Chapter 36
- About the Level of Affection for a Dehumidifier
2023.06.05.
It was something she hadn't expected or anticipated.
Hot, viscous breath invaded the tender flesh between them. Tae-joon, who had released her hand at some point, now held her slender chin, his other hand cupping and supporting the back of her neck.
It unfolded slowly, as if giving her a chance to escape, but So-eun couldn't avoid it. Her heart was pounding more fiercely than ever, yet her body was frozen, unable to move. The heat Tae-joon brought, hotter than this summer day, seemed to paralyze her body and mind. Only her senses remained, held hostage by this large man. The areas where his lips and fingertips touched seemed to melt away.
A cool mint flavor pushed aside the apple scent that lingered in So-eun's mouth. Tae-joon's breath swallowed the small, cute candy pieces that had been swirling inside her. She didn't want to lose them, but she crumbled helplessly.
With a flinch, her fingers, which had been floating in the air, stretched out and then curled inward, resting haphazardly on his arm. A soft laugh, mixed with a groan, escaped his lips, as if something pleased him. It felt a little annoying, so So-eun twisted her body.
"Why? You like it, but not this?"
Tae-joon asked playfully, after breaking the kiss.
The words, spoken teasingly close to her glistening lips, sounded explicit despite their politeness.
His smiling face, dominating her vision, looked so relaxed. I have no leeway at all. Even swallowing is this difficult.
"You were willing to come to my place, but not kiss?"
"No... That's why I didn't go."
"I'm going to take you."
He whispered, continuing with small, frequent kisses.
"I don't do childish games. I'll be very forward."
As if she needed to get used to it.
"Stop now if you don't like it."
Why won't you let me go if you want me to stop!
Eventually, Tae-joon's kiss deepened again after he finished speaking. The corners of So-eun's eyes became moist. All the strength drained from her body, and a desire to lean on him even more sprouted within her.
This was truly a first, this kind of kiss. A kiss she had never experienced before. A kiss where she could almost feel the man's concentrated desire, infinitely gentle in some ways, yet rough in others, leaving no room for resistance.
Is this feeling real? Even amidst the fear and dread, all her senses felt only good. She shuddered at the feeling that his soft breath would dominate her, yet it was dizzying and ecstatic enough to bring tears to her eyes.
He said he was sorry for tormenting her, that he would be sorry a lot in the future, is this what he meant? If so, I don't think he needs to be sorry to me.
It felt like she had no choice from the start. Somehow, she felt like she had lost this tug-of-war, but she still felt good. It was as if the rope had lifted her body into the sky.
\
Seok-hwa, after meeting Tae-joon, was lost in thought.
In fact, there was no appointment. Tae-joon was thinking of having dinner together if Seok-hwa was free, but Seok-hwa tactfully excused herself.
As she entered the apartment parking lot, she spotted Tae-joon in the distance. It was right after she had called him and heard where he was. Tae-joon was not alone. He was clearly holding a woman's hand. But after answering her call, he took the woman back to the car.
He had a girlfriend.
Song Mun-gyeong wondered if the department head knew anything, but she soon put down her phone and shook her head.
How unsightly is an aunt interfering in her nephew's love life?
'He'll tell me when the time comes. If it's a casual relationship, they'll break up soon.'
She had wondered why he didn't have a girlfriend, but he did.
It would be stranger if someone with that face didn't.
She was a little disappointed that he had said he didn't have a girlfriend when she had asked him before, but she thought that he might have gotten one in the meantime, and anyway, she was glad that he was living a healthy life.
Seok-hwa was confident that she would sincerely welcome any woman Tae-joon brought home to marry. She believed without a doubt that any girl her nephew brought home would be a good woman. If her father didn't like her or if she faced opposition from those around her, she was willing to stand by Tae-joon's side and fight for him. Tae-joon might not think so, but Seok-hwa regarded Tae-joon as her own son.
\
The hot day quickly passed, and it was Tuesday morning.
So-eun put on the lenses that Tae-joon had bought for her and went to work. Perhaps because they were newly prescribed, her eyes felt clearer.
When she arrived at the office, she saw Tae-joon. He seemed to have stopped by on his way to work. Tae-joon, who was talking seriously with the team leader as if giving work instructions, gave So-eun a sly smile when he saw her enter.
Thump, thump. How long had it been since her first relationship ended in failure? A commotion arose in So-eun's chest. It had been a long time since she had such an exciting morning. So-eun curled her lips inward to hide the corners of her mouth, which were trying to rise, and hurried to her seat.
Bobae, who had arrived earlier, greeted her.
"Chief Han, did you sleep well last night?"
"Oh? Oh, yeah. I slept well. How about you, Bobae?"
"I couldn't sleep properly. It was too hot. Did you really sleep well?"
In fact, So-eun hadn't slept well either. She was too excited. Everything that had happened yesterday felt like a dream.
