She lay on the bed and looked at him. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
He snapped out of his thoughts, suddenly aware of her on the bed, and quickly turned his gaze away. "Sorry… it's just… I—" He took a deep breath, then left the room.
She frowned, watched him rush out, and pulled her pants back on. Quietly, she followed him.
He was sitting on the couch, head hung low, looking upset and sad. Hesitantly, she came up behind him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He flinched and looked back.
"It's me," she said softly.
He avoided her gaze, hiding his face in his hands, tense.
"What's wrong?" she asked carefully.
He nodded slowly. "It's just… my heart isn't letting me. I feel guilty. I'm hurting, Yerin."
She thought for a moment, then sat on the other side of the couch. "I understand," she said softly. "I can see how much you love her and what kind of situation you're in. But as you told me earlier, you have to do this to make her yours. Don't feel guilty. You're not cheating her; this is just for now. Once I get pregnant, you won't have to do this anymore. The sooner we get this done, the sooner she can officially be yours."
He looked at her, his eyes red, almost teary.
She gave him a small, encouraging smile. "Okay… I'll make it easier for you."
With that, she got up, went to the fridge, and returned holding three bottles of soju. He stared at them, unsure.
"What is this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at the three bottles of soju.
She waved her hands animatedly. "Actually… I heard that when someone gets really drunk, their fears shut down. They end up doing things they're afraid to do when they're completely sober. So… get drunk. Really drunk," she said, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Then all that guilt you're feeling… it'll vanish. It'll be easier for you to… do this. And the funny part? You won't even remember exactly what happened afterward."
For the first time that evening, he smiled at her. "Who told you that?"
She leaned back slightly, recounting it like a story. "One of my friends… he had a crush on a girl, but he was too scared to confess. Then one night at a party, he got drunk… and, well, he confessed. She accepted. And the hilarious part? They ended up… well… having sex together, completely drunk, and the next day they forgot what exactly happened."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Nice story."
"No, it actually happened in real life… if you don't believe me, I can call my friend to confirm," she said, almost reaching for her phone.
He quickly stopped her. "No… that's fine. I trust you."
"Okay… then drink this and forget everything," she said, handing him the bottle.
He sighed, opened it, and took a long swig. She encouraged him softly as he drank.
He shook his head. "Are you drunk yet?" she asked.
"Not yet," he replied.
She handed him the second bottle. He looked at her, then gulped it down.
"Now?" she asked again.
"Not fully," he admitted.
She sighed, a teasing smile forming. "Wow… you really have a high tolerance."
He grabbed the last bottle, drained it, and for the first time, his eyes grew heavy. She waved her hands in front of him.
He blinked slowly at her. "You drunk now?" she asked.
"Kind of…" he murmured, a soft grin spreading across his face.
She smiled softly. "Shall we go to the room then?"
He nodded, rubbing his face. "I… need to go to the washroom first."
"Okay, finish quickly and come to the bedroom. I'll be waiting," she said gently.
He gave a small nod and made his way, stumbling slightly as he went. She watched him, a faint smile tugging at her lips, before heading to her bedroom.
A little while later, he returned, eyes heavy and movements sluggish, and dropped onto the bed beside her.
She shook him lightly. "Yaa… don't fall asleep! You got a job to do."
He blinked, a half-smile on his lips, then nodded. With a deep breath, he got on with the process.
After ten minutes, utterly drained, he collapsed onto her. Her breath hitched instinctively, but she quickly pulled herself together. Gently, she pushed him aside, tucked him under the blanket, and moved to the couch to rest.
Next Morning
He woke up with his head slightly heavy, blinking against the morning light. Sitting up on the bed, his heart skipped at the sight of the unfamiliar room. He glanced around, trying to piece together the events of the previous night, but everything felt foggy, blurred.
Then his eyes fell on a familiar figure sleeping soundly on the couch. He froze, trying to recall… but the memory was hazy. His heart thumped faster. Had they…? He wasn't sure. A rush of nervous energy pushed him out of bed. Quietly, he slipped out of the room, careful not to disturb her, and headed straight for a quick shower. Once dressed, he left for the office, still lost in his thoughts.
A while later, Hauen woke up. Her gaze instinctively moved to the bed, but he was already gone. A soft smile curved her lips as she got up and freshened herself. Soon, Bora arrived with the energy drink, which Hauen took with a grateful smile.
And just like that, she spent her day, carrying on with her routine, a faint warmth lingering in her chest from the morning's strange, unspoken tension.
That evening, when Suho returned from the office, Hauen was sitting on the couch, immersed in her book. As soon as he entered, she looked up and greeted him with a soft smile.
"Hi," she said warmly.
Suho paused for a moment, caught off guard, then offered a small, almost shy smile in return.
"How was your day?" she asked, trying to keep her tone light.
He glanced at her briefly, then nodded. "It was good," he said curtly, before moving past her toward the bedroom.
Hauen watched him go, a faint smile lingering on her lips, wondering what had passed through his mind in that fleeting moment.
Night came, and Hauen prepared herself for bed. She had set three small bottles of soju on the living room table, the same way she had before.
Suho appeared slowly, his brows lifting at the sight.
She smiled, patting the seat beside her. "Come."
He lowered himself onto the couch. "Umm… did that… actually work?" His voice was hesitant, unsure.
Hauen raised an eyebrow, smiling softly. "You don't remember anything?"
He shook his head, uncertainty in his eyes.
"See?" she said, her smile widening. "It worked. Didn't I tell you? You won't remember a thing… and still, the work gets done."
He allowed himself a small, amused smile.
"So… are we going to do it today too?" she asked, her tone gentle.
"Hm? Ah… yes," he replied, voice tense. "Doctor said…" He trailed off.
She nodded and handed him the first bottle. "Okay… then drink this."
He opened it, taking a long swallow. "You don't drink?" he asked.
Hauen shook her head, smiling faintly. "No, thanks. I'll stay sober. Someone has to be in sense," she said awkwardly.
He paused for a moment, then hesitated. "Did I… do something… stupid last night?"
"Ah… no," she reassured him, "it's just… You collapsed on the bed, completely drained. You fell asleep."
He exhaled, looking guilty. "Sorry… because of me, you had to sleep on the couch. If this happens again, please… sleep in my room."
Hauen shook her head gently. "No, thank you. I'm fine."
They continued quietly, Suho drinking enough to let go of his thoughts, letting the tension dissolve. Hauen led him to the bedroom, her hands steady, her voice calm, guiding him through the process as before.
Once it was done, he collapsed, his body heavy, his breathing shallow.
Hauen let out a quiet sigh and gently tucked him under the blanket, her fingers brushing his hair back for a moment. She stood, moving to the couch with a soft, exhausted smile.
Curling under the thin throw, she stared at the faint glow of the city outside the window, a mixture of warmth, empathy, and quiet resolve in her chest.
The night was still, but inside, emotions simmered, hesitation, care, understanding, all quietly binding them together in the fragile balance of their unusual contract.