WWBU - 77

As the car pulled up in front of the famous lounge at a well-known hotel, Han immediately stepped out without looking back. His figure disappeared from sight as he entered without hesitation.

“Shall we get going?”

Hyun-soo had been lost in thought, staring blankly out the window while consumed with worry over Han’s retreating back. Realizing the driver was waiting for an answer after observing him through the rearview mirror, Hyun-soo finally snapped out of it.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

She gave a short reply and nodded belatedly. Only then did the car, which had been idling quietly, glide smoothly into motion.

The scenery outside blurred as it passed by, reflecting on the glass pane. Hyun-soo’s face appeared faintly in the reflection—a face devoid of joy, visibly weary even to her own eyes.

Though their marriage hadn’t been built on love, she never wished for it to end badly. She couldn’t guarantee a lifetime of happiness, but she certainly didn’t want it marred by conflict. But… but what if?

What if Han’s feelings were genuine and grew more serious? What if Guk or the family found out? These possibilities felt like they could become reality. Just imagining it made Hyun-soo feel cornered, suffocating under the weight of her thoughts.

Haah. Unable to hide her deep sigh, Hyun-soo buried her face in her hands. Nothing seemed easy.

Regardless of how troubled Hyun-soo felt, time marched on, and days passed. Jiyoung, whose condition had improved, was discharged early in the morning and returned to the mansion. On the same afternoon, Chairman Yoon also came home after his business trip.

With the return of the two elders who had been absent for several days, the household staff became twice as busy. Fearing that any neglect during their absence might be noticed, they meticulously attended to every detail.

Normally, Hyun-soo would have joined them in pitching in, but now she was officially part of the Yoon family. That meant she no longer needed to take part in such chores.

Amidst everyone else moving efficiently yet quietly, Hyun-soo sat in the second-floor living room. She had been reading a book on the sofa when an uncontrollable yawn escaped her lips. Having barely slept the night before, drowsiness overwhelmed her.

In truth, Hyun-soo had been suffering from insomnia lately. Though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly why, she suspected it was due to her restless mind. Because of this, she hadn’t felt this sleepy in ages. In fact, it almost brought her a strange sense of relief.

Closing the book she’d been reading, Hyun-soo stretched out diagonally on the sofa. Just for a moment, she promised herself. I’ll close my eyes for just a bit and then wake up. With that resolve, she drifted off into slumber.

Meanwhile, Han woke up later than usual, as always. He had just finished showering and was roughly drying his hair with a towel. After slipping on some clothes, he checked the time. There was still plenty of time before dinner.

“I’m thirsty.”

Han rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced around the room, searching for something to drink. As usual, there was a half-empty water bottle lying on its side on the table. Without much thought, he picked it up and took a sip—but immediately frowned. Water wasn’t supposed to have much taste, but this was lukewarm and strangely metallic, making his stomach churn.

Had he drunk too much the previous night? Was that why it tasted off? He pondered briefly but concluded it was probably because the water had been sitting out for too long. Regardless of the reason, the pressing issue was that he was quite parched.

Ultimately, Han decided to overcome his laziness and head downstairs to fetch fresh, cold water.

“Ah, I’m so tired.”

Stretching his neck slightly, Han opened the door but abruptly froze in place.

“What are you doing?”

Han’s voice echoed through the living room.

“...”

But there was no response from the other person.

“What are you doing?” he repeated.

Still no answer. Growing impatient, Han quickly approached the individual.

“Nuna. What are you doing right now?”

Han grabbed the arm of none other than Hyun-soo, who had been aimlessly walking in circles around the living room. Startled by his touch, she stopped in her tracks.

“Nuna, Hyun-soo. Right now, you’re…”

“...”

Han trailed off, closing his mouth. Something about Hyun-soo’s face seemed off. Her expression was eerily blank, her vacant gaze unsettling—as though she were someone entirely different. She looked unfamiliar to him. And then—

Suddenly, Hyun-soo leaned into Han, collapsing against him.

Han’s body stiffened instantly.

No matter what, Hyun-soo simply rested her cheek against his chest, remaining nestled against him.

He should have pushed her away. He shouldn’t have held her like this; he should have shaken her awake, told her to snap out of it. Han knew that.

But he couldn’t bring himself to do it. His wildly racing heart urged him toward another action altogether—like pulling her closer instead.

Han wrapped his arms around her waist and used his free hand to guide the back of her neck, drawing her even closer to his chest. All he wanted was for her to understand how much he adored her, how his heart was going mad for her.

“...How am I supposed to interpret this?”

