When The Phone Rings

Side Story 08

“You’re spoiling me rotten today! Should I consider this my new birthday?”
“…!”
“…Heeju.”

Baek Gyo-eon tightened his already firm grip, squishing Heeju’s cheeks. His playful antics felt like watching a dam dangerously hold its level before suddenly unleashing a torrent of rain.

“You should’ve cried for candy like this a long time ago.”
“…What? I never did so….”
“Throwing a tantrum, making demands, raising your voice— you’re adorable, I swear.”
“…!”
“It’s fine. Keep going.”
“Y- You…”
“Feel free to regress even more. Throw a full teenage fit, slam some doors for all I care.”

Before she could react, Heeju found herself on the bed, gazing up at him in astonishment.

“I’ll take it all, so keep at it.”

What…Just what is happening? Is it… working?

“B-but why are you taking your clothes off?”

Baek Gyo-eon climbed onto the bed on his knees, leaning his weight onto her thighs as he started undoing his sleeve buttons, watch, and belt in succession.
“Because I plan to listen to every single one of Hong Heeju’s whining complaints right here.”
“…!”
“This time, speak to me with your body.”

Without warning, he captured her lips in a deep kiss.

Their lips met with a soft sigh, tongues entwining in a sensual exploration. Hot breath mingled with the sweet taste of intimacy, as he gently deepened the kiss, drawing her closer still.

“Ah…”

An enduring tension melted away, like snow dissolving under a warm sun. She thought, maybe, even if she threw a glass of water at him, he would accept it with a smile.

The relief was so overwhelming, so unexpected, that she felt a sudden urge to cry, to finally release the pent-up emotions.

 

***

 

“Ouch…”

A groan slipped out of Heeju’s lips as she stirred, her whole body aching. The early morning light seeping through the curtains pooled faintly on her face.

She instinctively looked at the wall clock and found the bed beside her was devoid of warmth. Hearing faint sounds from outside, Heeju stretched her sore limbs and forced herself into a sitting position.

“Ugh…”

When she swung her legs off the bed, her smooth, bare calves were exposed. But higher up, her skin bore scattered love bites. The area beneath her collarbone was so red that it could be mistaken as hives.

“Sigh…”

Heeju grabbed the oversized shirt he had left behind, threw it on haphazardly, and stepped out of the room.

“No, I’ll decline. Yes, that’s right.”

As she looked around for him, she heard his voice coming from the study. She moved with a cat-like grace, closing the distance between them soundlessly. Through the crack in the door, she could see her shirtless husband deep in conversation.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to turn down the nomination.”
‘…What? What’s he saying?’
“That’s not it. I’m changing my party affiliation.”

‘……!’
“And yes, I’ll decline the spokesperson position as well.”

A raised voice came faintly from the phone, but Baek Gyo-eon, his broad shoulders and muscular back fully exposed, continued speaking in a languid tone, playing idly with a zippo lighter. His voice still carried the husky undertone of their earlier intimacy.

“What matters isn’t the size of the party. I don’t believe a true strategist should not go with the flow. No matter the party, even if it’s a smaller one—”

His words halted abruptly as Heeju burst into the room, flailing her arms wildly in a desperate attempt to signal him to stop.

“…No, it’s nothing. My little pup just came charging in.”

Despite her best efforts to convey meaning through exaggerated gestures, her movements appeared frantic and uncoordinated. Baek Gyo-eon lowered the phone, his attention shifting to her. Her frantic head shake was a clear signal for him to remain silent.

“As I was saying, I’ll decline that offer as well—”

‘What is he up to…? Is he really planning to switch parties?’

Panicking, she lunged forward to stop him. But instead of addressing her, Baek Gyo-eon casually took a step back and continued with the call.

With no better idea, Heeju impulsively yanked down his sweatpants.

Dropping to her knees, she gestured frantically, mouthing for him to hang up the call. Desperation and exasperation mingled in her pleading gaze.

Meanwhile, Baek Gyo-eon froze like a statue.

“Congressman, I’ll… get back to you later,” he somehow managed to reply.

Looking down at Heeju, kneeling at his feet with wide, watery eyes, he visibly fought to keep his composure.

“Later… Yes, I’ll call you back later.”

The moment the call ended, he dropped his phone onto the desk and stared at her with a chilling gaze.

“Heeju, what on earth do you think you’re doing? Yanking my pants down like that at this hour?”

The sharpness in his tone made her hesitate, but she wasn’t trying to pull him down—she was just trying to stop him. Flustered, she reached out to pull his pants back up, her gaze inadvertently tracing his long, toned legs and muscular thighs before—

“…!”

