SERIES: An Impure Reunion
CHAPTER: An Impure Reunion Chapter 1
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Chapter 1.
It had been nearly a year since Jian settled at Grace, a guesthouse in a quiet village a short distance from London, England.
Among the Westerners, Jian was practically the only Asian.
When she first settled here, she had worried about what she would do if she couldn't adapt.
However, that worry soon vanished.
“Jian, good afternoon.”
It was thanks to the people who greeted her so warmly every day.
Jian had already exchanged greetings with dozens of people.
“Hi, Sherrie. It's freezing out. Are you done for the day already?”
Sherrie entered Grace, her breath fogging in the cold.
She was a British woman on a long-term stay at the guesthouse, which Jian was managing in the owner's stead.
Having left Korea a year ago to settle here, Jian was managing a guesthouse for the owner.
Since the guesthouse was on the outskirts rather than in the city center, it didn't have many guests, but Jian was quite fond of her life here.
“Yes, where's the little one?”
“Seol-ah? She's still at preschool at this time.”
Life with her five-year-old daughter, Seol-ah, made her all the happier.
Sitting at the guesthouse counter, Jian glanced at the clock.
Four o'clock. Soon it would be time for Seol-ah to come back from the Korean preschool she attended.
Jian gave a small smile to Sherrie, who was heading up to her room, and rose from her seat.
‘I had such a nightmare last night. I was worried for nothing.’
Last night, Jian had dreamt of the events she had gone through back in Korea.
Because of it, she had spent the day on edge.
But now that the day was drawing to a close, she felt a sense of relief.
Just as Jian, her expression now more relaxed, was about to head to the kitchen to get a snack for Seol-ah…
“Oh, I almost forgot! Jian, are you expecting a guest today? There's someone waiting in front of Grace.”
“No, Sherrie. I'm not expecting anyone.”
“Really? That's strange.”
Sherrie tilted her head, then muttered as she started up the stairs to her room.
“There's a tall Asian man outside with an intimidating face…”
Sherrie's muttered words bored directly into Jian's ears.
And Jian's body began to tremble like a leaf.
A tall man with an intimidating face.
‘And an Asian, no less.’
The moment she heard those words, Jian's heart began to hammer in her chest.
Jian knew one such man.
She squeezed her eyes shut as the man's face flashed into her mind.
The dream from last night naturally filled her thoughts.
‘Shut your mouth. How dare you even let those words pass your lips.’
Forceful.
‘Get undressed. Now. And get into bed.’
The final moments with that obstinate man had appeared in her dream last night.
Her mind told her over and over that it couldn't be him, but her heart, unfortunately, kept cowering at the thought, *what if?*
Jian managed to turn toward the counter to check if a guest was scheduled to arrive today.
Or rather, she was about to.
“Heo Jian.”
A familiar voice from behind her seeped into her ears.
The moment she heard that voice, all thought ceased, and her entire body seemed to go numb.
When she finally managed to turn her frozen body, Jian saw him.
“Five years. Did you enjoy yourself?”
The tall, intimidating Asian man Sherrie had mentioned.
Joo Taejun.
Taejun studied Jian's dumbstruck expression, then let out a smirk.
He then closed the distance in a single stride of his long legs.
Standing right before her, he casually gripped her chin.
Then, he began to trace her lips with his finger.
Feeling Taejun's touch on her lips, Jian finally realized this was real.
“Jian-ah.”
That she was back in Taejun's grasp.
“You should be smiling.”
“…….”
“Didn't you promise you'd smile for me?”
She felt it to her very bones.
Jian quickly averted her gaze and spoke.
“I'm… not your wife anymore.”
“Oh, is that right?”
“So there's no reason for me to smile in front of you like an idiot… is there?”
She was trying to sound composed, but unfortunately, her body betrayed her.
Five years had passed since she'd fled from Taejun.
She should have been past the point of being weak before him.
But standing in front of Taejun always turned her into a fool.
Taejun turned her face, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“That's quite unlike you, Heo Jian.”
With his free hand, Taejun gently stroked her hair.
His touch sent a shiver down her spine.
She wanted to shove him away, but she knew he wouldn't budge easily.
That fact only made her more distressed.
Unlike Jian, who found the situation anything but pleasant, a smile played on Taejun's lips.
