Affectionate Obsession - Chapter 57

Yeonhee stood before the dining table after the meal, tidying the dishes.

She had only taken small portions of each dish, knowing there were many, and it had been a good choice.

There was no food left, but she had to gather her strength, patting her full stomach alongside Junhyeok until they had finished everything.

“I’ll do the dishes, so just bring the plates over.”

As she was organizing the plates on the table, Junhyeok, who had returned after taking a call, rolled up his sleeves and headed for the sink.

Yeonhee considered stopping him but decided to let him be.

For some reason, she felt it wouldn’t be so bad to just gaze blankly at Junhyeok’s back after so long.

As Junhyeok had said, Yeonhee brought the organized plates to the sink. Then, she wrapped her arms around his waist and whispered in an affectionate voice.

“Are you washing the dishes because I made such a grand dinner, husband?”

She couldn’t recall ever calling him husband, nor had she ever spoken in such a sweet, coaxing tone.

Yet, seeing Junhyeok step forward to wash the dishes, the words had slipped out before she knew it.

She was surprised by her own words.

It seemed she was capable of saying such tender things.

She wasn’t the only one taken aback.

Junhyeok stopped putting on his rubber gloves and looked at her.

She felt so embarrassed she could die, having uttered such a bold remark and now meeting his gaze fully, but she didn’t look away.

Junhyeok’s face, faintly flushed, was so endearing.

So, he had this side to him too.

When she did things she normally wouldn’t, she could see these gift-like moments.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to show him these sides of herself occasionally.

Thinking this, Yeonhee demurely slipped out of his embrace.

Then, pretending to finish clearing the still-untidy table, she stood before him and watched his back.

Tears welled up, unbidden.

This happiness had been so close, so why was she only realizing it now?

Why hadn’t she cherished the time she could spend with Junhyeok like this sooner?

She regretted it unbearably.

This everyday life, not a single moment was devoid of happiness.

The sound of washing dishes. Junhyeok’s back as he moved his arms in small gestures. This time, being able to watch him.

She didn’t know when her last moments with him would be, not even she could tell.

She was simply waiting.

The right time would surely come.

Whether it was Choi Sookhee pressuring her again by threatening Junhyeok.

Or whether it was a direct threat to her, stubbornly occupying Yoon Sera’s place.

Either way, Choi Sookhee would send the signal, and when she received it, she could leave this place without a second thought.

Only then would Junhyeok be unable to hold onto her any longer.

Even if his heart still craved her, he would have to deal with the crisis before him, or realize that by keeping her place, he was putting himself in danger.

Only when Choi Sookhee made a move would he be unable to hold onto her, and if he were to search for her again after she left, she would gain precious time to hide where he could never find her.

That was why this time was so incredibly precious to Yeonhee.

Because she couldn’t gauge when the day would come that she would have to leave him, each day was filled with anxiety yet also tenderness, overwhelming yet also grateful.

Therefore, today too, she didn’t have much time to dwell in such sad sentiments.

Yeonhee tore her gaze away from Junhyeok’s back, which she had been staring at blankly, and moved busily again.

Since he was washing the dishes for her like this, she intended to prepare a dessert for him.

“Wow, this is really good. Right?”

Yeonhee sat down with a thud in front of the coffee table, chewing on a bite-sized piece of cream castella and looking at Junhyeok.

Then, as if he had been watching only her, Junhyeok, who was sitting on the sofa looking down, chuckled and nodded.

“It is.”

“You’re lying. You haven’t even tried it, so how can you say that?”

“Your expression clearly says it’s delicious.”

Yeonhee shot Junhyeok a playful glare and scooped a piece of castella with the fork in her hand, bringing it towards him.

As if he had been waiting, Junhyeok opened his lips.

Yeonhee quickly inserted the fork into his mouth.

Junhyeok seemed to chew the castella in his mouth a couple of times, then nodded again.

“You’re right. It’s really delicious. Did you buy this today too when we went grocery shopping?”

“Yeah. I was passing by the bakery section, and the smell was so good. So I looked around, and this caught my eye. I hesitated because you don’t like sweets much, but I’m glad I bought it.”

“You’re right. You picked a good one.”

Junhyeok’s eyes, watching her chatter like a child, were still full of affection.

