II - 62

I-ryeong struggled to hold back her laughter.

“Don’t be like that. I’m hungry too, I-jun.”

“Hungry? Will noodles be enough? It’s already late.”

The same man who had vehemently opposed the idea earlier now radiated concern, his eyes flickering with worry.

Like a puppy wagging its tail, he tilted his head this way and that, carefully gauging his wife’s expression without fail.

Watching him made her heart swell with happiness, enough to erase all memories of what had happened at the police station.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had late-night snacks. It’s not like we eat this every day.”

With just one mention of hunger from I-ryeong, I-jun headed straight for the noodle shop without hesitation.

The three entered the quiet noodle shop, and Hyuk-joon stared silently at the couple seated side by side.

They say couples start to resemble each other, don’t they? The two shared an uncanny resemblance in ways that were hard to pinpoint.

Rather than their striking features, it was their unique aura that mirrored each other. Or perhaps I-jun, who had once exuded nothing but stoic indifference, was gradually adopting I-ryeong’s gentle demeanor.

“Stop staring.”

“Do I really look like the kind of guy who flirts with his friend’s wife?”

As I-jun placed his chopsticks on the table, his eyes narrowed sharply at Hyuk-joon.

“You’re capable of it. Besides, I-ryeong is quite beautiful.”

“Tsk, seriously. Seo I-jun, do you even know what ‘overly devoted’ means?”

“What, overly devoted?”

There wasn’t a trace of displeasure in I-jun’s raised voice. On the contrary, he seemed to wear the nickname proudly, his lips curling into a lighthearted smile.

“It’s society’s term for guys like you, you overly devoted fool.”

“If it’s a promise, then I’ll keep it. I’ll be as devoted as can be, Hyuk-joon.”

Over the years I-jun had spent abroad, his friend had changed significantly.

Hyuk-joon had been curious about why someone who seemed destined to live alone suddenly got married. But now, he realized there was no need to search far for the reason.

It felt foolish to ask why someone looked so happy, and though he had many questions about today’s events, he decided to let them go.

---

Never did she imagine eating noodles past midnight, especially while meeting her husband’s friend for the first time.

The whirlwind of events left I-ryeong mentally exhausted, but the current moment was an even bigger jumble in her mind.

When the noodles arrived, she tried to take a bite but found them too hot, steaming with heat. She waited for them to cool down—after all, she couldn’t blow on them and risk spitting in front of her husband’s friend.

“Ah, open up.”

Suddenly, I-jun scooped some noodles onto a spoon, blew on them gently, and brought it close to her lips.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and open your mouth.”

Stunned by this uncharacteristic behavior, I-ryeong blinked rapidly.

What on earth was he doing?

“I’ve cooled it down for you. It’s not hot anymore.”

He even tested the temperature by touching the spoon to his own lips, like a mother checking the warmth of baby formula.

In an instant, I-ryeong’s face flushed bright red.

Even if they were alone, this would have been embarrassing—but with his friend watching?

“...L, I-jun.”

She finally parted her lips and shook her head, silently pleading with her eyes: Please stop this. You have eyes; can’t you see how awkward this is?

“But you said you were hungry. Open up.”

I-jun was relentless. He didn’t even notice Hyuk-joon’s astonished expression—or perhaps he simply didn’t care.

All he could think about was feeding her, driven solely by her earlier claim of hunger.

“Did you drink alcohol by any chance?”

His persistence seemed suspicious.

“Alcohol? Not at all. Are you going to keep pulling my arm like this?”

“No drinking, huh? Then why are you acting like this?”

At the police station, there hadn’t been a trace of intoxication on him.

Still, she asked just in case, but unfortunately, the answer was no. If he had been drinking, at least she could chalk it up to drunken antics—but even that excuse was unavailable.

I-ryeong glanced nervously at Hyuk-joon, maintaining an awkward expression. His amused grin made her want to forget the noodles and beg to go home immediately.

It was embarrassing in front of her husband’s friend for the first time. Just as she leaned back awkwardly with a strained smile—

“Look at me. You should only look at me. Who else are you looking at?”

“...Huh? I-jun.”

“Why do you keep looking at him?”

This went beyond embarrassment—it was utterly baffling.

Could it be jealousy? She studied I-jun’s expression.

“That’s right. Keep looking at me like that.”

Seeing his satisfied smirk, her lips parted slightly in disbelief.

Seizing the moment, I-jun carefully slipped the spoonful of noodles into her mouth.

“It’s nighttime, so chew slowly.”

Her husband smiled, his eyes crinkling into crescents.

I-ryeong chewed slowly, as if savoring a piece of dried squid, her nerves on edge.

