Wonwoo's Protection

17. What does it take to Protect You?

Inha missed cooking with her mother-in-law. It had served like their bonding time where they would complain about the men in their lives and laugh about it. Wonwoo's mother at times indulged Inha in memories about the friendship she shared with her mother. For Inha this new blossoming relationship served two purposes, to get to know her mother a bit more deeply and also to experience a mother's love first hand which was devoid in her life for so long.

But more than these cooking and bonding sessions, Inha missed sleeping next to Wonwoo. Once his parents left for their hometown, Inha and Wonwoo went back to their respective lives, them sharing the same bed now seemed like a distant memory. Even though nothing life altering happened to both of them the one week they slept side by side, it was still painful for Inha to let go of that warmthness that Wonwoo gave her even without him crossing that invisible line. They didn't kiss, cuddle or do anything that married couples do on bed, but just being next to him was enough for her. She felt safe, secure and protected.

And Inha was not alone in feeling that way. Wonwoo felt it too. He almost wanted to stop her from moving back to her room and say, "let's sleep together" but he wondered if those words would scare his wife who liked her private little space. Little did he know that she would pull him into her sacred space in a heartbeat if he had uttered those words.

Inha soon became busy due to her finals while Wonwoo was finishing off his schedules one by one. Wonwoo admired Inha studying so hard and felt guilty for wanting to spring up the question of sleeping together when she was busy preparing for her exams. He told himself that he would ask her if it's okay for them to use the same room as married couples do once she was done with exams as he didn't want to stress her further.

Meanwhile Inha was putting off her visit to her dad's place because she didn't want to face her stepmom and half-sister. She decided she would make it a point to go see her dad after her exams. Once her finals got over, she expressed her interest in going to visit her father and Wonwoo was more than glad to take her to her house.

And that's how they found themselves having dinner with Inha's dad, stepmom and half-sister. Wonwoo immediately noticed the drastic shift in Inha's body language and behaviour the moment she stepped into her house. She looked nervous and jittery and Wonwoo could tell that there was so much trauma associated with the house which made her anxious.

Inha's dad was a man of few words, so the only one talking was Kim Sumi, the stepmom, which made the dinner extremely awkward and painful for both Inha and Wonwoo. She was constantly questioning Wonwoo's wealth and how much he makes and how someone like Inha is so lucky to have gotten married to someone so young and handsome as him. Wonwoo just smiled and hoped for her to shut her mouth as he squeezed Inha's hand under the table, assuring her that he's right next to her. Inha was extremely grateful for Wonwoo's presence in the dining room as she squeezed his hand tightly. This was witnessed by both her stepmother and her half-sister who snorted under her breath. Sumi just couldn't bear to see someone standing by her stepdaughter's side and wanted to show Inha her true place. So once they were done with dinner Inha's step mom ordered her to clear the table, as she had done all the time before Inha got married. When Inha's father stopped her from doing the deed, Sumi justified her request by mentioning that Inha was still a daughter of the household and that it's okay for her to help her out in the kitchen.

Inha didn't mind clearing away the dishes, but being around the two vile ladies was suffocating her. She quickly wanted to finish the work and go home with Wonwoo who was sitting frustratedly next to his father-in-law in the living room. He didn't like anything that happened to Inha in her house and was angry with everyone and everything at her house. He also happened to hear an extremely harrowing conversation that happened from the kitchen which was the tipping point for him to lose his cool.

"Are you happy Inha-ya? For having married someone who loves you so much?" Sneered Sumi. "I am surprised at how he hasn't left you yet after seeing your body. Are you that good in bed that he doesn't want to leave you?" She asked mockingly, laughing at her.

"Anyone would have left her the moment he saw her naked. But this looks like he's pitying her, mom" quipped Kang Suya, the half-sister.

"Or Suya, what if they haven't slept together yet?" Asked Sumi and at that moment Inha closed her eyes, willing for the humiliation to stop but more than that she was worried that Wonwoo might hear their conversation.

"Mom, that would be hilarious. Imagine her not showing herself to him and him eventually losing interest and moving on to other girls" Suya said which hurt Inha so much. She just couldn't bear the thought of Wonwoo expressing his disinterest towards her and eventually cheating on her.

"And when that happens, don't you think our dear Inha would come crawling back towards us, like a lost and forlorn bitch?" Sumi asked, pointing her question towards Inha by lifting her chin and looking straight into her eyes menacingly.

"INHA!" A deep voice bellowed just then from behind them. Inha quickly turned around to see a fuming Wonwoo who at that moment just wanted to take her and leave. "We are leaving this instant!" He yelled at no one in particular, lost on where to direct his anger towards. He noticed Inha's stepmom and half-sister sniggering at his sudden outburst which made Inha uncomfortable. She was already on the verge of tears and Wonwoo's change in behaviour only made her situation worse.

"Yes, yes Wonwoo-ssi" she said sniffling as she quickly rushed out from the kitchen. That's when Wonwoo realised that he fucked up. It pained him to see Inha cry but he stood his ground and glared at her stepmom and half-sister, as if daring them to provoke him and Inha once more. However, Sumi didn't back down and glared back at him, knowing that he was a tough opponent. Here was a man who expressed his love and will to protect his wife through his scary gaze and it only made Sumi want to wreck things up for Inha further. At that moment, Wonwoo understood that he was on a difficult road to protect Inha from such vile humans, nevertheless, it was a road that he was willing to take head-on.
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A/N
Hi guys! Hope everything is going well at your side.

A little conflict filled chapter after days of peace. I know it was a difficult chapter to read because it was a difficult chapter to write as well. But I hope you will stick with me throughout as I write this story. I promise the next few chapters will be better. Maybe the next chapter will be *cough* spicy *cough*! I don't write erotica, still I don't want young people to read it, so shoo! Go read stuff that is appropriate for your age 🙈

Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Do vote and comment! And thank you for reading. Take care.

P.S: Did you guys see the third episode of Nana tour? It was extremely funny! I was laughing throughout 😂 I can't wait for the next episode. Also Woozi and Mingyu, I see you 👀 respectfully tho!

Love,
Aara!