When Seo Yeon nodded, Seong Jun lowered her shower robe slightly. And he carefully kissed her slightly exposed shoulder. Without taking his eyes off Seo Yeon’s gaze. Seo Yeon bit her lip at Seong Jun’s warning not to make a sound.

Seong Jun, who had been carefully observing her reaction, now lowered the robe a bit more.

And holding the precariously hanging robe, he moved his lips from Seo Yeon’s shoulder to her collarbone, touching every corner.

Her whole body felt like it was melting at the strange sensation she was feeling for the first time. Seo Yeon tried to push Seong Jun away, not knowing what to do.

“Seong Jun… Wait a moment…”

But Seong Jun didn’t stop. Her hand, which had been wandering aimlessly in the air, grasped the sheet. Her eyes were tightly closed.

Seong Jun kissed her forehead as if she was cute. Yet his gaze remained fixed on Seo Yeon’s eyes. The kiss that started on her forehead moved to her nose, lips, and ear.

“It… tickles.”

Seo Yeon complained, arching her back. Still, Seong Jun didn’t stop.

At first, Seong Jun seemed to be kissing playfully, but now he was completely focused on the act. Seo Yeon slowly opened her eyes at the ticklish sensation. And her gaze met Seong Jun’s, who was looking at her.

An expression as if suppressing something. And dark eyes full of desire. Seeing Seong Jun like that, Seo Yeon couldn’t take her eyes off his handsome face, as if half-entranced.

It felt like she was being completely drawn into his eyes. So this is how he was looking at me… Her husband’s face, entirely focused on her, was breathtakingly erotic. She liked the way her husband looked at her.

Seong Jun had decided not to approach hastily since they arrived at the hotel.

When his wife said there were times she found him cool and was swayed by him, hope arose along with some anxiety. It was because of his wife’s words, adding the caveat that it might be a temporary emotion.

She didn’t seem to intend to hurt him. She also looked uneasy and uncertain.

At that moment, Seong Jun realized that he had caused his wife indelible wounds with his ignorance and indifference, and that he had lost much of her trust. But he didn’t want to give up hope.

He wanted to appeal to his wife today that he was her man. That was clearly the initial purpose.

But from the moment he kissed his wife, no, from the moment they entered the room, he couldn’t control his desire like someone who had forgotten his original purpose.

Every time his lips moved, his wife let out a sweet breath. Wondering how such sweet breath could flow from a person’s mouth, Seong Jun tilted his chin slightly.

He supported her with his large hand that enveloped her nape with room to spare. The kiss that started from her forehead traveled down to her eyes, cheeks, and nose. And then he parted her lips and tasted every bit of the tender flesh inside her mouth, savoring deep inside.

He tried not to be hasty throughout. But his head felt like it would burst with the rising excitement.

His hand wandering around her waist gradually moved upward. It was in an instant that Seong Jun’s large hand, moving instinctively, invaded inside the robe. Her soft skin filled his hand. Seo Yeon’s face turned bright red.

Can a person’s body be this soft? The feeling of her skin against his hand felt so good that he couldn’t think of anything else. His wildly beating heart had long lost its control function. Veins bulged and muscles tensed.

‘Damn.’

His instinct was telling him. That if he crossed the line here, he absolutely wouldn’t be able to stop. At that moment, Seong Jun fought against his instinct that was almost perfectly becoming beastly. And he overcame it. Seong Jun sighed and detached himself from her.

“Let’s stop now.”

Seo Yeon, with her face slightly flushed, looked at Seong Jun as if asking why they should stop. Don’t look at me like that. It makes me suffer more.

“If we go further, I won’t be able to stop myself.”

“…!”

Seo Yeon’s face reddened at the excessively honest answer.

“How did it feel when I touched you? Did you feel repulsed or dislike it?”

Seo Yeon shook her head.

“…No. I didn’t dislike it.”

Seong Jun smiled at Seo Yeon’s answer.

“Good. That’s enough.”

“…”

“You said you had a date in mind. Let’s do it properly then.”

Seong Jun’s eyes became serious. He spoke as if making a promise to someone.

“I won’t stop then.”

And he lightly kissed Seo Yeon’s still dazed face as if she was lovely.

Seong Jun, after putting back on the robe he had loosened, left the hotel room. It was because he couldn’t trust himself to be in the same space as his wife.

He headed to the fitness center.

It seemed he would have to spend the night exercising to cool down his heat.

*

Left alone in the room, Seo Yeon recalled what Seong Jun had said just before.

He had asked if she felt repulsed when he touched her.

