Chapter 1 — Eun-hee and Sook-hee

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination. All characters are adults aged 18 or over.

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The weather was perfect.

It was around February 2003.

James Lee had recently moved to Ilsan while running a small company.

A friend dropped by the office, and they were sipping coffee, chatting casually.

They were killing time before heading to a gathering in Gangnam that evening.

Ryan Park said, "You know, it's weird—I always end up chatting up the hottest girl online. Without fail, I flirt her into sleeping with me the same day. And they're not just random girls—they're all perfectly normal, good-looking, well-educated, with solid jobs. They're not even the type who usually do blind meetups."

"But somehow, I always end up hooking up with them. My friends think it's strange, but honestly, can you blame them? Maybe I was just born lucky with women. ^^"

"Really? But we only have about an hour left before we need to go—think you'll score today?"

James wasn't really in the mood—they didn't have much time—but pressured by his friend, he logged on.

For about thirty minutes, nothing happened.

He figured today wasn't going to work out—until he noticed a username: Two Images.

She sent a private chat request. They started talking, and he found several things about her really appealing. The vibe was strong. He's almost always spot-on with his instincts. But time was short.

And she was too young. He was 35; she said she was 24. Well, he lied and said he was 28. He looks young, so he sometimes stretches the truth.

"I've got a prior commitment, so I need to head out. Let's call it a day. ^^"

"Aw, really? Just when it was getting fun. Where are you headed?"

"Uh… near Yeoksam Tax Office."

"Oh? Hmm… Can I come too?"

"Seriously? If you come, that'd be great. Here's my number. Call me when you're on your way."

"Okay, James. I'll call you."

They ended the chat and got into the car.

"Hey, do you think she'll actually call?"

Ryan was clearly curious now.

To be honest, James didn't think she'd call at all. Their chat was too short, too casual—felt more like a joke. He didn't expect a follow-up.

Then his phone rang.

"James, I'm on the subway. Where's Yeoksam Tax Office exactly?"

"Oh. Get off at Yeoksam Station and call me then."

He hung up quickly. Ryan burst out laughing.

"You're so damn lucky. I've tried forever and never get a response. So weird."

Around 8 p.m., they arrived at the meeting spot—a samgyeopsal restaurant. The place was already buzzing.

There were senior colleagues, actor seniors, and designers from one senior's company. About ten people total. One of the designers had even had sex with James before—Alice Shin, who worked as a designer.

They were laughing, drinks flowing, when his phone rang again.

"James, I'm at Yeoksam Station. Where do I go?"

He'd had a few drinks by then, and there was no way he could go pick her up, so he told her to take a taxi.

She didn't hesitate—no questions, no complaints. Just, "Okay, James."

Even he thought it was strange. Was this a scam? Or was she a little off in the head?

About ten minutes later, she said she'd arrived. He went outside.

He stepped toward the entrance half-heartedly, but he couldn't help but laugh when he saw her. He almost thought she was a scammer or crazy—but she was exactly as he'd sensed during their chat.

She was genuinely beautiful—the kind of woman men dream about.

She was about 167 cm tall, slim, wearing a long coat, with long, wavy hair. In one word: perfect. Her name was Emma Kim.

"Emma, there are seniors and a lot of people inside. Are you okay coming in?"

"What should I say, James? If I say we just met online, won't that look weird?"

"Yeah. Just say you're a designer from my company."

The moment they walked in, chaos erupted.

The seniors immediately swarmed her. All eyes and hands were on Emma.

She drank quite a bit. After the first and second rounds, the group moved to a third round at a private karaoke room—just the men. But the mood was clear: they were bringing Emma with them. Wherever they went, she was the center of attention.

With soju and whiskey flowing, Emma seemed a little tipsy. The seniors ignored their assigned hostesses and kept trying to dance the blues with her.

Emma kept refusing—until she finally danced the blues with James.

Her body pressed tightly against his chest. Her breasts felt larger than he expected, and he could feel the heat radiating from her.

He couldn't do anything about the seniors' stares, but Emma and he kept locking eyes—hot, charged glances that said everything.

Eventually, the night wound down. He got into a taxi with Emma to take her home. She lived near Konkuk University Station.

"Emma… you're not going home tonight. Stay with me."

"James… I can't. What about—?"