◎You can’t keep looking at me like that.◎

X answered with actions rather than words. The moment I sent my long message, he was already grabbing his car keys. I heard the door open and close.

“Wait for me.”

He said.

Those two words struck something deep inside me—something about security and trust, whether or not it was actually real.

I jumped out of bed at lightning speed, rushed to take a shower, and changed out of my hot pot-scented clothes. I was really something—before I even decided whether or not I wanted to meet X, I had already packed a black, long-sleeved knit dress in my suitcase.

It wasn’t the most eye-catching or stunning piece in my wardrobe, but it suited me perfectly—not too flashy, appropriate for a work trip, yet subtly accentuating my figure. Just the right amount of allure.

Was I being too deliberate?

I hesitated for only a moment before putting it on without hesitation.

Come on, I was going out specifically to kiss him! No amount of dressing up could be considered excessive. The god of kissing would surely forgive my intentionality.

X arrived even faster this time than last. When I received the news of his arrival, I gripped my phone tightly, my palms slightly sweaty. In the elevator, I kept taking deep breaths to calm my restless nerves.

Since it was our first meeting, I took extra precautions for safety. I asked X to park his car in the hotel garden and deliberately lingered in the hotel lobby for a while before heading out, ensuring the security guards noticed my presence.

X texted me that his car was parked in the southeastern corner of the garden, but I didn’t have to search for it. The moment I stepped through the revolving door into the damp spring night, leaving the warm indoors behind, a man not far away greeted me with a slight smile and an openly curious voice.

“Teacher Seagull?”

A simple, casual knit sweater paired with well-fitted dark jeans, his entire presence exuded an effortless charm. But the most striking thing about him was his tall, well-proportioned frame, which made him naturally stand out in the moonlight, effortlessly drawing every gaze toward him.

I originally planned to smile modestly—but damn it, how could I hold back? Forget it, I let myself smile wide, showing all eight teeth, and waved at him in greeting.

“Good evening, Teacher X.”

I walked toward him slowly, pretending not to notice his intense gaze almost drilling into my face. The hotel entrance was bustling with people coming and going—would he kiss me right here? Oh god, what if I ran into a colleague? They weren’t old-fashioned or anything, but still, I didn’t want to be caught in an embrace in front of them.

Maybe I was already glancing around anxiously because X spoke first.

“Would you like to take a walk? Or…?”

He trailed off, leaving the decision up to me.

Oh god, he kept looking into my eyes while waiting for my answer. His focused gaze almost made me hallucinate that I was loved. Unable to suppress it, I grinned.

“Let’s go to your car.”

I said—

I desperately needed a private space. A space with just the two of us.

X lowered his head and chuckled at my words. “Alright.”

Maybe he had the same thoughts as I did.

He turned to lead the way. We walked side by side, a fleeting distance between us that occasionally disappeared. The back of our hands brushed together, sending sparks flying, yet we pretended nothing happened. My breath hitched—I felt like I was forgetting how to breathe properly.

To distract myself, I focused on observing him. The space between our arms was just enough for me to steal glances. He was so tall! Do all people who work out look like walking mannequins when dressed? I was already imagining what it would feel like to be lifted into his embrace.

Finally, the black Jeep Wrangler—the one that had appeared countless times in my dreams—came into view. X opened the passenger door for me with a slight gesture of invitation.

As I brushed past him, I leaned in closer, inhaling the refreshing scent of minty body wash clinging to him. My eyes lingered on his chest, covered by the black knit sweater, and in my mind, a desperate voice screamed—”Man, Mom! Man, Mom! I need a Man, Mom!”

Under his overwhelmingly magnetic gaze, I settled into the passenger seat with an exaggerated pose. He closed the door for me like a gentleman, then jogged back to the driver’s side. Clearly, he was someone who did cardio often—his movements were light and swift, like the wind.

X’s personality wasn’t exactly what I had imagined. Maybe his youthful energy had misled me—I had thought he would be a little shy. Who would have guessed that, in reality, his presence was so commanding?

Inside the car, the air thickened into a sweet, high-pressure chamber. He stared at me directly, his gaze carrying a hint of something thrilling—something that made me tremble with anticipation.

