“If it gets uncomfortable, hit me hard. Got it?”

“I got it. How many times are you going to say that?”

“I’m just going to show my face and come right back.”

“Yes, I know.”

As it was a pre-arranged meeting that he couldn’t cancel, he had no choice but to bring her along. Before stepping out of the car, he carefully placed Ye-jin on his palm and repeated the same warnings over and over again.

If he was only going to show his face, she could have stayed at home. But, of course, he had brought her all the way here.

Ever since she had shrunk, he had become even more overprotective than before. If she was out of his sight, even for a moment, he would grow restless, either following her around or insisting that she stay right in front of him, as if something terrible would happen otherwise.

Knowing that he was only worried that she might get hurt or come to harm, Ye-jin smiled and nodded.

“Even if it feels stuffy, just endure it for a bit.”

“Okay.”

He put her in his pocket, gently tapping her with his palm as if to say, ‘Don’t worry.’ She settled into the pocket, finding a steady spot to sit. Whenever he moved, her small body would wobble unless she held herself in place.

Once he had confirmed that she was seated, he stepped out of the car. Ye-jin grabbed the fabric tightly around her so that she wouldn’t fall backwards.

“You’re here?”

“Long time no see!”

“Do-han, is it supposed to be this hard to see your face?”

Despite the enthusiastic greetings, he remained blunt and curt as always. She felt him sit down slowly, carefully so she wouldn’t lose her balance.

“I’ve been busy. I wasn’t even going to come today, but I’m stopping by just for a minute.”

Several of his friends fell silent at that. When they walked in, it had been deafening, so loud that her ears had rung, but now the room grew strangely quiet for a moment.

He was the kind of man who could change the atmosphere wherever he went simply by being there.

“You must really like your wife, huh?”

Ye-jin blinked. Why were they suddenly talking about her?

She felt him lean back against the chair—slowly again, mindful not to jostle her. Understanding what he was doing, she also relaxed her body, letting herself lean back comfortably.

“Your wife? What are you talking about? You’ve seen her?”

“Do-han showed her to you? He won’t show her to anyone, even when we beg him just once.”

Now that she thought about it, she’d never been introduced to his friends before.

“Would he show her off? When he had just got divorced, I tried setting him up with someone, but he shouted at me so badly that I thought my ears would bleed. There’s a rumor going around that you two got back together. Is it true?”

He nodded without a word.

“You happy?”

At his friend’s question asking if it felt good to be together again his chest rose in a deep breath.

“Yeah. I’m happy.”

Ye-jin lifted a hand to cover her mouth. Seeing him openly express his feelings made her lips twitch upward over and over.

And she felt shy. Seeing him speak so plainly was still unfamiliar.

“I’m so happy it’s driving me crazy. Satisfied now?”

“Holy—! Did that really just come out of your mouth? Seo Do-han?

Once again, she realized just how much he loved her. She remembered what Kim’s secretary had told her when their bodies were switched, how he had helped her father without telling her, and now she heard him say in front of his friends that he was so happy he could go crazy. His heart reached every part of her body.

Her nose stung. She wanted to hug him. If she could, she would throw herself into his arms and give him the kiss he had wanted so badly — and more.

“Yeah. I didn’t know I’d change this much either.”

Maybe he was thinking of her too; he slipped a hand into his pocket. Ye-jin wrapped both arms around one of his fingers and pressed her lips against it.

His hand went rigid.

“Always anxious… You guys were like this too, right?”

Since they were all married, he asked for their answers but no one spoke. She could imagine their expressions: probably staring at him like he’d lost his mind.

“It’s like raising a kid. Yeah. I guess raising a kid feels like this.”

At the word kid, Ye-jin’s eyes grew wide.

‘A kid…’

What did he mean by that? Was he suggesting that being on edge all the time was tiring? Or did he mean that raising a child wasn’t as bad as it seemed?

She told herself that she would ask him later. He stood up.

“I told you why I’m busy, so don’t make plans with me anymore. I’m leaving.”

“Yeah, go.”

None of his friends tried to stop him. Even as he strode out, he kept one hand in his pocket, shielding her with his fingers so she wouldn’t get hurt.

It wasn’t even a confession, yet she felt shy for no reason. With both hands, Ye-jin stroked the side of his finger.

“Were you uncomfortable?”

Once he got into the car, he immediately took her out of his pocket and checked her—her face, her arms, every part of her tiny body—making sure she wasn’t hurt.

“Were you hot? Your face is red.”

Ye-jin shook her head.

“Why can’t you look me in the eye? Are you uncomfortable?”

She shook her head again. His fingertip reached in, gently smoothing her hair. When he deliberately brushed her earlobe, her face flushed bright red.

“Let’s just… go home. I’m tired.”

“Alright. It’s dangerous, so stay in my pocket.”

