From Partnership to Cohabitation to Bed-Sharing
Partnership leads to cohabitation. Cohabitation leads to bed-sharing.
……………
"Haneul, wait a sec!"
I had to think fast. Right now.
"I mean... living together? That doesn't make any sense."
"Why not?"
"What if dating rumors start flying?"
"Dating rumors? What's the problem with that?"
Kang Haneul tilted her head.
"I'm not an idol. There's no dating ban for EX-rank Awakeners. You know that, Yujin. And we're not even dating, right? We're just living together and sharing a bed sometimes."
My first excuse crumbled instantly. She was right. As an EX-rank Awakener, she had that half-celebrity vibe, but she wasn't an idol. If anything, she was more like the hero in a blockbuster hero movie. Who she dated or lived with was her personal freedom.
"Still, a man and woman living together as adults is kinda..."
"Kinda?"
"You know, it's weird."
"What's weird about it?"
"……."
"Having you by my side keeps me from getting pissed off. Like you said, I need my manager's 24-hour care. You just admitted it yourself. So now you're saying you can't?"
"That's true, but—"
"Then we live together. Like you said."
I was speechless. I'd brought it up first. That she needed self-control. That disaster was narrowly averted without me. But I never imagined it'd boomerang like this.
'Damn it.'
My second excuse failed too.
"Yujin, you gonna answer or not?"
"Uh... let's think about it slowly. Yeah? It's not something to decide on the spot."
"No stalling."
Kang Haneul's voice turned ice-cold in an instant.
"Why stall? We can just live together starting today."
"Haneul..."
"And besides."
Kang Haneul's face twisted.
"That paranoid psycho bitch keeps getting in the way."
Paranoid psycho bitch. She had to mean Baek Sehee.
"Always picking fights with me, eyeing you like a prize. You saw it today, right? She followed us, interrupted our kiss, started a fight."
Kang Haneul's face drew closer.
"How the hell did that bitch even know we were there? She was totally tailing us. I barely protected you by getting back to you faster than she expected."
'Ugh, her eyes...'
Kang Haneul's pupils shrank. Pinpoint thin and sharp, like needles. Honestly, it was terrifying. Even if I wasn't the target of her rage.
"So you move into my place starting today. To keep that bitch away from you. Got it? Yujin."
"………."
The more she strong-armed me, the less I wanted to do it—basic human psychology. But saying "no" to that Kang Haneul? Impossible. So I couldn't respond. I just shut my mouth.
Kang Haneul sighed.
"If you're not gonna answer, guess I have no choice."
She pulled out her smartphone from her pocket, tapped the screen a few times, and showed it to me. It was a screenshot of the manager employment contract.
The Manager (Party B) must do their utmost to provide close care by living in the same residence as the Affiliated Awakener (Party A) upon request.
"……What the hell is this?"
"The cohabitation clause. If I want it, you live with me."
Kang Haneul pocketed her phone.
"I just haven't enforced it till now. It's right there in the contract. Legally binding."
"H-How in the world...?"
"Let's live at my place starting today, Yujin."
Kang Haneul smiled.
"You don't have much stuff anyway. Just bring yourself."
"………."
My vision went dark.
……………
Kang Haneul's place was the top floor of the priciest luxury apartment in Gangnam. I stood in front of the door and rang the bell.
Click.
The front door opened.
"Welcome ho—"
Kang Haneul opened the door to greet me. Short dolphin shorts. Sleeveless t-shirt. Casual homewear, sure, but on her killer figure, it looked downright provocative. She beamed at me, looking absolutely thrilled.
But I knew better. Kang Haneul was always smiling, but not all her smiles were the same. Taking in her face, expression, and vibe right now—
'Like a tiger spotting prey.'
A chill ran down my spine. If I stepped inside like this, would she devour me? In every sense of the word.
'Calm down. Focus. Not the time for weird fantasies.'
Deep breath. I had my secret weapon.
Ever since reluctantly accepting her "offer" to move in, I'd been plotting nonstop. How to control Kang Haneul. How to seize the initiative.
And I'd found the answer.
