7. Not a Parasite, a Pillar Husband. -Conclusion-
The two slipped carefully out of the room to avoid waking Ian, heading straight to Bella's room right next door.
Cheong-ah, who had stepped out first, stood blankly in front of Bella's door.
"What're you doing? Not going in? You have the key to my room."
"I left the key behind. Can't you see what I'm wearing?"
"Oh, right. Scoot over."
Bella rummaged through her pockets and fished out the key.
Click. As she opened the door, Cheong-ah brushed right past her and into the room.
Bella scratched her cheek at Cheong-ah's curt, rude demeanor, but she knew her own peeping had been far ruder, so she just shrugged it off.
'Well, I did spy on them naked and rolling around tangled up...'
Cheong-ah whipped her head toward Bella and said, "What're you doing? Come in."
"Oh, right." Bella followed her in and opened the magic fridge stocked in the room. She eyed the water bottles and beers alternately, shrugged, pulled out some ice, and prepared two glasses.
"Hey, Cheong-ah. There's a bottle under the bed—mind grabbing it?"
"...A bottle? This one?"
"Yeah, that's the one."
Cheong-ah peered under the bed and pulled out a brown bottle about the size of a soju flask.
Bella nodded, approached the table, set down the glasses, and took the bottle from her.
Pop. She uncorked the tightly sealed bottle and poured a glass for Cheong-ah.
Cheong-ah accepted it from Bella, sniffed deeply—sniff sniff—and let out a soft pfft of a laugh.
"Nice liquor. The aroma is excellent."
"Right? It's pricey. Two gold coins a bottle, but it sells out so fast you end up paying double or more in premium."
"...I see. Well, the hospitality's appreciated."
"Heh... Hospitality, my ass. Cheers."
Clink. The two women touched glasses and brought them to their lips.
Bella downed hers in one shot—gulp gulp. Unlike her, Cheong-ah took a small sip, closed her eyes quietly, and savored the taste.
"Ahh... That's the stuff."
"...Hmm. Good. I like the bite."
"Told ya? You know your booze. Ian that idiot would've spat it out right away, whining about how bitter it is. Oh, right—want some snacks?"
"Snacks?"
"Yeah, jerky."
"Yes, please."
"Here."
"Thanks."
Crunch crunch. The two chewed on the jerky, facing each other.
"So, what's this talk you wanna have? Not some apology for the peeping, right?"
"No, of course not."
"Then what? Something serious?"
"Depends on how you take it."
"...Quit stringing me along and just say it. Wanna date or something? Why not with Ian?"
"Maybe. Anyway, straight to the point."
Cheong-ah's black eyes fixed sharply on Bella. Bella tensed up a bit under that gaze. No good memories came to mind when Cheong-ah stared at her like this... Their first eye contact had been right after Bella's humiliating defeat at her hands. They'd been comrades since, gone through a lot together, and most recently, it was when Cheong-ah got jealous over Ian's kiss.
"Bella, what do you think of our husband?"
As she asked, Cheong-ah crossed her arms slightly, accentuating her ample breasts. She slipped her arm between them and rested her chin lightly on her hand, exuding a subtle air of intimidation.
"Huh? Well..."
"No 'not interested' crap. Your recent looks at our husband have been very impure. Especially yesterday... well, it's dawn now, so technically the day before. Your expressions and eyes were seriously unpleasant—you know that?"
"...Well, yeah. Ian suddenly started doing stuff he never did before."
"Hmm... And?"
"What?"
"Our husband."
"What about him? Sorry, but poaching other women's men ain't my hobby."
"Is that so? Fine, got it."
Cheong-ah replied meaningfully and set her glass down on the table with a thunk.
"What, leaving?"
"No, glass is empty. Pour more."
"...When'd you finish that? Hold on."
Glug glug. Bella refilled it and handed the glass back.
Cheong-ah tore off a bit of jerky with her teeth, chewed, and washed it down.
"Anyway, shall we switch topics?"
"Like what? You and I got anything to talk about without Ian?"
"Who knows...? How about booze?"
"Oh, that's good. Since we're on it, tell me about the liquors from Yuldo where you grew up."
The two women spent quite a while chatting, refilling each other's glasses as they emptied.
