#98.

The twilight of dusk enveloped the apartment complex. Kang Jiwon gently took Park Minah’s arm and accompanied her to her doorstep. Park Minah’s worried voice brushed past her ear.

,Jiwon-ssi, are you really okay? Shouldn’t you still be resting?

Kang Jiwon smiled and shook her head. ,Don’t worry. I’m completely fine now. I’ve been exercising regularly, you know.

Her voice sounded bright, but her eyes were somewhat hazy. Watching Park Minah open the front door and enter, Kang Jiwon’s fingers unconsciously clenched and unclenched into fists.

As Park Minah disappeared from sight, Kang Jiwon’s expression instantly hardened. She took a deep breath and slowly began to walk. Her steps were heavy, and her shoulders drooped as if drained of strength.

On the way to the management office, Kang Jiwon recalled Park Minah’s smile. The thought alone warmed her heart, but at the same time, guilt tightened its grip on her. She stopped walking and looked up at the sky for a moment. The dark, starless sky seemed to reflect her state of mind.

Opening the door to the management office, Lee Han’s smile greeted her. Kang Jiwon’s hand gripped the doorknob tightly. Her eyes flashed momentarily with sharpness, but soon returned to a vacant expression.

,Are you alright?, Lee Han’s gentle voice asked.

Kang Jiwon’s jaw tightened. Anger flickered in her eyes, but her lips remained firmly sealed. Instead, her fingernails dug into her palm.

Kang Jiwon’s steps faltered as she slowly made her way to the sofa. She carefully sat down. Her fingers, clutching the hem of her dress tightly, trembled slightly.

Lee Han sat down next to her and whispered, ,I didn’t know it was your first time. If I had known, I would have treated you more preciously…

Kang Jiwon’s eyes widened. Her lips trembled and parted. ,Don’t lie to me., Her voice was low and sharp.

Lee Han smiled and shook his head. ,I’m not lying., His hand slowly moved towards Kang Jiwon’s waist.

Goosebumps erupted all over Kang Jiwon’s body. Her muscles tensed up. Fighting the urge to run away, she pictured Park Minah’s face.

Lee Han’s hand slowly moved along her back. As Kang Jiwon’s breathing began to quicken, her fingers repeatedly gripped and released the sofa leather.

Against her will, her body slowly began to respond. Kang Jiwon closed her eyes tightly. Biting her lip, she desperately tried to think of Park Minah, but the sensations created by Lee Han’s touch were consuming her consciousness.

Lee Han’s hand moved slowly along Kang Jiwon’s body. Each time his fingers brushed against her waist, Kang Jiwon’s breathing became erratic. Her eyelids grew heavy and half-closed.

Kang Jiwon struggled to regain her senses. Her fingernails scratched and stopped against the edge of the sofa. The tips of Kang Jiwon’s fingers moved restlessly along the leather surface. Sweat beaded on her palms, causing them to slip and slide on the sofa.

Kang Jiwon’s body was already defenseless against Lee Han’s touch. Each time his fingers moved along her waist, it felt as if a subtle current was flowing through her. A shiver ran down her spine, causing her back to arch naturally. Kang Jiwon bit her lip, desperately trying to hide her reaction, but her body was already moving independently of her will.

,Stop…, A small sigh escaped from Kang Jiwon’s lips. The sound was meant as a rejection, but somehow it sounded like a desperate plea. Against her will, her body moved closer to Lee Han. Her scent brushed against the tip of Lee Han’s nose, and the distance between them gradually narrowed.

Lee Han’s hand slowly rose and wrapped around the nape of her neck. The heat emanating from his palm caused Kang Jiwon’s skin to flush in response. Goosebumps erupted all over her body, and her lips trembled. Kang Jiwon’s chest rose and fell rapidly as she exhaled in irregular breaths. As Lee Han’s fingers, resting on the nape of her neck, gently traced circles, Kang Jiwon’s eyelids grew heavy.

