CRIMSON LIES

The game begins

Chapter 3:

Seo Yuan couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Even after leaving the ballroom and stepping onto the open-air terrace, the sensation lingered. The cold night air bit at her skin, but it wasn’t enough to clear her head.

What was it about that man?

Min Yoon-gi.

There was something about him—something that unsettled her in a way she couldn’t explain. It wasn’t just his presence; it was the way he looked at her. Like he had already decided something, and she was just waiting to find out what.

Stop thinking about him.

She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unease. The party inside was still going strong, laughter and music spilling out onto the terrace, but she needed this moment of quiet.

“You don’t seem like the kind of girl who enjoys these events.”

The voice was unmistakable.

Deep. Smooth. Him.

Seo Yuan turned sharply, heart pounding. Min Yoon-gi was leaning against the terrace railing, watching her with that same unreadable expression.

“And you don’t seem like the kind of guy who cares.” Her voice came out steadier than she felt.

He smirked. “You’re right. I don’t.”

Then why are you here?

She didn’t ask, but he answered anyway—like he could read her thoughts.

“You stood out.”**

A simple statement, but it sent a shiver down her spine.

Seo Yuan crossed her arms, keeping her distance. “I didn’t ask for your attention.”

Yoon-gi chuckled softly, tilting his head as he studied her. “That’s the thing, Seo Yuan. You didn’t have to.”

Silence stretched between them. The sound of the party faded, leaving only the tension in the air.

Seo Yuan hated how her body reacted—how her pulse betrayed her calm expression. He had this way of making everything feel intense, like a game he was playing, and she was the only one who didn’t know the rules.

But she wasn’t going to let him win.

“Do you always corner women like this?” she asked.

His smirk deepened. “Only the interesting ones.”

Something about the way he said it—slow, deliberate—made heat rise to her cheeks. But she refused to let him see it.

She met his gaze head-on. “You must get bored easily, then.”

Yoon-gi’s eyes darkened just slightly, and for the first time, she felt like she had managed to surprise him.

Then, just as quickly, the amusement returned. He pushed off the railing, stepping closer—but not too close. Just enough to make her aware of him.

“I don’t get bored, Yuan.” His voice dropped lower, more dangerous. “I get what I want.”

Her breath caught.

He was toying with her. She knew it. But for some reason, she wasn’t sure she wanted him to stop.

A waiter passed by, unknowingly breaking the tension. Yoon-gi took a step back, the smirk still on his lips.

“See you around, Seo Yuan.”

And just like that, he was gone.

Seo Yuan exhaled sharply, gripping the railing.

Damn him.

Damn him for making her feel this way.