***
Knock knock, at the sound of a light knock, Yoo-jin closed the book she had been reading. Clearing her throat, she adjusted her voice. She answered in a very appropriate and soft tone.
"Come in."
Jae-hee, who carefully opened the door and came in, awkwardly smiled and waved one hand at Yoo-jin. It seemed like she had come straight from researching, as she still wasn't in her pajamas. Yoo-jin took off her glasses and placed them on the bedside table.
"When are you planning to sleep?"
"Once I finish up... I'm almost done. I just need to proofread the abstract"
"...You worked hard."
"What book were you reading?"
Yoo-jin held up the book, and Jae-hee, sitting down beside her, took it. Below the title "A Lucky Day" it said "Hyun Jin-gun Anthology". She had heard of it before—ah, Jae-hee remembered reading the novel during her time staying in Korea, at the university library, and nodded.
"…You're reading something interesting."
"You know it too?"
"Yeah, I read it as an undergrad. You know the line, 'I brought seolleongtang, but why can't I eat it?'"
"That's right."
Jae-hee glanced at Yoo-jin, gauging her reaction. She slipped something between the pages Yoo-jin had been on and placed the book on the bedside table. Yoo-jin neatly swept her hair over one shoulder. Watching her, Jae-hee smiled softly. This must be the moment when people say someone looks elegant.
"How is Jae-joon oppa doing?"
"…Yeah, he's doing just fine, as usual."
Jae-hee giggled at the displeased tone. The Hawon Group family was full of peculiar people, but by far the strangest was Kim Jae-joon. He was the first of Yoo-jin's relatives that Jae-hee had met, back when she didn't know that Park Hyun-hee, the flutist, was Yoo-jin's aunt. He was someone without pretense—no false fronts, no secrets. In a way, his humor could be so excessive it made him seem frivolous. He had this crazy ability to push Yoo-jin to her limit, stopping just before she exploded. You could tell he had known her for a long time by the way he expertly managed her mood.
Yoo-jin felt her body gradually relax in response to Jae-hee's gentle demeanor. At the company, she had been tense all day, and mentally exhausted from sparring with Jae-joon at night. Even when she got home, her nerves hadn't settled. But strangely, just exchanging a few words with Seon Jae-hee calmed her down. Where did that tension from last night even go? Jae-hee grinned and started telling her the trivial events of the day.
"…After lunch today, I went to the café. My brain just wouldn't function without coffee. Kang Soo-jin... she stayed up all night because she was busy with something. So I thought I'd help by giving her some caffeine, but... a student came up and asked for my number."
"...So?"
"He probably didn't realize I was a professor. Or maybe it's because the clothes you picked for me make me look younger. He hesitated and was like, 'Uh, c-could I get your number?'"
Jae-hee imitated the guy quite convincingly. He was definitely a freshman. His baby face still hadn't lost its youthful roundness, and the fluffy-looking guy wasn't much different from the countless others Jae-hee had turned down before.
"So, I told him I was married and showed him my ring. I have someone."
"…You did well."
In fact, Yoo-jin already knew about it because Soo-jin had eagerly reported everything through texts, but Jae-hee rushing over to tell her in person was adorable. Maybe it was a sign of reliability, or perhaps it was her thoughtfulness in sharing to avoid worrying her. Looking at the open and honest Jae-hee, Yoo-jin reached out and smoothed down some of her stray hairs.
"…Ah."
Yoo-jin pulled her hand back in sudden realization, and Jae-hee smiled with her eyes. Clearly enjoying the gesture, Jae-hee gave a playful smile and said,
"Being devoted alone isn't enough, you know."
"…What do you mean?"
"I mean loving you."
Since the day Jae-hee met Yoo-jin, she'd never been anything but devoted. Yoo-jin, who had received all of that dedication, knew it better than anyone. So, was she implying there was something else she wanted to do? A sense of unease stirred in Yoo-jin as she looked at Jae-hee. That expression seemed a little too sly. It wasn't exactly a dangerous vibe, but why did it feel so... tense?
"…I'm thinking of being a bit greedy."
