Chapter 51. The Sound Youth Makes When It Drowns (7)

“Want some water?”

Cold lips brushed her shoulder as she lay with her eyes closed, hugging a pillow. Maybe she had dozed off for a moment. She wanted to sit up, but couldn’t move a finger.

So she slowly turned her head instead, and Lee Jaeheon, after taking another sip of cold water, turned her onto her back, grabbed her chin, and kissed her.

Of course he saw this somewhere. The sip of water that passed down was teasingly small. So she snatched the bottle from his hand and gulped it down, and this time, a huge shirt was pulled over her head.

“Put this on. Your clothes are in the wash.”

“What is this… Is this your shirt, Jaeheon?”

He removed the now empty water bottle from her hand as she pulled her head and arms through the shirt. Smiling faintly, he slid his hands under her arms.

Lifting her limp body, he sat her on his thigh and leaned back against the bed’s headboard with a satisfied look.

“I wanted to see you in it. It’s even bigger than I imagined.”

“For the record, I’m not small. I bet the women you dated before thought the same.”

‘Was sex always like this?’

Having only known Lee Dohyun as a man, she had no real average to compare to, but this clearly wasn’t what you’d call “normal” sex.

She had thought of sex as something where you explore each other’s bodies, get lost in the pleasure, and fall into a cozy night.

But with Lee Jaeheon, it wasn’t a slow, intimate run—it was a full-on sprint marathon. Her body ached like she’d been beaten up.

She let out a sigh and buried her face between his neck and shoulder. It wasn’t about the food—it was that her legs were so weak she couldn’t stand.

“I’ve never dated anyone.”

He ran his hand down her slender back, then bit her stiff earlobe.

“Anyway, let me check your wounds.”

He lifted her up and sat her on the island kitchen counter. Then he opened a cabinet and pulled out a rather large first-aid kit. Until then, Eunkyo was still dwelling on what Jaeheon had just said.

‘Lies…’

She wasn’t sure if he meant he’d never dated or never been with a woman, but either way—it was a lie.

She was sure of it.

“Give me your hand.”

“Why do you have so many meds…?”

“I get hurt a lot. It comes with the job. Good thing I had burn bandages stocked.”

He gently took her hand as she lowered the shirt sleeve. Then carefully applied a soft jelly-like bandage to match the size of the wound.

After adding a layer of regular bandage on top, the intercom rang.

“I figured you wouldn’t be able to decide, so I just picked something.”

“Oh… Anything’s fine.”

“There aren’t many places that deliver this late.”

He carried her back to the bed before heading out to get the delivery. Eunkyo groaned softly, pulling up the sheets.

She heard the delivery guy’s voice briefly, and soon, the smell of rich cheese filled the air. Pizza, maybe. Or pasta.

That night, they ate pizza and drank beer together.

Maybe because it was his place, Jaeheon smiled more and looked more relaxed. His hobbies were tennis and basketball. He occasionally played golf with his parents, but he said he didn’t really enjoy it.

And he was good at anything physical, he said.

Eunkyo, on the other hand, shared her completely opposite hobbies. Visiting dessert cafes, browsing new book releases at bookstores, or spending entire days reading and dozing off—that was her idea of joy. He clicked his tongue at that.

Then, grabbing her thigh, teased her, saying no wonder her body was so soft without a hint of muscle.

With a full stomach and her body exhausted, even one can of beer made her sleepy. Knees together, she stared blankly at Jaeheon’s completely fine-looking face.

He was already on his third can, and gently stroked her puffed-out cheek.

Drowsy, Eunkyo closed her eyes and nestled her face into his palm. Resting her forehead against his hand, she fell asleep like that.

The confusion that had been tormenting her all along—maybe it was because they were different in their versions of “purity.”

Jaeheon was purely true to his emotions. She couldn’t be like that.

Always worried if something weighed even a gram too much or too little, she’d lived her life censoring and measuring every move.

Sometimes, you have to let yourself get soaked in the rain without an umbrella.

She knew, deep down, it’s important to take your shoes off and step in puddles once in a while. But she never let herself, thinking she was an “adult.”

Cool, dry air from the AC carried the scent of fabric softener. The soft hum of machines filled the room, and she felt like she was floating.

She sank into the crisp sheets, and warm body heat wrapped heavily around her from behind.

Kim Haeda’s name lit up on the screen. It was already the sixth call—unanswered and piling up. But Eunkyo curled up and pushed the phone away with trembling hands.

“You’re not gonna pick up again? Just answer and tell her you’re fine. Can’t you just say you’re with me?”

She buried her face in the pillow and shook her head hard. Then, as if in retaliation, he bit her butt and grabbed the spot he had just been kissing, reaching for a condom.

「Hey, I’m calling the cops, okay? I’ll report you missing. You better answer, now.」

At Kim Haeda’s annoyed message, Lee Jaeheon, who was just putting a condom on, leaned in close.

“Can I reply for you? Tell him to call back after we’re done having sex.”

“Are you serious? Don’t you dare…! I’m warning you.”

Still lying face down, her body twisted slightly as he parted her entrance and slid his thick length in deep.

“Ah!”

She sucked in a breath, clenching her teeth at the sharp pleasure that hit her. Just being inside her, he filled her completely, stimulating every sensitive spot.

“What, are you upset, sunbae?”

He whispered with a satisfied breath.

At some point, Kim Haeda stopped calling. Only then could she breathe properly again.

“Ha… Don’t say anything to Haeda. He probably already knows what’s going on between us, and there’s no need to make it obvious… Ah!”

“Hah, isn’t it about time you relaxed?”

He pulled back, then slammed in hard.