§
"...Mm."
I woke up early in the morning feeling refreshed, only to find myself alone sprawled on the bed.
"Where'd Cheong-ah go?"
Did she get up first and step out for a bit? I scanned the room, but given the mess, it didn't seem like she'd woken up ahead of me. With her personality, she'd have tidied up if she had.
"Yawwwn..."
I yawned, got up, and started cleaning the room bit by bit.
I could just ask the innkeeper to handle it without lifting a finger, but who asks someone else to clean up this kind of mess? I gathered the scattered clothes and wiped away the dried traces of passion splattered across the floor.
The real problem was the bedding...
"...Maybe toss it secretly and buy identical new ones."
Too many stains everywhere to just hand off for laundry—sweat and drool were a given, but semen, love juices...
"Can't really ask someone else to wash this."
I didn't mind, but I worried about the shame it'd cause Cheong-ah. I'd gotten way too absorbed in our long-overdue sex. Plus, with all the emotional shifts lately, I'd gone a bit rougher than usual.
"Hmm... Guess I'll talk to Cheong-ah about the quilt when she gets back."
I tossed the quilt into a corner, finished tidying up roughly, threw on some clothes, and headed to Bella's room.
Come to think of it, she'd probably eaten lunch alone yesterday, and dinner too since we weren't around... At least have breakfast together.
Knock knock knock.
"Hey, you up?"
Rustling sounds came from inside. Huh, Bella actually stirring at my knock? That's new.
Creeeak. The door opened.
The face that appeared was unexpected.
"...Cheong-ah?"
"Ehehe... Ian, it's Ian. Our husband."
"Why're you coming out of here?"
"Dunno. Hug me first. Quick..."
"Uh, okay..."
Unlike her usual self, she grinned broadly, arms wide, and threw herself at me in her familiar white sleepwear, all disheveled. I caught her lightly.
Why's she here...? Before I could puzzle it out, Cheong-ah grabbed my cheeks with both hands.
Still beaming, she turned my face side to side, then rose on tiptoes.
"Hehe... Husband. Our husband."
Mwah. Soft lips met mine. At the same time, her breath carried the sharp scent of alcohol brushing my nose.
The dizzying whiff hit me like a shot—I could tell right away she was smashed.
Wonder when she snuck out and drank with Bella.
"Cheong-ah, you drank?"
"Hehe... Yeah. With Bella."
"...Yeah, figures."
This is Bella's room. Cheong-ah clung again as I peered past her inside.
Bella was already passed out face-down on the table. Her hand still clutched a glass, and several empty bottles littered the floor.
"Snooore..."
Her room's always got bottles rolling around.
As I glanced around, Cheong-ah suddenly hooked her arms around my neck and yanked hard. My face was pulled right up to hers, noses almost touching.
"Hmm? What're you looking at, husband? Look at Cheong-ah. Cheong-ah, not Bella."
"...How much did you drink?"
"Dunno? Not that much. Just a tiny bit. A teeeeeny weeeeny bit?"
"...A little?"
"Yeah, tee-eeny."
The number of bottles on the floor said otherwise. And Bella—who always bragged about holding her liquor—was out cold in a pitiful heap...
Hmm.
"Alright, got it. Wanna head back to our room?"
"Room? This is a room too..."
"This is Bella's room. Back to ours to sleep."
"Mmm, our room? Yay."
With Cheong-ah refusing to let go, I shuffled backward, carrying her awkwardly all the way to our room.
I headed straight to the bed and laid her down on the sheetless mattress first. Luckily, we'd spared the pillow thinking we'd use it, so it was spotless.
I tucked the pillow under her and turned to fetch a quilt, but a hand grabbed my clothes.
"Sleep tight. I'll grab a quilt."
"Husband."
"Yeah?"
"Lie down with me? Please?"
"Sure."
I held Cheong-ah and lay down with her for a bit. Soon enough, even breaths signaled she was asleep.
"...Quilt first."
I went downstairs, gave a rough explanation, got a quilt, covered Cheong-ah with it, then headed to Bella's room and carefully tucked the still-sprawled Bella into her bed too.
As for the original bedding... I'd tell the innkeeper lady and let her handle the wash or whatever.