#57.

Kim Eun-ju dragged her heavy body up from the bed. The memory of her conversation with Lee Han-ssi at the management office yesterday was too vivid. Turning to look in the mirror, she saw her own face, worn out and full of despair. The traces of tears shed all night were clearly visible around her eyes.

,What the hell have I done… This is all my fault.’

Regret and self-reproach surged endlessly in Kim Eun-ju’s heart.

Realizing she couldn’t go on like this, she forced herself to get up. She had to make breakfast for her husband and son as usual. Her steps were weak and drooping as she walked out to the living room.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-woo was preparing for work with a cheerful demeanor. His face was full of positivity and hope for life. Adjusting his messed-up tie, he approached his wife, still wearing a warm smile.

,Are you preparing well for your return to work next month?

Kim Eun-ju barely managed to raise the corners of her lips into a smile. She had to answer her husband’s worried question.

,Yeah, I’ve already contacted them.

With a short answer, she quickly turned her head and fixed her gaze on the table.

But Lee Hyun-woo gently placed his hand on his wife’s shoulder and held her hand tightly. He looked at Kim Eun-ju with soft eyes, as if trying to convey warmth, and said,

,You can do it, jagiya. I’ll try to leave work early today. Let’s have dinner together. Let’s spend some time together for the first time in a while.

Kim Eun-ju barely nodded and forced a smile.

With the sound of the front door closing, Lee Hyun-woo left the house. Kim Eun-ju trudged over to the living room sofa and slumped down.

,Hyun-woo believes in me… But I…

With a deep sigh, feelings of despair and frustration began to rise from the depths of her heart. Faced with the reality that she couldn’t undo last night’s mistake, she felt so pathetic and insignificant. Tears began to well up again.

–

Under the hot midday sun, Kim Eun-ju pushed a stroller towards the apartment management office. Her face showed a resolute yet anxious expression. Opening the door and entering, Lee Han-ssi looked up at her.

,Lee Han-ssi, please… forgive me. Can’t we just end this now?

As if she couldn’t bear it any longer, tears burst from Kim Eun-ju’s mouth. She stood before Lee Han-ssi, sobbing and listing her apologies.

Lee Han-ssi stared at her with a blank face. He acted as if he couldn’t hear Kim Eun-ju’s cries.

,Kim Eun-ju-ssi, why are you suddenly doing this? What happened?

Kim Eun-ju sobbed even more at Lee Han-ssi’s cold tone.

,I’ve made so many mistakes. I don’t want to deceive Hyun-woo anymore.

Kim Eun-ju pleaded, looking at Lee Han-ssi with desperate eyes. But there was no change in Lee Han-ssi’s expression.

After a moment of silence, Lee Han-ssi opened his mouth.

,Eun-ju-ssi, wasn’t the choice yours? Why are you suddenly saying we should end this? Are you perhaps going to tell Hyun-woo-ssi?

Kim Eun-ju’s eyes wavered at his question.

,No, I can’t do that… I just want to go back to how things were.

Lee Han-ssi held Kim Eun-ju’s hand tightly as she mumbled weakly.

,If you’re afraid to tell the truth yourself, I’ll tell Hyun-woo-ssi.

,No. That’s…

Kim Eun-ju cut him off, flustered. A cynical smile appeared on Lee Han-ssi’s lips.

,Do you just want it to be quietly buried? You seem to be asking for too much.

Then, suddenly, Lee Han-ssi picked up the child in the stroller. Jin-woo smiled brightly and looked up at Lee Han-ssi’s face.

,If you just quietly accept it, everything can be buried. If you don’t want that, face the truth and let that person go… Jin-woo might resent his mom, though.

Kim Eun-ju burst into tears at Lee Han-ssi’s words. Lee Han-ssi, holding her son and smiling, looked like a devil.

,What should I do… This is all my fault…

Kim Eun-ju, seized by fear and despair, staggered and pushed the stroller out of the management office. Lee Han-ssi called out a leisurely greeting from behind.

,Take care, Eun-ju-ssi. Come back anytime you make up your mind.

The road back home was long and arduous. Kim Eun-ju, clutching Jin-woo tightly with trembling hands, barely suppressed her bursting heart as she moved her feet. Emotions tangled with fear and despair were tearing at her insides like a storm.

–

Under the suffocatingly hot noon sun, Lee Han-ssi appeared as Han Soo-jin’s door opened. He entered with his usual confident smile. On the other hand, Han Soo-jin stood in the doorway with a cold expression. A strange tension flowed between the two.

,You’ve worked hard until now.

Lee Han-ssi greeted her in a friendly voice. But Han Soo-jin still didn’t hide her wary expression.

,You’ll keep your promise, right?

Her voice was mixed with anxiety and doubt.

Lee Han-ssi nodded without losing his smile. He took a step closer and gently took Han Soo-jin’s hand.

,Of course. Our contract ends today.

At his words, Han Soo-jin closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She seemed a little less tense.

Han Soo-jin hesitated and then slowly leaned into Lee Han-ssi’s arms. Their lips met. At first, they kissed slowly and cautiously, as if exploring each other, but soon the kiss became deeper and hotter. The desires they had hidden until now were exploding like a volcano.

Lukewarm sighs mingled, and the sensation of his tongue tracing the roof of her mouth became clearer and clearer. Han Soo-jin buried her face in Lee Han-ssi’s neck, deeply inhaling his scent and sweat. She was engraving on her body that this was a fleeting trace, a desire that had broken a taboo.

