Hae Soo

She dreamt that she had woken in the middle of the night in Wang So's arms, her cheek to his warm chest and her arm wrapped around his torso. His chin had pressed against the crown of her head and they had shared the same blankets, laying in the same bed and holding each other. Her bodyguard's body had felt right against hers- comforting. He had pulled her close.

When she woke, Soo did so in an empty bed. There was no evidence that Wang So had slept beside her and no evidence that he had even been in the same room as her, aside from the neat duffel bag pushed into a corner.

She washed and dressed herself in one of the dresses Chae Ryung had packed for her. Though Soo had no intention of leaving the safety of her room, she still made sure to do her hair and apply a light layer of makeup. If it was for anyone, she lied to herself and said it was because she might need to FaceTime people for work. Might.

White lace draped over her shoulders and Soo struggled to zip her dress, but succeeded after a bit of contortion and a few hops. She brushed her skirt off and nodded to herself when she looked presentable. Her thoughts went to her daughters and Soo smiled as she remembered Mi picking the dress out while Yoon had chosen the color. Her girls had gotten it for her using Baek Ah's credit card and Soo wore it as often as she could.

She did not worry about Yoon and Mi. Knowing her children were safe in the care of Wang So, Soo allowed herself some time to rest. He had taken care of them the night before and seemed to be with them at the moment.

Wang So… Soo sat down in a chair as she thought about her bodyguard. She blushed as she remembered her actions from the night before. Soo had not been lying when she said she was not drunk, but she had used the whiskey as a crutch for her own insecurities, taking advantage of the alcohol and kissing her bodyguard.

Before she had kissed him, Soo had felt nothing but brokenness. She had been lost and empty. But after she had drawn up the courage to do something completely impulsive, he had kissed her back… and she liked it. After all, what did she have to lose? Her dignity?

Soo pressed her hands to her cheeks as she blushed, shaking her head. "Why did I kiss him?" she whispered.

The door opened and Soo turned instantly, shifting herself to greet her bodyguard. She tried to wash her face of emotion, but failed when she saw Wang So's tousled hair and gently wrinkled suit. He looked like he had thrown his clothes on without a second thought and rushed out the door. Oh, that's why. She silently answered her question.

"Good morning." He bowed to her. So stepped forward her and Soo remained still as he took to one knee and peered at her face. "How are you feeling? Are you alright?"

He thinks I'm hungover, she thought with mirth.

Tipping her head to the side, Soo offered her bodyguard a nod. "I'm doing very well. How are my children?"

"Fed, dressed, and already at school," he said. "They chose to have Korean food for breakfast, so I ordered it for them. Yoon refused to eat her rice, but I got some soup into her."

It was almost overwhelming how much he cared for her children. Soo knew from the past that none of her bodyguards had ever paid her children much mind outside of the criteria in their contracts. None of them had ever done as much as Wang So did in one day.

She thanked him.

"Have you eaten?" she asked. Soo watched her bodyguard rise to stand in front of her, his hands clasped. "I haven't had breakfast and I'd like if you joined me."

They ordered room service and Soo sat beside Wang So as they opened plates of fruit and pancakes. She held a bowl of yogurt in her hand as she watched So push the jam and syrup in the direction of her plate. "Please use as much as you'd like," he stated.

The glass containers clinked against Soo's plate.

"No, you should have some too," she said. "I can't have all of the sweets." Soo smiled at her bodyguard as he gave a little chuckle. His shoulders rose and fell as he shook his head.

"I don't like sweets."

Soo blinked at the piece of himself her guard had offered to her. She almost flinched when the surprise hit her. "But that time…" She set her yogurt down and turned toward So, leaning forward. "That time I got you ice cream, you ate all of it."

So set his fork and knife down and Soo watched him nod. His head turned in her direction and Soo stared into his lovely eyes. Tension coiled in her stomach and Soo felt herself being drawn toward him, unable to fight the magnetism that pulled her in. "Because it was from you," he murmured.

Soo closed her eyes when So's hand touched her cheek. His rough palm was warm and his thumb gently drifted over her skin. She could not look at him for fear of losing herself to his dark gaze. Soo knew who she was married to and it was not Wang So. She would not succumb to her wants. "I'm sorry I don't know anything about you," Soo whispered. She felt So's breath against her face, but he did not do anything but caress her cheek. They were so close… Soo felt her own exhales bouncing off of his skin and onto hers.

She opened her eyes when her phone rang.

Their moment was shattered and immediately, So's hand retracted, his skin parting from hers in an instant. Soo sat back in her seat, distancing herself from her bodyguard as much as she could without falling off of the sofa they shared.

