5.1

Today was Hyunho’s day off.  

For the first time in a while, they visited the studio apartment where she used to live. Since the place had been empty, they aired it out and packed up items she hadn’t been able to take with her during the rushed move. They loaded everything into the car.  

She didn’t think the stalker would still be lurking around the studio apartment, but one could never be too careful. So, they took every precaution to ensure safety. Visiting her own home felt like carrying out a covert operation. Both she and Hyunho covered their faces thoroughly, scanning the surroundings as they quickly entered and exited the apartment.  

It felt absurd to go to such lengths because of one strange person, but she didn’t dwell on it for long.  

What shocked her more was how unfamiliar her own home, which once felt like the most comfortable place in the world, now seemed to her. Without realizing it, she had grown more accustomed to Hyunho and Juhan’s home.  

After loading the car with all the items they had packed, they ended up at a department store because Hyunho wanted to go shopping. Stylish as always, he bought a few summer outfits for himself and then led her to the women’s clothing section.  

“I really don’t need any clothes…”  

“Since we’re here, let’s at least take a look, Yebom.”  

Gently pushing her forward, he guided her steps. She groaned in protest, reluctantly dragged along.  

“I barely leave the house, so I don’t need clothes…”  

“Then let’s buy some for staying at home.”  

“Even at home…”  

She trailed off, thinking she didn’t wear much at home anyway, but couldn’t bring herself to say it.  

“Hmm?”  

When he raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly, she sighed.  

“Let’s just buy something quickly and then go to the food court to pick up something tasty.”  

“……”  

How did he know my weakness for food courts? 

Without a word, she nodded and walked forward of her own accord.  

It had been a long time since she’d gone shopping for clothes, and she found it unexpectedly amusing—not because of the clothes themselves, but because of the situation.  

“Yebom, how about trying this on?”  

“I don’t want to…”  

“Just try it on once, okay?”  

Like a doting mother, Hyunho carefully picked out clothes for her, while she, like a rebellious teenager, refused for no reason. She found it oddly entertaining, enjoying the feeling of being a defiant little brat.  

Still, he managed to push her into the fitting room to try on a few outfits: a summer dress, a T-shirt, and some pants.  

“Oh my, you look so pretty.”  

“Do I look stylish?”  

“You look very stylish.”  

Encouraged by his thumbs-up, she ended up buying a few outfits. Of course, Hyunho paid for them.  

By the time they finished shopping, with bags full of purchases, she looked uncharacteristically tired. On the way to the food court, he glanced down at her and spoke softly.  

“Yebom, you’re starting to resemble Juhan.”  

“……!”  

Was it that bad? 

Shocked, she realized she must have been too bratty.  

“No… Thank you for buying me clothes. I’ll wear them well.”  

She wrapped her arms around his waist, her hands full of shopping bags, and nuzzled her face against him.  

“Hahaha.”  

Laughing softly, he placed a kiss on her hair.  

After filling their bags at the food court as well, they returned home.  

“I should start unpacking.”  

“Want me to help?”  

“No, no. I need to sort through everything as I go, so I’ll do it. You’re off today, so take a break.”  

Since it was her stuff, she preferred to handle it herself. While he told her to call if she needed help and went to shower, she began opening boxes and organizing.  

Although she mostly worked digitally on her tablet when drawing, she occasionally did hand-drawn work, so she had plenty of art supplies. She neatly arranged various paints, colored pencils, and markers in her trolley and drawers. Now she could do hand-drawn work freely again. Humming to herself, she felt a sense of satisfaction.  

Her phone vibrated, and when she checked the screen, it was a call from an “Unknown Caller.”  

“What’s this?”  

She rarely received calls like this. Thinking it might be spam, she considered ignoring it but then remembered the cosmetics company she had recently signed a contract with. She had been lucky enough to get an opportunity to collaborate, drawing illustrations for their packaging. 

Could it be them?

Hastily, she answered the call.  

“Hello?”  

– …….  

“Hello?”  

– …….  

There was no sound from the other end of the line.  

She waited for a moment, but when the caller didn’t hang up, she ended the call herself.  

Guess it wasn’t them. Then who was it?  

A sense of unease crept over her. 

Could it be the stalker?  

She suspected the stalker had obtained her address through an event giveaway. Foolishly, she had included her full address and phone number on the package.  

