Contract Marriage with a Male Friend - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#13

“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Su-i, who had been blinking at Beom-jin’s demeanor—unchanged from his usual self—tightened the corners of her mouth.
‘That’s right, I need to stay calm. Even if a tiger bites you, as long as your mind holds, you survive.’
But the moment that tiger called Beom-jin had sunk his teeth into her, her mind had gone blank.
Reassured by Beom-jin’s composed attitude, Su-i steadied herself with a deep breath.
‘There’s always a way if you look for one.’
No—she’d already found it.
Beom-jin himself was showing her the path.
Pretend not to know. Pretend to forget. Act as if it never happened.
Besides, the situation favored her even more.
Unlike her, Beom-jin didn’t lose his memory when he drank, did he?
Perhaps he’d been drunk last night too.

“That’s why you called me over to drink, wasn’t it?”

Then the scene suddenly came back to her—Beom-jin wrapping his hand around hers as she held the glass, bringing it to his lips.
Yes…… she’d drunk. Yes, they’d definitely drunk.
“Su-i.”
At the sound of her name in his low, thick voice, she snapped back to attention, her head jerking up abruptly.
The sudden movement made the room spin for a moment.
“Ah…….”
Right. She’d been so caught up in excitement over finding a way out that she’d forgotten about her hangover for a moment.
“Dizzy?”
“A little. I’m fine now.”
Only then did Su-i realize she was leaning against Beom-jin, and she gave his shoulder a light pat.
“Put me down already. Your arm’s going to fall off.”
Beom-jin studied her face for a moment before carefully lowering her to the floor and sliding his chair back.
Su-i sat down as if accustomed to his attentiveness, accepting his escort.
“Mmm, this looks good. You know, you make bean sprout soup better than I do.”
Su-i spoke louder than necessary—”I’m digging in!”—and picked up her spoon.
“Nothing beats hangover cure like this, they say. You eat up too, Beom-jin.”
But Beom-jin didn’t reach for his utensils; he was still watching her.
“What?”
“Su-i.”
“Mm?”
“Who’s chasing you?”
“Ah…….”
“Whatever it is, it can wait. Eat slowly.”
Beom-jin reached over and brushed away a grain of rice caught at the corner of her mouth, then casually brought it to his own lips.
“Hey, that, why would you—!”
“What?”
We even shared breath.
That’s what his eyes seemed to be saying.
Though that couldn’t possibly be true.
‘If he remembered, he couldn’t possibly be so casual about it.’
Faced with Beom-jin’s gaze—a picture of genuine confusion—Su-i shrank back.
Well…… close friends could do this kind of thing, couldn’t they?
Not that she had anyone else to compare to, but in any case, they were lifelong friends, weren’t they?
Right, they weren’t just friends—they were practically family. Family.
Yes, Beom-jin and she were like family to each other.
All she had to do was forget last night herself.
If she just let this pass, it would be fine.
Then she could protect their friendship. Their family bond.
“Eat your own. Don’t steal from mine.”
“Then is it okay if I ask openly?”
Su-i swallowed hard under the intensity of his gaze.
It was the same look he’d given her last night in bed, looking down at her.
“…….”
A frisson of sexual tension crawled down her spine.
Her lower belly ached.
Just as it had when she’d taken him into herself last night.
‘What, what am I thinking about right now!’
The moment she’d decided to forget, and here she was, summoning up those obscene memories.
‘Nothing happened between us.’
Yes, that was right.
Nothing would change between them. Never.