Her hand unconsciously grabbed Lee Han’s arm. She tried to push him away as if to reject him, but instead, it looked as if she was clinging to his arm. Kang Jiwon could feel Lee Han’s arm muscles between her fingers, and the sensation made her breathing even more rapid.

Lee Han’s touch slowly began to explore Kang Jiwon’s body. His fingers moved gently over her clothes. First, his palm wrapped around her waist and slowly moved upwards. It paused for a moment below Kang Jiwon’s chest, then carefully moved along her soft curves.

Kang Jiwon’s breath caught in her throat. She felt her chest harden in response to Lee Han’s touch. Her skin tingled from the warmth that was transmitted through the thin fabric.

Lee Han’s other hand moved towards Kang Jiwon’s thigh. His fingers slowly moved upwards from her knee. The muscles in Kang Jiwon’s thigh tensed up, then relaxed. When his hand reached her butt, Kang Jiwon unconsciously lifted her body slightly.

,Ah…, A small moan escaped from her lips.

Kang Jiwon’s fingers gripped Lee Han’s arm even more tightly. Her toes curled inwards, and her legs trembled slightly. As Lee Han’s hand gently caressed her butt, Kang Jiwon’s back unconsciously arched towards his hand.

Her face flushed red. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and the nape of her neck became moist. Kang Jiwon’s lips trembled and parted slightly. Her eyes were half-closed and unfocused.

As Lee Han’s touch continued, Kang Jiwon’s breathing became increasingly rapid. Her chest rose and fell quickly, and the sound of her heart beating violently echoed in her ears. Her whole body flushed, and a moist sensation began to spread from her intimate area.

Kang Jiwon tried to hold onto the last thread of reason, but her body was abandoning her will.

,Just a little more…, That thought flashed through Kang Jiwon’s mind. Kang Jiwon’s lips trembled slightly, opening and closing again. A small moan-like sound lingered in her throat, but it never turned into words. At that moment, Lee Han’s touch slowly dissipated like mist.

As the warmth he had left on her body slowly faded, Kang Jiwon’s eyelids heavily lifted. Her pupils, looking at Lee Han with blurred vision, trembled erratically. Dew formed and disappeared repeatedly in the corners of Kang Jiwon’s eyes.

Her gaze seemed to be wandering in a deep fog. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, revealing confused emotions. At the same time, the corners of her lips tried to rise slightly but stopped, creating an expression that seemed to crave something.

Kang Jiwon’s fingers moved as if groping in the air, then stopped. Her chest rose and fell deeply, revealing an unhidden sense of regret that she tried to suppress. As the redness remaining on her face slowly subsided, a wave of complex emotions swept across her expression.

Lee Han smiled and whispered in her ear. ,That’s all for today.

Kang Jiwon’s body trembled slightly at his words. Lee Han helped her up. Kang Jiwon’s legs had no strength, and she barely managed to stand while maintaining her balance.

In a daze, Kang Jiwon left the management office. She didn’t look back. She knew she would waver if she did. Instead, her gaze was directed at the floor, and her steps were unsteady.

On the way home, Kang Jiwon’s body was still flushed. Her cheeks were flushed red, and she frequently moistened her dry lips with her tongue. Each time she took a step, the inside of her legs brushed against each other, providing an intimate stimulation.

Arriving at the entrance to her apartment, Kang Jiwon paused for a moment and took a deep breath. Tears welled up in her eyes. A sense of self-loathing washed over her for the reaction her body had shown. Kang Jiwon wiped away the tears with trembling hands and pressed the elevator button. She entered the elevator with her shoulders slumped.

—

Kang Jiwon opened the bathroom door with trembling hands. She closed her eyes for a moment at the sight of herself reflected in the mirror. The stream of water pouring from the showerhead soaked her body, but the heat within her did not easily subside.

Her fingers groped her own body. Water droplets clung to her still-reddened skin. Kang Jiwon’s gaze turned downwards. Her eyes grew red at the sticky, moist sensation in her crotch. A small sob escaped from her throat, but she desperately swallowed back the tears.

