He Paid Off My Debt—Then Kissed Me

“Excuse me? Th-This is……”

“Manager Han, go with him and get everything settled.”

“Director!”

“Understood.”

“……Director! Even for you, this is……”

After the debt collector and Han Youngjun, who had followed him in, disappeared together, Kang Chaehee grabbed my arm.
When I stared at his hand, he quickly let go and apologized.

“From the moment I asked you the name of the private lender, I was thinking of paying it off for you. I’m going to debut you without any blemishes. I don’t like scandals starting over something trivial. So don’t complain.”

“Still……”

“It’s not even half of what I just spent on your clothes.”

“…….”

At that, Kang Chaehee closed his mouth.

“Hurt pride?”

“No, honestly…… you and I live in different worlds, and I don’t have any pride left to hold onto anyway. Especially with you, I don’t want to have any pride. But……”

“But?”

“I’m sorry……”

I sighed.

“I’ll have to add one more condition.”

Kang Chaehee looked at me with a puzzled face.

“From now on, you will never refuse anything I give you. Even if you don’t like it, don’t show it and just accept it. Not that I’ll give you anything strange. The only words out of your mouth will be, ‘Thank you, I’ll use it well.’ Got it?”

“……Yes, Director.”

Even so, Kang Chaehee answered with a face that still didn’t know what to do with himself.
The only way was to get him used to receiving.
I was uncomfortable with people who refused what I gave.
What difference did it make if they accepted after some back-and-forth?
I thought it was one of the most meaningless arguments in the world.

Hmm, still, paying off millions in debt and buying a house would certainly be a burden……
That was his burden to bear as the one being sponsored.

“Is it okay if I finish my coffee? It was good.”

“Ah, it’s probably cold by now……”

“That’s fine.”

Kang Chaehee and I returned to the folding table in the living room—’dining table’ might be more accurate.

“What good houses are in Hwaphyeong-dong……”

Since Han Youngjun had gone with the debt collector, I had no choice but to think it over myself.

“Director, still, Hwaphyeong-dong is too expensive.”

“What did I just say?”

Hwaphyeong-dong was more expensive than other neighborhoods.
It was that much more convenient to live in, and the environment was good.
The school district was also good, so his sibling could transfer, and it was close to his grandmother’s hospital.

“Ah, if you need to discuss it with your family……”

Then Kang Chaehee shook his head and lowered his voice to a whisper.

“That won’t be necessary. They sing about wanting to move out of this house every day.”

“Really? Then why are you whispering?”

When I whispered back, Kang Chaehee laughed awkwardly.

“I’m worried Chaekyung might hear……”

“Anyway, I’ll find a decent place. Move in as soon as the renovation is done. Just pack the important things in advance. Ah, the furniture and appliances will be included, so you don’t need to bring any.”

Then a thought occurred to me, and I added.

“If you have furniture with special memories, you can bring one piece.”

“……I don’t have anything like that.”

Kang Chaehee gave a bitter smile.

“And since we can’t always meet at that hotel…… I wonder if I should get an officetel as well. Do you want to live independently?”

He shook his head.

“No. I need to take care of my grandmother and my sibling too……”

“I said there will be a caregiver and housekeeper.”

“It’s still different from me being there.”

I stared at Kang Chaehee for a moment.
If he were at a black company, he’d be the type to say, ‘This company wouldn’t run without me.’
Well, positively speaking, he was full of family love, and if this story got out later, it would add points to his image.

But until then, he couldn’t keep living in this house.
Living in too nice a house or too shabby a house would equally attract negative public attention.

Between the two, the suspiciously wealthy option was better—even I thought that was unfair, but there it was.

I had finished my coffee without realizing it.
As I stared blankly at the empty cup, Kang Chaehee stood up and asked.

“Would you like another cup?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Then shall I pack you some drip bags?”

“It’s more delicious when you brew it.”

Since he’d worked at a cafe, he seemed to know how to brew it properly.
Jeon Seongwon also brewed good coffee……
How did that bastard know how to do it when he’d never worked a day in his life?

Just then, a knock came at the door.
Han Youngjun seemed to have returned.
I borrowed his phone for a moment and sent the listings he’d found to Kang Chaehee’s phone.
Fortunately, they had the same model, so the transfer was easy.

Kang Chaehee’s eyes widened when he saw the listings sent to his phone.
He fidgeted restlessly, opening and closing his mouth before finally managing to speak.

