CBL Ch 16

“I heard that Yihyun refused the reward money you offered.”

Yisoo changed the subject. The money Yihyun received for granting exclusive software usage rights to Chairman Jung’s security company was not insignificant. But to Kwon Siheon, it might have been mere pocket change.

“It might be a small amount not worth receiving, but… I thought you never suffer financial losses.”

“You seem to have forgotten, but there was no money involved in the verbal contract between Yoo Yisoo and me. Even in the recent renewal.”

“…….”

“The things I did for Yoo Yisoo and the things I will continue to do for her. And the things Yoo Yisoo must willingly give me in return. Not even Lee Yihyun has the right to interfere and meddle in that.”

There was no room for rebuttal. Even if the protection of Yoo Yisoo, Lee Yihyun, and Yoo Incheol was part of the contract, the agreement itself was solely between Yoo Yisoo and Kwon Siheon from the beginning.

Although Yoo Incheol’s protection was not fulfilled, if the starting point of the protective actions was ‘the moment he stepped out of prison,’ then the contract was not breached.

In any case, Yisoo and Yihyun survived. Kwak Bugyeong would never step out of prison for the rest of his life. Since Kwon Siheon had predicted this, it was only a matter of time before it became a reality.

“I understand that Kwon Siheon has no interest in money. So, our contract…”

“Will be carried out as originally agreed.”

He stated the obvious and pulled the tie he was wearing. His touch seemed indifferent, with no hint of lust. However, the warmth in his gaze towards Yisoo was different.

Under his long eyelashes, his pupils were colder than ever. She knew that this calm was the prelude to an explosion. But for now, they needed to finish their conversation.

“Yoo Yisoo staying here, in this place, for as long as I want. Indefinitely.”

“…….”

“A very simple and straightforward condition, and I want it to be thoroughly carried out.”

“It will be carried out as you said.”

Yisoo replied calmly. In the silence that followed, Yihyun suddenly came to mind.

“…How did you know Yihyun is a white hat hacker?”

“So, he is an OSCP holder? I was planning to confirm that with him today.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

He didn’t seem inclined to reveal how he knew. So, does he also know about the security program installed on her laptop? She was curious about how much he knew, but she couldn’t ask recklessly.

“No wonder Chairman Jung readily accepted him as a son-in-law. Who wouldn’t want a goose that lays golden eggs?”

“There was no intention to hide it. Yihyun didn’t want to reveal it until the end, so I respected his opinion. I was planning to tell Kwon Siheon as well…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Kwon Siheon took the teacup Yisoo was drinking from and brought it to his lips.

“We all had our secrets.”

That was true. Yisoo had hidden Yihyun’s abilities, and Kwon Siheon had kept Yoo Namcheol’s evidence hidden until the very end. Since everything turned out as they wanted, she couldn’t blame him.

“What about Kwon Siheon?”

He raised an eyebrow as if asking, “What about me?”

“Is there anything else you’re hiding from me?”

The man narrowed his eyes and put down the teacup. His expression was ambiguous, whether he didn’t understand her question or for some other reason.

“Do you want there to be more secrets?”

At her silence, Kwon Siheon undid his tie and stood up.

“Rest. I don’t feel like having dinner, so eat whatever the housekeeper prepares for you. Go to bed early.”

His demeanor suggested he had no intention of touching her. Yisoo looked at him in surprise. When she heard from the housekeeper that he had asked about her physical condition, she thought they would share a bed again starting today.

Usually, when he came home around this time, he would take her to bed immediately. Typically, he would have sex with her once before dinner, and after finishing his work in the study, he would continue more intensely until dawn.

“You’ll need at least a month.”

Yisoo blinked. She realized belatedly that he was talking about the recovery period.

“Even if I’m a selfish bastard, I’m not that much of an animal.”

Kwon Siheon turned around after saying that. Yisoo got up from her seat and approached the man reaching for the partition door.

“Kwon Siheon.”

As he turned his head, she was already in front of him.

“It’s only a few days away anyway. To make it a full month.”

“…….”

“Don’t go.”

“…….”

