'I want you… if only for tonight,' his possessive thoughts whispered seductively in her mind.
As if his words and touch weren't already enough to ignite her senses, the electric current of his desires coursing through that simple skin contact was more than sufficient to set her body ablaze.
Her body, as if guided by a force of its own, inched closer to him with every beat of the music. His fingertips, which had previously grazed her skin, now found their way to her waist, sending delicious tremors rippling through her.
Their bodies moved in perfect sync with the rhythm, feeling each other's warmth and labored breath against their skin.
Briskly, he twirled her around, their bodies brushing tantalizingly against each other. Her breasts and lower abdomen pressed sensually against the firm contours of his body as she returned to his embrace.
The music sultry tempo matched the heat that was building between them. As she turned, her back now pressed against his front, she swayed her hips provocatively, skillfully rubbing her buttocks against his growing desire.
A subtle gasp escaped him, his fingers gently gripping her bare shoulders, pulling her closer with a hint of urgency.
His lips brushed deliciously against her left ear as he murmured, "You're playing with fire, you know? Need I remind you of how this went down last time?"
She tilted her head slightly, her voice laced with a hint of amusement as she replied evenly, "Well, wasn't this what you wanted? I'm just going along with it."
He couldn't help but smirk, retorting teasingly, "Since when did you become the obedient one?"
She shrugged casually, though her body betrayed the tension building between them. "I have no idea what you're—"
Interrupting their charged exchange, Shin Ha-eun's voice broke the spell. "Unnie, nature calls! I'll be back in a minute."
As if granted a lifeline, Lee Ju-hee quickly disentangled herself from Jin-ho's grasp, shifting her attention to her trainee. "Wait up! I'll come with you."
With that, she made her escape, leaving the dancefloor behind and ignoring the fiery gaze she felt piercing her back from Jin-ho.
The unresolved tension hung in the air, a smoldering promise of what might've been.
"Man, did you just get dumped? You look like you've seen a ghost." Yoonjae whined as Jin-ho returned to their table, his eyes heavy with sleep and his cheeks flushed, clearly a bit tipsy.
Min-ho chimed in with a wink, looking smug, "I told you, impressing my noona can be a challenge."
Confused, Jin-ho started to explain, "W-what are you guys talking about? She just went to—"
But he was cut off when he overheard a conversation from a passing group. One guy said, "that woman was smoking hot, seriously!"
Another one added, "You should've asked her to dance, man!"
"I did, but some jerk interrupted us. I'm definitely fuckin' her tonight. Just saw her go to the ladies' room."
Excitedly, a third guy added, "Let's wait for her outside and teach her a lesson for disrespecting our bro."
"Yeah, we're getting some action tonight!" another one exclaimed, licking his lips and rubbing his hands in anticipations.
Jin-ho's eyes narrowed as he recognized one of the guys in the group. It was the same guy who'd tried to hit on Lee Ju-hee earlier.
Now, he was being accompanied by five others, and they seemed to be heading towards where the girls were.
"Hey man, you were saying something?" Han-sol prodded curiously.
Jin-ho, still focused on the group walking in the direction of the ladies' room, asked absentmindedly, "You guys up for a little scuffle?"
Adjusting himself clumsily in his seat and taking a swig of his drink, Yoonjae slurred, "What the hell are you talking about?"
Jin-ho sighed, shaking his head as he observed the situation. "Looks like the girls might be in a bit of a jam."
He couldn't help but think that keeping an eye on Lee Ju-hee was a full-time job.
Somehow reading the situation, Min-ho asked with a smirk, "Seems like noona's at it again, stirring up trouble."
"You have no idea," Jin-ho agreed, his tone hinting at exasperation.
***
The restroom door swung open, and Shin Ha-eun stepped out, feeling refreshed. Lee Ju-hee followed closely, her earlier dance with Jin-ho still fresh in her mind.
As they made their way down the dimly lit hallway to meet up with the boys, Lee Ju-hee couldn't help but notice a group of five men, reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, lurking near the ladies' restroom.
An uneasy feeling knotted in Ju-hee's stomach, so she reached out to grab Ha-eun's hand, saying, "Let's stick together."
Ha-eun, seemingly oblivious to the situation, just nodded, and they continued down the corridor. At the sight of them, the group of guys closed in, forming a circle around them.
