Chapter 26 - Chapter 24: Episode 23 - The Call (2)
The workday was already a few hours underway.
It had been two days since I last saw Seon-ah.
I'd delayed my return by a day to take care of some business.
I had prepared quite a few things for him.
I'd reached out to my parents, but even though I hadn't been home in a long time, there wasn't a soul there to welcome me.
It wasn't unusual for my mother to be out on a weekday, but my father, a full-time investor with no fixed office, had also gone out to meet up with friends.
Was it back in middle school? Or high school?
I don't remember when it started, but returning to an empty house during the day had become the norm.
My mother was a workaholic who rarely came home when I was young.
My father, tired of waiting for her, started attending homemaker gatherings back when I was in middle school.
Being home alone was just a given.
That was why I'd always followed Seon-ah around to stave off the loneliness.
The affection he showed me, the way he'd hug me ever since we were kids—that was how I managed to soothe the emptiness.
That's how special he was to me.
And now, even he wasn't by my side.
I felt a bit gloomy.
'I miss Seon-ah.'
I'd told him to come to "our house where Yu-ra is" after he spent a night at his family home.
The reason was simple.
I wanted us to thank Executive Director Yu-ra for dispatching Hwaryong Guild members during the kidnapping incident.
Seon-ah was sincere; he'd be here soon.
He wasn't the type to show up late when he'd made a promise.
Once he arrived, I planned to show him the Marriage Registration Form I'd prepared and suggest we have our parents hold a formal family meeting.
As a bonus, I was in a great mood thinking about taking care of his sexual needs, especially since I hadn't been able to yesterday.
My parents wouldn't be back until late, so I figured a quick session would be fine.
If I made up my mind and took care of it with my hands, I could leave him completely spent in under an hour. It was the perfect plan.
I even had a special gift prepared for him this time.
I'd thoroughly familiarized myself with how to use it, hoping he'd enjoy it more than just using my hands.
It was a shame I wouldn't be as satisfied, but that could wait until after we were married.
Unlike my parents, I was going to be faithful to my family and build a marriage centered on our mutual happiness.
I'd leave work on time, return to the house where he was waiting, and welcome him home every single day.
We'd share our love every day.
How many kids should we have? I wanted enough to form a soccer team.
The gender didn't matter to me.
A pretty boy who looked like Seon-ah would be delightful, and a spirited girl like me would be fun to play with. Just thinking about showing our parents how reliable we'd become once the kids were grown made me happy.
However, I planned to hold off on the "second-generation plan" until my service ended.
For a stable marriage, I didn't want my service to be extended by taking maternity leave.
Having to serve again after giving birth would make it too hard to be the wife I wanted to be.
I didn't want my child to suffer through the same loneliness I felt as a kid, barely seeing their mother's face.
I was so looking forward to life after my service.
Imagining a life where every day was happy, I couldn't stop smiling as I looked at the Marriage Registration Form in my hand.
Yu-rin couldn't stop grinning as she thought about Seon-ah coming home soon.
Seon-ah arrived at Yu-rin's house.
I had memories of being invited here with my family every weekend since I was young, or playing here often during elementary school.
The large, two-story detached house with its spacious garden was truly impressive for Seoul.
As if she knew I'd arrived, the front door opened before I could even ring the bell.
Yu-rin must have spotted me on the intercom camera.
I walked through the gate, crossed the garden, stepped into the house, and called out.
"Excuse me."
Since it wasn't my house, I was greeted by a welcoming voice.
"Welcome, Seon-ah! I missed you."
Yu-rin was clearly thrilled to see me, despite us only being apart for a day.
"Yu-rin-ah, are your parents not home?"
"They're usually here on the weekends, so they'll be back this evening."
Yu-rin said, her tone slightly bitter.
Since it was Friday, she meant they'd be home tonight.
Yu-rin had often followed me around instead of going home since middle school.
She'd say she was bored because her parents were out, but it was also clear she'd grown attached to me because of their neglect.
I'd noticed her loneliness and tried to help, which only deepened her attachment.
It was one of the reasons I couldn't distance myself from her, no matter how terrible her actions were.
It wasn't hard to guess how deep that loneliness must have been.
'Still, I thought her father would at least welcome his daughter home after a long time.'
I shouldn't compare them to my family, but the contrast between how they acted on weekends versus weekdays was stark.
On weekends, they put on a show of being a harmonious family, but on weekdays, they all went their separate ways.
"You must be tired from the trip. Want to go to my room and rest?"
Yu-rin asked.
Judging by her sinister expression, there was a hundred percent chance I wouldn't be "resting" if I went in there.
There was plenty of time before her parents returned, but I had no intention of doing that here.
Besides, the fact that she seemed to have prepared something was unusual.
"I think I'll just rest in the living room for a bit first."
If I reacted too strongly, she might get excited.
Lately, she seemed to get a thrill whenever I disliked something, so I had to be careful.
I spoke calmly to avoid triggering her.
"Then I'll bring you some tea."
For some reason, she didn't press me to go to her room.
I sat on the sofa, took a breath, and let my mind wander while I waited.
I knew her family was wealthy, but I had no intention of being a stay-at-home husband.
I was attending a good university with a promising future because I wanted to work and contribute to our life together.
The money was one thing, but given my identity as a man in my previous life, it didn't sit right with me to just let my wife work while I stayed home.
I felt like a gigolo otherwise.
Though, I've currently dropped out of university.
In a way, Yu-rin's suggestion to apply to the Hwaryong Guild's medical center might be an opportunity.
Financial standing between a married couple often indirectly determined the household hierarchy.
It wasn't something people talked about, but it was a crucial issue in modern society.
If I became a homemaker, I might end up on a very short leash.
I could be controlled to the point of not being allowed outside—a life no different from imprisonment.
That was something I refused to accept.
A job wasn't a choice; it was a necessity.
In that sense, it wasn't a bad option.
Healing-type Ability Users were rare, and if they were good, they were the most valuable people in the medical field, especially for emergencies.
It wasn't clear why they were so rare.
It was as if the secret to awakening as one was hidden; I couldn't find a single document describing the trigger.
As I was lost in thought, Yu-rin returned with the tea.
"Seon-ah, here's the tea. I bought it myself, so it should be good."
The liquid had a dark, reddish-black hue.
"I've never seen this before. It has a bit of a sour smell."
"It's a concentrated mix of Bokbunja and Omija. It's sweet, so it'll be delicious."
I knew exactly what those two were—they were famous for boosting stamina.
So that was it. No wonder she had that sinister look earlier.
Thinking she looked kind of cute, I sipped the tea while we chatted.
Even though it was still daytime, a heavy drowsiness washed over me.
"It's really effective. You said it's sweet, so if you mixed it into fruit tea, no one would know. You chose well."
Yu-rin picked up Seon-ah, who had passed out mid-sentence, and headed to her room.
She moved calmly, as if she'd known he would refuse.
Drugging him and dragging him off wasn't normal, but she'd decided to manage his sexual needs daily, and this was just the first step in keeping her promise.
Yu-rin knew his body had become sturdy since he awakened.
She'd been dreaming of trying something for a long time, and since they'd both been busy, she'd prepared various items to finally make it happen.
Seon-ah, being as strong as he was now, would surely be able to endure it.
Unable to hide her excitement, she climbed the stairs, imagining the sight of Seon-ah being milked dry like a dairy cow, and felt truly happy.