Chapter 97: Aftermath and Longing

He slowly pulled his hips back, then thrust himself between my thighs in one swift motion. With every movement, my tender flesh scraped and stung, but the sensation was more stimulating than painful.

“Joon-hee, look at me.”

I fully opened my half-closed eyes and met his gaze. His dark eyes, brimming with excitement, reflected only me.

These were the eyes of Seon Woo-jung, the man who loved me so deeply, and whom I loved in return.

“Jung-ah…”

“Yes, I’m here.”

As I stretched out my arms, he bent lower, embracing me tightly. Clinging to his shoulders, swaying with his movements, my flickering vision saw only the dark ceiling above.

The warmth of his body against mine, the sound of his breath filling my ears, constantly reminded me of his presence beside me. In this way, we continuously reaffirmed that we were right there, by each other’s side.

“Hngh.”

“Ahhh…”

Our bodies trembled in unison as we reached a prolonged climax. The sticky semen, spilled across my flat stomach, couldn’t pool there; it trickled down, soaking into the sheets.

As my arms fell limp, he straightened himself. His hand, brushing back my sweat-soaked hair, was as tender as always.

Even when he had pretended to be Han Jung-woo, he couldn’t completely conceal this tenderness. I chuckled to myself, remembering that time when he had shown so many obvious signs, yet I had failed to recognize him.

How could I have been so blind, when he had revealed himself with his entire being? The one I had yearned for so desperately had been by my side all along.

“Why are you laughing?”

“No reason, I’m just happy.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

He chuckled along with me, then pulled out some tissues. His face, as he wiped my stomach clean of our combined fluids, appeared strangely serene.

‘He’s not the type to be satisfied with just one round.’

Puzzled, I lowered my gaze, only to find him still standing straight and ready. Of course, it wasn’t enough.

However, it seemed he was holding back due to the lack of condoms. Ever since Seo-woo’s birth, he had been meticulously careful with contraception, to a degree that felt almost obsessive.

Though slightly regrettable, this was the end of it. As the intense heat subsided, he finished cleaning my stomach and gently asked,

“Shall we wash up?”

Instead of answering, I nodded, and he lifted me into his arms in one smooth motion. Cradled like a child against his chest, I was carried into the bathroom.

****

After showering, my body felt pleasantly relaxed. I wanted nothing more than to sleep, but I knew I should check on Seo-woo, who was probably playing alone. Or perhaps, by now, she was exhausted and already asleep?

“Are you sleepy?”

“…A little?”

As he dried my hair, he gently kissed the top of my slightly messy head. He then told me I could go to sleep once my hair was completely dry.

“No, I need to see Seo-woo.”

“Seo-woo is asleep.”

“Oh, really?”

At this welcome news, I couldn’t help but smile brightly. Indeed, after circling the living room tirelessly, it was only natural she would be exhausted.

She would sleep soundly for at least two hours, which meant I could also close my eyes for a while. After that, we could have dinner together, spend some time, and then…

“Joon-hee, go sleep in the bed.”

“Huh?”

I thought I had only closed my eyes for a moment, but it seemed I had been dozing, leaning against him as he stood behind me. Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I nodded and shuffled my way to the bed.

The sheets, previously damp with our bodily fluids, had been changed and now felt fresh and crisp.

I slipped under the warmly preheated duvet, curling my body into a ball. It felt as though my entire being was gently melting.

Having finished tidying up, he came to lie beside me. However, instead of sleeping right away, he pulled out his tablet and began intently looking at something.

“What are you doing?”

“Hmm, shopping?”

When I asked what kind of shopping he was doing so suddenly, he turned the screen towards me. There, condoms of various sizes were neatly displayed. It seemed ‘shopping’ referred to *that* kind of shopping.

“I’m thinking of ordering something different, not just the usual ones.”

“Oh, like what?”

“I like the ribbed ones, or maybe some scented ones…”

He, clearly amused, showed me each condom one by one. Anyone could see his obvious intention to tease me. I knew I shouldn’t fall for it, yet my face was already burning crimson.

Such conversations were still something I hadn’t quite grown accustomed to.

“Or how about something like this?”