With a huff, Baek Gyo-eon yanked his pants up himself, using them to cover his discomfort.

“Heeju.”
“Y- You, you’re not really… planning to reject the nomination and resign as the party spokesperson, right?”

His dark eyes met hers.

“I’m supposed to be the one following you. Why are you stepping down?”
“Heeju.”
“…!”

His low voice sent a shiver through her chest.

“You’re not the only one who feels anxious.”

His stoic expression was still hard to read, but an unusual tenderness softened his words.

“I get uneasy too, leaving you behind. But I can’t install a CCTV camera at home because I don’t want to fall to that level yet.”

Her chest tightened at the faint ache those words brought. Before she could respond, he scooped her up and set her on the desk, reversing their positions in an instant.

“It’s not about me stepping down, it’s about us walking together.”
“…!”
“Because I feel the same— work or not, I want to stay by your side.”

He pressed a gentle kiss to her cheeks, his warm breath brushing against her skin like a soft whisper.

“I just… thought you were pulling away again.”
“…”
“Even back then, you always felt distant. You were gone overseas for so long, and recently you hid out in Argan without telling me…”
“…”
“When I see you standing in places like the Blue House or the National Assembly, places I can’t reach, I feel like I’m the one being left behind again. That’s why…”

At her confession, tinged with sorrow, Baek Gyo-eon embraced her tightly. In his broad arms, Heeju nuzzled her forehead against him and spoke in a childlike, teasing manner.

“I love you so much.”
“…!”
“More than you think, I—”
“Heeju, don’t misunderstand me again.”

Baek Gyo-eon, who had been silently trembling with emotion, suddenly seized her lips in a kiss so intense and consuming that it was as if he intended to devour her entirely. The kiss was long and relentless.

“Mm… ah…!”

Panting, Heeju strained against his grasp, desperately trying to turn her head, but his grip was unwavering, effectively immobilizing her. Her struggles were met with a tightening of his hold, pulling her closer until she felt both imprisoned and strangely comforted by his strength.

Gyo-eon pulled away, his voice trembling with raw emotion.

“If it means I can have you, I don’t care if I have to deal with Baek Sa-eon or Baek Jang-ho….”
“…!”
“I would do it all over, again and again. Because you’re my memory, my name, and my existence.”

As the dawn faded and the morning sun rose, his voice softened, carrying a promise.

“I’m not going anywhere without you.”
“…”
“Stop chasing me out of fear. From now on, I’ll never leave you behind. Even if I just go to the store down the street, I’ll carry you on my back.”

Heeju craved a deeper connection, her body yearning to fuse with his in a sensual embrace. It was as if she had finally arrived at her destination, a place of ultimate comfort and belonging.

That day, the two of them remained in the study for a long, long time.

***

“Oh my! Miss bride!!!”

Heeju fidgeted with the hem of her classic wedding dress, feeling awkward in the unfamiliar attire.

They were at a wedding dress shop in Gangnam.

When the heavy, gathered curtains parted, the man seated on a velvet sofa, engrossed in a tablet, slowly lifted his head.

The moment their eyes met, Heeju rubbed her flushed cheeks.

“Miss Bride, it suits you so well! Your clean and elegant image pairs perfectly with this classic square-neck design. It’s truly stunning on you!”

The effusive compliments from the staff made her ears burn, but more than that, she couldn’t help but focus on her fiancé’s stern expression.

His piercing gaze, fixed on her in the wedding dress, left her feeling unsettled. Gathering her courage, she asked, “W- What do you think?”

“…A long time ago.”

His low voice resonated in the air.

“You wore a white dress similar to this, and I recall you were quietly enjoying a pack of soju.”
“What?”
“And all I could think was how badly I wanted to take you.”
“…!”
“To have you.”

His dark, gleaming eyes seemed to travel back in time, revisiting a distant memory. As if muttering to himself, he added, “Yes, I felt that way back then too…”

Before long, his heated gaze returned to her, sweeping over her entire figure with a searing intensity.

Without a sound, Baek Gyo-eon stood up from the sofa and walked toward the platform where she stood.

The staff, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, quietly stepped aside. Feeling the tension thicken the air, Heeju nervously nibbled on her lower lip.

Then, he extended his arm, which he had been keeping hidden, and gently placed a diamond tiara on her head.

---

TL/N:

The chapters kept getting redirected due to some cache issue. Sorry for the inconvenience.