Married First, a Couple - Chapter 9

“What did I do?”

Even thinking back, there was nothing wrong I had done to Do Joon.

As Tae Yeon was thinking while rolling her eyes, Do Joon got up and approached her side.

“Mr. Do Joon, I can hear you from there.”

Despite Tae Yeon’s objection, Do Joon still sat down next to her.

Avoiding Do Joon’s gaze that was staring intently at her, Tae Yeon looked blankly at the glass that had contained honey water.

If I had known this would happen, I should have drunk it slowly.

Displeased that Tae Yeon was thinking of other things in front of him, Do Joon frowned and then tapped the table.

As Tae Yeon slowly raised her head, she saw Do Joon staring at her with dark eyes.

Her gaze was drawn to his eyes, which seemed to be holding back a lot of things, among his handsome features.

Do Joon looked at Tae Yeon and slowly pulled up the corners of his mouth.

“Don’t you remember what you did at the restaurant earlier?”

“……”

In fact, it wasn’t that she couldn’t remember.

She had been surprised herself when she unconsciously touched Do Joon’s face as he came close.

So, out of embarrassment, she pretended to be drunk and asleep.

Could it be that Do Joon knew all of this and was talking about it?

Tae Yeon’s face gradually turned red with embarrassment.

“Whether you remember or not. I’m going to do it.”

“Are you really going to do it?”

And immediately regretted saying those words. It meant that she remembered what she had done.

Do Joon raised his eyebrows as if intrigued.

“So you do remember.”

“……”

“Then before I do the same thing, I have one more question.”

Tae Yeon’s hands, clasped under the table, trembled slightly.

“Why did you do it?”

Should I make something up? Or just be honest?

After deliberating, Tae Yeon finally opened her mouth.

“Mr. Do Joon’s face when he came close……”

“My face?”

“Was too handsome……”

She chose to answer honestly in the end. Embarrassment immediately washed over her like a tide.

Even though he was her husband, they were only a couple in name.

The expression on Do Joon’s face was enigmatic. His mouth corners twitched as if he was trying to hold back a smile.

His face was neither angry nor smiling, as he furrowed his brow while trying to suppress the corners of his mouth that were trying to rise.

Tae Yeon watched his reaction.

“I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“Still… I touched your body without permission. You have every right to be displeased.”

Hah. Why on earth did I do that?

It was truly an impulsive action. His face up close was like a well-sculpted statue. As if appreciating a work of art, I unknowingly reached out my hand as if entranced.

Do Joon pulled his chair a little closer to Tae Yeon.

“Of course I was surprised, but it’s fine because we’re married.”

“What?”

“Me touching you, and you touching me.”

What is he trying to say?

His eyes, now even deeper than before, gazed fiercely at Tae Yeon.

“It means we can touch each other anytime, anywhere.”

“…What?”

Tae Yeon asked again in great surprise, wondering if she had heard wrong.

“We’re married, aren’t we?”

“Even so, we’re only……”

“I think I’ve said this before.”

Do Joon reached out and stroked Tae Yeon’s soft hair.

Tae Yeon was startled by the sudden touch, but only for a moment.

“I have no intention of living a marriage in name only.”

Tae Yeon’s pupils trembled.

Does this man even know what he’s saying?

“You asked earlier at the restaurant. Whether it’s just a kiss on the cheek, or if we should do more than that.”

Tae Yeon slowly swallowed. Her heart felt like it would burst from the tension, as if some tremendous words were about to spill out.

“Of course, I intend to do more than that.”

“……”

Tae Yeon covered her mouth with both hands. She widened her eyes in surprise, not knowing what to do.

However, Do Joon, who had uttered those words, merely smiled slightly.

“Mr. Do Joon, you’re joking too much.”

“Does it seem like a joke?”

She wished it was, but Do Joon’s face was very serious. Everything went dark before her eyes.

“Of course, I don’t intend to touch you without your permission. Unlike someone.”

That “someone” referred to herself, who had touched Do Joon’s face earlier at the restaurant.

Tae Yeon laughed awkwardly.

“I’m sorry about earlier.”

Do Joon smiled slightly and briefly removed his hand that had been stroking her hair. Then he asked in a low voice.

“I’m going to ask for permission.”

What. Her lips wouldn’t even open properly.

“I remember you touching my nose, cheek, and finally my lips earlier.”

“Hah. Yes……”

If only she could turn back time, she wanted to go back to when they were at that restaurant. How could she make such a mistake out of drunken anger?

No. Should she go back to before the marriage?

While Tae Yeon was lost in these thoughts, Do Joon, having run out of patience, asked once more.

“Since you did it, would it be fair for me to touch you too?”

She couldn’t say no at this point.

“Th… Then I’ll go wash up quickly.”

At those words, Do Joon narrowed his eyes.

‘Ah, this could be misunderstood even more.’

Tae Yeon stretched out both hands and shook them vigorously.

