Special Side Story 07
‘Who did I slap?’
As Heeju stared at her own palm, a clicking sound broke the silence. The bathroom door swung open, releasing a wave of hot steam.
A man stepped out, a towel loosely knotted around his hips, revealing a muscular torso glistening with water. Heeju’s eyes widened in shock. At the same time, her heart began to pound wildly.
“W- When did you get home?”
Baek Sa-eon stood before the mirror, a towel draped over his head, his movements deliberate as he dried his hair. His aloofness chilled Heeju to the bone.
‘I shouldn’t feel hurt by this. He must be going through an even harder time right now.’
But no matter how much she tried, the word “rough patch” kept creeping into her thoughts. Even so, she had to muster her courage. They couldn’t ignore the important issues, letting their relationship slowly decay.
With a newfound determination, Heeju stepped out of bed. She realized that couples should be a source of comfort and support, always ready to reach out and hold each other.
“You’ve been so busy lately. Are you taking care of yourself properly?”
The moment she grabbed her husband’s arm, he stepped back indifferently. Then, unexpectedly, he began using sign language.
Heeju was taken aback.
‘Sa-eon & using sign language?’
But her confusion didn’t last long—what he signed was even more shocking.
‘Hong Heeju, I love you. But don’t come closer to me.’
Silence filled the room.
‘For now, let’s only talk through sign language or in writing.’
He had only taken a single step back, but… it felt as though he had retreated miles away.
Though sign language had been a part of her life since childhood, seeing Baek Sa-eon use it left Heeju speechless. She felt Sa-eon was pushing her away.
The realization unleashed a torrent of emotions, and tears streamed down her face without warning. Her arms fell limply to her sides, a silent testament to the despair that consumed her. Disbelief clouded her tear-filled gaze, the world around her dissolving into a haze of sorrow.
“…Just what went wrong with us? Why are you avoiding me? You said we wouldn’t hide our feelings from each other anymore. So how come…?”
As she wept, Baek Sa-eon stood completely still like a statue. His inaction felt like a cruel disregard for her pain, stirring resentment within her.
“Let’s talk. Even if you don’t love me anymore, just say it clearly. Don’t hurt me like this. I’m someone who can be shattered even by a sigh from you…”
Her sharp words made his throat tighten yet he remained silent.
“You’ve changed, Sa-eon… Did you know that?”
Just as her voice cracked, teetering on the verge of another sob, he suddenly embraced her tightly. Baek Sa-eon let out a long, weary sigh, as if releasing a lifetime of pent-up emotions. He gently wrapped his arms around her head, holding her close.
With warm hands, he stroked her back, her waist, and her hair over and over, as though trying to soothe her. But despite his embrace, her tears continued to flow.
“Hic… Hic..”
She tried to hold back her sobs, but a whimper escaped her lips. Hearing it, Baek Sa-eon cupped her face in his hands and desperately kissed her tear-streaked cheeks. She shook her head between sobs, softly protesting his actions.
“W- What are you doing? Why don’t you speak… I don’t like it when you only use gestures!”
“You’re driving me crazy. You look so beautiful when you cry that I can’t think straight.”
His voice sounded deeply strained.
“…What?”
“I’m sorry. Don’t cry, Hong Heeju. That tear soaked face of yours looks too attractive..”
“…!”
The tears that had been pouring down her face abruptly stopped, as if cut off by an invisible force.
‘What is he saying?’ Heeju blinked in confusion.
“When you fell asleep yesterday, I was left all alone…”
“…What?”
“You were driving me insane.”
“…”
“Heeju, how could I ever hate you? What I want is to tear down every wall between us, but I’m scared to talk. You were the one who said you don’t like it when I speak crudely. You prefer Baek Sa-eon to be polished and refined. So why are you crying and protesting now?”
“W- Wait Sa-eon…”
“Heeju, you just got out of bed… you feel warm..”
Baek Sa-eon pressed his nose to the nape of her neck, letting out a sigh heavy with desire.
