As True as a Dream Chapter 97

Yi Ho walked around the small attic and soon sat down in front of the window near the attic entrance and leaned back against the wall.

 

Hae-Joo watched him for a moment, then resumed organizing her things.

 

Then she picked up a sharp pin with a leaf-shaped mother of pearl on it and curled the tip into a circle with a pair of tongs.

 

She then placed the leaf mother-of-pearl under the cucumber flower mother-of-pearl with red coral in the center, which she had already made.

 

Hae-Joo stopped her busy hands and glanced to the side.

 

Resting her arms on the worn pedestal beneath the window, her head propped on her hands, Yi Ho’s eyes were closed.

 

She hadn’t gotten a good look at him earlier, but now that he was still, she could almost see the fatigue that had settled between his brows.

 

‘Is he not feeling well?’

 

‘Then why don’t you go home and rest, why come here…’

 

Hae-Joo sighed inwardly, but soon swallowed the words.

 

It was contradictory to complain because she didn’t know why he came here.

 

Her hand flicked the bridge of her nose as if to reprimand her, and her tightened chest instantly relaxed.

 

Hae-Joo stared blankly at Yi Ho.

 

His mere presence gave her such a great sense of security.

 

She didn’t know when this man had come to occupy such a large place in her heart.

 

At first, Hae-Joo was thrilled by his casual approach, and then her heart was touched by his casual words.

 

She was worried that he was sick, so her attention was focused on him.

 

Just the sight of his eyes made her heart race.

 

And now, it wasn’t enough to say that she liked him.

 

It was sweet to look at, like drowning in sugar water, and then a tingling sensation of inexplicable longing.

 

She loved everything about him.

 

Before she knew it, it was like this.

 

“…You’re going to burn a hole in my face.”

 

Yi Ho, who had closed his eyes, suddenly curled his lips and spoke playfully.

 

She looked away in a panic, as if she’d been caught stealing.

 

“Look. If it looks so good, I have to see it.”

 

“It’s nice, but later. Right now, I have work to do.”

 

Hae-Joo cleared her throat and turned her attention to the mother-of-pearl ornament in her hand.

 

But it didn’t last long before she glanced again out of the corner of her eye.

 

Their eyes locked for a moment as they opened in unison.

 

The smile on his lips widened as if he had been caught.

 

Hae-Joo felt a twinge of embarrassment, but then she composed herself and spoke calmly.

 

“If you’re tired, go down to the room and lie down on the futon.”

 

“Okay.”

 

For some reason, Yi Ho’s answer sounded obedient.

 

But it didn’t take long for her to realize.

 

He was just answering.

 

He wouldn’t have come up in the first place if that was his intention.

 

He’s not a seven-year-old child, and if he wants to go down, he’ll go down, and if he wants to stay there, he’ll stay there.

 

Hae-Joo gave up and focused on the flower mother-of-pearl in her hand.

 

Yi Ho stared at her in disbelief.

 

‘It’s so pretty, I have to look at it.’

 

From where he stood, he could see the side of Hae-Joo’s well-groomed face, her head tilted at an angle.

 

Her brow was furrowed in concentration and her lips were set in a stubbornly pursed line.

 

Her hair was pulled back into a loose bun, revealing the white nape of her neck, and his eyes focused on the fur on the back of her neck.

 

The sun was setting, and the scarlet rays of the setting sun poured through the window.

 

This quiet hour was more peaceful and gentle than any other day in his life.

 

For the first time, Yi Ho realized that it wasn’t boring to stare at someone like this.

 

Everything about Yeon Hae-Joo caught his attention, from her lazily fluttering eyelashes and curved back to her delicately moving hands and flowing hair.

 

At first, it was just curiosity.

 

But when he began to lust after the pleasure he’d never experienced in his life, he realized he’d already lost her.

 

Now she was all over him, and he didn’t know where to begin.

 

And the more he did, the more the anxiety that had begun to grow in his heart grew.

 

The more he thought about it, the more he realized that if the truth about the human blood stone, or the fact that he was half-human, or anything else was revealed, this woman would turn her back on him.

 

The smile on Yi Ho’s lips slowly faded, then sank heavily.

 

Then, a sudden wave of nervousness washed over him, and he moved his body.

 

“…Ugh!”

