SIDE STORY 3

Dojun took Seoyeon’s hand and led her into the Korean restaurant. They headed towards the private dining room tucked away in the back. Seoyeon stepped up onto the threshold and removed her sandals. The table was neatly set with the ordered dishes.

“The food is already out?”

Knowing this was a course dinner, the table was laid with not just the welcome dish and main course, but also side dishes and dessert.

“I didn’t want to be interrupted.”

Dojun replied as he closed the sliding door. With the door shut, they were left alone in the well-appointed space. Unless summoned, the staff would not open the door.

“Did you order based on what you thought I’d choose?”

Seoyeon said, taking a seat by the kongbap (rice with seasoned herbs). Across from her was the much-anticipated yukhoe bibimbap (raw beef bibimbap).

“The main is grilled flatfish, and the side is kongbap. It’s obvious.”

Dojun said as he sat across from her. Seoyeon clicked her tongue and gave him a slight side-eye. Dojun sometimes saw right through her, and when it came to food, he was always spot-on.

“You’re just as predictable, Dojun.”

Hwang Dojun is one with consistent tastes. The main dish was grilled beef ribeye and the side dish was yukhoe bibimbap. So meat-centric. Dojun stares at Seoyeon as she picks up her chopsticks with a sour expression.

“What?”

At Seoyeon’s question, Dojun just chuckled without responding.

“Eat.”

As Seoyeon shyly said this, Dojun pushed off the floor and moved to sit beside her. Seoyeon couldn’t bring herself to ask why he had done that. She couldn’t meet his gaze as he leaned in closer.

“It’s been a week, and you want to eat first?”

Dojun whispered near her lips, his downcast eyes crinkling in a slight smile. Seoyeon’s heart was pounding. These were the same lips she had kissed countless times, the same eyes she had looked into so often, yet today her heart was racing for some reason. Unable to meet his eyes, she turned her head.

“But we’re in a restaurant.”

The words came out with her face flushed, barely more than a mumble. Dojun pulled Seoyeon’s waist closer and cupped her cheek with one hand.

“That’s why I closed the door.”

If only they could just dive into a kiss, her heart might not be pounding so much. With their faces so close, Dojun refusing to break eye contact made Seoyeon’s face grow ever redder.

“Can’t you at least greet me after being away for a week?”

“Let’s just eat.”

Seoyeon said, pretending to push Dojun away. Her face felt hot, as if she had already done something, even though they hadn’t. Dojun caught her hand, interlacing their fingers, and leaned in.

The mere touch of their lips sent a tingling sensation through her whole body. Dojun embraced her firmly. Seoyeon leaned into him, parting her lips. As his tongue swept in, a shiver ran through her core.

Dojun’s solid body, his powerful strength, his tender gaze – these were the things that had helped her escape reality. Though she had denied it in words, the truth was that she had dearly missed Dojun’s embrace these past seven days.

The kiss did not last long. As Dojun pulled back, he lightly ran his fingers through Seoyeon’s hair and gave a small smile. Beneath the smile, Seoyeon could sense the smoldering heat. Stroking Seoyeon’s forehead, Dojun sighed.

“You need to eat.”

He swiftly returned to his own seat, as if he had just taken a step across. Seoyeon’s fists instinctively clenched, wanting to hold onto him. The urge to be held longer, tighter, overwhelmed her. The brief kiss had not quenched her thirst.

Unable to suppress those feelings, Seoyeon licked her lips and looked at Dojun. Seeing him reach for the grilled ribeye, bypassing the appetizers, she hesitated. Dojun asked,

“Why?”

Her face flushed as she couldn’t bring herself to say, “Hold me. Tighter. Longer.” She had never begged for such things in a place other than the bedroom. Swallowing hard, she looked at Dojun.

“Is it because you missed it?”

Dojun asked, chuckling teasingly. Normally, Seoyeon would have suppressed those feelings and picked up her chopsticks, saying no. But today had been an exhausting day. Dojun was more essential to her than the elaborate dishes on the table.

“Yes.”

At Seoyeon’s response, Dojun’s chopsticks paused in midair. A sound that was neither a laugh nor a sigh escaped from his throat. The atmosphere in the room immediately grew tense.

“More…”

Seoyeon trailed off, biting her lip. Dojun’s gaze pierced through her. Seeing him waiting for her next words, Seoyeon slowly opened her mouth.

“I want you to hold me.”

Dojun, seeing Seoyeon’s flushed face, chuckled deeply and ran his fingers through his hair. He let out a heavy sigh and glanced towards the window before looking back at her. His smoldering gaze made her lips go dry. With that intense look, he spoke.

“Get up.”

As he said this, Dojun stood up. His large hand reached out towards her. With a fluttering heart, Seoyeon grasped his hand.