Yeonhee didn’t avoid his gaze for a moment.

Instead, she rested her chin on his knee and took another bite of the sweet castella.

The soft texture allowed the sweetness of the cream to spread through her mouth, momentarily lifting her spirits.

Moreover, eating sweet dessert after dinner with Junhyeok made the time spent with him feel even more peaceful.

Yeonhee brought the fork to her own mouth once more and then offered it to Junhyeok.

It was just as she was about to put the fork into Junhyeok’s mouth.

Junhyeok’s silent phone suddenly rang briefly.

As Junhyeok checked the screen, his brow furrowed slightly.

Yeonhee, pretending not to notice, observed him closely.

“Just a moment.”

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Junhyeok said briefly.

Yeonhee nodded, acting as if it were no big deal. However, she didn’t neglect to keep watching Junhyeok out of the corner of her eye.

After some time had passed.

Suddenly, the phone’s ringtone blared loudly.

This time, it wasn’t Junhyeok’s.

Yeonhee tilted her head at the familiar ringtone and picked up her phone.

Instantly, her expression had to harden.

The number on the screen was Sera’s.

Yeonhee hesitated for a moment.

The reason for Sera’s call was all too obvious, but somehow, she felt she shouldn’t answer this call.

She had thought the signal to leave Junhyeok would come from Sookhee.

But then, the thought occurred that this call might be that signal.

“You’re not answering? Who is it?”

As she was caught in a whirlwind of thoughts, unable to act, Junhyeok’s voice was heard.

Yeonhee ignored her racing heart and composed her expression.

Still, fearing any lingering emotion might show, she answered without looking at Junhyeok.

“No, I’m about to answer it.”

I don’t want to answer it.

But she had already replied to Junhyeok.

To avoid suspicion, she had to answer the call.

Otherwise, Junhyeok, sensing something was off, would persistently ask who was calling, and the moment he learned it was Sera, he would start recalculating his path of revenge against Choi Sookhee, which had momentarily paused.

She couldn’t let Junhyeok throw himself into danger again.

With a reluctant hand, Yeonhee fumbled with the screen. Then, she brought the phone to her ear.

“……Hello.”

Her voice, transmitted through the phone, was laden with unwelcome emotions.

With a heavy heart, Yeonhee waited for the other person to speak.

—It’s me. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

“…….”

—No need for long talk, I want to see you. You’re not going to say you didn’t expect to get a call like this from me after going around doing things in my name, are you? You’re coming, right?

As expected, Sera’s request was not out of the ordinary. If so, the words Sera would say were predictable.

It would be within the realm of expectation, and she wasn’t afraid of that at all.

However, she couldn’t readily agree.

From Yoon Sera’s perspective, it was entirely natural, but she was a woman who had always strived to reclaim her place.

Could she really get through this day without hearing those words?

For now, she might be angry about the things Yeonhee had done pretending to be Yoon Sera, but the conclusion would be a demand to return her place.

What would be the right answer after hearing that?

To say, as she had until now, that she had no intention of doing so?

But Yeonhee had already decided to leave Junhyeok.

The moment she made that decision, she had cleanly erased her plans for revenge against Choi Sookhee and her desire to ruin Yoon Sera.

If she had continued to hold onto those feelings, her resolve to give up everything and leave Junhyeok’s side would not have been possible.

So, she had painstakingly put those feelings aside.

But even so, this was too soon.

The moment of parting felt as if it were right before her eyes, and Yeonhee forcibly suppressed a rising sigh.

At that moment, Sera’s voice, unable to bear the wait any longer, pierced her ear impatiently.

—If you don’t come, I’ll hang up and go to Grandma’s. And I’ll tell her everything you’ve done, without missing a single detail. I heard you even visited my grandmother pretending to be me. Then you’ll understand. How much my grandmother cherishes me.

“…….”

—What do you think my grandmother will do? Is it what Shin Yeonhee wants, for me to hang up right now and go to Grandma’s?

Yeonhee felt her grip on the phone tighten.

She had nothing to fear from Yoon Sera’s threats, but Choi Sookhee’s actions terrified her.

She didn’t want Junhyeok to get hurt.

She wanted to protect Junhyeok.

For herself, there was only one choice.

Yeonhee parted her lips, her mouth forming a firm resolve.

Support