“I don’t want to be alone. So…”

Yisoo took another step forward. The warm and rough masculine scent reached her nose. Today, the smell of cigarettes was not strong.

“Stay with me.”

As she let go of the hem she was holding, the shawl slipped from her shoulders and fell to the floor. When Yisoo bent down to pick up the shawl, Kwon Siheon picked it up first and stood up straight.

He looked down at Yisoo, holding the shawl in his fist. Even though she was shivering, he had no intention of putting it back on her shoulders. A strange emotion filled his eyes, and a subtle ripple spread.

The continuing silence and his intense gaze made Yisoo close and open her eyes. Finally, she spoke. The late spring twilight was settling outside the glass ceiling.

“Stay with me a little longer. Here…”

Yisoo reached out and took his large hand at her waist. Slowly, she unbuttoned it. For some reason, the chill would not subside.

Why was that? It had been a warm spring day all day long, and she hadn’t felt cold. But she had been shivering since before he came in.

“…You seem cold.”

“Yes, I’m cold.”

Yisoo looked down at her hand, deeply held by his. Kwon Siheon’s hand was already warm.

His body temperature was always like that. It was only cold for a few seconds at first touch, but as it melted into her body heat, it became hotter than Yisoo’s body.

The chill gradually began to subside. Just by being in close contact like this, warmth was slowly returning to her frozen heart.

“But if Kwon Siheon stays with me, I won’t be cold.”

A sneer-like gleam flickered in his eyes. What is this about? His gaze was sardonic.

“Every time I see him, my headache gets worse.”

“…….”

“So…. can you hold me?”

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Perhaps because of the tears, she kept seeing hallucinations of that day.

The man looking down at her with lustful eyes had the blood of Yoo Incheol’s assassin splattered on his face. On his white dress shirt, there was a large stain of Kang Manseop’s blood.

Yisoo gripped his hand tightly. On his large, rough hand, there were bloodstains of Yoo Hyeoksu, Yoo Minseop, Yoo Hyunrak, and nameless assassins and Kang Manseop.

“I’m so cold I feel like I’m going to freeze… So…”

“Yoo Yisoo.”

“I want Kwon Siheon’s warmth to fill my mind and body. I’m so… so cold.”

Tears fell from her other eye as well. Kwon Siheon’s chest heaved greatly, and his rough breath scattered in the air. He slowly pulled his hand away from hers.

The man took a step closer to Yisoo. The shawl under their feet was silently trampled. She heard the sound of someone’s footsteps coming and going in the conservatory.

Only after sensing the footsteps heading this way stop and then move away again did Kwon Siheon reach out his hand to her. His large hand gently cupped her cheek, then moved down to her neck, collarbone, and then to her lips.

“Let’s go to the bedroom… to the room.”

“We are the only ones here too.”

Both of their voices came out broken. His rough breath scattered, and Yisoo’s pupils shattered into pieces. Her neatly combed hair also swayed as if blown by the wind.

Yisoo did not raise any more objections. As her long eyelashes cast a shadow downwards, Kwon Siheon’s hand touched her lips again.

The hand that stroked and caressed the most delicate and soft skin of the human body was careful. But it was not gentle. As his thumb pushed into the gap between her lips, his chest, revealed by his open vest, heaved roughly. Familiar mucous membranes and heat made him excited.

Yisoo lightly bit the tip of his finger. The front of his pants was tightly bulging. It looked ferocious, as if he wasn’t wearing underwear at all. The thick outline was clearly visible. Kwon Siheon pulled his hand out of her lips and tightly pulled her waist towards him.

“Hng… mmm…!”

As his tongue entered her mouth, strength went into his lower body. With that heavy pressure, Yisoo gripped his thick forearm and trembled. His thick, erect shaft felt like it would immediately pierce through and deeply penetrate her inner walls.

His tongue swept through her oral cavity and hotly sucked and pulled. Cool air brushed against the hot heat, and a chill spread to her collarbone and then to her bare chest. Only then did she realize that the buttons of her indoor onesie were mostly undone, with only the middle one remaining.

