Tonight Was Heaven Again
I flung the front door open with a flourish. Heroes always appear in turbulent times, after all.
"My wife~~! I'm home!"
Suyeon must have known I was coming, because she was already waiting for me right at the entrance. Seeing my wife standing there beneath the motion-sensor light in her kitchen apron made my chest swell with pride once more. Today’s another perfect day.
Hm? But… why is Suyeon’s breathing so ragged?
Her shoulders were visibly heaving, and her chest rose and fell in quick, shallow bursts. I could even feel her hand trembling slightly in mine.
Ah… I really can’t hold it in anymore…!!
A wave of pure, mushy emotion exploded inside my chest. How much must she have missed me to react this intensely? To come running to the door before the electronic lock even finished beeping, breathing like her heart was about to burst? Behind my glasses, I felt tears welling up.
…Wait. That can’t be right.
Rational thought finally pierced through the dopamine rush. Get a grip, Cheon Taerang. I was a virgin until recently. If I’d had that kind of charm, I wouldn’t have stayed single for so long. So there was only one possible conclusion.
Is she sick?!
Yeah, that makes sense. Suyeon’s so delicate and frail. She must have been alone at home when something suddenly went wrong with her body. She probably crawled all the way to the entrance, gasping for air. Maybe she was waiting for me because she needed my help?!
The moment I imagined her in pain and desperately needing me, my mind went blank. The overwhelming joy flipped instantly into worry, and a massive wave of concern crashed over me. My heart began pounding like crazy.
I grabbed both of her trembling shoulders and shouted urgently.
"Suyeon! Why are you breathing like that? Are you sick?! Did something happen while I was gone? Are you feeling unwell? Should we go to the hospital? Should I call 119? Where does it hurt? Is it your stomach? Your head?"
"…Eh? Ehh?"
Bad thoughts kept spiraling. Suyeon looked so fragile that even a light touch might break her. The idea that my one and only woman might collapse made my face turn deathly pale. Looking closer, it seemed like her pupils were trembling too.
Maybe… she didn’t want to burden me?
Even when she was sick, my wife was still such a fool. My heart ached so badly that I gripped her shoulders even tighter.
"C-Chii… What are you talking about, I’m not sick at all~ I was in the kitchen missing you, then I heard the door lock and came running out~ Seeing your face just made my heart race, that’s all~"
"Ah… It wasn’t because you were sick? It was because of me? Ahaha… Well, that’s a relief, at least…"
"Why is there so much dirt on your clothes? Hurry up and go wash up already~"
Suyeon put on a deliberately pouty expression and gently brushed the asphalt dust off the seat of my pants while scolding me. Only then did the color return to my face, and I let out a huge sigh of relief. As long as she wasn’t hurt or sick, everything was fine.
But she really ran all the way from the kitchen to the front door just because she wanted to see me? And her heart started racing when she saw my face?
The dopamine hit me like a booster shot. Is this real life? For real? My face made her heart race? Suyeon’s? Because of me?
My brain started filling up with pink clouds. Let’s think about this rationally. My age? Twenty-eight. Not even thirty yet. Height? One hundred and eighty-two centimeters, with a muscular build. I have a stable job, a good personality, I’m kind, quick-witted… Honestly, aren’t I prime husband material?
The reason I stayed single for so long was just because I preferred hanging out with the guys. I simply never had the chance. Yeah, yeah.
So if we’re talking about a ten-point man, I’m at least a solid nine, right? My face is actually pretty handsome… Wait. Hold on. Does that mean Suyeon’s been waiting for me, practically drooling, because she wants to get laid?!
Whoa ha ha! My mind went from pink to burning rose-colored. There was no other explanation. No way she would come sprinting to the door, breathing like her chest was about to explode, unless she was dying to see me. Even a lifelong virgin like me could recognize that much.
She stayed quiet even when I grabbed her ass this morning, but the second she heard the door lock, she came running? With her eyes trembling like that? That was a signal if I’d ever seen one. She must have been completely captivated by my wild masculine charm and couldn’t hold back anymore.
What a cute little thing. Making up an excuse about running out from the kitchen because she was embarrassed… She got one taste and now she can’t stop~ …Sigh. As if.
Rational thought reared its head again through the rising rose-colored fantasy. Yeah, there was no way a pathetic lifelong virgin like me had that kind of charm. My wife just loved and cared about me a lot. I really had to be grateful to Suyeon every single day. You horny bastard.
"Suyeon… I really missed you so much… I’ll go wash up real quick!"
I practically flew into the bathroom, eager to enjoy the dinner my wife had prepared with such care.
Bang!
The shower water poured down with a loud hiss. I stared at myself in the mirror. Wiping away the steam with my hand, I caught sight of my face between strands of wet hair. It wasn’t bad at all.
