Chapter 46
- Naughty Hands
2023.06.15.
When the time came, So-eun followed Tae-joon into the theater. The movie So-eun had chosen was one that had topped the reservation charts about two months ago, but now the number of screenings was gradually decreasing. As it was nearing the end of its run, there weren't many people.
After a few commercials, the screen stretched horizontally, and the interior darkened. The voices that had been laughing at the comical commercials disappeared with the darkness. So-eun swallowed hard.
What he had said a few days ago came to mind. He had said it was hard to be in the dark. Because of me.
What if he suddenly grabbed my hand, or touched and tormented me like he did in his office a few days ago?
But contrary to So-eun's worries, nothing happened. After a while, So-eun glanced sideways. Tae-joon's profile, reflected in the light of the screen, was so beautiful that it felt enchanting. His eyes, focused on the movie, were almost boyish.
I felt embarrassed for having such absurd thoughts.
Ah, this man was joking. He was teasing me.
I should just enjoy the movie.
Only then was So-eun able to focus on the story.
I thought it would be an action movie with cool scenes from beginning to end, but contrary to expectations, a love line developed in the middle. An unexpected and stimulating scene made So-eun nervous, and she reached for her water bottle. That's when it happened.
Bang!
Gasp.
The speaker boomed, and the scene changed, startling So-eun, who dropped her water bottle. Fortunately, the water bottle fell toward Tae-joon in the next seat, and he quickly picked it up.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes. I'm fine. Thank you."
So-eun bowed quickly and took the water bottle back. As she opened the cap and took a sip, Tae-joon's arm came to rest on her right shoulder. The man, who had been intently watching the movie in a motionless posture, had reached out his hand.
So-eun stealthily turned her head to the side. His face was still focused on the movie, as if there was no ulterior motive in embracing her shoulder.
So-eun thought it must be one of his habits that she didn't know about and turned her head back. She had been worried about having her hand held throughout the movie, but it wasn't as if she didn't envy couples who watched movies like that. She felt secretly pleased that he was reaching out to her, naturally getting closer. She thought she could accept this much.
But as if he had been waiting for an opportunity, Tae-joon's hand soon became blatant. His hand, which had been on her right shoulder, caressed her right cheek. Startled, So-eun took a deep breath. But she couldn't move her body to the side. It was a quiet moment when the speakers weren't booming. She couldn't cause a commotion.
The large hand, which had crept further up, covered So-eun's right ear as if attacking. Her earlobe, which had been holding a cool energy, quickly heated up. Soon, his subtle fingertips traced the outline of her ear, tickling her ear cartilage and rubbing her earlobe. Each time his fingertips moved, the sensation was so vivid that So-eun flinched. Haaaah. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop the sound from coming out. Hot breath gathered in her throat.
She turned her head and saw Kim Tae-joon still calmly watching the movie.
So-eun asked with a tearful face.
"Director, are you watching the movie?"
"Yeah."
He replied briefly, still fiddling with her ear.
"I can't watch the movie like this."
"Shall we leave then?"
What are you talking about? How much did this cost!
"No, we should watch it all."
"Then keep enduring it. I'm enduring it too."
He was an annoying man, as always.
After the movie, in the movie theater restroom.
I lost my focus for a while in the middle because I was so out of it, but I was still able to confirm the ending of the story. It was pleasant and fun until the end. It was a movie that made the late-night date worthwhile.
Now, as a natural course of events, I will visit Tae-joon's house. And I will be embraced as he leads, as he desires. The string of tension that had been loosened for a while seemed to tighten again. So-eun took a deep breath as she looked at herself in the restroom mirror.
Should I redo my makeup?
I rushed out so quickly that I didn't pay much attention to my face. So-eun took out her makeup pouch from her bag.
Even if I end up asking him to turn off the lights when I go to his house, I wanted to keep looking pretty in his eyes, even until he turns off the lights.
Tae-joon waited for So-eun in the lobby. He was starting to worry because she hadn't come out for quite a while.
Did something happen? Does her stomach hurt?
Was that why she was so embarrassed in the theater? Was I recklessly tormenting someone who had a stomachache without knowing it? Did she collapse again? As worry was added to his imagination, he became anxious. No one was going into the restroom, so he even thought about going in and calling her himself.
Tae-joon had stopped by the department store to buy So-eun a gift and ran into Yang Hee-wook and Choi Hyun-ji. Even though he knew very well that Yang Hee-wook was a worthless guy, he felt a surge of annoyance when he faced him again. Tae-joon left the department store and went straight to meet So-eun. He called her out of childish jealousy. He was also anxious that she might refuse to come out because she was tired. He hid his desire to hold her right away and suggested watching a movie, pretending to be calm. He didn't know how fortunate he was that she accepted his offer.