“D-Director, this house is too much for me……”

“I told you not to complain about anything I buy. And don’t feel burdened.”

Of course, it was impossible not to feel burdened.
They were mostly royal-floor units in the center of Hwaphyeong-dong, slightly tucked away from the main road.
Kang Chaehee flipped through the listings one by one, at a complete loss.

“Discuss it with your family and pick one. If it’s too hard to choose, I’ll pick for you.”

“……Please pick for me, Director. I don’t know much about houses.”

“Should I?”

I hadn’t properly looked at the listings either, so I couldn’t just tell him to go with this or that.

“Then I’ll contact you when you can move in. Start preparing to move. It won’t take long.”

“How long……”

“The house is used, so remodeling, move-in cleaning, appliances and furniture. About two weeks?”

“Th-That’s sudden.”

I shrugged.
Two weeks seemed plenty.

“I’ll send people when the date is set, so don’t bother packing everything yourself.”

“Yes…….”

With that, I stood up.
Han Youngjun had been waiting at the front door the whole time.
Kang Chaehee quickly put on his jacket and followed me out.
I gestured to Han Youngjun to go ahead, then walked down the alley—barely lit by streetlamps—with Kang Chaehee.

“Director.”

“……?”

“Thank you.”

He said quietly, then leaned down and kissed my lips.
A short peck, closer to a smooch than a kiss—it ended quickly, and Kang Chaehee looked at me with strangely moist eyes.

“……Because of the house?”

“No! Not at all. I just…… while watching your lips move earlier, I kept wanting to kiss you.”

“……Hmm.”

I felt my face warm slightly.
We exited the alley, which was littered with a large food waste bin, haphazardly stacked boxes, and various trash bags strewn about, and saw the car idling in one corner of the intersection.

“I’m going.”

“Yes, Director. Next time…… are we meeting on Tuesday?”

“Why? Do you want to meet before then?”

“Even tomorrow.”

Kang Chaehee smiled innocently this time.
Tomorrow. Even tomorrow.
I didn’t have any schedule, but I felt like resting tomorrow.
Without a word, I patted his cheek, then, confirming no one was around, stood on my toes and kissed him.

“Not tomorrow. I’ll contact you.”

“……Yes.”

In an instant, like a retriever whose tail and ears had drooped, he lowered his head.
I stroked his disheveled long hair once, then got into the car that Han Youngjun had opened for me.
Kang Chaehee kept his head bowed until I exited the alley, then at some point, he stared at the back of the car with intense eyes.

“Am I overdoing it?”

“It seems fine so far. Clothes and a house—any sponsor does that much. The casting too.”

“Hmm…….”

As I leaned back deep into the rear seat, my lower abdomen ached.
Even now, it still felt sore inside—just how much had we done?
But the pain wasn’t unpleasant.

The s*x with Kang Chaehee kept coming to mind.
To the point where I got slightly wet again.

‘Maybe what I felt with Jeon Seongwon…… was because I liked the pain.’

Muttering words that would make Jeon Seongwon faint if he heard them, I shifted my position.
Enjoying the raw sensation inside, I placed one hand on my stomach and looked out the window just as we passed through Hwaphyeong-dong.
A thought struck me, so I stretched and took Han Youngjun’s work phone from the passenger seat.

The listings he’d found were, as expected, flawless.

“As expected of Manager Han. These are all vacant, right?”

“Yes, I’ve been holding them.”

“Good job.”

They were popular, large-scale apartment complexes, but money could buy anything.
Ah, but.

‘If he lives here, he’ll need a car, won’t he?’

A ‘large-scale complex’ meant the grounds were big—even after entering the apartment gate, it would take a while to reach the actual building.

“……Does he have a driver’s license?”

“Yes.”

Instead of Kang Chaehee, Han Youngjun answered my muttering.
It must have been in his investigation report.

“Then find him a car. Nothing too flashy…… How should I put it—a humble-looking domestic midsize sedan.”

Soon, he’d be going to auditions and filming sets.
If a rookie actor showed up in a stately, badge-heavy car, it would feel out of place.

“Yes. Shall I exclude Doseon?”

“Right.”

If he bought a Doseon car, it might somehow get back to Jeon Seongwon……
A different domestic brand would be better.

The car, having arrived home, glided smoothly to a stop in front of the gate.