CHAPTER 66

Not her usual sleeping hours, but Siyeon found herself lying down with Ijun on the same bed. Eventually, being bothered by it, she found herself unable to sleep. She had just fallen asleep while watching the dawn break faintly, feeling like it had been only 5 minutes, when Ijun woke her up.

“Wake up. It’s 6 o’clock.”

 “…Seriously….”

She, forcefully released from deep sleep, expressed her dissatisfaction and annoyance, but in Ijun’s eyes, it seemed like she was just whining with her eyes closed.

“Then go back to sleep.”

When he gave up on waking her up so easily, she actually became more awake. Siyeon finally got up from bed, rubbing her eyes.

If it had been just him, she would have endured it, but she couldn’t keep lying down with her father-in-law and grandfather outside. She had to sit at the breakfast table with them.

“….”

Siyeon looked at Ijun with a blank face. A faint musky scent emanated from him. She wondered what time he had woken up when he was already showered, and was wearing a suit, shirt, and tie.

He stood with his hands in his trouser pockets and tilted his head slightly to meet Siyeon’s eyes.

“When did you wake up?” 

“Same as usual. 5 o’clock.”

“Do you wake up at the same time every day?”

“Yeah. Every day.”

“How do you manage to wake up at 5 o’clock?”

She asked with pure curiosity, directed at the master of waking up early.

“It’s a habit. But until when are you going to just sit there?”

 “It takes me a while to wake up from sleep. I’m still loading.”

Siyeon said so and put her foot down under the bed. The bed was so high that her feet didn’t touch the floor. It was a proud bed that resembled its owner. Ijun glanced at her bare feet, which were revealed under her pajama pants, and said,

“Jump down.” 

“It’s not that easy.” 

Siyeon, with a smile on her lips, grabbed the edge of the bed with both hands, attempting to lower her feet a bit more. However, Ijun extended one hand towards her, much like the day when they went to greet his family at the Suwon house. 

“…Quite a gentleman.”

Unable to resist, Siyeon took his hand and got off the bed. As she tried to move towards the bathroom, Ijun didn’t let go of the hand he had held.

Siyeon raised her head, looking at him with a puzzled expression. His gaze lingered on her face.

“Why?”

“Did you sleep well?” 

“Yes. I slept well.” 

He made a thoughtful sound while looking at Siyeon. 

“Alright.” 

Only then did he release her hand. As Siyeon walked towards the bathroom, she turned back. When their eyes met, it felt like a flush of warmth spread on her cheeks. 

After quickly washing up and moving to the powder room, Siyeon sat in front of the dressing table and started blow-drying her wet hair with a hairdryer. There was not enough time to change clothes, let alone put on makeup before mealtime.

The fortunate thing was that the powder room, dressing room, and bathroom were all connected to the master bedroom, so she didn’t have to go outside. 

“Can you help me a little?”

Ijun, who she thought would be outside, was still in the room. Perhaps hearing the sound of the wind from the dryer, he suddenly appeared in front of her, leaning against the door with his arms crossed, observing her.

“Well… if we’re late for the meal, I’ll blame it on you.”

“Why would you blame it on me?”

With a cold face, Ijun approached and took the hairdryer from her hand, gently blowing and drying her hair. 

“You do the rest.”

Siyeon squeezed some basic skincare products into her hand, looking at him through the vanity mirror. He was blowing a soft breeze evenly through her hair without changing his expression. His touch was gentle, unlike his large hands. For some reason, tension built up in her lower abdomen.

“…That’s enough. I’ll change my clothes and be right out.”

Siyeon turned back to Ijun and looked at him. Every time he moved his wrist slowly, her hair fluttered in the air. 

He looked into her eyes and placed the hairdryer, which he didn’t turn off, on the dressing table. With a light buzzing vibration, a faint sound of wind was heard. 

A strange feeling came over her as he met her gaze. It felt hazy and trembling at the same time. At that moment, Ijun leaned towards her.

Their lips touched. Ijun held her chin and tilted her head, parting her lips. Gently making contact with her lips, he looked into her eyes as if seeking her opinion.

Her heart was pounding like crazy, but Siyeon did not avoid his gaze. As he pressed her lips, invading her mouth, their tongues entwined.

When Siyeon’s body swayed backward, Ijun put his hands into her hair and supported her face with his palms. Rough breaths and warm breath poured out over her face. Her sensitive lips quickly swelled. Siyeon let out a faint moan unconsciously.

Pulling away from her, he gently lifted Siyeon and sat her on the dressing table. His chest rose and fell rapidly. He checked the time on his wristwatch. It was already 6:40.

