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EP.57 Japanese Business Trip (1) – Who Is That Woman?
Under the warm light of the bedroom lamp, Jooyoung quietly sat at her vanity, brushing her hair.
With the business trip to Japan just a day away, the face reflected in the mirror showed all the fatigue of the day. Yet, deep in her eyes, the forbidden connection she'd shared with Hyunseong a week ago still rippled like an unhealed wave.
The memory of that night was both shameful and left an undeniable aftertaste of pleasure.
"Honey?"
Lost in thought, Jooyoung was startled by her husband's sudden voice and looked up.
Mincheol, just back from a shower, stood at the door, shaking water from his hair.
"What are you doing, just sitting there in front of the mirror?"
"Oh, sorry. I was just daydreaming for a moment."
"What were you thinking about to get so startled? You look like you've seen a ghost."
At Mincheol's question, Jooyoung flinched and forced an awkward smile.
"It's nothing. Just… thinking about the trip tomorrow makes me a little nervous."
She was surprised and disgusted by how naturally, almost habitually, she could lie like this now.
Whether it was fortunate or not, Mincheol didn't seem to notice her lie at all.
"You, nervous? That's unusual."
"Even I get nervous sometimes."
At her curt reply, Mincheol slung a towel around his neck and laughed good-naturedly.
Maybe because his interview had gone well today, there was a faint confidence in his expression.
Seeing it made Jooyoung happy, but at the same time, a heavy, inexplicable weight pressed on her heart.
Mincheol slowly came over and gently put his hand on her shoulder.
"No need to be nervous. You're good at everything. You'll do great this time, too."
Just as his warm encouragement was starting to lift her spirits-
"And you're not even going alone. Assistant Manager Lee will be with you, right?"
At the mention of that name, Jooyoung's face instantly froze.
Even after just one meeting, Mincheol completely trusted Hyunseong. It was proof that, hypnosis aside, that "lesson" night had left a strong impression on him.
"Y-yeah."
Jooyoung forced a smile, and Mincheol patted her shoulder and nodded.
"So, are you all packed for the trip?"
Glancing at the suitcase by the wall, Jooyoung replied, "Yes. Pretty much."
Unlike her energetic husband, her voice was utterly drained.
Worried he might notice, Jooyoung quickly got up.
"…You must be tired after your interview today. Get some sleep."
As she headed for the bed, Mincheol gently grabbed her wrist.
His gaze now burned with a heat it hadn't had a moment before.
"Honey, tonight…"
Jooyoung easily guessed what that careful tone meant.
"Sorry. I have to leave early tomorrow, so tonight's a bit…"
Despite her gentle refusal, Mincheol didn't back down. Ever since Hyunseong's "lesson," he'd been asking for intimacy like a teenage boy.
"Just once is fine, right?"
A sharp emotion flared in Jooyoung's heart, but she swallowed it.
She didn't want to ruin her husband's good mood.
"…Alright."
Reluctantly, Jooyoung nodded, and Mincheol smiled and headed for the bed.
Watching his back, Jooyoung wore a bittersweet, faint smile.
Yeah.
Maybe, just maybe, tonight would be different.
Mincheol was improving day by day, so maybe tonight would be like that night… No, even if not that much, maybe she'd find some new satisfaction.
With that faint hope, Jooyoung climbed into bed after him.
A little later, the only sound in the bedroom was the awkward sharing of body heat.
Last Wednesday.
Because of Hyunseong's "lesson," Mincheol now put extra effort into foreplay whenever they were intimate.
The problem was, his clumsy, awkward touch failed to spark even the smallest flame in Jooyoung's body.
If anything, his fumbling only brought back the memory of Hyunseong's skillful caresses that night.
"Honey, does it feel good?"
"Yes, yes. Mm. It feels good."
At Mincheol's hopeful question, Jooyoung calmly lied.
Whether he believed her acting, or just saw the physical signs and convinced himself she was enjoying it, Mincheol became even more enthusiastic.
"I'll put it in now, okay?"
After what felt like endless foreplay, they finally moved to penetration.
Once again, Jooyoung felt deep disappointment.
Maybe she'd once felt something.
But ever since that night, her husband's small, pitiful member seemed even more so-comparing it to Hyunseong's impossibly large and hard one was almost insulting.
"Haa. Haa."
Thrust. Thrust. Thrust.
After entering her, Mincheol soon started panting and thrusting awkwardly.
Even the stamina she'd once thought decent was nothing compared to Hyunseong.
His rough breathing and the smell of sweat, so close, didn't arouse her at all-instead, it made her heart drift further away.
"Uh… mm… hngh…"
Still, not wanting to disappoint him, Jooyoung forced herself to fake pleasure, moving her hips and moaning awkwardly.
To fill the void, she recalled the memory of being ravished by Hyunseong.
"Ugh. I'm coming!"
"Mm."
But it didn't last long-Mincheol reached his climax with a pathetic gasp.
Jooyoung timed a fake orgasm to match, ending the dull encounter.
"Whew. Whew."
Afterward, Mincheol collapsed beside her, satisfied, but Jooyoung's eyes as she stared at the ceiling were cold.
She'd always told herself that love was more important than size or technique.
But her body wouldn't lie.
