'There's no way this is happening again…'

It was already bad with Mia not-so-discreetly performing dubious 'things' to my back, but now I had to deal with Eun Ha as well. They'd both be in the same room, except that one of them would not be aware of the presence of the other.

Eun Ha wouldn't be seeking me out at this time if the nature of her 'conversation' was innocent. And when it came to that woman, there was no innocence to her thoughts. She had no filter when alone with me.

"Crap!" Mia panicked. "W-What do we do?"

"Getting off of me would be a good start." I whispered, a measure of composure in my tone. That seemed to ease her a bit as she rolled off, her nylon-clad feet thumping lightly against the floor. I hastily stood up as well.

"Dae Ho?" Eun Ha knocked again, this time considerably louder. The lights were on, and just like last time, there was no avoiding this.

"Maybe I can climb down the window?" Mia offered uncertainly. I was almost tempted to consider it as a viable solution if not for the fact that we were on the second floor. And I'd rather deal with the embarrassment of the situation than her potentially slipping off and injuring herself.

'If only I didn't request her to dress up like that…' I lamented. There was nothing wrong with a massage between siblings, but there was a world of wrong when that massage was done in such an erotic context.

"I'm coming, Auntie. One minute, please!" I yelled. Then I leaned closer to Mia, unconsciously inhaling a whiff of her perfume, and whispered furiously. "Don't do such a stupid thing. Go hide under the bed and wait until I shoo her away!"

"Under the bed?!" Mia parroted incredulously.

"It's clean under there!" I shot back, slowly losing my cool. "Much better than letting her see you like that, isn't it?"

"Tch!" Mia clicked her tongue and dropped to her knees. I watched as she crawled her way under the bed. Everything was fine until her hips found themselves at crossroads with the frame of the bed. And as a result of her squirming, her nurse skirt rode up, exposing two fair-skinned peaches, divided only by a thin strip of cotton.

"Dae Ho…"

'No… not again…'

"A little help? I'm stuck!"

'I'm going to burn that fucking bed!'

I walked up to Mia, crouched down, and grabbed those tantalizing cheeks.

"Hnn!"

I ignored the quiet mewl she let out, and pushed. A gradual push would just be a waste of time, and time was something I didn't have right now. So I counted up to three, and shoved that little piece of heaven under my bed in one, powerful thrust.

"Hnnn!!"

'For fuck's sake, stop with the sounds…'

I lowered the sheets, scurried back up to my feet, and hurried to open the door.

Eun Ha stood there in her beautiful, midnight blue nightgown. A look of concern was etched on her face, which stood in contrast with the faint blush on her cheeks. "Dae Ho… is everything alright?"

"Oh yes… I was… I was just…" I sighed. "Staying healthy."

"Ohh…" A look of realization crossed her face, and her blush flared. "Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you."

"No, no, it's fine." I waved her off. "Hmm. Can you come back later? I kinda want to finish…"

Eun Ha blinked. And contrary to my expectations, she didn't move. "I wanted to take you up on that offer." She said, at last. "But, umh… do you need help?"

The question came out of those plump, carmine lips in a tentative manner. And I didn't need to think twice to know how bad of a decision it would be to agree to that.

"You know… to be quicker…"

No. Fucking. Way. "I got it, Auntie. Don't you worry." I appeased her. "I can take care of it myself."

"I see…" Eun Ha looked away, rubbing her left arm. "I'll leave you to it then…" She tried to hide it, but only a hopeless fool would miss the vulnerable look in her eyes.

'This is not going to have a happy ending.'

"Wait…" I called out before she could turn away.

She stared at me, waiting for my next words. Now, there was a spark of hope in those violet orbs. I couldn't turn her down like that. Not when I was the one who offered that shoulder to cry on.

"I can finish later." I continued, and I couldn't help but feel a slight heat in my chest when her lips curved into a dazzling smile. The tears swelling up at the corner of her eyes didn't seem about to fall anymore. "But… can we talk about this somewhere else?"

"Isn't your room good?" Eun Ha asked in a soft voice.

"No… absolutely not." I immediately denied. I had to avoid the kind of scenario where Mia could freely eavesdrop on Eun Ha's unfiltered, potentially serious conversation.

"Why not?"

"Why don't we go for a walk instead, to cool our… boiling emotions…" I offered.