Her lips were swollen. Kwon Siheon, with his groin tightly pressed against her, changed the angle and hotly swept his tongue in. Her breasts, rubbed and kneaded by his rough palm, became taut to the point of pain. Her nipples, trapped between his long, dry fingers, ached as if they would fall off.

It was a pain worth enduring. Because she knew that intense pleasure followed the pain. Now that everything was over, she could bear that overwhelming sensation much better.

Her father whom she never got to call dad. And Yihyun.

This moment when she could genuinely express her love for those who should have lived and her contempt for those who deserved to die.

Yisoo wanted to give herself willingly to Kwon Siheon. She also wanted to have him. Without any sense of shame, as if they were originally one body.

She wanted to be entwined with him, the one who had carried out the deaths of the latter. As intensely and wildly as possible, until she couldn’t think of anything else.

＊＊＊

It was the first time. The first time Yoo Yisoo reached out to me first. And the first time she said she was cold and asked to be held.

“Ah!”

So, I wanted to do as she said. Until she broke and shattered.

“Hng….”

I pushed Yoo Yisoo against the conservatory wall and grabbed her chest. Just touching her nipple with the tip of my tongue made her lower body, pressed against my crotch, tremble in response.

My palm slipped under the hem of her underwear, which was barely covering her crotch. Just rubbing from her clitoris to her perineum for a moment, I suddenly pushed my middle finger into the gap.

The inside of the hole was so wet that I couldn’t feel any resistance. I put two fingers in with my palm facing up. The sucking sensation made me feel like I was about to cum right away.

“Ah! Uh, hng….”

As I sped up my fingers, Yoo Yisoo twisted her waist and moaned. Her cheeks were flushed red, so I took my hand off her chest and traced one cheek. From her collarbone, to her chest, and then back up, my hand gently gripped her slender neck.

I felt a tingling sensation. It was unbelievable. I hadn’t even done anything yet, but I already wanted to cum.

Instead of holding back, I unzipped my pants. I took out my hard cock and brought Yoo Yisoo’s hand to it. Even as I did this, my breath was ragged. I wanted to tear off her underwear, spread her legs, and fuck her.

My rough fingertip touched my hard cock diagonally. The sensation of stroking from bottom to top made me grit my teeth. Fuck, a curse slipped out. Ah, huh, her wet moans and rough breaths tickled under my chin.

I threw my head back and closed my eyes. It was crazy. This moment felt so unreal, as we both frantically stimulated each other’s genitals.

Was it because it had been almost a month since we last touched? Or was it because of the shocking words she whispered in my ear…?

‘Don’t go.’

‘I don’t want to be alone. So… stay with me.’

‘But if Kwon Siheon stays with me, I won’t be cold. Every time I see Kwon Siheon, my headache gets worse.’

‘So…. can you hold me?’

It was both. It had been too long, and Yoo Yisoo’s whispered plea was too shocking. I couldn’t handle the sensation of her body and mind deeply stirring me.

“Ah, hng….”

I could hear the sound of my fingers roughly stirring her wet pussy. Her tilted head kept making wet sounds. Her hand, which had been stroking my cock, was losing strength.

“Hold it tighter.”

“Hng…. Ah!”

When I hit something inside her, her slim waist jerked. The reaction made her hand grip my cock tighter. A tingling sensation ran down my spine, and I bit my lip.

“…Fuck.”

My desire hit rock bottom. A different desire was pulsating from the abyss. As soon as Yoo Yisoo’s body heat left, I put my hand under her collar and lifted her hips.

“Hng….”

Yoo Yisoo looked at me and hugged my waist with both legs. My cock, wet with precum, pushed up the dress that had rolled up to her stomach and pressed against her crotch. The obscene feeling made my blood boil.

Her slim arms wrapped around my neck. Her lips brushed against my Adam’s apple, and her rough cheek touched mine. Her faint body scent was more stimulating than any artificial perfume. I couldn’t move an inch.

“Ah!”

In that state, I pushed Yoo Yisoo against the wall and thrust my cock deep into her. My brain was blank, and I couldn’t think of anything. The plants and flowers surrounding us didn’t even enter my vision.