Ijun’s face was filled with unquenched thirst and irritation. This was likely due to the realization that his father and grandfather were waiting at the dining table, and he needed to go to work right after breakfast.

“I-I, what do I do?”

Aware of reality, Siyeon stammered with a deeply flushed face. Her lips were swollen as if stung by a bee, and her hair was a mess. It would be better to be scolded for being rude than to be seen by the elders in such a state, which clearly indicated what they had been doing.

 “I’ll handle it. Just leave it to me.”

In a low, husky voice, he approached her and stood in front of her, using one hand to loosen the knot of his tie.

As his body touched Siyeon’s, she flinched.

“Don’t go out today. Just wait.”

Saying so, he gazed into Siyeon’s eyes as if trying to  receive her promise. Siyeon unconsciously nodded her head once, and Ijun’s face, which was tense with anticipation, relaxed a bit.

After gently stroking her head, he left Siyeon sitting in the vanity and went outside. Sitting there in a daze, Siyeon’s face suddenly blushed with belated heat as she pondered his words.

* * *

After Ijun left, torn between discomfort and drowsiness, Siyeon eventually succumbed to her physical exhaustion.

She tried to lie down on the bed and think, but soon fell asleep. Later, she heard from the helper that Ijun had a peaceful breakfast with the adults and had gone to work.

“Madam, are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Siyeon sat down at the table for a late breakfast.

“It seemed like the chairman was very worried.”

In response to the helper’s concerned tone, Siyeon smiled gratefully, though a pang of guilt pricked her conscience. It seemed that Ijun had made an excuse to the adults that she was unwell. 

[Where do I feel unwell?] 

Siyeon sent a text message to Ijun. In case she had caught a cold or was feeling unwell, she wanted to know the exact diagnosis. However, she received no response from Ijun.

 “He told me not to go out anywhere.”

She muttered to her silent phone. As she thought about him, the events of the morning naturally came to mind, making her toes curl and her heart race.

“Madam, it seems like you still have a fever.”

The helper, placing a plate on the table, looked at Siyeon’s flushed face with a worried expression.

 “No, I’m really fine.” 

Siyeon used her palm as a fan to cool one side of her face, trying to soothe the fever. Her heart still pounded.

After having a late breakfast, she went up to the rooftop.Siyeon had her laptop on, intending to work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Ijun.

The moment their eyes met in the darkness last night, the tension between them, his careful touch as he lifted and dried her hair, and the breathless kiss that felt like it would swallow her up, all came to mind one after another.

“Get a hold of yourself, Choi Siyeon!” 

Placing both hands on the keyboard, Siyeon vigorously shook her head to snap out of her daze. She couldn’t afford to waste her morning and afternoon hours, as she might not be able to work at night.

The day quickly passed by.

* * *

After the maids had left, Siyeon stayed up on the rooftop log cabin until late at night. Now, she was able to light the fireplace by herself. With spring approaching, there weren’t many days left for lighting the fireplace.

Ijun, who had told her not to go anywhere and to wait, only returned late at night. As soon as he entered the house, he went up to the rooftop to find her.

“Why are you here? It’s late.”

“…” 

Siyeon turned her head at the creaking sound of the door opening. Ijun seemed rigid, and in a way, it appeared as if he was forcefully suppressing excessive excitement. He hadn’t even changed clothes and was still in his suit. 

His eyes looked bloodshot, and he seemed in an unusual state. Holding the doorknob, he didn’t blink and his gaze was fixed on her.

“Are you okay?”

 Siyeon got up and approached him.

“What’s wro…”

Her words couldn’t form a complete sentence and scattered in her mouth. Ijun had grabbed her face and deeply kissed her.

Siyeon, with widened eyes, tried to push him away with her fists pounding on his chest, but Ijun didn’t budge. Instead, he intensified the kiss.Her lips, which had barely subsided in the afternoon, quickly swelled.

Unable to handle his overwhelming force, her legs wobbled. The chair scratched against the floor and slid to the side. As Siyeon took a step back, the hard wooden table hit her lower back.

“…”

Ijun pulled away and looked into her eyes from close range. His pupils reflected her face clearly. Siyeon stared at him for a moment before moving her lips. 

“What’s wrong?”

His intense gaze seemed complicated, almost as if he were wounded and suffering.

“From today, let’s share the same room. Sleep together and wake up together, like other married couples.”

“Ijun….”

“Yeah, I’m your husband, Jeong Ijun.”

“…”  

Siyeon, unable to comprehend the situation, simply looked at him with bewildered eyes.