WWBU - 68

A brief silence fell. Only the sound of the car speeding through the darkness lay between them.

—If I cross the line, will it really not work?

“Han-ah.”

—Yeah.

“If I ever have to tear someone apart with my own hands, I hope it’s not you.”

—......

“Seems like there’s nothing more to say, so I’ll hang up now.”

—Hyung...!

He pressed the end call button without hesitation. Silence filled the car once again.

Kim Hyun-soo, oblivious to everything, was still lost in her dreams. Whatever she was dreaming about must have been pleasant—her fingers twitched occasionally, and a faint smile lingered on her lips.

Han hadn’t directly expressed his feelings, but through their conversation, Yoon Guk could roughly guess. The color, shape, and weight of the emotions Han held for Hyun-soo.

Yoon Guk felt a territorial irritation rising, but he didn’t let it show on his face as he drove. If he faltered here, it felt like a crack would form in this relationship—one that something ominous would seep into.

Resting his arm on the car window frame, Yoon Guk propped his chin on his hand. His fingers absentmindedly tapped against his lips, his mind entirely preoccupied with Hyun-soo, Han, and the others.

“I hope this marriage is miserable...”

Yoon Guk replayed Han’s words in his head. Even when he first heard them, they had left a bitter taste, but saying them out loud made them even more sour.

“You’re insane.”

He stepped on the accelerator, speeding the car forward. The roaring vehicle raced endlessly down the road until the gaping darkness swallowed it whole, along with Yoon Guk and Hyun-soo inside.

________________________________________

“Are you asleep?”

At the sound of his voice, Hyun-soo opened her eyes. Blinking to clear her blurry vision, she saw a face looking down at her. Yoon Guk was lightly drying her damp hair with a towel.

“No. I must’ve dozed off without realizing.”

Suppressing a yawn, Hyun-soo sluggishly sat up on the bed. She had completely forgotten that she was supposed to dry her hair after showering.

“How are you feeling? Okay?”

Taking a step closer to the bed, Yoon Guk removed the towel from her head as he asked. Hyun-soo rubbed her stiff eyelids and nodded. More or less okay.

“You slept a bit in the car earlier. What about you? You must be tired.”

“Not really.”

“That’s good. Oh, right. I was just drying my hair...”

When she glanced up, their eyes met. Both of them had just showered, their faces paler than usual. On top of that, they were both wearing pristine white robes, creating an oddly different atmosphere. Was it because of that? Hyun-soo discreetly swallowed as she took in Yoon Guk’s striking features, which seemed even more beautiful than usual.

Why does he have to be so ridiculously good-looking? Even though she’d be seeing this face every day from now on, she still hadn’t gotten used to it.

“What.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You were staring holes into me. Got something else to say?”

“When was I staring holes into you?”

Her voice grew smaller as she denied it.

“Sure. Let’s say you weren’t.”

“It’s not like I’m just saying that—”

“Yeah.”

His smug grin was irritating. Hyun-soo shot him a sidelong glance before picking up the wireless hairdryer she had brought before falling asleep. Since Yoon Guk’s hair was also wet, she figured she should dry hers quickly and pass it to him.

“......”

Yoon Guk watched her from behind.

“Ugh, why won’t this work?”

Now, Hyun-soo was practically dumping her hair forward like a ghost and drying it haphazardly. Even that wasn’t going well—strands of hair stuck to her cheeks and neck, forcing her to shake her head wildly. It was a one-woman show not worth watching.

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

“What?”

“Trying to get my attention?”

What the hell? Who would want attention like this? Yoon Guk, who had somehow reappeared behind her with his arms crossed, was picking a fight for no reason. Hyun-soo barely held back a retort.

Just as she resumed her struggle, a hand suddenly appeared in front of her lowered vision. At the same time, the hairdryer was snatched from her grip. Before she could process what was happening, Yoon Guk gathered her hair and tilted her head up. When she turned to look, he was standing close, his gaze calm.

“What? Why are you—”

“Just stay still.”

“Huh? What are you—”

Before she could finish, cool air began blowing again. Then, Yoon Guk’s long, firm fingers combed through her hair, effortlessly taming the unruly strands. His movements were so smooth and practiced that it shut her up instantly.

“......”

“......”

