Psst! We're moving!
Thud. Crack.
After days of creaking, the bed finally met its peaceful end.
Tae-ha instinctively wrapped his arms around Ji-soo, pulling her close just before one side of the bed collapsed completely.
“Ah, again…”
Ji-soo giggled in her husband’s embrace before pressing a hand to her forehead. Her beast of a husband was already on his second destroyed bed.
She had always found latex and memory foam mattresses uncomfortable. Tae-ha, on the other hand, wouldn’t have minded sleeping on a rock floor as long as he could hold her.
“Would it kill you to be a little gentler?”
Buying a new bed was always mortifying. The cause of the damage was obvious to anyone who saw it. And the bed’s owner was a very pregnant woman.
“You know exactly how careful I’ve been.”
That much was true. During the early stages of her pregnancy, he hadn’t even dared touch her. Once she entered the stable phase, he moved with uncharacteristic slowness. Yet somehow, the bed still ended up wrecked.
“Should we switch to a stone bed next time?”
Instead of suggesting they slow down, he was talking about stone beds? Ji-soo shook her head with a quiet laugh before his lips found hers again.
“W-Wait. You’re seriously doing this like this?”
Even with one side of the bed collapsed, it was still very much the scene of a passionate married couple. She knew better than to think she could stop Tae-ha once he was like this, but Ji-soo still weakly pushed against his broad chest.
“You want to stop like this?”
Tae-ha, already on the edge, pressed into her with a slow, deliberate thrust.
“Then… j-just once.”
With a sly grin, Tae-ha lifted himself up. He spread her trembling legs and kissed the inside of her thighs, murmuring,
“‘Just once,’ she says. How could I ever love you just once?”
He started to lift her legs over his shoulders but stopped. Her rounded belly made even lying down uncomfortable for her.
“You have a business trip tomorrow. You should rest.”
Tae-ha pulled her onto his lap instead, dragging her mischievous hands—which kept getting in the way—to wrap around his neck.
“This is how I rest.”
He tugged off the nightgown still half-hanging from her waist. His burning gaze traced the elegant curves of his wife’s body.
At times like this, Tae-ha indulged in wild fantasies. Like keeping Ji-soo in his pocket so he could kiss her whenever he wanted.
“Ji-soo, I love you.”
The hot lips that had been nibbling her cheek moved lower with his confession.
“You say you love me… but you just torment me.”
Even as she pouted, Tae-ha didn’t stop. He bit down on her soft skin, leaving red marks before soothing them with his tongue.
“Other days, maybe. But today, I’m the one who’s suffering.”
When Tae-ha had come home earlier, Ji-soo had been asleep on the couch—just like any other day. But when she started moaning and sweating, he gently shook her awake.
Except Ji-soo hadn’t been having a nightmare.
‘Tae-ha, I just dreamed… of you and me—’
The moment she whispered that sinful dream into his ear, Tae-ha carried her straight to the bedroom.
His body had already been stiff all day from thinking about her. And with a business trip looming, it was even worse.
He’d even briefly considered therapy.
Was it… strange to love his wife this much? If he didn’t see her for even a short while, he grew restless, his mind blanking out.
No matter how hard he tried to suppress it, it never lasted. The moment he stepped into their home, filled with her scent, the desire he’d barely held back exploded violently.
Sometimes, he worried he might hurt her in his lack of control.
Today, he’d resolved not to take things too far. But then—Ji-soo told him about her dream.
Why should she only get to do those things in her dreams?
When Tae-ha’s hand slid between her legs, Ji-soo quickly shook her head and blocked him.
“Hng, no.”
“Why?”
Even though her resistance was weak, Tae-ha obediently pulled back.
Too embarrassed to explain, Ji-soo just bit her lip. Finally understanding, Tae-ha kissed the smooth thighs she was pressing together and chuckled.
“You’re always like this with me. What’s there to be shy about?”
“But today’s… different.”
With a smirk, Tae-ha tugged down her last remaining piece of clothing.
“Today, you’re even wetter than usual?”
Hearing him say it out loud was just as embarrassing. Ji-soo bit her lip and gave a tiny nod.
With one last glance at her pleading eyes, Tae-ha devoured her thoroughly.
________________________________________
By the time dawn light seeped through the window, Tae-ha finally let her go. Not because of his upcoming business trip to Jeju Island, but because Ji-soo was completely exhausted.
