Thorn Year (가시연) (ENG)

(여우의 요람 ) Fox's Cradle: Sequel - CHAPTER 5

Actually A-hyun doesn't look like her much. Her face shape resembled her father's - small and pointed - but her round eyes and sharp tongue was exactly like her mother's. Especially the way she looks when she's hurt, like now, so fierce and strong just like her. It probably means that that's what I remembered her to be.

"It's okay, everything will be fine."

The moment she saw her father, she clung to him tearfully for dear life. When he saw the wound on A-hyun's cheek, Yunho's expression was priceless as he stared at me in shock. Because my vision went blurry, I couldn't really see him, but I knew he had a million questions running through his mind. I had no need to explain myself because the maid was present when it all happened.

'Did Jaejoong and A-hyun fight?' He didn't need to ask the maid to know that I was the one who caused the wound.

Looking at my track record, I'm quite the war veteran after all.

I watched calmly as Jung Yunho carefully applied some medical balm on the wound, before carrying A-hyun to her room. When he returned, he noticed how I had no intention to reflect on my actions, and he sighed gently. Looks like he's tired of quarreling with me. With my depression and the state of my health, he doesn't even dare to raise his voice against me.

Maybe he's silently thanking me instead for not blowing the matter out of proportion.

He couldn't reprimand me, nor could he choose a side between me and the child. Ignoring either one of us would be dangerous; it seems that he'd become a third party who couldn't come between me and Jung A-hyun.

As usual, we took turns to bathe, and he'd lie in bed after he was done while I rested on his arm and watched the television. After finishing a movie, I dimmed the lights as he climbed on top of me. Even though he could barely see anything, he still searched my body as though he knew every inch of me by heart. Ah, I'm so happy that I could die, that my whole body almost cried out in joy.

He bit my lips. And it was not a kiss.

There are many reasons why I love Jung Yunho when he's having sex with me. First, it's because sex makes him lose all rational thought as he loses himself in his animalistic instincts. Also, I love the way he looks when he's pounding into me, sweat glistening on his bare skin.

Rather than his natural 'capabilities', I love the way he 'looks' even more.

"...Ungh..."

I felt a stab of pain again and groaned. Thankfully, he didn't stop. I don't find it strange anymore

- it's just telling me that my days are numbered, and I had better start preparing for it. After a simple lovemaking session, we collapsed in each other's arms just like before, sweaty skin plastered against each other. I love this wet feeling, and I suppose he likes it too. Luckily I didn't feel too uncomfortable today; it's just that my anus felt like it was on fire. But I didn't mind it at all. Because I didn't want to ruin that perfect moment.

"Should we live together with just the 2 of us?"

I innocently asked him why.

"You looked like you were really upset..."

Hearing his tortured voice, I felt like someone had rammed a knife through my heart. Because I know that he loves me more, it pained me further when he said that.

"If it's just the 2 of us... Wouldn't you be even more upset...?"

It looks like neither of us had the energy to argue even in this annoying paradox. He likes to hold back his words, and he doesn't use hugs as an answer like he did anymore. I waited for a reply until I grew tired, so I squirmed out of his warm embrace and laid on the bed with my back to him. I adjusted my pillow and then turned off the lights. The room was bathed in a soft, blueish moonlight and it felt exceptionally eerie to me, so I shut my eyes tight. But I just couldn't fall asleep. Sending the child away, then letting myself descend into madness, would that be too good to be true? I can't get used to all this daily tussle and conflicts. It's painful, and I'm tired of it.