As thunder roared and lightning flashed, the rain poured down through the windowpane. Youngsoo peered out the window while sipping a steamy Americano. His blue knitted turtleneck kept him warm, and his reading glasses remained on his face. He had a white towel over his neck. He looked at his watch before returning his gaze to the window. Sun Hee arrived at exactly seven o'clock in the evening. They continued to live together until the murder investigation was completed.
"Are you okay?" Youngsoo enquired. Sun Hee's hair was dripping with water. He assisted her in removing her coat and used the towel to wipe her hair. Sun Hee paused for a time, her gaze falling to his luscious lips. "I'm alright, I'm not a baby," she answered and removed the towel from his grip. "How could he allow you to get soaked like that?" Youngsoo handed her a glass of water and said, "What an irresponsible man."
"He tended after me well. It's pouring outside. What do you expect?" Sun Hee coughed as she sipped the glass of water. "Have you caught a cold?" Youngsoo moved closer to her and placed his palm on her temple.
Sun Hee had a hiccup when he made his gesture. As her cheeks got fiery, Youngsoo studied them. His warm hands encircled her cheeks and said, "Hey, I think you're getting sick," he murmured as they locked gazes. Sun Hee's heart soared into space. At this rate, she'd collapse in no time. "Do you have any idea how you're making me feel right now?" she muttered. "What?" Like a naïve child, Youngsoo blinked.
Sun Hee pushed her face away from his enticing touch and said, "I'm alright." She went to the refrigerator and looked for something to eat. "Where's Mee Yoon?" She took a bowl of cookies.
"She's upstairs." Youngsoo watched her munched, spilling some brown chunks beside her mouth. "Already? It's still early."
"She's worn out from our date." Sun Hee ate the cookies like a commercial model, chewing them with her eyes closed. "Ugh. You've piqued my interest." Youngsoo took a step closer to her and ate half of the cookie in her mouth. Their lips brushed against each other, causing her to tighten. "Hey! On the t-table, there's a bowl of c-cookies. Why would you do something like that?" Sun Hee hesitated just as she was about to say the forbidden word. "Almost what?" Youngsoo said in a casual tone. "Nevermind," she said and dropped her gaze. Sun Hee walked past him. But he uttered something that destroyed her sanity. "Kissed? Like what you did with Yang Hajoon?" Youngsoo smirked as he lay his back against the fridge.
"Who told you that? Omo. Are we on the news?" Sun Hee went back and faced him. "No. I was there. I mean we were there. We saw you." Sun Hee held her nape in anxiousness. "We didn't kiss, okay? We pretended to do so. But nothing happened. It was mere acting." He lifted an eyebrow. "Well, you got the wrong audience."
"Come on, believe me. Nothing happened. Our lips didn't touch."
"Were they supposed to?" Youngsoo folded his arms as he scrutinized her.
"A kiss must taste good. It must feel something. But there was no such thing. Alright?" Sun Hee defended like they were in court. "Why are you raising your voice?" he said in a calm tone. "Because you think I'm lying."
"I've seen enough as evidence."
"What you saw wasn't everything."
"You talk as if you had kissed a man. I heard you were a nun." Youngsoo teased.
"Hey. It doesn't mean I lack knowledge about it, jerk." Sun Hee attempted to hit him, but he caught her wrist and pulled her. In a hoarse voice, he said, "You don't know what a kiss feels like. Let me demonstrate it." He gazed at her seductive lips and pressed his lips in slow motion. Sun Hee was a statue as Youngsoo moved like an expert. She tasted the bitterness of caffeine and smelled the sweet fragrance of strawberry in his clothes. He clasped her hands and put them around his neck. His hands made their way to her buttocks. She gasped when he lifted her and placed her on the table.
She couldn't utter a single word as they stared into each other's eyes. He came to a halt and expected her to push him away or slap him hard. But though she was in shock, Sun Hee kissed him back. Youngsoo cradled her head to deepen their kisses until his mouth ran down to her neck.
Sun Hee closed her eyes and wished it wasn't a dream, but she also hoped she was inebriated so she could have an excuse to forget everything the next day.
***
Mee Yoon tightened the blanket around her while the rustling wind knocked at her window. Whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see were Dong-sun and Sun Hee sharing a passionate kiss. Then a flashback from her past followed—when she saw Daewon kissing another woman. They were all the same. She felt like she was betrayed the second time around. But she shouldn't feel that way because she doesn't love Dong-sun. Does she?
Mee Yoon grasped her phone and dialed Dong-sun's number. She didn't know what to say, but she had to call him for her peace of mind.
"Hey," she said.
"Mee Yoon. About what you saw..."
"I'm sorry I saw you doing it with Sun Hee. To be clear, we weren't following you. We happened to be there."
"Oh."
"I'm glad you finally have the guts to choose Sun Hee. She'd be happy to be more than your fan."
"How about you? Are you glad?"
"I have to."
There was a long pause. Dong-sun wished for her to say that she was jealous, to tell him to stay away from Sun Hee, and tell him she changed her mind—that she loves him. But he had lost all the hope.
"Mee Yoon... The sunset is beautiful, isn't it?"
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she covered her mouth. She didn't want him to hear her sob. It was already dark. There was no sunset and his phrase had another meaning.
"No. Please," she whispered.
"What?"
"I have to tell you something."
"I'm listening."
"Not now. Let's meet on the last day of autumn. I will no longer be afraid."
A loud noise startled her. It seems like a glass fell to the floor. The sound came from the kitchen. Mee Yoon ended the call and walked downstairs.
'It must be a cat,' she thought. She bumped into Youngsoo who came from the kitchen.
"What was that sound?" she asked.
"The bowl of cookies accidentally slipped from my hand."
"A bowl? How could it slip from your hand?"
"Beats me." She looked at his face closely. "Are those bloodstains on your mouth? What happened to you?" he stepped backward and avoided her gaze. "I hurt my fingers while picking up the broken pieces. I must've wiped the stains on my mouth."
"What? Let me see." Mee Yoon tried to grab his hands, but he put them behind his back. "I'm fine, sis. Don't be so clingy. It's so not you." Mee Yoon proceed to the kitchen and saw Sun Hee drinking a glass of cold water. The first three buttons of her blouse were open and bullets of sweat were on her forehead. "Hey, I didn't hear you came in," Mee Yoon said.
"I got here a minute ago."
"Why are you sweating? Isn't it cold?" Sun Hee coughed as she choked while drinking. "Sweat? It's droplets of rain."
"Oh. Then kindly fix your hair. It's so messy."
"Y-yeah. Sure." Mee Yoon's keen eyes darted to Sun Hee's fingers. "Why are you trembling? Are you nervous?"
"You know what? I have to change," Sun Hee said and went upstairs at the speed of light.
"Why are they acting strange? Do they think I'm dumb?" Mee Yoon said while shaking her head.