Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 43. Please Grant My Wish

Chapter 43. Please Grant My Wish

Eunchae stopped walking and turned to face Lee Joon. He also turned to meet her gaze.

“What… did you say?”

In response to her surprised question, Lee Joon looked directly into her eyes and explained in detail.

“That day, your heels were way too high. They looked at least 7cm tall.”

Lee Joon still vividly remembered Eunchae’s appearance.

Eunchae’s excitement for a rare dinner out was clearly reflected in her outfit.

She was wearing a pink dress that perfectly matched the spring day, with long, wavy hair flowing down. Eunchae looked very pure and beautiful. It was obvious she had put a lot of effort into her makeup and accessories.

Throughout dinner, Eunchae chatted happily while sipping her wine, her voice clear and refreshing.

Lee Joon was completely captivated by his lovely wife. Her lips, redder than the wine, the way her bright eyes focused solely on him, and her cheeks flushed a rosy hue all blurred his vision.

He wanted nothing more than to seize Eunchae’s lips and kiss her passionately. He longed to mark her pale, graceful neck with his kisses, leaving his trace all over her.

At that moment, Lee Joon was already intoxicated by Eunchae’s presence. Every night, he indulged in her like a beast in heat, never once allowing her to sleep without his affection.

As his body grew increasingly sensitive, blood rushed southward. Desire dried his mouth, making him gulp down the wine like water.

To hide the glimmer of lust in his eyes, Lee Joon had to keep his gaze lowered as much as possible.

Unaware of his inner turmoil, Eunchae misinterpreted his behavior. She thought he was avoiding her because he didn’t want to hear her stories.

This was how it always was between them. Their shared moments felt so differently remembered.

Even though Eunchae insisted on going through Yoonjung-ro, Lee Joon had two reasons for not wanting to go.

Lee Joon wanted to continue to face Eunchae.

Although he felt nervous and unable to maintain eye contact, he wanted to capture her smiling face and that bright smile in his gaze.

Even if they walked together, they would be looking ahead most of the time, and he didn’t like that idea.

The other reason was the shoes Eunchae was wearing. She had chosen particularly high heels that day, and he couldn’t help but be concerned about her feet.

He knew that walking for long periods would be painful for her, and he worried she might twist her ankle or injure herself.

Still, Eunchae had begged and pleaded so much that he had no choice but to agree to a night walk along Yoonjung-ro.

While Eunchae happily walked along the flower path, filled with excitement, Lee Joon’s focus was entirely on her ankles. He stayed tense, ready to catch her if she stumbled.

In the midst of this, Eunchae reached for a flower petal, saying her wish was about to come true. When Lee Joon heard her wish, his heart sank.

*”Please let me get along well with Lee Joon.”*

*”Are we not getting along well?”*

He knew they weren’t. With how indifferent and cold he had been, how could they possibly be okay? Still, he hoped—selfishly—that Eunchae would continue to stay by his side.

“Oh… was that the reason?”

Eunchae blurted out, her lips curling in surprise. She didn’t know what to say, realizing this too late.

“Then you should have just said so…”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Eunchae stumbled over her words, but Lee Joon reached out toward her face. Eunchae’s eyes widened in shock as his fingertip brushed against her lower lip.

“What…?”

“You have a petal on your lips.”

Before Eunchae could say anything, Lee Joon calmly explained the situation to her. Eunchae remained silent and allowed him to do what he wanted.

Then, Lee Joon gently pressed his thumb against her lower lip and slowly rubbed it.

“Lee Joon…”

“Just a moment.”

When he told her to wait, Eunchae stayed silent again. His thumb pressed firmly against her lower lip, preventing her from fully closing her mouth.

Because of this, his thumb was dangerously close to slipping inside her mouth, hovering at a tantalizing distance.

The sight of Eunchae’s red inner lips peeking through her plump ones sent a jolt of sensation through Lee Joon. His gaze deepened as he noticed the way her eyes flickered with a short intake of breath, igniting an unusual thrill within him.

He felt an intense urge to push his finger inside and stir her warm, moist inside. He wanted to see if her lips were still warm and soft.

With memories of that sensation and the sweetness of her lips flooding his mind, a heat swirled in Lee Joon’s eyes. He wished not just to insert his finger but to pour his entire being into her.

As his impure desires grew stronger, his instincts stirred. Swallowing his heated breath, Lee Joon carefully peeled off the thin petal that stuck to her lips.

“It wouldn’t come off easily because of the lip gloss.”

He put the petal on his palm and showed it to her, as if to confirm something.

