Shin's grip tightened, his thumbs brushing along her jaw as he deepened the kiss.
Yeri let out a muffled sound, half protest, half breathless surprise as he tilted her chin up, angling her exactly how he wanted. The kiss turned hungry, possessive, heat rolling off him in waves.
Her hands pushed against his chest again, but Shin didn't budge.
In fact, he pulled her closer, lips moving with a practiced certainty that made her toes curl.
It was only when Yeri finally managed to twist away, breathless and flushed, that he let her break the kiss, barely.
"E-Enough!" she wheezed, cheeks burning.
He looked at her like she was the only thing worth looking at, thumb brushing the corner of her kiss-swollen lip.
BANG!
The VIP room door slammed open so hard the sound ricocheted off the walls.
"Big bro, I forgot to tell you, The auction—"
Saeki froze. Eyes wide.
Looking straight at Yeri sitting on Shin's lap, arms around her waist, lips obviously recently attacked.
The room fell into dead silence.
Saeki blinked.
Then blinked again.
Yeri wanted to spontaneously combust, but Shin didn't even flinch.
Saeki pointed at the two of them with a trembling finger.
"Damn it- couldn't you at least warn me?!" Saeki sputtered. "Some people here are still SINGLE, you know! I've always been considerate of you, big bro, but you- anyway, I would've invited a dozen supermodels for myself! Why are you two being all lovey-dovey when single people are—"
SMACK.
Saeki lurched forward as Tristan slapped the back of his head.
"The auction's starting, in case you two are interested," Tristan said flatly. He grabbed Saeki by the collar and dragged him backward like a misbehaving dog.
Before Yeri could even blink, Tristan shut the door.
BANG.
Yeri shot off Shin's lap so fast she nearly tripped over her own feet. She yanked down her dress, ears burning red.
She opened her mouth ready to deny everything, scold him, pretend nothing happened, but Shin reclined in his seat like a king on a throne.
Completely unbothered. Completely shameless.
He patted his thigh like it was still reserved seating. "Why are you standing?" he asked, voice calm. "Come back."
Yeri: "…"
Someone give her a weapon. She would end this hooligan's reign today.
"We're engaged," Shin continued, utterly unembarrassed. "They know that. Nothing wrong with what we were doing."
Yeri was so furious and confused she wanted to scream. She was once a succubus! How was he the one flustering her? Why was she catering to his whims?
Shin added in that maddeningly calm voice, "Why don't you sit down? Don't run away in the middle of something."
She nearly threw a bottle at him.
"I don't need your kiss as compensation," Yeri snapped, stepping back and crossing her arms. "Don't think you can manipulate me just because you're handsome. You heard what you wanted to hear, now it's my turn."
"Hear what I wanted to hear…" Shin repeated softly. "So you lied earlier?"
Yeri swallowed when his expression turned lethal. "It wasn't a lie. But it doesn't change the fact that you wronged me."
Shin stared at her intently, eyes searching every flicker of her expression, every breath, every twitch, as if trying to read her thoughts.
Then, with a slow inhale, he pushed back whatever madness, desire, and obsession simmered under his skin.
"Alright," he said. "What do you want?"
Yeri raised a brow. "What do I want? You don't think you're wrong, do you?"
Shin didn't answer. His silence was as good as admitting he had no idea what he'd done wrong.
Her mouth twitched. Realistically, she was the one benefitting more from this engagement. No matter how tough she acted, she had no backing. And he didn't harm her, he only sent people to observe her.
Fine. She shouldn't make it a big deal.
What truly upset her was his suspicion, him implying she was fond of someone else.
With a long sigh, she flipped her hair and muttered, "Whatever. Stay if you want. I'm going back."
Sensing her foul mood, Shin immediately stood and blocked the door. "I brought you here to relax. Do you want to see the auction?"
Yeri: "…"
---
The Auction Hall
They were escorted a few floors down and handed masks.
Yeri accepted an intricate white one adorned with pink and gold peacock feathers.
"Let me." Shin lifted it and fastened it gently around her face, his fingers brushing her skin like she was made of porcelain.
He donned the identical design in black.
They entered a reserved area where Tristan and Saeki were already seated. Saeki rolled his eyes dramatically, sulking as if the two had abandoned him.
The host stepped onto the podium.
At that exact moment, a woman in a pearl-white gown plopped onto the empty seat beside Tristan.
"Brother Tristan, why didn't you invite me to the auction?" she purred.
Saeki nearly jumped. "Calin Ricci? Is that you?!"
