NOVEL WEB Chapter 21 - He's a Divine Being
Chapter 21: He’s a Divine Being
TL: Aniea
I don’t know how I got home afterward.
Kim Eun-ha lay sprawled on the bed without even thinking of removing her makeup.
It would have been unimaginable for her normally, but today, she had no leisure in body or mind.
“······.”
Shiver-!
Her body, lying down like a corpse, twitched. The tremors grew more intense with every memory of the moments spent with Kang Woo-ju.
“I’m crazy, I’m crazy, I’m crazy-!!”
Thump thump thump-
Eventually, Kim Eun-ha flailed her arms and legs, trying to push away this bizarre feeling, but the more she tried, the clearer it became, just like the full moon she saw today.
It was just a walk with him carrying her on his back, but even that made Kim Eun-ha too embarrassed to lift her head.
Whining to someone else like a child, that was something that should never happen to her.
‘How did it come to this···!?’
She hadn’t drunk much.
At most, a few glasses of wine.
She wasn’t particularly weak to alcohol due to her family background, so the idea of getting drunk was not even an excuse she could make to herself.
As she wandered looking for the most rational reason, something suddenly caught her eye.
A photo of herself smiling broadly, just entered elementary school. On either side, she was holding her parents’ hands tightly.
‘Mom, Dad···.’
Seeing the faces of her parents, she began to understand a little why she acted so childishly.
The reason she went all the way to Seongbuk-dong was because today was their death anniversary.
Of course, it’s been over ten years since her parents passed away. While remembering them brings a heaviness to her heart, no more intense emotions arise.
‘I can’t even remember their voices anymore.’
Just once a year, on the anniversary of her parents’ death, she would habitually visit the neighborhood where she lived with them during her childhood to reminisce.
Even that, she hadn’t walked up the hill for a while, but today, for some reason, she found herself heading in that direction without really knowing why.
“Kim Eun-ha. You’ve become weak again.”
She buried her face into the pillow. She knew the makeup would stain the pillow, but she had no energy to care about that.
There was no other way she could think of to take her eyes off the family photo.
‘…This wasn’t part of the plan.’
She entrusted her entire body to the bed. Though her body and mind were completely exhausted, insomnia made it difficult for her to fall asleep.
Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.
She began to review her actions over the past few days.
‘I’ve been overdoing it recently.’
Already tight on time, she had worked without taking breaks in between, just to make time to spend with Kang Woo-ju.
Of course, not for romantic reasons, but rather to send a silent message to those who might be watching her from somewhere.
‘…I might have enjoyed it a bit too much.’
Kim Eun-ha admitted her mistake. Honestly, the time spent with Kang Woo-ju was quite enjoyable.
Perhaps because they met under a contract laying all conditions on the table, there was no need to be cautious like she would be when meeting other people.
‘Does he feel similar to me?’
Whether it was acting or sincere, Kang Woo-ju never showed any discomfort when meeting her, often making frivolous jokes.
Sometimes his teasing went too far, making her angry, but dissipating her stress unknowingly as if blowing off steam.
– When Eun-ha ssi smiles, I feel happy too.
Bang-!
Suddenly, Kang Woo-ju’s voice popped into Kim Eun-ha’s head, and she hit the mattress hard. Otherwise, she felt like she might scream.
Kang Woo-ju’s smile lingered on her retina. The more she tried to erase it, the more vividly the memories, especially the sensation of being carried on Kang Woo-ju’s broad back, scrambled through her mind.
“Anyway, that stubborn···.”
I can’t count how many times I asked to be put down. Yet, Kang Woo-ju, gasping for breath, stubbornly carried me up the hill.
Normally, there’s no one as sly as him, but sometimes he can be surprisingly inflexible.
‘And he was wearing dress shoes, too.’
Kang Woo-ju was wearing the suit I bought for him. The shoes, of course, were matching dress shoes.
Of course, they weren’t as high-heeled as mine, but they were just as unsuitable for climbing a hill. When I pointed this out at the time…
– My feet are so calloused, it’s fine.
He dismissed my concern with those words.
It wasn’t a complete lie since, unlike me, his heels didn’t bleed. That doesn’t mean the pain disappeared, though.
Swish-
Kim Eun-ha gingerly touched her heel. The smooth texture of the band-aid greeted her.
On the way home, Kang Woo-ju suddenly asked the chauffeur to stop the car in front of a convenience store, then went in to buy medicine and band-aids, applying them himself.
– I can do it…
– Don’t move.
Was it because my body was so tired that I was on edge? The compliant Kang Woo-ju was nowhere to be seen.
Thanks to him, I did let him take care of it, but now that I think about it, it was embarrassingly kind.
Thump thump thump thump-!
Aaaaaah-!
The scream that I couldn’t hold back any longer burst out. If the pillow hadn’t served as a sound barrier, I would have been reported for noise between floors, that’s how intense the tension was.
It’s not like we were filming a drama, but why did we end up doing so many embarrassing things?
‘…Could it be that he’s actually trying to seduce me?’
Even that suspicion crossed my mind.
