Lots of strange thoughts ran through his head. Under the influence of liquor, he could not control his sexual desire. He didn’t want to hold it back anymore.

Given the chance, he wanted to seize it. Rather, he badly wanted to create the chance to have sex with her.

Actually, Yu Zuung gave him such a chance.

“You’re now famous. I’m afraid you might get entangled in a scandal because of me. I think you had better be careful as I take off my mask later.”

That was a plausible excuse to bring him into her studio. But she didn’t seem afraid he could have a scandal in her own studio.

Or she might want it deep inside.

In fact, he knew her sincere feelings about him.

As Suji was dating him, Yu Zuung could not show him her love.

But now was different. Either Yu Zuung or Hyunwoo had no reason to hold back their desire.

“Come to think of it, you’re right. Let me come to your studio then. Do you have beer in the refrigerator?”

“No, you’ll have to buy some.”

Hyunwoo headed for a supermarket. He quickened his steps as if he were impatient.

He bought canned beer and side dishes then went into her studio.

She wore comfortable clothes: an off-the-shoulder blouse and hot pants. If she sat comfortably, one shoulder was naked.

Though it was cold outside, her studio was warm.

The clinked their canned beers together. When Hyunwoo drank, Yu Zuung watched him with a happy smile. And then she picked up some peanuts and put them in his mouth.

When he didn’t refuse and enjoyed the peanuts, she made a bright smile, hiding her mouth with hand as if she was so happy.

“In fact, I wanted to do this for you.”

Hyunwoo’s heart was throbbing at that. He readily responded before he knew.

“Well, so did I.”

Only then did she drink a bit of beer. She seemed to want something when she cast a glance at him.

Hyunwoo picked up some peanuts tactfully. She took them and smiled, twisting her body.

He could not take his eyes off her body.

When he was just looking at her, she blushed as if she were intoxicated with a smile.

“It looks like you drank a lot already.”

“Oh, not that much. Just good enough for our pleasant moods.”

Was it because of an erotic mood? He stopped talking for the moment, and she looked from one eye to the other. When her gaze met his, she smiled again. “You must be quite tired these days, right?”

“Yea, I am, but I don’t feel it so hard because I find it so interesting. Have you seen me dancing on the stage?”

“Of course.”

“Am I dancing better now?”

As if she found a good topic, she kept talking excitedly, and he chimed in.

As they were so happy to talk like that, they were unaware of the passage of time, and they drank all the canned beer.

“I wish I had bought more beer. Can I go out and buy more?” said Hyunwoo.

“Oh, no. I get easily drunk. I’m afraid I will get more tired if I drink more.”

“I see. Have a good sleep.”

Hyunwoo awkwardly stood up.

Yu Zuung also stood up as if to see him off.

Hyunwoo walked up to the porch when Yu Zuung asked with effort, “Where are you going to sleep?”

“I’m going to check in to an inn nearby.”

Hyunwoo stopped walking and looked at her.

In fact, he didn’t want to go out. He wanted to sleep with her here. Maybe she might want it, too.

He asked bluntly like a joke, “Won’t you let me sleep here?”

Yu Zuung’s eyes opened wide. Though she didn’t say no, it seemed she was not ready yet.

As if clear the awkward atmosphere, Hyunwoo said with a laugh,

“Haha. It’s a joke. You don’t have to take it too seriously. How can I ask a reluctant lady to put me up?”

“No, that’s not what I mean…”

Yu Zuung answered quickly, but could not continue easily.

And then she resumed as if she found an excuse.

“My room is too small…” she said with a bright smile.

Hyunwoo smiled and touched her face with his hand.

“You’re right. You could put me up if you had a larger room. Goodnight.”

Now he was putting on his shoes as if he meant to leave.

But she said again with an impatient voice, “Can you sleep on my bed? I can sleep on the floor.”

In fact, it didn’t matter if Hyunwoo had to sleep on the floor. He didn’t want to leave, above all.

“Okay, then. You sleep on the bed, and let me sleep on the floor.”

“No, I feel uncomfortable with that. Please sleep on the bed.”

“I can’t. Please can you sleep there?”

They had some more sparring on that.

At one point, they took the blanket away from each other as if either of them decided to sleep on the floor.

As soon as she spread the quilts on the floor, he lay down on it.

“Thanks. So comfortable here.”

“Please get up. Let me sleep there.”

Hyunwoo didn’t get up and then closed his eyes as if to tell her he was determined.

Was it the reason? She didn’t argue anymore. Then, she quietly climbed onto the bed.

She didn’t take off her clothes, of course. Hyunwoo heard the swishing noise whenever she pulled up the thin wool blanket on the bed.

Hyunwoo closed his eyes but could not go to sleep partly because he was tired and partly because he was drunk. But his nerves were on edge because of her.

He could hear even her rough breathing, who seemed as tense as he was.

There was some silence in the room.

And then she cautiously asked, “Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

“No, not at all.”

“I feel uncomfortable. Can you come up on my bed?”

Suddenly, his eyes opened.

She might have said that because she wanted to sleep on the floor instead.

But Hyunwoo wanted to make physical contact with her, and this couldn’t be a better excuse.

“Really?” said he, getting up. And then he quickly lay down beside her even before she could move at all.

Her bed was a single-size bed, giving no more space at all when Hyunwoo lay down beside her.

As he had to squeeze in, he got his body inevitably close to her body. As he had to lie on one side, he put his elbow on his head and looked at her.

With surprise, she tried to get up quickly. But he gently pressed down her shoulder with his hand.

“Wait a moment…”

She stopped then froze like ice.

“Can you just lie down like this for a moment?”

She didn’t reply. She was getting tense. She might be scared.

When he climbed onto her bed, he wanted to have sex with her. When he saw her scared look, he felt he could not touch her body recklessly.

Hyunwoo quietly looked at her. He found her body stiffened as if to show how scared she was.

Hyunwoo asked in a whisper, “Are you scared?”

At that moment, she felt a tense moment that overwhelmed her all along seemed to disappear. Her eyes, fixed on the ceiling, now began to move to him naturally.

She shook her head very slowly and said, “Nope.”

“Why are you so scared then? Are you afraid I’m going to have sex with you?”

“I have no idea. Maybe this is the first time. It’s the first time I have lay in bed with a man…”

“Do you want me to get off?”

She shook her head. She didn’t try to get off either. She just looked at him with that peculiar sad shine in her eyes.

Silence lasted again. But they continued to communicate with their eyes, as if they wanted to express something that they could not through actual dialogue.

Suddenly, they felt something in common deep inside.

As if to confirm that, Hyunwoo asked, “Can I kiss you?”