The sensation of the wall about to collapse and the pain in my hand holding her didn’t matter. Only Yoo Yisoo’s body heat and breath existed in the world, as if nothing else did.

I buried myself in Yoo Yisoo’s embrace. As if long-separated lovers had finally reunited, I felt that way. As if I would never let go again, like Sera.

‘Can you hold me?’

Even as her inner walls tightly gripped and sucked on my cock, that clear, ringing voice didn’t leave my ears. I threw my head back and closed my eyes, gritting my teeth. This was also a first for me.

The desire to be with the woman in my arms forever, to be entwined with her like this, surged within me.

＊＊＊

In early April, as the rainy season began, the office was damp and humid.

Sungjun left the senior prosecutor’s room and quickly moved to the restaurant where his father was waiting. He had said he would be five minutes late, but it had already been fifteen minutes.

“Oh, Prosecutor Do, you’re here! The Chief Prosecutor is waiting for you.”

“Ah, hello. Yes….”

The way to the restaurant building, as well as the restaurant owner and staff, all treated him with excessive hospitality, making him wonder if he should wear a mask.

“Oh, Sungjun, come here.”

Do Ilyeong called him over. On the table, instead of jjajangmyeon, there was seafood soup and a salad.

“No matter how busy you are, you have to eat to live. Come in and sit down.”

“Did you order a course meal? Is Dad paying for it himself?”

“Of course, he should. It’s not like the old days when we used to get meal expenses from lawyers.”

Sungjun laughed nervously. In the past, it was common practice to receive entertainment expenses, golf expenses, and various other expenses from lawyers and businessmen.

“What, someone must still be doing well.”

Sungjun sarcastically replied and put a forkful of salad in his mouth. The disappearance of such practices from the legal world didn’t mean the end of corruption; it just meant that a few people were secretly benefiting, turning it into a hidden culture.

“By the way, I was thinking of visiting Mother’s nursing home soon. I couldn’t visit last year because I was in the US.”

“You’re the only one who still takes care of your childhood nanny. Well… I can’t remember what happened back then.”

“It’s not just from childhood; it’s until middle and high school. She took care of me while Mother was busy being an opera singer and rarely home.”

“Oh, that’s right. Come to think of it, visiting her and giving her a generous gift would make a good story for your future public career.”

“That’s too much, Father. My pure intentions…”

Sungjun frowned slightly and then changed the subject. Just as the father and son finished their course meal and dessert was served,

“By the way, there’s something I want to ask you.”

Sungjun lowered his voice and leaned towards his father.

“What was Shinmyeong’s true intention? Even if they became in-laws with Choi Bokhyun, they would benefit more from being on Kwak Bugyeong’s side. After all, Shinmyeong Group is not a good organization, as we all know.”

“I thought about it too, but I decided not to dig too deep.”

Do Ilyeong also picked up a fork and lowered his voice. Out of old habit, he checked the door.

“There must be something else they haven’t revealed. Something beyond what anyone could have expected. Even the slush fund…”

He understood that Hyoshin Construction’s Chairman Yoo Namcheol had sent evidence to Shinmyeong Group to bring down Kwak Bugyeong. But was it reasonable to follow the request not to open it or reveal it until the election results were announced? Especially for someone like Kwon Woohyuk.

“It doesn’t make sense, Father. If I were Kwon Woohyuk, I would have taken the evidence from the executive and searched every container in Busan and the bottom of the swimming pool.”

“He said he did it for the sake of old friendship, not knowing if it was related to Kwak Bugyeong or not.”

Ha, Sungjun shook his head. Those bastards who open their mouths and lie without hesitation.

No matter how much they transform into a clean and upright corporation, their true nature remains unchanged.

＊＊＊

“You said you wanted to become a prosecutor to uphold the law….”

Sungjun cleared his throat and recalled memories from long ago.

“There was a time in this country when even low-level gangsters stood above the law, but not anymore. You said that even in North Korea, there is no country where gangsters rule over the law, remember?”

“That’s right. Now, the era where criminal organizations stand above the law is over. But that doesn’t mean we can just stand above them and make a big fuss about it… That’s not possible either. At the top, the superiors think that we are under their feet.”

