Jealousy and Obsession (4)
“Is that punk Seonghwan still asleep?”
Hwayeong snapped out of her reverie at her husband’s gruff voice.
“He seemed to be studying late last night. I saw him rummaging through the fridge around midnight and taking something in. Even on weekdays, he looks at his books a bit after getting back from his part-time job.”
“Hmph… He’s still got a long way to go. He doesn’t have to match his brother, but if he wants to make something of himself anywhere, he’ll need to put in a lot more effort. These days, a degree isn’t everything. The new hires at my company all have killer specs. Sometimes I wonder why kids like that end up here. Even they get edged out in the competition and wind up at mid-sized firms like ours.”
Hwayeong sighed as she listened to her husband. Before Seonghwan started his third round of exams, she’d practically drilled the importance of getting into a good school into him. Korea University was a badge of honor anyone would respect on a resume, but her husband always raised the bar higher.
“Don’t keep putting Seonghwan and Minhwan on the same level. I’ve told you that over and over.”
“I know they’re different. Who doesn’t? But as parents, we’ve got to rein them in tight when we’re guiding them. To become a real man, he needs to toughen up from all the comparisons and scolding—get that stubborn grit. Wonder who he takes after… From a young age, he’s just taken whatever anyone said in stride.”
“Honey.”
Her husband, who’d been venting his frustrations about Seonghwan like a lament, flinched at her quiet word and fell silent. Realizing he’d slipped up, he started glancing at his wife’s expression.
“Ahem. I just want that kid to grow a bit more, that’s all. I mess up sometimes when words come out wrong, you know?”
She knew. It wasn’t intentional. But even one offhand slip had tormented her younger sister for a while, and the second one had given her a weakness to exploit. She’d resented him once, but she’d come to see his devotion to their family—and how he’d scraped together startup funds for her sister’s early overseas ventures despite their tight finances—as atonement enough.
But no more.
That’s why she wanted to keep her sister from clashing with her family as much as possible, even if she came back to Korea.
“You’ve heard me say it a million times: make sure your nephew watches himself. And keep that mouth of his in check.”
“Don’t worry about that… Last week, he was just excited to see me and the kids after so long and slipped up. I’ve talked to him again, so no need to fret.”
“……Haa.”
Hwayeong didn’t fully trust her husband’s bold assurance but let it drop. He eyed her cautiously before broaching the next topic with difficulty.
“Still, shouldn’t we take him to his biological parents’ graves at least once to pay respects?”
“……”
No need to specify whose. Hwayeong didn’t question it.
“The day will come when he needs a family registry certificate. Won’t it be too late then? If we put it off forever, he might build up more resentment. Better to cut out just the parts involving your sister…”
“Enough.”
Hwayeong raised a hand to silence him. Shaking her head, her complicated emotions plain on her face, she refused to engage further on the topic her husband had raised.
“……What a headache.”
His sigh only tightened the knot in her chest, but Hwayeong ignored it. She wasn’t ready to let go of this happy family just yet. She trusted Seonghwan, but people were unpredictable.
****
“Aaaahhh, aaahhh.”
Bed sheets strewn everywhere. Pillows on the floor. Seonghwan twisted and turned atop the mess.
‘I’ll always watch over you… And protect you… No matter the obstacle, I’ll clear it for you…’
‘Ooooh, Y-Yeon noona.’
Even lost in the dream, Seonghwan felt a nagging familiarity. His hand swiped at the air, searching for Yeon.
‘I… I remember this dream. Y-Yeah, that’s it.’
A sense of déjà vu washed over him even in sleep. He’d once felt Yeon’s touch so vividly in a dream.
‘I-It’s coming soon. Noona’s pale skin and those big breasts… Th-they’re about to… come out. Any second now.’
His eager gaze fixed on the glowing white light. Then, as it began to fade, a figure slowly emerged.
‘O… oh… F-Finally… O-Oh? Huh?’
A woman appeared just as he’d imagined from the light—flawless pale skin, delicate features, ample breasts. Eyes closed, but you could picture her stunning eyes. She radiated beauty.
It matched what he’d pictured, but something felt off.
“Wh-Who are you?”
She was dazzling enough to pierce the light, but definitely not Yeon noona. The face was strangely familiar yet new, leaving him puzzled.
‘Who is it? I know this face from somewhere…’
As Seonghwan racked his brain, the woman slowly opened her eyes.
‘Huh? Wh-Whoa?’
Shock hit him. Her beauty outshone every woman he knew or celebrity he’d seen on TV. She met his gaze and smiled radiantly.
‘Ugh?’
He knew it was a dream, but he couldn’t stop himself from getting hard. The light pulsed sacredly around her, yet her allure was overpowering.
‘Fuck, this is embarrassing. How long’s it been since I popped a boner just from eye contact? Huh? How long…?’
Fuzzy memory of it happening before. ‘Yeah, once… Dammit, not the time.’
Seonghwan hunched desperately to hide it. Too ashamed to look at her face, he waited curled up for it to subside.
Swish. But she was suddenly in front of him, bending down to meet his eyes.
‘N-No… Huh?’
