[The Fading Echo of Affection]
Late in the afternoon, Kim Eunju headed toward the Management Office, pushing Jinwoo in his stroller. It was a walk meant for fresh air, but her true destination was Lee Han.
When she opened the door, Lee Han greeted her with a radiant smile. It was as if he had been waiting for her and the child all along.
"Welcome. I've been missing Jinwoo."
Lee Han scooped Jinwoo up from the stroller. Held in his arms, the baby let out a delighted, chirping laugh.
Kim Eunju watched Lee Han dote on the child with a happy smile. There was a freshness and comfort to the scene, much like that of a long-time couple.
"Thank you so much for playing with Jinwoo."
Lee Han looked at Kim Eunju, offering a tender smile.
"I’m the one who’s happy, spending time with you and Jinwoo."
At his words, Kim Eunju’s cheeks flushed a soft pink. The two spent the quiet afternoon hours with the child. Lee Han chattered away while handing toys to Jinwoo, and Kim Eunju watched the pair with loving eyes.
Before they knew it, the sun began to set. Kim Eunju gathered the baby’s things, looking reluctant to leave.
"We should get going now. Thank you for today, Lee Han."
"I’m the one who should be thanking you."
Lee Han approached Kim Eunju and gently pulled her waist toward him. Kim Eunju leaned into him naturally.
Their faces drew close. Kim Eunju closed her eyes, looking shy. Lee Han pressed his lips against hers.
A sweet kiss followed. It might have seemed awkward to kiss while holding a child, but somehow, the scene looked entirely natural.
Lee Han’s hand stroked the nape of Kim Eunju’s neck and her back. As the intimacy deepened, Kim Eunju’s breathing grew ragged.
"Get home safely, Eunju..."
Lee Han whispered into her ear as the kiss ended. Kim Eunju simply answered with a happy smile.
"See you tomorrow... Lee Han."
The two said their affectionate goodbyes after placing the child back in the stroller, leaving behind the residue of secret kisses and heated whispers.
Even after Kim Eunju disappeared with the child, a smile lingered on Lee Han’s lips for a long time.
A few days later, the Management Office was filled with a cold, chilling air. The two sat side by side, engaged in a calm conversation. However, a bitter expression clouded Lee Han’s face.
"Eunju, our relationship... I don't think we can keep going like this. It’s wrong."
Kim Eunju flinched at Lee Han’s words. His serious tone sent a wave of anxiety through her heart.
"Lee Han, what are you saying? I..."
Kim Eunju’s voice trembled. She gripped Lee Han’s hand tightly. But Lee Han slowly pulled his hand away.
"What kind of impact will our relationship have on the child? I can never... I can't be Jinwoo’s father. This isn't right."
Lee Han’s words pierced Kim Eunju’s heart. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"But..."
"I’m sorry, but we can't go on like this. For Jinwoo’s sake..."
Lee Han bowed his head, his shoulders slumping heavily. Kim Eunju couldn't speak for a long time. Even though she knew Lee Han was right, she couldn't bring herself to accept it.
"I understand... You're right, Lee Han. For Jinwoo's sake..."
Kim Eunju stood up, gritting her teeth. Her lips trembled as she fought back tears.
"Don't be sad, Eunju. This is the path for Jinwoo."
Lee Han stroked Kim Eunju’s back. It was a gesture of comfort, but to Kim Eunju, it felt like a farewell. She left the Management Office powerlessly, placed Jinwoo in the stroller, and walked away with heavy steps. The crimson sunset illuminated her lonely silhouette.
'Is this the right choice? But I feel so lonely without Lee Han...'
Kim Eunju’s heart felt heavy with complex thoughts. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Meanwhile, Lee Han, left alone in the Management Office, wore a faint smile. Though his eyes looked sad, a sense of victory permeated them.
The afternoon sunlight poured into the kitchen. Han Sujin stood at the sink, washing dishes with a furrowed brow. Just then, familiar footsteps approached. The door opened, and Lee Han entered with a slow, deliberate gait.
