The Rival Emerges

Lost in frantically jotting down the melody, I'd completely forgotten the passage of time. When I finally snapped out of it and checked my watch, a considerable amount had already slipped by. I rushed to a nearby convenience store, grabbed some pads, and headed to the parking lot where the limousine had pulled up.

Staring at the massive limo from afar, I froze—and that's when I felt the strange gazes around me. I turned to look, and sure enough, there they were. The organization was tailing us like shadows, supposedly for our protection against any unforeseen incidents, without us even knowing.

"Ha...."

Their airtight vigilance was suffocating, but I quickly reframed my thinking. Unlimited credit cards and ironclad security on the house? Not a bad deal. Besides, for Lee Seol, the pinnacle star of Korea right now, this level of protection made sense.

As I counted the shadowed figures, the limo's heavy door swung open, revealing my wife. She adjusted her disheveled clothes with mesmerizing grace—ethereal and seductive. I even felt a humiliating surge of gratitude toward Lee Tae-sin for allowing a woman like this to be my bride.

As I approached her, she swept back her tousled hair. Lifting her arm exposed the underside beneath her gray sleeveless dress. And I knew it then. She was clearly in heat.

She had this miraculous constitution—no sweat even after a two-hour concert. But when she was aroused? Completely different. Some primal pheromone to ensnare men, maybe—her body would glisten with sweat, exuding a lewd, intoxicating female musk. I'd wiped her down myself right after her tryst with the old man earlier, but these fresh beads proved it wasn't just pity for Kim Driver. This was full-hearted, genuine rutting that had set her off.

"Haa..."

I let out a sigh. But this was my wife, Lee Seol. The true goddess of masochism, now embracing her own depravity as her destiny.

The moment I saw Kim Driver's face, a strange sense of déjà vu gripped me. His dazed, dreamlike expression dredged up a buried memory. Kang Jin-woo, the man who'd betrayed and exploited me. Back when I still saw him as a big brother, he'd dragged me to some massage parlor in Gangnam.

The young man emerging—limping from polio, bathed in the glow of a beautiful woman's send-off. The manager later explained: his parents brought him there occasionally. A heartbreaking tale—brutal school bullying, dropout, holing up in his room cursing the world, multiple suicide attempts. Top psychiatrists failed to heal his scarred soul. On a doctor's discreet advice, his parents chose this as a last resort.

The world would point fingers at those parents, but it was a woman's warm body that saved their withering son. They were truly grateful to the working girl who gave her all, even for money. Their boy started taking steps toward the world, even earning his keep now. That den of vice, shunned by all, had paradoxically become a sanctuary for a soul on the brink.

That sublime contradiction was playing out here. Gazing at her sweat, I realized: she'd transcended morality, fully blossomed as the goddess of masochism who saves others.

I handed her the bag of pads I'd bought.

"Ah... I don't need these right now."

She smiled brightly. She'd used up even her spares, so I'd gotten more just in case.

With a sultry glint, she leaned to my ear, lips brushing close. "I thought two extras besides what I was wearing would be enough... But we've barely reached the date spot, and I've already gone through them all."

Her blatant tease made my pants tighten again. Delighted by my reaction, she hooked her arm through mine, and we headed to the theater. Behind us, Kim Driver bowed at a perfect ninety degrees in heartfelt thanks.

On the way, she said, "You know, Kim Driver is such a pitiful guy. He was part of the hotel's founding team, super capable—should be an executive by now. But his wife's been in the hospital for twenty years with a rare disease. Company salary couldn't cover the bills; he was crumbling. Then the chairman made him an offer: drive for me, and I'll cover all her treatment."

She paused, eyes narrowing as if staring into the distance.

"Not just driving—handling all the filthy cleanup. But for his wife, he does it all silently, gratefully. Though watching the wild orgies in the back seat... guess his pent-up lust finally overflowed. One day, in the limo reeking post-orgy, I saw him relieving himself alone. Felt so bad, I started with a handjob."

Her perfect lips curved in a strange smile.

"Chairman found out later and started pairing us for his sadistic games. Such a good man... life just dealt him a rotten hand."

Her serious expression recounting his story had a single coarse hair stuck to her lip—marring her flawless porcelain skin. I peeled it off, and she laughed like an innocent girl... and a seductive vixen.

"Ah... You can tell from his beard—super hairy from chest down, strong musky scent. You know how it is? Craving gamey lamb mid-steak. Sometimes, his body just pops into my head."

My wife, spilling obscenities with pure, guiltless cheer. Watching her, I marveled at how close we'd grown in such a short time. I was grateful she'd opened up to me like this.