“So, you’re saying we should just do our jobs properly and maintain the status quo? Just close our eyes, ears, and mouths, and pretend we don’t know anything.”

Do Ilyeong checked the time and nodded. There was still some leeway.

“That’s what you advised me to do. Why do we have to cover for them? Just catch them red-handed, investigate thoroughly, and send them to the prosecutor’s office, the National Tax Service, and expose them! It’s not that simple, though.”

“…Are you seriously asking me this?”

“What? What do you mean?”

Do Sungjun widened his eyes and looked at his father. His father’s gaze was turning back to ten years ago. Even though he was sharp and reliable, it was the unique gaze he had when comforting his foolish children.

“Are you saying we should just investigate Shinmyeong Group? Come on, since we’re on the subject, let’s say we investigate Shinmyeong Group as a target. If we catch them red-handed and thoroughly investigate, we can confiscate all their assets and return them to the national treasury.”

His father’s voice lowered even further.

“But that would mean the investigation would have to go through multiple layers of superiors.”

Sungjun sighed deeply. In the end, it was all about connections and who you knew. The higher up you went, the more complex and twisted it became.

“Or it means you become one of them. Even if you just slightly mess up, you get called back to the headquarters…”

“There are times when they benefit from receiving and giving bribes. Like a few years ago, during the T incident, when they received a tip and blew the whole thing up… Well, even then, it was for the expansion of their power and influence. There are countless cases of betrayal within organizations, and in the past, there were even cases of infiltrating and eliminating competitors.”

“Isn’t it difficult to do that now? If they plan it carefully, it seems more than possible.”

“These days, they are more focused on building their own society and invisible walls. Starting with Shinmyeong Group at the top, or rather Shinuehoe, and below them D Group, N Construction… You also know that these companies accumulate wealth to maintain their order within society.”

“The difference now is that instead of abstract concepts like justice and principle, practical rewards and monetary transactions are the means to maintain that society within another society.”

“Exactly.”

Sungjun shook his head as if suddenly realizing something and picked up his fork.

“But I still can’t fully accept it. In the end, under the pretext of corporatization, only the form changes, but when will they stop being a kind of ruling class?

“As I said, that’s just how it is. Not just in South Korea, but anywhere. It’s human nature. Even if three people gather, power, violence, and hierarchy naturally emerge in human society.”

“But even if the law stands above them… it’s impossible to completely uproot it.”

“That’s right. Even if you try to uproot it, society will suddenly become empty and chaotic. Well, they will try to block it in the middle, but…”

Do Ilyeong laughed bitterly.

“Just watch how things unfold and focus on your own work, Sungjun. Standing up for justice is only possible if you are in the right position. But you still have a choice.”

It meant that if he couldn’t bear the corrupt current and couldn’t change it, he should just beat them all up and become a private lawyer. Sungjun swallowed his laughter and coffee together.

“So, Kwon Siheon is marrying Park Seohye… Park Sinhyeon, the third daughter of Assemblyman Park, as planned?”

“That seems to be the case. Looking at the fact that even we received an invitation, it seems they want to make a big show of it, for whatever reason.”

“Even though there is a connection with Choi Bokhyun, the marriage talks continue as they are.”

If a re-election were to take place, the probability of Choi Bokhyun becoming the winner was fifty-fifty. Kwak Bugyeong’s opponent in the primary, the second-in-command of the opposing party, Lee Heenam, was also formidable. However, Choi Bokhyun is one of the youngest among the political heavyweights. Even if he loses this time, he could positively aim for the next election.

“That’s right. With impeachment during the term, resignation followed by indictment, it has become an era where one must be cautious in many ways. Even if Choi Bokhyun wins this time, it will be difficult for Shinmyeong to gain much…”

Sungjun silently agreed. If it had been Kwak Bugyeong, he would have made a complete mess with his fascist iron-fisted rule before meeting his end. Do Ilyeong checked his watch again and poured more tea.

“Let’s stop the heavy talk here. We have 10 more minutes until the field trip, so now tell me about yourself.”

“Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you. About Yoo Namcheol, the chairman of Hyoshin Construction…”

Sungjun recalled Park Seohye, whom he had met again recently.

‘As I told you, I asked around about Yoo Siheon’s whereabouts, but there was no significant result. Some say they saw her recently in the U.S., and there are rumors that she got married… I’m sorry I couldn’t find out more.’

‘No, don’t be sorry. Thank you for looking into it.’

There is still no record of her death. I have been anxious all along, wondering if Kwak Bugyeong might have harmed Siheon in advance, but fortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

“Chairman Yoo? Is there more to talk about a dead person?”

“No, I’m talking about a living person. I’m trying to find someone…”

Father, I have done everything you asked and am still doing it well, so I will do one personal thing that I have been putting off. I want to find a woman I have liked for a long time, and that woman is none other than a member of the Hyoshin Construction family who has gone missing…

He didn’t know where to start, so he just cleared his throat and was about to speak when there was a knock at the door, and it burst open. Do Ilyeong’s investigative chief was standing at the door, panting. He was not the type to barge in like this.

“Chief, Chief, something big has happened…!”

“What is it? What happened?”

“First, I received a message that Kwon Siheon and Park Seohye’s wedding might be postponed. The bride-to-be’s side had a maternal grandmother’s funeral, so they will have to set a new date after the funeral…”

“Oh, really? But is that something to be so shocked about?”

“There’s one more thing… Kwak Bugyeong…”

The investigative chief coughed and adjusted his tie.

“Kwak Bugyeong? What happened to him!”

“Kwak Bugyeong… haa, Kwak Bugyeong… he, he…”

“What about Kwak Bugyeong! Never mind the name, just tell me what he did!”

Do Ilyeong stood up from his seat, and only then did the chief manage to spit out the rest.

“Kwak Bugyeong hanged himself! He was found dead 20 minutes ago…”

Only then could the two understand why he had rushed in like that. The father and son looked at each other with their mouths open for a few seconds.

Someone’s complete downfall and self-destruction brought an indescribable peace to those left behind. Now, there was only happiness left. That was truly the case.

Lee Yihyun and Jung Sera were the first beneficiaries of that happiness.

In May, as the fresh spring air still lingered over the barren city, Yihyun completed the marriage registration with Sera. The ceremony was planned to be held slowly next year after Yihyun’s leg surgery in the U.S.

The unprecedented situation in the history of South Korean presidential elections was finally resolved with a new election a month later. The ruling party’s primary loser to Kwak Bugyeong, Lee Heenam, was nominated to face Choi Bokhyun again.

The additional crimes of Kwak Bugyeong, who took his own life, continued to be discussed dishonorably in society. In particular, the fact that Kwak Bugyeong was a customer of a sex trafficking cartel during his stays in the U.S. while serving as the chairman of a welfare foundation shook South Korea.

High-ranking prosecutors who secretly accompanied him and used the services were also arrested and undergoing strict investigations. Even if they were released without charges, some of them would likely lose their jobs.

Kwak Bugyeong left no suicide note or last words. The notorious criminal, who pretended to be a saint and deceived the world, died without a single word of apology.

Meanwhile, Kwon Siheon’s wedding was postponed by four months. Park Seohye’s maternal grandmother, who was in a nursing home, passed away a month before the wedding. The superstitious future maternal grandfather insisted on setting a new date, even if it meant a delay. That date was the first Saturday in September.

Kwon Siheon and Siheon had intense, animal-like encounters every day. His return time became earlier and earlier, and he came home more frequently than before. It was impossible to think that he was about to marry another woman in a few months.

Suddenly, she thought of his fiancée. Did Park Seohye fully agree to become a September bride instead of a May bride? Like her fiancé, was she with another man at this moment?

“…Ah!”

“You’re not concentrating again.”

One of her breasts was squeezed painfully, and the penis that had slipped out for a moment was thrust deep into her vagina. Siheon endured the relentless pounding that seemed to pierce her lower abdomen.

Kwon Siheon was becoming like a sex addict. His sexual desire grew stronger every day, which was astonishing. How could it get any stronger from here?

