Chapter 32 : Beyond the Script

As that thought crossed his mind, a rush of heat surged below. 

Pure thoughts, pure thoughts… To stop the impure fantasies, he recalled sad scenes. 

Once things had calmed down a bit down there, he finally opened his mouth. 

His low voice flowed out slowly, scratching its way through a stiff throat. 

“I think it’s time to try it.” 

“Alright.” 

“Your line.” 

How curt.

Iris rubbed her temple where a vein threatened to pop and parted her lips. 

In a theatrical tone, her voice slipped between them. 

“Yes, y-yes… I don’t understand what you’re saying. Are you saying someone like me isn’t good enough??” 

“Pfft, you suck at acting.” 

“No, no! I just read it like that because it’s a script reading. I may not look it, but I used to be in the theater club, you know? Go ahead with your next line.” 

As Iris continued her lines from a seated position, sarcasm immediately followed. 

Laika, who had been watching her with a condescending gaze, tilted his head and chuckled. 

Maybe because he was wearing a comfortable hoodie instead of a crisp suit, his mocking expression looked more like a mischievous boy. 

“Theater club? Anyone can be in that.” 

“Ugh, seriously…” 

As Iris bared her teeth, Laika waved his hand. 

The mischief quickly vanished from his face, replaced with a serious gleam. 

Like a well-fed black panther, he rose slowly and approached Iris. 

The sudden shift in mood made her suck in a breath—just as long fingers cupped her tiny chin. 

His thick lashes rose and fell slowly, and a gaze full of melancholy poured into her. 

“No. You’re seriously clueless, aren’t you?” 

“Ah…” 

“What I meant was, if I keep looking at you, I might fall deep… and if that happens, who knows what I might do. So be careful.” 

Maybe actors really are actors for a reason. 

The playful air vanished in an instant, and a suffocating tension filled the waiting room where they were alone. 

What should she even call this?

Sexual tension? 

The chaotic space, cluttered with props and equipment, suddenly felt like a jazz bar from a script. 

It felt as though sultry music was playing. 

‘For a villain, he’s ridiculously good at acting. This feels so weird.’ 

Iris couldn’t meet Laika’s eyes, overwhelmed by the intensity. 

She turned her gaze to the side. 

Then, he gently turned her chin back toward him and leaned in. 

His minty breath reached the tip of her nose. 

“Scared?” 

“Are you scared?” 

When Iris couldn’t answer, his icy blue eyes curved into a smile. 

He altered the tone of his line and asked again. 

She couldn’t tell if it was part of the acting exercise or if he was really asking. 

It was that realistic. 

‘No. This is just script reading. Actors do realistic reads all the time….’ 

For a moment, she forgot he was a villain and almost got swept away. 

His gaze was seductively intense—how could someone so rude suddenly flip into full-on melodrama eyes? 

Dangerous.

He was incredibly dangerous. 

A dangerous beast in the flesh! 

Iris tried to calm her pounding heart and recall her next line. 

It was incredibly embarrassing to say in this atmosphere, but ironically, if she didn’t, it would expose how flustered she was. 

“Yes. I’m scared… because I might fall in too deep…” 

“…Then fall.” 

What came next? 

According to the script, the two leads’ lips were supposed to meet. 

But this was just a script reading, so there was no reason to go that far. 

Iris swallowed hard and instinctively shut her eyes. 

She didn’t have the courage to meet Laika’s gaze. 

But then… something unbelievable happened. 

Laika leaned down and tilted his head. 

Then his straight nose touched hers, and finally, soft lips pressed against hers. 

What the— Iris’s eyes flew open in shock, and she met his strangely deep blue eyes. 

They were darker than usual, as if searching her thoughts. 

Overwhelmed by the intensity, her lips parted on their own. 

What followed was inevitable. 

His plush lips deepened the kiss, and a hot, soft tongue gently glided into her mouth. 

The kiss was so sweet and thrilling that she completely forgot he was a jerk. 

Iris trembled slightly, but didn’t resist or move. 

Then a large hand gripped the back of her head and pulled her close. 

Their lips sealed tightly, and his thick tongue began to slowly stroke her moist, tender inner mouth. 

“Mm, ah…” 

“Hoo.” 

His tongue, leisurely exploring her mouth, found her smaller tongue hiding at the bottom and teasingly entangled with it. 

Dazed from the intoxicating kiss, Iris gasped and shivered. 

Her lower belly grew warm, and her body tingled as if insects were crawling across her skin. 

“Uuuh…” 

“Haa.” 

She had to admit it. 

Laika was ridiculously good at kissing. 

Her brain screamed that this was wrong, that she should slap him, but her body reacted to him. 

He was a villain. 

She was supposed to steal his skills and run. 

In the end, overcome with excitement, she grabbed his solid arm. 

The forearm under the hoodie was just as firm and thick as one from a magazine. 

His tongue delved as if trying to reach her throat. 

Then Laika wrapped an arm around her slim waist, pulling her closer. 

Her breasts, hidden under her loose hoodie, were pushed up against his firm chest. 

Startled by the contact, Iris flinched and pulled her lips away. 

She was scared they might go too far. 

This wasn’t a bedroom—it was a waiting room! 

And they’d only met twice! 

“W-wait a sec—” 

“Phew, your tits are huge.” 

“…W-what the—” 

He must’ve noticed while holding her. 

Iris stammered, face blazing red. 

Just as she was about to scold him for saying something so perverted, a knock came from beyond the door. 

“Gasp…!” 

Horrified, Iris shoved Laika away. 

They could’ve easily been caught. 

While she panicked, Laika still wore a relaxed smile. 

There was even a smear of someone’s saliva near his lips, adding to his decadent aura. 

‘He’s too smooth. Has he seduced other women like this before?’ 

When no response came from inside, a staff member’s voice called out. 

“Can I come in?” 

“No. Just a minute.” 

There were murmurs outside—probably the hair and makeup team had arrived. 

Laika casually answered and began tidying his hair and clothes in the mirror. 

Iris, still dazed, looked down and her eyes widened. 

The left side of Laika’s pants was noticeably bulging. 

‘Oh my god. I mean, we kissed, so it’s natural… but his pants look like they’re about to burst! Anyone who sees that will know. If someone walks in now, we’re screwed!’ 

But clearly, Iris was the only one worried. 

Laika looked down at his obvious erection and, as if to show her, adjusted himself while looking straight at her. 

He narrowed his eyes and tilted his chin. 

‘He’s insane. A total pervert!’ 

Even in that absurd moment, the way he looked still felt sexy, which drove her even crazier. 

Her mouth was dry, and her face was flushed. 

After fixing his pants, Laika finally called out toward the door. 

“Come in.” 

The door opened, and several staff members came in—hair, makeup, and wardrobe. 

Following them were the film crew. 

“Mr. Laika, sorry to keep you waiting. Mr. Desnes has arrived. Take your time… filming will start in 30 minutes, or whenever you’re ready.” 

“Got it.” 

Laika responded with a bright smile, and the filming staff retreated. 

The team immediately began prepping him. 

Though they chatted cheerfully around him, none of it registered to Iris. 

She was too rattled by the idea someone might have noticed what had just happened. 

She was still reeling from the shock of kissing Laika—a villain she was supposed to take down. 

‘Why is he acting so casual? Was it just a random impulse…? Did nothing happen, then? Haah, how did I end up getting seduced by that fox?’