As So-eun was about to answer Bobae's question vaguely, Bobae suddenly leaned towards So-eun and whispered something else.
"The director came. He's so handsome. Look at those legs."
Bobae looked half-dazed, as if she was happy just to look at him. So-eun felt a little embarrassed because Bobae's gaze was so blatant.
I know, I know. It's embarrassing, so let's not keep looking over there, Bobae...
But Bobae couldn't easily take her eyes off him. The whisper continued slowly.
"Chief Han, haven't you heard anything about the director?"
"Heard? What? What about?"
"Like his girlfriend is a model or the youngest daughter of another chaebol family, that kind of thing. Haven't you ever heard anything from the director's secretary?"
"No, no, I haven't."
So-eun's voice grew louder at Bobae's question, for no reason. So-eun greeted Chief Jang Eun-pyo, who had come closer, to escape Bobae's sharp questions.
"Chief Jang, good morning."
Her voice was louder than usual, causing even Tae-joon, who was standing far away, to turn his head sharply towards So-eun.
Chief Jang Eun-pyo, unaware of these circumstances, greeted her casually.
"Yes. Good morning."
"Han So-eun Chief?"
In that instant, Tae-joon approached and called So-eun's name. So-eun's eyes widened like a startled rabbit. Even Bobae next to her swallowed hard, feeling nervous.
Tae-joon, standing between So-eun and Chief Jang Eun-pyo as if nothing was wrong, asked.
"You recommended these two for the TF Team? Park Bobae and Chief Jang Eun-pyo."
"Yes. Director."
When So-eun answered, Tae-joon naturally turned his head and extended his hand to Bobae.
"Nice to meet you. Park Bobae. I look forward to working with you."
"Yes. Director! I'll work hard!"
Bobae took Tae-joon's hand with a look that wondered if it was a dream or reality that Tae-joon had called her name. Tae-joon smiled and turned to Eun-pyo, offering the same greeting.
"Chief Jang Eun-pyo, it's nice to meet you too."
"Yes."
Eun-pyo bowed awkwardly and shook hands, then immediately took a step back.
Tae-joon said to everyone.
"The TF Team will start with this member next week. Starting next Monday, after regular work hours, come up to the 7th floor at 6 o'clock."
"Yes. Director!"
The cheerful Bobae replied on behalf of everyone. Tae-joon bowed slightly and left. So-eun, who had been holding her breath the entire time Tae-joon was near, finally let out a quiet breath.
After Tae-joon left, Bobae asked So-eun and Eun-pyo.
"What's the task? Since all three of us are from the Mobile Service Team, it must be in the mobile phone field, right?"
"Yeah. I think so."
Bobae nodded vigorously at So-eun's short answer and said.
"But if we end up handling other devices, contrary to everyone's expectations, what field would Chief Jang like?"
Eun-pyo thought for a moment and then answered.
"Among other machines, I like dehumidifiers."
"Oh? Chief Jang, you like dehumidifiers too? Why do you like them?"
So-eun asked Eun-pyo with a serious expression. Dehumidifiers were attractive in themselves, so So-eun also liked them. Eun-pyo's eyes sparkled at So-eun's words that she liked dehumidifiers. Eun-pyo explained the reason with more effort than usual.
"I feel good when I see the invisible humid air condensed and filling the water tank."
So-eun, who had found common ground with Eun-pyo, became excited and replied.
"Wow, me too! That's why I like dehumidifiers too! Because I can see water molecules that weren't visible! And the water tank is full!"
Tae-joon couldn't leave the Mobile Service Team right away and was in the repair workshop. Naturally, he pricked up his ears at the conversation between So-eun and Eun-pyo as he heard it. He was jealous of the two people's unreserved conversation, but at the same time, he became ambiguous.
The unknown world of science and engineering.
Does she like him more than when she said she liked me?
Suddenly, Tae-joon began to think that So-eun's confession that she liked him might have been about the level of affection she had for a dehumidifier. Or, is it less than a dehumidifier?
He didn't know whether to be jealous of the dehumidifier or of Chief Jang Eun-pyo, who had a strange rapport with So-eun.
*
The day was less hot than yesterday, making work easier. So-eun finished her work well and sent a text message to Tae-joon.
- Director, the TF Team starts next week, so can I leave work today?
She didn't know why she was so nervous about a work-related contact.
Although they worked at the same company, Tae-joon and So-eun rarely ran into each other. Unless Tae-joon came down to the desk like today, or unless there was a special reason like the TF Team, there was a high wall between an ordinary employee and the head of the headquarters. As she gradually moved away from the dreamlike yesterday, she began to slowly realize reality again.
Director Kim Tae-joon might be seeing me with a light heart.
I don't want to get too deep. I don't want to get to the point where I can't get out.
But he was too attractive a person to reject and push away.
- Come up.
After waiting, So-eun received a reply from Tae-joon. Her heart started beating again.