I’d tried to stay humble with that ‘Sigh, as if’ earlier, but the more I looked at myself in the mirror, the more my baseless confidence crept back up. I really did seem like I belonged in the top ten percent. Riding that momentum, I squeezed out a huge glob of shampoo, worked up a rich lather, and started experimenting with different styles while staring at my reflection.
If I wanted to look good for Suyeon, I had to do something with my hair. First, I swept it all back for that slick all-back look—like a noir movie boss. When I narrowed my eyes in the mirror, I looked exactly like a movie gangster. That was a little too much. Even I looked scary.
Next came the unicorn style. Finally, I gathered all the foam into a tall, sharp spike—the classic rocker mohawk.
"Whew… Damn, I really am one handsome bastard. How does every hairstyle look good on me?"
While I was at it, I stepped closer to the mirror where the lighting was best and struck a few poses. I flexed my chest muscles hard and spread my lats wide. All that hard training made them pop out nicely. Yeah, very satisfying. The definition in my muscles was truly beautiful. This was exactly why I worked out.
I spent the rest of my shower striking every dramatic pose I could think of in front of the mirror, feeling extremely pleased with myself.
When I opened the bathroom door wearing nothing but my trunk-style underwear, the steam rising from my body seemed to highlight my physique and masculine appeal even more. I squared my shoulders proudly. It was like I’d just activated Gear Second from One Piece.
Suyeon really needs to see me like this. Heh heh heh…
The kitchen was filled with the incredible aroma of bulgogi. My wife—my personal fairy and saint—was standing by the dining table.
"…Honey! You came out without even drying your hair~ Come here! I’ll dry it for you."
"Ah, thanks, Suyeon. Heh heh."
She snatched the towel off my head and began rubbing my scalp with zero mercy.
Whack! Smack! Thud thud thud!
Ouch, that actually hurts…? Did she always have this much strength…?
Her touch was so powerful and wild that it felt like my skull was rattling. It was the kind of impact that made my brain feel like it was sloshing around, but I was certain this was proof of how deeply she had fallen for me. The passionate love of a younger woman must be the desire to pamper and take care of her man. The heartfelt sincerity with which she swung that towel for her husband’s sake!
Even as my head shook violently back and forth, the corners of my mouth kept creeping upward until they practically reached my ears.
"S-S-Suyeon… Your… t-t-touch… is so… g-g-gentle…"
"Hmph~♪ How could I not do at least this much for my hardworking husband~? Hurry up and sit down so we can… eat… Ah…! E-Eat your dinner~"
Because she kept shaking my head so mercilessly, I could barely hear her voice. But I figured she was just telling me to eat. Before I knew it, thanks to my destructive yet affectionate wife’s care, my hair was completely dry. My head felt a little dizzy, but after feeling her love for me so directly on my skin, my heart was fuller than it had ever been.
I pulled out a chair and sat at the table, gazing at the dinner Suyeon had prepared with such devotion. Under the bright kitchen lights, steam rose gently from the bulgogi, and the rich scent of doenjang stew wafted from the pot, making my mouth water.
Lost in emotion, I closed my eyes and offered a silent prayer of thanks to the world, to my wife, and even to Deputy Manager Kim, who had been the catalyst that let me meet her.
Still wearing only my trunk underwear, I finished my little prayer and carefully opened my eyes.
"……"
The moment I opened them, I found Suyeon sitting gracefully across from me. She had her chin resting on her hand, staring at me intently. Her red eyes sparkled moistly under the bright lighting.
For some reason… that gaze seemed a little… fiercely predatory. Like she wanted to devour me.
W-What the…? Does she not like me in just underwear…? Did I ruin the mood…? I only wore them to show off my body… Was that a mistake?
A sudden chill ran down my spine, and I started shrinking in on myself. Oh no. Had I crossed the line? Wearing nothing but trunks in front of my delicate, sacred wife must have been too stimulating.
"S-Sorry, Suyeon… I got ahead of myself, didn’t I…? I’ll dress more properly next time…"
I cautiously raised my eyes to read her expression. But then I noticed that her gaze wasn’t fixed on my face. It was locked somewhere slightly lower.
Her moist, sparkling red eyes trembled for a moment. Then, as if forcing herself, she dragged her gaze back up to meet mine. At that exact instant, her eyes grew even more dangerously intense.
…Huh?
Another chill ran down my spine. But this time it felt different. It was a subtle, hard-to-describe shift in the air.
…Did Suyeon’s eyes just go down and then come back up…? Or am I imagining it…?
I shoved the thought deep into the back of my mind. No. It was just my imagination. There was no way. If I were a normal guy, I might have been able to read the meaning behind that look immediately. Unfortunately, I was a former virgin. I wasn’t equipped with that kind of delicate perception.
"…Honey."
"Yeah?"
"Put some clothes on. Quickly."
"Okay…"
It was a cold, short reply. But at the very end of her words, her voice trembled—just the tiniest, most subtle bit.
Without understanding why, I nodded and stood up from my chair.
…Anyway, tonight was heaven again.