Chapter 12
“Hh… hhn….”
Dowoon let out a sound that was almost like a sob.
“…Don’t… don’t.”
As if caught in a nightmare, he kept shaking his head, his forehead drenched in sweat.
A grown man groaning because of a bad dream. Chohui slowly placed her hand on the space between Dowoon’s brows.
“What kind of dream are you even having…?”
When she pressed her finger firmly against his tightly furrowed brow, the trembling sounds gradually calmed.
“Hh….”
She quietly looked down at the man breathing beneath her hand.
During the day, he looked like a terrifying beast without equal. But seeing him like this, groaning in his sleep, he seemed more like prey being chased by a predator.
Under Chohui’s touch, his breathing steadily evened out.
She had felt it the first time they met on the train as well—when he slept, he was almost painfully handsome.
He was irritating the moment he opened his mouth, but at least when he slept, he was bearable to look at.
Once his breathing had settled, Chohui gently withdrew her hand.
That was when—
Snap!
A large hand suddenly seized Chohui’s wrist out of midair.
In a dizzying instant, the ceiling became the floor, and the sofa became the ground once more.
“Gah!”
“Who’s there?!”
Just moments ago, Dowoon had been lying down and she had been standing—but now Chohui was flat on the sofa, with Dowoon looming over her.
Both of her wrists were pinned above her head by one of his hands, while his other hand pressed against her neck as if to choke her.
“Kgh—!”
At her strangled cry, the hand around her neck loosened immediately.
Dowoon’s eyes shook.
“Seong… Chohui?”
“It—it’s me!”
The confusion in his eyes instantly turned to shock. All at once, every hand restraining her pulled away.
“A-are you all right?”
“Cough, cough!”
“Are you okay? Hey!”
It wasn’t just his eyes that were trembling—his voice shook uncontrollably too.
Chohui took a deep breath. The choking had only lasted an instant, so it didn’t hurt. She had simply swallowed wrong in surprise and ended up coughing.
Seeing her like that, Dowoon looked utterly at a loss and lifted her onto his thigh, pulling her close. His large body, carrying a strong citrus scent, trembled.
“I—I’m sorry.”
“Cough!”
She felt a trembling hand patting her back. Matching the rhythm, she took slow, deep breaths. Soon, the coughing subsided.
…Wait. Is he holding me right now?
Everything had happened so fast she hadn’t noticed—but Dowoon was still holding her tightly.
The sudden contact made Chohui’s head spin.
Thump, thump, thump.
Dowoon’s heartbeat pounded loudly against her ear.
As if cold water had been poured over her head, Chohui snapped back to her senses and shoved his chest hard.
“That’s enough now!”
His body, which looked like it wouldn’t budge an inch, toppled back immediately at her push.
“Are you all right?”
Now that there was some distance between them, she could see that his forehead was still soaked in sweat. Chohui straightened her clothes.
“You can’t just pin someone down like that out of nowhere.”
“I’m sorry. I thought there was an intruder…”
“This is your house, Dowoon. Who would be here?”
“…You’re right.”
At her words, Dowoon scrubbed his face dry. She wanted to snap at him and demand what he thought he was doing, but his face—so pale and confused—stopped her.
“Then… why did you come here?”
“The light was on. Did you fall asleep here?”
“Seems like it.”
Dowoon raked a hand through his hair. He looked as if he couldn’t quite believe the situation himself.
“If I’d known I’d suffer like this, I wouldn’t have helped you.”
“Helped me? What do you mean?”
Chohui’s mouth snapped shut. She couldn’t bring herself to say that she’d thought he was having a nightmare and tried to calm him.
“I—I came to turn off the light. I was trying to earn my 500 won’s worth.”
She said it deliberately, in a sulky tone.
“Ha…”
Dowoon let out a breath and spoke in a steadier voice.
“Then is this also part of earning your 500 won?”
“What do you mean?”
His gaze dropped briefly, then met hers again.
“Sitting on top of me.”
Oh no. She had sat on his thigh earlier to steady herself—and she was still there.
“I—I’m sorry!”
Chohui scrambled off him, bracing herself against the nearby side table.
“Ack!”
Dowoon reached out, but it was too late. The hem of her skirt caught on the sharp edge of the table.
Riiip—
The sound of tearing fabric rang out cleanly. The torn hem of Chohui’s skirt fluttered limply.
“My—my skirt!”
As if things weren’t bad enough already, this only made the situation worse. Chohui’s face turned bright red.
Dowoon raised one eyebrow, pushed the side table aside, and stood up.
“Tearing your skirt… That wasn’t what I intended.”
“No—this isn’t the time for jokes!”
“This works out well.”
“Well?! You think my skirt ripping is a good thing?”
What now—was he planning something perverted?
Instinctively, Chohui crossed her arms over her chest.
Seeing her, Dowoon pressed his lips together, holding back a laugh.
“What are you imagining? I was thinking you might need new clothes.”
“New clothes? Why?”
“You’re not a one-dress lady. You’ve been wearing the same outfit since we first met.”
“I couldn’t help it. There were circumstances.”