Her hand reached forward to snatch the phone off of the table and Soo stood, clutching the vibrating device close. She turned her back to So and cringed, answering the call. Standing by the large floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked Seoul, Soo held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Soo, how are you?" She bit her tongue the instant Wook's voice came from the other end. "Did you get to your parents' home alright? How are the girls?"

Nodding, Soo replied that she had. "We just… I'm in my bedroom right now. The girls are at school." Soo cringed at her own words. Of course Wook would know the girls were at school; they received text notifications each time either of the children entered or exited their respective campuses.

She heard Wook chuckle. "I know, dear. I got the texts. Anyways, I hope you're feeling better. I'm not going to be home for a bit- the President is having an unscheduled dinner with some emissaries and I'm expected to attend. We're all going to Busan after that, so I'll be a couple days. Expect me by Sunday." Soo's stomach rolled and she pressed a hand to her mouth. She wondered how much of Wook's words were lies. Her mind filled with accusations, but she only sighed.

"Then I'll see you when we both get back."

"I love you," said Wook. Soo closed her eyes.

She ended the call.

Standing by the windows, Soo stared down at the drop from her position on the fifteenth floor to the ground. She bit back whatever emotion clouded her mind and closed her eyes as she tried to compose herself. "Soo," she heard from behind.

She turned at the sound of her name and Soo saw her bodyguard standing a meter away from her. She knew she did not have to explain herself to him. She did not have to hide in front of Wang So.

They returned to the breakfast table, and Soo picked at her fruit. She pushed her pancakes aside and stirred her yogurt around as So watched her. She felt antsy, but not because of his gaze. His narrow eyes made her feel- for some strange reason- safe.

"I… I apologize for my actions last night," Soo said. She broke the ice with an apology but had no idea how to continue, or how her stone-faced bodyguard reacted to her words. Was he elated that she was apologizing? Did he not care? His handsome face betrayed nothing, but Soo finally saw a crack in his facade as he glanced away from her when she said, "It was wrong of me to force myself onto you."

Soo stood, too glum to eat breakfast. She walked away from the table and returned to the window, but paused when she heard Wang So's baritone behind her. "Soo," he said again. She felt a shiver run down her spine at the sound of his voice saying her name. She turned to face him.

"Yes?" she asked, internally cringing at how hopeful she sounded.

Wang So's gaze met hers and Soo felt herself take a step towards him. Her fingertips brushed against the chair, dragging through the velvet lining. "I… I feel the same way towards you," So explained. He wrung his hands in his lap but his eyes remained locked with hers. "I've harbored feelings for you for a very long time."

Soo could only nod as a weight fell away from her chest. Relief seemed to arrive and finally, she felt as if someone was now being truthful to her. "And have you… thought of me?" she asked. She glanced down at the patterns her fingers had traced into the chair. When she looked up, So was there to meet her eyes.

He stood and drew closer to her until their fronts were almost touching. Soo blushed as she exhaled. She looked up at her handsome companion as his hands touched the sides of her arms, gently sending goosebumps trailing down her skin. "I have," he murmured.

She placed her hands against So's slim hips, touching him and feeling the shape of his muscular body. She blinked in surprise when So's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against his chest. Soo looked up at him and saw the dark lust in his eyes, his black pupils glinting.

Yet, for how dangerous he looked, she only felt gentle hands against her as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her heart pounded in anticipation and Soo breathed softly, closing her eyes when So's lips drew closer to hers.

They kissed, their lips meeting in tentative embrace. Soo let her mind go blank and her troubles fly away as she kissed Wang So, feeling him move against her. Her hands held his waist and his fingers ran through her hair.

Soo felt So's tongue against her lip and she opened her mouth, allowing him to delve deeper. They held each other, kissing and tasting, exploring and plundering. He tasted like mint and the strawberries he had just eaten. Soo whimpered as his hands ran down her arms and rested against her hips.

When she pulled away, Soo felt So's forehead lean against hers and she breathed, listening to his whispers of affection. "I've always wanted to kiss you. I've wanted to hold you in my arms and I've wanted to touch you," he murmured. His hands remained firmly planted against her hips and Soo gasped when his lips found her chin and throat.

"If I ask you," Soo said, her heart and mind clashing against each other, "will you sleep with me?" There was no need for a response, but Soo received one anyways.

"Only if you want me to." And that was all she needed.

She turned away from him as his lips touched her throat. So's hands glided up her hips and to the clasps of her dress. Slowly, she let him pull the zipper down, revealing her skin to the cool air. Soo could feel his hot breath against her back and she flinched when his lips met the back of her throat.

