Chapter 47: The More You Say No, The More I Want To

“What? With Lee Joon…?”

That doesn’t seem like a good idea, Grandfather.

Eunchae forced an awkward smile as she looked at Lee Joon, floating in the water. His sly smirk made his expression seem even more naughty.

“Of course. You know better than anyone how skilled Lee Joon is. He even competed in the national sports competition as a student.”

“Yes, I… I know.”

“Then take this opportunity to learn. You’ve got a private pool at home, so what’s the problem?”

‘The problem is the instructor, Grandfather.’

The words were on the tip of Eunchae’s tongue, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them. Just as she was about to politely refuse, Lee Joon suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her into the water without warning.

“Oh my!”

Eunchae let out a scream as she fell into the water. But before she could start thrashing around in panic, Lee Joon pulled her firmly into his arms and steadied her.

“Hold onto my shoulders and wrap your legs around me.”

Still nervous, Eunchae followed his instructions, quickly draping her arms over his shoulders and wrapping her legs around his waist. Lee Joon then supported her by holding her hips to keep her balanced.

“What do you think you’re doing? You scared me!”

She was so frightened. She didn’t even notice that he was still holding her by the hips.

“Didn’t you hear what Grandfather said? You need to learn this for survival. I completely agree with him.”

Eunchae was speechless at his audacity. This was exactly the kind of behavior she expected from Lee Joon.

“But that doesn’t mean you can just—!”

“Don’t get mad, smile, Yoon Eunchae. Grandfather’s watching,”

Lee Joon interrupted her protests with a deep laugh.

The effect was immediate. Eunchae quickly closed her mouth and looked at Tae Moo-jin who was sitting on a sunbed watching her with a happy smile on his face. A pang of guilt crept over Eunchae as she saw how pleased he looked.

“We’ll burn in hell later for this.”

“I’ll be the only one going to hell. You won’t.”

“And why is that?”

As Lee Joon began to walk through the water, Eunchae instinctively tightened her grip around his neck. Their bodies pressed together, the distance between them disappearing in an instant.

Eunchae shuddered and took a short, shaky breath. Even though she was wearing a rash guard, the sensation of her br*ast pressed against his, with her swimsuit underneath, was undeniably intimate.

“I planned all of this, so Yoon Eunchae, you have nothing to do with it.”

Lee Joon whispered in a low voice, one hand supporting her hips while the other wrapped around her slender waist.

Only then did Eunchae become fully aware of Lee Joon’s hands holding her and their bodies pressed together – his strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist, his hand supporting her hips, and his waist encircled by her legs.

Everything heightened her senses, and not in a pure way.

“How am I supposed to learn to swim if I’m just clinging to you? We need to get into the water to practice.”

Eunchae said, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse to reduce the contact. But it was no use.

“You have a strong fear of water. How can you just jump in? You have to get used to it.

Eunchae’s gaze wavered like the surface of water. His deep, resonant voice carried a subtle warmth, and his hot, moist breath against her ear sent shivers down her spine. 

Eunchae was left speechless by Lee-Joon’s logical response. She couldn’t find the words to argue back, her lips parting slightly as she struggled to respond. Still, she didn’t want to back down because she sensed that something about this didn’t feel right.

“Still, I need to overcome it. I can’t keep avoiding things forever.”

“You’ve got a point,”

Lee Joon said with a nod as if agreeing. Then, without warning, he removed the hand supporting her hips.

“Ahh!”

Eunchae yelped in shock, instinctively tightening her grip around his neck. Her legs clung to his waist even more firmly, as if glued to him.

“Lee Joon! How could you just let go like that?”

Eunchae shouted, glaring at him, frustrated by his childish behavior. Lee Joon responded with a playful smile as he met her sharp gaze.

“You asked me to let go, didn’t you?”

“You should at least warn me before you do!”

“In times of crisis, people usually discover superhuman strength. I thought that if I suddenly let go, your survival instincts would kick in and you’d start swimming on your own”.

Eunchae was stunned by his shameless response. As she pursed her lips and glared at him again, Lee Joon pretended to let go. In a panic, Eunchae quickly threw her arms around his neck and held on tightly.

“Don’t do that.”

“You’re so scared. The water barely reaches your waist.”

Lee Joon teased her, finding her nervous reaction adorable and laughing heartily.

A small gasp escaped Eunchae’s lips. Lee Joon’s wide, open smile was so bright and genuine, his face crinkled with joy. His expression, so innocent and carefree, seemed almost unreal.

‘He can laugh like this, so why is his usual expression always so sharp or cold?’

A swirl of complicated emotions washed over her. She still harbored resentment and anger towards him, but a small part of her wished he could live like this forever – smiling, without bitterness. It made her earlier thoughts of wanting him to suffer seem almost meaningless.

‘You’re ridiculous, Yoon Eunchae. There’s no one more foolish than you.’

Eunchae cursed herself silently. It wasn’t just her naturally soft nature, the real reason was clear. She knew only too well that she was especially weak when it came to Lee Joon.

