DD Ch 19

“Why?”

“Because I’ve been crying…”

“You’re pretty…”

Taeon pressed his lips long and hard against her swollen eyelids. Even when Sahee tried to push him away, it was futile. She grimaced and even hit his chest, but he chuckled and left kisses.

“Why, when you’re so cute.”

His lips, which had brushed against her cheek, slowly descended her neck. He buried his face in her scent, inhaling deeply from her sweat-drenched white body. Each time he bit her, she would tremble, and his laughter tickled her neck.

Thus, the kisses became stickier bit by bit. Sahee, squirming, wrapped her arms around Taeon’s head. His soft hair tangled between her fingers. Even if she bit him painfully, a sharp pleasure came.

“Yes…”

Taeon squeezed her breast hard. “Sob,” a moan escaped, and her moist opening twitched. His hands, which were now playing with her hips, were also becoming lewd.

Even the air flowing in silence was hot. Sahee, pressed down, grabbed Taeon’s arm. As if that was a signal, he lifted himself and flipped her over in one swift motion.

There was no chance to resist as he put his hand under her hips to lift them. Sahee turned her head, feeling his hands kneading her buttocks.

Taeon, already erect, met her eyes while tearing open a condom with his teeth. When Sahee turned her head in surprise, he squeezed her buttocks as if to say, “What’s this?”

“Ah, wait…”

Sahee shrank from the shadow approaching from behind, but Taeon wrapped his arms around her waist. Kissing along her spine, he slid his penis between her thighs.

“Good?”

His penis smoothly crossed her inner walls through the loosened hole.

“Uh, yes.”

Sahee nodded slightly, her face buried in the pillow. Meeting his eyes briefly with an innocent, defenseless look, she tried to escape in a moment. At that instant, a groan like he was scratching his throat came from him, and he thrust in.

“Hah.”

Each time he skillfully scratched her tender insides, her eyes glazed over, and unfamiliar sounds came from her throat. Later, she even spread her legs shamelessly, wanting more.

He looked momentarily astonished before diving his head between her legs at the height of her climax. He chewed on her pleasure with his teeth, not painfully, but thoroughly. He persistently teased the plump, parted flesh.

He licked up the juice-soaked area, even sucking out the liquid that had accumulated inside with his tongue.

Burying his face in her trembling, round, white buttocks, he greedily asked her to spread more. When Sahee finally let out a pitiful sound, Taeon showed no mercy, delving deeper.

This repeated several times. There was no luxury of leisure. They clung to each other like animals, rubbing their heat together.

In the end, they reached climax together, looking into each other’s eyes. The embrace was large and hot, filled with ecstasy.

* * *

Min Yeojin’s face turned pale after finishing the call with the Hanseong Group’s madam. The joy that had filled her when the phone rang dried up completely during the 15-minute conversation.

─ They say the conversation between them didn’t go well. It’s unfortunate, but what can we do?

She couldn’t argue that the atmosphere was good during the blind date when they said otherwise. Yes, it’s unfortunate… While she agreed, her insides were a whirl of anxiety and suspicion.

Min Yeojin clenched and unclenched her fist, recalling Han Jisoo laughing brightly as she left. Up until then, it had been fine. She had clearly shown signs of shyness when looking at her son.

Could it have changed after the send-off? Her son was someone who could do anything in that short time.

He was a rogue who warned his mother to stop her pettiness, so there was no way he wouldn’t have been mischievous with a woman he’d just met.

Didn’t he agree to have the blind date? Didn’t he say he would marry the person chosen by the family? There was no sign that he didn’t want to fulfill his duty.

She already knew the reason why her son’s intentions had changed.

Min Yeojin stood up abruptly. She stormed out of the corridor, hastily putting on her shoes.

The light was still on in the space where Taeon was staying. However, when she opened the door with a bang, only cold silence greeted Min Yeojin. There was no sign of life. An ominous feeling arose.

“Taeon.”

Calling her son, hoping she was wrong, there was no response. She let out a hollow laugh, thinking of her son who often went for walks late at night.

Did you go to comfort a sulking child, knowing how important marriage is to you? Did you lift up Yeon Sahee’s defeated spirit after she finished serving?

You. My son.

