Flowers Are Bait

“Is Choo-ja someone important to you?”

“Um…yes.”

Kwon Chae-woo silently stared at Lee-yeon and nodded. “Then I should make an effort to receive her favor.”

“No, you don’t have—”

Even before she could finish her words, he turned to Choo-ja. “Mother, I’m very sorry to tell you this, but I might not be able to keep the promises I made with you before the marriage.”

“I knew that ever since you began sleeping.” Choo-ja responded without hesitation, completely at ease.

“Lee-yeon told me I was gentle and polite.”

“Yeah, you were.” Choo-ja smiled at Lee-yeon. Lee-yeon could tell that she guessed this was how Lee-yeon had tricked him.

“I think it will take some time for me to become a husband that Lee-yeon remembers.”

“I know, and of course, I understand.”

“But it won’t take that long. The doctor told me that it wouldn’t be that hard because I have the inertia that will turn me back to my true self.”

Choo-ja could see Lee-yeon flinched.

“Lee-yeon, when should I start working?”

“You want to work?”

He frowned when Lee-yeon widened her eyes in surprise. “Don’t you find it unfair that you had to take care of everything by yourself this whole time?”

“No, but…you can rest! Right now, you have to focus on your recovery, Kwon Chae-woo. And it would make me less worried….” She rubbed her pants with her sweaty palms anxiously.

“Chae-woo.” He corrected her.

“Huh?” Suddenly, he put his arms around the back of the sofa and leaned back.

“It’s Chae-woo,” he said again. “Call me Chae-woo.”

As he spoke with a low voice, he lowered his head and looked straight at Lee-yeon. She found those eyes more terrifying than anything else.

Lee-yeon stiffened as if someone was aiming a knife at her neck. At the sight of the woman’s pale face, Kwon Chae-woo suddenly buried his face in his forearm. However, the tip of his raised eyebrows was still clearly visible.

“You no longer see me as a man?”

For some reason, she couldn’t even move a finger. The sudden change in the atmosphere reminded her of the day she first saw his eyes in the dark mountain. He then pressed his temple with his index finger.

“I’m an idiot with only one thing in my head.”

Lee-yeon couldn’t respond.

“Your face.”

Lee-yeon felt like she was sitting on a something sharp. She had to tread carefully. “Lee-yeon, you don’t know what that feels like,” he continued. “It drives me crazy.” He scrunched his eyebrows as if it was causing him pain. “All I have in my head is the face of a woman I don’t remember properly. But it scares me to think that I might forget that too.”

Lee-yeon couldn’t take her eyes off Kwon Chae-woo, who let out a dry laugh. I shouldn’t feel this way, but he looks pitiful, Lee-yeon thought.

“I’ll want to become a bad husband if that happens.” He reached out and gently stroked Lee-yeon’s cheek. Her heart raced in horror. His fingertips were cold, and she was scared that he might be holding a string or a syringe. Her heart was beating so fast as if she had just come back from a hundred-meter run.

Seeing Lee-yeon stiff, Choo-ja quietly mumbled to herself, “He’s not just any man.”

Choo-ja took out her cell phone and looked for someone’s number. First, I should find out who Kwon Chae-woo is.

* * *

That night Lee-yeon was alone on the first floor, using ‘work’ as an excuse to stay there. I will not sleep with that man today no matter what.

She wanted to close and lock the door to the second floor forever, but the lock was broken, by none other than Kwon Chae-woo. When she peeked into the room through the slightly open door, she saw that the man was doing push-ups. His upper body was bare and slick with sweat while loose pants covered his lower body. He didn’t even pant while working out.

Muscular back, curved midline, bulged veins, and a steady pace. His recovery was remarkably fast. Lee-yeon could see a great difference between the vegetative man that he had been and the man he was now, at this moment.

I feel comfortable with plants, but not beasts. The clock chimed and Lee-yeon was pulled out of her thoughts to the present. Lee-yeon went to her own bedroom and closed the door. Her breath was rugged. She could feel a stabbing pain at the back of her head. Since sunset she had only one thing in her mind: How to avoid spending the night with Kwon Chae-woo?

After a few seconds, there was a knock at the door. “Lee-yeon,” Kwon Chae-woo’s voice called.

She could see the shadow of the man’s feet under the door where the paint had fallen off. It was her first time being very concerned about the old door that wasn’t locked tightly

Lee-yeon pulled the blanket over her and tried to block the sound. Just go back! She repeated to herself. But even from childhood hour, no mercy was ever directed her way. Her prayers were never answered.

The doorknob shook violently as if it was about to fall off. Lee-yeon bit her lip and pretended to sleep.

“Lee-yeon, open the door.”

She trembled, hearing his toneless voice. She thought if she could see the eyes of the man standing outside, she would have felt a little less scared, but his low voice was enough to frighten Lee-yeon.

The silence fell thickly. How many minutes have passed? Lee-yeon wondered. The wooden floor creaked outside her door. Lee-yeon flung aside the blanket she had draped over herself and quietly got out of her bed. At the sound of him moving away from the door, she could finally breathe easy.

The woman who claimed to be his wife is avoiding her husband. What will he think of this situation? The moment the clock rang, her body moved first before she could think. Lee-yeon brought her ears close to the door.

“Did you think I left?” came the voice.