Chapter 35: Yoon Siheon’s Desire

“Yes.”

“Then that time you dropped me off at home…… were you heading up here?”

Siheon stifled a laugh as he unlocked the door. The place he had brought Kangeun to was a penthouse on the top floor of the very office-tel building where she was staying. As soon as he decided to house the Tenuto Coffee Korea staff in this building, Siheon had rented the penthouse on the same premises for his own use and immediately started renovations.

He had considered finding a nicer, cozier place elsewhere, but since this was close to both the office and Kangeun’s home, he’d eventually chosen this location—a decision he found satisfactory. He wanted to minimize wasted time so he could focus entirely on Kangeun.

He hadn’t wanted to take Kangeun to the home furnished by his grandfather and Chief Hwang’s tastes. It wasn’t that he was trying to hide Kangeun from his grandfather; he knew there was no way to spend time with her in Korea while evading his grandfather’s watchful eyes.

In fact, he figured that if he revealed their relationship naturally, his grandfather would consider it trivial. That was the kind of person his grandfather was, as far as he could tell.

“What is this? Then that time you told me on the phone to let you know if I wanted ice cream, acting like you’d bring it right away……”

“Here.”

He took Kangeun’s hand—she was looking around the house with a bewildered expression—and stood her in front of the refrigerator. When he opened the freezer door to reveal it packed full of ice cream, her full lips parted slightly.

Enough to make me want to suck on them.

“Who, honestly, who fills their freezer with nothing but ice cream? How much did all this cost?”

“There’s meat and ice in the drawer.”

“That’s not the point. This kid, just because you have money……”

Kangeun began to nag, quite like a Noona, and she was so cute that Siheon nearly kissed her pouting red lips before he could stop himself. Barely holding back, he turned away to take off his coat and suit jacket. He rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands at the sink, and headed toward the entrance.

“The delivery must be here. Just a moment.”

“Delivery……?”

“Go wash up. The bathroom is inside the bedroom. The living room bathroom is under construction, so you can’t use it.”

“……Huh?”

“Ah, do you want some comfortable clothes? Wait here for a second.”

His hands were skillful as he brought out the food ingredients he had ordered in advance and set them on the counter. Kangeun simply stood there watching him with a slightly flustered expression.

Has she realized she’s walked into the tiger’s den? She shouldn’t run away just yet. Siheon handed her some of his clothes with an indifferent face.

“Might be big on you.”

“…….”

“But it shouldn’t be unwearable.”

“No, I……”

“I’ll make you rolled omelets. Use any toiletries you want. Wash up and come out comfortably.”

Without even listening to the rest of Kangeun’s sentence, Siheon thrust the clothes into her hands and disappeared into the dressing room. A short while later, he emerged in comfortable clothing, brushed past Kangeun—who was still standing there, unsure of what to do—and headed toward the kitchen, not forgetting to flash her a bright, beaming smile.

“I’ll give you 15 minutes. I’m hungry. Come quickly, Noona.”

Siheon left Kangeun behind and went to the kitchen to take out the rice. His nerves, as he washed the rice and opened the refrigerator, were entirely focused on the bedroom. And finally, the faint sound of the bathroom door attached to the bedroom closing reached his ears.

“Hah…….”

Siheon stopped what he was doing and leaned against the counter. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, biting down hard on his lower lip. He was suppressing the rapidly surging excitement.

He loved the generosity Go Kangeun permitted only to him—it made his skin crawl with pleasure. It was an affection he never wanted to share with anyone else for as long as he lived.

Go Kangeun, who was soft only toward Yoon Siheon. Go Kangeun, who turned soft whenever he called her Noona. Go Kangeun, who would generously open her arms, stroke his hair, and smile at him.

Tonight, Siheon intended to make Kangeun even softer. He planned to burrow into those generous arms, carve himself into her heart to his heart’s content, and make her give him her hair to pull and tear at.

He didn’t know if she would smile. No, he was certain he would make her cry.

But it was inevitable if he wanted to imprint upon Kangeun—who thought of him only as her younger brother—that he was a man. While researching Kangeun’s last nine years, Siheon had confirmed that there had been no men by her side. She hadn’t even let anyone get close to her. The euphoria he felt when he found that out…

“Huu…….”

Actually, it wouldn’t have mattered if there were. No matter how many men she had met, or who had been by her side. Because he had the faith that Go Kangeun would ultimately come to him. That was a grounded arrogance implanted in him by Kangeun, who had raised him.

So, there was no reason to rush. Enduring was better than welcoming messy things like Ahn Hyunwoo. That bastard who, while they were sharing the joy of their reunion in the conference room, had been spying on them through the door crack, biting his lips. That pathetic married bastard who dared to treat Go Kangeun like a spare tire.

Siheon had pondered how to overcome the walls she had built, and he had decided to choose the fastest path.

To smash the walls to pieces.

He had already waited too long to wear the mask of an affectionate younger brother and respect her pace.

