"Whew, I’m beat," I stretched my limbs, the excitement burning in my bones.

It was already getting late but I didn’t want to go home yet. Not when I still wanted to have so much fun.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Ki-hoon asked and I immediately nodded.

"Yes, let’s do that." Though it wasn’t as exciting as the zoo, it was better than just going home.

I pulled the neck of my shirt, huffing softly.

I sweated a bit, so I planned to change into something else, since having my sweat dry on me didn’t feel pleasant but then, as if Ki-hoon could read my mind, leaned in, his arm slowly sliding over my waist, and whispered,

"Jo-Pil," he breathed into my ear and my face heated up.

"W-what?" I asked.

I could only wonder what he was going to say when he opened his mouth and whispered,

"I helped you shoot all those balloons." He said. "That means I helped you win the prize."

Wait, wait... He doesn’t mean...

His lips spread in a grin.

"You’re going to have to wear this shirt until we get to the mansion."

Nooooo! 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

I screamed inwardly.

Of all things. I thought he already forgot about it, but he didn’t. And he wanted me to wear the shirt the whole day.

But it’s so sweaty and...

His grip around my waist hardened as he asked,

"What? You don’t want to wear it?"

"It’s not that I ’don’t’ want to wear it. It’s just... It’s soaked in sweat and..." Ki-hoon paused. "...it’s a little uncomfortable."

For a moment, Ki-hoon didn’t say anything but then he let go of me.

I was confused, narrowing my eyes in suspicion.

I don’t think I would’ve been suspicious of his silence in the past, but the past few hours have taught me that this man is not the calm and innocent black cat I thought he was.

He was a wolf. A sleeping vicious wolf, that would pounce on me at the slightest opening.

"Then, let’s do this." He said, and I swear I could see his eyes grinning, though his face remained indifferent. "Let’s go to the hotel across the street so you can wash off the sweat and wear something else. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable."

"Oh, if it’s that, then thank—" I paused, staggering as I immediately sensed something odd.

Wait a minute.

I squinted my eyes, reading his face and his seemingly considerate words did not match the look in his eyes.

This wolf... He wanted to pounce on me, didn’t he?

"Why are you hesitating?" He asked, lowering his head to meet my gaze on the same line. "Did you change your mind and want to keep the shirt on?"

I shook my head.

"Then why aren’t you responding? We should go to the hotel, shouldn’t we?"

How sly.

The others definitely cut a piece of their personality and fed it to him. What have they done to my precious Ki-hoon?

[Meanwhile, in another part of the zoo, Seo-Jun sneezed. "Damn, my babe must be thinking about me." He proudly thought.]

I don’t really see the end of this.

But I can’t refuse his suggestion either. I’ve been so used to being clean that a slight discomfort puts me off on everything else.

"Alright," I nodded my head. "Let’s go."

But as the words left my lips, a sudden, violent chill ran down my spine, blooming across my skin in a wave of sharp goosebumps.

I shuddered, my breath hitching in my throat.

What was that? It felt like someone had just succeeded in trapping me.

I gulped, looking at Ki-hoon’s back. This was fine, right?

We already did it before, so doing it again might be a bit too much, right? I don’t think Ki-hoon understands the meaning of ’too much’ though.

"Jo-Pil? What’s wrong?" Ki-hoon asked, looking over his shoulder at me.

"Ah, it... It’s nothing."

"You must be tired," he said. "The hotel is right outside, so you can rest while you take your bath." He smiled and I nodded.

Yeah, rest... If he’ll let me. Welp.

I let him lead me toward the towering glass entrance of the hotel that seemed a bit too fancy to be built in front of a zoo. Who came up with the bright idea to build a five-star hotel in front of a zoo?

But as we entered, my question was immediately answered.

The staff had all lined up, like they knew we were coming, bowing their heads and saying in unison.

"Welcome, Boss! We prepared the best suit for you."

It took me aback and I nearly stumbled.

I looked at Ki-hoon and felt the corner of my right eye twitch.

’Ah, so he was the one with the bright idea.’

Ki-hoon looked back at me, held my hand, and began walking, waving them off and going straight to the elevator.

"Ah, why didn’t you tell me you owned the place?" I asked, as we waited for the elevator.

He looked at me, flashed a smile, and said,

"I didn’t want to bore you with business," then he murmured. "There was really no need."

The elevator doors opened and we walked in. As it closed, I glanced at him, secretly. What was on his mind?

The elevator began its rapid, smooth ascent.

"Besides, I find that having a private place nearby is always... convenient. Especially when things get ’uncomfortable’."

He emphasized the word, his eyes dropping to the sweaty collar of my shirt.

"You’re unbelievable," I muttered, though my heart was doing double-time. "You had this planned the whole time, didn’t you?"

He mentioned the hotel at the start, just to ’wash’ our hands, and right as I said I felt sweaty, he did not hesitate to bring up the hotel a second time.

It was as if he wanted us to come here by all means.

I thought he wanted to become perverted, but I just didn’t expect that it was his hotel.

"Not the whole time," he corrected, a small, dangerous smile playing on his lips. "Only from the moment your Pheromones started going wild."

Since then? That’s basically the whole time.

*Ding.*

The elevator doors opened directly into a suite that was more like a palace. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the zoo we had just left, the lights of the park beginning to twinkle as twilight took over.

But I didn’t have time to look at the view.

Ki-hoon stepped out, still holding my hand, and led me toward a master bathroom that was larger than my entire bedroom at the mansion. A deep, stone soaking tub was already steaming, the scent of expensive oils filling the air.

"Go on," he said, letting go of my hand and leaning against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. "Wash up. I’ll have the staff bring up a change of clothes."

I looked at the water and then back at him. Without even saying a word, he nodded his head and said,

"You don’t have to worry. I’ll be here to watch you so you don’t get into any accidents. Now," his lips spread in a sly grin. "Take off your clothes."