Passing through the unnecessarily long corridor of the sweet room, the tie pulled from side to side fell to the floor, turning the shirt collar.

Kanghyun, making a kissing sound, gently pressed his lips, removing the coat, vest, and dress shirt in turn.

The discarded clothes from Kanghyun’s body spread out along the marble corridor like peeling off layers.

Just a few steps away from the bedroom, Kanghyun, who had run out of patience, gently pushed Jian, making her lean against the wall.

The palm of Jian, lifted by Kanghyun, touched the exposed left chest as if by accident.

“Ah…”

Due to the heart beating at an incredible speed, Jian, who lost her words, stared at Kanghyun’s eyes, which were flickering with earnestness.

What greater proof could there be?

Jian, enjoying the pleasantly vibrating sensation up to the back of her hand, had her pupils stained red.

Now, it seemed like nothing could bother her anymore.

Jian, lifting her eyelids quickly to clear her blurred vision, stood on her toes and placed her arm around Kanghyun’s neck.

Responding to Jian’s gesture, Kanghyun, holding her petite frame, repeatedly kissed her red lips, entering the bedroom.

Collapsed on the bed, Jian, who had fallen backward, stared in dismay at the sight of the things covering her body disappearing in an instant.

“Ahaha, that, last time, I went shopping with a friend at the department store…”

“You look beautiful no matter what you wear.”

His hasty hands left no exception, not even a thin piece of cloth.

Should it be made like this under the bright light?

“Turn off the lights… Please…”

Jian, whose thoroughly disheveled figure was covered by the white sheet, looked embarrassed, so Kanghyun handed her a neatly arranged strand of hair with a wry smile.

“See, touch, hear. Everything needs to be connected for satisfaction. I want your body temperature to transfer to me without any hindrance. I’m not anxious because, at this moment, it feels like I have everything.”

Kanghyun released his defensive arms, embracing Jian. The trembling sensation from where their flesh touched was keenly felt.

With excitement or something else, Kanghyun, with redness in his eyes, carefully wrapped his fingers around her chin and locked eyes with her.

Unable to call out another name, he just looked straight at her.

For a long time, the lips that hadn’t delivered the words prepared for so long finally trembled.

A deeply buried voice flowed slowly.

“I love you.”

Even if the expression was cruel, it couldn’t be anything other than love.

How wonderful it would have been if this kind of love had existed from the beginning.

Blood vessels swelled with regret and lingering sorrow in the eyes filled with unutterable words.

Facing Jian’s eyes that uncontrollably shook, tears welled up first in her eyelashes.

The pain that pierced the heart was too strong to be described as excitement.

The hooded tears fell freely, unexpectedly shocking Jian, who was more surprised than saddened, and she strengthened her arms on Kanghyun’s shoulders.

“Mr. Chairman.”

“Yeah.”
“It could just be my imagination. Because of my mood.”

“Yeah.”

“You keep looking sad, Chairman. It’s strange. So, I feel sad too.”

Even after hearing the confession he longed for, Jian reproached herself for being tearful and swallowed the warm lump rising at the back of her throat.

“It’s not sad.”

“Really?”

“Because you’re here.”

Kanghyun lightly flicked the moist corners of Jian’s eyes.

Even the small light on the wall was gradually filling the dazzling space, raising the temperature.

In places touched by Kanghyun’s lips and fingers, flames surged. Jian wondered if her body was melting due to the hot light pouring from the ceiling, having a foolish thought.

Kanghyun appeared from all directions and shook her.

Whenever he did something, it was ticklish, like flower petals being embroidered, and painful, like being pricked by thorns.

It was a feeling of an unexperienced stimulus, wanting to reach anywhere quickly.

“Why do you keep crying?”

As time passed, the now more composed Kanghyun occasionally spoke, but Jian, who couldn’t grasp her fading consciousness, just shook her head repeatedly.

Kanghyun, alone, trapped in a space he couldn’t escape from, redirected Jian’s gaze toward the terrace where the dark night sky was visible.

Outside the transparent glass, brilliant flames flickered.

Before she could find out how many fireworks were being set off, Kanghyun’s lips approached in a flash, relentlessly flashing in front of her.

“Merry Christmas.”

Perhaps it was a Christmas that she would never forget until she died.

Before Jian could open her heavy eyes, she let out a small groan.

An elephant? Or a hippopotamus?

Her whole body complained of pain as if it had been stepped on by a large animal.

Even her swollen eyes were on the verge of shedding tears again.

Even Kanghyun’s arm and leg, entwined like a rope, felt too heavy.

“Ugh…”