After carefully cleaning his worn-out wife, Tae-ha lay down beside her.
He pulled the curled-up Ji-soo into his arms from behind. The moment his lips brushed her nape, his lower half burned to life again.
“Get at least a little sleep.”
Ji-soo’s drowsy voice only made him harder.
“I’ll sleep when you do.”
Ji-soo took his large hand and placed it on her belly. Understanding her intention, Tae-ha gently stroked the rounded curve.
“Kongkong really likes you.”
“Kongkong’s dad likes his wife even more.”
When Ji-soo let out a soft laugh, the tiny vibrations traveled straight through Tae-ha.
“Why are you laughing?”
“I never knew you were so good at expressing emotions.”
The hand on her belly slid up to her chest. He kneaded the soft flesh while nipping at her earlobe.
“I’ll make up for all the times I didn’t.”
Feeling his touch grow hungrier, Ji-soo turned in his arms to face him.
“Can’t you be sweet to our Kongkong too?”
Even as she pleaded, Tae-ha’s expression remained calm.
“Tae-ha, hmm?”
He reached out, brushing back her disheveled hair.
“I can’t be sweet to anyone but you.”
“But it’s our baby. The baby we made because we love each other.”
Tae-ha stroked her cheek, soothing her before she could cry. How much did this baby mean to her? Would she ask their son to be kind to his father too?
No—regardless, he wanted Ji-soo all to himself.
“Fine, I got it.”
Only then did Ji-soo relax. She lifted her head and kissed him.
“Tell me if there’s anything else you want.”
“Anything?”
“Anything Han Ji-soo wants.”
“Mmm. I want tteokbokki. The sweet and spicy kind, fried on an iron plate.”
Even if she’d spoken in an alien language, Tae-ha couldn’t have looked more bewildered. For someone who’d never cared much about food, Ji-soo’s request was downright baffling.
He knew what tteokbokki was, but he’d never actually seen it in person. Getting tteokbokki at 4 AM wasn’t impossible, but the added request for it to be fried on an iron plate was a bit much.
“Alright, I’ll get it.”
When Tae-ha sat up, Ji-soo blinked at him in surprise.
“You’re going out now? It’s past 4 AM…”
“You said you wanted it?”
Ji-soo grabbed his sleeve.
“Not now. Later. After your business trip, we’ll go eat it together. Okay?”
“You asked me to be a sweet dad to Kongkong. If you want it, I’ll get it.”
“Ugh, you’re impossible.”
Ji-soo clung to his waist before he could storm out.
“You can ask the housekeeper to make it for me later. Play with me a little more now. You have a trip to Jeju, so get some rest.”
The soft press of her body against his made it impossible to refuse.
“Or should I make it for you?”
At first, it was just curiosity. Could Cha Tae-ha really make oily tteokbokki? He excelled at studying, sports, work—but cooking?
After quickly searching recipes on his phone, Tae-ha identified the common elements and devised his own version.
For example, rice cakes vs. wheat cakes, frying with oil vs. perilla oil, adding chili powder or not, using syrup or sugar, etc.
Ji-soo sat at the table, watching her giant husband move deftly around the kitchen.
When a delicious smell started wafting through the air, her skepticism turned to anticipation.
“Are you sure you’ve never cooked before?”
Of course, Tae-ha had spent a good while fumbling around for a cutting board and frying pan. But aside from that, he showed no hesitation, making it hard to doubt his skills.
“What, does the apron suit me that well?”
Tae-ha turned to her as he poured the glossy sauce over the golden-brown rice cakes.
Though “apron” wasn’t quite the right word—it looked more like a bib.
“The apron is… kind of sexy too.”
“Should I wear just this next time?”
“You’re insane. No.”
Ji-soo shook her head, but the mental image of Tae-ha wearing nothing but an apron flashed in her mind. A mischievous urge bubbled up—if she asked, he’d never refuse. Should she make him wear a bear apron? Or an elephant one?
“Why are you smiling?”
“No reason. Just thinking about what kind of apron would look cute on you.”
Tae-ha studied her meaningful smile before lifting her onto the table.
“Are you trying to break the table this time?”
Her playful tone didn’t seem to grasp the danger of Tae-ha’s current state.
“Cha Tae-ha, no playing around where we eat.”
Tae-ha spread her knees with a low warning.
“Who said anything about playing?”