When I'm holding her, I feel relieved as if she's mine, but when we're apart, I feel anxious all the time. No, every moment except when our bodies are touching is anxious. The her that I barely hold in my arms feels like she will leave at any moment. Even now, when she's not in sight.
As he was getting up from his chair and heading towards the restroom, a woman approached him and spoke to him.
"Excuse me... are you an actor?"
"No."
Tae-joon replied coldly, as was his unvarnished nature.
Nevertheless, the woman did not leave and continued her questions.
"Then are you preparing to be an actor?"
Tae-joon didn't even bother to answer. He had no kindness to spare for people he didn't know.
"No, I'm not a weird person. I'm from a talent management company. You have a great look. May I ask how old you are?"
The woman handed him a business card and asked another question. Looking at the business card, Tae-joon had heard the name of the entertainment agency once or twice. In the meantime, So-eun was seen coming out of the restroom.
Tae-joon was about to approach So-eun, but he hesitated, changed his mind, and asked the woman with a smile.
"How old do I look?"
"Mid-20s? About twenty-six?"
So-eun, who had been approaching from a distance, seemed to hesitate. There was almost no change in her expression. Rather, Tae-joon's expression, which had been smiling, relaxed. When So-eun, who had been backing away, disappeared around the corner, Tae-joon couldn't even properly greet the woman and strode towards So-eun.
"Why are you over there?"
"Ah..."
When Tae-joon hurriedly followed and called out to So-eun, she looked up with a flustered face.
"Did you finish talking?"
"Why are you hiding?"
"I thought you met someone you knew."
So-eun looked up with wide eyes and answered.
Tae-joon's heart, which had been playful and trying to provoke jealousy, turned sour.
"Han So-eun, aren't you jealous?"
"Pardon?"
"..."
"Why would I be? Of that."
So-eun answered without batting an eye. To be honest, it wasn't a complete truth. It was true that she had avoided the situation because she didn't want to be caught, as Tae-joon seemed to have met someone he knew, but on the other hand, she was curious about who the woman was. Who was she that he was talking to her with such affectionate eyes?
But So-eun shook her head before her jealousy deepened. The patience she had developed in her relationship with Hee-wook had made the current So-eun strong. So-eun had the ability to shut out bothersome feelings.
Tae-joon said with a deep sigh, as if he was disappointed with So-eun's answer.
"I am, though."
"..."
"Han So-eun, you should try it too, a little."
So-eun found it amazing that he was so honest with his emotions, craving bothersome jealousy.
Even after entrusting the ring for AS, Hyun-ji grumbled. Hee-wook also couldn't shake off his anger. In the end, Hee-wook couldn't reconcile with Hyun-ji and they broke up.
Hee-wook became even more angry because he hadn't heard from Hyun-ji even though it was almost 12 AM.
Is it all because your dad will add 2 billion won to the house price? 2 billion won hasn't even come into my hands yet, but I spent 55 million won, no, 60 million won, on your proposal.
I haven't even been able to buy my mom a 5 million won bag.
He felt like he was going to die because the money was so precious.
The face of Director Kim Tae-joon, who had been choosing a ring with joyful eyes today, came to mind, and he became even more heated.
Kim Tae-joon's woman wouldn't be Han So-eun, would she? They wouldn't have become fond of each other and started dating because of that incident back then, would they?
Imagining Han So-eun next to Kim Tae-joon made him feel like Han So-eun was being wasted.
If I had known we would break up like this, I should have tried it just once.
'Why didn't I do it?'
There was plenty of time.
She was a woman with delicate skin. If I bit her with my teeth, it felt like a mark would be etched forever on her white skin. The reason I didn't hold her, the reason I didn't touch a single strand of her hair, was because I felt like I would be blinded by the next desire if I touched her. I had to make her donate her liver, but what if Han So-eun got pregnant in the meantime?
Now that things have turned out this way, all of that felt like a waste.
As he was sighing deeply and sipping his alcohol, Mal-hee came out to the kitchen.
Since Hyun-ji had given her virtual currency information, Mal-hee had been having exciting times. As Hyun-ji had said, the coin seemed likely to hit 2 million won soon. Because it was a world where the market ran 24 hours a day without a start or finish, her health was being threatened, but no one knew it yet.
Mal-hee, who had been watching the coin graph all along, came out to drink some water and scolded Hee-wook.
"Why are you drinking alone? Without any snacks."
She scolded him, but he was still her beloved son.
Mal-hee quickly took out some kimchi from the refrigerator and asked Hee-wook.
"Son. Why are you so gloomy? What's worrying you?"
"Mom."
Hee-wook, who had sighed deeply, answered tearfully.
"I think I still have feelings for Han So-eun."
