Husband Role - Episode 23

Monday returned without fail. When Eun-Seol opened her eyes, she was alone. She hadn’t even realized Jung-hyuk had left.

 

It was because she had tossed and turned all night and had only fallen into a deep sleep belatedly.

 

She felt unfairly treated.

 

Her insomnia was all his fault. Or rather, the fault of a part of him.

 

Judging by the silence, he must have been asleep, but his alter ego had remained stubbornly erect all night.

 

Eun-Seol couldn’t sleep properly because it bothered her.

 

“Mother, I’m going to the supermarket. Is there anything you need?”

 

Having finished preparing to go out, Eun-Seol crossed over to the inner quarters and asked with somewhat hollow eyes.

 

“Oh, Seol-ah. What’s wrong with your eyes?”

 

Kyung-ha asked with a worried expression. She called Eun-Seol by various names, such as Eun-Seol-ah, Seol-ah, Baby, and Little One.

 

“I didn’t sleep well.”

 

Kyung-ha thought to herself, ‘How much must she have suffered…’ but didn’t say it out loud.

 

“Mother?”

 

“Oh, it’s nothing. I have a meeting, but would you like to go with me this afternoon?”

 

“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about me and go about your business.”

 

“Then I’ll have the driver wait for you, so take the car.”

 

“It’s okay. I have many places to stop by, so the driver would be tired. I want to go around comfortably by myself.”

 

“Where are you going, Sis?”

 

A little late in the morning, Seol-gi came down from the second floor, yawning widely. It seemed she had slept in because it was a school anniversary today.

 

“Oh, you’re up, Miss? Well, it’s Oppa’s birthday soon. I’m going to buy some ingredients to practice cooking. And buy a gift too.”

 

“Just buy it from a good restaurant.”

 

Seol-gi said, scratching her stomach under her pajamas.

 

“How about you help me, Miss?”

 

Eun-Seol asked in a friendly manner. Seol-gi then made a disgusted face.

 

“Are you really going to make it yourself again?”

 

Seeing Eun-Seol nodding innocently, Seol-gi sighed.

 

Kyung-ha encouraged her daughter, saying, “Yes, you should help her.”

 

“What are you planning to make?”

 

Seol-gi asked, pressing her temples.

 

“Well, let’s see…”

 

Eun-Seol listed the names of the dishes she aimed to make one by one. There were so many. Seol-gi, instantly wide awake, asked for confirmation.

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Yes. Totally serious.”

 

Eun-Seol replied with determination. Seol-gi sighed once more and said she would share a list of the necessary ingredients via text.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Seeing Eun-Seol beaming, Seol-gi gave her a thumbs up, saying that the spirit of a novice was beyond compare.

 

Eun-Seol left Bong-cheol’s house with a paper bag in her hand. It was a gift from the caregiver, Hee-sook.

 

She always bought pretty flowers, and Hee-sook was grateful, so she gave her a homemade butternut squash cake as a gift.

 

Eun-Seol took it and headed to <Flower Shower>.

 

As she pushed open the glass door, the clear sound of a wind chime greeted Eun-Seol first.

 

“I heard you came this morning.”

 

Su-jin, who was organizing newly purchased fixtures, said casually.

 

“Hyung-bu said you’d be out a little late today, so I stopped by again.”

 

Eun-Seol replied affectionately, wrinkling her nose.

 

“Good job, but what’s that in your hand?”

 

“The caregiver gave it to me. She said thank you for the pretty flowers. It’s a butternut squash cake she baked herself. Let’s eat it together.”

 

“I was feeling a bit peckish. Iced Americano okay?”

 

Su-jin, who was already standing in front of the capsule coffee machine, asked.

 

“Are you okay with coffee, Unnie?”

 

“What are you talking about? I barely survived morning sickness with iced Americano.”

 

Afterward, Su-jin brought two cups of iced coffee as if to show off.

 

The butternut squash cake and coffee were placed on the edge of the cluttered workbench, amidst all sorts of fixtures, memos, calculators, and envelopes.

 

“Ah, I feel alive.”

 

Eun-Seol said, drinking half of her coffee in one go.

 

“It’s totally summer. I’m dying, seriously.”

 

“It must be harder because you’re full, right?”

 

“That too, but since I’m pregnant, I get so hot. It’s like being trapped in a sauna all day long. Even the air conditioner doesn’t help.”

 

“Oh, you get hotter when you’re pregnant. That must be uncomfortable.”

 

“Uncomfortable doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

 

“What’s the most uncomfortable thing?”

 

At Eun-Seol’s question, Su-jin’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Why? Are you trying to have a baby?”

 

Eun-Seol, who had just put a piece of cake in her mouth, coughed in surprise.

 

Su-jin handed her a tissue.

 

The polite Eun-Seol bowed her head to express her gratitude even while coughing.

 

“Well, there’s quite an age gap between you two, right? So your husband wants to have a baby soon?”

 

“Ah, no.”

 

Eun-Seol waved her hands in alarm.

 

“Then?”

 

“Ah, I was just… I was just asking…”

 

“Are you having baby-making time?”

 

At the nonchalant question, Eun-Seol bit her lip without answering.

 

“Why are you making such an embarrassed face? It’s something everyone does after they get married.”

 

Su-jin laughed as if she found it amusing and gulped down her iced coffee.

 

Eun-Seol stared silently at Su-jin, who was drinking her coffee coolly.

 

“But…”

 

Then she cautiously parted her lips.

 

Su-jin, sensing that it was an interesting story, sparkled her eyes for the first time in a while.

 

“Yeah, what?”

 

Her urging eyes were like a hyena that had found its prey.

