He slowly but persistently conquered her lips, teasingly pulling away then pressing back in a rhythm until, at one point, he delved deep enough to turn her mind blank.

Could she just melt away in his mouth without form? Yul Li felt like she had become a piece of chocolate.

A chocolate melting slowly in the mouth.

Yul Li had agreed to share the bed, but as bedtime approached, she became anxious. She had collapsed into his bed from exhaustion during the day, but now at night, her mind was too alert. Sitting on the sofa and glancing around, she couldn’t hold back any longer and stood up abruptly.

“I’ll take a shower first.”

Without looking back, she headed to the bathroom. She planned to shower quickly, change, and slip into bed, hoping to stay at the edge without physical contact with Je Ho.

They had kissed several times and were prepared to go all the way, but sharing a bed to sleep was a different matter. She had been ready to go all the way, thinking it might be the last time, but now the situation had changed. There was a need to slow down a bit.

After showering, Yul Li dried her hair at the speed of light and changed into pajamas. Je Ho hadn’t come to the bedroom yet. Relieved, she crawled into bed, choosing a spot at the very edge and curling up with her eyes closed.

How long had it been? The sound of the bedroom door opening echoed.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Her heart seemed to leap out of her chest, but Yul Li kept her eyes tightly shut, not moving. Sounds of him entering the bathroom and the shower starting followed.

She wished to fall asleep before he finished his shower, but her mind was clearer than ever.

With the sound of the water turning off and rustling noises, he came out of the bathroom. The bed dipped slightly on the other side, and the blanket shifted.

“Just so you won’t be surprised, I should tell you.”

Had he noticed she wasn’t asleep yet? Je Ho spoke up.

“I don’t wear anything when I sleep.”

What?

Startled, Yul Li’s eyes snapped open, and she reflexively turned to look. His bare torso filled her view. While she couldn’t see below due to the blanket, it was clear he wasn’t wearing anything on top.

“Nothing at all?”

“Except for underwear. I find it suffocating to sleep in clothes.”

“……Ah.”

Yul Li found herself at a loss for words. In his house, his bed, he had every right to sleep how he liked. What could a guest say?

With no response from her, Je Ho assumed consent and picked up the remote control for the lights.

“Is it okay to turn off the lights?”

“Yes.”

She answered briefly, turning her back to him again.

As the lights went out, pitch-black darkness enveloped the bedroom. With nothing visible to the eye, all her senses were drawn to the other side.
Faint breaths, the rustling of the bed sheets, and the subtle scent of buttercream filling the air. It was a different sensation from the usual citrus scent she was accustomed to.

She realized that she now shared the same scent as him, having used the same shampoo and body cleanser. Though it was an expected result, it somehow felt strange, a different kind of thrill from their close embrace and passionate kisses.

As she tried to force herself to sleep, she heard rustling noises from the side. It sounded like Je Ho was turning his body towards her. Was he coming closer? Yul Li tensed up, biting her lip. She didn’t know how she would react if he did.

Fortunately, instead of moving closer, he asked a question.

“Have you thought about what it would have been like if the wedding had gone as planned?”

“No.”

The thought was too dreadful to even consider. She was just grateful that Min Woo had not shown up at the wedding.

“By this time, we would have been on a plane.”

“Were you going to Europe for your honeymoon?”

“Yes. We were also going to stop at Santorini on the way back.”

It was strange. Her own story felt like someone else’s, narrated with such detachment. Today’s wedding felt like it happened a year ago.

“Haven’t you been to Santorini yet?”

“No, not yet.”

“Let’s go together sometime.”

“Okay.”

Yul Li lightly agreed and closed her eyes again. It was probably just a casual remark, but it was comforting. Just imagining it made her feel better. The white walls and blue roofs of Santorini, unnamed pink flowers, endless stairs, and cats basking in the sunlight.

Gradually, she began to drift into sleep.

Je Ho watched her even breathing and the rhythmic rise and fall of her shoulders, indicating she had fallen asleep.

“Fearless girl, trusting me like this.”

He muttered softly to himself.

Trusting a man who said he wouldn’t touch her. Just like she believed Min Woo’s promise to live like roommates and decided to marry him.

He wanted to reach out and embrace her, but that might wake her up, and she might grab a pillow and leave for the sofa, or burst into tears in panic, like earlier.

Today must have been tough for her. He decided to let her sleep peacefully tonight, as much as he wanted to shower her with kisses from head to toe.

Just for tonight…