"I love you." He stared at her, his lips glistening under the dim light, chest rising unevenly, then whispered, almost brokenly,
Her heart pounded so loud it echoed in her ears.
"I love you so much," he whispered, his voice low and rough, "and I know you love me too."
Her eyes filled with tears, her breath shaky, she wanted to stop him, but the words froze on her tongue.
"So there's nothing wrong in this… when we love each other, and... It's not like we are doing this for the first time," he murmured, pulling her closer. His gaze was hazy, drunk, yet burning with emotion.
"Kiss me back," he ordered softly, and before she could resist, his lips were on hers again.
The kiss was deep, consuming, and she trembled under his touch, and all the walls she had built began to crumble.
He lifted her effortlessly, his strength steady, almost startling, like he wasn't the same man who had stumbled moments ago, drunk and unsteady.
He pushed her gently onto the bed, taking off his shirt before leaning over her and kissing her with a desperate hunger. Her breath caught with every touch, words failing her completely. Slowly, he removed each piece of her clothing with care. A small smile touched his lips.
"You look beautiful tonight," he whispered against her neck, pressing soft kisses along her jawline and throat, leaving faint bite marks as his hands explored her body.
She was all messed up under him, moans escaping nonstop. She was not able to stop him; her mind was totally shut down under the waves of pleasure. For that moment, she became greedy and let herself go with the flow.
He kissed every inch of her; it felt so good to her. Finally, he came up to her lips and whispered, "Feel me, baby... "
And he slipped inside her, gently moving. She let out a soft, satisfied moan. He kissed her lips... While his hands held her hips to keep the pace. For the next few minutes, it was pure heaven to her; she was floating in the pleasure that he was giving delicately with so much love and affection.
Once he was done, he collapsed on her, breathing heavily. She panted, trying to catch her breath, gently brushing his damp hair. She smiled, savoring the intense, overwhelming pleasure they had shared.
But her happiness didn't last; his next words shattered her heart into pieces. He snuggled into her neck, cuddling her, and murmured, "I love you, Yerina..."
Tears streamed from her eyes uncontrollably. She realized that everything that had just happened, the closeness, the intimacy, wasn't for her. He thought he was with Yerin, the one he truly loved.
Her heart shattered. She tried to hold back her sobs, pressing her mouth tightly shut, but the pain was unbearable.
He kept mumbling softly in her neck, thinking it was Yerin, pulling her closer whenever she tried to slip away. She stayed with him, silent and heartbroken, until he finally passed out completely.
Only then did she quietly slip out, running to the couch, gathering her clothes. That night, she cried endlessly. And he? He slept on, oblivious to everything, murmuring Yerin's name in his sleep.
It had been two weeks since that night. Hauen was shattered inside, but she kept her face cheerful and calm. Every time he was around, her heart raced, only to ache all over again. But he? He didn't even remember anything from that night. To him, it had been just another normal night, nothing romantic.
Even now, he had grown closer to her, yet he would talk about Yerin like a lovesick man, unintentionally hurting Hauen. He had no idea of the storm she was holding back behind her smile. Hauen kept her feelings to herself because she didn't want to cause any pain in his life. She wanted to remain a sweet memory for him.
She kept telling herself: just one year, and then you'll be a stranger to him. Yet whenever she was alone, her mind wandered into unwanted scenarios with him. To stop these thoughts, she kept herself busy, talking with Bora, trying new recipes, or watching movies.
That evening, Hauen was in the kitchen trying out a new dish with kimchi. Bora was washing dishes nearby, and the two of them were chatting casually, enjoying each other's company.
When Hauen opened the kimchi container, the strong smell hit her so sharply that she felt nauseous. She couldn't control it and ran to the sink to vomit. Bora looked shocked.
"Ma'am, are you okay? What happened?" she asked.
Hauen struggled to speak, took a moment to relax, and finally said, "I… I don't know… that kimchi smells really bad. I think it's spoiled."
Bora picked up the container and sniffed it. "It's fine, see? Not spoiled at all." She handed it to Hauen, but Hauen couldn't bear the smell and pushed it away.
"Ewww… I can't," Hauen said, grimacing.
Bora frowned. "Mam… it's perfectly fine. Why are you suddenly allergic to kimchi? I served you from this same container just yesterday."
Hauen froze for a second, then rushed to her bedroom. She immediately ran to the bathroom, her mind racing with what she suspected.
And then… the two thin pink lines appeared on the test kit. Her eyes went wide. What?
