Episode 51
“I see.”
Lee Eun-woo murmured as he held me tightly, his grip growing even firmer. A soft, almost contented laugh drifted down from above my head. I caught sight of Kim Seung-chan, and I think
he sensed something from my fearful voice. But I didn’t want to dwell on any of it.
I just wanted to go home.
“Is this what you meant when you said that last time? Huh? What should I do? I’m so happy.”
Eun-woo rubbed his face into my hair, speaking in an almost breathless whisper.
“I suppose I should’ve just listened to Soyoung all along. If I had done something rash, like cutting those ligaments, I would have regretted it. I wouldn’t have ever seen you running towards me like this.”
He laughed again, sounding so content.
“Come running to me now, Soyoung.”
Eun-woo kissed my cheek, his expression overflowing with a sense of possession, then tenderly wiped the sweat from my face with his hand. He patted my back as I cried, my shoulders shaking, then guided me to the car he’d parked just in front of me.
The victorious look on Lee Eun-woo’s face made him appear
both arrogant and strangely beautiful.
The guilt I’d buried came flooding back, and despair enveloped me entirely.
It was agonizing.
When I got home, I spent the day lying in bed, lost in a daze. I’d noticed small cuts on Eun-woo’s face, as if he’d encountered Lee Hyun-woo.
Had they fought?
It surprised me how quickly things escalated. I thought he had accepted his vulnerability, but it felt as if he was being attacked by Lee Hyun-woo all over again.
On closer inspection, Eun-woo’s mouth was split at the corners, and his cheeks were flushed red, as though he’d been slapped. Yet he merely snorted, seeming entirely unbothered.
Ah. I pulled the blanket over my head.
The Kim Seung-chan I saw, even briefly, was the same as always. His face—still so vivid in my memory—was healthy, and he had smiled at me warmly. If it were me, I would never be able to smile at myself like that. I’d never be able to look at myself so
happily.
I lay motionless, then slowly rose and made my way to the bathroom.
“Where are you going?”
Eun-woo’s head peeked out from the kitchen, where he was preparing food. Glancing in, I noticed he was making wine and pasta. His mood seemed buoyant.
“Ah… just to the bathroom.”
“I see.”
Eun-woo smiled faintly and let me go. His gentle smile was so endearing that I quickly turned away and walked down the hallway. In the bathroom, I faced the mirror.
Unlike my healthy face, scars marked the rest of my body. A long scar trailed diagonally across my neck beneath my dress strap, and deep scars lined my shoulders, arms, and wrists—each a harsh reminder of past wounds. They were an eyesore.
I stared at my reflection, then turned and left the bathroom. As soon as I stepped out, Eun-woo wrapped his arms around me from behind, pressing a kiss to my temple as we walked together.
“Let’s have dinner,” he murmured, his warm breath brushing against my ear.
I shivered instinctively, and Eun-woo chuckled softly. When I tried to move away, mildly annoyed, he only tightened his hold on my shoulder.
I felt something blunt press against my back.
“I even prepared wine…”
Eun-woo’s voice was soft and teasing, as he pressed closer against me. I felt a tremor run through me at the sensation. I didn’t like sudden intimacy, and Eun-woo knew that. Still, he had prepared wine.
He leaned into the right side of my neck, placing gentle kisses. Goosebumps rose as his hand moved from my shoulder to my chin, gently turning my face towards him.
Our lips met. His embrace was so tight that not a sliver of space separated us, and soon we were both gasping softly. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer, until his hips pressed firmly against me.
I instinctively moved forward, but he matched my movements,
leaving no space between us, as if he couldn’t bear the slightest distance.
“Ah…”
Eun-woo pulled back slightly, swallowing hard. I watched him, his gaze hazy with desire, and reached up to gently trace his trembling lips with my thumb. He closed his eyes, leaning into my touch.
Eun-woo, finally making full use of his handsome face, looked so captivating it was almost amusing. I wish he’d shown this side of himself since high school.
If he had, maybe things with Seung-chan…
I frowned, my thoughts wandering. Why did I keep thinking this way? I removed my hand and looked up at Eun-woo. He opened his eyes, watching me intently.