Her dress slid away and she stood before him in only her bra and panties, her hands covering her embarrassed face. "Beautiful," she heard him murmur. "So… beautiful."

Static crackled between their skin and Soo released a shuddering breath as she felt So unhook the back of her bra, his mouth placing dry kisses to her shoulders.

The white lace fell away and Soo pressed her hands to the breasts only Wook had ever seen, suddenly overcome with trepidation. She felt So's hands take hers, his warm fingers gently prying her hands from her skin. Her heart pounded and she wondered if he could feel her pulse. "Please don't cover yourself," he whispered into her ear.

Soo looked up at So- at the handsome face that was not her husband. She cupped his cheeks before pressing her mouth to his, ferociously kissing him.

Their tongues met and Soo gasped as So's hand found her breast, his thumb swiping over her nipple. So shed his coat and Soo unbuttoned his shirt, her mouth never leaving his. She felt him move her away from the table and press her against the window, her back meeting the icy glass.

Her mind blurred into pleasure as his large hands dragged over her skin, his tongue in her mouth. So's shirt fluttered to the ground and their kiss broke as he removed his undershirt.

Soo's hands met a muscled abdomen and narrow chest. His body was riddled with scars and her nails softly raked up its ridges, catching on the peaks of his chest. So moaned against her mouth and Soo kissed him again, raising herself to the tips of her toes. She whimpered and squirmed when So lowered himself to press kisses to her skin, gently dragging his fingers over her body. "Ah, So," she breathed. The word felt like honey on her lips and she tasted his name again when he took a nipple into his hot, sinful mouth.

The contact ended much too quickly for Soo's liking, but she exhaled sharply when So blew a stream of cold air over her breasts.

He picked her up by the waist, carrying her to the bed. Soo's arms went around So's shoulders as he held her with ease. Their hearts pounded together and she pressed her cheek to his collarbone, her lips trailing wet kisses down his throat. She traced the taut lines of his neck with her tongue, breathing hot air over the delicate skin of his jugular.

Wang So sat her down onto the bed and Soo reached for his belt, unhooking the leather strap. She unbuttoned his pants and pulled the zipper down. Even his underwear was black. Soo wanted to laugh.

Instead, she opened her mouth and dragged her lips over So's boxers, lining his erection and listening to him react to her feathery touches. She liked how he moaned; a tense burst of air fleeing his lips as his head tilted back.

She kissed him through his underwear, feeling his hand trace her hair. Soo pinched the elastic band around his waist and pulled his underwear down as she gliding her nails over the sides of his thighs. So stood before her, naked.

She paused, then, looking up at her bodyguard. Her heart froze and she realized what she was about to commit to. Soo wondered if it was her expression, but So knelt onto the bed and took her cheek in his hand, his hand cupping her face. Soo leaned into his warm touch. "I'm sorry, I- I just…"

Soo breathed deeply as So nodded. He rested his other hand against her hip and slowly, lowered himself to kiss her. Soo felt his lips against hers, but she made no move to reciprocate his caresses.

So kissed her, his hand rubbing small circles into her hip. Slowly, Soo closed her eyes and followed his actions. This is wrong, she heard herself think. This is wrong! But oh, he tasted good. I have a husband. I'm married. I… Soo felt her arms wrap around So, pulling him closer to her.

She tipped backwards onto the mattress and he followed with her. Soo kissed So until both their lips were swollen, and she pulled away, out of breath. "Soo," he murmured close to her ear. She loved how he said her name. How he breathlessly whispered it against her ear as if the very word was sinful and sweet. "Let me make you feel good," he said. "Let me pleasure you."

Their gazes met and So looked at her imploringly, his narrow eyes full of emotion, of passion, of desire. He looked like he actually wanted her… and she wanted him.

No. I'm married. I can't have sex with-

"Yes," she breathed.

He moved her to the center of the bed and So hovered above her, his elbow pressed to the place beside her head. Soo looked up at the man that was not her husband and kissed him again.

Hot lips glossed over her throat and Soo closed her eyes to the nips and kisses he gave her, her hands covering her mouth in embarrassment. So's red tongue flicked her nipples and Soo heard herself moan in the most ungodly manner she had ever uttered.

But he did not stop.

Wang So's mouth touched every bit of skin on the line down from her breasts to the seam of her lace panties. Soo imagined that if her moans had not betrayed her arousal, her underwear did.

She felt teeth against her skin and Soo whimpered when So's white incisors clamped onto her panties and pulled them away, the lace dragging past her thighs… calves… ankles…

She was naked. Naked in front of a man that she felt too much for. The man who she hardly knew yet loved everything about.