"Ugh."
Suddenly, fear welled up in her chest, and she bit her lip so her husband wouldn't notice.
What if she really couldn't feel anything with her husband anymore?
It felt like the distance she'd hoped was closing between them was opening up again.
Then Mincheol pulled her close and kissed her forehead.
"Have a good trip tomorrow, honey. I love you."
Once, those words would have filled her with joy and happiness.
Now, they left no ripple in her heart.
"Yes. I love you too."
Murmuring softly in his arms, Jooyoung just wished for morning to come quickly.
Whether it was anticipation for the trip, or for something else she'd face there-
Even she wasn't sure.
Before dawn.
Even in the chilly early morning, Incheon International Airport's Terminal 1 was bustling with people.
The huge display boards flashed flight information nonstop.
The sound of rolling suitcases, announcements, and the murmur of many languages mixed with the scent of coffee and the excitement of travel.
At the H counter, where they'd agreed to meet, Jooyoung and Mina stood quietly, having arrived early.
A strange tension hung between them as they kept conversation to a minimum.
'I don't know what to say.'
Jooyoung had never been close to Mina outside of work.
And after witnessing "that incident" in the office, it was even harder to talk to her.
Still, they couldn't stay awkward forever-they'd be working together on this trip.
"…Assistant Manager Lee is late."
After much hesitation, Jooyoung finally broke the silence with a comment about Hyunseong.
"He'll be here soon, I'm sure."
Mina fiddled with her phone, answering dryly-though her fingers were too distracted by worry to actually focus on the screen.
"Right…"
'Was she always like this?'
Jooyoung wondered at Mina's uncharacteristic attitude, but didn't press.
Her own mind was just as tangled.
And the fact that the cause of it all was the same man for both of them was almost grotesque.
Click-click-
Just as silence was about to fall again, a camera flash went off in the distance.
Near the arrivals area, a crowd of reporters and fans had gathered noisily.
"What's going on over there?"
Jooyoung muttered, and Mina glanced over and replied offhandedly,
"I saw on YouTube-today's Yuna's return day, I think."
Yuna.
A famous model known by everyone in Korea.
Recently, she'd even succeeded overseas, becoming a major star.
So many people had come to the airport just to see her.
'Celebrities really are different.'
Jooyoung thought with detached admiration, turning her gaze back to the entrance.
"Hmm?"
She spotted a familiar figure.
Smart, casual suit.
That uniquely relaxed stride.
It was Assistant Manager Lee Hyunseong.
"Assistant Manager Lee, here…"
Jooyoung reflexively raised her hand to call him, but stopped short.
He wasn't alone.
"Huh…?"
A woman with calm silver bobbed hair.
Doll-like, delicate features.
A mysterious, almost unreal beauty.
Wearing a stylish dress, she walked arm-in-arm with Hyunseong, chatting with him.
Not only Jooyoung, but Mina too stared wide-eyed at them.
The air between the two was unmistakably close-something more than just colleagues.
"You really didn't have to see me off, but thank you, Rizeta."
"I was only doing what I should. Besides, Child-nim said I haven't been appearing enough lately and told me to get more screen time."
"…What does that even mean?"
"I'm not sure either. Anyway, did you pack everything?"
"I think so."
"And your headaches? Have you had any sudden pain lately?"
"I'm fine. I've kept the self-suggestion off, so…"
Jooyoung and Mina could only watch, dumbfounded, as the two exchanged their strangely warm and personal conversation.
Hyunseong's manner with Rizeta was completely different from how he acted with Jooyoung or Mina lately.
It felt full of deep trust and respect…
"Rizeta?"
Just then, Mina muttered to herself, having listened closely to their conversation.
"Could she be the one he was talking to that time…?"
Mina frowned as if realizing something, but Jooyoung didn't hear a word.
Her gaze was fixed on Hyunseong and Rizeta.
"Have a safe trip, Hyunseong-nim. I'll take good care of the house."
"Thank you. Be careful on your way back, too. Call me if anything happens."
As they exchanged their final goodbyes, Rizeta's eyes briefly met Jooyoung's and Mina's.
"I will."
With that, Rizeta rose on tiptoe, hugged Hyunseong, and kissed him on the cheek.
Both Jooyoung's and Mina's faces twitched at the bold gesture.
"I'll contact you when I arrive."
At Hyunseong's words, Rizeta bowed and walked away with elegant steps.
Her retreating figure was almost annoyingly beautiful.
"What the heck was that?"
Mina let out a hollow laugh, as if she'd just watched a bad play.
Jooyoung, meanwhile, felt a hot, uncontrollable emotion welling up inside her and unconsciously clenched her fist.
Hyunseong, for his part, casually touched the cheek Rizeta had kissed, then wheeled his suitcase over to the two women.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
His voice cut through the air.
But both women seemed at a loss for words.
Who was Rizeta?
What was her relationship with Hyunseong?
Countless questions swirled in their minds, but none made it to their lips.
"Let's go, or we'll miss our flight."
Hyunseong, seemingly oblivious to their inner turmoil, spoke in a businesslike tone and led the way.
The two women, unable to say a word, followed him in silence.
And so began the curtain rise on a dangerous three-day trip.
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