“Ah, slow, slow down…! Ugh, haa…”

“It’s strange.”

“Ugh, ugh!”

Kwon Siheon grabbed her hips and thrust hard, mocking her. Sweat dripped onto Siheon’s exposed nipples.

“Why doesn’t your stamina improve even though you exercise so diligently?”

“Huh…”

Siheon bit her lip and let out a frustrated moan. Even a national athlete wouldn’t be able to withstand Kwon Siheon’s strength. Even if she prepared for an Ironman triathlon every day, she wouldn’t be able to handle his strength, especially during prolonged, torturous sex.

“Let’s stop now and go inside…. Huh…!”

“Sometimes it’s good to change the mood outside. We always stay at home.”

But they didn’t always stay at home. After Kwak Bugyeong met his end, she went to the hospital weekly for psychological counseling and occasionally visited Yihyun and Sera’s newlywed home.

Exercising at the hotel fitness center three times a week was also part of her routine, and that was enough outdoor activity for Siheon.

After the car shook violently, Siheon trembled slightly. Just before ejaculation, the penis pulled out from inside her sprayed fluid everywhere—on the car window, floor, seat, and of course, on Siheon’s face and neck.

The two of them panted in the messy back seat of the car. It seemed like she would have to skip personal training today. They had already done a more intense workout.

The car was filled with the raw scent of their bodies. Sweat-soaked hair stuck to her forehead, obscuring her vision.

Only after catching her breath for a while did she notice her disheveled hair and the tree branches surrounding the car. Through them, she could see the blue sky and greenery outside, and beyond the azalea-covered fence, the hotel building where they had eaten two hours ago.

Suddenly, a large hand blocked her view. Kwon Siheon began wiping her face and hair with a wet tissue, cleaning off the fluid. The humid air, strong body odor, and unusually gentle touch made her breath quicken again.

“I want to wash up…”

“Let’s go.”

He got out of the car, disheveled, and sat in the driver’s seat. He turned the steering wheel back towards the hotel without hesitation.

“Let’s just go home. You’re busy, Kwon Siheon…”

She was afraid that their car activities would continue in the sweet room. She already had no energy left.

“I don’t want to interfere with your work, so let’s just go home…”

“Today’s schedule is over.”

“…I’m really tired. I’m hungry too…. I can’t do anymore.”

“So that’s what it was. Pretending to be concerned about my work.”

A chuckle came from the driver’s seat. Siheon closed her eyes without answering.

“Don’t worry. We’re going back to eat and wash up.”

When she turned her head away from the sunlight, Kwon Siheon picked up the remote controller and activated something. A thicker tinted glass covered the window automatically.

Siheon squinted at the opaque milky glass and then looked at Kwon Siheon’s back. His masculine neck, the delicate outline of his earlobe, and his broad, firm shoulders filled her vision.

He was changing little by little. Appropriate consideration and gestures. An arrogant and selfish attitude, but ultimately doing what the other person wants. Like silently activating the tint to block the sunlight for her just now.

Kwon Siheon was treating her like a lover. The initial insults, telling her to act like a dog, that she was just a hole for his dick, were nowhere to be found. Even the sex was different from the rough treatment of a prostitute at the beginning.

He was still arrogant and dictatorial. But now, he treated Siheon as a person, a woman. This might not be respect, but at least it was treating her as an equal being.

Siheon, soaking in the steaming bathtub at the hotel, reflected on his changes and the reasons behind them. There was no other answer.

Kwon Siheon was ultimately tamed by her. Just as Siheon was tamed by him.

The water surface, filled with bubbles, warmly enveloped her entire body. Yet, she kept feeling a chill, so she submerged herself deeper in the hot water. Her fingertips trembled as she hugged her knees to her chest.

Thirty minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom and devoured the Korean beef hot pot, abalone and sea urchin seaweed soup, grilled yellow croaker, and sweet rice cakes that Kwon Siheon had ordered through room service.

Watching her eat silently and voraciously, Kwon Siheon raised his eyebrows in surprise across the table.

“Eating so elegantly and ravenously is a skill in itself.”