"Hey, I thought there was only one of them, but there are two?!" one guy remarked with a sly grin.
"Yeah, you take the one with brown hair; I'll take this one," another guy said, nonchalantly tossing his cigarette aside as he approached them.
Lee Ju-hee instantly recognized the guy as the one who had been trying to hit on her all night before Jin-ho made his move.
He shoved Shin Ha-eun aside rather rudely, and she couldn't help but let out a startled gasp as two of the guys got uncomfortably close and started getting handsy.
Reacting on pure instinct, Ju-hee swung her leg, delivering a solid kick to the guy who had pushed Ha-eun. He doubled over, clutching himself and letting out painful hisses.
Without missing a beat, Ju-hee rushed towards Ha-eun and landed a spinning kick on the guy blocking her path. He stumbled back, clearly confused, as she positioned herself protectively in front of the younger woman.
With her back against the wall, Ha-eun watched nervously as her friend stood like a shield.
The guy who had suffered Ju-hee's kick, his pain gradually fading, approached her with a spiteful look. His hand swung through the air, connecting with a sharp slap against Lee Ju-hee's cheek. Her face jolted to the side, and she winced in response.
"You're gonna regret messing with me, you bitch!" he snapped, his face red with anger and humiliation.
At that moment, two things were stopping Ju-hee from taking down those guys: her heels and Ha-eun.
Lee Ju-hee didn't want to show her full strength, especially with Jin-ho nearby and the possibility of Ha-eun bragging about her heroics to him.
With a disgusted hiss, Ju-hee shot a defiant glance at the guy who had slapped her and then spat in his face. Annoyed by her response, two guys moved in to restrain her, holding both her hands.
The guy who had slapped her wiped away the spit and got closer, crossing the line by roughly rubbing and squeezing her breast.
"Unnie!" Shin Ha-eun cried out in shock, tears in her eyes.
Lee Ju-hee's face twisted in disgust. He was definitely going to regret this. She was going to make sure of it.
The guy wore a sinister smirk, tore one of Ju-hee's dress sleeves, and leaned in as if to kiss her neck.
Ha-eun's cries grew louder, and one guy tried to silence her by covering her mouth with his hand. Just then, a voice cut through the chaos, blunt and icy, sending shivers down everyone's spine. "Care to explain what's happening here?"
All heads turned in that direction, and Shin Ha-eun's voice wavered as she cried out, "Oppa... Please help Unnie... they're hurting her!"
Remaining calm and collected in the face of danger, Lee Ju-hee wasn't scared. This wasn't her first brush with trouble, unlike Ha-eun.
Jin-ho approached the group with a slow, deliberate stride that made the two guys holding Ju-hee flinch, and she sensed something was up. Even the guy who had slapped her earlier involuntarily took a step back.
Glancing back to ensure Ha-eun was okay, Ju-hee turned her gaze toward Jin-ho. His eyes were shaded in shadow, and a fierce scowl creased his brow.
Coming to a halt in front of her, Jin-ho's stern gaze had her captors releasing their grip and taking a step back. He reached out with his hand, and Ju-hee couldn't help but flinch involuntarily, causing his hand to pause before making contact with her bruised cheek.
His thumb moved softly against the afflicted part, creating a blend of stinging and strangely pleasant sensations from his touch.
"Which one of them did this to you?" Jin-ho asked with deadly seriousness, his tone oozing power and danger.
Ha-eun was the one who stepped forward, pointing a trembling finger at the guy who had slapped Ju-hee. Without hesitation, Jin-ho seized the guy's head and slammed it into the wall next to Ju-hee. Ha-eun let out a startled yelp, and Ju-hee's eyes widened.
The whole thing happened so quickly that when she looked at the guy who had borne the brunt of Jin-ho's blow, she couldn't help but notice the blood as he lay unconscious on the ground.
"What the heck? What just happened?" one of the guys from the group attempted to charge at Jin-ho, but his eyes were still concealed in shadow, making it impossible to gauge his intentions.
With a fluid motion of his left foot, Jin-ho effortlessly sent the guy stumbling onto his backside.
Before anyone could react, Jin-ho's right kick landed square on the guy's face, knocking him out cold.
"Anyone else itching for trouble?" Jin-ho asked in a frigid tone, and Ju-hee couldn't help but notice the simmering anger in his gaze.
Just then, another voice chimed in, "Noona, you okay?"