Chapter 01

“…That’s strange.”

Taijo stopped moving his hips and muttered under his breath.

He checked the place where they were joined and tilted his head slightly. The tightness and slick warmth gripping him felt no different from usual.

And yet…

“Why?”

At his low question, the woman’s eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes as deep as a tranquil lake. Moist with tears—just as soaked as the place beneath them—she looked more puzzled by his sudden stop than anything else.

When he stared at her as though trying to see straight through her, her clear brown eyes rolled away, fleeing to the side.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

The corner of Taijo’s lips curled upward.

Grabbing her chin, he forced her to look back at him.

“I told you not to avoid my gaze at moments like this. You know the rules, don’t you? It isn’t over until you look me in the eyes, Ms. Kang Sua.”

His long, narrow eyes slowly swept over her as though licking every inch of her.

Her luscious dark brown hair lay scattered across the pristine white sheets.

Peach-colored skin.

Large, round eyes framed by neat brows.

A straight nose.

Soft, crimson lips.

It was the usual Kang Sua.

The Kang Sua he already knew inside and out.

“…What’s wrong with you? Seriously.”

At last, Sua’s slightly hoarse voice escaped her parted lips—a result of how roughly he had handled her.

The faint rasp in her voice only made him react all over again.

Damn.

A short sigh escaped him.

He had nearly lost control and finished right then.

Frowning, Taijo ran a rough hand through his hair before sliding it back down to her chest. His fingers found her sensitive peak and pinched it.

Sua squeezed her eyes shut.

She bit down hard on her lower lip to keep from moaning.

The plump lip turned pale beneath the pressure, the same pale shade as the soft skin clenched beneath his hand.

See?

Something really is different.

The corner of Taijo’s mouth twisted upward.

Normally, by now, Kang Sua would already be drowning in pleasure, crying through tears and begging him to stop.

He knew her body too well.

He had been the first to claim it.

The first to open it.

The first to teach it.

He had explored every inch, kissing and tasting until there wasn’t a single place left unfamiliar to him.

He knew exactly where to touch to make Kang Sua shatter.

Exactly what it took to pry apart those stubbornly sealed lips and draw those beautiful little moans from her.

There was no way he could be mistaken.

Today’s Kang Sua was different.

Ah…

Come to think of it.

As Taijo mentally counted the days of her menstrual cycle, realization dawned on him.

It’s almost that time.

She always became unusually sensitive before her period.

She must simply be tired.

In that case, ending things a little earlier today wouldn’t hurt.

She secretly had poor stamina whenever they were in bed.

“Let’s finish this.”

Clicking his tongue, Taijo withdrew as though doing her a favor.

But instead of releasing him, the tight flesh clung to him even more stubbornly.

“…”

Only then did Sua open her eyes.

She looked as though she wanted to say something, but closed her mouth instead.

“Say it.”

He slid his thumb from her chin and pressed against her lower lip, forcing it apart.

“Don’t swallow your words again.”

It was one of Kang Sua’s bad habits.

Sometimes she’d bottle everything up as though she’d already given up… as though nothing was worth saying anymore.

“Or…”

His finger slipped past her teeth and gently pressed down on her tongue.

“Would you rather swallow something else?”

Understanding the teasing implication, Sua frowned.

“What’s going on today?”

Taijo laughed quietly at her expression as he wrapped an arm around her slender waist and rested his chin against her chest.

“Don’t tell me you’re already tired of my body.”

He tossed out the joke playfully.

No answer came.

Strange.

She should’ve either glared at him for saying something ridiculous or sighed in exasperation.

Frowning, Taijo lifted his head.

Their eyes met once more.

Sua stared at him for a long moment before carefully pushing against his shoulder and sitting up.

She pulled the blanket over herself, covering her body.

Taking a slow, steady breath, her delicate shoulders rose and then slowly fell.

“I’m ending this.”

One of Taijo’s brows furrowed.

“This relationship.”

She looked him straight in the eye.

“Today is the last time I’m seeing you.”

A brief pause.

“I’m getting married.”

“What?”

Only then did Taijo completely pull away from her.

“You know my situation.”

“Ha…”

He let out a disbelieving breath.

He knew.

He knew Kang Sua had willingly come into his arms only because she’d been cornered by her family’s relentless pressure to marry.