Chapter 2 — The Flower in Both Hands - Part 1 (2)

Stepping beyond the apartment complex, the cold night air bit sharply.

"It's cold—come here."

"No."

When David Bongsik tried to wrap his arm around her shoulders, Emma Jung-ae pulled away.

"You really are difficult. Then at least let me link arms with you."

"No."

After a brief tug-of-war, Emma finally gave in and slipped her arm through his. Instantly, warmth spread through her—not just from his body heat, but from the fluttering in her chest. Suddenly, she didn't feel cold at all.

They entered a nearby bar and ordered drinks. After a glass or two, her cheeks flushed red. Whether from the chill or the alcohol, it was hard to tell—but under the dim lighting, she looked undeniably beautiful.

"Sun-ah's mom! You know, you actually look surprisingly pretty like this."

"Oh? Surprisingly? So I don't usually look pretty, is that what you're saying?"

"No, no—that's not it at all. I just mean you look especially… charming tonight."

"Hmph. I'll make sure to tell Claire Yoon-hee exactly what you said."

David realized then how wrong his first impression had been.

At first glance, she'd seemed shy, composed—a woman with a gentle face, someone easy to like. But now, seeing her up close, he noticed something else: the lively charm of a woman in her mid-thirties, bright and spirited. Her clear eyes met his directly; sometimes bashful, sometimes teasing boldly.

As the night wore on and the alcohol flowed, their conversation gradually turned bolder, edging toward the risqué.

"I told you, it's not true."

"Hmph. Claire Yoon-hee already told me everything. She said whenever you had the chance, you'd jump him during your relationship?"

"Who jumped who? And what about Sun-ah's dad? Was he any different?"

"Oh my—why are we suddenly talking about Sun-ah's dad? We were talking about you, Thomas Jun-ho's dad!"

"Same thing. If a man dates a woman but doesn't want to hold her, is he even a man? Isn't that just natural?"

"Pfft. Men are all perverted anyway."

She shot him a sharp glance and brought the beer glass to her lips. The rim touched her full, red mouth—soft, inviting.

Being married themselves, they tiptoed around slightly indecent topics—until the past incident slipped into the conversation. Emma stiffened, embarrassed.

"Why do you have to bring that up again?"

"Still… I really regret that mistake. I'm sorry."

"Well, it's over now. But honestly, Thomas Jun-ho's dad—you went too far. Can't you even tell your own wife apart from another woman?"

"In the morning, still groggy—I saw the back view, it looked just like Claire Yoon-hee…"

"Do you have any idea how shocked I was?"

"Haha, I'm sorry. I realized right after I hugged you from behind—it wasn't her. And when I figured it out, everything went black for a second. I thought I'd die."

"Oh? You said you didn't know—how did you realize so fast?"

"Well… ah, the feel was different. And the shape—slightly bigger, you know… Ow!"

Mid-sentence, she slapped the table hard.