Chapter 12

“Oh my, oh my, what should we do? It’s such a wonderful house!”

“Unnie, are we really living here?”

Her mother and Hayoon asked in excited voices. Looking at her mother, who said she was crying because she was so happy, Soyoon nodded.

The house he had gotten for them was a newly built apartment close to where she worked. Calling it just a newly built apartment hardly covered it—it was an apartment worth several billions of won. It was far too burdensome, and yet if not here, they had nowhere else to go. And she was in no position to ask him to find them a different house.

He had said he needed her, and she needed his money. He had been right.

“Why on earth did Do-ha get us such a nice house?”

“Mom, this isn’t our house. Once I save up money, we’re leaving.”

So please, don’t cause any trouble, she told her over and over again. Every item her mother had charged to his card, Soyoon had gone and canceled. She soothed and soothed her mother, who had cried and made a scene for several days. Just yesterday she had been lying around weakly as if she were dying, and now she was peeking into one room and then another, looking around.

Saying she would handle all the unpacking too, her mother rolled up her sleeves.

Perhaps because she had grown used to their old house, where the floor creaked with every single step, Soyoon found herself walking lightly and carefully without realizing it. Then, thinking that now she did not need to walk like that anymore, she gave an awkward smile. The marble flooring looked truly luxurious.

To think he had gotten them a house this nice.

At that moment, Soyoon felt a sharp throb in her chest and clutched at her heart.

It felt as though his voice saying he needed her body was echoing in her ears.

Hayoon, who these days hardly showed any emotion at all, laughed brightly in an excited voice, saying there was an air conditioner in every room. Yes, that was enough. Looking at her younger sibling being so happy that there were two bathrooms, Soyoon resolved to keep going.

Inside the apartment, everything had been perfectly furnished. Starting with beds in each room, there were dressing tables, and even desks in Hayoon’s room and her own. There were of course the latest appliances, and she was almost afraid even to sit on the sofa, which looked expensive at a glance.

In the past, she used to run around and roll about on sofas that cost tens of millions of won.

Soyoon smiled bitterly, feeling as though she had become too used to a certain kind of environment.

He had told her to say if she needed anything, but seeing that there were even spoons and chopsticks, it did not seem there was anything left to buy.

Hayoon had decided to transfer schools. The misunderstanding had been cleared up, but it seemed better for her to attend a school closer to home. Hayoon had also readily agreed.

One wall was made entirely of windows, so the outside came into full view at a glance.

The night view made by the car lights and the building lights was very beautiful. She had a feeling that the walk home from work would be pleasant. A feeling that she would not have to gulp down soju in a hurry in front of the house, that for the time being she might not have to hear her mother crying.

That kind of good feeling.

〈Come out.〉

She had arranged to meet him today. She had told him they should meet tomorrow because he had said he would get off work late, but he had been firm. When she said she would just go to the house, he said he would come pick her up.

After checking the text, she went into the room and applied lip tint. Since she took more care than usual and applied it thoroughly, she felt a gaze on her back. In the mirror, her eyes met Hayoon’s.

Hayoon, who had come to bring her something, was narrowing her eyes as she looked at her.

“Where are you going that you’re putting such bright red on your lips?”

“It’s just tint, what of it. I’m just going out to see a friend for a bit.”

Feeling oddly self-conscious, Soyoon could not even look Hayoon in the eye and hurried out. When she looked in the mirror inside the elevator, both of her cheeks were red. Fainter than the lips she had put tint on, but still.

For a moment, she thought, Are my lips too dark? It was not because of him that she had put on the tint, but she felt as though he might misunderstand, so she raised her finger to wipe it off.

Before she could even wipe her lips, the elevator door opened, as if he had already arrived.

And there he was, standing right in front of the elevator.

Not expecting him to be standing there, Soyoon froze on the spot. She should at least have greeted him, but she could not say anything. His pitch-black eyes were fixed intently on her lips.

The awkward air hung between them, and Soyoon was the one who finally managed to speak first.

“Where’s your car?”

“I left it parked by the road.”

“Ah……”

“Let’s go.”

His hand wrapped around her waist, urging her to hurry. Startled, Soyoon drew in a breath.

If she was jumping this much over nothing more than a small touch, then how was she supposed to handle s*x?

Soyoon tried to act calm, but inside she was so tense she felt like she might go out of her mind.

Each time his large hand touched her, her shoulders jolted without her meaning them to.

She got into the car and put on her seat belt, but she could feel his gaze on her. He stared so intently that the side of her face almost stung. She tried to pretend not to notice, but when several minutes passed and he still did not start driving, she gave in.

“Wh-what is it?”

“…Did you put something on your lips?”

“What? Yes.”

Did it look that strange?

Tilting her head, Soyoon sucked lightly on her lower lip. Hoping that even a little of the tint would come off. She even vowed that next time she met him, she would not put anything on her lips.

!

Just then, his hand suddenly reached out and caught the tip of her chin.

With her eyes widened round, Soyoon looked at the owner of the hand. She was so startled that her lips parted. She saw his gaze sink.

“…Don’t s*ck on it.”

His low voice burrowed into her ear. His finger rose and rubbed her lower lip.

He, who had always carried the image of a model student, looked different now. Was it because of his deep black hair, or because of his dark eyes that had sunk so low?

She did not know.

Every place his fingers touched on her lips felt as though it might burn away, and her chin trembled faintly.

The hand rubbing her lips moved to the back of her neck. The touch massaging her nape was very lingering. Inside the car, only the sound of his breathing and hers could be heard.

Like someone who had forgotten how to breathe, she let out rough breaths in and out.

She thought they were much too close.

Feeling him draw nearer and nearer, Soyoon unconsciously leaned back. His eyes were filled with heat. Swallowing dryly, she trembled.

The hand at her neck pulled her in, and he pressed his mouth to hers very slowly.

Hup!

Her lips were swallowed in a single mouthful.

She definitely could have pushed him away. But Soyoon did not. Even as she watched him lower his eyes and take her lips into his, she did not push him away.

She had imagined it before. Kissing him.

After biting his lip and running away in front of his house, she had thought about it over and over. His lips were even softer than in her imagination. His hot tongue licked at her lips.

Soyoon clutched at his collar as if it were a lifeline, her hands trembling.

After sucking at her lower lip with soft little pulls- just as she had done herself, he pulled away.

Why did it feel so disappointing? The moment he drew back, her lips suddenly felt cold. Just moments ago they had been burning hot.

Unable to help the regret, Soyoon bit down lightly on her lips.

“Don’t bite it.”

Don’t s*ck on it, and don’t bite it either.

She found it absurd that he was ordering her around about her own lips, but when he moved closer as if to come near her again, in the end she had to answer several times that yes, she understood.

***