New Normal - Chapter 62

A shiver ran down Jisoo’s spine as the cold air touched her bare skin. The sunlight sneaking in through the blinds stabbed at her like tiny needles.

“Mmh…”

She squinted, frowning hard at the blindingly bright light that was more annoying than dazzling. Swallowing only made her throat feel raw and parched.

What time is it?

She was curious, but not curious enough to open her eyes. With a small groan, she rolled over to get away from the sun. Her hand fumbled for the blanket draped over her waist and tugged at it, but it wouldn’t move—as if it was caught on something. She pulled harder, the fabric finally sliding up with a scratchy sound.

Letting out a small, lazy groan like a cat stretching, Jisoo wiggled her toes under the warm covers—only to feel them bump against something warm and bare. A leg.

Her eyes flew open. Right in front of her was the back of someone’s head, hair neatly cropped like a polished chestnut. His face was buried in the pillow, arms wrapped around it, and the thick muscles of his arm and shoulder filled her view.

Below that, the ridged line of his lower back disappeared under the blanket.

She swallowed again. It tasted bitter.

Flashes from last night floated hazily through her head—disjointed but vivid. She’d had s3x with Chae Juwon in his car until she couldn’t think straight, dozed off on the way home, realized she couldn’t possibly go back to her own place in that state, so she went to his. Things got heated again on the way. The moment they stepped inside, they showered together, and—well—they did it again. She vaguely remembered him saying he’d take the day off to rest, but they stayed up drinking champagne when neither could sleep. Somewhere between counting sips and losing track, his big hand took her glass away… and then they went at it one more time.

What she did know for sure was that they didn’t pass out until the sky was turning pale with dawn.

Jisoo blinked slowly, staring up at the ceiling. A memory popped into her head—something Jung Haeyoon had once said back in her early twenties.

“I got cystitis. Why? Because I had s3x. You can go up to seven times, apparently. We went for twelve hours straight—dozing, going at it, dozing again, repeat.”

Haeyoon had confessed that with a worn-out face after a reckless “challenge” during her boyfriend’s military leave.

Jisoo calmly lifted her hand and started counting on her fingers.

Did I… do about the same? Maybe not seven, but close?

Haeyoon’s boyfriend had been twenty or twenty-one. Juwon was in his thirties. Was that even a fair comparison?

Come to think of it… his stamina is insane.

Clicking her tongue, she glanced sideways. His broad back rose and fell steadily with shallow breaths. Then he shifted, letting out a low, sleepy groan.

“I could go until it wears you out,” he’d once said with that annoyingly fresh smile—the day she collapsed from kidney stones.

…It’s not actually worn out, right?

She sat up abruptly and lifted the blanket to check, only to see his firm, muscular butt. Not exactly something that bruises from being handled too much—it’s still just flesh. She shook her head at the stupid thought, pulled the blanket back over him, and lay down again.

That’s when she frowned.

If anything’s worn out, it’s probably me. Her lower half was still a little tender from last night’s friction. She tested a small squeeze of her muscles—no sharp pain, thankfully.

Sniffling once, she fluffed her pillow, then fixed her gaze on the back of his head. He kept sleeping, softly snoring.

“I really like you, Shin Jisoo. So… I’m not gonna throw you away.”

Her cheeks warmed at the memory. Clearing her throat, she looked back at the ceiling, letting her thoughts wander.

Marriage… wasn’t something she’d ever considered before. But now? Maybe she was a little curious. With him, it might not be so bad.

She pouted at her own daydream. Here she was, gulping down “wedding soup” all by herself when he hadn’t even offered her a spoon.

Is this why people say you should date around? Because once you meet someone like this, you just spiral into dumb fantasies you can’t control?

She thought of that old saying: once a monk tastes meat, even the fleas in the temple don’t survive. She felt ridiculous—like those clueless guys in their twenties who propose just because they like the s3x.

Marriage isn’t that simple. God, I’m being childish.

Her mind drifted to a friend who’d sworn off marriage at twenty, only to get married anyway. The friend had said she just knew the moment she met her husband. Did I feel anything like that when I first met Juwon?

Handsome, but weird—that was about it. Still, she smirked at his words from the other day.

“Do you even need a reason to like someone? Sometimes you just know from the first moment—‘Ah, she’s the one.’”

Ridiculous.

Jisoo was about to sink back into her fantasy when he rolled his head toward her. She inhaled sharply.

His messy bangs framed long lashes and a sharp nose, shadows cast across his face. His eyes moved slowly under his lids before they fluttered open, revealing deep brown irises. For a few seconds, they just stared at each other in silence.

Flustered, Jisoo yanked the blanket up to cover her face, peeking out with only her eyes. She hadn’t even brushed her teeth yet—or wiped away any sleep from her eyes. They’d spent plenty of nights together, but she still felt shy.

She rubbed her face against the blanket before sneaking another peek. His gaze softened, warmth pooling in his eyes.

“Sleep well?” he asked, voice still heavy from sleep.

She nodded cautiously.

“Me too.”

He smiled, then reached out to gently ruffle her hair before burying his face back into the pillow with a huge yawn. Moments later, he pushed himself up, and she flinched at the sudden movement.

Pulling on the pants he’d left on the floor, he stretched, muscles shifting across his back. Jisoo swallowed hard, unable to look away. Noticing her gaze, he turned slowly toward her.

His usually sharp, unpuffed face was slightly swollen, hair sticking up in every direction.

“Why,” he asked, catching her staring.

Instead of answering, she kept looking at him. He tilted his chin, rubbing his neck with mock arrogance. She couldn’t help but laugh at how he still managed to pose in the middle of all that bedhead.

“Your face is puffy,” she pointed out.

He blinked, sniffed once, and snorted as if dismissing her comment—then gave her a sidelong glare before heading toward the bathroom. She watched his retreating back and chuckled quietly.

***

By the time Juwon had showered and even thrown the mess of clothes into the laundry, Jisoo had dozed off again. She finally woke up and went to wash herself.

Instead of her usual bathrobe, she headed into his walk-in closet and pulled out a comfy-looking hoodie. It was roomy—probably from his college days, with a big university logo on the front, worn but well-loved.

She sniffed the fabric, catching the faint scent of him, then rolled up the sleeves. The length was… questionable. She wasn’t wearing underwear, and it felt like it might ride up.

Tugging at the hem, she wandered toward the kitchen, where Juwon was leaning against the island counter, scrolling on his phone. He was also making an espresso.

“Make me one too. Hot Americano,” she said.

“Yup,” he replied.

He handed her a mug filled with coffee and topped off with hot water. She accepted it politely, standing there as he worked.

In a plain white T-shirt and sweatpants, freshly showered, he looked clean and crisp—except for his still-messy, damp hair. She reached out to smooth it down without thinking… and their eyes met.