“It’s not like I’m bewitched……”

No, was she? She felt like she really was bewitched by something. Kangeun stood in the bathroom attached to Siheon’s bedroom, staring at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks, as she retraced the journey from the company to Siheon’s house, were flushed bright red.

First, she had gotten into his car. Because Siheon was someone she couldn’t possibly doubt, instead of asking the destination, she had asked what they were going to do. Siheon had said they were going to eat something delicious.

She had stared at Siheon often, fascinated by the sight of him driving skillfully—a boy she had only seen as a child. Siheon had looked at her with a puzzled expression.

[Why?]

[Nothing.][It’s not ‘nothing.’ Why are you looking at me like that? Do I look strange?][Yeah. It’s a bit strange. It’s strange that you’re driving, Siheon. It makes me realize that you’re an adult now.]

To Siheon, who laughed as if it were nothing, Kangeun asked:

[Do you drink alcohol, too?][No. I don’t drink.]

[What about cigarettes?][I don’t do that either. Why? Do you think I need to do those two things to seem like an adult?]

Kangeun shook her head and smiled. She was happy that Siheon had grown up to be an adult who didn’t drink or smoke. Because of Seongho, Kangeun still found alcohol terrifying. And after learning that the fire that took Seongho’s life had started with a lighter, she had grown to hate cigarettes, which reminded her of lighters.

Anyway, it was fascinating. That that young child had grown into such a magnificent adult.

The car, which she thought was heading to a restaurant, had stopped faster than expected. And it was a place Kangeun knew well—the underground parking lot of the office-tel where she stayed.[Are you, by any chance, asking me to cook for you?]

[What if I am?][There are no ingredients in the house. You see…… I’ve been busy lately, so I haven’t been cooking.]

In fact, Kangeun had become distant from kitchen work ever since she started living in Italy. Anna, Jaeseon’s wife, was more sincere about cooking and decorating the house than anyone. She didn’t want anyone entering her domain, the kitchen, so Kangeun had naturally drifted away from housework.

Bringing prepared food or setting the table as Anna instructed was all Kangeun could do. Having lived for nine years eating the food Anna made, she no longer thought about cooking for herself.

So, she would just get by by buying food from a convenience store on her way home from work or bringing take-out from a restaurant. All that was in her refrigerator was canned beer, water, orange juice, and a half-eaten sandwich.

[Go Kangeun, you’re eating so poorly.]

[That’s not it!][Even though you used to nag me all the time to eat plenty of food.]

Following him as he laughed and got out of the car, her mind was occupied only with the thought that she should order delivery food. Kangeun, who had been contemplating the menu, came to her senses at the sound of the elevator stopping, and when she got out, it wasn’t the 9th floor where her house was, but the 25th. Unlike other floors where the front doors lined the hallway, this was the top floor where the penthouses were, with only four front doors.[……This isn’t the place?]

[It’s the place. My house.]

[What……?][To be exact, the house I rented.]

She had entered Siheon’s house by accident, and for a moment, her mind was captivated by the incredibly cozy interior design. It was a house that stood out for its warm color palette. Overall, it was decorated in cream, pale gray, and soft yellow, and the plush, soft rugs she could sink her feet into and the fluffy fabric sofa had captured her heart.

A house filled only with things that suited her taste, and Siheon smiling at her in such a house. She was lost in a situation that felt like a dream, when he opened the freezer door to show her.

[…….]

The two shelves of the freezer, which she had expected to contain high-end ice cream, were packed tight with colorful packaged frozen treats. It looked like he had raided a convenience store’s frozen food aisle and stacked it all in there. But looking closely, they were all things she liked. Seeing the things she and Siheon often ate when they were young made her feel nostalgic.

She felt like she was going to cry for some strange reason, so she ended up saying things she didn’t mean. She nagged him about what he planned to do with all this ice cream, trying to hide the fact that she was becoming overwhelmed.

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Siheon, who had gone to the entrance, returned carrying a large cooler bag. She was surprised by the food ingredients he pulled out and laid all over the counter, and she stood there with her mouth hanging open like a fool until he handed her clothes.[I’ll give you 15 minutes. I’m hungry. Come quickly, Noona.]

Siheon was a child who rarely wished for anything. So, even in the past, whenever Siheon happened to say he was hungry, she would feel rushed. Thinking she had to make him something fast, she would quickly beat eggs and chop up whatever vegetables she had.

But why did the old sense of urgency resurface at his words that he was hungry, heard nine years later? On top of that, he had even smiled while calling her Noona, so Kangeun had no choice but to throw up her hands. So, by the time she came to her senses, she was standing here…… in Siheon’s bathroom, clutching his clothes in her hands.

“Hah…….”

For a moment, she let out a laugh. No. That’s not it. I’m not bewitched. Siheon had probably just wanted to eat home-cooked food with her, his Noona, just like in the old days, and she was the one thinking unnecessary things.

Kangeun quietly pressed and massaged her ears, which had turned hot at some point. She hoped her flustered heart would calm down, but the heat kept rising due to the scent of Siheon that filled the bathroom.