However, the stalker had never contacted her by phone. If they had, it would have been easier to report them. Instead, they had loitered near her studio apartment and approached her under the pretense of coincidence.  

Was this person meticulous, or had they obtained my address through some other means? Did they know my address but not my phone number?  

And yet, on the very day she visited her studio apartment, she received a call like this….  

“……”  

The anonymous call left her feeling deeply unsettled.  

She stared at her phone, checking for any other messages or calls. There was nothing unusual, and no additional calls came through.  

Maybe it was just spam or a wrong number….  

“Chapssal.”  

She softly petted Chapssal, who had come over to snuggle against her.  

It’s probably nothing. Let’s just finish what I was doing.  

Holding Chapssal, she resumed cleaning and organizing.  

By the time she was done, a light sheen of sweat had formed on the back of her neck. After a trip to the department store and dealing with dust, she decided to take a bath—a perfect way to calm her nerves.  

She filled the large square bathtub in the biggest bathroom of the house. Water poured in from both taps, quickly filling the spacious tub.  

The faintly steamy air carried the comforting scent of warm water. She undressed and sank into the bath, letting out a sigh of relief.  

“Ahhh, this feels so good….”  

The clear water rippled around her chest. Submerged in the water, she emptied her mind, occasionally moving her limbs to feel the gentle resistance of the water.  

Knock, knock. A soft knock came at the door.  

“Yebom, can I come in for a moment?”  

“Huh? Oh, sure.”  

The door opened, and Hyunho entered. Reflexively, she curled up, covering her chest with her arms, then realized how silly it was, considering they’d been intimate.  

“I’m bored. Can I sit with you?”  

“Mm-hmm.”  

When she nodded, he smiled and sat by the edge of the tub. She shifted from her spot in the middle of the tub to sit closer to him. He smelled nice, having just showered.  

“You’re so cute.”  

As he gazed at her face, he smiled. Rolling up his sleeves, he scooped water with his hand and splashed it gently over her body. The soft ripples caressed her collarbone. With his wet hand, he touched her face and tucked her hair behind her ear.  

“You’re like a little seal, Yebom.”  

“A seal?”  

Juhan had compared her to a dog, and now Hyunho was calling her a seal.  

She loosened the arms that had been covering her chest, splashed her face with water, and playfully pretended to bite Hyunho’s shoulder. When he burst into laughter, she couldn’t help but laugh along. Being with him always made her want to tease him. Perhaps it was because he was so calm and accepting of whatever she did.  

She wanted to splash him with water, but since he had just showered, she refrained from getting his clothes wet. Instead, she settled for splashing water on his already damp arm. Splash, splash—as expected, Hyunho simply let her antics slide, laughing quietly.  

Suddenly, his gaze fell on her body. Following his line of sight, she looked down and saw her figure refracted through the clear water. Even though the water distorted her shape, its transparency made her blush, and she instinctively curled up.  

“Don’t look…”  

“Why not?”  

Hyunho kept laughing. His handsome face only made her feel more self-conscious.  

To be fair, after all the times they’d been intimate, it wasn’t like it mattered if he looked. Shrugging it off, she uncrossed her arms and sat comfortably. Taking his hand, she placed it on her chest, letting him touch her. He examined her hand with a tender expression, as if he couldn’t help himself, then grimaced slightly.  

“With these tiny hands, you draw so well.”  

“Hehe.”  

His words embarrassed her, but they made her happy. With his other hand, Hyunho gently scooped water and let it run over her body.  

In the misty bathroom, where the steam blurred the air like a soft haze, the sound of water echoed gently. Their eyes met, and she parted her lips slightly. Smiling, he leaned in for a kiss.  

Tilting his head, he pressed his lips against hers, their tongues intertwining slowly. Perhaps because they were in the bath, the kiss felt more moist and humid than usual. Holding his hand tightly, she let their soft bodies entwine as they kissed deeply.  

His hand, which had been creating ripples in the water, reached out and touched her chest. He caressed and kneaded her br*asts, which were submerged in water below and exposed above. The sensation was unique due to the transparent water. Despite the layer of water between them, it felt as if their skin was even closer together.  

Her skin, now soaked from being in the water for so long, felt plump under his fingers. He pinched her n*pple lightly, eliciting a moan.  

“Mm…”  

The gentle twisting and rubbing of her n*pple sent waves of pleasure through her.