Chapter 4
Before the sudden knock on the door, Lee Seo was lost in thought, sipping wine.
She wondered if Kang Yuri’s hidden lover—‘that woman’—might be very wronged.
Because she was his wife, there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t demand justice, nor could she inherit his wealth.
As Lee Seo approached the car leaving after church, Kang Yuri’s mother spoke to her.
She had no idea how much of his wealth belonged to her. Honestly, she had no desire for it either.
Although, in marriage, property was often considered joint, this was different.
She had no share in any of what he had built alone.
‘All of this could make me bitter.’
Her thoughts quickly turned there.
It felt as though she had become a stumbling block to the genuine love Kang Yuri and ‘that woman’ once shared.
Though it wasn’t unfamiliar to be hated by someone, that realization still weighed on her heart.
An odd thought surfaced.
Did Kang Yuri hold her in his arms with his bare hands?
For a pianist, their hands were the most important asset.
Fine, delicate performances required that their hands remained unharmed.
Lee Seo had heard that chefs who were also pianists rarely existed, because handling food could damage the hands.
Thus, it wasn’t unusual for Kang Yuri to spend most of his time in leather gloves—except when playing the piano.
However, she had noticed from the first moment they met.
His gloves weren’t solely for protection.
It was because he felt uncomfortable with physical touch.
He avoided hugs or even the traditional French cheek kisses.
When he did shake hands, it was always with gloved hands, lightly gripping and letting go.
People assumed it was due to his sensitive nature.
But that wasn’t the case.
It was his aversion to touch.
He had a touch aversion—an obsessive compulsion.
Lee Seo clearly saw the cold expression on his face when his longtime conductor patted his shoulder.
Could someone he loved freely touch him, without hesitation?
“Too many thoughts, unnecessarily.”
The tired, lethargic feeling urged her to go to bed.
Lee Seo quickly tidied up what she had eaten and took a long shower.
There was no energy to carefully dry her hair, so she sat on the couch waiting for it to dry while watching TV.
The people laughing and talking on screen felt distant from her.
A woman drinking wine and watching TV, even after her husband’s death—it felt detached, cold.
As she contemplated this, self-pity began to creep in.
The caption scrolled across the screen below a program:
‘ Mysterious Accident, Where Did the Genius Pianist Go?’
The special program was already airing.
What was there even to report? There were no new revelations.
“Did you and your husband have a close relationship?”
“Were you particularly affectionate, as witnesses say?”
“Was there any reason for a tragic decision?”
Why did the person planning to leave for a secret affair end up making such a choice?
Why did the brakes fail at that moment?
Kang Yuri seemed too busy playing piano to stir up anyone’s wrath.
Before she could even think of an appropriate response, the questions continued to flood her mind.
It was almost fortunate that the in-laws had banned her from media contact.
She had no idea how to respond.
That’s when it happened.
Thud, thud.
She heard the knocking on the door again.
And there he was.
No, a mysterious figure resembling Kang Yuri.
‘I’m sorry I’m late.’
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and embraced her.
Their bodies pressed together as if reunited lovers after a long separation.
Lee Seo’s eyes trembled.
Could a dream be this vivid?
The warmth emanating from his body was real.
As he gently carried her into the bedroom, the breath brushing against her cheek was just as palpable.
Though Lee Seo had long been disconnected from human touch, unable to feel warmth for years, she suddenly felt it acutely.
The bitterness of being scorned by everyone couldn’t even be fully expressed.
Yet, in that moment, the man embraced her warmly, as if he understood her completely.
After carefully lowering her onto the bed, he removed his coat and placed it gently on the recliner.
His delicate, white fingers brushed softly against her cheek.
It was real.
She could feel his touch, the presence of him, as though it were something undeniable.
“Did you miss me?”
Her breath quivered, her heart racing.
Her lips parted, yet no words emerged, only a blank gaze as if spellbound.
Tears slid down her cheeks.
The man gently touched her eyes, pulling her head toward him slowly.
And then their lips met.
His tongue parted her lips, a warm breath passing between them, delicate hands wrapping around her back in a tender embrace.
It delved deeper.
Lee Seo thought her dizziness must have been purely due to her intoxication.
This was a dream.
There was no doubt about it.
Kang Yuri was caressing her.
But it felt so sweet, so intoxicating.
She didn’t want to wake up.
