Chapter 11
“Ah… is that so?”
Onyu awkwardly sat back down on the chair. Then she took Iwan’s hand and resumed the acupressure massage.
As she focused on the massage, Onyu subtly glanced sideways at Iwan. His gaze, fixed intently on her hand and face, felt uncomfortably persistent.
Is he worried I pressed too hard earlier?
Then why ask me to continue the massage in the first place?
Muttering to herself internally, Onyu felt strangely unsettled. She couldn’t ignore the unrelenting gaze that hovered over her like a watchful guard.
At some point, each time she pressed on his hand, a ticklish sensation spread to her own fingertips—a peculiar illusion.
“How about we stop with the acupressure and go for acupuncture instead? This is only a temporary relief anyway.”
“No.”
As Onyu stood up to fetch the acupuncture needles, Iwan got up, shaking his head.
“Maybe I’ll just take another digestive pill.”
“Would you like that?”
“Yes.”
He nodded and added, “Thanks. I feel a lot better now.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
“Sure.”
As Iwan turned to leave the annex, Onyu called after him.
“Good night. You worked hard today. And… welcome to Daebak-ri.”
Startled by the unexpected welcome, Iwan turned back to look at her. Onyu stood smiling brightly like spring sunshine, waving at him.
“Thanks for the warm welcome. Let’s get along while we’re here.”
Returning her smile faintly, Iwan added, “Good night to you too, Na Onyu.”
As soon as Iwan stepped out, Onyu looked down at her hand and felt a strange emptiness settle over her. Now that his hand had left hers, she oddly missed the feeling.
“Maybe it’s because his hands were so big…”
She clenched her now-empty fist and muttered, chuckling awkwardly at her own wandering thoughts. Gathering the contract and her phone from the table, she finally left the annex.
Back in his room, Iwan sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the right hand Onyu had held.
Grabbing her hand earlier when she offered to get medicine had been completely impulsive. He had reflexively reached for her the moment she tried to let go.
“Why did I do that…?”
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t come up with an answer. For someone like him who required clarity in all things, his behavior was utterly perplexing.
His narrowed eyes recalled Onyu’s fair, delicate face as she had waved goodbye, saying welcome.
And then, the image of her long, white nape came to mind—strangely captivating.
If I bit her neck, would she cry out like a deer caught by a predator? Or would she fall apart and whimper helplessly?
As Iwan’s imagination turned carnal, his gaze drifted lower.
“Damn it…”
A breath laced with profanity slipped between his teeth. Seeing the telltale bulge in his pants, a wave of shame washed over him.
This again. What is it about her that gets to me so easily?
It had never been like this before. Running a hand anxiously through his hair, Iwan tried to shake the thoughts away.
Returning to his usual blank expression, he turned on his laptop to get some work done.
Throughout, he rubbed at his chest, convincing himself the discomfort was due to the mountain of food he had eaten—rice piled high and chicken stew.
And just like that, a chaotic and restless day in Daebak-ri came to a close.
Early morning.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cock-cock!
Iwan’s eyes shot open at the sound of a rooster.
“…?”
Blinking, wondering if he was dreaming—
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cock-cock!
Another round of loud crowing echoed.
“What the hell?”
He sprang upright in bed.
“Where is that coming from?”
As if to answer, the sound came again, loud and clear from beyond the sliding window.
Cock-a-doodle-doo! Cooooock-cock!
Practically leaping out of bed, Iwan yanked the window open. Scanning the yard, he spotted the chicken coop nestled in a corner of the fence near the storage shed.
A proud-looking rooster, head raised high, flapped its wings and crowed so loudly it shook the morning calm.
Then came a moo—Moooooo!—as if harmonizing.
Followed by a bark—Woof-woof!—from Courage, the ironically timid dog.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Moooooo!
Woof-woof!
It was like the Bremen Town Musicians, only far less welcome.
“Unbelievable…”
Iwan wiped his face with rough, irritated strokes. Who needed an alarm when nature provided such an eco-friendly wake-up call?
Onyu, too, suffered under the torment of the chaotic morning symphony.
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Moooooo!
Woof-woof!
“Sigh…”
The relentless noise pummeled her ears. Reaching for her phone, she saw it was just past 5:30 AM.
Since returning to her family’s house, she had become a morning person by force, thanks to those three noisy beasts.
Groaning, she rose from bed, her eyes barely open, and shuffled toward the bathroom.
Just as she reached for the doorknob—
Click! The door swung open.
“!”
Startled, her eyes flew wide. Iwan’s face appeared suddenly, wet hair dripping as he stepped out.
“Good morning.”
His emotionless greeting snapped Onyu out of her sleepy daze.
“…You’re up early.”
One beat late, she responded. Her eyes instinctively swept over him.
Maybe it was the morning light, or the casual outfit—gray sweatpants and a white T-shirt—instead of his usual sharp suit.
His sharp image seemed softened, more relaxed.
Wow, he must work out a lot.
She admired his toned forearms as he tossed a towel into the laundry basket.
His forearm muscles, lightly defined from elbow to wrist, moved with each gesture. The visible veins were strangely… sexy.
He had a cold, restrained face, but his body underneath that suit? Surprisingly sensual.
That man really has it all.
Onyu looked at him with envious eyes.
Diamond spoon in mouth, striking looks, tall, talented—Kang Iwan lacked nothing.
He must have saved Korea at least three times in his past life. Maybe even the reincarnation of Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
“I couldn’t stay asleep with all that crowing.”
“Pardon?”
Snapping out of her daze, she heard the irritation in his voice.
“The rooster’s so loud, the whole village must have heard. Then the cow and dog joined in.”
“If it’s too much, would you like some earplugs? They help a bit.”
“No thanks. I’ll just get up earlier to match the environment.”
His cold reply made Onyu frown slightly.
Geez, not a thorny rose, but a thorny cactus. I almost forgot his personality thanks to that pretty face.
Just as she turned toward the bathroom with a mental grumble, his voice came again.
“Na Onyu.”
“Yes?”
Feeling guilty for cursing him mentally just now, she replied a bit too loudly.
“I’m planning to look around the village this morning. Could you show me around?”
“Already snooping around, huh?”
“Let’s call it research.”
He corrected her cheeky phrasing with a dry laugh.
“Why don’t we take a drive around before breakfast?”
“Sounds good.”
When Iwan agreed easily, Onyu said she’d meet him at the front door in ten minutes and headed into the bathroom.
Back in his room, Iwan opened the old wardrobe in the corner.
“How old is this thing?”
Ziiiiip—the long zipper creaked down as he laughed to himself.
The tacky, colorful floral pattern on the plastic wardrobe looked like it came straight out of an old drama. It was so worn out, he couldn’t even tell what its original color was.
The storage capacity? Pathetic.
After hanging just a few clothes, the thing looked ready to burst. The room was so small there was no space for another wardrobe.
With no choice, he left the rest of his clothes in the suitcase.
As he slid on a hoodie, his phone buzzed on the bed.
Zipping up, he glanced at the screen.
His gaze turned sharp in an instant. The caller was Han Woomin.