She checked her lingering heat and sweat, said she'd freshen up in the bathroom. Moments later, she returned—flawless, radiant Lee Seol, the star. No trace of the intense sex she'd just had.

We'd shown up unannounced to the theater. The actress in countless films seemed less interested in the movie itself, more in savoring a classic lover's date spot.

With thirty minutes till showtime, we wandered the arcade and gacha shops. Facing this new world, she buzzed like a kid.

Then, shattering the calm, an unwelcome intruder charged us from the shadows. The organization's guards lunged instinctively but spotted his face and melted back into darkness.

He looked like a fresh-faced college kid. Even I, a guy, was stunned—gorgeous, refined features, like an active idol.

He barreled straight to my wife and threw his arms around her.

"Sob... ugh...."

Clutching her, he bawled like pride meant nothing, tears and snot streaming. Her nape soaked with his tears.

Monday matinee, still public eyes everywhere. But with me, her husband, beside them, they just looked like a married sister comforting her whiny brother. Their vibes matched so perfectly, they could pass for real siblings.

I wasn't bad-looking myself, but next to his beauty, I felt diminished. Especially after the old leches, monsters, and bearish Park Manager who'd ravaged her—this was an unexpected beautiful man. I was caught off guard.

Ignoring all stares—including mine—he wailed like a child.

She wiped his tears and snot with her own hand, soothing him. After ages nestled in her arms, he looked up—spotted me—and dove into my embrace, erupting anew.

What the hell is this guy...

Absurd, but he had this disarming charm that melted defenses. Squeezing me crushingly, he whimpered.

"Waaah! Bro! I'm so jealous of you...!"

Rubbing snot on my shirt, he lamented endlessly.

"Aah... I should've been in your spot. It was supposed to be mine...!"

Gazing up with the world's purest, harmless face, he whispered, "If you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ever change your mind, bro, or the organization turns on you and you're in danger... give me that brother-in-law spot, yeah?"

Before he finished, she yanked him off by the ear.

"Hey... Seo Yun-jae!!"

Pinched and pouting, he rubbed his red ear. "Ow, sis... that really hurts."

Stroking his hair, she said, "Greet him properly first. This is my husband, Na Kanghan."

At "husband," his lips jutted out again.

"Haa, sis... I told you that spot was mine... How could you?"

Tears welled in his big eyes. No calming this guy—we sat him on a bench. Pouting like a kid, he harped on his envy. Strangely, it wasn't annoying. His pretty-boy face acting pathetic had me disarmed too.

"What are you even doing? You're years from graduating. Why the suit?"

To Lee Seol's question, Yun-jae fiddled with his tie. "Dad forced a leave, shoved me into secretary intern hell. Bro and sis in succession wars, dying to devour each other—why drag me into that pit...?"

Tsking pitifully, he added, "All I want is to be sis's husband..."

No room for me amid their chatter. Her tender gaze indulging his whining sparked jealousy. Better the masters forcing her to suck them off. Seeing her bare her soul, laugh freely with another—this was my deepest envy yet.

Mid-ramble, he froze, sheepish—handed her a 500ml water bottle and a letter. His eyes trembled with unease.

She opened it, instantly knowing the sender. The cruel words inside:

Her eyes reading the degrading letter glazed with inescapable submission. A momentary haze of pleasure flushed her cheeks red.

"Haa... haa..."

Seo Yun-jae and I stared, reactions identical. Heartbreaking to see her crumble, yet that dizzying beauty in her masochism's bloom pulled us in deeper.

In that brief silence, instinct hit me. He was my kind. Incurable netorare masochist.

"Haa, haa..."

She caught her breath, back to gentle sis-mode. Spotting the fresh scar on his pretty face.

"Seo Yun-jae... what's this?"

He whined coyly at her worry. "Begged yesterday to stop your wedding, marry you instead—or I'd quit company and school. Violent geezer hurled his whiskey glass, locked me up all ceremony."

Her eyes welled with pity. Wordlessly, she hugged him; he melted into her warmth like he'd won the world.

More threatening than her tonguing some ugly old ass—this tender embrace sparked primal alarm.

Ah... this guy's a real threat.

Our cola and popcorn arrived; showtime. I inwardly cheered, ready to peel him off. She took my hand for goodbye—

But his Puss in Boots eyes melted her resolve.

Finally, she said, "Kanghan... sorry. Go ahead? I'll be quick."

Heart pounding, he snatched her hand—no backward glance—dragging her off. Too rushed for even a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠proper goodbye to me.

But amid the haste, she clutched the "gift" tight.

"Ah..........."

Watching them go, that vile, queasy thrill surged in my gut once more.