“Focus. Daydreaming in the water is dangerous,”

Lee Joon warned, snapping Eunchae out of her thoughts. Then, with a playful grin, he released her waist and splashed drops of water on her face.

“Ugh, seriously, Lee Joon!”

Eunchae screamed in frustration at his mischievous prank. Her genuine reaction made Lee Joon want to tease her even more. It was in these moments, through his childish pranks, that Eunchae showed her most honest self, and he loved it.

Whenever he tried to be kind, Eunchae would immediately become suspicious, interpreting his efforts and kindness as part of a hidden agenda to take over the company. It made her uneasy.

Therefore, approaching Eunchae required caution and hesitation. Lee Joon really wanted her to accept his sincerity.

“How about we try diving this time? Let’s test your lung capacity. You can hold your breath, right?”

“No, I can’t. Don’t do it. I really hate it!”

“Hearing you say no just makes me want to do it more.”

“Lee Joon!”

The two continued to playfully bicker in the water, their bodies occasionally brushing against each other as they splashed around.

“Haha, now you two really look like a married couple.”

Tae Moo-jin remarked with a gentle smile as he watched them. With the help of his secretary, he quietly left the pool area, hoping that Lee Joon would manage to win even a small piece of Eunchae’s heart.

***

After their swim, the three of them had a shower and a short break. For dinner, they decided to go to a nearby restaurant that specialized in duck stew.

Just as Eunchae and Lee Joon finished getting ready to leave, Tae Moo-jin’s secretary appeared with unexpected news.

“Sir, ma’am, the Chairman has an urgent matter and needs to head to Seoul right away.”

“What?”

“What do you mean?”

The two quickly went to the living room, where they found Tae Moo-jin already packed and preparing to leave.

“Grandfather.”

“Grandfather.”

“Ah, yes. You’ve heard, right?”

Tae Moo-jin said, instructing the secretary to start the car before turning to explain the situation.

“Chairman Kwak of Doil Group fell down the stairs and was taken to hospital. I’m going up to check on him.”

“Is it serious?”

Lee Joon, surprised, asked about Chairman Kwak’s condition. Chairman Kwak was a relative on Tae Moo-jin’s maternal side.

“I don’t know the full details yet. But at our age, an injury serious enough to require hospitalization is nothing to take lightly.”

Lee Joon, trying to persuade him said.

“It doesn’t seem urgent at the moment. Why don’t you leave early in the morning? I’ll go with you, OK?”

“No, there’s no need for either of you to rush. I’ll call you with an update. You two can take your time and enjoy yourselves,”

Tae Moo-jin said, waving off the suggestion as he urged the secretary to hurry.

“Take my arm.”

Lee Joon, feeling rushed, rushed to help Tae Moo-jin, who was moving a little awkwardly. Silently observing their conversation, Eunchae also stepped in and took hold of Tae Moo-jin’s other arm.

“Thank you,”

Tae Moo-jin said with a warm smile, looking fondly at both of them before walking toward the waiting car in the front yard.

“Please call as soon as you arrive.”

Lee Joon urged as he helped his grandfather into the car, making sure to remind both him and the secretary.

“Got it. Don’t worry and head inside.”

After exchanging farewells, the secretary closed the car door.

“We’ll head up now.”

“Please take good care of Grandfather.”

“Yes, sir.”

 The secretary replied, bowing slightly before getting into the passenger seat.

Moments later, the car started and drove off.

They stood in the front yard, rooted to the spot, and watched as the black limousine shrank to a point and then disappeared.

“Let’s head inside.”

Lee Joon’s voice broke through Eunchae’s thoughts, snapping her back to reality. It suddenly hit her—today, it was just her and Lee Joon left alone at the villa.

‘Should I suggest we head back to Seoul too?’

Eunchae’s face stiffened with discomfort. It wasn’t just the awkwardness between them that made her uncomfortable; she could have handled that. The problem was something deeper – feelings she wasn’t ready to face.

The real problem was her feelings—once again, Eunchae found herself being drawn to Lee Joon, her emotions softening. She knew all too well where these wavering emotions could lead, and that scared her.

“We should—”

She began, but before she could suggest going back to Seoul, Lee Joon cut in, almost as if he had decided for them.

“We’ve already made a reservation, so let’s just go and eat. There’s no food here anyway.”

Eunchae looked at Lee Joon in silence. His face seemed indifferent, but the look in his eyes was firm, commanding her to accept his decision without question. There was no room for refusal.

Then again, when had she ever really refused him? She had no will. She was always drawn in, swayed by an irresistible force.

“Alright, let’s do that.”

Eunchae replied calmly. She went inside the villa, gathered her belongings, and came back out.

“Let’s walk. It’s not far, and though it’s a bit humid, I think we can manage,”

Lee Joon suggested, glancing up at the sky and their surroundings, noting the sun hadn’t fully set yet.

“That sounds fine.”

With Eunchae’s easy agreement, the two of them began walking toward the restaurant together.