“…It’s delicious.”

“Would you like more?”

“No, I’m full.”

“Are you pregnant? Though that’s unlikely.”

Siheon brought the cold soup to her mouth at his casual joke. Of course, that’s not possible. She always took care of it herself, even when he let his guard down.

“That won’t happen.”

“…..”

“It would be troublesome if an illegitimate child was born to a man about to marry Jungshik.”

Her tone was calm and straightforward, as if she had completely accepted that future.

It was only natural. That’s how the contract was renewed from the beginning. The contract involving the life of the living and the fate of the dead would be carried out as it is, and nothing would change.

“But… I want to move out of that house when you get married, Siheon.”

“The house in Hannam-dong? Why?”

He replied nonchalantly.

“The newlywed’s house is in Seongbuk-dong, as they wished. It’s close, but…. Ah.”

Kwon Siheon chuckled as if he had just realized something.

“Do you want to go somewhere farther away? So we barely run into each other?”

“…..”

“Just stay. Their living area is mainly in Cheongdam-dong and Seocho, so there’s almost no chance of running into each other in Hannam-dong. Even if we do, we’ll just pretend not to know each other. That’s the sophisticated attitude required by the duty of a political marriage.”

“It’s not that… I think it’s right to have a separate residence.”

“…..”

“A place in my name…. With about 10 percent of the software royalties that Yihyun will receive soon, I should be able to get a small officetel in my name.”

“I wouldn’t be comfortable with that.”

He took out a cigarette and looked at Siheon as if seeking permission. He used to go out and come back without a word if she didn’t want it, a consideration unimaginable from the old Kwon Siheon.

Siheon nodded as if it was okay. As long as she didn’t look at him when the lighter flicked on, it was fine. Now, she could even endure the red glow at the end of the cigarette.

Kwon Siheon opened the window and blew the smoke out. Then he continued the conversation.

“Is it an abstract sense of self-loathing or psychological inhibition? If you feel that way living in my house… then how about I give you the house in Yoo Siheon’s name?”

Siheon blinked. She didn’t know how to react to his offer to give her a house worth hundreds of millions of won.

“No. That’s not what I wanted….”

“Or do you want something else? Just tell me. A house, a building, or even land.”

“…..”

“There’s no need to use Lee Yihyun’s small money. It’s a reward for your hard work developing the software.”

“It’s okay, Kwon Siheon. I don’t want any real estate. Then I’ll keep living in that house….”

“Good. There’s no need to move since it’s newly built. If you want to redecorate or remodel, just tell Secretary Yang. You can redo the garden or build something new…. And if you get tired of it, we can look for a new one in a couple of years.”

“No. As you said, it’s newly built… I like it as it is.”

Siheon smiled faintly. Her cheeks were flushed from the wine he poured for her. Kwon Siheon savored the last of his cigarette and put it out in the ashtray. Then he spoke.

“I want to know. If Yoo Siheon’s feelings are still the same. If nothing has changed.”

She immediately understood the vague meaning he threw out. Siheon savored the wine in her mouth and paused for a moment. Before the silence grew heavier, she opened her lips.

“I….”

Just then, Kwon Siheon’s phone vibrated. He didn’t even glance at it, but the ringing persisted. After checking the text message and seeing who the caller was, Kwon Siheon answered his secretary’s call.

― I’m sorry to disturb you during your break. I have a few confirmation requests regarding the construction in Seongbuk-dong. I asked the bride-to-be, but she doesn’t know much about the construction, so she said it would be best if you made the final decision.

Kim Jaewon’s voice faintly came through the phone. Siheon silently looked down at her wine glass to avoid interrupting the call.

“Yeah. As briefly as possible.”

The call ended in just a few minutes. Kwon Siheon put down his phone and looked at her again. His beautiful eyes silently urged her to continue what she was about to say before the phone rang.

“Yes, it’s still the same.”

Siheon continued calmly.

“My feelings for you, Kwon Siheon… my emotions are the same.”

Even now, after you just discussed the construction of your new marital home with another woman, making sure it’s as beautiful and perfect as possible right in front of me.