Realizing I had been following his lead ever since we met, I decided to take back some control. Clearing my throat to regain composure, I opted for humor—it was always a safe choice.

Mimicking his earlier words, I said, “Ahem, now that you’ve seen my face, do you find it repulsive?”

X mirrored my response. “I didn’t pass out from being mesmerized, so I think that’s already very polite of me.”

I burst out laughing and playfully complained, “How perfunctory!”

“You’re beautiful.”

His left arm rested casually on the steering wheel as he leaned slightly toward me, his gaze scrutinizing, his tone unwavering.

“Really beautiful. I can’t find the words to describe it.”

I believed him—because his eyes had turned tangible, tracing every contour of my face. I could feel his gaze, its warmth melting straight into my heart.

I bit my lip, slightly embarrassed. Damn, I should have taken the time to put on at least a light layer of makeup before leaving. Even just a tinted moisturizer!

His gaze drifted to my slightly damp shoulder. He hesitated for a moment before asking, “Why didn’t you dry your hair before coming out?”

I had rushed to take a shower before heading out, but there wasn’t enough time, so I had only managed to blow-dry it halfway.

His eyes lingered at my damp ends as if he were running his fingers through them. “Do you want to go back upstairs and dry it first?”

I knew this dress’s square neckline accentuated my collarbones beautifully, so I deliberately stretched my shoulders and smiled as I shook my head.

I wasn’t sure when my colleagues would return, and going back up just to dry my hair before heading out again would seem strange.

Besides…

I stole a shy glance at X. “I have something more important to do right now.”

I heard his deep inhale.

The car’s enclosed space amplified the sound, making the air feel even thinner. Our hearts pounded violently against our ribs.

He averted his gaze and raised the car’s temperature. “Don’t catch a cold.”

“How thoughtful!” I praised him dramatically, using the moment as an excuse to inch closer and study him.

Maybe I moved too close, because he turned to me again. His eyes were deep and dark, like an abyss in this dense, sticky night, pulling me in with an irresistible force.

The intensity of his gaze left me parched. It felt like he would devour me whole in the next second. My mind spun, every cell in my body screaming—”He’s so handsome! Kiss him! Hurry! Kiss him!”

But no, I couldn’t.

The more intense the moment, the more I needed to steer the conversation toward something trivial. Letting time stretch in this almost unbearable tension was both torture and pleasure. The air between us was stretched thin, teasing our restraint.

I leaned gently against the seat, smiling as I gazed at him.

“You got here so fast. Was there traffic on the way?”

X shook his head. “No traffic.”

I asked, “Did I make you miss your workout tonight?”

X looked at me directly, staying silent for a few seconds. He took a slow, deep breath before answering with an unrelated remark. “You can’t keep looking at me like that.”

Looking at him like what?

I let my smile grow wider, nodding slightly. “I can’t see myself, but I can imagine.”

A gaze filled with longing, admiration, and passion. A gaze that craved to be wrapped tightly in strong arms, to be held against him with no space in between.

X asked, “Is that so?”

He was so bad, always throwing the question back at me.

“I guess…” I deliberately paused here, tilted my head, and blinked at him playfully before continuing, “probably the same way you look at me.”

X said nothing. Instead, he leaned in closer. His broad shoulders and the growing intensity of his presence made my breath quicken.

“I kind of regret it,” he said, staring at me with an almost predatory gaze. “No, I regret it very much.”

I saw my own flushed reflection in his dark eyes. My voice dropped to a whisper. “Regret what?”

He leaned in even more, the heat radiating from him surging over me, threatening to consume the calm I was desperately trying to maintain. It felt like it would consume my clothes, my soul.

His voice was hoarse, almost painfully so. “Regret trying to leave you with a gentlemanly first impression instead of kissing you the moment I saw you.”

So dramatic. My entire back tingled with anticipation and excitement.

“Then what are you waiting for?” My throat was so tight I could barely make a sound, my voice coming out as little more than a breath. “It’s not too late now.”

In the very next second, X leaned in completely, capturing me in a deep, fervent kiss.