She thought it over and agreed with another beautiful smile. "That actually sounds good."

"Great. Let me put on a shirt right quick and I'll be ready to go."

"I'll wait for you downstairs then."

I watched as she rounded up the corner and traipsed down, a sad smile stitched on that perfectly-sculpted face.

…

I closed the door with a heavy sigh. Her timing couldn't be worse. 'This room is cursed…'

"You can come out, Mia Noona." I stated.

The sheets curled up as Mia paddled her way out. There was a sullen pout on her lips. "It feels like I'm a cheap whore hiding away from the lover's wife." She grunted in annoyance. "I don't like it."

She got up and dusted her stained costume. I was about to console her but she glared at me, effectively shutting me up with the full might of those pretty yet angry eyes.

"I heard what you two were saying."

"I'm quite the smooth talker, aren't I?" I jested.

Mia crossed her arms, wrinkling her nose. "What's up with you and mom?"

"Nothing, why?" I quenched the concern in my voice behind a smile.

"It sounds like there's some sort of… secret… between you two."

'I can't let her poke into that rabbit hole. I need to divert her attention.'

I walked up to Mia, and before she could react, cupped her chin. I chuckled as the faded blush on her cheeks flared back to life. "You're so cute when you frown like that, Mia Noona. And with that nurse costume… at this point, you're just teasing me." I didn't inch closer, but I didn't back out either. "Auntie just wanted to talk about my sudden change. She's such a worrywart… stubborn too. Quite like you, in that regard."

She broke free of my grasp. "W-Whatever!" The blush was still vivid on her face, her breathing slightly accelerated. "I don't care." And then she made to walk away.

However, right before she could open the door, I turned around and called out. "Hey…"

"What?"

"Did it feel good?" I asked, smirk set in place to deliver more damage. "Rubbing against me…"

"..."

She ignored me, yanked the door open, and slammed it shut.

──⇌ ⋆★⋆ ⇋──

Jong Eun Ha's POV:

The air was a little chilly. Surprising. Considering how hot the days had been. Dae Ho, true to his words, had clothed himself faster than it took her husband to fall asleep — whenever she refused his ill-conceived advances, that is.

Meanwhile, she draped a light jacket over her shoulders, using it more as a blanket than an indument. Dae Ho tiptoed his way down the stairs. Eun Ha couldn't help but smile a bit. It was almost as if they were about to go on a secret, forbidden rendezvous.

"Ready?" He asked, offering his elbow with a gentlemanly dip of his head.

She covered her laugh with a hand, and looped her arm around his. "Yes… I think I am." It was now or never. If Dae Ho didn't agree with her request, there was no doubt that she'd never try to reach for someone's hand again.

And so he led her out.

The unpolluted, night sky was a sight to behold. One of nature's greatest gifts. The sheer magnitude of its beauty, its creation, and its distance made her concerns seem so pathetically unimportant in comparison.

Her issues would not make the world stop turning to cater to her needs.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Eun Ha tilted her head in Dae Ho's direction, just enough to catch a distant look in his eyes. His world-weary voice belied his years. And that struck a chord in her heart.

She wondered what made him sound so melancholy. 'His parents, perhaps?' There was an underlying numb acceptance to his tone. She was curious, but refrained from asking. There was no need to poke around old scars.

Ironically, they were about to re-open one of hers.

Eun Ha was halfway tempted to just turn on her heel and run back home, because if she truly voiced out her emotions, her pain, her fears, it would make it real. It would mean acknowledging the existence of her insecurity, of her failed marriage.

But bottling everything up was likewise toxic. And as much as the years of motherhood and housewife duty somehow dulled her independence, there was a spark of defiance within her.

She wanted to release everything with a mighty yell. She wanted to feel true 'freedom', once again. And it was exactly that reawakened desire that made her seek Dae Ho out.

Eun Ha heaved a deep breath. "Dae Ho…" And then she released it into the air.

He glanced at her.

"I've never told this to anyone else."

He didn't take his eyes off her, and neither did he speak. He was giving her his full attention, a silent stage where she could take her time, and freely speak her mind. It was hard to muster up the courage, but when his calm, composed eyes met hers… she somehow just melted.

"I… I…" Eun Ha's voice quaked. "I'm not happy… with Yeong Gu."