CHAPTER 26………………………………………….
Not only was she in just her underwear, but she also noticed that Hyukjin, on top of the blanket pulled down to his waist, wasn’t wearing anything either.
His broad shoulders and chest muscles, sculpted from exercise, were fully exposed. She even vaguely recalled wrapping her arms around his neck.
Her mouth went dry at the thought that this might not be a joke.
‘I don’t remember anything, but we really spent our first night together?’
Horrified, she jumped again and pulled her hand away from his mouth—because his tongue had licked the palm that had been covering his lips.
Shoving her now-moist hand away, Seoyoung’s eyes widened.
This wasn’t the Cha Hyukjin she knew.
Hyukjin, watching her closely, laughed heartily.
Suddenly, he leaned in and pressed a quick, playful kiss on her lips.
Seoyoung, frozen for a moment, recoiled at the sight of him rising as if to leave, thinking he probably wasn’t wearing anything.
“W-wait!”
She quickly squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.
“What now?”
Hyukjin’s amused voice made her turn her head as she answered,
“I’ll shower first. I’ll go in a bit later.”
“Is that necessary? Let’s just shower together.”
“Huh? No. I prefer showering alone.”
Misunderstanding Seoyoung’s hesitation, Hyukjin got up from the bed and gently lowered the arm covering her eyes.
“Open your eyes, Seoyoung.”
“No. I’ll open them when you leave.”
Still not ready to see the man’s most private parts with her own eyes, she shook her head violently.
“It’d be better if you opened your eyes now.”
She could feel his breath getting closer.
Was he about to kiss her?
Swallowing hard, she reluctantly opened her eyes.
Hyukjin’s sharply curved eyes filled her vision, and he immediately straightened his waist, rising up.
Seoyoung, startled and about to close her eyes again, caught a glimpse of blue fabric just before her eyelids shut and slowly opened her eyes fully.
Hyukjin was wearing comfortable blue shorts.
‘Oh…’
Her face burned crimson. The realization that she had been imagining the worst on her own brought a wave of embarrassment.
It was only now that she realized there was no discomfort or harm to her body.
She had received basic sex education and even heard friends’ first-time stories. Through books, she could have learned enough indirectly. Yet, in her flustered state, she hadn’t noticed.
Her face flushed deeply with embarrassment.
Still, she felt relieved that their first night hadn’t been spent in such a chaotic state and recalled Hyukjin’s earlier suggestion.
‘He suggested showering together even though we didn’t spend the first night?’
Pulling the blanket up to her neck, Seoyoung narrowed her eyes and looked at him.
“No matter what, showering together as a couple is too much. So you shower first. I’ll go after a while.”
“Is that necessary? You can use the bedroom bathroom and I’ll use the living room one.”
“Ah…”
Her mouth fell open in realization.
She had completely misunderstood his suggestion to shower together.
He had meant they’d use separate bathrooms, but the phrasing gave her the wrong impression.
Her face felt even hotter than before.
Unable to admit her misunderstanding, Seoyoung nodded as if acknowledging she knew.
“I just want to lie down a bit more, so you go first.”
“Ah, in that case…”
When Hyukjin left the bedroom, Seoyoung finally exhaled in relief and rose from the bed.
“You’re crazy. How much did you even drink?”
She had become drowsy after just one glass, leaning her head here and there. She hadn’t eaten dinner and had been drinking champagne, so it was no wonder she got tipsy quickly.
She just wanted to collapse and rest.
After a quick shower, she followed Hyukjin’s gesture to the table.
A simple breakfast was laid out, likely from room service.
Sitting with his legs crossed, Hyukjin exuded an entirely different aura than the playful man on the bed earlier.
‘I really don’t know what his real personality is.’
As Seoyoung let out a small sigh, Hyukjin raised one eyebrow.
“I’ve noticed before, but Seoyoung, you really seem to like my face. Even now, you’re staring at me so intently.”
Admiring his confidence, Seoyoung gave a small, amused smile. She had reached the point where she could handle this kind of teasing.
“Hmm… Do you really think it’s because I think you’re handsome?”
Hyukjin’s eyes widened slightly at her reply, and he laughed, standing to pull out her chair.
“Thank you.”
“No need. A husband who ruined the first night can’t skip this.”
As Seoyoung sat, Hyukjin returned to his seat and spoke seriously.
“I’m truly sorry about yesterday. Things ended later than expected.”
“It’s fine. Since we’re here, it’s good to get work done too. We’re not even a real couple, so don’t worry too much.”
Seoyoung waved her hand lightly, brushing it off.
“Aren’t we a real couple?”
The question that returned caught her off guard.
Seoyoung lowered her gaze to the fruit plate, then slowly looked up.
Hyukjin’s eyes were as serious as when he gave instructions to his staff.
‘Did I answer wrong?’
Swallowing the mango she had been chewing, she set down her fork and met his gaze.
“We’re a contract couple. So…”
“No. That’s not it, Seoyoung. You are my wife now, and until we divorce, you will continue to be my real wife. So I hope you won’t say we’re not a real couple anymore.”
“Ah… yes. I’ll be careful.”
Was it really that important?
Seoyoung wondered briefly but just nodded.
When he had suggested checking their compatibility at the hotel, he had already said they would live as a real couple.
‘Even if divorce is scheduled, since we held the wedding, we are technically a real couple.’
The two quietly continued their breakfast without further conversation.
After breakfast, Seoyoung inevitably went out to the beach alone.
As soon as she finished eating, Hyukjin’s secretary, Minwoo, came to fetch him.
“I’ll come back as early as possible tonight. Consider this a vacation and relax.”
Left alone, Seoyoung applied a light layer of makeup and slathered sunscreen over her body.
Walking slowly along the shore with a wide-brimmed hat had its own charm.
Occasionally, she dipped her bare feet into the water or played in the waves as they rolled in and out.
She remembered Hyukjin’s words:
‘We are a real couple.’
She chuckled softly.
As time passed, his words felt dreamlike, almost surreal.
“You’re not alone anymore. I’m here. Your husband, Cha Hyukjin.”
After her parents had passed, she had never really known she had family, and the word “husband” carried deep significance—even if he was a contract husband.
The previous evening, doing nothing and being alone, she had longed for someone to reach out to her, perhaps why she had embraced his neck first.
What had she said at that moment?
Watching the waves crash, her mind recalled her own words:
“That’s right. Now I have a family too.”
Even as a contract, she had hoped that moment could be genuine.
Family.
That had been what she wanted most after her parents passed.
Owning a hotel had been a pillar to support herself alone, but ultimately, it was for her late mother.
To create a warm family like her parents had.
That had been her real dream.
Simple, yet to build a family, have children, and make her own home.
‘Now it’s a dream that’s vanished.’
A bitter smile lingered on Seoyoung’s lips.