She locked eyes with him, reached out, grabbed his cheek, and pulled his face close. Cool yet warm—conflicting sensations from her hand made him dizzy. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them to stare.
Her unwavering gaze was breathtakingly beautiful, tenderly warm… and familiar.
‘I remember…’
Suddenly, her smiling lips inched toward his. Seonghwan strained to recall, eyes glued without blinking.
‘J-Just a bit more… Please, al-most…’
Undeterred by his stare, she shyly—no, confidently—closed in.
Mmwah.
“Hnnngh!”
Even in the dream, he felt it. The ecstatic softness on his lips sent shivers, but he held on.
‘Y-Yeah… This feeling. I remember. You’re definitely…’
As her beaming figure faded to transparency, tears welled in his eyes.
‘No… Please. Don’t!’
His eyes snapped open. Blinding light flooded back.
“Th-This… guh!”
Thwack!
“Guh?!”
“You crazy bastard, why’d you wake up screaming like that?!”
“Cough, hack!”
Pain throbbed in his side. Seonghwan doubled over, coughing, then shook his head and gripped the bed edge to sit up.
“Wh-What?”
The blanket covered his face. He yanked it off, squinting at the sudden bright light.
“Ugh, so bright.”
“What a shitshow.”
“Huh?”
As his eyes adjusted, he spotted a figure on the bed’s edge.
“What… Lee Hyun?”
There she was—face flushed, glaring daggers, hands on hips. Gray thin half-coat, thigh-high skinny pants. Morning plans, apparently.
‘Waking up to this? Jackpot. Gulp.’
Thwack! A pillow smacked his face mid-ogle of her legs and hips.
“Ack!”
“You perv! Horny the second you wake up? Where you looking?!”
“What? You crazy bitch!”
Her barging into his room first thing was baffling enough; getting hit right away was worse.
‘Wait… This feels familiar too?’
The déjà vu hit as he glared back and yelled.
“You lost your mind? Sneaking into my room at dawn to make a scene? You threw the blanket on my face, right? Fuck, I nearly suffocated!”
“Your ugly mug first thing in the morning makes me wanna puke—what am I supposed to do? I like starting my day with nice views.”
“What? You mangy bitch, talking shit? Then why come to my room? Hoping I wasn’t here?”
“Shut up. You forgot our plans today? Know what time it is?”
“What bullshit… Huh?”
A memory flashed through his irritated mind.
‘Hehe, ta-da! Payday today, right oppa? Congrats!’
‘Haha, bro. We’ve been waiting for this. Congratulations!’
Jia and Hyoseok’s sycophantic harmony. They’d shown up at his pork belly joint—Don Doni Ne—banging air horns to celebrate his payday. He’d said direct deposit, but they insisted, nearly selling out the place. Jia’s finisher:
‘A meal on you as promised. See you in Jamsil tomorrow, 10 a.m. sharp.’
Seonghwan recalled it.
‘Jia, Hyoseok… and Hyun?’
He instinctively looked up at her. She avoided his eyes, still red-faced.
‘Fuck. Hitting me up the day after payday like debt collectors?’
His rage boiled over toward her, but she turned serious.
“Uncle and auntie are downstairs. Want me to scream?”
“No… You shameless…”
“You promised, didn’t I force you? Hurry up and wash. It’s past 8. Going to Jamsil like that?”
“Fuck… Why Jamsil of all places…?”
“Hurry up and get ready. Late and I’ll tattle to uncle you bailed.”
‘Dammit…’
Seonghwan ground his teeth at her retreating back.
‘Just when I was about to remember who she was… That bitch kicks me awake… Argh!’
The deep kiss with that moist touch—cut short by Hyun’s wake-up call. He rubbed his lips, still tingling.
‘Huh? What’s this? Something on my lips? Brushed thorough last night…’
A faint pink smear on his hand. Still groggy, Seonghwan scratched his back and shuffled to the bathroom.
****
“Hyun-ah, is Seonghwan up?”
“Yeah, auntie. He just woke up and headed to the bathroom.”
“Oh? Should I make him a sandwich? He hates breakfast…”
Hyun applied lip balm from her bag, then straightened with a smile at Hwayeong.
Hwayeong smiled back, heading to the living room—then froze. Her gaze turned oddly appraising on Hyun, who squirmed awkwardly.
“Uh… Auntie, why stare like that? O-Oh…”
“You look extra pretty today? Spring glow? You’re beaming.”
“Huh? Oh… W-Well…”
“Hoho. I’m used to your uniform—civilian clothes throw me off. Right, you’re going to the library with Seonghwan today?”
“Huh? Oh… yeah.”
Hwayeong practically shouted it—like for her husband in the bedroom to hear—while Hyun mumbled shyly. They seemed tighter than mere neighbors.
“Want some pocket money, kiddo? Hold on.”
“No, auntie! I’ve got plenty left. And Seonghwan oppa has his part-time cash.”
“……Heh. Treat yourselves—it’s been ages for you two. He blows allowance, so you manage the money. Money’s always best handled by a woman.”
Hwayeong dropped the loaded line, ignoring her, and headed to the bedroom.
“Ah… Ahh…”
Left alone, Hyun fidgeted, blushing at Hwayeong’s back.