"You're here again. Is there anything left to do?"
Han Sujin’s voice carried a sharp, nervous edge. Lee Han approached her with a sly smile.
"It’s almost finished. Let's have lunch with Eunju."
Han Sujin sighed with annoyance and glared at Lee Han.
"You are going to keep your promise, right?"
"Of course."
Lee Han answered nonchalantly and flopped onto the living room sofa. His attitude was dripping with ease.
Han Sujin gritted her teeth and strode toward Lee Han. She stood before him, staring him straight in the eye.
"How was the hotel last time?"
When Lee Han asked out of the blue, Han Sujin’s gaze wavered. But she soon replied in a cold voice.
"It was satisfying. I suppose..."
"Taeyoung loves you so much, after all."
At Lee Han’s words, Han Sujin shuddered and glared at him.
"Don't you dare speak Taeyoung’s name so carelessly."
A playful smirk flashed across Lee Han’s face for a moment. He leaned in close to Han Sujin and whispered into her ear.
"I'm sorry... I crossed the line."
As he said this, Lee Han gently buried his lips against the nape of Han Sujin’s neck. Her body stiffened.
The next moment, a rough kiss began. Han Sujin bit Lee Han’s lip in defiance, but soon, she surrendered her body to him.
Sensual moans leaked out from the kitchen. Lee Han explored Han Sujin’s body, both gently and roughly, as if to erase every trace of Park Taeyoung.
"Haa... hng..."
Han Sujin let out ecstatic sounds without realizing it. Lee Han’s presence within her was growing ever larger. The identity of being Park Taeyoung’s wife was slowly being overwritten by Lee Han’s colors.
Seated on the dining table, Lee Han gripped Han Sujin’s pelvis. The wet, slapping sounds and moans filled the kitchen.
"There aren't many days left to experience this situation."
Lee Han’s whisper, followed by his deep, rhythmic thrusts, sent shivers through Han Sujin. Every time his hard member stimulated her deep inside, it felt as if Lee Han’s mark was being branded into her body.
"Ahk... haa..."
Lee Han didn't stop despite Han Sujin’s moans. Instead, he drove deeper and harder into her. Her damp, hot flesh throbbed with desire.
A thrill of pleasure surged up her spine. Han Sujin threw her head back and gasped for air. Her vision turned white as she reached the peak.
"Ah... ahk..."
At the moment of climax, Lee Han poured himself into the deepest part of Han Sujin. Feeling the hot liquid soaking her inner walls, Han Sujin trembled all over and let out a high-pitched moan.
Han Sujin’s body, having accepted Lee Han, was now filled with his traces. The seeds of betrayal seeped deep into her, and beyond the union of flesh, it felt as if even her soul was becoming Lee Han’s property.
Lee Han slowly withdrew from Han Sujin’s body, which lay limp on the table. White fluid trickled down her thighs. Traces of lust dripped onto the kitchen floor.
Han Sujin gasped for breath, held in Lee Han’s arms. The languor that follows intense lovemaking enveloped her. Yet, in one corner of her heart, feelings of betrayal and shame reared their heads.
The image of her husband, Park Taeyoung, flashed through her mind. Han Sujin closed her eyes in self-reproach, but she could not push Lee Han away.
"Now... it’s almost time to say goodbye."
Lee Han’s whisper rang in Han Sujin’s ear. It was a hot, calm voice. Along with their ragged breathing, the two remained drenched in the afterglow of their union. Lee Han left dark marks on Han Sujin’s neck and chest, as if to brand her with his mark.
"... Keep your promise..."
Han Sujin muttered powerlessly.
Warm afternoon sunlight poured into the living room of Kim Eunju’s home. A carefully prepared lunch was set on the table, but Kim Eunju’s expression looked gloomy.
Han Sujin, sitting across from her, watched her with worried eyes.
