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If this was torture, he’d gladly endure it for the rest of his life. The feeling of being subjugated by Hae-joo, who kept touching his sensitive skin, was quite stimulating.
“You like it, though.”
“You’ve gotten much bolder, haven’t you?”
Since Hae-joo was pregnant, Dojun couldn’t act on his impulses. He suffered from the urge to go wild, to embrace her like he did the first time. His not-so-small body constantly swayed in the bathtub. When even kissing became difficult to bear, he grabbed Hae-joo’s wrists.
“Are you giving up already?”
“Of course not.”
As Dojun rose from the bathtub, he pulled Hae-joo up with him. He turned on the shower water without hesitation and rinsed off their soapy bodies. Dojun’s imposing figure was perfectly reflected in the mirror. Hae-joo caressed his strong lines, admiring him unconsciously.
“Don’t make that face.”
“What’s wrong with my face?”
“I can’t control myself.”
Dojun, who had just roughly wiped himself dry, led Hae-joo to the bed. The excitement hadn’t subsided, making it feel as if they were still in the water.
“Dojun, at this rate, you’ll sleep with me, won’t you?”
“If I woo you, will you accept?”
“Let’s see how you do it.”
Dojun’s kisses began from her toes. It was an irresistible courtship for Hae-joo. The sensation of his touch, as if determined, rubbing against her skin that still held residual warmth, was sweet. Unable to bear it, she winced.
“It’s problematic if you’re like this already.”
Dojun completely enveloped Hae-joo. As if he was the only one for her, and no one else. As his desire grew, a fire burned even brighter within him.
“I’ll do it.”
Hae-joo even felt as if flower petals were rolling from her toes. Unable to resist the subtle tickle, she accepted Dojun. With every movement they made, their still-damp hair intertwined, just like the two of them.
“It’s a pity.”
“What is?”
“That I couldn’t bring you here sooner.”
“It couldn’t be helped.”
Dojun had wanted to start a family early. The guilt he felt over his mother and Yijun’s sudden departures made him miss Hae-joo even more. Fate was too cruel and forced Dojun to endure. But Hae-joo’s situation was anything but easy.
“I was also a bit uneasy about you succeeding as an actress.”
“Really?”
“I was afraid I might never see you again.”
Dojun inhaled Hae-joo’s scent deep into his chest. As if breathing in oxygen, he buried his nose in her delicate skin and refused to let go. He still couldn’t believe anything. That Chairman Yu had been arrested and that Han Jintae had died. This incident had completely cleared Hae-joo’s name. This, too, was nothing short of a miracle.
“There’s something I want to do when we go to the beach.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll tell you when we get there.”
“I hope the weather is good.”
Dojun found peace in Hae-joo’s embrace. Even as he fell asleep, his hand never stopped caressing Hae-joo. He always missed her. It was almost like an illness; even now, being with Hae-joo, he felt parched. Dojun’s consciousness plunged deep into the recesses of his memory. When he came to, he was standing in a place completely white.
“It’s vivid for a dream.”
Dojun was looking around. From behind, a familiar voice called him.
“Over here, over here! Where are you looking?”
“You scared me! Yijun?”
“You should greet your elder brother first.”
Yijun’s playful expression was full of mischief. Dojun felt annoyed but was also happy, so he embraced him tightly.
“Why are you being so gross?”
“That puppy you gave me.”
“Oh, that? You’re raising it well?”
“Are you talking about a dog, or a human child?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know? Of course... my nephew.”
“Then why did you give it to me as a dog back then?”
“Get a grip. Did it look like a dog to you?”
Even in their dream, they bickered. Dojun, unable to bear it any longer, huffed and asked what he was curious about.
“Is the baby you sent me a girl? Or a boy?”
“Secret.”
“Argh, forget it. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“How do you feel?”
“About what?”
“You finally did it. You saved Hae-joo and caught all the bad guys.”
“I can’t believe it. It doesn’t feel real.”
Yijun’s lips spread into a wide smile. His eyes, still those of a young man, were infinitely clear.
“Well done, Park Dojun.”
“It’s all thanks to you.”
“Marriage registration?”
Yijun chuckled. Dojun, who didn’t understand the meaning of his laughter, slightly furrowed his brow.
“Back then, it felt like gambling, so honestly, I was scared.”
“I guess so.”
“After you enlisted, several days later, Mom came to me in a dream.”
“…!”
“She told me to make one wish.”