Min Yeojin turned fiercely. Without even closing the door, she left the room and headed towards the main hall. There was no time for dignity when her son was about to jump into the fire.

At that moment, Park Jisun was in the main hall courtyard. She was dressed in a white robe, well prepared. Seeing Min Yeojin approaching without her assistant, she ran over barefoot.

“Madam, what brings you here at this hour…”

“Where is she?”

“Huh?”

“Yeon Sahee, where is she? Does she live in the staff quarters?”

Min Yeojin gestured towards the quarters. Park Jisun, seeing Min Yeojin suddenly appearing and asking about Sahee’s whereabouts with an anxious face, felt her heart sink.

“Madam Park.”

Min Yeojin called Park Jisun again, gritting her teeth. Park Jisun quickly bowed her head.

“No. Sahee lives in a small annex separately.”

“Alone?”

“It’s quite old and far from the main hall…”

“So, she’s alone?”

“……Yes, madam.”

Min Yeojin sighed deeply, holding her head.

Yes, that’s why their relationship could develop without anyone knowing. Though she knew, she asked anyway. Min Yeojin staggered, eyes closed for a moment.

“Madam!”

“Guide me. I have something to check. It won’t take long.”

Min Yeojin raised a hand to stop Park Jisun from helping her, exhaling roughly.

They said Sahee served the blind date meal today, not Madam Chun. Park Jisun, recalling the whispers about Min Yeojin’s strange intentions this time, had turned pale.

Min Yeojin looked at her with a scowl.

“What are you doing? Hurry up.”

Min Yeojin gave a cold, mocking smile.

Follow me.

After those words, a heavy silence fell. As they followed the winding path to the small annex, Park Jisun looked back at Min Yeojin several times. Each time, Min Yeojin’s expression changed moment by moment.

At times, she was calm, at others, she looked at Park Jisun with a stiff face. Her long eyelashes, like a swan’s wings, trembled several times. She seemed to follow well but then slowed down, standing at a distance.

This was a terrible omen for Park Jisun.

They had now reached the corner leading to the small annex. From here, it wasn’t under the jurisdiction of the director of Baekcheongseon. Park Jisun had personally put effort into constructing this land, originally left for potential business needs, naming it the small annex.

It was due to her daughter Lee Misook’s complaints about not wanting her young daughter Hyeonji to grow up counting rice grains or lighting incense in a shaman’s house like she did. It was a perfect location, far from both the main hall and the annex. However, today, it seemed as abandoned as a ruin.

A place where no one would notice someone entering or leaving.

The early morning wind made the leaves rustle, more chilling than the silence. From not far away, a faint, hallucinatory moan could be heard. Park Jisun turned to Min Yeojin in shock.

Was it too short a moment? Or was it really an auditory hallucination? Min Yeojin, seemingly not having heard it, shot a glare at Park Jisun, who had stopped. It looked like a big disaster was about to unfold.

Park Jisun cautiously spoke up.

“Madam, if you’re worried about something, how about I check alone? You don’t look well.”

“Madam Park.”

“Yes.”

“How can I trust your words? You’d protect your own, out of fear if nothing else.”

Her soft voice was twisted. The elegant smile that used to grace her lips like a crescent moon seemed to be at its limit, twitching painfully.

Min Yeojin gestured towards Park Jisun.

“Go, then.”

“……Yes.”

Each reluctant step finally brought them to their destination. The faint cries carried by the wind were neither an illusion nor a hallucination.

From within the courtyard, lit by a single bulb, came the vulgar sounds of lovemaking. Between the wet, thrusting sounds, there was messy intimacy.

Perhaps during the night when everyone was asleep, or to avoid the eyes of others, this affair had wreaked havoc on the place.

The owners of those voices were undoubtedly Park Jisun’s granddaughter and Min Yeojin’s son.

Min Yeojin, who had been looking at the only lit room, turned her gaze away. She saw clearly the step her son had taken, abandoning the high pedestal she had prepared for him. Next to his discarded shoes, a pair of small sneakers looked unusually out of place.

The vivid anxiety she felt when she saw that girl again was now a reality.

Ah…

Min Yeojin staggered, holding her forehead.

“Ma-Madam.”

Min Yeojin glared at Park Jisun, who hurriedly tried to help, with a pale look. She then whispered a warning through gritted teeth, barely audible.