The drying continued for a while. Honestly, Hyun-soo liked this. Liked it so much that she was on the verge of dozing off again. The soft fabric of the robe, the pleasant scent lingering on both of them, Yoon Guk’s warmth seeping into her back—and most of all, the way his fingers massaged her scalp and hair felt incredible. It was as if he was casting a spell on her: Close your eyes. Go to sleep.

Yoon Guk watched Hyun-soo silently as his fingers threaded through her fine, silky hair. She had been glancing up at him with rabbit-like eyes earlier, but now she was nodding off. He almost laughed. How can someone be this sleepy?

Once her hair was mostly dry, Yoon Guk turned off the hairdryer. The room fell silent in an instant.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, the dark sea stretched endlessly. In front of him was Hyun-soo—now his wife—fast asleep. Yoon Guk felt an emotion surging inside him, relentless as the tides. This feeling had been alive in him ever since he met her—no, since the first time he saw her. It had never died, never faded. And tonight, it rose inside him like a high tide.

What should I even call this feeling? He had wondered about it before. Friendship? Love? Obsession? Pity? Sympathy? Kinship? Jealousy? Possessiveness? None of them fit perfectly. The only thing he knew for sure was that he had never lived a life completely free of her.

Yoon Guk looked down at Hyun-soo, whose head kept drooping as she dozed. Her glossy hair fell to the sides, revealing her slender, pale neck.

“......”

He touched the protruding bone at the nape of her neck with his fingertips before slowly leaning down. Then, he pressed his lips to her skin. Chu. A soft kissing sound followed.

Hyun-soo’s eyes fluttered open at the ticklish sensation.

“What... are you doing?”

Her drowsy eyes held confusion as she looked up at him. Hyun-soo raised a hand to touch the spot where his lips had been.

“Why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

Her whisper-like question hung in the air as she stared up at him. Yoon Guk, his expression unreadable and slightly languid, didn’t answer. That was the problem. His silence only made Hyun-soo more nervous. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Instead of speaking, he simply reached out. Tucking her hair behind her ears, he cupped her chin and cheeks in his large hands. Her face was completely enveloped in his palms, warmth seeping into her skin. A shiver ran down her spine—one she couldn’t decipher as either pleasant or unpleasant.

As Hyun-soo trembled, Yoon Guk gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. Slowly, carefully, as if it were nothing. But this tenderness only froze her further.

“Yoon Guk. Why are you—”

She couldn’t finish. The hand on her cheek slid down to grip her chin lightly. Her lips parted slightly on their own, and Yoon Guk’s thumb brushed against her lower lip. The plump flesh yielded under his touch, reshaping prettily.

“......”

“......”

Anyone with half a brain could tell where this atmosphere was heading. The memory of their night at the villa flashed through Hyun-soo’s mind like lightning. She squeezed her eyes shut.

“Open your eyes.”

“......”

“Kim Hyun-soo.”

“......”

“I said open them.”

That night at the villa had been under the influence of alcohol—but this was different. Sure, she had sipped some champagne at dinner, but she wasn’t drunk enough to lose herself in the night. Right now, Kim Hyun-soo was more lucid and aware than ever.

“No.”

“Why?”

“It’s weird.”

“What is?”

“Everything... everything’s weird.”

Suddenly, the world darkened before her closed eyes. Something was blocking the light. What is it? Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, unsure of what was happening.

“Then should I just kiss you like this?”

Huh? Hyun-soo’s eyes flew open. The entire world was Yoon Guk. Because he was right in front of her.

Before her widened eyes could form a response, he made the first move.

“Let me show you what really feels weird.”

With a charming smirk, Yoon Guk kissed her without warning.

“Ah—hk! Ah!”

Again. Again, she couldn’t hold back her moan. She hastily covered her mouth but soon gave up, her hands fumbling forward. Beneath her sweaty palms, she felt the firm, well-defined muscles of his body.

In the depths of the night, their entwined figures reflected on the floor-to-ceiling window. Hyun-soo, seated atop Yoon Guk, was being relentlessly driven down by his large hands gripping her hips.

“Ngh! S-Stop, ah, p-please, hng—!”

Amid the slick sounds of skin meeting skin, Hyun-soo’s pleas mixed with moans.

“Stop...?! Ah—hk!”

But Yoon Guk acted as if he hadn’t heard, thrusting up into her ruthlessly. Greed and sadism warred inside him, shaking him to the core.