Chohui replied defensively. It wasn’t like she’d planned on fleeing to Sinuiju.
“Are you planning to explain those circumstances in detail to the other wives?”
“Well, no, but…”
“Then let’s go buy you some clothes.”
“I can just sew it. There’s no need to buy new ones—”
“If you walk around in rags like that, you’ll be thrown out the moment you enter the gathering.”
Rags? From someone living in such a grand mansion, her clothes probably did look like rags—but still, how insulting.
“I’m sorry that someone with nothing but rags has to walk beside you.”
At her sharp tone, Dowoon let out a short laugh.
“Let’s go.”
Picking up the suit jacket draped beside the sofa, Dowoon stood.
—
After finishing breakfast, the two left the house immediately.
The rickshaw carrying them ran for quite some time before entering the heart of Sinuiju.
Unlike the quiet residential area where Dowoon’s house was located, the city center was lively and crowded, filled with people walking the streets.
The rickshaw eventually stopped in front of a particularly ornate two-story wooden building in the middle of downtown.
Stepping out, Chohui clicked her tongue in amazement at the sight before her.
“My goodness—Sinuiju has a department store this big, just like Gyeongseong.”
“It’s smaller than Gyeongseong’s, but Sinuiju is still a key city in the north. Not quite a department store, but it’s large enough.”
Dowoon raised his arm—a signal for her to link arms with him.
But Chohui, as if she hadn’t seen it at all, briskly opened the door and walked inside.
…Great.
Dowoon shook his head and followed her.
Inside, the store buzzed with customers. It sold both kimonos and Western-style clothing.
When Chohui looked up, a massive chandelier sparkled brilliantly above.
“Oh my—what’s that hanging from the ceiling?”
She pointed upward, eyes wide.
“That’s called a chandelier.”
“My goodness… something that shiny exists?”
“There’s one at the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Gyeongseong. Haven’t you been?”
Chohui shook her head.
Is it really that fascinating?
Her eyes sparkled so brightly it almost pulled him in. Perhaps because of that, Dowoon spoke without thinking.
“If you like it that much, I’ll put one in the house. So you can look up at it every day.”
“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“Does it sound like teasing? That much I can do.”
At his words, Chohui’s eyes widened, as if she wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly.
Dowoon, too, was startled internally.
Why did I say that? I had no intention of buying a chandelier.
It had simply slipped out because she was looking at it with such wonder.
“You’re serious? You’d really buy that chandelier?”
Dowoon replied with deliberate sarcasm.
“If you see it every day, it won’t feel special anymore. ‘Lucia,’ who studied in Europe, shouldn’t be distracted by something as trivial as a chandelier.”
“I knew it. You were just scolding me again.”
Chohui immediately lowered her gaze and turned away.
“I wasn’t expecting anything anyway. You don’t seem interested in household matters.”
“What do you mean?”
“The guest room.”
“…You mean the furniture.”
Ah. Right.
The room Chohui was staying in had been created merely to make the house look complete. It was never meant for actual guests, so it was empty.
She had no way of knowing that no one had ever visited—there was no easy excuse to make.
So… was she uncomfortable because there was no furniture?
Dowoon’s brow furrowed deeper.
At the very least, he hadn’t wanted her to be uncomfortable while staying there.
He was about to ask, but a shop clerk noticed them and approached, forcing him to close his mouth.
{Welcome. Are you looking for clothes for your wife?}
the clerk asked Dowoon.
{Show me anything that would suit my wife.}
{You’re looking for an outfit for going out, correct? We’ve just received new arrivals today.}
Smiling professionally, the clerk led them deeper into the shop. Dozens of dresses hung against ornate wallpaper.
The clerk picked up a kimono made of bright yellow fabric and held it out to Dowoon.
{How about this, sir? It’s a popular design in Tokyo these days.}
{It doesn’t seem suitable for my wife.}
After replying curtly, Dowoon turned to look down at Chohui.
Her frame was somewhat slender, but her clothes were loosely oversized.
Now that I look at it, they really don’t suit her.
He gestured to the clerk again.
{Show me Western-style clothing. A coat-style two-piece would be good.}
At his request, the clerk brought over another Western outfit.
{How about this? Your wife is so beautiful that even this color would suit her well.}
The outfit was one Chohui had seen a few times in Gyeongseong—a two-piece set with a deep crimson top and a lightly patterned skirt.
{That will do.}
The clerk immediately handed it to Chohui. Taking it carefully, she disappeared behind the dressing screen.
Creak—
A moment later, the screen opened and Chohui stepped out, changed.
Dowoon, who had been checking the time on his wristwatch, looked up. She walked out awkwardly, arms slightly held away from her sides, as if the clothes felt unfamiliar.
“Well? How is it?”
Dowoon’s gaze traveled from her ankles up to her face. Unlike her previous dress, the outfit fit closely, clearly outlining her figure.
The stiff collar revealed her collarbone, delicate enough that it looked as though it might snap if grasped.
At the same time, her straight posture and slender waist created a uniquely upright, dignified aura.
The moment he saw her, a strange sensation pierced straight through Dowoon’s heart.