“Keep… your mouth shut.”

However, even the cold wind that suddenly began to blow fiercely couldn’t cover up her son’s disgraceful affair. Min Yeojin grimaced as if she couldn’t bear to hear more.

“Before I tear it apart.”

Min Yeojin looked at Park Jisun with fierce eyes, clenching her molars tightly.

* * *

“Hold on.”

The bathroom they entered, with Sahee in Taeon’s arms, was chilly. The small bathroom attached to Sahee’s room felt cramped, almost like a punishment, just with him in it.

The only silver lining was that her legs were so weak that they were pressed tightly against each other. As Sahee barely clung to his waist, Taeon chuckled and kissed her head with a peck.

After adjusting the faucet a few times, warm water soon cascaded down from above. Sahee squeezed her eyes shut and pressed closer to Taeon. He held her waist, shielding her from the water for a moment.

“Is it too hot?”

“It’s okay.”

Her voice came out hoarse. It couldn’t be helped. It was the price of intertwining with him, like someone whose purpose was to break. Her stubbornness to endure the rougher sex than usual had caused this.

Yet, what would have been unbearable yesterday was fine today. When the dull pain crossed her body, the sensation of fullness was more vivid than the feeling of breaking apart.

When it was hard to bear, she thought of his smooth face, which had once contorted fiercely because of her. While her mind grew hazy during their messy sex, his image became clearer.

More than the words ‘special’ or the fact that Jung Taeon desired Yeon Sahee, this was better. Overlapping days when she got angry just thinking about him brought relief that they were on the same level.

This was the result. Her eyelids were swollen, her throat was sore. Her joints seemed to scream, and she was sure to feel like she’d been beaten up when she woke from sleep.

Feeling the water streaming down her body again, Sahee reached out. As she tried to grab the body wash, a large hand covered the back of hers.

“Just keep your eyes closed.”

She had no right to refuse. As Sahee dropped her arm limply, Taeon squeezed body wash onto his hand. He lathered and washed her body, which was marked by their encounter.

The sensation of their bare skin touching, slippery, was pleasant. No, what was really good was the man who felt like a solid pillar she could lean on without falling.

Whirring, the sound of the hairdryer was soothing.

Maybe because she’d dozed off while leaning on him, when she opened her eyes, she was already sitting in a chair, entrusting her hair to him. His large hands combed through her thin hair, shaking off the moisture.

Perhaps because she was still drowsy, it felt like a dream.

Sahee, feeling the chair spin, looked up.

“When did we get out?”

“Just now. Come here.”

Taeon bent down, offering his shoulder to Sahee. As she carefully wrapped her arms around his neck, she felt like she was floating. Her heart beat strongly during the few steps to the mattress in the small room.

Sahee, laid on the mattress, slowly opened and closed her eyes, looking at Taeon. The man, now facing her closely, smelled like her.

“You’re tired. Sleep.”

Taeon reached out, gently brushing her hair back. He hugged her waist, patting her back, yet her eyes wouldn’t close.

There was a question she couldn’t ask unless it was now, stuck in her throat. Inferiority, perhaps reality. It took a long time to open her mouth, feeling like she was exposing her own shortcomings.

“There’s something.”

“Yes.”

“Are you really okay with this?”

“With what?”

He asked back with a puzzled look.

“……With me.”

“Why, Yeon Sahee?”

Even though he had never once criticized her, she felt small. Sahee, after looking at him for a moment, spoke.

“I limp.”

It wasn’t a confession since it was an undeniable flaw. It was even less of a confession since it wasn’t a sin. It was just… a face of shame.

The strange desire to have it confirmed out loud. Even while feeling like she had given everything to him, there was still a part of her she wanted to protect.

Even if she prepared for rejection, the pain wouldn’t be less. So, she preemptively inflicted a light scratch on herself. It was a shallow self-defense, shouting about her flaws.

The low light from the bedside lamp illuminated Taeon’s face. He looked at her with eyes that seemed to ponder something. She focused all her attention on his fingers playing with her earlobe.

If this was going to happen, she shouldn’t have asked.

Just as she was about to feel pathetic, he laughed. Her heart wavered like it was hit by a long wave.

“Yeah, and?”

“……”

“You limp, and what else?”

Was he asking for more flaws to list?

