Side Story 01
The moment I entered the room, I kicked off my heels. I’d been wearing high heels all day, so my heels were completely scraped raw and my calves were swollen and aching terribly.
I wanted to dive straight into bed, but knowing I wasn’t exactly clean right now, I settled for collapsing onto the sofa instead.
“Ah… this is exactly the kind of tired that won’t quite kill you.”
Today was mine and Jairus’s wedding day. I’m speaking in the past tense because the ceremony was already over, the after-party had ended, and we’d returned to our room.
I was slightly tipsy from the alcohol I couldn’t refuse. Just enough to feel good—so it wasn’t bad.
Even so, I’d spent the entire day wearing accessories I normally never wore, cinched tightly into an uncomfortable dress that squeezed my waist and chest, high heels, and a face full of stuffy makeup. Of course I was exhausted.
“I should wash up.”
Jairus grabbed my slumped shoulders and helped me to my feet.
“So laaazy…”
“Senika.”
At his firm response, I knew he wasn’t budging—but that wasn’t going to stop me.
I slipped straight into Jairus’s arms, hugging his solid upper body and rubbing my cheek against his chest, where firm muscles could be felt.
They were clothes headed for the wash anyway, so it wouldn’t matter if my makeup got on them.
“Can’t you wash me for me?”
“……”
“Jaiii, please?”
I felt him take a sharp breath in. A sign that I’d won.
“…All right.”
“Yes!”
“Sit down first. I’ll undo your hair.”
I straightened up and sat on the sofa. Sitting beside me, Jairus began removing the pins from my hair one by one. He’d done it a few times before, so his hands moved smoothly without hesitation.
Freed from pins and ornaments, my hair finally relaxed. He unclasped my necklace, and with what little conscience I had left, I removed my rings and bracelet myself.
Now it was time to unzip the dress, so I swept all my hair to one side so it wouldn’t get caught.
‘Once this is down, I’ll go wash up right away.’
Asking Jairus to wash me had been a joke. Well, half a joke—but still, bathing together was embarrassing…!
But the zipper stopped halfway down. Wondering what was wrong, I turned my head to look at Jairus.
His face was red. Was it the alcohol? I didn’t think he used to blush even when drunk.
“Jairus, what are you doing?”
“Ah, uh…”
He avoided my gaze. I thought for a moment to figure out why.
The answer came quickly.
‘Oh… you’re embarrassed, aren’t you?’
If he pulled the zipper all the way down, my bare skin would be exposed. That must be what was making him flustered.
He could be so smooth at times, yet shy about things like this—it was contradictory, but adorable.
“Hurry and unzip it. I need to wash.”
“Yeah…”
I could feel his hesitation through his hands. Then, all at once, he pulled the zipper straight down to my waist.
I clutched the dress as it loosened and stood up. Jairus looked up at me with a gaze I couldn’t quite decipher.
“I’ll wash by myself. You know how I hate all the hassle before actually washing.”
“……”
“Thanks for helping, and you probably feel sticky too, so go wash up.”
I fled to the bathroom and locked the door behind me.
That wasn’t why I’d teased him about washing me, but being able to land a long-awaited hit like that was satisfying.
As warm water soaked into my body, I felt myself growing drowsy. I wanted to lie down on the soft bed.
So I finished showering quickly, threw on a robe, and stepped out of the bathroom. I could hear water running on the other side—Jairus was still inside.
I roughly shook the moisture from my hair and flopped onto the bed. Now that I’d taken everything off, I finally felt human again.
‘I don’t think I could ever do a wedding twice.’
I was tired, but I planned to wait for Jairus. It was our official first night as a married couple! I’d been waiting for today!
Thinking I might fall asleep if I stayed on the bed, I moved to the sofa and sat comfortably, lost in thought.
When Jairus came out, I’d ask him to dry my hair, then slowly set the mood…
“…Huh?”
After blinking once, the bright room turned dim. And somehow, I was lying on the bed—cradled in someone’s arms.
I quickly realized that someone was Jairus. He was the only person whose arms fit me so perfectly.
‘Wait… how did I get here?’
I was sure I’d been sitting on the sofa, waiting for Jairus to finish showering!
‘Don’t tell me…’
I wriggled slightly in his arms and looked toward the wide window beside the bed. Faint light seeped in—it was clearly early morning.
“Ah…”
A sigh escaped me. I must have fallen asleep on the sofa without realizing it, and Jairus had carried me to the bed.
Honestly… I was really disappointed and frustrated. Of all days, it had to be our first night—something that would never come again!