He flipped the page to reveal a collection of tools whose purpose I couldn’t quite decipher. Even as Yoo Joon-hee, I had never engaged in sexual relations with anyone other than Seon Woo-jung, which meant my knowledge in this area was quite lacking for my age.

I simply hadn’t been interested in such things to begin with. Thus, these items were entirely new to me.

“Ah, this would look lovely on you, Joon-hee.”

The model on the screen was wearing a bunny costume. Was he implying he wanted *me* to wear this? I glanced at his eyes, disbelieving, but he seemed utterly serious.

“Is this your taste?”

“It’s not my usual taste, but I’d like to see *you* wear it.”

I frowned at his inexplicable comment, and he immediately began to plead with me to wear it just once.

When I firmly drew the line, saying absolutely not, he pouted, placed the tablet on the drawer, and slipped under the duvet.

He probably thought this act would make me give in, but he was entirely mistaken. While I had often relented in the past, this time, I was determined to stand firm.

‘He’s more childish than Seo-woo when he acts like that.’

The grown man, despite his size, continued to sulk like a child until I finally drifted off to sleep.

****

Dinner time had long passed, but Joon-hee was still fast asleep. It seemed he was utterly exhausted after tirelessly following Seo-woo around all day.

When he first met Seo-woo, he had been quite shy, but now, no matter where they went or what they did, Seo-woo was his first concern.

It was enough to make one jealous.

He gently brushed back Joon-hee’s disheveled hair, then carefully lifted Joon-hee’s limp hand. The ring finger on his left hand remained bare.

Almost a year had passed since Seo-woo’s birth, yet the two of them hadn’t even registered their marriage, let alone held a wedding. This was all due to Chairman Han’s opposition.

It seemed the biggest reason was placing Seo-woo on Yoo Seo-jin’s family register instead of Han Jung-woo’s, a matter which he himself could never concede.

‘Whether she was ‘Yoo Seo-woo’ or ‘Han Seo-woo,’ the fact that Seo-woo was his and Joon-hee’s child remained unchanged.’ Yet, to Chairman Han, that seemed to be of paramount importance, something about the Han family’s bloodline.

Strictly speaking, Chairman Han wasn’t even his parent, so he could have simply dismissed the Chairman’s opinion. However, Joon-hee didn’t want that.

“He’ll come around soon. Let’s just wait until then.”

He wanted to ask when ‘soon’ would be, but since Joon-hee said so, he could only nod. Whatever Joon-hee said, it was always right.

Once Chairman Han’s stubbornness finally broke, they would hold a grand wedding that the whole world would know about. And he would announce to everyone, ‘This person is mine.’

“Haaah…”

He let out a deep sigh, then gently leaned his cheek against Joon-hee’s chest. He focused on the steady thumping of his heart.

Even knowing Joon-hee was so close, and would never leave his side again, he couldn’t shake off his anxiety. The moment he closed his eyes, it felt as though everything might vanish like a mirage.

‘I’m so tired…’

He wanted to sleep, but he couldn’t. The terrible insomnia that had plagued him ever since Seo-woo’s birth and Joon-hee’s brief absence still tormented him.

Being human, he didn’t go entirely without sleep; he would close his eyes for a mere two or three hours. But even that was filled with unease; he could only feel at peace by constantly watching Joon-hee with his own eyes.

‘This isn’t normal.’

He knew it himself. It wasn’t normal to be unable to endure even a moment apart, watching Joon-hee all day through the CCTV cameras he had installed everywhere.

He had received a promise that Joon-hee wouldn’t go out without a word, but that wasn’t enough. He wanted to hide Joon-hee away in a place no one knew, a place even Seo-woo, his own flesh and blood, wouldn’t know.

And since it wouldn’t be fair to confine only Joon-hee there, he would imprison himself alongside him. If they were always together like that, perhaps this anxiety would finally diminish, even just a little…

‘Bear it. Joon-hee wouldn’t like it.’

Curling his large body up, he nestled into Joon-hee’s embrace. As he fully absorbed the warm body heat, a soft smile spread across his lips.

For now, this was enough.

For now, at least.

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