Chapter 1
Chapter 1
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in an unfamiliar place on an unfamiliar bed. And someone unfamiliar was holding me from behind.
Judging by the sensation of strong arms wrapped around me and the feel of soft blankets against my bare skin, it seemed I wasn’t wearing a single stitch of clothing.
‘What the hell?’
It was a strange sensation, something I’d never experienced before.
I blinked vacantly for a while, trying to figure out how I ended up in this place.
‘What on earth did I do?’
No matter how hard I tried to recall, my damn memory refused to return with any clarity.
‘Sigh.’
A sigh escaped me involuntarily.
Even though I couldn’t remember exactly what had happened, I had enough general knowledge to piece together what kind of situation this probably was.
I always knew I’d end up causing a major accident one day. I was fully aware that I lost my memory when I drank beyond my limit and I must’ve gone all the way despite knowing that.
No wonder my mind was a complete blank.
Still, I tried to claw through the fog for any lost memories when suddenly, the exotic ceiling above caught my eye.
‘Was there a hotel like this in Korea?’
I hadn’t been to many hotels, but I was pretty sure I’d never even heard of a place like this.
The lavish chandelier hanging high above, glinting in the moonlight, and the ceiling’s ornate, symmetrical patterns made one thing crystal clear: this place was ridiculously expensive.
‘That aside, this is kind of uncomfortable…’
The firm body behind me was holding me tightly, his legs tangled with mine so I couldn’t move at all.
And then…
In my half-asleep, dazed state, a wave of languid, blissful satisfaction swept through my entire body.
Though I’d never experienced it firsthand, I’d seen and read enough in various media to recognize what it meant.
Whoever this man was, he wasn’t normal.
‘What should I do?’
This had never happened to me before, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.
It was shocking to realize that I had done something this impulsive.
Still, there was no need to panic or attach too much meaning to the situation.
‘It’s just the alcohol.’
Blaming it all on the booze made things surprisingly simple. Then again, for anything to have happened at all, I must’ve at least liked the guy.
‘I must’ve really liked him.’
I couldn’t see his face, with him hugging me from behind like this, but from what I could feel, his body definitely passed the test. With a body like that, I figured his face was probably decent too.
I could only guess, like I was talking about someone else, because I had no memory of how I got to this point.
Honestly, it was kind of hilarious how calm I was, despite having just done something so outrageous. I even let out a quiet chuckle without realizing it.
“Ariel…”
A deep, low voice whispered in my ear.
‘Oh my god…’
I hadn’t expected him to wake up, and I almost let out a scream. Barely in time, I clamped my mouth shut.
Wait a second.
Ariel? Did… did he just call me that?
If there wasn’t anyone else in the room, he was probably talking to me.
But that name, so unfamiliar, so strange, tumbled from his lips and threw me completely off guard. I missed my chance to respond.
While I was still silently wondering how to handle this, a tall shadow loomed over me.
Who exactly did I sleep with?
Curiosity got the better of me. I turned around to see his face. And there he was, a man I’d never seen before, impossibly good-looking, staring down at me.
Wow…
The moment I saw him, the only thing I could do was silently gape in awe.
“You’re awake?”
His presence alone was overwhelming.
Without thinking, I nodded.
He smiled faintly at me, then gently brushed strands of my hair from my face with tender care.
For someone I’d just spent a single night with, his voice and touch were oddly familiar and affectionate. Even his eyes were filled with deep warmth and fondness.
‘What is this?’
Why was he looking at me like that?
‘And why is he speaking so informally?’
I wasn’t someone who spoke casually with strangers, and I expected the same from others.
A strange sense of unease began to spread, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
He suddenly leaned in and kissed me. It was a breath-stealing kiss, the kind that made every cell in my body melt in ecstasy.
He began trailing his hands over me, from head to toe, with purpose and familiarity. Neither of us was wearing anything, so there was nothing between us to interfere.
Screw it.
Whatever brought me here, however I ended up with him, it was too late to undo any of it.
I stopped thinking and wrapped myself around him more tightly.
My body remembered what he’d made me feel last night, and anticipation flared inside me all over again. Maybe I’d just been bewitched by that absurdly handsome face.
Either way, I moved in sync with him, as if it were second nature. We indulged in each other over and over again until the morning sun rose.
He was gentle at first, but once my body had grown used to him, he pressed in harder, with more intensity. The shifts in pace left no room for thought, only for the dizzying sensations that swept me away.
And all through the night, he kept calling me ‘Ariel’.
I didn’t know who Ariel was, but after hearing it several times, it began to sound oddly familiar. Like something I’d heard somewhere before. It felt familiar, even if I couldn’t recall it precisely.
But then again, I couldn’t even remember why I was here with this man.
No. Let’s not overthink it.
There was no need to stress over every little detail. I probably hadn’t told him my real name anyway. And he didn’t look Korean, so I might’ve just tossed out the first name that came to mind.
Whatever. It didn’t really matter.
Whether he called me Ariel or something else, it wasn’t worth worrying about.
I almost let myself believe we were something more because of the way he looked at me, the way he called my name with such tenderness. But I wasn’t the kind of woman to be fooled by fleeting affection in a purely physical relationship.
I knew better than to confuse this kind of thing with something deeper.
Once the night was over, we’d never see each other again. That was the extent of our connection.
Still, through him, I experienced a kind of pleasure I’d never known before.
* * *
The sunlight was so bright now that even with my eyes closed, it pierced through my lids. I was still so tired. I wanted to sleep more, so I tried to turn away from the light without opening my eyes.
“Ah…”
As I moved, a pained groan escaped me. My muscles screamed in protest.
It wasn’t just sore muscles.
My skin had become so sensitive from all the biting and kissing that even the brush of the blanket stung. And then…
The memories of last night came rushing back like a movie reel.
‘Unbelievable.’
That word held two meanings.
One: last night had been unbelievably good. Two: the guy’s strength and stamina were just plain insane.
Even without anything to compare it to, he clearly wasn’t ordinary.
I could’ve stayed and slept longer, but honestly, I’d feel better resting in my own bed at home. And maybe now it was time to calmly reflect on the question I’d been putting off, of why and how I had ended up here.
With that thought, I slowly opened my eyes.
The bed was huge, easily big enough for several people, but I was alone.
‘Did he leave already?’
The idea of not having to run into him felt like a relief. If that ridiculously handsome face only looked good in the moonlight, I didn’t want to risk spoiling the memory.
Good memories were best preserved exactly as they were.
‘But seriously, do we really have hotels like this in Korea?’
I slowly sat up, careful not to strain my body.
Turning my head, I took in the room.
Unlike last night, when everything had been dim, the space was now bathed in light, and I could clearly see the layout of where I was.
‘Wow…’
Everything in sight was like nothing I’d ever seen in my life.
……
T/N: Hello, Bunnyyy here~!
I decided to pick up this novel without much hesitation (procrastination waving). One, it’s relatively short like The Witch’s Requiem. And two, the synopsis and chapter 1 got me, I was already laughing hahahaha
Anyway, hope you give it lots of love. Releases will follow The Witch’s Requiem schedule. Thank you~!
