CHAPTER 17 – Affair (Part 4)

“Take the seaweed soup with you.”

Dojun’s voice interrupted Seoyeon’s reminiscence. He gestured with his chin at the disposable tray beside her.

Two seaweed soups and one abalone porridge. That was the menu Dojun had ordered. Having finished the abalone porridge, the untouched seaweed soup was left. After swallowing the porridge in her mouth, Seoyeon replied to Dojun.

“No, I’m okay.”

“I’m not going to eat it anyway, so take it.”

Dojun’s expression was nonchalant as he spoke. It was as if he was saying, ‘If you leave it here, I’ll just throw it away, so you should just take it and eat it.’

“No, thank you.”

Seoyeon shook her head. Sleeping with Dojun tonight wasn’t something she regretted, but being remembered as the woman who packed up the leftover seaweed soup… That would surely make her cringe whenever she thought about it.

“Then don’t.”

Dojun glanced at his phone again. Seoyeon put down her spoon, leaving half the porridge unfinished. Her stomach was adequately full, and her body was growing increasingly weary. She also wanted to go home.

“Are you done eating?”

“Yes.”

Upon Seoyeon’s words, Dojun also put down his spoon. He picked something up from the basket on one side of the table and offered it to Seoyeon.

“Dessert.”

Seoyeon instinctively reached out and took it. It was a caramel wrapped in thin paper.

***

Dojun roughly tidied up the table. It wasn’t much of a tidy up, just closing the lid and putting it back into the shopping bag, but Seoyeon managed to grab her phone and bag in the meantime.

She stood in the living room, trying to figure out when to say goodbye. Dojun, who had washed his hands at the sink, turned around to dry them with a towel.

“Thanks for the meal.”

Seoyeon said as she clasped the bag together with both hands. Just as she was about to say goodbye, Dojun stepped into the living room and said,

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll drive you, so wait.”

As Dojun seemed to be preparing to leave, Seoyeon called out to him as he headed towards the master bedroom.

“No, it’s okay.”

Dojun turned his head at Seoyeon’s words. Seeing Seoyeon holding her bag, he chuckled and said,

“You’re always saying you’re okay, Miss Yoon Seoyeon.”

“Really, it’s fine. Taking a taxi is more convenient for me.”

Seoyeon said calmly. The time of yearning for each other had passed. Offering kindness and receiving it were now both tiring affairs. They were also meaningless.

“Well then, I’ll be going now.”

She gave a light bow, but Dojun was staring at her intently. It was the same gaze she had seen when they had been intimate. The eyes she had desperately gazed into. In that moment, she vividly remembered how he had looked at her, and her heart fluttered. Seoyeon found herself involuntarily lowering her gaze.

“I had intended to see you off…”

Dojun interrupted, then chuckled softly. Wondering what he was trying to say, Seoyeon looked up. Dojun stroked his chin with his fingertips, looking a little troubled.

“But that doesn’t seem to be working out.”

With a light sigh, Dojun blinked slowly. In a snap, his expression changed.

“I…”

Seoyeon didn’t even know what she was trying to say. Dojun’s gaze had changed, and just that made her feel breathless.

So she just opened her mouth, as if she had to say something, anything. Before she could continue, Dojun cupped Seoyeon’s face. He tilted her head down, pulling her closer.

It was just a light touch of lips. Surprised by the unexpected kiss, Seoyeon stiffened with her eyes wide open. Dojun’s gaze, askew, swept over her eyes. A warm sensation spread across her face from his gaze.

With their lips touching, Dojun tilted his head. He stared at Seoyeon with narrow eyes, one hand gripping her chin and the other pulling her waist closer. Dojun’s tongue slid into Seoyeon’s mouth like a probing serpent.

His tongue tasted like rich caramel. So sweet that her shoulders slumped. The light flick of his tongue sent shivers down her spine.

“No, I…”

Im tired. I’m exhausted. No more, I can’t do this anymore.

As she was pushed back by Dojun, Seoyeon took a step back and thought. Perhaps she hadn’t said it out loud, but some words came out as sounds, others were swallowed by his lips. Then, as Dojun’s tongue delved deep and explored, everything seemed to fade away into the distance.

As thoughts blurred like misty moisture, muffled sounds kept flowing out. It felt like hot sensations were running down her lower abdomen every time their tongues tangled and wet sounds echoed in her ears.

How could this be happening?

As everything seemed to fade away, Seoyeon thought. She had thought she had completely burnt out, so how could this be happening again? It felt more intense and fervent than the first time. The once-opened floodgate was now opening again at a rapid pace.

The kiss continued as she stumbled backwards, then leaned against the wall, then was lifted and carried somewhere else. Feeling her back against the cool leather, Seoyeon briefly regained her senses.

“Wait… Please…”

Seoyeon found herself lying on the sofa, with Dojun hovering over her. Her blouse was pushed up.

Dojun looked down at her in that state. The bright light from the living room cast shadows over his face, making Seoyeon’s eyes sting.

“I told you I’ll leave.”

Dojun chuckled at the feeble excuse. His laughter made Seoyeon’s lower abdomen tingle. After briefly scanning her face, he grabbed her chest and spoke.

“So?”

You want me to stop?

Dojun’s gaze questioned. His hand gripping her chest moved gently. His index finger lightly touched around the apex, tracing circles. The tip of her chest stood er*ect as if asking to be touched.

Dojun looked at her, as if asking if he should stop. Her eyelashes trembled. Receiving no response from Seoyeon, Dojun lowered his head and nibbled her chest.

Hah. 

Seoyeon’s head tilted back. The night was beginning again.

***

When Seoyeon woke up, the room was shrouded in darkness. She could feel Dojun’s warmth behind her.

The events of last night flashed briefly through her mind. Once on the sofa. Then again on the bed with her body still raised. In the final climax, her whole body had gone limp, and she had closed her eyes.

The last thing she remembered was Dojun going down under the bed and covering her with the sheet, and the rest was a blur.

Seoyeon gently turned her body to look at Dojun. He was deeply asleep, his breaths even.

What time is it?

Looking at the clock on the bedside table, it was 5 o’clock. Seoyeon gasped and pushed herself out of bed. Her legs throbbed and her stomach rumbled as she landed on her feet, but she took a deep breath and pushed herself up.

Dojun seemed to have tidied up a bit. Her clothes and purse were on the sofa table. The half-empty water bottle, the scattered clothes, the bag and phone next to them, and the TV remote control thrown askew – the sluggish trail of Dojun’s movements after their lovemaking was visible.

Seoyeon put on her clothes, grabbed her handbag, and slipped on her shoes as quietly as possible. It was dawn. As she quietly slipped out of the darkened house, the villa’s spacious garden was covered in white snow. Seoyeon raised her phone and called for a taxi.

“It’s Hannam-dong Forest Town. Yes, building 111.”

The taxi would arrive in about 5 minutes. Thinking she should go to her family’s house in Yangpyeong after getting some rest, Seoyeon leaned against the cold wall of the underground parking lot.