“Yes…”

Eunchae nodded, her face—and even her ears—turning red.

An awkward tension hung in the air. Standing amidst the crowd, they remained frozen, gazing into each other’s eyes. The gentle spring night air became thick and hot, clinging to their faces like a tropical evening.

Eunchae, reacting to his familiar touch, felt flustered and at a loss.

*‘Why… how come…?’*

Lee Joon knew that Eunchae understood that he was deliberately teasing her lips. But she didn’t push him away. Instead, like a fool, she just watched what he did and even responded to his touch.

Overwhelmed by her feelings, she bit her lip and tightly close her eyes. Just as she opened them again, a petal gently landed on Lee Joon’s palm.

“Huh?”

“Mm?”

They both blinked in surprise at the petal, and the awkward silence and sexual tension surrounding them began to dissolve.

“Looks like you’re lucky, Lee Joon.”

Eunchae looked back and forth between the petal and Lee Joon’s face with a sense of wonder. They say that those destined for good things will always have a cushion to catch them, and Lee Joon seemed to embody that.

“Right? The timing is impeccable.”

Lee Joon found the situation amusing and laughed softly.

“Since it fell by chance, maybe your wish will come true even better? Or maybe not?”

She pondered aloud and tilted her head. Lee Joon watched her for a moment before speaking in a calm tone.

“Open your palm.”

“Why?”

“Come on.”

At his low but firm command, Eunchae hesitated before opening her palm. Lee Joon then carefully picked up the petal and placed it in her hand.

“Here.”

As he offered it to her, Eunchae’s lips parted slightly in surprise.

“But this is yours, Lee Joon. Shouldn’t you keep it to make your wish come true?”

“So I’m giving it to you.”

“What?”

*Please grant my wish,* he swallowed those words as he urged Eunchae, who was staring at him blankly.

“Let’s go. We’ve lingered too long in one spot.”

“Okay… yes.”

Eunchae carefully placed the petal in her bag and followed Lee Joon, who had taken a few steps ahead.

Eunchae suddenly looked down to check her shoes, a smile spreading across her face. The shoes she wore today were low-heeled loafers that were comfortable to walk in.

***

Woo-sung stared intently at the darkened windows of Eunchae’s house. Something felt off. She had definitely left work on time today, yet her home remained just as dark as it had the night before.

It was currently 9:20 PM. Eunchae might have gone to bed early. However, his thoughts kept drifting toward another possibility: that Eunchae hadn’t returned home yet.

Woo-sung’s expression hardened as he contemplated the situation. After a moment of thought, he got out of his car and entered the two-room apartment where Eunchae lived.

As he passed through the common entrance and started up the stairs, a sudden thought crossed his mind, prompting him to head back down to the mailboxes.

He looked in Eunchae’s mailbox and saw a bill that was almost overdue. Given Eunchae’s personality, she would never let something like that slip.

Feeling a wave of unease wash over him, Woo-sung quickly climbed the stairs again and reached Eunchae’s front door. Without hesitation, he pressed the doorbell.

*Ding dong! Ding dong!*

No matter how many times he pressed the doorbell, there was no response. He couldn’t sense any movement inside.

*Sigh…*

Woo-sung ran a frustrated hand through his hair and knocked heavily on the door. *Bang bang!* The loud thuds echoed, yet the silence from the other side remained.

His mind was filled with jealousy, bringing up images of Eunchae with Lee Joon. No matter how much he wanted to deny it, all signs pointed in that direction.

With a pained groan, he splashed some cold water on his face to regain his composure. Finally calmed down, he dialed Eunchae’s number.

“Yes, oppa.”

Eunchae answered the phone in a rather cautious tone, and Woo-sung didn’t miss it. He stared intently at her front door while he spoke.

“Did you have dinner?”

“Yes, I just ate a little while ago.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah…”

Her voice dropped significantly, clearly hinting that she was hiding something.

“Were you just eating something simple again?”

Woo-sung began to probe Eunchae.

“No, I had a proper meal.”

“At home?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, is that so?”

As Eunchae’s lie was exposed, deep furrows formed on Woo-sung’s brow. She had ultimately deceived him.

“What did you call for?” she asked.

“Oh, I was calling about the meeting materials for tomorrow, but I realized it’s not urgent. We can talk about it at the office.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Get some rest. Don’t work too much.”

“Okay. You too, oppa.”

“Alright. Sleep well.”

After hanging up, Woo-sung gripped his phone tightly and stared blankly at Eunchae’s front door.