 

Hae-Joo, who had been wearing a copper wire pearl beneath the mother-of-pearl of the Oyat flower, screamed in surprise.

 

The sudden gesture was from Yi Ho, who hugged her from behind.

 

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she turned her head to see Yi Ho resting his chin on her shoulder.

 

“What, what… is wrong?” She asked, and he lowered his gaze and replied with a smirk on his face.

 

“I wanted to hold you.”

 

Yi Ho let go of the mother-of-pearl and copper wire strung pearls in Hae-Joo’s hand, wrapped his fingers around the back of her hand, and slipped his fingers between hers.

 

Hae-Joo was dazed by Yi Ho’s firm shoulder against the back of her head, and then she saw Yi Ho resting hia chin on the side of her head.

 

When their eyes met, he curved the corner of his mouth and lightly pecked his lips against her exposed ear.

 

Hae-Joo’s ear reddened at the unexpected contact.

 

Feeling heat rush to her ears, Hae-Joo gasped and tried to pull away, but Yi Ho didn’t let up.

 

A low, amused chuckle rang in her ears.

 

Hae-Joo was a little dazed by the sensation of her entire body being wrapped around him.

 

On either side of her, his long legs stood like a castle wall, and his body heat was hot against her back.

 

His delicate hands wrapped around her stomach, and his languid breathing against her ear made Hae-Joo’s breathing lightheaded.

 

“Boss…! Hic…!”

 

She turned her head in response to the chilling stimulation of Yi Ho’s tongue licking playfully at her earlobe.

 

Yi Ho’s face was smiling seductively at her.

 

The bridge of his nose brushed against hers, and soon his lips were lightly touching hers, then pulling away.

 

Hae-Joo fluttered her lashes.

 

Yi Ho’s lips touched hers again.

 

Hae-Joo squeezed her eyes shut again, then opened them in frustration.

 

She didn’t know how to refuse this man’s kiss.

 

‘How could she say no when it felt so good?’

 

This time, Hae-Joo moved to him first and kissed the corner of his mouth.

 

Yi Ho’s eyes narrowed, and then he kissed her again.

 

This time, it was deeper and more explicit.

 

She opened her mouth to meet him naturally, as she had learned to do many times before.

 

His tongue slid into her mouth, tangling with hers.

 

There was a slow rubbing, a tickling, and then a playful sucking of the tip of his tongue.

 

Eventually, Yi Ho’s grip on her hand loosened.

 

With her back to him, Hae-Joo rolled onto her side, his hands cupping her cheeks and chin for support.

 

She gripped his wrists like sticks and returned his kisses.

 

She felt a rush of heat in her head as his tongue probed her mouth, leaving her dazed.

 

Nibbling lightly on her plump lower lip, he kissed the corner of her mouth, then her cheek, then the base of her ear, then her jawline.

 

Gasping for air, Hae-Joo suddenly shuddered, her body shaking.

 

It was the softness of his lips against the nape of her neck.

 

“Hmm…!”

 

Hae-Joo sucked in a breath at the ticklish yet chilling sensation.

 

His lips darted out to lick and licked, then sucked lightly, his tongue flicking out to taste.

 

His hot breath on her skin was exhilarating.

 

It was strange.

 

The first time he’d approached her like this, her heart had raced and she’d felt both frantic and embarrassed, but now she didn’t feel that way.

 

She secretly wished he’d touch her deeper, to quench a thirst she wasn’t sure what it was.

And then, as if sensing her desire, his hand lifted her top and wrapped his palm around her slender waist.

 

She sighed involuntarily at the gentle strokes down her back and tilted her head to find Yi Ho’s face roaming the nape of her neck.

 

Through her blurry vision, she caught sight of his white ears.

 

She kissed his ears and flicked it with her tongue, just as he had done.

 

Then Yi Ho looked up, flushed and blood red.

 

His hand, which had already dug under her bra, cupped her modest breasts.

 

His thumb lightly pressed and rubbed her nipple, and he kissed her again.

 

He sucked her reddened lips to his, sucked them in, flicked them with his tongue, and let out a long sigh.

 

“It hurts.”

 

“…What?”

 

Shuddering at the stinging sensation of his fingertips, she gasped.

 

“It hurts.”

 

“Where… are you going?”

 

Hae-Joo asked, confused, and Yi Ho arched a delicately drawn eyebrow.