Dojun led Seoyeon into the elevator and pressed the button for the 8th floor, where the front desk was located. There was no need to go further – he was clearly intending to book a room at the Hanseong Hotel.

“Don’t you want to?”

Dojun asked, seeing Seoyeon’s gaze linger on the button. Several thoughts flashed through her mind. This was the place where her workplace was, where people who knew her were, a place where gossip could spread. If possible, she wanted to remain Yoon Seoyeon, the manager at Heritage, rather than just Hwang Dojun’s fiancée.

“No, it’s fine.”

Dojun’s hand felt scorching hot. Today, she didn’t want to let go of this hand, even for a moment. So Seoyeon decided to push aside the potential issues for now. What mattered most was this moment.

The embarrassing process of checking in passed by. The front desk staff greeted them politely as Dojun calmly registered and got a room number. Their gazes kept flickering towards the two of them, but Seoyeon consciously ignored it all as they headed to the room.

Click.

The heavy door closed behind them. Even before inserting the key, Dojun pulled Seoyeon into the dim room and embraced her. Finally, they were alone. Seoyeon tightly wrapped her arms around his neck. She could feel his burning body heat through the thin fabric of her dress.

“I wonder what happened.”

Seoyeon was more aggressive than usual, and Dojun wrapped his hands around her face. Her heart ached at the earnestness in his gaze – she felt an overwhelming desire to be childishly demanding.

I’m having a hard time being your fiancée, but I like you so much, so I’m trying to put up with it.

She knew this was a fortunate complaint. He had given her a golden opportunity, and she was grumbling about the weight of it. Swallowing her wistful remarks, she tightly wrapped her arms around him.

Gazing into his eyes, she rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. She poured all her longing into the kiss. Dojun pulled Seoyeon’s waist closer.

“More than I thought.”

Seoyeon said as she broke the kiss, her voice trembling with emotion.

“I missed you so much.”

Dojun did not smile. Instead, he looked down at her for an uncomfortably long time. Finally, he spoke.

“What do you want me to do?”

With the dusk sky behind him, Dojun looked even larger and more solid. As his downcast eyes roamed over Seoyeon, her lower abdomen instinctively tightened. She spoke in a quivering voice.

“Hold me.”

Tighter. Stronger. Longer.

Dojun’s thumb slowly traced Seoyeon’s lips. Aching, she reached up and threaded her fingers deep into his hair. He responded by lowering his head, their lips meeting. Their mingling breaths left her feeling dizzy.

As Dojun’s tongue deeply entwined with hers, his hand slipped under her dress. The fingers probing between her bare legs made Seoyeon hold her breath for a moment. Detecting the dampness in her underwear, a short laugh escaped Dojun.

“So, so ready…”

“It’s because of you.”

Seoyeon said, burying her face in shame, her neck flushed crimson. Dojun’s eyes grew heated as he let out a humorless chuckle.

“You’re driving me crazy.”

Dojun murmured, lifting Seoyeon up. The night would soon be distorted.

* * *

When Seoyeon emerged from the bathroom, a spread of warm dishes was laid out on the living room table. She thought about the absurd amount of money wasted today – the over 100,000 won dinner course left untouched, the suite room booked, the lavish room service spread. 

Dojun said they weren’t going to spend the whole night here, just a short stay before heading back home. Seoyeon has to go to work tomorrow and doesn’t have a change of clothes.

“Eat before you go home.”

Dojun said, handing her a spoon.

“Um…”

“Yes?”

“Even if you don’t work here anymore, you still get an employee discount or something, right?”

Dojun laughed at the unexpected comment.

“If that’s you trying to be cute, it worked.”

No, that’s not it. 

Coming to her senses, she just felt bad about the money. But Seoyeon didn’t voice that out loud. As she took a bite of the crab fried rice, Dojun picked up a hamburger, saying,

“How about October 24th?”

“For what?”

“The wedding.”

Seoyeon swallowed the rice in her mouth.

“If everything goes well, we’ll do it then.”

October, November, and December – Mi-seon had mentioned getting a date picked for one of those months. October would be the earliest.

“But October is only two months away.”

Her head was spinning with all the things that needed to be done, but Dojun said,

“Let’s just get it over with quickly.”

Dojun put down the hamburger and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Looking at the slightly dazed Seoyeon, he reached out and gently wiped the corner of her mouth.

“As soon as possible.”

The longing in his eyes said he just wanted to be with her more. Watching the man habitually cupping her cheek, Seoyeon thought, 

Ah, yes. Perhaps that would be better. If we get everything done quickly, then it will just be the two of us after that.

“Okay, let’s do it then.” 

Seoyeon smiled and responded to Dojun.