A Child Who Resembles Me [EN]: Chapter 136

A large hand suddenly reached out from the water. The sheer audacity of his actions felt almost brazen. Jeong-o hurriedly grabbed his hand.

“I’ve washed everything. It’s okay.”

Her raised voice echoed in the bathroom. Startled by her own louder-than-usual voice, Jeong-o quickly lowered it.

“I was about to leave.”

“Stay a little longer.”

As Jeong-o tried to get up, Ji-heon grabbed her waist and pulled her back down. Splash! She sat back down, and droplets of water flew up.

Ji-heon’s most peculiar trait was his ability to exert strength without seeming to put in any effort. He casually turned Jeong-o around to face him. She stumbled, grabbing his shoulder for support.

The scene was shifting, becoming like it had been on the bed. Except now, Ji-heon was looking up, and she was looking down.

A face dotted with water droplets. Broad shoulders, wet and slippery. Despite his clean and clear appearance, his eyes held a strangely murky and seductive look. It was as if he was begging for a kiss, or perhaps silently demanding it.

As if possessed by that energy, Jeong-o’s head lowered. He smiled as if he knew she would, and accepted her lips. Her lips, usually so reserved, were now his for the taking. He held her breath with his lips while his hands did what they pleased.

The sound of water echoed thickly through the silent bathroom with every movement. Before long, she was exhausted and leaned into him for support. Ji-heon kissed her wherever he could reach.

After a long while, Jeong-o quietly asked,

“How was today? Weren’t you tired?”

“No. It was great.”

“……”

“I can finally say who Lee Jeong-o’s husband is.”

She had asked, thinking he must be exhausted, but he seemed perfectly fine. And truly happy. The sound of water lapping continued.

Whether it was a bath or a game, Jeong-o, having finished a full body soak that contradicted the initial purpose of cleansing both body and mind, hurriedly left the bathroom and got dressed.

She was in a hurry, afraid of what might happen if she lingered.

“Jeong-o.”

Ji-heon had also come out of the bathroom in the meantime.

“Honey.”

“Yes? Yes?”

Jeong-o, fumbling with the buttons of her pajamas, replied.

“Come here. I’ll dry your hair.”

Ji-heon said, holding a hair dryer in his hand. Her shoulders were already wet from putting on clothes without drying her hair. Jeong-o, draping a towel over her shoulders, went to the vanity and said, reaching out to Ji-heon,

“No. I’ll do it, *oppa* [an affectionate term for an older brother or male friend].”

“I’ll do it for you.”

“Why are you being scary.”

“Is a husband drying your hair scary?”

“No, why are you suddenly doing something you never do.”

“It’s only because I haven’t had time; I’ve always wanted to.”

“……”

“If you want, I’ll do it every day from now on.”

Since he insisted on drying her hair himself, Jeong-o couldn’t refuse. Jeong-o sat quietly like a docile lamb, receiving her husband’s care.

She had been tense because her husband had suddenly entered while she was soaking in the warm water, but now that she was dressed, had dried off, and was sitting still, enjoying the warm air, it felt like paradise. Gradually, the moisture in her hair disappeared, and her whole body felt soft and fluffy.

Jeong-o raised her head and asked.

“Should I do it for you too?”

“Sure.”

This time, Jeong-o took the dryer and Ji-heon sat in the chair.

Whoosh. The sound of the dryer filled the small space.

Jeong-o suddenly smiled.

Why are we doing this?

Why are we spending time doing things for each other like fools, things we can do ourselves?

The thought that these foolish acts were the source of happiness made her smile.

Ji-heon stared at Jeong-o through the mirror, then turned his body to face her.

“Stop.”

“Huh?”

Jeong-o, unable to hear him properly because of the dryer, moved her legs to leave from behind him. Ji-heon immediately pulled his wife’s waist.

Jeong-o flailed with the dryer in her hand. He took the dryer and turned it off. The hot air that had been scattering haphazardly stopped abruptly, and the only noise in the room disappeared.

“Hot.”

He opened his mouth again. His gaze was also so hot that his words sounded strange. It was unclear whether he meant the part touched by the hot air was hot, or whether his own body was hot.

Just like that, suddenly, it was the same situation as in the bathroom. He trapped her in his arms, looking up and enjoying her flustered expression.

Something had definitely happened in the bathroom. But with a little thought, she knew the answer. Jeong Ji-heon was not the kind of person to be satisfied with that much. Perhaps she had already resigned herself to it.

He was an opportunist. Now that Ye-na was asleep in her grandmother’s room, it was an opportunity that Jeong Ji-heon couldn’t miss.

Ji-heon chuckled as he looked at Jeong-o, who was sitting on top of him with a resigned expression, as if she had braced herself.

“You thought I was going to do it?”

“No. I didn’t?”

Jeong-o’s face flushed red as her thoughts were exposed.

“Be relieved, because you’re right.”

“I’m not!”

She retorted, but her voice was soon muffled. This time, unlike in the bathroom, he kissed her first, like a thief. As her hands flailed, unable to find their balance, he pulled her even closer.

His large hand traced up her spine. Her hand, grabbing Ji-heon’s arm urgently, tightened its grip. Murmurs quickly melted into their breaths.

When skin touches skin with lips still touching, a rush of hot breath explodes inside. Every time, she felt a thrill. Her head tingled, and worries about the future became meaningless, and she wanted to pour everything into the present.

It was a night when many things that had happened today faded into the distance.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

The next morning.

