Falling From Grace

Chapter 2: The Fall

The drive to their destination was as comfortable as it could be between the two strangers.

Jeong Hyeok made no move to touch Se-ri again, although she could definitely feel the weight of his stare from the moment he had joined her in the backseat.

Feeling a little flustered by his intense gaze, and admittedly being a little nervous about what was going to happen once they reached his home, Se-ri opted to look out of the window and try to figure out where they were headed.

The neighbourhood they were in was familiar to Se-ri, and she could tell that they were headed near Lotte World Tower. Sure enough, a couple of minutes later, they're driving up towards the discreet basement entrance to the Signiel Residences.

As soon as the car stops, Jeong Hyeok opens his door and gets out. Se-ri moves to open her door, but Jeong Hyeok beats even the building valet to it, opening it for her.

Good looks and a gentleman? Colour me impressed, she thinks, smiling to herself.

He takes her hand again and leads her to the elevators. The doors open and they walk in together, and he presses the button for the 71st floor.

As the mirrored doors close, Se-ri is greeted with the sight of their reflection. They're standing shoulder to shoulder—more like shoulder to arm given their height difference—and his large hand is still enveloping her smaller one.

Se-ri can't help but think that they look good together, but she shoots down the thought as soon as it comes to mind.

One night only, she thinks. This can't be anything more than that.

But just as she's trying to police her wayward thoughts, his eyes meet hers in the mirror, and her heart starts fluttering in her chest as heat rises to her cheeks.

Thankfully, the doors open just then, and they walk together to the door of his apartment. They pause for a moment as the automatic lock on the doorknob reads his fingerprint, and then he opens the door for her. He pauses just as he did earlier when the car arrived, the same questioning look in his eyes again.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Se-ri asks.

"I'm giving you an out, Yoon Se-ri," says Jeong Hyeok, "because the moment you step into my apartment, there's no going back." He smirks at her, the challenge in his words as plain as day.

Smirking back at him, Se-ri walks into the opulent two-story penthouse apartment ahead of him. She's greeted by a simple yet stylishly appointed living room boasting muted, masculine colours and floor to ceiling windows that give sweeping bird's eye views of the glittering Seoul skyline.

"Make yourself at home," he says as he comes in after her. "I'll get us something to drink. Is wine okay?"

Se-ri hums in assent and pauses by the windows, acting as if she was taking in the view. In reality though, all of her attention is on Ri Jeong Hyeok. As bold and brave as she would like to be, Se-ri's heart seems to want to beat itself out of her chest.

But again, there was something about him... something she can't put her finger on.

Jeong Hyeok goes into the kitchen and takes out a bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet 1992 from the wine cooler. He was saving this expensive vintage for a special occasion, but he never imagined that the special occasion would be this night, with this woman.

A voice inside of him was screaming at him to impress the girl—something that he's never needed to do, let alone the desire to.

He opens the bottle and puts it on the counter to let it breathe before turning back to the cupboard to get them some wine glasses. Se-ri enters the kitchen then, eyeing the wine bottle with a curious look on her face.