His murmured words spilled into Hyun-soo’s ear, but there was no response from her.

Trying to calm himself amidst the electrifying sensations coursing through his nerves, Han took a deep breath.

Meanwhile, at the same time, one of the hired staff members ascended to the second floor to deliver a message to Hyun-soo on Jiyoung’s behalf. This particular employee, who often grumbled complaints under her breath, muttered curses as she climbed the stairs. That was when—

“Oh my, oh my.”

She caught sight of Han and Hyun-soo embracing. Too shocked to stifle her exclamation, her startled reaction was enough to catch Han’s attention.

Hyun-soo, still cradled in Han’s arms, remained completely unresponsive. It seemed she hadn’t noticed the staff member. However, Han, who had already locked eyes with the employee, was different. Boldly, he tightened his embrace around Hyun-soo and stared intensely at the flustered worker. The one caught off guard was now the employee.

After freezing momentarily to observe the scene, the worker belatedly regained her senses and hurriedly clattered down the stairs. Where she ran off to afterward mattered little to Han. What was important to him was the fact that someone was currently nestled in his arms.

Han stroked Hyun-soo’s head and pulled her closer once more, enveloping her in his embrace.

“Nuna. Hyun-soo Nuna.”

Yet, despite everything, an inexplicable emptiness lingered within him.

________________________________________

Later that evening, Jiyoung summoned Hyun-soo. For reasons unknown, Hyun-soo had fallen asleep on the sofa and woken up in bed. Before she could question how she ended up there, she was called down to the first-floor living room.

“You’re here. Come sit down.”

The entire family was gathered—Chairman Yoon, Jiyoung, Han, and even Guk, who must have returned home at some point. Hyun-soo, arriving last, awkwardly bowed her head in greeting and quickly took her seat next to Guk.

“I heard about what happened this afternoon.”

This afternoon? Hyun-soo tilted her head in confusion, looking at Jiyoung. The latter’s icy glare met hers as she moved her thin lips.

“What kind of daughter-in-law hugs her brother-in-law? And in broad daylight, no less!”

“What?”

It was Hyun-soo who was truly shocked. Her eyes widened like a startled rabbit as she jumped slightly. Jiyoung narrowed her eyes at her reaction.

“Pretending not to know anything won’t make it disappear, you know.”

“No, that’s not it…!”

“Han, tell me. Is what Juyeon said untrue?”

So the employee who witnessed the incident and reported it to Jiyoung was named Juyeon. Han mulled over the name briefly before raising his head. His expression was calm, unruffled, and composed.

“No, it’s true.”

Hyun-soo was utterly dumbfounded. She had absolutely no memory of the event.

“...When did I ever—!”

“Stop pretending you don’t remember.”

“It’s not pretending—I really don’t remember…!”

Han shot her a knowing look. His already composed face grew colder.

“In the second-floor living room. You were walking in circles alone…”

Han abruptly cut himself off. Describing her circling behavior might sound strange to others. At the time, he had been too flustered to think much of it, but now, upon reflection, it did seem somewhat odd.

“In the second-floor living room… alone?”

Hyun-soo mulled over Han’s words, trying to recall what had happened earlier that day. The only thing she remembered was reading a book and falling asleep due to overwhelming drowsiness. When she woke up, she was in her bedroom. So what had transpired in between?

A sleeping version of herself, actions she couldn’t recall, and peculiar behavior witnessed only by others—these three pieces of information began to form a disturbing picture in Hyun-soo’s mind. Could it be? Could it be sleepwalking?

Terrified, Hyun-soo turned to look at Guk. Unbeknownst to her, he had already been watching her.

“You have something to say to me.”

Guk whispered softly, ensuring only Hyun-soo could hear. She nodded hesitantly.

Hyun-soo racked her brain, trying to figure out how to explain the situation. She couldn’t rudely pull out her phone to send a text, nor could she suddenly grab paper and write. It was maddening. Just then, Guk suddenly reached out and grasped her hand. Startled by the sudden physical contact, Hyun-soo turned to look at him.

“...”

“...”

While Han and Jiyoung engaged in a subtle battle of wills, Guk enveloped Hyun-soo’s small hand in his. It felt reassuring, as if to calm and comfort her. For a brief moment, the warmth surrounding her hand brought her a sense of stability. But then, struck by a sudden idea, she gently loosened his grip.

Carefully shifting her hand slightly, Hyun-soo began tracing letters onto his palm with her fingertip: S-l-e-e-p-w-a-l-k-i-n-g. She hoped he would understand the hastily scrawled message.