The Seeds of Suspicion
Late in the afternoon, Kim Eunju headed toward the apartment management office, her heart heavy with anxiety. She pushed the stroller, her pace hurried, a shadow of distress cast across her face. Upon arriving at the office, she called out to Lee Han.
"Lee Han, it’s me. Do you have a moment?"
Lee Han greeted her with a welcoming smile.
"Eunju, come on in. Of course, I have time. You brought Jinwoo along, too."
He approached the stroller with a gentle demeanor and greeted the child.
"Hey there, Jinwoo. How are you? You’re getting so big."
Seeing Lee Han, the child beamed and reached out with his hands.
Kim Eunju felt her tension melt away at the sight of him. His kind and gentle manner instilled a sense of trust in her for reasons she couldn't quite name.
The two settled into a corner of the management office. Kim Eunju spoke first.
"Lee Han, things have been so difficult lately. Hyunwoo keeps coming home late, and it makes me anxious."
Lee Han looked at her with a serious, attentive gaze.
"Eunju, don't worry too much. Hyunwoo is a good man, and I’m sure he’s dedicated to his family. I’ll keep a closer eye on things for you."
His words allowed Kim Eunju to breathe a sigh of relief. However, his next sentence pushed her right back into the swamp of her insecurities.
"But if you happen to notice anything, let me know immediately. I’m here to help."
'Surely Hyunwoo isn't doing anything wrong, is he?'
A seed of doubt began to sprout in Kim Eunju’s heart. At the same time, a strange sense of anticipation rose within her, knowing that Lee Han was working on her behalf. Just then, the child in the stroller began to fuss. Lee Han quickly picked him up to soothe him.
"Jinwoo, is Daddy late because of work? There, there... peek-a-boo."
Lee Han made a silly face, coaxing the child. In an instant, the baby’s face lit up, and he began to giggle.
Watching Lee Han comfort her child, Kim Eunju felt a mix of surprise and gratitude.
'How can he be so tender...'
After finishing their conversation, Kim Eunju placed her child back in the stroller and left the office. Her mind, however, remained a tangled mess. Caught between her suspicions of her husband and her growing faith in Lee Han, she fell into confusion.
'Am I just being too suspicious of Hyunwoo?'
Kim Eunju walked home slowly, soothing her child. The evening sunset was painting the alleyway in shades of red. Walking through it, she let out a deep sigh. She had no way of knowing what the future held.
But one thing was certain: Lee Han’s presence was seeping deeper into her life with every passing day. He was the one stoking her suspicions of her husband, yet he was also the one offering her warmth and reliability. Kim Eunju was slowly falling into the trap of his friendly hand.
Inside the management office, Lee Han looked at Park Mina with a serious expression.
"Mina, how has that man, Lee Hyunwoo, been lately?"
Park Mina fell into thought for a moment before answering.
"Lately, it feels like he’s actually putting up a wall against me. He doesn't treat me as comfortably as he used to."
A faint smile spread across Lee Han’s lips.
"He’s a faithful man. I actually like that."
Park Mina looked puzzled.
"Uh... weren't you supposed to seduce him? Didn't you tell me to get close to him?"
Lee Han approached her with a soft smile. His gaze was tender, yet carried a strange, underlying heat.
"Why would I ever ask you to hold another man, Mina?"
At his words, a happy smile bloomed on Park Mina’s face, as if a long-standing question had finally been answered. Without hesitation, she fell into his arms. Lee Han held her close, his breath brushing against her ear.
"You just need to trust me and follow my lead, Mina."
"Yes..."
As Park Mina whispered her reply, Lee Han’s lips sought hers. Their soft kiss deepened, growing hotter by the second.
A strange heat began to permeate the office. The two of them, as if forgetting everything else in the world, explored each other’s lips and tongues.
When Lee Han’s hand traced the curve of Park Mina’s waist, her breathing grew ragged. Clothes were shed one by one, and hot skin rubbed against hot skin.
The desk rattled, and breathless moans filled the office. After exploring each other for a long time, the two reached their peak. Lee Han held Park Mina tightly, gasping for air.
"Mina... you must never tell anyone about our relationship."
Lee Han whispered into her ear. Park Mina nodded weakly. She was already completely bound to him. Her eyes held the look of someone who would obey his every word. As the heat in the office subsided, the two silently adjusted their clothes. Lee Han kissed her cheek lightly and stood up.
"Go on now. Get home safely, and don't forget what I said."
Park Mina looked at him with lingering longing before disappearing out the door. Lee Han remained alone, staring out the window. An unreadable smile played on his lips.