No matter how much I’m the employer and Kang Woo-ju is playing the role of a boyfriend. His excessive care made me more nervous.
‘He said he hasn’t dated anyone since college.’
When I asked him at the shooting range last time, he bragged as if he had a lot of dating experience, but Kim Eun-ha knew it was a lie.
It wasn’t just a hunch. Before we agreed on the contract, I happened to learn a fact while researching about him.
‘Despite the nicknames he had, he was clean when it came to women.’
Something like bomb or such. Kang Woo-ju had some rather unsavory nicknames during his college days.
But upon investigation, it turned out to be malicious rumors spread by some faculty members and students.
In reality, Kang Woo-ju was too busy earning tuition and living expenses to even think about dating, let alone have time to eat. He even worked as a chauffeur as a college student.
‘…But why does he seem so experienced?’
I haven’t felt fluttered by men that often in my life, but because of our special relationship, I keep feeling strangely.
People say “we click,” right? At least 30% of his random jokes make me smirk.
His considerate words and actions towards me aren’t bad either. No, they’re actually quite excellent.
‘…That’s objectively a problem.’
It would be a relief if Kang Woo-ju is deliberately trying to woo me. But if he’s doing all this unconsciously…
‘Does he always act this way around others!?’
Then, it’s a serious problem.
So far, he might have been too busy with life to afford dating women. But hasn’t this issue been neatly solved by me?
He got a house and a car.
And a card to use as much as he wants.
‘Of course, if he’s sane, he wouldn’t use my card to date other women…’
For someone like Kang Woo-ju, it wouldn’t be unusual for women to open their wallets first. This is also a reasonable inference derived from data.
└ I’ve finally found the famous reading man! He was intimidating even in photos, but in person, he’s really… I thought I was going to suffocate and die when I accidentally sat next to him ㄷㄷ
└ Seriously, only those who’ve seen him in person know that pressure lol. I read in an article that he’s going to play a sociopathic chaebol heir in a drama. Really looking forward to turning on the TV for the first time in ages.
└ And it’s his first shooting ever.
└ He is a divine being.
That one-time event of a reading café date with Kang Woo-ju, intended to keep up with reading time and to make it easier for paparazzi to approach.
The response was hotter than expected. Authors like Jung Ha-rin and director Kang In-ho even called personally to ask if we could do it a few more times.
As a result, Kang Woo-ju started visiting the reading café regularly, and whenever he appeared, social media buzzed with “The wild reading man has appeared!”
└ I’m definitely getting his number today.
└ …Please don’t. I’ve already seen more than 10 people get rejected. He started ignoring people halfway through. If you ask for his number, he just stares at you intently.
└ Isn’t that a reward?
└ I guess so.
Occasionally, just for gathering information.
Really, very occasionally when I search.
Each time, the reactions of people become even more intense.
Not just asking for his number, but there were also women who confessed out of nowhere. And many bought him coffee or snacks through the café staff.
‘…Do I not look like his girlfriend?’
I also go to the reading café with Kang Woo-ju whenever I have time to make our relationship obvious.
Naturally, many photos circulating online include both of us, and articles speculating about our relationship are pouring out.
[The meeting of a rookie actor and a third-generation chaebol.]
[Is Kim Eun-ha, the head of Mirae Department Store, in a relationship!?]
[Director Kang In-ho denies the nepotism allegations against Kang Woo-ju. “You’ll understand when you watch…” Becomes a hot topic…]
As usual, sensational titles and content dominate, but anyway, the atmosphere openly acknowledges Kang Woo-ju and me as a couple.
‘But why do these bitches keep hitting on him?’
Of course, when I’m by his side, no one dares to approach openly, but if I leave even for a moment, hyenas rush in.
Of course, I don’t think Kang Woo-ju would fall for such cheap temptations while being with me.
‘…I should tell him not to go alone anymore.’
Hmm-hmm-
Not for any other reason, but like the time Director Baek Do-young approached, unexpected incidents could happen.
Just that. It’s definitely not because I’m bothered by the women flocking around Kang Woo-ju.
‘But why hasn’t he contacted me yet?’
Kim Eun-ha checked her phone, which was thrown next to her. There were plenty of messages, but none from Kang Woo-ju.
It’s been a while since he should have been here, and he always contacts me when he arrives home.
– The customer is not answering the phone…
Kang Woo-ju not answering messages or calls. At this, Kim Eun-ha’s extraordinary brain began spinning, producing all sorts of scenarios.
Maybe he took a wrong turn.
Or was he kidnapped?
Perhaps he collapsed on the street from severe muscle pain after carrying me for mountain climbing earlier.
Ugh-
After worrying for a while, Kim Eun-ha sat up from the bed. She hastily put on the coat that was thrown over the chair.
“…It better be nothing serious.”
Click-!
She quickly fixed her makeup and, despite her tired body, left the house again.
.
.
.
Just as Kim Eun-ha reached his house, there was someone lying sprawled in front of the front door, asleep and oblivious to the world. His name was Kang Woo-ju.
“Eun-ha ssi… Hehehe.”
Kang Woo-ju appeared to be dreaming something happy. The sensor light illuminating him flickered pitifully.