"Eunju, you look like you're having a hard time. Is something wrong?"
Kim Eunju hesitated at Han Sujin’s question. But as if she had decided to open up, she slowly opened her mouth.
"Actually... things have become difficult with Hyunwoo. It seems to have gotten worse lately."
Kim Eunju’s voice was calm, but deep sorrow was buried within it. Han Sujin took her hand tightly, feeling pity.
"I’ve been through that, too. There were times when I grew distant from Taeyoung."
At Han Sujin’s confession, Kim Eunju’s eyes wavered. Interested, she asked back.
"How did you overcome it?"
Han Sujin seemed lost in thought for a moment. Then, she spoke cautiously.
"I ended up relying on someone else when I grew distant from my husband without realizing it..."
Kim Eunju’s eyes wavered as Han Sujin’s story felt like her own. But at Han Sujin’s next words, her expression became even more complex.
"But in the end, I think it’s important to protect your family. Because every time I look at my husband’s face, I remember the promise we made when we were first married. The vow we made never to change."
Kim Eunju was lost in thought for a long time. Han Sujin’s words seemed to touch her heart.
"I suppose... for Jinwoo’s sake..."
Kim Eunju muttered softly. Han Sujin nodded firmly.
"Exactly. I don't have children yet, but if I had a child like Jinwoo, I wouldn't have wavered even more."
At the gentle comfort, a glow returned to Kim Eunju’s face. Grateful, she clasped Han Sujin’s hand in return.
The two women spent the warm afternoon sharing their worries. On the surface, it was a peaceful meal, but complex thoughts were crossing in each of their minds.
Deep at night, Kim Eunju sat alone in the living room. The clock had already struck midnight, but Lee Hyunwoo had not yet returned.
Kim Eunju’s eyes turned toward the sound of the front door opening. Lee Hyunwoo entered with heavy footsteps. His face was filled with fatigue.
"You're late again..."
Kim Eunju spoke in a cold voice. Lee Hyunwoo nodded powerlessly.
"I'm sorry. I had so much work..."
Leaving behind a brief greeting, Lee Hyunwoo headed straight for the bathroom. Kim Eunju watched his retreating back blankly. It was a complex feeling, a mixture of disappointment and frustration.
'Why did it turn out like this... I really can't stand it anymore.'
A sigh escaped from Kim Eunju’s heart. Though there was no scent of perfume like before, every time she saw Lee Hyunwoo’s clothes, she felt as if she could smell the scent of a strange woman.
She headed slowly toward the bedroom. A smile appeared on her face at the sight of Jinwoo sleeping soundly. But soon, bitterness washed over her.
'Our son can't even see his father’s face properly...'
Kim Eunju gently kissed Jinwoo’s forehead. She reached out and stroked the child’s hair.
'Should I keep living like this...'
Kim Eunju sighed in deep confusion. She was caught in a deep dilemma between her husband and her son. Is it right to keep enduring this, or is it right to leave and find a new life?
A part of her heart ached. Her love for Lee Hyunwoo had faded long ago. But she couldn't easily leave when she thought of her child.
'If it were Lee Han... would he be a good father to our Jinwoo...'
At the image of Lee Han flashing through her mind, Kim Eunju’s heart pounded. But soon, guilt flooded in. She was ashamed of herself for thinking of another man without even having decided to break up with her husband.
The dawn twilight was settling outside the window. Darkness was also deeply entrenched in Kim Eunju’s heart.
Anxiety about her future life, the sense of duty to protect her family, her feelings for Lee Han. Complex thoughts tangled together, strangling her.
Kim Eunju closed her eyes quietly. She wished everything were just a dream, and with that thought, she let out a deep sigh.
In the quiet house where Lee Hyunwoo and Jinwoo were asleep, only Kim Eunju was awake, lost in thought. The difficult crossroads of choice before her seemed as deep and profound as the darkness of dawn.
