CHAPTER 17 – Affair (Part 3)

The thorough ravaging of her body only ended when Seoyeon was utterly spent. She winced as she felt him slip out of her, as deep as he could go.

Before she could even think about the heaviness of his body on top of her, he pushed himself up and slid off the bed. Left alone in bed, Seoyeon could do nothing but breathe.

She lay there like a corpse, feeling the burst of light slowly fade. The pounding that had reverberated through her body was gradually subsiding. Slowly, she opened and closed her eyes, and Dojun came into view.

Dojun tied up the condom filled with s*men and casually tossed it into the trash bin. He walked lazily towards the bathroom, wrapping a towel around himself. Slowly sweeping up his disheveled hair, he left the room.

Seoyeon looked away, as if she’d seen the other side of him-something all too real. It felt even weirder when she could still feel the foreign object twitching inside.

“Drink some water.”

Dojun said, offering her a glass filled with water. Seoyeon didn’t want to lift a finger, but she scraped the last of her strength to the floor and pushed herself up. Sitting up, leaning back against the head of the bed, she took the glass from him.

“Thank you.”

With that, Dojun turned to look at her. Seoyeon drank the water, feeling his gaze on her.

I can’t imagine this being any more awkward than it already is.

Seoyeon thought as she drank her water. If anything, it was even more awkward and uncomfortable than before they had tangled their bodies together.

Fleeting desire. Fleeting pleasure. And the coming unfamiliarity. Seoyeon set the glass down on the bedside table and told Dojun.

“I want to get dressed.”

It was a polite way of asking him to leave. Dojun chuckled. She understood exactly what that chuckle meant. After all they had done just moments ago, it felt oddly awkward. That’s what Dojun’s expression conveyed.

But Seoyeon wasn’t someone accustomed to such things, and she didn’t think she ever would be. Now that she was back to her senses, she didn’t feel bold enough to nonchalantly show her n*ked body and put on clothes.

Dojun bent down and began picking up Seoyeon’s clothes. Blouses, slacks, bras and panties. He gathered them up from where they were scattered all over the floor and placed them on the bed.

“Take your time getting cleaned up, I”ll be in the living room.”

Dojun said, leaving her clothes on the bed. Seoyeon felt a surge of reluctance at the thought of having to use the bathroom after they had s*x.

Turning his body, Dojun left. Only when she heard the door close behind him did she let out a long breath. 

What should I do now? 

It felt even more awkward after than before they had done it.

After washing up and getting dressed, Seoyeon came out to the living room. The evening sky, which had been cloudy for some time, was now pitch black.

Dojun, who had been sitting on the sofa watching his tablet, looked up as Seoyeon entered. He was now dressed in comfortable pants and a knit shirt, having presumably taken a shower. He looked at her blouse and her still-damp hair, then spoke to her.

“I ordered dinner, so let’s eat before you leave.”

“No, thank you.”

“It’s porridge and seaweed soup.”

“I’m fine.”

“Eat before you go.”

Dojun’s face showed that he wouldn’t entertain any opposing opinions. It reminded her of a similar moment they had shared before. Seoyeon thought back to the day she ate jajangmyeon and tangsuyuk. The man in front of her was the one who asked her to eat one more time after she finished her dinner.

“What if I don’t want to eat?”

“It’ll be food waste.”

She saw the sight of neatly disposing it into the trash can. As she pondered what to do, the doorbell rang.

Dojun opened the front door and brought in the shopping bags. He took out the disposable containers containing food and placed them on the table. The scent of fragrant sesame oil and the aroma of salted seaweed soup permeated Seoyeon’s nose.

“Have a seat.”

Abalone porridge and sea urchin seaweed soup, it was too much.

For Seoyeon, who loved Korean food, it was an excessively harsh menu. Even the finely colored radish kimchi looked refreshing. As if responding to the food, her stomach gurgled as it settled, making a sound.

Come to think of it, she skipped lunch too. All she had eaten all day was a glass of lemon-scented water Dojun had given her. Maybe her body is so weak because she hasn’t eaten anything.

“I’ll just eat a little then.”

Surrendering to the smell and hunger, Seoyeon pulled out a chair at the table and sat down. A vaguely amused expression crossed Dojun’s face. She scooped up a mouthful of abalone porridge, still steaming hot, and popped it into her mouth. The heat seeped into her stomach, warming her insides.

“Is it good?”

“It’s delicious.”

Dojun nodded at Seoyeon’s words.

“Secretary Kang’s mother makes good abalone porridge.”

Seoyeon looked at Dojun with wide eyes. 

This is abalone porridge made by the secretary’s mother? On a Friday evening? For me?

Dojun casually picked up a spoonful of rice with seaweed soup and ate it. Rolling it up and taking a bite, he said to Seoyeon.

“Eat it before it gets cold.”

“Surely not because of me….”

Dojun looked at Seoyeon with an expression that seemed to say, “Who else could it be because of?” 

Embarrassed and disbelieving, Seoyeon looked back and forth between the abalone porridge and Dojun.

“You’re so innocent.”

Dojun chuckled and said. 

I can’t believe you believe that.

“I ordered it from a store.”

Seoyeon glared at him in disbelief. Dojun laughed and scooped up his seaweed soup.

Honestly, if she weren’t so hungry, she’d leave. But the porridge is delicious, really. Seoyeon glared at Dojun with determination and then picked up her spoon.

The meal proceeded quietly. Neither Seoyeon eating the abalone porridge nor  Dojun, who was mixing rice into the seaweed soup, said much. Only the occasional clink of a knife or the sound of a glass of water being set down.

Dojun ate while glancing at his phone from time to time. It was a nonchalant attitude, a relaxed manner, and he always seemed to be the kind of person who would eat like that, regardless of whether anyone was in front of him or not.

Perhaps that’s why Seoyeon didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable in this situation. It would be a lie to say she was comfortable being face to face with someone with whom she had just been intimate, but she was able to eat more calmly than she had expected.

“Do you like water kimchi?”

After spooning up the soup from the radish kimchi several times in a row, Dojun asked. It might have been because it was refreshing and settling, that’s why her hand reached out for it.

“Yes.”

In response to Seoyeon’s answer, Dojun pushed the plate of kimchi towards her. Then he returned to looking at his phone, continuing his meal.

Seoyeon also took another bite of the abalone porridge and chewed slowly. Although she was eating porridge as if nothing had happened, her movements were slower than usual. It wasn’t the same.

Even though the medicine had brought down her fever, she was not in normal condition, and there was a dull sensation lingering between her legs. Every time she lifted the spoon, her n*pple would ache a little.

“Are you very uncomfortable?”

Dojun asked. Seoyeon just looked at him, not sure if he was talking about her physical condition or the current situation.

“Your body. You look tired.”

Dojun clarified his meaning.

“No, no. I’m fine.”

With body aches, cold medicine, and the passionate intimacy, feeling alright was the strange thing, but it wasn’t something to make a fuss about or complain bitterly about. It was just tiring.

Dojun nodded and picked up his spoon again. Suddenly, the day they had eaten sweet and sour pork together came to mind. Even then, Dojun hadn’t said much. They just had a meal.

It occurred to her then that the two were very different people with very different styles. Sehyun enjoyed chatting throughout the meal. Stories of meeting someone, stories from work, stories about the menu of the day.

What wine from what year, what milk from what province, what butter and cheese processed in a special way. The liquor pairings and why they were chosen. Ingredients that were specially flown in from the farm.

At the time, she hadn’t realized how tiring that had been, but looking back, she felt exhausted the whole time.