Whether because her body was heavy or her mind was too slow or too fast, she thought of what his priorities might be.

The fresh fruit scent from the blind date briefly made her hesitate, but Taeon spoke with a slight tilt to his lips.

“You’re pretty, and kind of cute?”

It sounded playful, but his touch on her neck was gentle. Sahee, giving him a look, quickly averted her gaze. She then mumbled like she was talking to herself.

“……I don’t have money.”

At that moment, Taeon burst into an incredulous laugh. Looking up, he regarded her with genuine disbelief.

“Yeah. And you have the talent to make me laugh like this.”

Taeon laughed again, pulling her close by the waist.

“You’re good at painting. You’re very famous, yet you know how to be modest about it.”

His voice, now low, made her eyes feel inexplicably hot. Sahee rested her head on his chest. Taeon chuckled, stroking her back.

With her eyes closed, Sahee erased the list of flaws she had lined up in her mind.

The insults she had directed at herself were forgotten effortlessly. Like fluffy bubbles, washed clean. She sent away the filth that had clung to her like moss with warm water.

“Sahee.”

“……Yes.”

Even with her short response, he didn’t say much more. All he did was laugh, as if to say she could get as close as she wanted.

“Come to Seoul with me. I won’t let you be lonely.”

Through the paper door, the dawn was breaking. A completely different day from yesterday was beginning to fill the room.

The man she had always looked up to, even in moments of solitude, Sahee finally faced directly.

She realized it. From now on, she would paint him with this moment.

Sahee hugged Taeon’s waist tightly.

* * *

Woken by the call of “CEO,” Sahee opened her eyes to the immediate dull pain. Not a single part of her body was unscathed. She groaned as if her body felt like tattered paper.

By now, Taeon, who had changed his clothes, sat beside her and reached out. He tapped her swollen eyelids and gently scratched her cheek. When she glared at him out of annoyance, he chuckled.

“Sleep more after I leave.”

As Sahee nodded, he reached towards the bedside table. He grabbed her phone from there and handed it to her.

“……”

“You need to unblock me.”

Sahee reluctantly took the phone, unlocked it, and went into the call log. Taeon leaned closer, looking at his number displayed on the screen before smiling gently.

“Yeon Sahee.”

“Yes?”

“You didn’t even save my number?”

Sahee flinched, hastily looking away. She focused on her phone, unblocking him and then moving to the contact save screen.

“……I’ll do it now.”

“How ridiculous.”

Taeon laughed in disbelief while standing up.

Sahee quickly filled in his name. She hesitated for a moment, unsure how to define him, but this wasn’t the time for that.

His name was all she could think of without feeling awkward. CEO. Or CEO Jung Taeon. Those were the only names she could write down.

“Did you do it?”

“Yes.”

“Your hand.”

“Huh?”

As she was trying to read his intentions, Taeon grabbed her wrist before she could fully process his words.

He then pulled out a blue jewelry box from his jacket pocket. It was the gift Sahee had sent back through Secretary Kim yesterday. He had told her to throw it away, but it was too expensive to do so just by looking at the brand.

Sahee looked at the teardrop-shaped diamond being placed on her wrist again. Taeon caressed it a few times, just like when he first gave it to her, before letting go of her arm.

“I’ll leave the card too, so go with your Yeonghwadang family to buy a bed when you have time.”

“I’m fine. I’ll just take this. You can keep the card.”

“Don’t be stubborn.”

“No.”

Sahee quickly grabbed Taeon’s jacket sleeve. She used both hands to stop him from reaching into his wallet to take out the card.

“Anyway… since we’re going to Seoul, do we really need to buy a bed?”

A silence fell in the room. Taeon looked at Sahee intently.

Of course, he hadn’t asked her to come because he wanted to leave. Despite the warmth she felt from his promise not to let her be lonely, she had already planned to go to Seoul. Yet, for some reason, she felt a flush of embarrassment.

The man, laughing softly while lowering his head, seemed to take away any chance she had to say it wasn’t because of him. For a moment, she felt like a swindler.

“What location would you like? Tell me a convenient place.”

He seemed ready to buy her a house on the spot if she spoke. Rather than the grandiose lie of bringing down the stars and moon, the reality that his words suggested was terrifying. Sahee looked at Taeon with difficulty.