For once, Jeong-o woke up first. Jeong-o, who had always woken up to a scene with a child, was startled and gasped.

Oh right, I’m married.

The time she had lived as Jeong Ji-heon’s wife was so short that in her dreams, she was her own person, but when morning came, she hurriedly searched for her true self. The fact that she still had a husband was still strange and amazing to her.

He was a little resentful at night, but his sleeping face is as lovely as Ye-na’s.

She was so busy staring at Ji-heon’s face that she was late in realizing that he had given all the blankets to her and was sleeping in his underwear. Jeong-o got up and draped the blanket over him, then put it down and touched his abs.

As the room brightened, the scars on his body became clearer. It was the scar from the surgery seven years ago. She couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart every time she saw this scar. Every time, he said he was fine, but Jeong-o felt choked up all alone.

“Why are you touching me? From the morning.”

Ji-heon, who had woken up, said in a languid voice. Jeong-o quickly withdrew her hand and asked.

“Are you awake?”

Instead of answering her question, Ji-heon glared at Jeong-o.

“What did you do with my clothes? Did you take them off, honey?”

“……”

“Ah, you beast.”

It was Jeong Ji-heon who said it. Ji-heon played it off, as if repaying her for a previous reproach. From Jeong-o’s point of view, it was absurd.

“No, you took them off yourself……”

Even so, Jeong-o flinched and moved away as soon as Ji-heon got up.

If she kept her distance, he would pull her waist, and if she ran away, he would come back and sit her down, lay her down. He laid her down but didn’t let her sleep, and pretending to sleep was no use.

So she flinched every time he approached, and Ji-heon, seeing her flinch, thought she must have muscle pain and said in an exceptionally kind voice.

“Take a day off from work. It’s okay to miss a day.”

“If I’m absent as soon as we announce our marriage, people will look at me kindly.”

“It’s okay. I’ll overcome it all.”

As always, he said it lightly. Thinking that she couldn’t reason with him, Jeong-o left the room first. Ji-heon, who had picked up his clothes, followed her right away.

Ye-na, who had woken up at the same time, found Ji-heon walking from the other side and ran to him.

“Daddy.”

“Did Ye-na sleep well?”

Ji-heon picked up Ye-na. Jeong-o’s eyebrows twitched. He ate similar things to her, so she couldn’t understand why he was so full of energy.

“Daddy, why did you come home late yesterday?”

“Daddy was late because he had a lot of work. I’m sorry.”

Ji-heon greeted Guk-soon while holding Ye-na.

“Mother, did you sleep well?”

“Yes. Did Ye-na’s dad sleep well too?”

“Yes.”

Jeong-o’s eyebrows twitched once more at Ji-heon’s morning greeting, which couldn’t have been more polite.

Everyone. You are all being deceived. That man is…….

Jeong-o, unable to reveal in detail to her family how lewd, persistent, and wicked that man was, turned around with a sigh.

Guk-soon’s gaze followed Jeong-o’s steps for a long time.

Before breakfast, Jeong-o and Ye-na reconciled. In fact, there was nothing to reconcile. Ye-na, who had forgotten about yesterday’s events overnight, hugged Jeong-o without a care and begged to have a ballerina hairstyle today.

It was a busy morning, helping Ye-na prepare for school and having no time to breathe, but she felt better than ever. Finally, from today, she could go to work with Ji-heon. She was free from the trouble of secretly getting off a few blocks before the company building.

“Mom, I’m off.”

Jeong-o’s voice, as she said goodbye, was as bright as her mood. Guk-soon called out to Jeong-o, who was like that.

“Lee Jeong-o.”

“Yes?”

“Wear these. Those look uncomfortable.”

Guk-soon picked up the sneakers in the corner of the hallway and placed them in front of Jeong-o. Jeong-o shook her head.

“No. These shoes go well with these pants.”

“These are pretty too. Wear these.”

“What sneakers at the company.”

“The advertising company said you can wear anything and wear anything. Wear something comfortable.”

“I don’t want to.”

Ji-heon scolded her when Jeong-o grumbled.

“Lee Jeong-o. You have to listen to your mother.”

“That’s right! Don’t just tell Ye-na off, you have to listen to your mom too!”

Ye-na also chimed in, enjoying herself.

In the end, Jeong-o took off the shoes she was wearing and put on sneakers due to her family’s urging. As her eye level lowered as much as the heel of her shoes, Jeong-o became sullen.

“I’ve gotten shorter.”

“You’re cuter and better.”

Ji-heon said, easily putting his arm around Jeong-o’s shoulder.

“Don’t fall and watch where you’re going.”

Guk-soon urged, as if she couldn’t shake off her worries even after changing her shoes.

“I’ll keep a close eye on her.”

Ji-heon answered instead of Jeong-o. Guk-soon smiled as if Ji-heon was reliable. Ji-heon also smiled at Guk-soon, and at that moment, his cell phone vibrated. It was a text message from Seung-gyu.

– Did you check this?

Below the short message Seung-gyu sent was an internet address link. When he clicked the link, a post appeared. Ji-heon’s brow furrowed as he checked the post. The title at the top was absurd.

「*Gapjil* [abuse of power] of Jeong Ji-heon, the second son of Sehyun Group Chairman Jeong Jae-gwang」

Ji-heon’s mood soured at the plausible novel written ramblingly. But since it wasn’t true, it was something that could be quickly resolved.

However, the commotion did not end with just a sour mood. This was just the beginning.