“Do you know how terrible I feel every morning leaving you to go to work? My work offers no peace, only a constant barrage of anxieties. In a world where even the most cherished relationships are fragile, how can I not be consumed by thoughts of Hong Heeju?”
“…”
“Countless times, I’ve felt utterly lost, questioning why I have to work with strangers when I could be with you. Why am I here? I could just spend my days with my adorable wife. Why do we have to live forced apart by this…?”
“…”
“Maybe I’m going through some kind of second adolescence. I love being with you, feeling your skin against mine. It makes me incredibly happy that you’re my family, my legal wife. Just being with you and doing all this…”
Sa-eon paused, his body pressed against hers. Then his teeth gently grazed the back of her neck, leaving a tingling sensation in its wake. The warmth of his breath against her neck, coupled with the intensity of his hold, made the air between them crackle with tension.
“To face death with you by my side… it doesn’t seem so frightening.”
“Sa-eon…”
“Are you going to hit me again? Did you enjoy that?”
“…!”
He tilted his head as if offering her one of his cheeks. It was then that Heeju remembered, as if the puzzle pieces had finally aligned, who she had slapped the night before.
‘Was it really Baek Sa-eon? No… it couldn’t have been…’
“When we were younger, I used to suppress my thoughts on purpose, trying not to let myself go too far. I got so used to that restraint that I feel like I have to disguise my desires around you. Just like when I wear a suit because I know you like it.”
“…”
“I always needed to wear a mask. But now I can’t hide my true self anymore.”
Baek Sa-eon began to soothe her, gently licking the soft curve of her shoulder.
“Sorry for using bad words. But how can you be so adorable even when you’re scared? Hong Heeju, are you sure you don’t want to seduce me?”
He pressed her against the wall, his hand sliding down her waist, tracing the curve of her thigh with a possessive touch. He bit down on her neck with intensity, drawing a small, involuntary moan from her.
“You make me lose my sanity…”
Heeju couldn’t process everything he was confessing.
“Sa-eon… D- Did you drink alcohol?”
“It’s not alcohol…”
Baek Sa-eon sighed as he nibbled gently on her earlobe. Then, lifting her effortlessly, he carried her to the bed. Heeju, struck by an inexplicable premonition, clung tightly to her husband’s neck.
They fell onto the bed, their bodies entwined. Despite the tension that had held them captive, a carefree smile played on his lips as he gazed down at her, their breaths mingling.
“I hate to disappoint you, but I can’t hide from you.”
‘What to do? Perhaps your perception of your husband is a little flawed…’
He captured Heeju’s lips with his, consuming her entirely.
***
The sky that had once been bright with morning light was now completely dark.
Heeju fanned her flushed face with her hand, trying to dispel the lingering heat. They had spent the entire day in a passionate embrace.
“Mmmph…”
Heeju had been lost in a sea of intense sensations. His words, a mixture of teasing whispers that sent shivers down her spine and murmured confessions that ignited a fire within, had left her breathless. If not any of these, then his lips rested on hers.
He pounced on her as if he couldn’t bear even a moment of separation. Their damp lips collided, intertwined, and explored relentlessly. In such a state, all she could manage were moans. Forming coherent words was out of the question.
Her lips were swollen from the kisses. His movements were fierce, pushing her to the edge.
“Ahhhh..!”
He said he couldn’t hide anymore. What did he mean by those…?
Heeju could only moan under the weight of her husband, who seemed almost feral. His scent, intense and lingering, clung to her body.
“Ugh… it hurts…”
Heeju hugged herself, feeling the soreness coursing through her body. Not long after, she quickly dressed and left the now-empty bed.
‘Where is he…?’
Stumbling into the living room, she spotted Baek Sa-eon standing by the window, gazing at the bright lights of Seoul while speaking on the phone with someone. Her mood plummeted instantly.
‘He ignored my calls but now…’
Heeju turned away, her demeanor icy and unforgiving.
Now was the time for confrontation.
I love it