“Hmm?”
Yi-soo tilted her head, and the misty sky cast its reflection in her dark pupils. The moon and stars that had illuminated the ebony canvas had vanished behind a thick veil of clouds. Rain seemed imminent, and she regretted not bringing an umbrella. Her disappointment was evident, and she finally voiced her thoughts.
“It appears we should head back due to the weather. It’s a pity after coming all this way.”
“Have you seen enough yet?” Hyun-seong inquired.
“Absolutely. I’d love to revisit this scenery on a clearer day. Although that might not be in the cards for this year…”
A tinge of bitterness touched her words. However, she couldn’t help but recall where she had first beheld the night sea. With this in mind, Yi-soo took a step toward the waiting car. Hyun-seong followed closely, his words carrying a reassuring warmth.
“In that case, we’ll have to plan another visit. Keep some time free, Seo Yi-soo.”
The casual statement he casually offered felt like a cherished gift. It was a gentle directive that could erase the lingering regret of wanting to stay a bit longer. Yi-soo allowed a subtle smile to grace her lips, cherishing the sweetness of his promise.
***
In due course, Hyun-seong and Yi-soo swung open the car door and settled into the sedan. Although it had been a while since he last drove, the car still bore the distinctive scent of fresh leather.
Now they faced the journey back to Seoul, which stretched on for another two hours. Hyun-seong couldn’t help but feel a tad guilty about leaving all the driving to him.
“Aren’t you tired, Mr. Yoon? It must be challenging to navigate in the dark,” Yi-soo expressed her concern.
“It’s not too far. First, fasten your seatbelt, Seo Yi-soo.”
As he secured the seatbelt at a diagonal across her right side, something in Hyun-seong’s brow caught Yi-soo’s attention.
“Wait a moment. What’s stuck to your forehead… Just stay still.”
A minuscule object resembling a fine thread had somehow affixed itself to Hyun-seong’s forehead. It was so small that one might easily overlook it without careful inspection. Yi-soo leaned closer to get a better look.
With their proximity narrowing, his cologne permeated the air. A rich, alluring woody aroma, a drop of dark amber, and a hint of ocean breeze with a subtle saltiness.
Yi-soo gently parted her lips and delicately touched his forehead with her index and thumb. The limited light of dawn in the car made it challenging to discern the thread.
“Hold on a moment…” Yi-soo muttered, her upper body inched closer to Hyun-seong. His profile was mirrored in her clear, misty eyes. As she examined the thread, a soft, muted laughter escaped her lips. It was astonishing how much attention she had invested in such a trivial matter.
At that moment, Hyun-seong gently seized her slender wrist. His grasp was not forceful, but it carried a resolute touch.
Taken by surprise at the sudden contact, Yi-soo lifted her head slightly to meet his gaze. When had they drawn so near? Instinctively, she resumed her upright posture.
“What’s the matter, Mr. Yoon?” she inquired.
“…Seo Yi-soo,” Hyun-seong murmured, his deep gaze slightly narrowing. The extent of his magnetic appeal was something Yi-soo couldn’t fathom.
In that moment of close proximity without warning, she couldn’t begin to fathom the desires that might have arisen. As she was about to respond to his low summons, raindrops began to patter against the window.
Naturally, she turned her head to the right. What had started as a few isolated drops had swiftly transformed into a steady downpour. It wasn’t a tempest, but the raindrops, in harmony with the ambiance of the night sea, rhythmically drummed against the car’s roof, heightening Yi-soo’s sense of hearing.
“The rain suddenly…”
“Focus on me.”
“Oh.”
Hyun-seong lightly traced the inside of Yi-soo’s wrist with the tip of his thumb. It wasn’t overtly affectionate, but a subtle sensation unfurled, like smoke rising. It wasn’t merely ticklish or embarrassing; it was a feeling deeper and more intoxicating, almost primal…
Unconsciously, Yi-soo swallowed her saliva. Heat gradually surged into her ears, and her heartbeats quickened beyond her control.
Hyun-seong’s gaze softened as he delicately explored the contours of Yi-soo’s delicate skin. Beneath the tips of his fingers, he felt her pulse.
In this moment, two hearts, each with its own rhythm, harmonized into a shared cadence. He lifted his head and locked eyes with Seo Yi-soo. They didn’t need to exchange forced words; sometimes, a single second of eye contact could convey more than a hundred words. Hyun-seong’s dark pupils held an irresistible allure.
Yi-soo, swept up in the electric current of sexual tension, flushed on her cheeks. She hadn’t removed a single article of clothing, yet just gazing into his eyes had already stirred her.
“The rain…”
She fought to maintain steady eyelashes and trembling lips. Her words flowed in a tantalizingly tense manner, even the spaces between them charged with desire.
“It appears it will continue… throughout the dawn.”
The gentle rain against the car’s window serenaded their ears. Yi-soo, who met his intense gaze without flinching, completed her sentence with a hushed whisper.
Almost as if guided by some unseen force, both of them leaned in, and their lips met. Their breaths mingled in a deep, passionate embrace. The night had grown darker than ever before.