LWD 7

Chapter 7 Impulse

Jae-ha left Ye-won sitting on a bench because her heel hurt and went to the café alone. As he bought a drink and walked back to her, a small laugh escaped from between his lips.

“This isn’t even a date.”

This was the kind of useless thing a devoted boyfriend would do for his girlfriend.

Although even he thought his own kindness was ridiculous, it was also true that he was enjoying this time enough to willingly act like a fool.

The bench where he had left Ye-won was empty. When he looked to the side, he saw her leaning against the car and looking at the river.

Jae-ha stood beside her, leaning against the car as well, and held out an iced vanilla latte. He had asked her what she wanted before going to the café and bought it for her.

“It’ll be very sweet.”

“Sweet things make you feel good.”

She smiled brightly and brought the latte to her lips.

The café Jae-ha had visited did not provide straws. Instead, they used tumblers with lids that opened halfway. Because of that, some vanilla cream got on Ye-won’s lips when she took a sip.

The way she licked the cream away with her tongue strangely bothered him. When he remembered the bald man in the wig who had probably wanted those lips again and again, he felt irritated for no reason.

“Mmm, it’s delicious. Thank you.”

“Good. That’s all that matters.”

Ye-won did not know it, but he had saved her from almost being taken by that man. He had also provided her with a meal and dessert, even if it was not an extravagant feast, so it was only natural for her to thank him.

Jae-ha drank his iced Americano and cooled himself down. For a while, the only sound around them was the ice moving inside their tumblers.

It was a quiet corner of the Han River.

The surface of the water, barely touched by artificial lights, shimmered under the moonlight.

A breeze blew, cooling the still-hot air. Ye-won’s long, straight hair and the hem of her white dress moved softly in the wind.

The clean and graceful figure of the woman standing beside the quiet river was exactly the kind of scene that could make someone lost in thought.

Silence continued until only ice remained in both of their tumblers.

Then Jae-ha calmly asked the question he had been keeping inside.

“Why did you get engaged to a man like that? Even though you don’t love him.”

As if she had expected him to ask, Ye-won gave a small laugh.

“Who says I don’t love him?”

“You did.”

“Ah… Did I really say that?”

She casually accepted his joke, then became quiet.

There was sadness in her expressionless profile. He could vaguely feel emotions that she was trying to swallow again and again with a kind heart so that no one would notice them.

Perhaps it was because it was his last night in Korea, because of the strange connection between them, or because of the emotional scenery around them. For the first time, Jae-ha became curious about someone else’s story.

“Tell me. What’s the reason?”

Ye-won turned her head toward him. Jae-ha leaned his weight more heavily against the car and looked straight ahead.

“Do you know? Would knowing make you feel better?”

He did not intend to interfere in her life. Besides, there was nothing he could really do. So he did not show all of his curiosity, even though it was becoming difficult to suppress.

Ye-won looked back at the river and remained silent for a while. Her silence showed that she was struggling over whether or not to tell him.

Eventually, with a long sigh, her story slowly began.

“His family is very rich. They are building owners in Gangnam.”

Her parents and her fiancé’s family had known each other for a long time. The wealthy man from Gangnam had been very fond of Ye-won, even paying for her university entrance fees.

Ye-won’s parents had struggled greatly to earn money, and their dream was to marry their daughter into a wealthy family. They were the kind of people who believed that, once you experienced life, money was the most important thing.

Jae-ha had no disagreement with the idea that money was the most important thing. He was similar. Though, rather than money itself, he was more interested in the power of controlling enormous amounts of capital.

Ye-won’s calm voice carried softly on the gentle breeze. Jae-ha half-lowered his eyelids and listened lazily to her words.

Suddenly, a car horn sounded in the distance.

It was almost as irritating as what came out of Ye-won’s mouth next.

“Recently, my father started a leather factory, and his family invested a large amount of money in it. They are really kind people.”

So, had Ye-won’s father basically exchanged his young daughter for investment money from the wealthy man in Gangnam?

No matter how nicely it was described, that was what it looked like.

A sudden wave of disgust made Jae-ha’s mind clear.

“If the deal involved selling someone like you, quite a lot of capital must have changed hands. I suppose I have to admit your father’s business skills are impressive.”

He spoke sarcastically, and Ye-won looked displeased.

“Don’t say it like that.”

“But he is selling his daughter for money.”

“No. He believes his daughter will be happy if she marries into a wealthy family and receives lots of love from her husband.”

“What a beautiful way to wrap it up. Do you think so too?”

“I…”

She could not continue.

She was still young enough to dream about pure love. There was no way she could truly be happy about marrying a man old enough to be her uncle.

Did she think she was Shim Cheong? She could not possibly be stupid when she attended one of the best universities. So why was she accepting a marriage like this?

Ye-won’s eyes became moist under Jae-ha’s complicated gaze. Her eyes held a faint sadness and resentment, but soon became helpless as she turned them toward the dark surface of the river.

She looked as if she might cry, yet her voice was surprisingly firm.

“I like being able to help my father’s business. He went through a lot of hardship because of me.”

“Parents always say things like that. That they suffered because they raised their children.”

“It’s not like that…”

After hesitating for a moment, she managed to continue.