Before she could even finish greeting me, I kicked off my shoes haphazardly and ran.
"I'm home!"
I threw my arms wide and hugged her tight.
"Huh?"
Caught completely off-guard, Kang Haneul froze. Her eyes widened, mouth slightly agape—an utterly bewildered look I'd never seen on her before. She stood there rigid, arms still half-open.
'Perfect. Just as planned.'
About three seconds passed. Then her face lit up.
"Yu-Yujin—!!"
She crushed me in a hug. Her strength was insane. My ribs creaked like they might snap.
"Ugh..."
"Sorry, sorry! I'm just so happy."
She eased up a bit. But she didn't let go.
'Got her.'
Call it preemptive needs fulfillment. Give her what she wants before she asks. She gets satisfied, stops demanding more, and I take control.
For example, what she usually craved from me was physical contact. Affection. This time, I provided it first—before she could demand it. She was satisfied. No reason to pressure me now.
"Your body's so soft, Yujin."
Kang Haneul stroked my head.
'...Ugh, embarrassing.'
Truth be told, even I thought I looked like a puppy rushing to its owner right now. Ignoring my scared-rabbit looks, at twenty-two years old, hugging a woman and yelling "I'm home!"? Mortifying.
But no choice. This was the way to neutralize Kang Haneul.
She didn't let go. Kept hugging me. I was starting to want out, but I held on. A bit longer. Just a bit more. Until she was satisfied.
How much time passed? Finally, she released me.
"Come in. I'll show you around."
She gestured inside.
'...Phew.'
First phase: success. My strategy worked. Embarrassment could wait. Controlling Kang Haneul came first.
……………
That evening, I stuck to Kang Haneul's side the whole time. Touring her place, prepping dinner, lounging on the sofa watching TV.
She accepted it all with a blissful expression.
'Good. It's working.'
Preemptive needs fulfillment was firing on all cylinders.
Night fell.
"So, where do I sleep?"
"Huh?"
Kang Haneul pointed to her bedroom. King-size bed. Plenty big for two.
"Right here with me."
"......Huh?"
"24-hour close care, right? Obviously we sleep together."
'This woman...'
Even for 24-hour care, did we really need to share a bed? But I snapped back to reality. This was arguable.
"Haneul, that's a bit..."
"Why?"
She tilted her head.
"It's close care. Close. Means sticking together."
"Still, sleeping..."
"What if I lose it in my sleep and smash the bed? If you're not there, I'll get pissed and can't sleep."
A lie. Shamelessly blatant. Smashing furniture in her sleep from anger? Then how had she survived here all this time?
It wasn't even sophistry. Pure bullshit.
But refusing would just invite her nonsense. She'd force it—waving the contract or badgering me.
'Might as well... take the lead myself.'
Big breath in, out. Stay calm. Composed. Strategic.
"Okay. Let's sleep together!"
"For real?"
"Yeah. But on one condition."
"Condition? What?"
"Pillow and blanket wall down the middle. Same bed, but our own spaces."
If even this failed, I was out of options. My last line of defense.
Kang Haneul pondered my condition for a moment—
"Sure."
And nodded.
'...Huh? Really?'
She accepted way too easily. Suspicious. I'd braced for a tantrum.
But success regardless. I set conditions and blocked full bed-sharing. Or at least, any immediate baby-making risks.
"I'll grab the pillows."
I placed two pillows vertically down the center. Perfect barrier.
"Good now?"
"Yeah. Let's sleep."
Kang Haneul went to the left side. I took the right. She was visible beyond the pillow line. Still in her sleeveless tee and short dolphin shorts.
'...Don't look.'
I turned away.
"Night, Yujin."
"Yeah. Night."
Lights out. Darkness. I closed my eyes.
My mind was too sharp. Kang Haneul sleeping right next to me. One pillow away.
I don't know when I drifted off.
……………
Morning sunlight filtered through the window. But... something felt warm. Soft, cozy.
'...Huh?'
Still half-asleep, I opened my eyes. All I saw was flesh tone.
"………."
It was Kang Haneul. In just her sleeveless t-shirt, she'd completely wrapped herself around me.