Calin, recognizing him, smiled sweetly, voice as saccharine like sugar. "Brother Saeki, you're here too?"
However, Saeki wasn't the least bit pleased.
"You're here too…" Saeki mimicked her flirtatious tone before dropping it into his usual scolding voice. "Are you rebelling? If I recall correctly, you're supposed to be at an important banquet representing the company. What are you doing here?"
Before Calin could reply, Yeri burst into giggles at Saeki's perfect imitation. Realizing she was heard, she bit her lip and gave him an apologetic look.
Only then did Calin realize who the man sitting at the end was.
Shin Keir.
Mask or no mask, even from the back, she would've recognized him anywhere. Years of obsession carved his silhouette into her soul.
But… Who was this woman beside him?
Unbothered by the commotion, Shin glanced at Yeri and gently held her hand.
Calin froze. If not for her mask, her expression would've cracked the room.
Yeri Zhi.
This vixen giggling at her must be Yeri Zhi!
Saeki, temporarily distracted by Yeri, returned his attention to Calin. But no matter how many questions he asked, she remained stiff and silent like a statue.
Frustrated, he stepped out to call his secretary.
Tristan, meanwhile, wasn't the least bit surprised to see Calin. She'd been popping up around him recently like a persistent mushroom. His lips curled, wondering how long her façade would last.
And now that Shin and Yeri were here?
This was shaping up to be premium entertainment.
---
As the auction progress, the auctioneer enthusiastically presented a rough pink diamond.
The moment bidding opened, Shin raised his paddle.
Prices soared yet Shin remained entirely unfazed. Naturally, the gem went to him.
"Do you want a necklace or bracelet from that gem?" he asked casually.
Yeri blinked. What did this have to do with her?
"That's yours," he said. "I don't want it."
She stared. "…What? No. I don't want it."
"Don't you like pink diamonds? If you don't want jewelry, put the stone in your room as decoration."
Yeri: "…"
Is he trying to bribe her for forgiveness?
But that was only the beginning.
Antiques, fine art, jewelry... whenever Yeri murmured a casual comment like beautiful, interesting, amazing, Shin would immediately raise his paddle. Again and again.
Finally, Yeri snapped, glaring, "Stop throwing your money around. I'm not paying you back!"
Shin chuckled. "Since you like it, I'll give it to you. If you don't want it, burn it, break it, throw it away, whatever you want."
"I never said I wanted it. I was just expressing my thoughts."
Hearing their quiet bickering, Calin felt like someone carved her heart out. Even at a distance, every word was crystal clear.
Shin's tone, gentle, indulgent, doting, was completely different from his usual ice-cold indifference. And Yeri's flustered refusal only poured salt into Calin's wounds.
If she truly didn't want it, she should reject it properly!
Calin cursed Yeri viciously in her head, suppressing her rage. Why couldn't Shin Keir see through this vixen's pretentious façade? What woman didn't want jewelry and valuable items? Any ordinary girl would've melted already yet this one had the nerve to refuse him so casually?
Hypocrite!
The old matriarch claimed the engagement was arranged by the clan elders, but the way Shin Keir indulged her, completely unbothered even when she talked back… it didn't look like he was indifferent at all. Nor did he seem forced into this engagement.
He might actually… like her.
The realization made Calin's emotions crumble. Her thoughts turned chaotic.
When Saeki returned, he paused, and grimaced. His seat was in the middle and now both sides of him had women.
How did HE end up the loner among the three?
Remembering Calin, he scolded her again. Her manager said she pretended to feel unwell, then disappeared.
Tristan, tired of being in the middle of the two, stood to move but Calin immediately clung to him.
"Brother Tristan, where are you going?"
Saeki rolled his eyes and stood up. "He has ninety-nine other women. Instead of clinging to a lost cause, how about focusing on your job?"
"You two talk. This has nothing to do with me," Tristan said and still tried to leave.
Seeing an opportunity, Calin darted around and sat beside Yeri first, blocking Tristan and forcing him to sit on her other side.
Saeki, nudge to the cold, lonely corner of the spectrum: "…"
The auctioneer slammed the gavel.
Sulking, Saeki begrudgingly sat where Calin originally was. He leaned toward Tristan and whispered, "Why are you listening to her? Don't tell me you actually like her?"
Tristan simply smirked. "The interesting show is here. I can't miss it."
Calin, meanwhile, was oblivious to whatever the two were muttering. She had completely forgotten the purpose of her arrival. Her entire focus, sharp as a blade, was locked on Yeri and Shin.