 

“…It’s nothing.”

 

Eun-Seol, who had suddenly lost confidence, backed down.

 

“Ah, a woman who has drawn her sword must at least slice a radish!”

 

Su-jin’s momentum was overwhelming as she repeatedly urged her to hurry up.

 

“…Well, I want to, but…”

 

Eventually, Eun-Seol began to move her lips again.

 

“There’s no subject.”

 

“Well, the bedroom stuff.”

 

“Oh, sex. Or marital relations.”

 

“…”

 

“Continue.”

 

Su-jin said like a sharp detective.

 

“Yes, but it seems a little different from the theory I knew. When I think about doing it again, I feel a bit daunted. Ah, it wasn’t that I didn’t like it.”

 

“No, it was good.” Eun-Seol muttered, her face turning as red as a tomato.

 

“How is the reality different?”

 

Su-jin, who was usually indifferent to everything, seemed full of enthusiasm today.

 

“Well, in theory I heard that once you do it, that’s the end. Well, that’s how it is, so…”

 

Despite the frustrating explanation, Su-jin waited patiently. If she urged her any further, Eun-Seol might shut her mouth altogether, given her personality.

 

“But in reality, it’s not just once. so…”

 

“Is that all? There are men who do it several times a night. Especially during the honeymoon period.”

 

“Ah…”

 

Eun-Seol nodded slowly with a look of understanding.

 

“You do it as much as you can.”

 

Su-jin said in a casual tone and put the cake in her mouth. “This is really delicious,” she mumbled contentedly.

 

Then she said, “You eat too,” and handed over the fork with the cake on it. Eun-Seol took it and opened her mouth with a dark expression.

 

“But I don’t have the confidence to do it so… vigorously. Ever since I fainted last time, I’m a little worried that it might happen again.”

 

“You fainted?”

 

Su-jin asked back with wide eyes. Eun-Seol nodded with a gloomy expression, as if she had done something wrong.

 

“Our Eun-Seol…”

 

Su-jin put down her own fork as well and exclaimed softly.

 

“You married well.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“I’m suddenly getting angry at Tae-hoon.”

 

Eun-Seol tilted her head, looking at Su-jin who was saying something incomprehensible.

 

Su-jin smiled and added, “I’m saying you’re blessed.”

 

“I don’t know about blessed but anyway, my concern is…”

 

“You have another concern?”

 

“Yes, my husband hasn’t approached me since I fainted.”

 

“Do you faint every time you do it?”

 

“No.”

 

Eun-Seol revealed that it had only happened on the first night. Since then, they had only slept hugging each other.

 

She added that she was worried that her husband might be burdened because of her history of fainting.

 

“Is it because he’s too tired from being a weekend couple?”

 

“There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with his body.”

 

Eun-Seol said in a barely audible voice. She felt as if she had revealed a great secret, and her heart was pounding.

 

“Then why?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

She replied, pressing the cold glass to her flushed cheeks.

 

“Are you two doing well?”

 

Su-jin had already taken on a serious attitude and was giving advice.

 

“Yes. I think we’re doing okay. We always hug and sleep together.”

 

Then Eun-Seol talked about how she spent time with Jung-hyuk on the weekends. Su-jin listened quietly. Even to Su-jin, the couple seemed to have no problems.

 

That meant…

 

Soon, Su-jin smiled, as if she knew the reason.

 

“Your husband is practicing asceticism, I think.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“If you’re really frustrated, you should approach him first.”

 

“Me…?”

 

“The one who’s thirsty digs the well, what else can you do.”

 

Eun-Seol was startled by Su-jin’s sharp words.

 

“I’m not that… that thirsty.”

 

She stammered and barely expressed her conviction, but Su-jin only gave her a half-hearted response, saying, “Yeah, yeah.”

 

“…But how do I approach him?”

 

Eun-Seol asked again.

 

“Write this down.”

 

Su-jin instructed with a serious face. Eun-Seol opened the notepad app on her phone and nodded. It meant she was ready.

 

“Thlovesj4860.”

 

“T…h…love…s…j…4860. Yes, yes.”

 

“Qwert6948.”

 

“Qwert… 6948. Yes, Unnie. I wrote it all down.”

 

Eun-Seol nodded again with a determined face.

 

“Hot Disk, it’s my ID and password.”

 

“…Is it some kind of lecture?”

 

“No, porn.”

 

At Su-jin’s answer, Eun-Seol covered her face, saying, “Ah, Unnie!” Su-jin laughed mischievously at her cute appearance.

 

“Delete the playlist. Otherwise, your taste will be revealed right away?”

 

“I’m not going to watch it!”

 

Seeing Eun-Seol looking disgusted, Su-jin laughed loudly again.

 

It was then. Eun-Seol’s phone vibrated softly.

 

[What are you doing.]

 

It was Jung-hyuk. Was he watching her from somewhere? Eun-Seol, feeling unnecessarily startled, rolled her eyes around, then touched the keyboard.

 

[I came to visit the flower shop.]

 

[So that’s why it was quiet.]

 

Eun-Seol smiled without realizing it.

 

[Were you waiting for my call…?]

 

[If you’re busy, go about your business.]

 

[I asked if you were waiting for my call…]

 

There was no reply after Eun-Seol’s text.

 

“Husband?” Su-jin asked back. Eun-Seol nodded and put her phone on the table.

 

A little later, the phone vibrated briefly again.

 

Eun-Seol quickly snatched it up. Her cheeks flushed as red as a ripe apple as she checked the message.

 

“Why are you blushing again all of a sudden? Did your husband say something lewd?”

 

“Ah…”

 

Su-jin nodded, as if it was that time.