Limits of Paradise

“Hyun-ho.”

Startled, Tae-eun rushed up the last few steps and supported Hyun-ho. His body was so cold that it was hard to believe he had been inside the house just moments ago. His hands were even colder than hers, despite her having walked through the chilly night air.

“You should go now.”

No sooner had Hyun-ho spoken than the shaman hurried down the stairs. The sports car roared to life and sped away, leaving the quiet rural neighborhood behind.

“Let’s go inside.”

Hyun-ho’s weak voice accompanied his turn back toward the house. His large frame looked frail, as if he might collapse at any moment.

The house felt warm, probably because the boiler had been on continuously. Yet, his body was still emitting cold, which didn’t make sense. Had he just come in from outside?

“Mom made abalone porridge because she heard you were sick. Have you had dinner? If not, would you like some porridge?”

Tae-eun placed the side dishes on the table, but he only stared at them blankly. He looked too weak to even stand, let alone speak.

Her eyes naturally drifted to his piercing, which had turned pitch black, as if that was its original color.

“Are you in a lot of pain? Should we go to the hospital now?”

He weakly shook his head at her cautious question.

“I just need a few days of rest. It’s like the flu.”

Hyun-ho passed her and took a bowl from the cupboard. He ladled some of the still-warm abalone porridge and sat at the table. Tae-eun quickly set the abalone sauce, grilled eel, and water kimchi in front of him.

“Did you eat, Noona?”

“Yes, I ate plenty. Don’t worry about me, just eat.”

“That’s good to hear.”

He gave a faint smile, but his lips quickly returned to their original position, lacking energy.

“It’s not your fault that I’m sick, so don’t look at me like that.”

Tae-eun dropped her gaze from his face, which she had been scrutinizing. Her eyes weren’t just filled with concern. She was also curious about why the shaman had come so late at night.

However, she couldn’t bring herself to ask while he ate. Even after he finished, she struggled to find the right words as she did the dishes, despite his protests.

Normally, he would have hugged her and rubbed his cheek against hers for a long time, but tonight he went straight to bed. Tae-eun dried her hands and looked at his pale face.

“Do you need any medicine?”

“I’ll be fine after some sleep.”

Remembering that he hadn’t slept properly for over two weeks, Tae-eun swallowed a sigh and stood up. His gaze followed her.

“Are you leaving?”

“Do you need anything? I’ll do it before I go.”

Hyun-ho immediately reached out for her. His ice-cold hand made her fingers instinctively recoil.

“Stay here and sleep.”

When she hesitated, unable to refuse easily, he pulled her a bit more firmly. She reluctantly sat down on the bed.

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”

As she brushed his soft hair, he frowned in displeasure.

“Are you going to leave once I fall asleep?”

“Sorry. I can’t stay overnight.”

“Tell them you’re staying to take care of me because I’m sick.”

He was quite adamant. Maybe it was because he was sick. Normally, he would relent if she seemed troubled, but not this time.

“I’m not saying you owe me because I took care of you.”

Hyun-ho rubbed his straight nose against the back of her hand. Even his breath was cold, which scared her.

“I’m cold. Please stay with me.”

She couldn’t bring herself to refuse his pleading. Tae-eun hesitated for a moment, then called her mother.

“Hey, Mom. Hyun-ho seems really sick. He ate the porridge. He doesn’t want to go to the hospital. I’ll stay and watch over him until he gets better. Don’t worry, go to bed. Okay.”

Noticing that she had successfully convinced her mother, Hyun-ho made space for her to lie down. She turned off all the lights in the house except for the bedside lamp and returned to the bed.

As soon as she lay down beside him, he buried his face in her chest, wrapping himself in her warmth. Only the top of his head was visible when she pulled the blanket up to her neck. She kept rubbing his back, trying to warm him up.

Even the familiar scent she always associated with him had faded. Was it just her imagination?

“Are you sure you’ll be better after some sleep?”

It felt like hugging an ice pack. He nodded silently, but despite his reassurance, her heart pounded with anxiety.

“That…”

She recalled the shaman’s panicked face from earlier. She could easily reach out and touch the pitch-black piercing, and the man in her arms was radiating cold instead of warmth.

