Chapter 23

“Noona, you too, make sure you eat properly and take care of yourself, even when things are hard.”

“You…. What hard times could I possibly have now?”

“Noona, remember this no matter what. No matter what happens, you have me. I’ll protect you no matter what. So if anything happens, you have to trust me and lean on me, okay?”

“Jiho, what do you mean by that….”

At Jiho’s overly grave words, her tear-wet eyes widened into circles.

The two men, who had given them a little time to say goodbye, now approached Jiho as if they could not delay any longer.

“Uh, Noona. I guess I have to go now.”

Jiho’s voice turned urgent.

The tears that had briefly stopped began streaming down again.

With a pained expression, Jiho pulled Seoyun into a tight embrace.

“Call often. Study hard. Jiho, you have to stay healthy.”

“You too, Noona. Don’t lose heart, and live proudly. No matter what anyone says, you’re the most precious person in the world to me.”

“H-hngh……”

At Jiho’s final words, her sobs finally broke loose.

It was so painful because it felt as though he knew all too well the position she was in, newly married and already holding herself in, watching everyone’s moods.

Jiho wiped away Seoyun’s tears, then bit his lip and turned around.

Even though he knew Seoyun was standing there crying with both hands over her face, he did not look back.

Because even if he did, there was nothing he could do for her.

His heart scattered like a sheet of paper torn into ten thousand pieces.

The men walked on either side of Jiho, moving forward in silence.

Because other people were around, they walked naturally, but in truth it was no different from being escorted under guard.

If Jiho showed even the slightest sign of doing something different, it was obvious his arms would be seized at once.

After passing through departure control and entering the duty-free zone, the men led Jiho to a lounge.

And there, sitting with one leg crossed over the other and leisurely drinking coffee, was Ijun.

“Did you say goodbye to your sister properly?”

Ijun smiled at Jiho, who had no choice but to sit across from him.

But there was no smile in his eyes at all.

“You really must be famous. The professor at Stanford apparently heard about you and cheered in delight.”

“……”

“California is a good place. Get some sunshine, maybe learn to surf, and clear your head. And don’t think about trying any tricks.”

There was no way Jiho could fail to understand the warning pressed heavily between the lines of those offhand, easygoing words.

Without answering, Jiho glared at Ijun.

“Do you even know how many people I’ve assigned to just one person like you? In places you can see and places you can’t. Remember that there are dozens of eyes on you.”

“My sister…. Don’t let even a single hair on her head be harmed.”

At the words Jiho ground out between his teeth, Ijun gave a short laugh.

“How scary. I told you, didn’t I? It all depends on you.”

As though he had said all there was to say, Ijun uncrossed his legs and rose from his seat.

“Study hard, Brother-in-law. I hope you enjoy your trip.”

With one hand lifted in farewell, Ijun left the lounge without a trace of reluctance.

The past few months.

It felt as though the problem that had been making his insides churn like a fever had finally, for the moment, been brought to an end.

In the process, he had been forced to make an unexpected decision, and had ended up becoming husband and wife with Song Seoyun.

As he had told Jiho, he bore no ill will toward Seoyun.

He had merely chosen the most certain method.

So he did not feel sorry toward her, nor was he completely indifferent to her.

Even Ijun himself could not define what he felt toward Song Seoyun.

They were not clear emotions, but there were many faint, indistinct feelings.

They were like a scene viewed outside a window on a day of heavy rain, something impossible to see with any sharpness.

Still, now that they were married, he intended to fulfill his role faithfully as her husband for as long as they lived as husband and wife.

That was what he believed to be the natural course, and what was right.

No matter how long that period might last.

***

On the day they arrived, London was under a steady drizzle.

Even though it was supposed to be one of the best times of year to travel, the fairly heavy rain made the weather feel bleak.

Because Ijun already had meetings scheduled with expatriate employees, several attendants had accompanied them on the honeymoon, and among them Assistant Manager Ahn Jimin had been assigned the task of attending solely to Seoyun.

But because of the weather, it was not easy even to look around the area.

There was no choice but to spend the time at the hotel.

“Tomorrow, I don’t have any schedule until before dinner, so let’s go around and see a few tourist spots together.”

“All right. The weather’s bad, so please be careful on your way.”

“Okay. You must be tired from the flight, so get some rest. Or go have afternoon tea with Assistant Manager Ahn. This hotel is quite famous for that.”

Ijun did not look especially apologetic, but he spoke to her gently.

In the few days between finishing the wedding and coming on their honeymoon, Seoyun too had, awkwardly at least, become able to treat Ijun like a husband.

After Ijun left, following Chief Hyeon, who had come to escort him to the room, Seoyun told Assistant Manager Ahn to return to her room and rest as well.

More than an afternoon tea set, what she wanted first was simply to rest a little.

Was it because she had been left all alone in the old-fashioned room at the Ritz Hotel, said to be the most famous in London?

It felt as though all the tension and fatigue that had built up until now were rushing over her at once in this unfamiliar place.

After showering in hot water and lying down on the large bed carved with delicate patterns, her stiff body gradually loosened.

“Ahh……”

Seoyun let out a breath like a sigh and closed her eyes.

The detached house where Ijun had been living had become their newlywed home.

It was the very place where Seoyun had first met Ijun.

Back then, she had never dreamed that she would one day be living in that house herself.

Nothing had happened in the newlywed home before they came on the honeymoon.

Myeonguk and Miho, who stayed in the main house, asked nothing of Seoyun either.

No formal greetings, no meals together.

If anything, it seemed as though they had no interest at all in the life the two of them had newly begun.

And so Seoyun had no choice but to grow even more tense and withdrawn.

On the other hand, Ijun was kind to Seoyun.

He left early and returned late, saying there was much he had to take care of before the honeymoon, but she did not feel that he was ignoring her or turning away from her.

When he left for work, she sometimes prepared his shirt and tie for him, and when she made a simple breakfast like soup or salad, he ate it without refusing.

And morning and evening, they exchanged ordinary conversations.

Things like the day’s schedule, what had happened that day, or questions that came to mind all of a sudden.

Only, they still were not using the same bedroom.

On the night they returned after the wedding, Ijun kissed Seoyun after she came out of a very long shower.

It was not so heated that it made her surrender herself to desire with the switch of reason turned off, but neither was it a kiss that was merely plain and restrained.

It was the kind of proper kiss that was gentle yet made no attempt to hide instinct.

The kind of kiss Cha Ijun, who always seemed perfect, might give.

And so Seoyun felt each and every sensation more vividly instead, the way it sent a thrill through her lips, her mouth, the tip of her tongue, and heated them all.

Along with the awareness that she had finally become his wife, it felt as though the rapid pounding of her heart was echoing through her entire body.

Letting out a faint sigh, Ijun brushed back Seoyun’s hair.

‘Until we leave for London, I’ll be busy. Please understand. The house must still feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable to you, so at least sleep comfortably. I’ll wait.’

She could not bring herself to tell him right then that it would be all right for them to share a bed right away.

Perhaps he had been waiting for the honeymoon.

Perhaps he was hoping for a memorable, symbolic first night.

Thinking that, this old-fashioned and elegant bed felt all the more romantic.

At some point, she must have fallen asleep.

How much time had passed?

When Seoyun opened her eyes, it was already dark outside.

Someone entered the room without even turning on the light.

Wearing a robe, Ijun was drying his wet hair with a towel.

At the fragrant scent of body wash, Seoyun felt her foggy mind clear a little.

“When did you get back?”

“You’re awake?”

Ijun came over and sat down beside Seoyun.

Even his voice seemed softly damp.