I was momentarily stunned, staring at him like he was some sort of a strange creature standing in front of my apartment door. One of his eyebrows shot up and he cleared his throat before he went inside when I backed up a little. I knew I should’ve said something but my brain couldn’t fathom what was happening and why he was even here at my place and at this hour. The last time he was here, he was banging onto my door like a lunatic. My eyes caught the shiny object in his hand.

“Mr.Nam, I didn’t expect to see you here. Do you need something?”

I fished out my phone from the pocket of my trousers, and trying to recall whether I turned off my phone or not but it was still on and in ringing mode.

“Your performance this morning was brilliant and I thought we should celebrate it.”

He casually said as he strolled inside my apartment. He stopped at the table and placing the wine bottle on top of it, picking up the book I was reading before I was interrupted. Feeling embarrassed, I closed the door and quickly made my dash towards him and took away the book from his hand. 

“Action book? I thought woman like you prefers romance.” He said, his expression told me he wasn’t a fan of that genre either. 

I snorted at him as I placed my book back into its place on the stack. “Not all women like to read romance books. It doesn’t mean I don’t like it but there are many other genres of stories that are more interesting to read.”

He didn’t say anything and I turned to him. He had already sat down in one of the couch and was looking at me. Challenging his stare, I found myself staring at him and all I could see was a blank canvas of emotion behind his flawless feature. I started to squirm in my standing as time ticked by and as his eyes went from soft to intense, captivating me with his gaze. 

There was a knock on the door and I was thankful for the interruption because I knew he wasn’t going to lose and nor was I. It turned out to be my delivery man and my mouth started to water at the smell of the delicious foods. He kept apologizing for being late as I thanked him but he was my least worry at the moment.

Fixing my gaze towards the wine bottle he brought with him, I spoke again, “I don’t think this is a good idea Mr. Nam. I know tomorrow is..”

“Having a good chat about the company with wine is never a bad idea, Yoonji shi. Now, where are the glasses?” He said, smiling as he picked up the bottle.

The food forgotten, I went into the kitchen and choose the fanciest looking glasses I had. For a brief second, I felt embarrassed at how messy my apartment was. I was never really a neat person, unlike Seohyun.
“Sorry, I don’t have the proper glasses for the wine.” Shrugging as I handed him the glasses.

“These would do just fine.” He said as I held them for him to fill in with the wine.

I sat to the farthest distance from where he was sitting and sipped the wine. I’m aware of him watching me but I acted as casual as I could. I should have felt threatened by his sudden appearance at my place but there was just something about him that made me feel less afraid. He was still dressed in his suit but the jacket was gone and the two top buttons of his faded blue linen shirt was opened. Not all men could look handsome in a suit but I had to admit he surpassed that, effortlessly.

Shifting my gaze to the glass on my hand, I took a sip of the wine. I haven’t drunk one in a while but it was a great choice picked by him nevertheless. I could tell that he’s an expert in this matter but for me, nothing mattered as long as it tasted good. I took another sip again and that was when the warm and delicious taste of the wine consumed me. Taking another sip again, I almost moan in appreciation as the absolute silky wine caressed the hollow of my throat. I looked over to Woohyun and he smirked as he raised his glass to me and he must have known what I was thinking. Raising my glass to him, I offered him a thankful smile for the tasteful wine. 

“So, this is your hobby?” 

He said as he was pointing to the books that were neatly stacked at the bookshelves. There were a lot of them and I remembered Seohyun’s nagging to me about them. She liked to read books too but I guess she wasn’t as crazy as I am.

“Yeah,” I replied to him, nonchalantly, “I could spend hours reading them. Some people might find it’s odd that I’d spend my times with them rather than hitting the nightclubs on Friday’s night or going out with friends.”

“So you’re a..”

“Nerd?” I said, cutting him short and knowing exactly what he wanted to say, “not really, I guess. The club by the end of the road is pretty good but remembering that I’d possibly tipping the waiter 2000won for a tissue every time I went there, that’s pretty ridiculous isn’t it? And I’d rather be a nerd than to be a broke lady trying to pay for the apartment’s rent by the end of the month.”

Woohyun laughed, loud and deep. It was an addictive sound I thought, and I stilled as it washed over me.

“I guess so. Another one?” He picked up the wine bottle and gestured toward me to refill the now empty glass.

“Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Nam?” I laughed as I handed him my glass.

“Oh I wouldn’t dare.” He said, smirking a little.

And once again the silence consumed us. I stared at my glass, sipping the wine a little bit more but reminding myself on not drinking too much of it as I had an important event I need to attend tomorrow afternoon. 

It felt weird all of sudden, having a drink with my boss but not as awkward as I was the first time we met and talked. I think I actually quite enjoyed his company.

“Why do you always call me Mr. Nam?”