From the moment she first met him, Hyun-ho had always exuded an overwhelming presence. It wasn’t just that he was tall or handsome.

He was different.

Like a mole sticking its head out alone in a whack-a-mole game, he instantly drew attention. Even if his hair were black and his eyes brown, it would be the same.

It wasn’t something he could hide. He seemed oddly detached from reality, and the more time she spent with him, the more she felt like she was floating along with him.

While she was choosing her words, his breathing had already slowed. Still, she needed to ask. To avoid misunderstandings, she had to clear things up.

“Why did the shaman come here?”

His deep breathing stopped abruptly as if he had been waiting for her question. She looked down, but all she could see was his yellow hair.

“He came because of my father’s election. I needed to ask him something.”

His clear voice rose from under the blanket, devoid of any drowsiness.

“Did he do a reading or something?”

“Yeah.”

But why were the lights off in the house, and why did the shaman look so startled to see her?

“I didn’t know you believed in that stuff.”

“He’s the one who helped you get better.”

There was a chill in his voice. Her hand, which had been rubbing his cold back, froze.

When he moved slightly away, his light brown eyes stood out more clearly in the dim room. His gaze felt like it was reproaching her.

Since their trip to Seoul, something had been off between them. It seemed like everything was resolved, but somehow, the distance between them was growing.

“He’s that good. I thought he might know if my father would win the election.”

He moved up to share her pillow, their noses almost touching.

“If the chances were low, I was thinking of having a ritual done.”

“So, what did he say?”

“He said my father would win. So, that’s a relief—”

With a sharp sound, her hand fell away as she tried to touch his piercing. She quickly hid her hand behind her back, shocked by his strong reaction.

“Ah…”

A chilling silence settled over them. A look of deep distress washed over Hyun-ho’s face, as if to show he hadn’t meant to push her hand away so harshly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable; my hand just moved on its own because it was bothering me.”

Tae-eun mumbled an apology in a small voice as she got up. The trembling that started at her fingertips spread throughout her body, and she feared it might reach him.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

But her voice was already trembling uncontrollably. She stood awkwardly, her gaze fixed on the floor. The tremors intensified wherever his eyes touched her skin.

“Ha…”

Hyun-ho sighed and sat up. The heavy sound of his sigh only made her trembling worse.

“Why are you standing there like that? Don’t tremble, come here.”

The large hand that had pushed her away now gently patted the empty spot beside him. When she flinched and took a step back, his eyes twisted in pain.

“I’m sorry, Noona, come here. I was wrong. I’m just a bit sensitive right now and didn’t realize what I was doing. I’m sorry.”

Hyun-ho got up from the bed and approached her. But she remained frozen, her shoulders hunched, and he stopped, his facial muscles stiffening as he watched her.

“I’m sorry. Did I scare you? Does your hand hurt? Let me see it.”

He stopped approaching and merely extended his hand. Her trembling eyes traveled from his bare feet up to his face.

As her large eyes, framed by thick eyelashes, looked up at him, Hyun-ho saw the deep-seated distrust buried within her.

It was the look of someone who doubted the true nature of the man disguised as her affectionate boyfriend.

How much had she figured out?

She was the woman who quickly realized that the being tormenting her had once been her closest friend. She was the woman who barely managed to suppress her rising suspicions upon hearing that the finance team staff were gradually going mad.

They were only two steps apart. That small distance was unbearable. Anxiety churned within him, tightening around his throat.

“Noona, I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

The more desperate he felt, the more he whispered with the face of a devoted lover. Tae-eun nodded as if she understood, but she didn’t come closer.

“I… I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Okay, come back soon.”

She lingered in the bathroom for a long time before returning. He waited patiently for her to climb back into bed on her own.

“Good night, Noona.”

“Good night.”

As soon as Tae-eun lay down on the edge of the bed, he wrapped his strong arms around her. Even though her body stiffened like a log, he didn’t mind.

She was his, after all.

Even if she doubted his true nature and stopped liking him, that fact wouldn’t change.

Song Tae-eun belonged to Ji Hyun-ho.

 

 

🍉🍉🍉