Of course, Jairus must’ve known how tired I was and deliberately didn’t wake me, but still… I couldn’t help feeling regret.
Just as I was about to fall back asleep—
“Senika…?”
In a low voice, as if he’d just woken up, Jairus called my name.
I’d never heard his voice like this before, and it was insanely… sexy. Why was I only hearing this now?
“Oh, you’re awake? Sorry.”
“What time is it?”
“Early morning. Go back to sleep.”
“Let’s sleep together.”
I nodded and nestled back into his arms. Jairus held me tighter than before.
His breathing soon became steady again, like he was drifting back to sleep.
‘So am I the only one feeling regretful?’
I felt a little annoyed at Jairus, who was usually so perceptive yet clueless at moments like this.
Then… I’d just have to make him feel tempted myself!
With impure intentions, I wrapped my arms around his waist and began rubbing him insistently.
Immediately, Jairus grabbed my hand to stop me.
‘Hah, do you really think I’ll back down that easily?’
When he relaxed, thinking I’d settled down, I slipped my hand back to his waist.
This time, he caught my hand while opening his eyes.
“…Senika.”
“Yes?”
“Stop.”
“I just want to touch what’s mine. You don’t like that?”
“……”
He didn’t deny it. So he didn’t dislike it—he just didn’t trust himself to let it continue.
Why was he being so frustrating? I was clearly giving him signals!
After locking eyes with his conflicted gaze, I sighed.
“I wasn’t going to say this, but… am I the only one who’s disappointed?”
“…We have a schedule starting in the morning.”
“Is that really more important?”
“……”
Honestly, it was important—but there was something more important right now!
As Jairus stared into my resolute eyes, he let out a deeper sigh than mine and closed his eyes again.
To help him decide, I slipped my hand inside his thin shirt.
“G—!”
Startled, Jairus snapped his eyes open and grabbed my hand—but I’d already crossed the line.
The heat beneath my palm, incomparable to what I’d felt through the fabric, spread intensely through my hand.
Like surging waves, his crimson eyes wavered, unable to focus.
“…If you keep this up, you won’t get any sleep.”
“Missing a little sleep isn’t a big deal.”
That answer seemed to be the trigger. His gaze instantly turned raw with desire, and he slowly licked his red lips.
The long line of his neck, the firm chest muscles visible through the opening of his shirt—
It was as if, though I’d never actually seen one, a god of sensuality had descended from the heavens just to seduce me.
Releasing my hand, Jairus gently held my chin.
Our impure gazes tangled too tightly to untangle, and in an instant, his lips crashed down onto mine.
Sharing heated breaths and pressing our warmth together followed naturally.
The quiet hours of early dawn, when everyone else was asleep, were the perfect time to create memories that would never fade.
Two months had passed since Jairus and I got married. Though they say newlyweds are blissfully in love just by making eye contact, we only got to fully enjoy that phase for about two weeks.
After that, I was swamped preparing to inherit the position of family head, and once the inauguration ceremony was over, I was so busy I barely slept.
Today marked exactly one month since I became the family head. If Jairus hadn’t been constantly looking after me, I might have already collapsed.
I’d prepared steadily for this, but being “family head” meant protecting and bearing responsibility for far too many things.
“Did Dad really handle all of this alone until now? Even splitting the work with you, I’m exhausted.”
I handed the approved documents to Jairus and slumped face-down onto the desk.
Jairus neatly organized the papers I’d scattered and gently patted my back as I whined.
If anything, Jairus handled more work than I did within the family.
I dealt with matters from the council of elders and critical decisions that couldn’t be made without my authority, while Jairus managed all the miscellaneous affairs.
Yet he didn’t look tired at all—and he always finished faster than me. What was his secret?
“I told them to prepare a dish with golden desert whale—your favorite—for lunch.”
“Really?!”
At the welcome news, I shot upright and looked at him with sparkling eyes.
Lately, I’d been craving golden desert whale for no reason. How did he know?
Having such a perceptive man as my husband was wonderful—and still hard to believe.
It felt like he could see straight through my thoughts without any magic at all.
‘Did he cast some kind of spell on me while I slept?’
I shook my head. No such magic existed, and even if it did, Jairus wouldn’t use it.
He just knew me that well.
“Let’s go.”
Taking the hand Jairus offered, I stood up to head to the dining room.
At that moment, there was a knock, and the office door opened.
“Oh—did I interrupt you two without realizing?”
It was Dad, appearing out of nowhere.
