Side Story 1.4

With a mix of slight resentment and incredulous laughter in her gaze, Leeseo looked at Taegyeom. In response, he held up the black umbrella in his hand as if to explain himself. A glance outside revealed light snowflakes swirling faintly in the air.  

Seoul had experienced its first snowfall not long ago, but this was the first time snow was falling in this city. Her chest swelled with a strange sense of cheer. How could she possibly rebuke her husband, who had come all the way just to shield her with an umbrella during the short walk to the parking lot?  

That man was always like this. He wouldn’t care if his own shoulders got wet, but he acted as if even a single raindrop falling on his wife’s shoulders was an unthinkable disaster.  

“It’s just a few steps to the parking lot. How much snow could we possibly get hit with? Besides, it’s barely snowing at all.”  

Taegyeom walked over to where Leeseo sat and stood in front of her. He gently brushed a few stray strands of hair behind her ear and slowly caressed her cheek as she looked up at him. His gaze traced her features—eyes, nose, lips—as if carefully inspecting her, filled with both persistence and fondness.  

“You catch colds so easily, even if you get just a little wet.”  

Wherever his hand touched, a warm sensation spread, making her feel good. The fatigue from standing all day at the pharmacy and tirelessly attending to customers melted away as if it had never been there. Unconsciously, Leeseo leaned her cheek into his warm palm.  

“See, you’re acting suspiciously sweet. What’s going on?”  

Whenever he looked at her this way and touched her so tenderly, it felt like they were reuniting after a long separation. Someone watching might think they were a couple who hadn’t seen each other for months. She couldn’t understand why her nose tingled with emotion even from just meeting his gaze.  

It’s your excessive kindness that makes me act so spoiled.  

“Was work tough?”  

All she had done was go to work like everyone else, yet his hands kneaded her shoulders and patted her back as if she had accomplished something extraordinary. It made her feel oddly proud.  

With this kind of treatment, how could she criticize him for being overly attentive? In the end, Leeseo let out a helpless laugh.  

“You treat me like I’m so fragile just because I caught a cold once. Don’t spoil me too much—it makes me act like a child.”  

“It’s still not enough.”  

Taegyeom whispered softly as he bent down to kiss her forehead. Straightening up again, his gaze fell on the two small boxes in her hand. The boxes were adorned with elaborate branding and illustrations of hand cream.  

His eyebrows twitched slightly in displeasure. If it were up to him, he would have thrown them straight into the trash. But instead, he pretended to read the text on the box with a neutral expression.  

“Vanilla scent.”  

It was a casual remark, but Leeseo immediately understood the underlying meaning and stifled a laugh.  

She liked vanilla ice cream, vanilla lattes, and desserts with vanilla, but oddly enough, she disliked perfumes or body products with a vanilla scent. The sweet and cloying aroma inexplicably made her feel nauseous.  

“I plan to give both of them to Suji. They’re gifts, so there’s no need to explain that they’re not my taste and make things awkward. I just accepted them since he said they were for all the hospital and pharmacy staff.”  

Leeseo stood up from the chair and walked toward the counter. She placed the hand cream on the desk Suji usually used, then turned around—only to find Taegyeom standing right behind her.  

Startled, she froze. No matter how many times she experienced it, she never got used to how a man of his size could move so silently. Taegyeom, unfazed, pulled her close by the waist and said,  

“I came to pick you up, thinking you’d be alone. If you’re worried about that doctor knowing about us…”  

“…”  

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t say a word.”  

It was a vague yet ominous statement. The chill that ran down her spine made her uneasy. If anything happened to Dr. Lee, a popular doctor at Delbit Pediatrics, it would undoubtedly affect Jieun, whose livelihood depended on the pharmacy.  

Leeseo slowly shook her head and reached out to wrap her arms around her husband’s sturdy neck. She felt his hands tighten momentarily around her hips, as if to secure her in place.  