“I’ll handle it.”

When she cut him off sharply, Taeon frowned.

“Do you feel pressured?”

“Yes.”

“If that’s the case, you can come live in my place.”

“I’m fine.”

“You said you had no money?”

“I have enough for that.”

“You’re contradicting yourself, Sahee.”

Taeon smiled, squeezing her cheek. She winced at the slight pain, and he clicked his tongue lightly. He then tapped her cheek with his fingertips as if to soothe her, like she was adorably stubborn.

“You have about a week to think it over.”

“There’s really no need for that.”

“Well, I didn’t go through all that just to say we’re dating.”

“……”

“I’ll contact you, so don’t come out, just sleep more.”

Taeon kissed her cheek and stood up.

The relationship they had hidden overnight now seemed clear. Just dating. She had just realized if she could even call this dating, and yet, just dating.

Sahee watched him in a daze. Taeon laughed at her dazed look before leaving the room.

Only after he closed the door did Sahee realize her neck had turned bright red.

* * *

Since she must have finished the call with Hanseong by now, it wasn’t surprising to see Min Yeojin out in the annex courtyard.

Countless petals lay scattered at Min Yeojin’s feet, where she sat on a landscaping stone by the artificial pond. Taeon looked at the flower she was holding.

“Did you go for a walk?”

Min Yeojin threw the flower she was holding onto the ground and stood up. Her steps, crushing the petals as she approached, were quite fierce. Taeon smiled without confirming or denying.

Min Yeojin also smiled sweetly at Taeon. Pretending not to know each other after she had sent Yeon Sahee to serve at the blind date was ridiculous.

“You’re up early.”

“Hardly.”

“Hardly, didn’t you sleep?”

At his casual concern, Min Yeojin’s eyes hardened fiercely for a moment.

“I talked with Hanseong’s madam.”

“Ah.”

“She said the conversation between the two of you didn’t go well. Did something happen while you were seeing her off?”

Not wanting to make Yeon Sahee a central topic was probably Min Yeojin’s last bit of pride as a mother. He could respect her that much. It wouldn’t make Yeon Sahee any less significant to him.

“Didn’t I tell you? I hate children.”

“Son, Jisoo is a year older than her.”

Despite the politeness she maintained, in the end, Sahee’s name came out of Min Yeojin’s mouth. With an indignant tone, Taeon chuckled and nodded.

Twenty-nine. It was understandable to be repulsed by the idea of living together. Even Taeon, who grew up in a conglomerate family accustomed to arranged marriages for forming connections, showed signs of annoyance at that age.

However, he genuinely wanted to bring that woman, who seemed to find the idea ridiculous, into his home. Was he out of his mind? It was amusing because he didn’t care.

“Jung Taeon. What am I going to do with you?”

Min Yeojin closed her eyes with a deep sigh and hit her chest with her fist in frustration. Taeon just watched her before asking back with a smile.

“You know, don’t you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know. The child I gave birth to is the one I understand the least in this world. Alright, son. I didn’t sleep a wink last night, and I’m tired. I need to go rest.”

Min Yeojin shook her head as if she didn’t want to talk anymore. Taeon naturally extended his arm to her. With only the gleam of her eyes left, her pale gaze looked at Taeon in disbelief.

“Are you mocking me?”

“Hardly. I’m worried you might collapse.”

“Every time you act so detestably, I sincerely think of your father.”

Min Yeojin turned away sharply as if to say she was done. Was that all? Taeon watched Min Yeojin’s back for a while before he was about to move on.

“Taeon.”

At some point, Min Yeojin had stopped and turned to look at Taeon.

“I think it’s best for me to leave after the event the day after tomorrow.”

“Will you do that?”

“Yes.”

Until now, she had endured Chairman Jeong’s pettiness with the mindset of weathering the storm with her child, but she no longer wanted to stay even for formality’s sake. If everything had gone according to plan, they would have returned to Seoul a week ago, so there was no reason to hold her back.

Taeon nodded compliantly. Then, Min Yeojin’s dark gaze stayed on Taeon for a while without words. Her voice that followed sounded deeply exhausted.

“Give me some time regarding that girl. Let’s talk about it when we go back to Seoul. I believe you’ll need more time for yourself as well.”