“And?”
Yijun slowly circled Dojun. He replayed past memories, recalling his mother whom he had met in a dream while alive.
“She suddenly told me to make a wish, and I couldn’t think of anything specific.”
“So?”
“Mom must have gotten tired of waiting, so she told me she’d let me live longer.”
“…!”
“What’s the point then? It’s not like she’s curing my illness.”
“Hey, you, Yijun!”
“She said I could only make one wish, so I said this.”
The playfulness disappeared from Yijun’s face, and he stood facing Dojun. He squeezed his younger brother’s shoulders, which were much broader than his own, and continued to speak.
“Instead of me dying, please make Dojun and Hae-joo happy.”
Dojun couldn’t say anything. His bones felt like they were tearing apart, and he could barely endure the pain.
“After registering our marriage in your name, one day, Mother came to pick me up.”
“You crazy bastard! Is that something you say?”
“Live well for my share.”
“Yijun!”
“I’ll come again.”
“Don’t go.”
“Have a good wedding.”
“What?!”
Yijun left some incomprehensible words until the end and vanished like the wind. Dojun ran towards him, stumbled, and his eyes snapped open. He shook his head and the bedroom came into view. Next to him, a sleeping Hae-joo stirred.
“Oh, right. The sea...”
Looking at the time, it was 4 AM. Dojun cautiously shook Hae-joo awake.
“Hae-joo, shall we go to the sea?”
“Mmm?”
Hae-joo, rubbing her eyes that wouldn’t open, stretched. Like Dojun, she first checked the time and then nodded.
“Let’s go to the sea. Not too far.”
Hae-joo got out of bed and went straight to the dressing room. Dojun also changed his clothes and grabbed his coat.
“It might be cold there. Dress warmly.”
“This is enough.”
“What’s that bag?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
Unlike Dojun, who only brought his car keys and wallet, Hae-joo packed a generously sized eco-bag. Assuming it was snacks, he gripped the steering wheel. This time, it felt like a picnic. The empty roads before sunrise felt incredibly refreshing.
“It’s truly autumn.”
“The dawn air is so nice too.”
After driving for a long time, the early morning light began to break. Unlike the rain during the night, the sky was filled with clear clouds.
“It’ll be clear today.”
Soon, the scent of the sea permeated his nostrils. Dojun parked the car near the beach they had visited last time.
“There’s quite a lot of fog.”
“It makes it feel so dreamlike.”
“My brother visited me in my dream last night. It feels just like that situation.”
The scene was entirely white, and the pastel blue colors were slowly deepening. Just as he wondered if heaven would be like this, Hae-joo rummaged through the bag she had brought.
“What did your brother say?”
“He suddenly told me to have a good wedding.”
“Oh my god!”
“Why?”
So surprised, Hae-joo’s busy hands stopped.
“We came here to have our wedding today.”
Dojun wasn’t surprised. He thought it was amazing how similar his thoughts were to Yijun’s.
“Are you still half asleep?”
Dojun had committed the sin of loving Hae-joo. The weight of that reckless sin had turned him into a mad dog. If only Hae-joo could smile, it didn’t matter. Today, Hae-joo intended to address the sins Dojun had committed for her on this beach. “Thank you” and “I love you” were not enough. Just as Dojun had always done, Hae-joo now had something she wanted to do for him.
“Just wait a moment.”
She had previously said she didn’t want to have a wedding with a pregnant body. Now, her mind had changed. She wanted to give a gift to Dojun, who had fought a war alone on her behalf while she was pregnant. She wondered how he felt now. She knew Dojun must be exhausted from all his hardships. She wanted to comfort him first. Just as he had done, to tell him that everything was alright now, and that they would only be happy.
What Hae-joo pulled out of her eco-bag was a veil. Only then did she shyly smile and confess.
“Look at this. It’s real, right?”
“When did you prepare this?”
“Whenever I had a moment? I have one for you too, Dojun.”
“You’re not going to put a veil on me, are you?”
Hae-joo chuckled. While trying to suppress her laughter, she pulled out a bow tie.
“Come here. I’ll tie it for you.”
Dojun also let out a small laugh. He willingly offered his neck to Hae-joo, who placed the bow tie on his T-shirt. It looked awkward yet interesting with the casually worn coat.
“Put the veil on me too.”
Dojun gently placed the veil on Hae-joo’s long, straight hair. It somewhat matched her flared design short coat.
“How is it?”