The noodles were no longer warm—they were cold, almost tasteless. Yet she could clearly sense the way her husband was looking at her.

“I-jun, I’m amazed. I never knew you had this side to you…”

“You’re still here? After all the hints I gave you, shouldn’t you have left by now?”

Unbothered by his friend’s teasing, I-jun continued scooping noodles and cooling them. His sole focus was feeding his wife properly and getting her home safely.

“I’m starting to feel a little hurt.”

“What do you have to feel hurt about?”

He carefully blew on another spoonful of noodles.

Once she finished chewing, he urged her to open her mouth again.

“Seo I-jun, how could you tell your one and only friend not to come to your wedding? Can you still call yourself a best friend after that?”

Hyuk-joon raised his voice.

Hyuk-joon had known I-jun for decades, but the man before him now was unrecognizably different. It was clear to anyone that a certain woman was behind this transformation.

He couldn’t help but wonder how she had managed to tame him so thoroughly—watching the once untouchable Seo I-jun behave like a restless puppy yearning for attention was both amusing and slightly disappointing.

“One and only? If he hears you, he’ll misunderstand. I had plenty of people I could’ve invited. You were just one of them.”

I-jun’s tone was indifferent. He might feel a twinge of regret, but not enough to be heartbroken.

“You know how weird this guy is, right, I-ryeong? No one else can put up with his personality or humor except me.”

I-ryeong softly smiled as she chewed her noodles.

She had heard from others at the scene that everyone had sided with I-jun. From that alone, it was evident his relationships weren’t as bad as they seemed.

She felt relieved knowing there was at least one true friend in his life.

After swallowing another bite of noodles and rinsing her mouth with cold water, she looked up and spoke sincerely.

“Thank you.”

Her gratitude shone through her bright smile. She felt compelled to express her appreciation somehow.

“What do you have to thank him for?”

“Don’t say that.”

She shook her head gently at Hyuk-joon’s annoyed tone, her dark eyes softening as they met I-jun’s.

With hands warmed by the affection he’d shown her, she caressed his cheek, melting away his irritation. Just like any ordinary couple would.

“I can’t believe this…”

As if he hadn’t been angry moments ago, I-jun chuckled lightly.

Even his silly grin was endearing to her. She found herself wishing to see it every day.

“Huh? This guy actually listens to you, I-ryeong?”

Hyuk-joon marveled at the situation. Coming to the alumni gathering had turned out to be a great decision.

“Hey, Park Hyuk-joon. Stop calling her ‘sister-in-law.’ Why are you acting like she’s your sister-in-law anyway? And didn’t I tell you—I’m older than you. If anything, you should call her ‘elder sister-in-law’!”

“See? Didn’t I say he’s strange? He always ruins the mood.”

The two bickered, pointing fingers at each other while urging the other to finish their noodles and leave.

Watching them, I-ryeong couldn’t help but smile faintly. The tension from earlier was gradually melting away.

If not for the unexpected reunion with the Suk-tae couple, this would have been a perfect evening.

---

It was well past midnight when the couple finally returned to the annex.

Thanks to prior notice, Manager Choi had already left for the day. Yet the house didn’t feel empty.

The cool night air mingled with I-jun’s lingering scent, thanks to the diffusers placed throughout the house—not just in the bedroom and study.

The couple entered the bedroom.

“Do you think the fragrance is a bit strong?”

“I’m fine with it. It feels just right.”

“For me, it’s so strong I feel almost intoxicated. Are you sure you’re not affected?”

“Maybe I’m too intoxicated by the scent to even realize it.”

They laughed together as they changed clothes, their light banter easing the atmosphere further.

“Today must have been tough, huh?”

“Can I be honest?”

I-ryeong, now in only her underwear, approached I-jun.

He stood there in nothing but his boxers, visibly tense as he looked down at her.

“It was hard. I didn’t want any of it. That’s why I was mad at you—at you more than that couple.”

She raised a finger and gently scratched his chest.

I-jun let out a shallow groan. His Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably, betraying his rising excitement.

“But… their faces didn’t register in my mind.”

The hand that had been scratching his chest slowly moved toward his lips.

“The safety of the person I love, my husband, mattered more. I was so worried about how badly you might be hurt.”

Pressing her body closer to examine the small wound near his lips, her peach-like breasts softly pressed against him, molding into his skin.

“I’m sorry for startling you. But…”

I-jun was flustered, his mouth going dry.

His lower half had been uncontrollably aroused since earlier, and holding back was becoming unbearable.

“Can I receive my punishment inside?”

Her deliberate rubbing against him made him feel like he might lose control.

“Punishment? Like this?”

Seeing the red veins bulging on his neck, she ground her body against him more intensely, deliberately escalating the friction.