Chapter 3
“Listen to me.”
The familiar tone of Taejun’s voice sent a chaotic tremor through Ri-hyeon’s chest. Simply facing him again was a cruel form of violence in itself.
“Don’t dare give me orders. And have you forgotten you’re married? Don’t you feel even a little guilty toward your wife?”
Before her words could fully land, a warm body pressed against her cheek. As Ri-hyeon tried to pull away, Taejun wrapped his arms around her waist, leaving no room to escape, like an inescapable snare.
“Let go of me before you call anyone.”
“I’ve never been married.”
In that eternal instant, Ri-hyeon was swept away by a brutal wave. The sharp wind seemed to strip her skin and steal her heartbeat, leaving her mind blank.
“…You’ve never been married?”
“Yes.”
The impossible truth left her trapped in a labyrinth of disbelief. She couldn’t tell if he meant they’d never married at all, or if he was talking about a divorce. Everything felt entangled in a maddening chaos.
“I couldn’t.”
Taejun’s next words pushed her further into despair. If the marriage itself had been an illusion, why then had she had to face a breakup? Lost in mounting suspicion, Ri-hyeon asked quietly:
“Then why did you leave?”
“Because I had no choice.”
“Stop beating around the bush. Speak clearly.”
He didn’t answer immediately, and a heavy silence settled over the classroom. Only after a long pause did he speak again, repeating the same reason:
“I had no choice but to leave.”
“…No choice but to leave?”
Muttering his words weakly, she recalled the days of despair she had endured. In front of his marriage, she had barely survived in the abyss, hating him while yearning for him, unable to let go, scraping herself raw. And now she learned it had all been a lie—another wound on top of the old ones.
“At the time, it was the best I could do.”
The reasoning sounded like sophistry, igniting a fire in her. It was nothing but a cowardly excuse. Even if the marriage was a false pretext, the fact that he had chosen to leave remained an unchanging truth.
“I’m not attracted to you. To be honest, you annoy me and are in the way.”
The cruel words he had spoken when they parted had cut deep, like a blade. Ri-hyeon, recalling the weight of her wounded pride, spoke again:
“You must have needed another woman for that game of yours.”
“What?”
“You went wild like a beast in heat.”
The raw accusation made Taejun frown, the suppressed emotion creaking at the edges. His eyes, at the brink of losing patience, cast a cold shadow over the room. Yet Ri-hyeon stepped forward anyway.
“I said move aside. You annoy me and are in the way.”
She wasn’t trying to return humiliation. She just wanted to draw a clear line between herself and Taejun, adding her words like a soft sigh:
“I told you before—what we had is over.”
“It’s never been over.”
“It ended completely seven years ago. And I’m getting married soon.”
Even lying about it, it seemed she wanted revenge. Unaware that she was feeding his provocation, Ri-hyeon summoned her hatred fully.
“My father chose the man. He’s a judge, and he grew up in a good family.”
Taejun’s handsome face hardened, and his frozen gaze betrayed a hint of jealousy—or perhaps, anger.
“You’re marrying the man your father picked?”
The chill in his voice sent shivers down Ri-hyeon’s spine, and a strange thrill followed. The idea of being able to provoke him made her sharpen her verbal blade even more.
“Unlike anyone else, he’s a good person. Being with him feels comfortable and stable. And my parents like him, so there’s no pressure at all.”
The veins in Taejun’s clenched fists stood out, his gaze darkening to a depth as impenetrable as a tunnel.
“Stop it.”
She should have heeded his words, but Ri-hyeon clenched the crumbling barrel in her own hands. The trigger of stubbornness had already been pulled.
“If you don’t want to hear it, leave. Cowardice has always been your specialty.”
Taejun’s shoulders tensed, and through tightly pressed lips came the sound of grinding teeth. His breath carried the restrained heat of a fire ready to explode, and the silence seemed to weigh heavier under the imminent flames.
“Kang Taejun, listen carefully.”
“…….”
“I have no reason to roll around with you, and I have no intention of doing so. I’m not attracted to you at all… huff.”
Her words were swallowed by heated breath. The force pressing her was violent, almost savage. Ri-hyeon twisted her body in alarm, but it was futile. Taejun bit her lower lip, dismissing her feeble resistance.
“!”
Determined to end it, she pushed him with all her strength, landing a solid slap.
Smack.
The harsh sound echoed as Taejun’s head snapped to the side. His cracked voice followed:
“W-what are you doing?”
“To see if you’re attracted or not.”
“You’re…!”
Without a hint of retreat, Taejun caressed her bruised lips and added:
“You’re still hot. Like a beast in heat.”
She should have protested, but the reflexive reaction had already passed. She only exhaled sharply.
“You want to roll around, don’t you?”
It was as if he had cast aside all pretenses, speaking shamelessly.
“You liked doing it in the classroom.”
“Shut up.”
“Want me to check?”
As if serious, Taejun flinched slightly, and Ri-hyeon bolted toward the door. Being alone with him, scratched and enraged, was too dangerous.
“I’m giving up on marriage.”
The voice behind her didn’t warrant even a glance. She had never truly cared about marriage; it was a lie meant to provoke Taejun.
“If you want to keep your professor’s position, listen to me.”
The instant she touched the door handle, she couldn’t ignore his words. Reluctantly, Ri-hyeon glanced back at him.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not a position you’ve earned fairly.”
It was absurd speculation. Nothing improper had happened to get her to this point. Since her assistant days, Ri-hyeon had taken on difficult tasks, moving between the lab and classrooms, staying late to organize papers, always answering her professor’s call. She had done her research diligently and never skipped conferences.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“There’s a lot said about your papers—you can’t call it nonsense. Just look at the review committee, including your advisor.”
Thinking it was a threat, Ri-hyeon let out a bitter laugh. Even if there were envious rumors, nothing shameful had occurred, and she swore it to the heavens.
“I don’t live as lowly as you do.”
“Don’t assume what you know is the truth.”
“Mind your own business and worry about yourself.”
Taejun shrugged and muttered coldly:
“You’ll see who you should worry about soon enough.”
Ignoring his last words, Ri-hyeon hurried out of the classroom. She could no longer bear the risk pressing against her skin.
“I’m home.”
Ri-hyeon entered the house like a tattered ragdoll. Her pale face was even more ghostly, and her small frame seemed ready to crumble.
“Finally back?”
Exhausted, she didn’t even look at her mother, Mi-ae, before speaking.
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone? How was the lecture? Did you make any mistakes?”
Despite Mi-ae’s flood of questions, Ri-hyeon went straight to her room. Her mind was overflowing with Taejun; she had no energy left to engage with anyone else.
“Mom’s asking, just answer quickly.”
Mi-ae’s expression hardened, attempting to block her path.
“It wasn’t bad.”
“Don’t dodge… Oh, what’s with your lips?”
The memory of those intense sensations made Ri-hyeon cover her mouth and lower her gaze.
“I bit them.”
“You need to be careful. Someone who doesn’t know might misunderstand.”