The night was long.
—
Lee Seo was awakened by soft music and the rich scent of butter.
Sunlight poured into the room, but it took a moment to register the unfamiliar touch of the white bed linen.
As she tried to move, a sharp headache surged.
“You drank too much,” she murmured to herself.
That meant she must have slept in a different room.
The sparse furnishings of the unfamiliar room were both strange and familiar.
A queen-sized bed, a three-section wardrobe, a single recliner, and a small table.
On the table lay a few poetry books in English.
Where was she?
Seeing unfamiliar objects, she realized this must be Kang Yuri’s room.
Even in her drunken state, it felt odd to sleep in a room that wasn’t her own.
She couldn’t fully recall yesterday’s events yet.
To ease her throbbing stomach, she knew she needed water.
The intense thirst made her grip her stomach tightly as she stepped out. The music grew louder—Liszt’s ‘Dream of Love’.
It was a well-known piano piece, requiring careful interpretation.
Lee Seo didn’t know much about classical music.
Her interest had only surfaced after marrying Kang Yuri.
“Wait a minute.”
Something felt strange.
As she approached the kitchen, the scent of butter grew stronger, and a distinct presence of someone moving became clearer.
After the accident, her request to stop the housekeeper’s visits had been granted, and the relentless reporters had finally quieted down.
Who was it?
A chill ran down her spine.
Instinctively, her eyes scanned the living room for anything she could use as a weapon.
The only thing in sight was a thick book titled ‘Encyclopedia of Movies’.
Should she use that?
Gripping the book tightly, she tried to steady her pounding heart as she passed through the sliding door separating the kitchen and living room.
Thunk.
The book slipped from her hand.
Its thick pages made a dull thud as it hit the floor.
“Awake now?”
Kang Yuri?
Only then did last night’s events come rushing into her mind, as if fast-forwarded.
But it was a dream, wasn’t it?
She still wasn’t fully awake.
Lee Seo absentmindedly touched her cheek with her palm.
A faint pain emerged, but it wasn’t conclusive.
Just as she was about to swing again, Yuri’s voice cut in.
“Trying such primitive methods?”
“…What?”
“It won’t work.”
“No, I mean… that means this isn’t a dream?”
“No.”
The answer was clear.
Releasing her clenched fist, Lee Seo stumbled slightly.
Yuri placed a freshly baked toast on a plate and approached her.
Leaning against the wall to avoid falling, she took a step back, then another.
A flawless face as if sculpted by God, his tall frame, broad shoulders—yes, it was Kang Yuri, but…
“Careful, you might fall.”
“Wait, wait. Stay there. Don’t come closer.”
“Hong Lee Seo.”
“Wait, ah!”
As Lee Seo was retreating, her heel hit the threshold.
Before she could fall, Yuri caught her in his arms.
“You’re going to fall.”
“…Look, you’re not Kang Yuri.”
“…?”
“You’re touching me. This is a dream, right? Or a ghost?
“…?”
“A secret birthright?”
Yuri chuckled softly, speaking carefully as he helped steady Lee Seo’s back.
Her leg, once suspended in the air, found its way back to the ground.
“Not a dream?”
“No.”
“Then… wait a second. I smell something burning.”
A short sigh escaped his lips as he moved toward the stovetop.
Seeing this, Lee Seo’s eyes widened in panic.
“What are you doing?”
In a rush, she stepped in front of him, quickly extinguishing the flames.
In the high-end cast-iron pot, a soup was simmering.
“Is your hand alright?”
Lee Seo immediately checked his hands.
Yuri’s gaze shifted to her face.
It was different from the surprised look moments ago.
Now, his expression was slightly irritated, mixed with concern.
“Hong Lee Seo.”
“…Yes.”
Hearing her name spoken softly in his low voice, Lee Seo realized she was still holding onto his wrist.
In a frantic attempt to pull away, Yuri gently locked his fingers around hers.
Without hesitation, his touch froze her in place.
Yuri lowered his head slightly, meeting her eyes.
His proximity was overwhelming.
They had never been this close, not even at their wedding or official events.
Thump, thump.
The sound of her heartbeat echoed in her ears.
“Am I that precious to you?”
“…?”
“I loved you, Hong Lee Seo.”
It was a Kang Yuri she had never seen before.
REEEEEEEEEEEEEE