With weak steps, Kang Jiwon lay down on the bed, and the sound of the phone ringing echoed in her ears. Her heart beat rapidly at the sight of Park Minah’s name on the screen. Kang Jiwon took a deep breath and made an effort to sound cheerful.

,Minah-ssi, hello.

,Jiwon-ssi, are you okay? You looked very tired…

Park Minah’s affectionate voice came through the receiver. Kang Jiwon bit her lip and replied.

,Yes, don’t worry. I’ve regained some energy now.

Contrary to her words, Kang Jiwon’s hand was unconsciously caressing her thigh. Park Minah’s soft voice tickled her ear. Kang Jiwon’s breathing began to quicken slightly.

,That’s a relief. I was worried about Jiwon-ssi…

Kang Jiwon’s heart warmed at Park Minah’s words. At the same time, her fingers moved towards her intimate area. As she touched the still-wet spot, a small sigh escaped from Kang Jiwon’s lips.

,Ji… Jiwon-ssi? Are you okay?

,Ah, yes… I’m okay. I’m just a little tired…

Kang Jiwon’s fingers began to move rhythmically. Listening to Park Minah’s voice, the images of the two of them overlapped in her imagination.

,Then get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.

,Yes, good night, Minah-ssi.

As soon as the call ended, Kang Jiwon’s fingers moved even faster. Her back repeatedly lifted and lowered slightly on the bed. Biting her lip, she whispered Park Minah’s name.

Kang Jiwon’s breathing grew increasingly rough. Her toes gripped the bed sheets tightly. The muscles on the inside of her thighs began to tremble with tension, and a hot heat swirled in her lower abdomen.

As she approached climax, her movements became even more violent. Kang Jiwon’s back arched like a bow, and the tendons in her neck protruded. Her whole body tensed up, then trembled like a wave for a moment.

But at the moment of climax, contrary to expectations, her eyebrows furrowed slightly. The moan that escaped from her lips contained more regret than satisfaction. Kang Jiwon’s touch slowly stopped.

She looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath. As her chest rose and fell, complex emotions flashed across Kang Jiwon’s eyes. The pleasure she had just felt seemed infinitely smaller and more empty compared to the pleasure she had felt with Lee Han.

Kang Jiwon’s fingers moved slowly along the bed sheets. It was as if she was looking for something. But the touch soon stopped, and her palm lightly gripped and released the sheets.

Kang Jiwon sighed deeply. Her chest rose and fell greatly, but even after exhaling, the tension did not dissipate. Her shoulders trembled slightly.

Turning onto her side, Kang Jiwon unconsciously pulled her knees towards her chest. Her arms wrapped around her body. She looked as if she was shivering from the cold, but the temperature in the room was warm.

Her eyelids slowly closed and opened again. Kang Jiwon’s gaze turned towards the cell phone on the table next to the bed. Her hand reached out towards the cell phone, but stopped midway, trembled in the air for a moment, and then returned to her body.

In the silence of the night, only Kang Jiwon’s breathing could be heard faintly. The breathing grew deeper and deeper, as if she was trying to swallow something.

Tears that had formed in the corners of Kang Jiwon’s eyes flowed down her cheeks. Her fingers repeatedly gripped and released the bed sheets tightly. Biting her lip, she stared at the ceiling.

,Minah-ssi…, Her voice trembled.

Kang Jiwon’s conversation with Park Minah echoed repeatedly in her mind. The contrast between that pure and warm voice and her own actions tightened its grip on her heart.

,Why… Why am I doing this…, Her whisper scattered into the darkness.

Each time Park Minah’s face appeared, new tears flowed from Kang Jiwon’s eyes. At the same time, the memory of being embraced by Lee Han flashed through her mind, and her body tensed up.

Kang Jiwon hugged her own arms. ,Forgive me…, Her voice turned into a sob.

In the silence of the night, only Kang Jiwon’s small sobs echoed. She closed her eyes, but the tears continued to flow. Filled with guilt, self-reproach, and confusion, Kang Jiwon had to spend a long night.