Once Love Begins - Chapter 21. Part 3

Chapter 21. Part 3

My legs almost gave out with relief. He quickly closed the distance and pulled me into a tight embrace, wrapping his arms around my waist. His warmth made me feel safe and I closed my eyes tightly, letting myself breathe for the first time in what felt like hours. 

“Are you okay?” 

I shook my head vigorously. Nothing like this happened to me, not even when I lived abroad. I looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, and his expression hardened as he spoke to the police.

“Thank you. Please keep me updated.”

“Yes,” he responded to the police before turning to ruffle my hair gently. 

“Let’s get in the car,” he said softly, guiding me back into the vehicle. 

Once inside, I couldn’t help but ask, “What happened?” 

“They think it might have been someone trying to break in, but they’re not sure yet.”

“Not sure?” I echoed, feeling a chill run down my spine. 

“They’ll need to investigate. That someone bypassed all this security and made it into the apartment means it might not just be a petty thief.” 

The thought made me shiver, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself. 

“Yeon-woo,” he said, his tone more serious now, and I turned to look at him. 

“Would you be okay staying at my house for a while? I know it might be uncomfortable, but I can’t just step back and let this go. Your safety comes first for me.” 

I stayed quiet, considering his words, but the fear still lingered.

“Haa… I feel like I’m going to lose my mind from all this anxiety, you know?”

I said, noticing that his face was pale, his hands trembling slightly as he clasped them together.

“I understand. Let’s go to your house,”

I agreed, too shaken to even look back at my apartment. The mere thought of going back there sent shivers down my spine.

“Good decision,” he said, obviously relieved. He instructed one of the guards to pack my things and take them to his grandfather’s house. His smile became a little more relaxed as if a weight had been lifted.

* * *

“Since you moved in, the boss comes home regularly and even eats all his meals!”

Mrs. Kim, the housekeeper, beamed, obviously pleased.

I smiled softly at her comment.

She was right. Lately, he had been eating well and coming home at the same time every day, no matter what. He had been so thin before, and it had hurt to see him like that, but now he was slowly regaining his old strength and health.

I could tell just by looking at him how much he had neglected himself, barely eating and overworking. After dinner, he went into his study to work for a while, and I sat on the sofa and enjoyed some canned peaches. It wasn’t the peach season yet, so I had to settle for canned, but they were still delicious. The sweetness was almost overwhelming, enough to make my jaw ache a little, but I ate them anyway.

I felt his eyes on me and looked up. 

“Are you done with work?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he replied, sitting down next to me, his eyes fixed on my lips.

I blinked in surprise, staring back at him.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want some?”

“Yeah, I do,” he said, nodding.

I knew he didn’t like sweet things, so his answer surprised me. But since he asked, I couldn’t refuse. I speared a piece of peach with my fork and held it out to him.

Just as he leaned in to take a bite— 

“Oh! You dropped it…”

I started to say, watching as the piece of peach slipped from the fork.

I froze, my hand reaching for a napkin to clean up the peach that had fallen on my thigh. But instead of handing me a napkin, he knelt, leaned in, and bit the peach off my leg.

“W-What…?” 

I was too shocked to form words, my face instantly heating up as I watched him swallow. I felt my cheeks burning and my heart racing.

“W-What are you doing?”

I stammered, my eyes darting to the kitchen, worried Mrs. Kim might walk in at any moment.

“I couldn’t let it go to waste,” he said, with a casual shrug.

“…”

“It’s really good,” he added, licking the juice that had escaped onto his lips.

His audacity left me speechless, not with anger, but with a strange tingling sensation between my legs that made me shift uncomfortably. I tried to push him away and stand up, but he grabbed my arm and held me down.

“Wait…”

His lips met mine in a deep kiss, almost as if he wanted to take in every last bit of sweetness from the peach. Before I knew it, I was sitting on his lap, kissing him back. 

“So sweet. Tastes so good,” he murmured against my lips, and I felt the hardness of his erection pressing insistently against my thigh. I tried to ignore it, but its sheer size made it impossible. I shivered as he held me close and whispered in my ear.

“Let’s go on a trip, just the two of us.” 

“A trip?”

I repeated, still trying to collect my thoughts.

“Yeah. Let’s go see the ocean,” he said, his smile so bright and genuine that I found myself nodding without even thinking.

* * *

The fresh spring sunlight filled me with a feeling of lightness and I couldn’t help but smile. I glanced over at him as he drove and felt a warmth spread through me. His sleek, dark hair fluttered gently in the breeze from the open window, and the sight made my fingers itch to reach out and touch it.

