WAK 18

Chapter 18

“**When you can hold my heart and shake it, then I’ll give you whatever you want.**”

Hana’s heart, which had been quiet for a moment, started pounding loudly—thump, thump.

She, who hadn’t spoken, slowly turned around and walked toward Juhan.

Standing in front of him, she looked down at him as he sat.

“**That’s wrong.**”

“What is?”

“**You should be the one to tempt me.**”

Hana dropped her gaze to the floor and wet her dry lips with her tongue once.

Raising her eyes again, she continued with a challenging expression.

“**Make me want to have a child with a man who doesn’t even love me.**”

Juhan’s eyes flickered.

He smirked and placed his palm on the back of his hip.

His slightly messy pose made him look even more attractive.

Although she had spoken boldly, Hana’s courage was shrinking. She thought she might have been reckless challenging Ryu Juhan.

“**Shall we make a bet?**”

“What kind of bet?”

She asked cautiously.

“**You try to tempt me, and I’ll try to tempt you.**”

Hana frowned.

“**It doesn’t mean the winner gets what they want, right?**”

“**Wouldn’t it be fun?**”

No matter who won, it was clear they would get deeply entangled. That was exactly what she wanted to avoid, yet strangely, her heart fluttered. The more dangerous and forbidden something is, the more curious you become.

“**What if one of us hides their feelings after losing?**”

Being a lawyer, she liked things clear.

“**Then you have to tempt so much that it’s impossible to hide.**”

He shrugged casually, as if it were a simple matter.

“**What if I trick you?**”

“Hmm, how about the one who kisses first loses?”

“Oh, then I’ll win too easily.”

She replied confidently. He was speechless.

“**Forgot? Who kissed first earlier?**”

“That was… just caught up in the moment…”

Hana subtly avoided his gaze.

“**To beat Kang Hana, all you need is the right atmosphere.**”

“**I was dizzy because of the nosebleed.**”

Hana snapped.

“**Then I’ll make you bleed again. By any means necessary.**”

She stared at him, bewildered.

“**Are you a devil?**”

“**I don’t care about the means if it’s to win.**”

“**Is that something to brag about…**”

He laughed low and changed the topic.

“**No, kissing first isn’t enough.**”

“Why not?”

“**I think both of us have a strong competitive streak. If we keep going like this, we’ll just stubbornly compete until we’re old.**”

Although she didn’t want to admit it, he made sense.

“**Let’s make it that whoever doesn’t pull back when kissed loses.**”

“What? You mean randomly bumping lips anytime?”

He laughed out loud at her words.

“**Each of us gets three chances.**”

“Three?”

“**Only try to kiss at the crucial moment when you’re confident you’ll win.**”

“Only at the crucial moment?”

She repeated his words like a fool.

“**You get three tries, I get three tries, and whoever wins twice first becomes the final winner.**”

She rolled her eyes seriously.

“**When the winner is decided, we write a contract.**”

“A contract?”

“**So no one can argue later.**”

It strangely made sense.

“**The final decision is yours. Whether to take this bet or not.**”

Hana thought for a moment.

He didn’t rush her.

After thinking for a while, she nodded with determination.

“**Okay. Let’s do it, the bet.**”

He grinned and extended his hand.

Looking at it, she saw him raise it slightly, as if urging a handshake.

Hana shook his hand with a serious face.

Juhan got up, releasing his hip. Her gaze naturally followed upward.

“**Let’s go. I’ll take you home.**”

“**Please let me go alone.**”

Her mind and heart were too messy; she wanted to sort her thoughts.

“**No.**”

“Why not?”

“**It’s too late.**”

He firmly held her hand and walked quickly to the entrance.

Hana, suddenly holding hands without realizing, stammered as she followed him. Even though she knew he was just holding her so she wouldn’t fall in the dark, her heart fluttered.

Since it was his own house, he moved skillfully even in the pitch-black darkness.

Juhan’s car entered Hana’s apartment complex. He stopped in front of her building and turned on the hazard lights.

“**Thank you for bringing me home.**”

Hana unbuckled her seatbelt and got out.

Hearing him get out behind her, she turned to him.

“**Why are you getting out?**”

“**To see you go in.**”

Her heart tickled at his words.

“**You’re not trying to kiss me now, are you?**”

“**Not that naive. Don’t worry.**”

She giggled softly.

The wind blew her hair, and she tucked stray strands behind her ear.

“**Let’s go. I’ll watch you leave. I’ve already arrived.**”

He looked at her silently with a low smile.

“**It’s an honor that you watch me.**”

“**Are you mocking me?**”

“**No. I’ll go.**”

His voice was playful, but she didn’t argue.

“**Okay. Drive safely.**”

He went back to the driver’s seat.

He rolled down the passenger window, and she leaned down to look at him.

“**I’m leaving.**”

“**Okay, go.**”

“**Don’t watch too long, feeling sad.**”

“**Ha, fine.**”

Hana chuckled and nodded. The window rolled up, and he slowly drove away.

She straightened her back and watched the slowly disappearing car. Juhan watched her through the rearview mirror.

The car turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

**Ryu Juhan… and a bet.**

“**Am I doing the right thing?**”

She never imagined things would go this way.

She took a deep breath and entered her apartment building.

Today had been overwhelming. Working late, getting a nosebleed, and causing chaos in the under-construction apartment.

Hana looked at herself in the elevator mirror.

Her pale, exhausted face didn’t look pretty at all, yet she kept smiling faintly.

“**Ryu Juhan…**”

She whispered his name.

She couldn’t yet define what he meant to her—desire, complicated feelings, or just a passing wind.

The only thing clear was she couldn’t deny wanting him.

Ryu Juhan… wanting a child, and me.

Who will be the final winner?

She had no idea yet.

The elevator arrived at her floor. She waited for the doors and stepped out.

Her apartment hallway led to the end, where her home was. Yet, a man with a cap and mask stood by her neighbor’s door.

She flinched instinctively.

It was natural to be startled by a stranger at the door.

The man noticed her presence and turned his head. The sensor light above him shone, but his eyes were hidden under the cap.

The man approached. Hana tensed because two sisters lived next door.

As he got closer, her alertness increased.

The man walked past Hana with long strides.

Hana, still tense, looked back.

The man entered the elevator she had just left and soon disappeared.

Hana placed her hand on her chest, relieved, and hurried inside.