TYW Ch 6.1

At 6 PM, the sky began to turn red and night came very quickly. That night, the bar at the hotel in Achasan looked very beautiful with the dark Han River and the brightly lit bridge.

Rieul cut her hair slightly below her shoulders and gathered it into one, then fastened it with a half-feather clip. According to Lee Chaeyoung, hair that shows the nape of the neck is attractive to men.

When Rieul entered the bar, a waiter took her jacket. Rieul, with her slender body and clothes that clearly showed her curves, chose to wear sneakers, then was directed to face Woogeon.

Woogeon smiled weakly, looked at Rieul, then got up from his seat.

“Where’s my wife?”

“Isn’t here?”

“Maybe, my wife still doesn’t know what happened tonight—With your beautiful appearance and beautiful clothes, it seems other men could also fall in love with you.”

Rieul was a little confused and sat across from Woogeon.

***

Initially Woogeon was surprised because he felt like he was seeing Audrey Hepburn come back to life, and then he was surprised again when he realized that the woman was actually his young wife. He was satisfied because a woman with a height of 161 cm could also look very sensual.

Although he had never seen it directly, he had often imagined it in his mind recently. The volume in her chest and hips was very attractive. Her waist was also slender, so if she turned around, it would definitely be very charming.

His young wife had curves as beautiful as he imagined, and was very sensual. The skirt that was open to her thighs showed her white skin every time she stepped. The long neck of her black halter neck dress made her neckline look elegant. The small and soft shoulder line that could be seen, and the hair that was lifted with a clip, made people feel fascinated.

Between meals, his wife’s neck and neckline, and her lips that carefully appeared to bite the food, often caught his attention, with her deep red lips like roses and her glowing shoulders.

“Now I feel like I’m falling in love.”

“This is the first time I’ve worn clothes like this.”

“Don’t you like it?”

“No, I’m not a shy person.”

His wife, Rieul, smiled mischievously. Woogeon showed a rather impressed expression.

“Seventeen-year-old girls in Seattle usually wear clothes like this. Every time there’s a party. At first I thought it was amazing, but one day, when I saw mature friends going to a party, I felt envious. Then, I thought those clothes didn’t suit me, and easily gave up.”

“I’m more beautiful than I imagined, right?”

Rieul seemed able to captivate people with her warm smile that curved like a crescent moon. Woogeon looked at his wife with eyes that seemed to emit blue flames, sinking into happiness.

The desire to completely mess up his dirty, messy, and young wife strangely made his whole body feel weak.

***

His gaze changed.

Woogeon’s gaze at her, difficult to explain, but changed subtly. Initially it was like treating dirty things, then it became relaxed, gentle, and loving, now it was like a siren ringing with impure feelings.

In Seattle, she experienced many seductive or longing gazes—But Woogeon’s gaze now fell into a different category—Without seduction or longing, but with a gaze that seemed to hide something, giving a feeling like holding something back.

In her entire life, she had never noticed a man’s gaze. But Woogeon’s gaze continued to make her curious.

Small actions like tucking her hair behind her ears, slightly biting her lip or closing her unconsciously open mouth, straightening her earrings, or her eyes that curved when she smiled, Woogeon noticed all of that with a deep and sticky gaze like a swamp.

Rieul’s heart pounded. This was different from the pounding heart because she liked Woogeon. It felt a bit like her body cells were longing for Woogeon, making her palms tingle.

After they both drank wine, they took a walk along the cherry blossom street in Achasan. Because it was only a short walk, Rieul wore a rather thick dark blue cardigan and got out of the passenger seat. Towards mid-November, the night felt cold. The cold wind blew, messing up her hair.

Because of the wind, she squinted and then frowned while looking at Woogeon. Woogeon also frowned, briefly looked at Rieul, then gently cupped both of Rieul’s cheeks with both hands.

“Your face feels cold.”

“Woogeon’s hands are warm.”

Rieul smiled with wide eyes, crossing eyes with her smile. Woogeon had a habit of pulling his lips when Rieul smiled.

“Why? Where did you learn to smile like that?”

“Where are your eyes looking when you smile like that? Will you show that smile to dangerous people?”

Rieul nodded with a gentle smile, closing her eyes and smiling lowly.

Woogeon lowered his hands and grabbed Rieul’s left hand, holding it tightly.

“I never learned.”

“Are you doing it on purpose?”

“No, when I see Woogeon, I always smile like that—”

“Are you testing my patience?”

“There’s no need to be patient.”

“I don’t like that?”

“Stubborn.”

“I am stubborn.”

“Shouldn’t we take what we want?”

“I’ve said, I’m trying to bind Rieul so she can’t run away.”

Rieul laughed confused. “I’m curious, why should I run away?”

Rieul really didn’t understand.

“Won’t you run away?”

Rieul looked up to see Woogeon who was about 30 cm taller than her.

“If you’re not thinking of doing it?”

“Shouldn’t. I usually don’t like letting go of something that’s already mine.”

Woogeon who was walking stopped his steps and again touched Rieul’s cheeks with warm hands—The street lights made his face look silhouetted. Woogeon’s gaze looked cold and a little cruel.

“When emotions get stronger…”

Woogeon lifted Rieul’s cheeks and brought their lips together. His lips were as warm as his palms holding her.

This made her tense. Between the gaps of their lips, cold air entered quickly.

“Woogeon?”

Rieul reflexively raised her eyelids that had been closed.

“Yes, I’m too tense and worried about making mistakes.” Rieul crossed eyes again and wiggled her lips cheerfully.

Woogeon’s forehead furrowed beautifully and smoothly.

“Can Woogeon also make mistakes?”

“I don’t know. So far I haven’t, but I feel tense and worried if that happens in front of Rieul—”

“It’s okay if you’re not an expert”

Woogeon lowered his head and touched her forehead, frowned deeply, then hugged Rieul.

