Flowers Are Bait

Where did things go wrong?

Even as Kwon Chae-woo plummeted into a daze, he clung to Lee-yeon as if worried she might slip away. He held onto her wrist like a shackle, even in his sleep.

Her ears and lips, which he had swallowed whole, still seemed to tingle as if they had been bitten into. He was a man who could act pitifully and then suddenly bite back when an opportunity arose, and she had to lay down a firmer boundary to avoid being manipulated.

When she spread her palm, she noticed crescent-shaped nail marks, deeply red.

“Phew… exhausting… exhilarating, but exhausting…”

Despite the ups and downs, Kwon Chae-woo’s eyes, which sometimes seemed to twist with anger, never faded from her memory.

Nevertheless, a sense of disappointment washed over her as it seemed that some of the thick layers of grimy oil stains she had carried in her heart had been partially cleansed.

It truly was a battle of wills. Verbal constraints were like flimsy stickers that could be torn away anytime, especially for those with power. So, even though Kwon Chae-woo’s unpredictable actions and fierce intensity made her palms ache and break into cold sweat, surprisingly, he matched her rhythm until the very end.

As Lee-yeon contemplated various unexpected motivations, she drifted in and out of sleep. Each time she closed her eyes and opened them, she heard Kwon Chae-woo’s breathing, and his relaxed face came into view.

After repeating this several times…

“This is a good morning.”

“…”

“I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you sleeping next to me, Lee-yeon.”

“…Hallucination?”

She asked awkwardly as she got up, but Kwon Chae-woo just tugged at the corner of his mouth without saying a word.

“Did you have fun last night?”

“Uh… yes?”

“I went crazy multiple times.” That moment when Kwon Chae-woo whispered into her ear…! She held her breath, wondering what other surprises might be in store.

“If I ask you to do it again, will you keep playing with me?”

“…”

Rather than being stunned, she couldn’t say anything in response to the completely revived man before her. His eyes, now accustomed to staying half-open due to the sleeping pills, were not worn or weary. Instead, they were clear and focused on Lee-yeon.

Kwon Chae-woo squinted as the morning sunlight streamed in.

“…Playing in front of Lee-yeon is so much fun.”

* * *

“Lately, you’ve been bringing lunch, haven’t you?”

During lunchtime, amid the workers rushing out of the office, someone noticed her taking out a lunchbox and started making inquiries.

Lee-yeon smiled somewhat evasively as she bid them farewell and opened the lunchbox.

Inside the insulated container, warm soybean paste soup emitted an inviting aroma, while there were seven side dishes. The white rice glistened with a sheen of moisture.

In just a few days, she had regained some appetite thanks to this lunchbox. She wasn’t sure if it was Kwon Chae-woo’s skill or if he had delegated the task to someone else, but it was apparent when she tasted it.

Kwon Chae-woo had diligently prepared the lunchbox as promised and, at night, once again stood guard in front of her door.

Sip. The warmth of the soup spread soothingly throughout her body as she sipped it.

Kwon Chae-woo personally delivered the lunchbox at her office during her morning commute and looked at her with an expectant look. His gaze was either lonely or straightforward, making it hard for her, as it resembled the eyes of the husband she remembered.

“Ah, Lee-yeon, you’re eating lunch alone today?”

The colleague who had questioned her earlier suddenly approached her with a tray. Lee-yeon looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“Is something wrong?”

The colleague smiled awkwardly.

“Nothing wrong, I just thought it’d be more fun to eat together. So, mind if I join you?”

Lee-yeon shrugged her shoulders and made room for the man to sit. She couldn’t help but wonder why this man, who usually kept his distance, suddenly wanted to share lunch with her.

He opened his lunchbox, revealing a simple yet neatly prepared meal.

“I usually don’t bring lunch. But when I saw you with yours, I thought it might be nice to try it for a change.”

Lee-yeon nodded politely and continued eating her meal. She couldn’t help but feel that something was amiss as if there was an ulterior motive behind her coworker’s sudden interest in her lunch.

Meanwhile, Kwon Chae-woo’s presence continued to loom large in her life, making her question her decision to leave Hwaido.

“Would he still be my husband if he hadn’t remembered anything at all?” she thought.

It was too late now.

“…Ah, you had to bury me to survive. But if you die, I will dig you up from the ground. So, which one of us is tougher, Lee-yeon?”

The silent battle between the one who asked and sought answers consumed a considerable amount of her mental energy.

Lee-yeon found herself unconsciously clicking her tongue, annoyed by the sudden appearance of someone who should have stayed dead.

She stopped using her chopsticks and just gulped down water. The longer time passed, the more difficult it became to understand him.

As Lee-yeon furrowed her brows in frustration, a bustling commotion outside caught her attention.

“Where’s the order we placed last time?”

“No, not there! Over here – make sure it’s aligned!”

Today was the day of the Future Society charity auction. Gardeners were busy setting up the arched entrance and decorating the stage and tables with flowers. They moved around with work cases in hand, engrossed in their tasks.

Lee-yeon, who had already taken care of the pest control job in advance, had no further responsibilities. She leaned back comfortably in her chair, taking in the pleasant scent of flowers in the autumn air.

Hi there! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 🎄❄

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