Time always finds a way to begin to heal all wounds. Maybe not completely, maybe the scar will never go away, but the wounds always close and you learn to live with them.
"Digging through the ashes, my boy" smiled the grandfather and his grandson du...
The next day Ari arrived at work as usual. Izeul wasn't up yet, so she set about making breakfast, knowing that one by one the boys would start coming into the kitchen.
To her surprise, the first to enter was Kim Namjoon. She took a breath, determined to stand firm with the idea of pushing him away.
After all, she was not an inexperienced virgin, and there was no irresistible man in this world, right? No matter what it cost her, if she wanted to keep her job and be close to Izeul, what was in her boss's mind was not to be realized.
"Good morning" his deep slightly sleepy voice sent shivers down her spine, but she forced herself not to pleasure him further, showing weakness. "Good morning" she replied, smiling over her shoulder.
Namjoon moved closer, his chest pressing into her back as he towered over her, reaching over to the cabinet above her head, grabbing a coffee mug.
She didn't even flinch, continuing to make sandwich after sandwich, feeling his gaze on the back of her head. He stayed like that longer than necessary, but she was still just smiling. It took an incredible effort to hide her frantically beating heart and the blush that was quickly breaking out on her face.
Namjoon narrowed his eyes. Something wasn't right. Little Miss Hyun didn't react at all to his proximity like she had until now. He propped himself up on one side of her, deliberately lightly touching her waist, ostensibly to take a cup farther away, but she only bent slightly to make room for him.
"Will breakfast be ready soon?" he leaned in slightly and his breath scalded her ear, trying to challenge her. She gave him a sidelong glance and nodded, smiling......calmly?
He stepped back, pouring himself some coffee, but kept watching her as she worked with her back to him, looking all too comfortable despite his touch.
"Ah, yes, Mr. Kim" her voice sounded businesslike. "Tonight I would like to leave a little early, if I may?" she looked over her shoulder at him, still smiling sweetly. "If you don't mind, of course" Ari finished and Namjoon raised an eyebrow.
Part of her plan was to distract herself from what was happening. And to do that, she had to occupy her mind with something else. Mae had proposed to her on a blind date, and although Ari was reluctant to do it, she agreed after a few hours of persuasion from her friend.
"Oh, and why?" Namjoon asked. Ari wiped her hands on her apron and began to arrange sandwiches on plates. She walked past him, opened the fridge and took out some tomatoes and cucumbers.
She then reached into one of the cupboards, pulling out a cutting board and a new knife, starting to cut the vegetables into rounds and arrange them on the plates.
"As you know, almost two months ago I broke up with my boyfriend and I think it's time to go back to dating" she started and Namjoon almost choked on his coffee but quickly covered himself. "Do you have a date, Miss Hyun?" he asked, making sure she didn't realize he was actually already gritting his teeth.
Namjoon was burning with anger. Only last night he had warned her that if another man came near her he would kill him, and yet, here she was, begging him to leave early, because she had decided to go back to dating?
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"My friend Mae asked me out with an acquaintance of hers and I agreed" Ari finished in a too cheerful tone and Namjoon gripped the glass so hard it broke.
Ari turned around startled. "Mr. Kim!" she took his hand and bent down, blowing on a bleeding gash on his palm. "That looks deep" Ari exclaimed and crouched down, opening a cabinet under the sink to pull out the first aid kit.
Namjoon gritted his teeth, staring into her as she cleaned his wound. His body tensed at her touch and he took a deep breath, letting it out noisily.
"I'm sorry, did it hurt?" Ari looked up at him, then bent down again, beginning to blow lightly on the wound to dull the sting of the disinfectant.
She applied a light bandage, then put the box back in its place, returning to Namjoon. Ari crouched down, beginning to clean the pieces from the glass. Namjoon didn't even move, just stood staring at her.
Her heart was pounding in her ears. Ari could feel his gaze, her waist still burning from his light touch, her fingers feeling the touch of his. And she kept praying that none of this had been written on her face.
"Do what you want!" Namjoon growled coldly and stormed out of the kitchen, leaving her staring after him. She sighed and leaned back against the counter with her head down and eyes closed.
"Damn it!" he slammed his bedroom door and hit her, staring at the bandage she had made for him. "I'll kill him if he touches her, even with the tip of his finger, I'll kill him!" Namjoon thought, breathing heavily.
"What's going on, my love, you said she's for me? That I should let her into my life?" he asked, turning slowly to look at the portrait on the wall. Binna looked down on him, somewhat mockingly.
"Are you playing with me, baby? Is this my punishment for not keeping my promise?" he asked and she seemed to smile. "Did you think it would be easy, my love?" her voice sounded in his mind and he gritted his teeth.
"Isn't it enough that I have to touch another when my heart burns with love for you, darling?" Namjoon asked, his eyes watering. "Why? Why do you want this from me?" he sat on the bed and leaned back, still looking at the portrait of his first and only love.
"Life is a wheel, Namjoon. And the wheel turns. One love goes away, but in its place comes another, with a different face and a different name. You promised not to give up on your life, my love, keep your promise, fight ." he heard her voice again. Binna always knew what to say, how to say it, to get him to do what she wanted.
"But I don't want!" Namjoon cried softly, closing his eyes. "I will always watch over you, my love. But it's time you realized that maybe we weren't meant to be and that fate might have a surprise in store for you. Stop clinging to your feelings for a dead woman and pay attention to this one , whose life trembles in your arms.” her voice called out again.
Namjoon opened his eyes sharply. "How can I forget that I love you? How can I swallow the pain and the guilt? You died for me, how can I surrender our love and move on?" he asked softly.
"It's not up to you, my love. You don't have to forget, you just have to move on. Find strength, my love, it's time to heal your heart." Namjoon could have sworn he saw her smile, while in his mind, her voice continued to soothe and guide him.
"Am I going crazy?" Namjoon sighed softly and ran a hand over his face. The bandage slightly irritated his skin and he stared into it again. Hyun Ari. This woman was driving him crazy, playing with his mind like no other.
He looked at the portrait again. Ari was slowly starting to creep into his mind, making him want her. But how, he loved Binna, he never questioned his feelings for her.
And yet, every time the nanny's hot body was close to his, he forgot why he was trying to make her fall in love with him, forgot that he loved someone else and thought only of how to possess her.
It was really driving him crazy, he was sure now. There was simply no other explanation. After all this time, during which he had never felt attracted to anyone, why her?
What was it about her that drove him to a point he would gladly push himself over just to hear her let out those soft sweet moans beneath him?
Namjoon loved Binna, no one could replace her, but little Miss Hyun… This woman managed to set his body on fire without even trying. She made him freak out, go crazy just thinking about someone else touching her.
When Binna was alive, it was easy. Her love soothed and tamed him. She was his safe island, and after her death, Namjoon was tossing around in the stormy waves, not caring where it would take him.
He sighed and looked into the beloved eyes again. "I can't, my love. She's not you" he stood up. "I was the beginning, my love, the one who taught you to love and prepared you, she's the last one, the real one. The one who will burn you." was the last Namjoon heard.