She grabbed another kit and tested again… still two lines. She tested again, and every single time, the result was the same. She couldn't believe it.
A huge smile spread across her face. This… is real… God, finally!
She jumped in excitement, unable to contain her joy, and ran to Bora, hugging her tightly.
Bora looked confused but smiled at Hauen's happiness. "What happened, mam?"
Hauen showed her the test kit.
Bora's eyes went wide. "What… is this true?"
Hauen nodded. "I tested so many times… see?" She held up all the kits, each showing the two pink lines.
Bora's smile grew even wider, sharing in Hauen's joy.
Seeing the test results, both women jumped with joy. Bora quickly shushed her. "Shh… you shouldn't be jumping like this… Mam, calm down."
Hauen stopped, catching her breath. "Yes, yes, you're right. I should be careful."
She smiled, excitement bubbling up again. "Let's prepare something special for dinner… We'll surprise Suho!"
Bora nodded, and the two of them dove into cooking, their energy and excitement filling the kitchen. Hauen couldn't wait to share the news with Suho.
But as the evening dragged on, he was late. Her patience started to wear thin.
Finally, the sound of a car pulling up made her alert. She smiled and picked up a small box she had prepared, containing the exciting news. She ran to the doorway, her heart racing as she watched the car.
But as soon as the car door opened, her smile faded. Suho wasn't alone; he had brought Yerin with him.
They were smiling, Yerin holding Suho's hands, and Hauen felt her chest tighten. Her heart ached for a moment, but she quickly realized she had no right to feel that way. She plastered a smile on her face and returned their cheerfulness with one of her own.
Suho looked at her. "Hauena… what are you doing here at the door?"
Yerin glanced at her, and Hauen smiled warmly. "Hi, Yerin."
Yerin replied softly, and Hauen's smile widened. "Actually… I have something to tell you both," she said, excitement bubbling in her voice.
They exchanged curious looks.
"Come inside," Hauen said, leading them in. She handed the small box to Suho. "Open it."
Suho looked at her, a knowing smile on his face, as if trying to guess what it could be. He opened the box and froze. Yerin's eyes widened too.
Inside were the test kits, each showing positive results.
Suho's face lit up with disbelief and joy. "What? Are you serious, Hauen? Is this really true?"
Hauen nodded, her happiness overflowing, her smile practically glowing.
In the excitement, Suho reached out and hugged Hauen so tightly that her breath caught.
"Oh God… save me, you're choking me!" she exclaimed, struggling.
He laughed and pulled back, then leaned toward Yerin and kissed her gently. "Finally, baby… we're on track."
Yerin smiled, whispering, "I love you."
"I love you too," he replied, and Hauen watched quietly, smiling through the ache in her chest.
Yerin turned to Hauen, holding her hands. "Thank you…"
Hauen gave a soft smile. "No need to mention it."
All three of them smiled, and Yerin said, "Finally, some good news after so long! Let's celebrate."
Suho nodded at Hauen, and they all sat down to enjoy the delicious dinner prepared by Bora and Hauen. Suho complimented Hauen's cooking, earning a playful glare from Yerin.
"I genuinely liked it, baby," he said with a grin.
Yerin shook her head, and they all laughed while eating, chatting, and enjoying each other's company. Hauen watched them, Suho's care for Yerin, the little affectionate gestures like helping her peel perilla leaves, and the joy Yerin accepted so openly. They looked so deeply in love. It hurt Hauen, but she forced herself to keep her heart in check and not let it control her mind.
After dinner, they all settled on the couch, chatting about random things. Yerin nestled between Suho's legs, resting her head on his chest, while Hauen sat on the other side. Suho held Yerin so tenderly that Hauen found it hard to watch.
"Finally, I don't have to share my man with you, Hauena," Yerin said casually, looking at her. That simple line pierced Hauen's heart.
Suho glanced at Hauen, and she forced an awkward smile. "Yeah… it was uncomfortable for both of us. Finally… it ends," she said softly.
Suho gently squeezed Yerin's hand and signaled her to drop the topic. Yerin pouted, and Hauen noticed. Suho quickly changed the subject, sharing stories, laughter, and memories for a while.
Conversation flowed naturally after that, stories and laughter filling the room. When it was finally time for bed, Suho and Yerin headed to his room together. Hauen lingered for a while, staring at the ceiling, the quiet storm inside her swirling relentlessly.
What am I feeling? Why does it hurt so much?
Her chest tightened, but she stayed still, letting the night embrace her, forcing herself to smile once more.