Pieces of clothing were shed one by one and scattered on the floor. Lee Han-ssi roughly explored Han Soo-jin’s body. His lips went down to her neck, collarbone, and chest, leaving sparks on her skin and causing sharp pleasure. His hands groped her lower abdomen and thighs, touching more intimate places. That place was already yearning for Lee Han-ssi.

His touch and lips were persistent and persistent. As if this moment were the last, he dug deep, trying to leave his mark on her. Han Soo-jin spread her legs and welcomed Lee Han-ssi, and he roughly invaded her. The ecstasy caused by his already familiar movements dominated Han Soo-jin from head to toe.

Lee Han-ssi moved his waist, stabbing at the weaknesses deep inside her that he already knew. The shelf above the head of the bed shook, and the bed creaked. Moans escaped from Han Soo-jin’s mouth, and this became a signal for Lee Han-ssi to possess her even deeper and harder.

Han Soo-jin was accepting all of this as well. As if the dark and complex emotions she had built up over a long time had disappeared at this moment, she abandoned herself to the ecstatic pleasure. The two people’s movements began to move to one rhythm. In the vortex of pleasure that was gradually reaching its climax, Han Soo-jin gritted her teeth and clung to Lee Han-ssi.

In an instant, Han Soo-jin’s whole body convulsed with a sensation of her head going blank and white. She let out a sharp moan and hugged Lee Han-ssi even tighter. Lee Han-ssi also unconsciously hugged her tightly, and with a wave of climax, he poured the semen he had been holding back into her body.

But they couldn’t stop here. As if not wanting to miss the last moment, they shared another deep kiss, yearning for each other. Captured by unstoppable desire, they made love endlessly. Once, twice, three times… The passage of time became meaningless, and only each other seemed to matter. Every time their sweat-soaked skin touched, a thrill ran through their bodies.

Outside, the sunset had already set, but the heat of midday had not yet subsided in the bedroom, and only the two people’s hot breaths filled the air. On the sweat-soaked bed, they explored and explored each other. As if trying to delay the moment of parting as much as possible.

In the evening, as the sunset slowly hid itself, the two exhausted people lay side by side, panting. Tears welled up in Han Soo-jin’s eyes. It was impossible to tell whether they were tears of pleasure or tears of despair. Lee Han-ssi hugged her tightly as he caught his breath. Their sweat-soaked bodies were tangled together.

,I should stop now…

Han Soo-jin muttered in a small voice. Lee Han-ssi hugged her tightly instead of answering.

Darkness deepened further outside the window. The two began to put on their clothes without saying a word. Now it was time for Han Soo-jin to return to the life she had so desired. After sharing one last deep kiss, Lee Han-ssi headed towards the door.

,Goodbye, Soo-jin-ssi.

Lee Han-ssi said quietly. Han Soo-jin simply nodded with a cold expression, without answering. With the sound of the door closing, their last low came to an end. Han Soo-jin collapsed on the bed with a sense of emptiness. The tears wouldn’t stop.

Now it’s really… over…

–

Late at night, the front door of Han Soo-jin and Park Tae-young’s house opened. As Park Tae-young, who had finished work, entered, Han Soo-jin greeted him with a bright smile. A bright energy that hadn’t been seen in a long time was swirling around her face.

,Welcome home, yeobo.

Han Soo-jin greeted him affectionately. Park Tae-young couldn’t take his eyes off his wife and said,

,You look like you’re in a good mood today. Did something happen?

Han Soo-jin seemed a little flustered, but soon smiled brightly and replied.

,I’m just happy to see you.

As Park Tae-young was pleased with his wife’s words, Han Soo-jin took out wine from the refrigerator.

,Shall we have a drink together for the first time in a while?

The two sat side by side on the sofa, drinking wine and chatting happily. It felt like a dream to Han Soo-jin to have a conversation with her husband like this for the first time in a long time. Regretting that she had deceived her husband because of her contract with Lee Han-ssi, she vowed to become a truly happy couple from now on.

,Yeobo, shall we go on a trip next week?

Han Soo-jin suggested cautiously. Park Tae-young looked at his wife in surprise.

,Suddenly? But that’s good. Where should we go?

,I want to see the sea. I want to have time just for the two of us.

Park Tae-young held his wife’s hand tightly.

,Okay, good. Let’s go on a trip just the two of us for the first time in a while.

After finishing a bottle of wine, it was late at night. Han Soo-jin snuggled into Park Tae-young’s arms and prepared to sleep. Park Tae-young, drunk from the alcohol, soon fell into a deep sleep, snoring.

Han Soo-jin was physically tired from her farewell with Lee Han-ssi during the day, but mentally she was filled with happiness. She now had no doubt that her marriage with Park Tae-young would be happy.

,Now everything is over. Tae-young-ssi and I will be happy.’

Han Soo-jin repeated in her heart.

She smiled and looked at Park Tae-young, who was asleep. Han Soo-jin felt at peace listening to her husband’s breathing. Now, hope had taken the place of guilt in her heart.

Han Soo-jin gently kissed Park Tae-young. ,I love you, yeobo.’ She whispered.

Moonlight streamed in through the window. Han Soo-jin snuggled closer to her husband and closed her eyes. Tonight, she felt like she could sleep comfortably for the first time in a long time.