick patch of black hair, gripping his fully erect cock and pulling it free.

No hesitation.

His fingers tightened around the shaft, wrapping it in the soft, delicate fabric still in his hand.

And then, he started moving.

* * *

As So-hee reached for a bottle of water from the fridge, her gaze landed on the shelves—now packed to the brim.

The refrigerator, which had once been completely empty aside from drinking water, was now so full there was barely any space left.

It was only after the man had left last night that she had discovered the neatly packaged meals inside.

Even if she ate for days, she wouldn’t be able to finish it all.

The way the food was wrapped, the way it had been arranged—everything about it was far too luxurious, excessive even.

What the hell is he thinking?

Why is he doing this for me?

The message she had agonized over sending last night still had no reply.

Not that she had expected one.

But every time she looked at the “read” status beneath her message, she felt a twinge of regret.

Had she overstepped?

Had it been too much?

“…Ugh.”

As So-hee swallowed a sip of cold barley tea, she felt an unfamiliar ache in her cheek.

A sense of unease crept over her, and she immediately checked her mouth in the mirror.

There, pushing through the pink flesh of her gums, was a white, round wisdom tooth.

A wisdom tooth, out of nowhere?

Did most people get them around this age? Or was she just late compared to others?

Luckily, she found a nearly expired pack of anti-inflammatory painkillers in her drawer.

She swallowed two pills with lukewarm barley tea, postponing the discomfort for now. The pain was still manageable.

On her way to work at the nightclub, So-hee got off the bus and walked past a row of small shops.

She stopped in front of a fruit stand.

Inside a white styrofoam box, bright red strawberries were piled high.

As she leaned in to examine them, the shop owner, who had been warming himself by a heater, quickly came outside.

“What can I get you?”

Strawberries.

She had never bought them for herself before.

To her, they were one of the most expensive and luxurious fruits.

Even at the club, when fruit platters were served, there were only ever a few pieces—never enough to have leftovers.

He’s gone without saying when he’ll be back, and I don’t even know if he likes these…

“One box of strawberries, please. The best ones you have.”

That was all.

Just repaying a meal.

Nothing more.

“What’s with the strawberries?”

A sharp voice cut through the air before she even saw the speaker.

Startled, So-hee clutched the box of strawberries to her chest and turned toward the sound.

Sitting at the yet-to-open kitchen counter, wearing oversized sunglasses that covered half her face, was Hae-mi.

“…Unnie?”

“You’ve really lost your damn mind, haven’t you? Why the hell have you been ignoring my calls?”

Hae-mi climbed down from the high counter, slipping off her sunglasses and tucking them between her breasts.

Beneath the thick foundation on her cheekbones, a deep bruise was visible.

“It wasn’t on purpose. I think my phone’s broken. What happened to you?”

“Doesn’t matter anymore! I wasted my breath trying to help a clueless little brat like you. Should’ve known better.”

So-hee sighed.

“Then stop wasting your breath, unnie. I told you, I’m not doing that kind of work. Stop looking into it.”

Hae-mi’s complexion looked worse than usual, and that bruise…

So-hee didn’t have the luxury of worrying about others, but a faint sense of pity stirred in her.

Maybe because, like her mother, Hae-mi was in the same line of work.

She hesitated before asking, “But… your face… Are you okay?”

Hae-mi clicked her heels sharply against the tiled floor.

The flashy stilettos, studded with rhinestones, caught the dim glow of the halogen lights, glinting as she scoffed.

“Shit. The bastards just shut down the club out of nowhere. Kicked out every single worker like stray dogs, didn’t even give us a damn reason. Told them to at least hand over our severance pay, and what do they do? Fuck up my face like this. Fucking assholes.”

As if waiting for the chance, Hae-mi launched into a furious rant while snatching a strawberry from the styrofoam box So-hee was holding tightly.

Before So-hee could stop her, the biggest, ripest berry had already disappeared into Hae-mi’s mouth.

“With my face like this, there’s no chance of finding a new gig anytime soon. Guess I’ll just have to work the regulars that are still around. Thought things would go better for me over there, but somehow, everything turned to shit instead. Ugh, at least these are sweet.”

Watching Hae-mi scarf down the strawberries despite her bruised face, So-hee couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

She swallowed down the dull ache rising in her chest.

Each time the fruit burst under Hae-mi’s teeth, a fresh, tart scent filled the air—yet it only made So-hee’s mood sink lower.

“I was thinking about it at home, and honestly, I bet all this shit started because I used your name. Let’s be real—your face and tits are decent, but your life? It’s cursed. Maybe all that bad luck rubbed off on me. Might need to get a damn exorcism.”

“So why did you use such a cursed name in the first place? Don’t do it again.”

In a way, she wasn’t wrong.

Maybe misfortune really was contagious.