Deep in the night, in the apartment complex’s security room. Lee Han’s eyes, illuminated by the bluish glow of the monitors, were filled with intense focus. He scanned the CCTV footage meticulously, searching for the scene he wanted.
On one of the many screens, Lee Hyunwoo and Park Mina appeared. They stood by the landscaping trees near the back entrance of the apartment, under the soft glow of a streetlamp. Lee Hyunwoo’s expression was blank, while Park Mina approached him, speaking about something.
Lee Han captured the screen. He loaded the image into an editor, zooming in and out repeatedly. He adjusted it so that the figures were slightly blurry and difficult to identify, as if taken from a distance with a telephoto lens.
"Lee Hyunwoo is probably devoted to Kim Eunju. But that doesn't matter. It only matters if the person perceiving it thinks otherwise."
A faint smile played on Lee Han’s lips as he muttered to himself. He removed Lee Hyunwoo’s cold expression, leaving only the image of Park Mina approaching him. It looked as if the two were having a secret meeting.
Having finished the edit, Lee Han looked at the monitor as if admiring his own work. In the blurry photo that looked like it had been taken from afar, Lee Hyunwoo and Park Mina looked quite close. It was enough to give the impression that they were having an affair.
"The key is when to give this to her..."
His eyes reflected the light of the monitor, dimming and brightening. A strange, inexplicable ecstasy could be felt in his tightly pressed lips.
On a hot summer day, Kim Eunju pushed her stroller into the apartment management office. She let out a sigh of relief in the cool air-conditioned breeze. Lee Han greeted her with a welcoming smile.
"Eunju, come on in. It’s very hot again today, isn't it?"
Lee Han asked kindly.
"Yes, it’s truly sweltering. I thought I’d come here to rest for a moment."
Kim Eunju replied, placing the stroller next to the sofa.
Lee Han handed her a glass of cold coffee and offered her a seat. She sat down, feeling grateful. As they sipped their cold drinks, the two began to chat.
"You look like you've been having a hard time lately. Is something the matter?"
Lee Han asked with genuine concern. Kim Eunju hesitated for a moment before she began to open up.
"It’s hard because Hyunwoo and I keep fighting. Talking to you makes me feel a bit more at ease."
Lee Han nodded at her words, offering comfort.
"I will always listen. Whenever things are tough, come by and let’s talk."
Kim Eunju felt grateful for his kind words. During these difficult times, Lee Han’s presence was providing her with solace.
At dinner time, Kim Eunju and Lee Hyunwoo sat facing each other at the table. However, only an awkward silence flowed between them. Kim Eunju toyed with her food, lost in thought, while Lee Hyunwoo ate with a look of exhaustion.
"I had a lot of work at the office today. I’m really tired."
Lee Hyunwoo said in a voice laced with a sigh.
"Yeah."
Kim Eunju replied curtly. Lee Hyunwoo felt a bitterness at his wife’s indifferent attitude. He put down his spoon and looked at her.
"Eunju, let’s talk. Living like this is too hard."
"I’m tired too. Let’s just take a break for a while."
But seeing Kim Eunju refuse to lift her head, Lee Hyunwoo, unable to continue the conversation, rose from his seat. He headed to the room without another word. Left alone at the table, Kim Eunju’s shoulders slumped.
During the day, Kim Eunju took her child for a walk around the apartment complex in the stroller. Her footsteps naturally led her toward the management office. It was a path she had grown accustomed to.
"You’re out for a walk with the baby again today. Come inside and rest."
Lee Han greeted her warmly.
"Thank you, Lee Han. I feel at peace whenever I come here."
Kim Eunju replied with a smile. The conversations she shared with Lee Han were a comfort to her. She began to open her heart little by little, drawn in by his kind and warm attitude.
"I think Hyunwoo is having a hard time, too. With so much work at the office lately, he must be under a lot of stress."
"Yes, I suppose so, but... it’s hard for me to understand."
Kim Eunju confessed. Lee Han gently took her hand.
"Of course. You’re exhausted from childcare and housework, aren't you? But if you make sure he can rest comfortably when he returns home, things might get better. If you both show consideration for each other, your relationship will improve."
While advising her to understand her husband, Lee Han comforted her as if stroking her heart. She found herself falling deeper for him because of it.
"Hearing you say that makes me feel a bit better, Lee Han. I’ll try to understand Hyunwoo a little more."
"Eunju, stay strong. I’ll always be rooting for you. Come by whenever you’re having a hard time."
Kim Eunju smiled at Lee Han’s tender words. Meeting him had become a part of her daily routine. As she grew more distant from her husband, Kim Eunju was drawing closer to Lee Han.