***

“Here.”
After the meal, Beom-jin handed her a pill.
Su-i tossed it into her mouth, and he passed her a glass of water.
She took it naturally and found herself thinking—
If Beom-jin remembered what had happened last night, she would never be able to enjoy moments like this again.
The thought alone made her heart ache.
“What. Feeling sick?”
Damn, she’d let her expression slip for a moment.
The thought that she might lose a friend who noticed even such small changes was terrifying beyond measure.
“No. I was just thinking how grateful I am for you.”
“That’s nothing.”
At his lukewarm response, Su-i smiled faintly and was just bringing the glass to her lips when—
“Did something happen yesterday?”
Phoo—!
Su-i spit out the water.
“Cough, cough!”
Beom-jin stepped forward with a frown, patting her back and wiping her mouth with the corner of his T-shirt.
“You okay?”
“Cough, cough, what kind of…… cough, sound was that?”
Did he remember something?
That lewd, embarrassing moment?
“Look at me.”
Beom-jin cupped her chin and carefully wiped her face with his T-shirt.
“Your clothes are soaked. I’ll give you one of mine to change into.”
“But, but what was that sound about? You don’t mean…….”
Su-i forced her eyes away from the defined abs visible where his T-shirt had ridden up. She took a careful breath before speaking.
“Do you remember something?”
“What?”
“I mean, uh, about last night.”
Su-i’s voice trembled without her meaning it to.
What would she do if he remembered?
Could they still go on as friends?
‘But he’s being too casual for someone who remembers.’
Could Beom-jin really be unaffected?
Now that she thought about it, the fragments of memory that surfaced showed him as remarkably skilled and practiced.
Like someone for whom such things were second nature.
Su-i had always prided herself on knowing Beom-jin better than anyone, but they hadn’t spent every hour of every day together.
There was no guarantee she knew everything about his private life.
Come to think of it, his evaluations of the people around them often differed from her own.

“He’s absolutely terrifying. I can’t even look him in the eye. How do you treat Beom-jin so comfortably?”
“Did you say he seemed out of it? Spaced out? You’re talking about Beom-jin? You mean that drowsy look, not coldness? Wow…… so he was a fox, not a tiger.”
“Just the fact that he suddenly came back from America seems suspicious, doesn’t it? He must have some secret he can’t tell anyone.”
“Looking at his appearance, at everything really—I’d say it’s definitely woman trouble. The guy’s absurdly handsome. His body’s incredible. His eyes are scary but there’s something… lewd about them.”

And there were quite a few women who’d asked her to put in a good word for them with Beom-jin.
But the moment she so much as broached the subject, he’d get serious, and from then on she’d stopped relaying their messages.
In any case—
The man Beom-jin and the friend Beom-jin might be entirely different people.
As a man, Beom-jin might be well accustomed to one-night stands.
So even if he remembered what happened with her, he’d likely just move past it without a second thought.
The probability that it would change their friendship was drastically reduced.
She should feel relieved….
So why was she irritated?
“No?”
Her voice came out sharp without her meaning it.
“Nothing happened.”
Beom-jin nodded and gently pulled her up by the arm.
“You’ll catch a cold like that. You said you had a lot to do.”
“I’m going home.”
“And?”
Su-i looked down at herself. Then her eyes widened.
‘Wait. This is Beom-jin’s T-shirt.’
She didn’t remember changing.
Which meant Beom-jin had changed her.
‘Does he really remember? And yet he’s acting like nothing’s wrong?’
Heat began to boil up from deep in her chest.
So that was it. He was just pretending not to remember.
Acting like nothing had ever happened, like it was fine to just move on.
“It’s right next door anyway. What’s the difference.”
“Su-i.”
“I’ll get your shirt cleaned and bring it back.”
The moment she finished speaking, Su-i turned on her heel and climbed to the second floor, her footsteps heavy on the stairs as she headed for the guest room.
“…….”
It was spotless.
As if nothing had ever happened.
If last night hadn’t been a dream, then Beom-jin must have cleaned up everything.
“Sigh. Why am I even angry?”
Beom-jin had chosen to protect their friendship.
So she should be happy.
She couldn’t understand why her mood felt so heavy.
Was it the shock of discovering that the friend she’d thought of like a younger brother to care for had this lewd, irresponsible side?
‘Let’s say it was that.’
She shouldn’t have drunk yesterday.
Or even if she had, she shouldn’t have let things go that far.
If she hadn’t, she could have spent the evening like a carefree idler, lazing around with Beom-jin watching comic books or movies, mooching off his hospitality.
Like they always did…… just the two of them having fun.
Su-i bit the soft inside of her lip and picked up the shopping bag and purse placed neatly on the side table.
A quick look inside showed her blouse, cleaned and pressed.
‘…… Irritating.’
Su-i trudged back down the stairs heavily, ignoring Beom-jin standing beside them, and headed for the entrance.
“Why are you suddenly mad?”
“…… I’m not mad. I just have a lot to do.”
Then Su-i took a sharp breath and spun back around to face Beom-jin.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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