Chapter 10.5

Yooheon still couldn’t quite believe it, and even after two months of living together, he remained excited.

“Oppa.”

“Yeah, want some more rice?”

“I said you don’t need to make breakfast. You don’t even eat breakfast yourself, so why do you always make me eat…”

“I’m fine even if I skip breakfast because I’m strong, but you’re not, Seo-hwa.”

“What’s wrong with my stamina…”

“Do you really not know? You cried yesterday in bed saying it was too much for you.”

“No, that was… It was tough, that’s all.”

Usually, Seo-hwa skipped breakfast because it made her feel bloated until lunchtime, but faced with Yooheon’s happy expression as he set the table, she couldn’t help but pick up her spoon without complaint.

Yooheon would rest his chin in his hand and watch Seo-hwa eat for a long time before heading out to work. Sometimes, he would quietly approach, bury his face in the nape of her neck, and savor her scent. Whenever he did that, Seo-hwa would gently stroke his back, letting him hold her quietly, as if recharging his energy.

“Seo-hwa, I washed your handkerchief.”

“So?”

“Wet it for me again.”

“……”

“Should we go to bed now? I only need five minutes of touching before you finish.”

Yooheon whispered, licking the curve of her ear from behind again. Breathing into her ear had become Yooheon’s habit. His damp words were sly. The man who had warmed her ear scattered a mischievous laugh.

“I told you to stop making those jokes.”

“Honey, does this seem like a joke?”

“……”

“I need it for my peace of mind. There are too many stinky guys at work.”

“Still, that’s a bit much.”

“Then why don’t you come to my office? If I keep you by my side, I could work even better.”

“You wouldn’t just keep me by your side, you’d sit me on your lap.”

“Ah, you’re cute.”

“What is?”

“You read my mind. It makes my heart flutter.”

Yooheon lowered his eyes and rubbed his cheek against hers again. Seo-hwa shivered and laughed awkwardly.

“Just hold back for today. Tonight, mm, I’ll let you have your way.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re late. Hurry and get to work. I have to go out too.”

Seo-hwa covered her heated neck with her palm, swallowing the warmth.

“This is when you’re supposed to say “don’t go,” Honey.”

“If I say “don’t go,” you really won’t leave.”

“You know me too well.”

When she nudged him to hurry up and go, Yooheon finally started walking, as if he had no choice. In the past, no matter what Seo-hwa said, Yooheon would have started getting physical right away, but he was gradually changing.

“I’ll come straight to the cafe after work.”

At his slightly withdrawn answer, Seo-hwa quickly nodded. Yooheon, looking regretful, pressed his lips to both of Seo-hwa’s cheeks and straightened his wrinkled shirt. Seo-hwa looked at him with proud eyes and fixed his crooked tie.

“Do your best today. I love you.”

She whispered, rising on her tiptoes for a final time. Yooheon’s eyes widened for a moment.

“You’re really cruel, you know.”

“……”

“Ha, how am I supposed to wait until tonight?”

Yooheon laughed and ran his hand through his hair. He adjusted himself, casting a longing glance her way. Even as he touched her fingertips with a pitiful look, Seo-hwa firmly pushed him toward the door.

* * *

Yooheon’s habit of seeking Seo-hwa’s embrace throughout the day hadn’t changed, but lately, Yooheon at least made an effort to show he was trying.

Cafe work surprisingly suited Seo-hwa, and she expressed her desire to keep working in that field. Unexpectedly, Yooheon agreed without protest.

The first job Yooheon arranged for Seo-hwa was at a cafe in front of the Daeam Hotel. He wanted her to work at a cafe near his office so he could see her anytime, but after witnessing troublesome men trying to approach her, he couldn’t stand it and refused to leave her there.

He gently tried to persuade her to rest at home, hoping she’d agree for his own sake, but when Seo-hwa insisted on working outside, Yooheon finally set up a small cafe just for her.

The interior of the cafe was filled only with Seo-hwa’s tastes. The subtle scent of coffee, pretty flowering plants, and shelves packed with books lined one wall. On the white walls hung paintings Seo-hwa had admired when she and Yooheon visited an exhibition together. She hadn’t meant it as a request, but Yooheon gifted her the paintings as an opening present.

That day, seeing Seo-hwa’s eyes redden with joy, Yooheon found himself captivated.

He thought how wonderful it would be if he could be the only one to admire that beautiful face.

He wanted to keep her at home, but knew that if he didn’t allow her this much freedom, she might slip away somewhere. So Yooheon stepped back a little, hoping that as much as he endured, Seo-hwa would cherish him in return.

After work, Yooheon’s steps always led him to that place.

“Is the work okay? It’s different from working at the cafe in front of the company, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s definitely different. When I was a part-timer, I liked it when there were fewer customers, but now…”

“Now?”

“I’m worried. There are so few customers. Is my coffee really that bad…”

“How few are we talking?”

“Maybe twenty people a day, at most.”

“Really?”

The cafe Yooheon set up was in a secluded spot where few people passed by. It was obvious he’d chosen a location where customers would be scarce, but Seo-hwa only felt grateful and apologetic.

“…I’m sorry. I said I wanted to work, and you even set up a cafe for me.”

Thanks to Yooheon’s investment, this cafe became much more than just a workplace for Seo-hwa. This cozy space, filled only with things she loved, felt incredibly special. Even the interior and the smallest items on the menu were all chosen by her.

When she was inside that space, Seo-hwa felt an indescribable sense of calm and comfort. Especially when Yooheon was there with her.

She wanted to show results to repay the man who had given her such a gift, but whenever things didn’t go well and her mood sank, Yooheon would comfort her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and whispering kindly.

“It’s okay. If it’s too hard, you can quit whenever you want.”

“……”

“I do think you’re pretty when you work hard, but honestly, I like it much more when you just make coffee for me.”

Standing before the man who encouraged her, Seo-hwa felt her nose sting again. She always felt small before Yooheon, but he loved even that part of her, making it seem like nothing at all.

“I want to earn money on my own. If I make money…”

Seo-hwa, who had been speaking quietly, suddenly brightened as if she’d just remembered something.

“Ah, Oppa, is there anything you want?”

“You.”

Yooheon, as always, answered without hesitation, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. When Seo-hwa heard the expected answer, she shook her head and asked again.

“No, not me. Something you really want. Not me—something material.”

“Material?”

“Yeah, something.”

“Your handkerchief with your scent on it?”

Seo-hwa was left speechless by his shameless reply. Still not fully used to his embarrassing words and actions, she blushed, and Yooheon lowered his head as if he’d been waiting for that reaction.

“W-wait, this is a cafe.”

“There aren’t any customers. There won’t be, either.”

“…How can you say something so harsh?”

“Look on the bright side. Since there’s no one here, we can do things like this. Isn’t that great?”

Yooheon pulled her waist from behind, pressing his lower body against her and brushing his lips against her ear. As he rubbed himself against her hips, Seo-hwa quickly tried to change the subject to break the increasingly intimate atmosphere.

“Right. There was a girl I worked with at my old cafe. Her name’s Minyoung.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Yooheon didn’t stop, nibbling on her ear. As Seo-hwa continued talking, he kept breathing warmly over her ear and the nape of her neck.

“Mm, since I opened the cafe, Minyoung said she wants to work here too, but as you know, there aren’t enough customers for more staff. So I told her it’s not possible…”

“Let her do it.”

“Really? Is that okay?”

Just as Seo-hwa was wondering why Yooheon was so easily allowing someone else to get close to her—

“That way, I can spend even more time with you.”