Taejun continued to caress her lips as he spoke.
“Owning a hostel for kicks wasn't so bad.”
“…Wh-what do you mean.”
“It had zero investment value, but it allowed me to keep you tied down, didn't it?”
In contrast to Jian's shock, Taejun's voice was far too composed.
Suddenly, a conversation she'd had flashed through her mind.
It was a conversation with Tom, the man she thought was the owner of this guesthouse.
‘Jian, actually, this Grace building isn't mine. There's another owner. I sold it last year.’
She had always thought the building belonged to Tom, so she was taken aback to hear this.
Last year was when Jian had first started working at the guesthouse.
‘I met the owner a while ago, and he said we can keep running the guesthouse. And he even said he'd lower the rent.’
When Tom had rejoiced, saying they could continue running the guesthouse, Jian had rejoiced with him.
If the building belonged to someone else, there was no telling when the guesthouse might have to close its doors.
If that happened, Jian would have to quit.
She had been worried about what she and Seol-ah would do if she suddenly lost her job, so she had been thrilled to have that worry vanish in an instant.
“This is a place you enjoyed, Heo Jian. I had to make it mine so you could enjoy it in comfort.”
“…….”
“And you did enjoy it, didn't you? That's all that matters. Right?”
But she had never dreamed that the owner was Taejun.
Had the time she thought she'd escaped from him actually been nothing more than her playing in the palm of his hand?
Suddenly, it felt as if the past year she had spent here was crumbling away in an instant.
The color drained from Jian's face.
Taejun, who had been watching the change in her expression, gently caressed her cheek, pressed his lips to hers for a moment, and spoke.
“Surprised now? Don't worry. I have no intention of touching this place.”
“…….”
“That is, on the condition that you listen to me, Heo Jian.”
Taejun's voice was gentle.
So gentle, in fact, that a third party who didn't know their relationship might mistake them for a loving couple.
But to Jian, his soft, melodic voice sounded jarring and alien.
It was a voice she had hoped never to hear again.
And yet, here she was, hearing it once more.
Jian's shoulders began to tremble.
His lips brushed against hers again.
“Did you enjoy your five years away from me?”
Five years. How much of that time had she truly been free from him?
A few months? No, a few days?
If that was the case, just how much did Taejun know?
‘Does he know that Seol-ah is his own flesh and blood?’
She didn't dare let her thoughts go there, but when they did, her head began to throb.
Just as Jian squeezed her eyes shut, wondering if this would all be a dream when she opened them…
“Mommy!”
A child's voice called out to her from outside.
Startled, Jian shoved Taejun away.
Fortunately, he yielded easily.
The moment she was free of him, Seol-ah entered the guesthouse.
Upon entering, the child saw the strange man, Taejun, and looked thoroughly frightened.
As Jian went to her, the child quickly hid behind her legs.
Seol-ah was a naturally wary child.
She had been very shy with strangers since she was little, making it difficult for her to warm up to people.
She found it especially difficult to be around adult men.
Seeing Taejun studying Seol-ah, Jian pulled the child further behind her, warily watching his expression.
He was still scrutinizing Seol-ah with a relentless gaze.
A cold sneer played on his lips.
“Is this the child?”
What on earth could he mean? With no way of knowing for sure, her heart sank with anxiety.
Whatever he was about to say, she knew she had to get the child inside first.
She didn't want to suddenly reveal to her daughter that this intimidating man who had appeared out of nowhere was her father.
Jian quickly met her daughter's eyes and spoke.
“Seol-ah, sweetie. Mommy has to talk to a guest, so can you go inside first?”
The corners of her mouth trembled as she forced a smile.
Fortunately, the child seemed oblivious to her mother's predicament.
“Okay! I'll wash my hands, brush my teeth, and read a book!”
With a bright smile, she gave Jian a peck on the cheek and scurried away.
Thanks to her daughter, her frozen body seemed to thaw a little.
But a moment later, Jian froze once more.
“Where's the child's father?”
Author : Donggurami (Son Yun-seo)
Publisher : Toonplus
Email : [email protected]
ISBN : 9791157738274
© Donggurami (Son Yun-seo), 2022
※ This e-book is published by <Toonplus> under contract with the copyright holder. Unauthorized reproduction and distribution are prohibited. Violators may be subject to legal action.
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