As I looked out the window, the green grass seemed to stretch and grow, like it was waking up after a long sleep. I was in such a lighthearted mood that even a single blade of grass seemed meaningful to me. 

“You’ll catch a cold,” he said. 

“I’m not cold at all,”

I replied with a smile, explaining that the gentle breeze was making me feel even better.

He looked at me, watching for a moment before turning back to the road, a faint smile playing on his lips that he couldn’t quite hide. His fingers began tapping the steering wheel more rapidly, almost like someone who was feeling uneasy.

Noticing this, I widened my eyes in curiosity. He let out a long sigh.

“I was going to wait…” 

“Huh?” I asked, confused.

He laced his fingers through mine, intertwining them one by one. 

“But I can’t wait anymore,” he admitted.

I suddenly found myself captivated by how long and strong his fingers were, and I couldn’t help but think they were just as handsome as their owner.

I wiggled my toes, feeling a strange tickle on the soles of my feet. 

“What can’t you wait for? Don’t say things like that,”

I muttered, turning my head away in embarrassment. He laughed so hard his shoulders shook, and I shot him a playful glare.

“I don’t want to let go, even for a second,” he said.

Every time we met, he would grab my hand first and not let go until we parted. Lately, we’d even been holding hands at home, and it had become so familiar that my hand felt strangely empty when we weren’t holding each other. Since I felt the same way, I didn’t pull my hand away, despite my teasing look.

“We’re almost there,” he said.

I could see the ocean in the distance. I’d chosen Anmyeondo as our destination because I knew how busy he was with work. It wasn’t too far, just a few hours’ drive. As soon as we parked the car and stepped outside, the salty sea breeze wrapped around us. It was a little different from the usual ocean air – humid and with a faint fishy smell.

“Thank you,”

I said, feeling grateful for the peaceful moment together.

As I stood looking out at the ocean, he draped a sweater over my shoulders. Lowering my head slightly, I caught his familiar scent – it was the same one I’d smelled when I’d been in his arms, and the warmth of it made my ears burn. 

“Aren’t you hungry?” he asked.

“Not yet,”

I replied. We’d had lunch before setting out, so I wasn’t really hungry.

“Then, shall we take a walk?” 

“Sure.” 

Even though I had seen the ocean countless times, both abroad and in Jeju, something about the sea always made me feel at ease. Perhaps it was the thought of the hidden world beneath the surface, the mysterious scenery that the ocean hides, that drew me to it. 

“I like the smell of the ocean,” I said, inhaling deeply. 

“Do you?” he replied with a smile, glancing at me.

I smiled softly as I watched him close his eyes and take a deep breath, mimicking my actions. Even though I was by the ocean, which I loved so much, all I could see was him. I pressed the palm of my hand gently to my chest and felt my heart race. It wasn’t surprising anymore; it always did when I saw him. It had been pounding like this since we were children, though now I wondered if there was something wrong with my heart.

But along with the excitement, there was also fear – fear of being hurt again, which made me hesitate. When he slowly opened his eyes, I could see my reflection in his eyes, and that made my heart beat even faster.

“Come here,” he said softly.

Without a word, I walked into his arms, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. His embrace was warm and comforting.

“Do you want to have a drink?” I asked.

“A drink?” he echoed.

“Yeah. I’m pretty good at drinking now. You don’t want to?” I teased.

“…Just don’t drink too much,” he replied cautiously.

I pouted playfully, pressing my face against his neck.

“So, you don’t want to drink with me?” I asked again.

He shook his head, his face brushing against my hair, and I couldn’t help but smile, feeling my smile stretch up to the sky.

“Have you ever tried *so-maek*?” I asked playfully.

“You know how to make that?” he replied, raising an eyebrow.

“I’ll mix it perfectly for you,” I teased.

“Oh? What are you mixing?” he asked with a smile.

We both burst into laughter, his chest rising and falling with the sound. We found a spot at a seafood restaurant near the beach. It seemed like quite a few people were enjoying some daytime drinks, just like us.

I poured the soju and beer into the glass, following the ratio Hana had taught me. He watched me intently, his face full of curiosity.

“What’s with that look?” I asked.

“You seem like you’ve done this a lot,” he said with a teasing smile.

“Surprised?” I smiled back.

“…A little,” he admitted.

To be fair, just two years ago, I could barely handle a few beers before someone had to carry me home. It wasn’t surprising that he was caught off guard.

“I’ve gotten better at drinking, you know?”