Chapter 10
As soon as she arrived in Seoul, everything seemed different, as if the sweet and exhilarating nights in Namhae had been nothing but a figment of her imagination.
Sua had loved Hyun-oh for a very long time, and finally, she had married the man she loved. She dreamed of seeing him every day, having his child someday, and growing old together.
But now, as she sat in their honeymoon home, a luxurious villa spanning over 100 square meters with a sleek interior design of black and white overlooking downtown Seoul, Sua quickly grew disillusioned with it.
After coming to Seoul, Hyun-oh became increasingly absent due to excessive work. Most days, he didn’t come home until past midnight, and even when he did, he would bury himself in work in the study.
Sua’s dreams of being with him every day, of having his child, were shattered. She had finished college and gotten married right away, with nothing else to do but wait for him in the vast and cold house all day long.
“…Is he going to be late again?”
Stirring the stew in a large pot, Sua muttered under her breath.
The bubbling tomato stew, filled with various seafood such as mussels, clams, and squid, looked delicious. A few days ago, she had tried making it exactly as a French chef had described on television.
She had never properly held a knife before, but with nothing else to do at home and no hobbies, she had started cooking.
These days, Hyun-oh often left without eating breakfast as soon as he woke up in the morning, and even at night, he would often come home well past dinnertime. So sitting down to eat together was rare, but sometimes when Sua cooked like this and fell asleep at night, she would wake up in the morning to find that the food had been eaten as if he had eaten it.
“Did he eat it, or did it just taste good?”
After realizing this, Sua became fixated on cooking.
She knew it was foolish, but she didn’t know what else to do to get closer to him.
Was he really busy, or was he avoiding her?
She heard that the company he ran was at a crucial turning point. But even so, was it normal for a newlywed couple to have so little time together?
Was he really that busy, or was he avoiding her to this extent that they couldn’t even touch hands or exchange glances?
As she finished cooking and sat down at the table to sigh deeply, a strange sound echoed through the kitchen.
– RRRRR
At the sound of the ringing bell, Sua hurriedly ran to grab the phone she had left in the living room.
Is it Mr. Hyun-oh?
The fleeting hope that briefly touched her face soon faded away as she saw her friend Chaeyoung’s name displayed on the screen.
Sua and Chaeyoung had been friends since high school, graduating from the same university and majoring in the same field. Unlike the quiet and reserved Sua, Chaeyoung was lively and cheerful, always making Sua feel better whenever they met.
But the call she had been waiting for was not from him. Quickly brushing away the disappointment that had briefly crossed her face, Sua hastily answered the phone.
“Oh, Chaeyoung. What’s up?”
“What’s up? I had a meeting with a writer today, so I was out for work and thought of you on my way back.”
“Oh, really?”
“Are you cooking dinner for your husband again today?”
Sua had nowhere to turn her heart. She still liked Hyun-oh too much, so it was too difficult for her to say anything. And she could never say such things to her parents.
So Sua shared everything with Chaeyoung. Her feelings for Hyun-oh, and how she felt like a fool for just cooking all day because Hyun-oh was busy. Of course, Chaeyoung also shared the hardships of her work at the company with Sua.
At Chaeyoung’s question, knowing the situation well, Sua chuckled.
“Yeah, well… something like that.”
“What did you make today?”
“Bouillabaisse.”
“Wow, fancy cuisine. I’ve never seen anyone make that at home. Our Sua is a top-notch bride.”
“Well, what can I do? There’s no groom. He’ll probably come home late again today. It’ll probably be one or two in the morning.”
Out of consideration for Sua, who goes to bed at midnight, whenever Hyun-oh came home late, he would sleep in the guest room instead of the main bedroom they shared. And most days were like that.
“I miss him. I don’t mind if he wakes me up. But whether he knows how I feel or not, Hyun-oh didn’t come to bed.”
At Sua’s sighing words, Chaeyoung teased her.
“Hey, are you still in that state? Wait for him today. Wait for him until one or two in the morning, then tempt him and go to bed together.”
Even though Chaeyoung didn’t make any particularly suggestive remarks, the thought of Sua and Hyun-oh going to bed together came to mind, and Sua’s face quickly turned red.
Not knowing what to say, she mumbled incoherently.
“…Yeah.”
“Don’t miss this chance today.”
“Should I? But how? I’m too embarrassed…”
Stumbling over her words as she poured out her honest feelings, Sua, Chaeyoung laughed heartily.
“Don’t worry. Remember, this sister? I’ve devoured all sorts of romance novels, I’m a romance expert.”
Even though she hadn’t been in a relationship, Chaeyoung was well-versed in theory and confidently assured Sua.