She didn’t dislike it. Far from disliking it, it felt so good her head went blank. The dizzying sensation made her head spin and her breath catch. She almost grabbed Seong Jun’s arm as he was leaving, saying he would sleep in another room tonight. She almost said she wanted to stay together.

“Ha.”

She had only expressed that intimacy was a duty to be done for having children, but just now she had been devoted only to desire, to an extent she couldn’t believe it was her own thought.

As Seo Yeon wandered around the room with a confused mind, her eyes fell on the mirror in the middle of the wall. Suddenly, as she confirmed her reflection in the mirror, bewilderment colored Seo Yeon’s face.

“W-What is this.”

Her white neck and around her shoulders were full of red marks. It was the work of her husband who had been biting and sucking on her just before.

“What should I do. I have an appointment tomorrow.”

Rubbing her neck with her reddened face, she walked to the bed to go to sleep after a while.

However, unlike her thought that she would be able to fall asleep quickly, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Eventually, Seo Yeon got up from the bed.

“Why am I like this.”

Since getting married, she had always used the room alone. Today was no different from usual, but for some reason, the empty room felt particularly large and empty.

*

The next day.

Today was the day Seo Yeon was to be introduced to the members of the symphony orchestra by Jin Hwa. Arriving at the meeting place, she found Jin Hwa sitting near the window waiting for her.

Surely she had arrived 30 minutes earlier than the appointment time today too. Deciding to arrive a little earlier next time, Seo Yeon hurried her steps.

“I’m sorry, have you been waiting long, teacher?”

Jin Hwa’s expression brightened upon seeing Seo Yeon.

“No, I just got here too. We still have some time left, shall we have a quick drink before we go?”

“Yes. I’d like that.”

As Seo Yeon was about to open her mouth to ask Jin Hwa how she was doing, after ordering two cold coffees from the staff who walked near their table:

“There’s a bandage on your neck…”

At Jin Hwa’s casually spoken words, Seo Yeon felt cold sweat running down her spine. It was a band-aid she had put on to cover the kiss mark Seong Jun had made last night.

“I got bitten by a mosquito.”

Her heart pounded at the thought that she might have been caught with a secret that shouldn’t be revealed. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like Jin Hwa had said it knowingly. Jin Hwa nodded and continued:

“Your clothes suit you well today. Seo Yeon, because your skin is fair, light colors suit you well. Of course, dark colors suit you well too.”

Seo Yeon was touched. No matter what aspect of her Jin Hwa saw, she found something to compliment, making people feel good. How long had it been since she had received such unwarranted kindness?

“Thank you. You look great today too, teacher.”

“Really? Thank you. I actually dressed up especially because I was meeting you today.”

It was simply amazing that these two people, who had no connection before, were now talking together in the same space. Seo Yeon decided to be a little more courageous.

“Um, please speak comfortably to me, teacher.”

Jin Hwa’s eyes widened.

“…Shall I?”

Jin Hwa, who had been looking at Seo Yeon as if touched for a moment, spoke with a trembling voice.

“Seo Yeon.”

Seo Yeon was momentarily speechless. She couldn’t explain why, but the moment Jin Hwa called her name, she felt a sense of nostalgia.

*

Seo Yeon thought that the orchestra members might feel uncomfortable with her since she wasn’t originally supposed to participate.

“This is our string instrument leader and ace, Koo Min Hyung.”

“Nice to meet you, Seo Yeon! Let’s do well together!”

However, as if Seo Yeon’s worry was unfounded, they welcomed her.

“Yes. I look forward to working with you.”

After being introduced to the orchestra members one by one while going around the practice room, Seo Yeon had a brief ensemble with them.

Perhaps it was thanks to her consistent solo practice until now. She was able to complete the ensemble without difficulty. It wasn’t just Seo Yeon’s thought, as the expressions of the members who finished playing also looked bright.

Her heart was pounding excitedly. Although she had expected it to be enjoyable, the moment Seo Yeon played the piano and had an ensemble, she felt as if she was truly alive.

It was when Seo Yeon was taking a break and talking with Jin Hwa after finishing practice. A message arrived from Seong Jun asking when work would be over.

“Who is it? Your husband?”

“Yes. He says he’ll come to pick me up later in the evening…”

When Seo Yeon answered with a shy face, Jin Hwa made a pleased expression as if the words were welcome.

“He’s a good husband. Not only supporting you externally but internally as well.”

Seo Yeon looked at Jin Hwa as if to ask what she meant. Then Jin Hwa continued speaking with a face that didn’t seem to want to hide it particularly:

“I was told to keep it a secret, but CEO Tae Seong Jun has agreed to sponsor our orchestra.”

“What? Seong Jun did?”

Seo Yeon’s eyes widened, as she hadn’t heard anything related to this from Seong Jun separately.