His sudden question caught me off guard and I stared at him, blankly. Woohyun shrug as he spoke again.

“It would be nice if you call me by my name. Calling me by my surname, it’s a little bit too formal don’t you think?”

“Well, you are my boss and..”

“Hang on a second, you’re saying because I am your boss and you can’t be informal with me?” 

It was a question that I found tricky to answer. One of his eyebrows arched a little as he changed his posture on the chair, his right leg crossing the other one and I was left fascinated by how elegant he could look without him even knowing it. 

“It would have been weird to call you Woohyun at the office.” That was the best answer I could reply and probably the best one I could’ve think of.

He laughed a little and took another sip of his wine and I wondered whether he was going to drive by himself later on or his driver was already waiting for him in the car.

“I tell you what. You can call me Mr. Nam at the office, by all means. But you must call me Woohyun if we’re not in the office.”

Nodding my head, I agreed with him. And it’s not like we’re going to see each other again aside from at office anyway.

“You did well in the presentation this morning, Yoonji. Job well done and you deserved this good treat.”

He raised his glass to me before taking another sip of his wine and I did too. I knew that should be my last shot but he was right, I deserved this. 

“I learned from the best.”

“Ah, yes of course you did. Sungyeol is indeed a great mentor. Although he’s kind of a pain to deal with sometimes.” 

He said, making an expression on his face and I burst out laughing because I knew well what he meant by that. 

“I know. He nags a lot and once he starts talking, lord have mercy on me.” 

I said, still laughing and he did too. I was in my own dreamland for the mere seconds and when I snapped back to the reality, the silent surrounding brought my eyes back to him and my eyes met his as he looked at me, with that damn stunning smile on his face.

“Has anyone told that you have such a beautiful laugh before?”

My gaze dropped to the white shirt I was wearing and my cheeks felt warm all of sudden. I was left speechless and he must have realized the awkward situation we’re in when he spoke once again.

“Know what they say about women who read?”

I shook my head as he rose from his seat and sat next to me. 

“They say people like you can read people’s thoughts and I wonder if it’s true or not.”

He sat so close to me and I parted my mouth to answer him but nothing came out and he was making it hard for me because I could literally smell the perfume he had on and it smelt so damn good. He smelled like a mixed of musk with leather and fresh soap.

“Can you read mine?” He asked again, smiling and looking like he was really interested in knowing the answer to the question.

“That’s silly. Only a magician could do that.” I shrugged as I answered him. 

Laughing at my answer, he nodded his head as if he agreed with me. 

“Well I guess I will have to hire a magician then because I would love to know on your thoughts about me.”

“Maybe.” 

I was aware of how close he was to me and I was just about to take another sip from wine when I realized I was holding an empty glass. Reaching out to grab the bottle, my hand slightly touched his right hand which was on his lap and I think I jumped a little because it was unintentional and touching him was probably the last thing I’d do. When I looked up at him, I realized that his eyes were fixed on my shoulder and before I could figure out on what he was looking at, he moved forward and pulled the silky material of the shirt down my shoulder a little and I froze in my spot.

“Is that a tattoo?”

He said and still looking at my shoulder, fascinated by the black ink that carved onto my skin. He backed away and apologized to me when he realized how blunt and inappropriate he was by doing that but I just dismissed it. Not all people are fascinated by the idea of a tattoo but I could tell that he was.

“Yes it is. I got it done a few years ago.” 

I said as I touched my tattoo, knowing the spot well. Fixing my shirt, I wished he wasn’t so close with me. His piercing gaze burned my skin and made my hair stood on end.

“Wow,” he said and still looking like he was really amazed by it, “I don’t know about other men but a girl with a tattoo is such a…”

He stopped mid-sentence and his eyes blinked rapidly while looking at me and I had a feeling that he had just saved himself from uttering something he would regret later on.

“Sorry..” He said and he must have figured out that I knew what he was thinking. 

I just shrugged at him and a soft smile formed at the corner of his lips and so did mine. And then I remembered about the whole ordeal and misunderstanding that happened between us. 

“I knew what happened between Seohyun and you. It is my fault that it happened and I’m really, really sorry about it. I hope your friend can forgive me and…” 

Woohyun looked up at me in surprised. Maybe he didn’t expect I knew about this. 

I looked up at him apologetically. “Forgive me, please?”

He grinned. “I’ll forgive you if you agree to treat me to a dinner.”

I opened my mouth to say something, to refuse or anything, but I can’t. I had done him wrong and I guess it’s not a crime if I agreed to it.

“It’s a deal then.”

I walked with him to the door and he turned around to me to bid his goodbye. 

“Good bye Yoonji.”

“Good bye... Woohyun.”

I caught a small smile tugged at his lips before he turned around and I closed the door, with my heart pounding fast and I didn’t like this feeling at all.