The protector

Letter (M)

WARNING: this chapter contains a description of alcohol abuse, suicide (vague reference) and anxiety attack. As this last is something increasingly happening to many people due to the lockdown, and provided the sensitive contents, if you think you could get triggered, only read till "2027, January – Pyongyang" then skip to "2027, February".

High suggestion for everyone: read the note at the end of the chapter.

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2026, September

Se-ri landed in Seoul feeling drained rather than recharged, her neck muscles tensed, prelude of an incoming headache. Though, as soon as the familiar beep flagged her house open, an intriguing scent distracted her attention from the reason of that illness. More intense and tempting at any step to the living room, the scent grabbed her till the point to forget to take her high heels off, thus the delicate stilettos ticked on the marble floor echoing all around the empty mansion. Tic. Tic. Tic.

The sight, the general one and the particular, was enough to soothe her stressed, pulsating temples, the headache softening to an imperceptible pressure. Her living room so stylish and bright, home!, and at the centre of the marble table, a black, glass vase with the hugest bouquet she had ever seen.

In spite of being on a business trip, Seo-jin had remembered the day she would have come back home, taking care of her welcome with that mammoth bunch of white roses, furthermore matched by the sweetest card. The heiress let herself fall on the couch with a long, delighted sigh. In her head, she called that behave of him "kindness at hand," because he always was effortlessly cute, considerate. And this, on the bad days, felt like a panacea. For the first time in their matrimonial life she felt the need to hear his voice.

"I'll stay here till the end of the month. Not asking you to reach me, you must be tired after the long flight" - there he was, always kind, always attentive to her needs - "but this one will be the Labour Day weekend. We could rent a villa in the Hamptons like in the movies and join some party wearing white linen. It would be a Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger jubilation" Gu laughed at his own joke, he loved the cliché more than anything else.

"You know what? Give me one hour to call Manager Hong and book a flight."

"Call Manager Hong and then relax, your ticket is ready."

The woman had probably underestimated how deeply Jeong Hyeok's obstinacy had hurt her, thus she was surprised when the simple hearing that "relax, I've managed everything for you," made her break down and cry out all the tiredness, nervousness, gratitude and relief.

In the US she found a relaxed Gu, ready to be her Cicero in a swirl of parties and leisure. All the villas were already taken, but he had managed to find a suite that could compete with Versailles in its golden years, and the entire treat felt like a spa to her, the tiredness and the negative energy slowly turning into fresh energy and good vibes.

On one night, Seo-jin claimed her from his room. "Come here" he patted the mattress as soon as her figure appeared on the door "room service is coming, champagne."

"Again?" the only moment of the day when he hadn't still offered her a glass of champagne was the breakfast.

"De. But badly drunk night."

The first thought was that he was looking for that. But even if it was so, who cared? She had her IUD on, and a dire need of lightness. Gu surprised her instead, heading to the bathroom to put his pyjama on, and letting the walk in closet free so that she could have changed her clothes too. "Look at what I've found for you" said, extending her the big pink box with a giggle. Victoria's Secret. Aygoo, you really love clichè, she thought.