Jae-hee, her voice soft and sweet, shifted closer to Yoo-jin. She placed her hand just beside Yoo-jin's thigh and leaned in until she was right in front of her.
"Kiss me."
"…What?"
"If you don't, I won't say good night."
Jae-hee's playful voice carried a sudden, shocking remark as she closed her eyes. It was a threat. That's what this was. Yoo-jin bit her lip as she looked at Jae-hee's face, which clearly urged her to hurry up.
"Hey, you…"
"Actually, I was going to sleep here starting tonight, but I'm offering this as a compromise."
Sleep together? Again? Yoo-jin felt dizzy. To Yoo-jin, every moment dealing with Jae-hee was a crisis, and the idea of sleeping together was absolutely out of the question. Sure, it had been comfortable before, but now, 'comfortable' was no longer 'comfortable.' She felt too nervous, just like when they first met, and there was no way she'd be able to sleep peacefully now.
Yoo-jin looked at Jae-hee, who still had her eyes closed. She had always known her features were striking, but it had been a long time since she had stared this closely. Just once, if it was just once… And it was only a kiss. After a long internal struggle, Yoo-jin slightly raised her body. The countless times their lips had met still felt new, and it was because of Seon Jae-hee… That fox disguised as a bear, Seon Jae-hee. That must be why. Pushing aside her pounding heart, she closed her eyes.
A soft sound, ‘chu’, came from their lips meeting. It was a light kiss, and just as Yoo-jin was about to pull away, Jae-hee's hand suddenly wrapped around her head.
"Mm!"
Surprised, Yoo-jin grabbed Jae-hee's shoulder, but Jae-hee lifted her hand that had been resting on the bed and held onto Yoo-jin's slender waist. The tongue slipping into her mouth was the same one that had entered just the day before. It suddenly darted inside, messing with her. Yoo-jin tried to pull away in panic, but with her waist firmly held, she couldn't escape. To make things worse, Jae-hee mercilessly followed her, leaning in even more. Yoo-jin couldn't think straight as Jae-hee explored her mouth as if it was her own, then swiftly pulled away.
"…Haa… You said it would just be a kiss!"
"I intended to, but it didn’t quite work out."
What the hell does that even mean? Yoo-jin covered her mouth with the back of her hand and backed away. Jae-hee let out a silly laugh, looking at Yoo-jin's flushed face. That playful smile irritated Yoo-jin, and she furrowed her brows.
"Goodnight. Dream of me, Yoo-jin."
The gentle voice, the new goodnight, and the deep kiss. All the changes made her heart race unbearably. The greedy side of Jae-hee scared her. The way Jae-hee loved her in her own way was somewhat frightening. It was even scarier because Yoo-jin could feel herself helplessly giving in. After Jae-hee left the room, the warm air left behind kept making her face flush. Yoo-jin touched her lips. The sensation still lingered.
"…Ah."
Yoo-jin picked up the book that Jae-hee had awkwardly slipped in earlier while fidgeting. What could it be that she had tried to secretly leave behind? The paper tucked in like a bookmark felt slightly thick. The neat handwriting was unmistakably from her one and only wife, something Yoo-jin had long been familiar with.
[Do not be saddened by the fact that we cannot always be together
But rejoice in the moments when we can be near
Do not be angry that you are not loved completely
But be content with the love that is given this much
Do not resent that only you are tormented
But be thankful for the ability to love so dearly, even pitifully
Do not grow weary of love that is only given
But feel the pain for not being able to give more
Rejoice together, considering his joy as your own
And do not simply give up on a love that cannot be fulfilled
With a pure love that I can cherish for long
That is how I will love you.
Han Yong-un, Theory of Fate 2]
“...What should I do?”
Yoo-jin had been proud of how well she had done until now. She had been confident that she could live her whole life with a face full of pretense, but that arrogant pride was shattered by a huge blow: Seon Jae-hee.
“...What should I do about you?”
My heart is already trembling like this; what could I do? What should I do? Jae-hee. My heart kept racing. It beat so fast that it felt unbearable, overwhelming. The touch you left behind tickled me. The poem you had left behind made me feel like I would cry. Could I enjoy this nonsensical happiness? Is it okay for me to do so, even after pushing you so hard?