“No, I don’t mean anything else. It’s just that I’m wearing makeup, so if you touch me now, it’ll all rub off on your hands. The foundation and lipstick……”

This was probably the longest she had ever rambled on in front of Do Joon.

Yet, as there was no response from Do Joon, Tae Yeon continued speaking.

“And I just ate honey, so my lips are sticky. I’d like to at least brush my teeth.”

At the mention of honey making her lips sticky, Do Joon’s gaze naturally moved to Tae Yeon’s lips. Her plump, red lips had a glossy sheen.

‘Honey, huh. Must be sweet.’

Having that thought, Do Joon was appalled at himself.

‘What on earth am I thinking right now.’

It seemed the wine he drank at the restaurant today was the problem.

Do Joon quickly averted his gaze from Tae Yeon’s lips. Then he stood up and said to her.

“Go wash up and rest.”

[This is the timeline separator]

While Do Joon was washing up on the second floor, Tae Yeon finished showering in the bathroom of the couple’s bedroom and came out.

Even as she applied her skincare, her heart was still beating rapidly.

“He left without saying when he would touch me. Should I wait?”

The tightly closed door of the couple’s bedroom showed no sign of opening.

After waiting for a long time sitting in front of the dressing table, Tae Yeon checked the time and went out to the living room.

“Mr. Do Joon?”

But the living room was dark with no trace of Do Joon.

“Is he still washing up?”

Tae Yeon hesitated, glancing at the stairs leading to the second floor.

She thought about going up to speak to him, but the situation was so funny that she couldn’t.

“What would I even say? That I’m done washing so he can touch me now?”

She found it ridiculous even as she said it to herself.

And if she happened to run into Do Joon just out of the shower, it would be awkward for him too.

Unable to do this or that, Tae Yeon wandered around the living room for a long time before finally entering the couple’s bedroom.

“It’s not like he specifically said he’d touch me while I’m awake.”

Thinking that to herself, Tae Yeon lay down on the bed.

She looked languidly at the ceiling before drifting off to sleep.

[This is the timeline separator]

At the same time. In the exercise room on the second floor.

Do Joon couldn’t get off the treadmill.

“Hah.”

Even though he was out of breath, he kept running and running.

Yet Tae Yeon’s red lips that he had seen earlier kept flickering before his eyes.

After running for a while, he pressed the stop button and exhaled heavily.

It was ridiculous. What was so special about those lips?

Do Joon sighed deeply as he brushed his bangs back.

At first, it was a joke. He was curious whether Tae Yeon’s actions were due to being drunk or if it was intentional.

And his belated answer to Tae Yeon’s question at the restaurant was also completely unexpected.

“Why on earth.”

He barely resisted the urge to call the restaurant and ask if they had put something strange in the wine he drank today.

“Right. It’s not strange to have a reaction when a man and woman live together.”

He brushed it off like that and came out after showering.

He should go downstairs now and go to bed. But strangely, he couldn’t lie down next to Tae Yeon.

“Has she always touched men like this with that innocent face?”

For a moment, he thought that maybe the man in the photo had also been played by Tae Yeon in this way.

As that thought occurred to him, his reason slowly returned.

Instead of being played by Tae Yeon’s various tricks, verifying the authenticity of that photo.

That was the priority now.

[This is the timeline separator]

As it was nearing the end of the workday, Tae Yeon’s phone rang.

She sighed deeply after checking the caller. Just when things had been quiet lately.

Moving to the rooftop garden, Tae Yeon answered the phone.

“Yes, father.”

-Why haven’t you been answering my calls!

“I’ve been a bit busy.”

-What work do you have? Are you getting along well with Mr. Cha?

Is getting along well the right way to put it? Whether it was or not, she had to tell Dong Phil that they were getting along well.

“Of course. We came home late yesterday after a date, so I didn’t know you had called. I lose track of time when I’m with Mr. Do Joon.”

It wasn’t a lie. She had actually spent time with Do Joon.

Dong Phil seemed surprised by the word ‘date’ and was silent for a while.

“Father, why did you call?”

-Come home this weekend and bring Mr. Cha with you.

Tae Yeon bit her lip hard. When meeting the elders, they had to act even better as a couple with no problems.

-Are you listening? And you’ve obviously greeted Chairman Cha, right?

“…This weekend might be difficult. We’re actually scheduled to meet Chairman Cha.”

She hadn’t actually discussed this with Do Joon, but she wanted to postpone meeting Dong Phil as much as possible.

Dong Phil, who seemed about to nag, unexpectedly curbed his temper at the mention of meeting Chairman Cha.

-I see. Well then. Talk it over with Mr. Cha and set up an appointment as soon as possible. Always remember, I didn’t marry you off for you to go around having fun.

As she sighed deeply after hanging up the phone.

A black shadow fell over Tae Yeon’s head. A familiar scent also reached her nose.

‘No way…’

As she looked up, there was Do Joon staring intently at Tae Yeon.

“So you lose track of time when you’re with me?”

Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me

One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.

Synopsis:

Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.

But this is still far from enough.

He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.

_____

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