“Rieul.”

“Yes?”

“I’m really having a hard time.”

“What’s difficult?”

“I’m worried you’ll break.”

“I’m not an ant.”

“I’m afraid, because you’re small and weak. I don’t want you who have no strength to break because of me—”

Rieul turned her head and brought her ear close to Woogeon’s chest—Woogeon’s healthy heart was pounding fast.

“I’m not a paper doll.”

Rieul placed her hands on Woogeon’s back.

***

Since the departure of her mother and father, Rieul felt every day like a beautiful dream, getting happier day by day. Even though autumn had arrived and winter was approaching, grandpa was getting healthier. He slept soundly and his appetite increased.

Rieul knew very well that cancer had spread throughout grandpa’s body and his life wouldn’t be long. However, she felt a strong spirit of life in grandpa. Rieul saw the light of life in grandpa.

With all her heart, Rieul hoped that light would continue to shine, a little longer. She wanted grandpa to stay by her side.

A personal trainer came twice a week for 30 minutes to train grandpa to do simple movements. After exercising, grandpa and Rieul usually took a walk in the Wooheonwon park or around the master bedroom.

Today, the sunlight was very bright, so grandpa wanted to take a walk. Rieul put a scarf and coat on grandpa. When Rieul took a blanket, grandpa laughed heartily while saying, “Wow, that’s too much.”

Rieul smiled brightly.

Wooheonwon was filled with trees. The leaves had changed color to bright yellow and red. When the wind blew, the leaves fell like rain.

“Rieul.”

Rieul grabbed her grandfather’s arm who was holding on to a pole and slowly adjusted her steps while walking in the park filled with yellow and red. Every step she took made a dry sound from the yellowing grass.

“Yes, Grandpa.”

“Woogeon is indeed starting to look more like a human—”

Grandpa stopped walking and sighed tiredly. He seemed to be forcing himself a bit. Rieul also stopped walking and looked at Grandpa. He had once said that there was a light of life on Grandpa’s face, but now his face looked dark, and the deep wrinkles around his eyes could not be hidden.

Rieul tried to pretend not to know. Fortunately, there was a bench nearby, so she led Grandpa to sit. Grandpa complained softly as he sat down.

“How?”

“Every day just frowning, both to parents and grandpa, always drawing a clear line, and feeling like the greatest person in the world. His face is now much softer. The way he treats his parents and also me is getting softer. Most importantly, Rieul, you are very precious to him—”

Most importantly, you are very precious to him. That sentence made Rieul’s heart feel happy.

“Really?”

When Rieul smiled softly, Grandpa showed a relieved face and smiled back.

“Yes, I feel a little relieved. I was worried if he lived like me. I thought that when Rieul met him, she would change his heart.”

“Woogeon, seeing him lovingly is my happiness lately.”

“Woogeon is a good person.” Rieul smiled brightly.

“Rieul made him like that. He should be grateful.”

When Grandpa said that, Rieul felt full and happy. She looked at Grandpa, then took out her cell phone from her cardigan pocket. Even though Grandpa didn’t want to, Rieul really wanted to take a photo together today.

Rieul smiled while looking at Grandpa on her cell phone screen, and her emotions welled up so she almost cried.

The sunlight felt very bright and fresh, and the air was so clean in November.

***

“It’s surprising that you don’t like whipped cream in mint chocolate.”

Rieul looked at the sunset outside the window while inhaling the aroma of mint chocolate latte, then looked at Woogeon.

“Of course. Avoiding whipped cream is my little confession.”

Woogeon laughed softly.

“Is that something to confess?”

“This is a strong preference. The combination of sweet on sweet is not harmonious.”

“I see, it seems Rieul feels a heavy burden on me.”

“Why is that?”

“Rieul’s sweetness has crossed the line and made me addicted every day.”

“Woogeon.”

Rieul stared at Woogeon with a blank stare. Woogeon smiled casually while carefully moving Rieul’s hair that fell to her chest behind her ear.

“Tell me.”

“I like everything about Woogeon, so I won’t go anywhere.”

Rieul looked serious, but Woogeon laughed as if it was very funny.

“Thank you.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

Rieul felt a little disappointed. She was indeed serious. As Grandpa said, Woogeon had been appreciating Rieul more lately. However, she was curious why they didn’t have intimate relations. If thinking that she was less sexually attractive was the problem, it didn’t seem to be the case. When she wore the clothes Woogeon liked, the sparkle in his eyes was clear.

‘Doesn’t Woogeon want to have children?’

‘Hmm, should I try lying in bed and doing it first?’

While thinking, Rieul’s ears felt hot.

“Your ears are red. What are you thinking?”

“Why don’t we have intimate relations?”

Rieul asked honestly about the curiosity that had been lingering in her mind.

“I told you. I’m tied up.”

Woogeon said calmly without blinking, as if lying. At least, to Rieul, it sounded like an excuse.

“That’s absurd.”

Woogeon just looked at Rieul while smiling. At times like this, Rieul’s heart pounded. She swallowed her saliva.

“Am I lacking?”

“There’s not even a bit of that thought.”

“But?”

“A little…”

“I’m still thinking.”

“About what?”

“My thoughts about how to insert tweezers without hurting Rieul’s wings like a white butterfly. How to keep you from breaking, things like that.”

Rieul was a little surprised, her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes widened.

“And you’re surprised to hear something like this?”

Woogeon is truly amazing.

“I’m not that amazing of a man, but I’d be happy to hear it as a compliment.”

Rieul didn’t take her eyes off Woogeon. She lifted the mug of Americano on the table and brought it to her lips. Meanwhile, her other hand intertwined with her fingers.

***