“When my mother was pregnant with me, she suffered badly from pregnancy complications. The doctor even recommended an abortion. But she risked her life and gave birth to me. Because of complications after giving birth, she had to receive kidney dialysis for a long time. In the end, my father donated one of his kidneys to her.”

“……”

“Even though things were difficult because of that, my parents always devoted themselves to me. I am a child who owes my parents more than most.”

“……”

After hearing her story, Jae-ha could understand why she felt some debt toward them. That sense of debt and filial devotion had led her toward a choice she did not want.

At least, she did not seem to regret that choice.

“The leather factory was my father’s dream. Seeing him achieve his dream and become happy makes me happy too. Truly.”

She was too kind.

Jae-ha could understand her with his head, but he had never felt that kind of affection toward his parents. He could not truly understand her with his heart.

“Even so, marrying someone you don’t like is too much.”

“I don’t dislike him. You may not know him well, but he’s a good person. He treats me very well.”

Jae-ha wanted to ask why she had left her date and followed him if that was true.

But he did not ask.

“So, are you going to marry him?”

“I am. I have to.”

He wanted to tell her not to do it, but he could not.

It was her life, after all. It would not be right to push her toward another choice over a problem he could not take responsibility for.

With that thought, Jae-ha remained silent.

As the awkward silence continued, Ye-won glanced at him and changed the subject.

“Senior, I heard you’re going abroad to study?”

“Yeah.”

“Where are you going?”

“America.”

“……When?”

“Tomorrow.”

“……I see.”

At his indifferent answer, Ye-won gave an awkward smile.

Jae-ha’s mind was still filled with thoughts of that wig-wearing man.

He knew these calculations were meaningless, but Ye-won seemed far too precious to him. She was a woman who lacked nothing—not in personality, appearance, or education. Why did she have to end up with such an old and unattractive man?

“Did you like it when you kissed him?”

The words that suddenly came out were purely impulsive.

Ye-won turned toward him with a shocked expression. Her face, caught in Jae-ha’s crooked gaze, was completely innocent.

“You haven’t even kissed him yet?”

“……”

“You haven’t slept with him either, of course.”

“He… he’s not that kind of person.”

As if he believed that.

The man had invited her to a hotel with the clear intention of getting close to her.

But if he thought about it another way, perhaps the man really was not simply a dirty-minded wolf. They had been engaged for two months and had not even kissed.

“Let’s say he isn’t.”

Jae-ha ended the conversation without much meaning.

The words kiss and sex had made Ye-won extremely embarrassed. Her flushed face turned toward the river, but her eyes dropped toward the ground.

Jae-ha occasionally glanced at her while lost in thought.

A strange excitement began to rise inside him.

It was his last night in Korea. A woman beautiful enough to please his eyes. A river shimmering under the moonlight. A breeze carrying the sweet scent of the vanilla latte she had been drinking.

Everything around him felt like a stimulant.

His mind also made a rational calculation.

If that man was going to be the only person Ye-won ever kissed or became intimate with, wouldn’t that be an unhappy life for her?

And this night was like a mirage.

It was a moment that would disappear without a trace when tomorrow came. Ye-won would not have to worry about any consequences afterward.

As his thoughts deepened, his throat became dry. His body also reacted to the emotions he was struggling to control.

Jae-ha suddenly reached out his hand.

He caught her long hair that had been blown by the wind and gently tucked it behind her ear.

Her shoulders stiffened.

He softly brushed his thumb over her round earlobe. Even when his touch slowly moved down, Ye-won remained still. He could see her trembling hand slowly curling into a fist.

His hand moved down along her slender neck and stopped at one place.

It was where her pulse could be felt.

Her heartbeat was racing even faster than it had been when he held her wrist while leaving the hotel.

Jae-ha gently touched the back of her neck, but eventually he could no longer resist his impulse and lowered his head.

He gave her a light kiss.

Ye-won’s surprised face came directly into view.

Jae-ha moved closer and gently held her face in both hands. His warm hands and intense gaze held her in place.

Ye-won’s anxious eyes trembled.

“If you don’t like it, hit me. I won’t force you.”

Before she could understand what he meant, he kissed her again.

She made small sounds of surprise and protest, but thankfully, she did not push him away.

Had he really intended to stop if she clearly rejected him?

Perhaps not.

No matter what Ye-won did, he felt as if he could not stop himself.

Her lips were soft and sweet from the vanilla latte. The kiss continued for a while before Jae-ha finally pulled away.

Ye-won’s hands slowly rose and rested hesitantly on his shoulders. Jae-ha interpreted the small movement however he wanted.

He thought she might be feeling the same thirst as him.

But what Jae-ha wanted was more than a kiss.

He pulled away and looked into her eyes.

Ye-won opened her eyes. Her amber irises were hazy but completely clear.

They were eyes he wanted to possess.

And it was not only her eyes.

Her white, soft skin, her red lips, her delicate body—everything about her stirred a desire in him that he had never experienced before.

It was the first time Jae-ha had felt such an instinctive desire.

He looked deeply into her eyes with an arrogant gaze.

“Have you ever done anything bad?”

“……”

“Tonight, you’re going to be with me.”

He leaned toward her again.

Jae-ha had already made up his mind.

Tonight, he would give Ye-won the first time that had always belonged to her future husband.