“Just do as I told you. Don’t worry.”
**Sua, who had nowhere else to turn to, was given a reliable lifeline by Chaeyoung.**
—
The car sped across the Hannam Bridge. As Hyun-oh sat in the back seat, his eyes briefly caught the dazzling city skyline passing by. The sparkling lights reflected beautifully on the serene surface of the Han River.
Even though it was a scene she saw every day, the landscape was so beautiful that it made her marvel every moment. Sua, who used to love the sea, might have admired this city river view as well.
“Darn it, I’m thinking of Han Sua again.”
Hyun-oh shook his head, running his hand through his neatly groomed hair. Deep wrinkles marked his fine forehead.
Ever since meeting Han Sua, his mind had been filled with her. At first, it was the large, transparent eyes that looked at him with pleading, then it was the soft and warm lips that touched his, and finally, it was her tears as she cried in his arms on their first night together. It was all Han Sua.
He let out a deep sigh. Kim, his executive secretary who was driving, glanced briefly at Hyun-oh with concern.
“Director, are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Today, Chief Choi drank too much.”
Another sigh escaped Hyun-oh. Chief Choi from Wangil Pharmaceuticals, whom they had met for entertainment purposes today, was famous for his ability to drink. Hyun-oh himself was no lightweight either, but after finishing a bottle of whiskey, he was definitely feeling the effects. Through the small crack opened up by alcohol, unnecessary thoughts seeped in.
“It was a bit much. So I’m feeling tired today.”
As if it were nothing, Hyun-oh raised his hand and pressed down firmly on his eyelids.
“You’ve been coming in late every day lately. I’ll pick you up until 10 a.m. tomorrow since there’s no morning meeting.”
At the secretary’s words, Hyun-oh nodded.
“I’ll be at work by 7 a.m. tomorrow. You can come to the office by 10:30. I’ll take care of coming in.”
Despite Hyun-oh’s firm words, Kim hesitated.
“But… there’s no urgent business tomorrow, so you can take it easy.”
Hyun-oh got out of the car, nodding his head.
“It’s a personal matter, so don’t worry about it, Kim.”
With that, Hyun-oh entered his home in Hannam-dong.
**The night air passing by was chilly for a moment.**
—
Upon entering the foyer, as always, the darkness enveloped the house. Sua usually fell asleep by midnight. It was already 2 a.m. now. She must be in the bedroom as usual. However, even though she wasn’t there, the sweet scent mixed in the air permeated through Hyun-oh’s lungs as soon as he entered. Just that scent alone sent a tingling excitement coursing from his heart down to his firm thighs.
Goodness. Why leave for work early tomorrow?
Despite entrusting Kim, his assistant manager, with many tasks for work, Hyun-oh couldn’t bring himself to discuss this matter with him. He had impulsively decided to marry Han Sua because she seemed pitiful and desperate to raise a family. He had unknowingly found himself desiring her intensely. How could he possibly explain such absurdities?
“You crazy bastard,” coarse curses flowed out of him. Just entering this house made him crave Sua. Just like on the first night, he wanted to undress her, explore her every inch, and possess her completely, like trash. That’s why Hyun-oh avoided her. He knew he wouldn’t be able to control himself if he met her.
“Let’s take a shower.”
Even this body, burning with Sua’s fragrant scent, would cool down quickly under cold water. As he walked into the house, he noticed a small figure crouching on the sofa in the living room, where no one should be. Even in the dim interior, the slender silhouette was clearly visible, with soft curves.
“Han Sua. Why are you sleeping here instead of the bedroom?”
Hyun-oh approached her as if being drawn in. Her sleeping figure gradually became more familiar in the darkness. Her eyelashes trembled softly with each breath she took beneath her closed eyelids. And her soft lips.
Unconsciously, Hyun-oh found himself bending down to gaze at her face for a long time. He had always thought of her as young. That’s why she impulsively decided to marry out of pity.
But now…
Sua no longer seemed like a younger sister to him. She simply looked like a woman. No, his wife.
Bowing down, he approached her red lips. The fragrance emanating with each breath was more fragrant than flowers.
In that moment, Sua’s eyelids trembled. Her dark pupils were revealed.
“…Hyun-oh?”
Her trembling lips cautiously uttered his name. She whispered as if in a dream and reached out to grab Hyun-oh’s neck. Fragile fingers traced over the firm muscles of his throat.
It was just a simple stroke of his neck, yet a tingling sensation ran through his entire body as if engaging in something provocative.
Was it a delusion? Or another temptation?
Either way, Hyun-oh succumbed to the temptation.
Without any chance to resist, soft lips suddenly enveloped him.
Warm and urgent lips.