Since the car would shake, she had no choice but to go back in. In the darkness of his pocket, Ye-jin pressed her palms hard against her cheeks.

A moment later…

“Sleep well.”

“Yes. You too, Do-han.”

“I told you to talk comfortably. You really don’t listen.”

He tapped the tip of her nose, muttering that she was unbelievably stubborn.

Lying on the tiny blanket he’d made for her, she watched him quietly.

“What?”

“…Nothing. Go to sleep.”

She had already spent a week sleeping a little way from him, in case he accidentally hit her in his sleep and hurt her. But tonight, she was desperate to bury herself in his arms; she felt as though her chest would collapse if she didn’t.

He had no way of knowing this. He turned off the lights and closed his eyes.

“…Your friend tried to introduce you to another woman?”

His shoulder definitely stopped. But he didn’t open his eyes.

“Hmm? After we divorced, you almost got set up with someone else?”

He remained silent, pretending not to hear her.

Ye-jin began to crawl towards him. Due to her tiny size, even crossing that short distance took a long time.

She struggled to climb onto his palm. He kept pretending to be asleep.

“Why are you pretending to sleep? That’s strange.”

He could have answered her in the same way he had answered his friend earlier, but instead he stubbornly remained silent and pretended to be asleep.

Tilting her head, Ye-jin suddenly noticed that his ears were burning red.

“…You’re embarrassed, aren’t you?”

He seemed mortified that she had overheard his conversation with his friend. Ye-jin decided to let him off this time.

“I guess I’ll sleep here today.”

She settled down on his palm and lay flat.

“Go sleep over there. It’s dangerous.”

“…I want to sleep here.”

When she insisted, he let out a small sigh.

“Fine. Do that.”

He moved his hand closer to his face, letting her see him clearly.

“Go to sleep. You’re tired.”

She whispered softly, telling him to sleep early since he must be exhausted from dragging her around with him all day. With his other hand, he gently patted her back.

“…I hope my body goes back soon.”

Switching bodies… shrinking… it had taught her things she never expected. Not just how much he loved her and how deeply he cherished her but how much she loved him too.

“Yeah. I hope tomorrow morning everything’s back to normal.”

Just like he said—please, let things return to normal.

Smiling faintly, Ye-jin closed her eyes. And she drifted straight into sleep.

❖ ❖ ❖

“Ugh…”

A dream?

Someone was hugging her tightly from behind. So tightly she couldn’t even breathe, the strength of the embrace made her brows knit in discomfort.

“Hhh—ugh!”

Ye-jin snapped her eyes open at the hand that suddenly grasped her br*ast.

He was massaging her br*ast as if it were the most natural thing, as if he had been entrusted with it. She looked down and saw a familiar hand.

“Ah… Do-han!”

Only then did she realize that her body had grown back to its original size.

“Do-han, I’m…. Hngh.”

“…Congratulations.”

“When did you wake up… Ah!“

She hunched her shoulder because he was toying with her n*pple.

“You finally returned. Finally…”

“Wait, wait a moment…”

He didn’t hide the object that was poking her behind. Below, she quickly became wet.

The hand that had slipped inside her T-shirt twisted her n*pple hard. The long-awaited act made her legs between her thighs not just itchy, but throbbing. As if knowing her condition, his hand slid downward.

“Do-han…”

“Haa… You wouldn’t know how much I endured.”

She was about to point out that he had only lasted a week, but thought better of it. Her body wanted him, too. He was someone who would be more eager, if not less. Having experienced his condition first-hand when their bodies switched, she understood it even better.

“I know too well now where to stimulate you to make you scream.”

He whispered in a low voice, saying he knew because their bodies had switched. The pleasing low tone made her tense her lower abdomen.

“So, you can look forward to it.”

Declaring that he would no longer restrain himself, he climbed on top of her. He tore off her T-shirt. His hard chest and abs came into view, making her gasp.

And what about his face? It was both sensual and dominant.

Her heart pounded at the sight.

“As expected, I prefer penetrating to being penetrated.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he raised one corner of his mouth and whispered intimately. She brought her lips close to his ear and said what she had wanted to say for a while.

“Anything is fine for me, so hurry. Hold me, right now.”

She could feel his body tensing. They quickly peeled off each other’s clothes and underwear, scattering them on the floor.

She was n*ked, but not ashamed. Her desire for him was simply too strong.

As she watched him settle between her legs, she relaxed her thighs. In fact, she relaxed her whole body. She wanted to become one with him immediately.

“Hnn… Ugh!“

He entered her softly yet firmly. She felt him fill her completely, leaving no space between them. Throwing her neck back, she surrendered to the powerful force. Biting down on her slender neck, he slowly began to move his hips.

Tears of satisfaction streamed from Ye-jin’s eyes.