“Beautiful.”
“From now on, we’re walking down a virgin road made of sand.”
The two took off their shoes. They walked through the mist, which was swirling in the wind, treading on the fine sand. In the sky, the clouds were clearing. As the sunlight stretched down towards the sea, the fog gradually thinned. Hae-joo stopped walking and faced Dojun.
“Today, there’s something I want to do for you, Dojun.”
“Besides this wedding?”
“Yes.”
Hae-joo took a small case out of her coat pocket and opened it. Inside were two rings with their names engraved on them.
“It’s a ring.”
“A wedding isn’t complete without rings, is it?”
Hae-joo was wearing the ring Dojun had given her when they first lived together. At the time, it was for disguise purposes, so it was hard to consider it a proper wedding ring.
“I think it’s right for me to propose.”
“Hae-joo.”
“If I don’t even do this, I haven’t done anything for you, Dojun.”
“That’s not true.”
“Give me your hand.”
Hae-joo pulled Dojun’s hand, which was at a loss for what to do. She left the first ring on and put the new ring on him.
“I, Lee Hae-joo, will live for my husband, Park Dojun, until the day my life ends.”
He was unexpectedly choked up. Hae-joo held Dojun’s hand and recited what she had prepared.
“To my husband, Park Dojun, who always endured and waited for me, despite the sin of loving me, I want to say this.”
Dojun gazed at Hae-joo consistently. The now somewhat cold seawater touched their ankles and then receded.
“Marry me, Dojun.”
Dojun’s heart swelled as if it would burst. Although it was a wedding with just the two of them, he was grateful to Hae-joo for preparing it for him.
“If loving you is a sin... then let’s get married.”
By then, the clouds had receded, and the beach was filled with various shades of blue. The gentle waves became the guests at the wedding, allowed only for the two of them.
“We’re husband and wife now.”
“No. We’ve been husband and wife from the beginning.”
Dojun pressed his forehead against Hae-joo’s. They were so close that their breaths constantly mingled between their mouths.
“I’m glad I’m your husband.”
“I’m happy you’re the father of my child.”
“Will it be a boy?”
“Maybe?”
“Then a daughter...”
“Don’t even dream about it.”
Yijun had said he would meet them again. Dojun interpreted that as him meaning he would bring a second child too. He didn’t explicitly tell Hae-joo this fact. As always, fate tends to arrive unexpectedly. Dojun gently pressed his lips against her soft skin, and a sweet scent spread through his mind, making him involuntarily moan. If he were to be born again, Dojun was sure he would love Hae-joo. It might be a long journey. Nevertheless, it didn’t matter. Because Hae-joo was like the home Dojun returned to...
“Now the sea is clearly visible.”
Dojun pulled Hae-joo into his coat. The gentle breeze was light and subtle, carrying the scent of autumn.
“Oh, look, there’s a shell!”
Hae-joo, who found a shell washed ashore by the waves, was excited like a child. Without minding that her feet were getting dirty, she splashed and ran to pick up the shell.
“Look at this, Dojun!”
“It’s quite big.”
Dojun, with a smile, also started walking. He hadn’t taken many steps when the phone in his pocket rang. It was Director Song.
“I forgot to tell him I’d be late for work.”
Dojun quickly pressed the call button. Then he conveyed his message first.
“Director Song, take the morning off today.”
-CEO, it’s not that...
Director Song’s voice sank heavily. Dojun smiled at Hae-joo as if nothing was wrong and lowered his voice.
“Is something wrong?”
-I just received a call. Park Gyeong-ae passed away yesterday.
Dojun’s Adam’s apple bobbed greatly. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
“What was the reason?”
-It seems there was a fight with other inmates in the Philippine prison.
“And?”
-She died on the spot from the assault.
“...I understand for now.”
Dojun hung up the phone. Many thoughts crowded his mind, making it complicated. But he didn’t want to tell Hae-joo about Gyeong-ae’s death at this moment. It was the wedding Hae-joo had prepared, and it was right for it to shine on its own. Dojun embraced Hae-joo from behind, who was happily picking up shells in both hands. His fumbling hands wrapped around her baby bump.
“You just be happy. I’ll handle all the hard stuff.”
Dojun’s love remained unchanged. For Hae-joo, he was family, a man, and a hero. If loving her for a lifetime was a sin, he would have no regrets even in death. Dojun loved Hae-joo. He loved her. And he wanted her love.
-End-
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