He raised her ankle to his shoulder and Soo blushed furiously as he kissed the arch of her foot and then her Achilles tendon. Up, up, up, his mouth moved to accommodate each new area of skin and she exhaled when So's tongue slid up her thigh.

Her hands rose to meet the headboard and her nails scraped at the white wood when his lips found her sex. He was rough, but not painfully so. His tongue was shameless, but she could not complain when all she could do was voice her pleasure at his prowess.

Soo's toes curled as his lips flicked up her clit. "Oh!" Her back arched and her hips rocked to bring him closer- to increase their contact. He guided her to her tipping point and as her body shivered, his mouth pulled away, leaving her teetering at the edge of collapse.

Wang So's narrow eyes met hers as he kissed up her belly. Soo melted beneath the dark, needy gaze that captured and captivated hers. His red lips met her breasts, his teeth nipping at their hardened peaks. She closed her eyes.

He left the bed for a split moment and Soo sat up as So snatched his wallet from the ground, opening it and removing a silvery package. Her eyes were attracted to the taut muscles of his back, watching as his muscles rolled with his movements. She stared as he tore a wrapper open with his teeth, spitting it aside. "What is that?" she asked, unable to discern what was in his hands.

"Condom."

He returned to the bed once he had finished putting it on. Soo wrapped her arms around him as he kissed her. She tasted herself against his lips, and then his mouth was on her throat and chin.

She felt him between her legs, his erection sliding between the lips of her entrance. He kissed her mouth and she felt his tongue glide over her teeth. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice a deep rasp.

"Wait," Soo whispered, pressing her hand to So's chest. She breathed heavily, feeling her own chest rise and fall with each erratic pant. She stopped him as he spread her thighs and ground himself against her. "Not from the front. I can't do it… ah, from the front."

She could see the hesitation in So's eyes, but he obliged, allowing her to turn around so that she could no longer see him. On her hands and knees, Soo tilted her chin up when she felt So's hands pull at her hips, dragging her towards him and wrinkling the sheets between them.

It felt too good to be true. Soo's nails clawed at the stiff bedsheets and she panted and moaned as he thrust into her. Why did it feel so good? She whimpered as he lined kisses down her spine, his tongue pulling the most delicious of sensations down her back. There was no end to the pleasure that built up in her core.

She felt So leaning over her body, his mouth by her ear. "Let me see your face, please," he murmured to her. "Turn so that I can see you. Let me kiss you."

Soo whined when his hand met the bundle of nerves between her legs, rubbing that tiny nub that made her swoon. "N-no," she managed to utter. "Not from the front."

When she came, Soo shuddered in pure ecstasy and bliss as her body torrented with nothing but the most agonizing delight. Pressing her forehead against a pillow, she let go, crying out as So continued to push wave after wave of pleasure into her body.

Not long after she had climaxed, Soo heard So grunt at his own release, his pace slowing into longer, deeper thrusts. His hands shook against her hips and she could hear his heavy breaths as he steadied himself.

She whined when his length completely slid out of her, pining the loss of contact.

So seemed to have noticed her complaint for as soon as he removed the condom, Soo felt his arms around her, laying her onto the bed and holding her from behind. She did not see his face, but she cuddled against his warmth. Soo could easily feel the fast thrumming of his heart against her spine.

It hurt her to know that she felt safe in his arms- protected. She did not feel lonely or out of place against his muscled chest. They panted softly, waiting for their racing hearts to slow. Neither spoke; Soo knew that the second one of them said anything the moment would end.

So kissed her cheek before laying back again.

Their breaths steadied and then, there was silence. Soo curled her legs toward her chest and pressed her hand to her mouth as she tried so hard not to think about Wook. About the betrayal. Whether it was hers or his, she did not know.

Releasing the last shred of her pride, Soo breathed deeply and made her decision. She turned around to face Wang So, wiping her mind of anything except that moment of bliss.

Gazing at his angular features, she pressed a hand to his cheek and leaned up. Slowly, she kissed him, running her fingers up his neck. They were in no rush to move and Soo opened her eyes when So's lips met her forehead. "It's snowing," he noted.

Soo turned her head and looked out the large windows. True enough, flurries of white danced around, heralding the arrival of winter. "The first snow," she whispered.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Soo remembered an old superstition from her childhood. If you watch the first snow with your lover, you're meant to be together forever…

She shook her head and ignored the precipitation behind her. Snow was snow. There was nothing else to it.

Tilting herself upward, she kissed Wang So again.