“Soyoung.”
He tilted his head slightly, his face relaxed as he held my hand tightly.
“Are you worried about Seung-chan?”
Eun-woo’s eyes searched mine as he asked. I remained silent. Even if I had answered, Eun-woo wouldn’t have hurt Seung-chan.
We’d agreed on that.
Instead, we had an unspoken understanding: if I ever harmed Eun-woo, I’d accept the consequences in return. He had little reason to worry since he rarely faced any threats himself. Though he’d been going out frequently recently, he always returned home before sundown.
That’s why Eun-woo couldn’t do anything about Kim Seung-chan, who had appeared briefly in front of us.
Eun-woo gently pulled my hand, guiding me down the hallway. I could hear the soft scrape of his slippers against the carpet.
“It’s okay. I won’t mind,” he said, his voice filled with quiet confidence. His eyes held a gentle intensity as they narrowed slightly.
“But if Seung-chan does something foolish, like last time, I wouldn’t know what to do.”
That was the first time… I remembered middle school. Eun-woo still seemed to think Seung-chan had taken me away, helped me escape. But I chose to ignore the implications of his words.
“That’s why you two can’t meet without me. Do you understand? I’ll get jealous.”
Eun-woo’s intentions were unmistakable. He’d never been so openly expressive, not until recently. After I’d chosen self-sacrifice to try and change him, he’d begun to reveal his true feelings.
“We won’t meet again,” I replied.
“Really?”
Eun-woo’s voice held a satisfied tone as he handed me a glass of wine.
I sat quietly, accepting the glass. In front of me, a beautiful bowl of pasta had been set on the table. I wasn’t particularly hungry.
When I glanced over, it seemed Eun-woo wasn’t either. He swirled his wine, meeting my eyes before holding his glass out to me. I raised mine, and the glasses clinked in a quiet toast. We each took a sip, the wine trickling down my throat, leaving a muted bitterness behind.
Suddenly, Eun-woo’s large hand cupped my cheek.
“Your face is already flushed.”
His voice, tinged with regret, overlapped with the soft clink of his glass. Ah, my skin felt warm, and my head spun slightly. I wasn’t good with alcohol. I’d only recently realized this after drinking wine with Eun-woo for the first time.
On the other hand, Eun-woo could handle his alcohol. I’d never seen him drink, but his stash in the kitchen attested to his tolerance. I noticed him glancing towards the shelf, where each bottle seemed to have a little less in it than before.
Meeting his gaze, I slowly leaned into his palm. His dark eyes reflected back at me, full of an emotion that I couldn’t place.
Eun-woo’s tongue brushed my lips briefly before retreating, leaving me wondering if he, too, felt light-headed.
I reached into the pocket of my dress, pulled out a small key, and set it quietly on the table. The kitchen lights glinted off it, casting a small reflection.
“Ah.”
Eun-woo noticed the key immediately.
“I found it on the bed,” I explained.
He picked it up, examined it, then placed it back on the table.
“I see.”
He toyed with it absentmindedly, an almost knowing look on his face.
“I dropped it there on purpose.”
On purpose?
“Why?”
I looked at him, confused. He hid a slight smile behind his hand, his expression giving away a touch of amusement.
“I knew Soyoung wouldn’t run away or leave me anymore. So, I thought it was okay to leave it out.”
He pushed the key towards me.
“So this is yours.”
In the haze, the key gleamed, both distant and achingly close. I reached out, holding it tightly. This little object symbolized freedom: no longer confined to my room, I could go wherever I
pleased, look around as I wished. He trusted me, genuinely.
But I just felt dazed.
I looked up at Eun-woo, his handsome face softening as he sipped his wine. My stomach twisted painfully, perhaps from the wine that I wasn’t used to. I blinked and slipped the key back into my pocket.
I felt like a guilty child, though I hadn’t done anything wrong. I pressed a hand to my flushed cheek.
“Soyoung.”
I turned at the sound of his voice. His lips, carrying the taste of wine, met mine.