“Don’t worry about it. Even if rumors spread, it’ll only be temporary. Besides, I won’t be working here for long…”  

Taegyeom looked down at her and asked in a calm tone,  

“Is that doctor bothering you?”  

It felt like a trap. The question made her throat dry.  

“…No. We just exchange greetings in passing. There’s no reason for him to bother me.”  

The subtle pressure in his demeanor made Leeseo lower her hands from his neck and gently push against his chest. Of course, he didn’t budge. Instead, he pressed his lower body even closer to hers.  

The sensation of contact became increasingly uncomfortable. It was impossible to ignore the firm presence pressing against her abdomen.  

His large hands gripped her hips firmly, preventing her from pulling away. Instinctively, she twisted her body, but her efforts were futile against his unyielding strength. Taegyeom tilted his head slightly, brushing his nose against hers as he spoke leisurely.  

“Do you remember how we started? Just exchanging greetings in passing?”  

“Us?”  

His sweet, dreamlike whisper contrasted with her bewildered expression.  

“The way I remember it, our beginning was quite different. If I recall correctly, you were incredibly rude at first. It felt more like you were bullying me than just exchanging greetings.”  

Taegyeom chuckled softly. His long, narrow eyes crinkled into an alluring curve that naturally drew her gaze.  

“I know. I never imagined I’d end up like this—asking someone like you to fetch me coffee and nitpicking over every little thing.”  

“You said the coffee smelled like a mop and accused me of spitting in it. Honestly, it was so absurd… If I had actually spat in it, I wouldn’t have felt so wronged.”  

“Yeah, I was a real jerk.”  

“Even you think so, right?”  

“Yeah, but you still fell for me.”  

“…”  

“You liked me so much that you overlooked my bad temper. Didn’t you, Leeseo?”  

She had no idea why the conversation had taken such a turn. Meanwhile, the firm presence against her abdomen seemed to grow even more pronounced.  

What does he plan to do if it gets any bigger…?  

Glancing outside the pharmacy, Leeseo noticed that the area near the hospital building was completely deserted. The snow falling softly added to the eerie stillness of the surroundings.  

After a moment of contemplation, she looked back up at him, her gaze narrowing slightly.  

“How do you know he’s a doctor? I don’t recall mentioning it.”  

Realizing the source of the unease that had been bothering her, she let out a low sigh. No matter how much she replayed the earlier conversation, she couldn’t remember introducing Dr. Lee to him. The only explanation was that he had known from the start.  

Taegyeom, unperturbed, simply smiled. Even in this situation, his smile made her heart flutter, and she found herself cursing her own helplessness. She should never have fallen for that face.  

“Don’t stop me from doing at least that much, Leeseo.”  

The towering man rubbed his nose against hers playfully, like a child seeking attention. Her resolve was already starting to waver.  

“I’m always curious about the men lingering around you—what they’re wearing, what sweet words they’re using to greet you, and how they’re awkwardly circling around you. I can’t help but wonder.”  

His voice, sweet as honey, resonated deeply. Though his words should have alarmed her, she found herself oddly comforted.  

“Every day feels like a waste. It pains me to think of you standing here, working tirelessly and dealing with endless customers. I want to storm in, throw you over my shoulder, and take you home.”  

His thumb traced over her eyebrow repeatedly, as if memorizing its shape.  

“I keep wondering how beautifully you must have smiled today, lighting up this cramped pharmacy. And the thought of missing it all feels like an unbearable loss. I’m using every ounce of patience I have just to hold myself back.”  

“…”  

“To be honest, I want to keep you all to myself. I want to lock you away at home, where only I can see you and only I can wait for you. But I’m just pretending to be okay with it.”  

His unwavering gaze met hers. She knew that every word of his intense, almost obsessive confession was genuine. After all, she often felt the same way.  

I want to keep you all to myself. I want you to see only me and wait only for me.  

Leeseo reached out and grabbed his neatly knotted tie. With a firm tug, she pulled it loose from his vest and whispered,  

“For someone pretending, you seem awfully affected down here.”