However, she finished the work talk in less than a tenth of the time it took for their casual chat, then, recalling the earlier conversation, she suddenly burst into laughter again, seemingly amused to death.
Sometimes, she had moments of wild joy at points Yoori could not understand. This seemed to be one of those cases.
Was saying someone has a beautiful body really such a strange thing?
Yoori reconsidered but didn’t think it was strange at all. Moreover, if she saw him herself, she would truly think his body was beautiful—so flawless and perfect that it was hard to look away.
But thinking again, even Yoori felt she might have been somewhat excessively absorbed.
Just this dawn, Ringsinru made a remark. Not a scolding or reproach, but as he quietly smiled subtly all through swimming, near the end he finally burst into a small laugh.
“You said it’s okay to have that much desire, but you really stare hard.”
He added jokingly, “Is that good?” while implying he knew Yoori’s gaze had been fixed on him the whole time, then left the pool.
Yet, he calmly dried himself without any awkwardness under her gaze.
“Besides the body, your swimming is beautiful too.”
“Swimming?”
Ringsinru looked back at her as if to say she was better at that. But he didn’t mean better or worse.
He was always lively underwater. Constantly moving without pause, cutting through water tirelessly, just watching him made one feel truly alive.
Almost like life itself… If one didn’t feel it was unfair that such a person had to expend stamina, it would be a lie; still, that vitality itself was impossible to look away from.
“Like a tropical sea fish.”
Yoori said calmly, and Ringsinru wiped his body with a towel, looking at Yoori with his round eyes.
“I’ve been complimented on my looks more than once... that counts as a compliment, right?”
“Yes.”
Ringsinru laughed looking at Yoori nodding.
“Ah, really. People who love water compliment like that... Thank you. Not quite an answer, but Gabe looks cool swimming underwater too. Like a deep-sea fish, beautiful.”
Yoori blinked for a moment, looking at Ringsinru. He looked at her as if to ask why, and by context it was a good thing. But—
“Thank you... but deep-sea fish aren’t beautifully shaped fish.”
“I know.”
The reply came promptly and succinctly.
How their appearance changed over countless years to live in those depths untouched by light, how strange it seemed to those living in the water.
Still, Ringsinru smiled and added just as briefly.
“But I like them. Those that live slow and ample in the deep sea.
It’s nice, isn’t it?”
Hearing that, Yoori closed her mouth. She felt troubled and embarrassed again.
She had never thought herself easily shaken by others’ words, but with this man, even trivial words suddenly unsettled her. Though the problem wasn’t really a problem but somewhat embarrassing, this man always noticed well if she was flustered, just by watching her expressionless face.
This time, he glanced at Yoori’s sullen face silently and laughed, “What’s wrong? Again?”
Maybe she hadn’t been too obvious in staring. The desire to look seemed natural, and she feared that if fulfilled, it might swell into even greater longing. As days passed, that thought grew stronger and felt somewhat troublesome.
If, by any chance... really by any chance... she were to get up in front of him in the pool without covering anything, she wanted to sink to the bottom just imagining it.
Truly become a deep-sea fish, sinking to that dark place where no light reached and no one could find him.
“...”
Yoori breathed heavily, never imagining she’d have such childish worries at her age.
“Why the sigh?”
Anette, about to say goodbye, heard the breath and paused, sounding worried as she asked sharply.
Yoori envied a woman who had no room for such ridiculous worries from the start.
Thinking of Anette laughing uproariously again if she knew, Yoori quietly shook her head.
“It’s nothing, Anette.”
“Really?”
After asking several times, Anette said reassuringly, “Okay then.”
“I’m not worried about you wherever you are, but I’m also worried wherever you are, you know? Love you, Yoori.”
A lip-smacking sound came over the phone. Yoori just smiled.
“Thank you. I love you too, Anette.”
With her grandmother and mother gone, perhaps this woman was the closest female person to her, even if only by pure affection.
After the laughter died down and the call ended, Yoori slowly put down the receiver. Talking with her always made her feel a little lighter. Surely, Anette was like water to someone too.
“Who is it? Girlfriend?”
An interested voice came from behind. Ringsinru had finished showering and was drying his hair, looking at Yoori with curiosity.
“Should I guess? Um... Anette?”
After pretending to think for a moment and saying the name, Yoori raised her eyebrow. “That’s right.” She nodded, looking a bit surprised, as if asking how he knew. Ringsinru laughed out loud at her.
“Label has too simple a love life.”
He grabbed a beer can and sat on the sofa, murmuring, “Ah, I’m tired...”
Knowing well that even if he told him to swim dozens of laps in the hundred-meter pool now, he was strong enough for it, Yoori didn’t fall for it.
Still, seeing him rub his tired eyes, she approached and sat next to him.
“You called about work?”
“Yes. It’s not very important or difficult.”
“Hmm... We live in a society where everyone helps each other.”
Before, Yoori had received similar calls to help find information she needed. Contacting the right person for what one wanted was daily life. Yoori did the same when necessary; such calls were routine.
“But thinking about it, really, the women who contact Gabe are few besides Anette, right?”
She counted on her fingers—Xiaoqun and a few others—never more than one hand. Suddenly, she became a man not very popular with women, but she showed no reaction.
“Most of this work is done by men. There are many women in desk work, but actual fieldwork often involves harsh situations, so mostly men do it.”
Anette had worked in the field long ago but moved to the desk not long after.
“A workplace full of men...”
Ringsinru shook his head as if a frustrating and gloomy image came to mind.
“Well, UNHRDO was like that, especially the Asian branch where there were no women at all. During special training periods when no weekend outings were allowed, it was not uncommon for some guys to sing ‘woman woman’ songs obsessively.” Find the original chapter at novelping.com.
Yoori nodded and suddenly closed her mouth. She knew the situation.
Among colleagues, several men were notably eager for women, and sometimes when they couldn’t meet women for work reasons, they got edgy, ending every sentence with “I want to do it, screw, fuck.”
If it were only men, UNHRDO wouldn’t be much different.
Yoori stared silently at Ringsinru drinking beer. He was a handsome, bright, and lovely man who would be considered a stunning beauty by many. Moreover, when dealing with people, he habitually smiled and treated them kindly.
It was hard to imagine such a person had been mixed in such harsh environments. The thought made her chest tighten.
Looking at Yoori who still had an indifferent face despite feeling gloomy, Ringsinru met her gaze. Lost in thought, he tilted his head.
“Have you ever had any difficulties outside of work?”
“...Me? No, none.”
Unexpectedly hearing the question she wanted to ask herself, Yoori blinked briefly and shook her head.
“Is that so?” Ringsinru murmured skeptically.
“Gabe doesn’t look like it at first glance, but if you get to know him quietly, he has a surprisingly soft side.”
“Is that so?” Yoori looked at herself and tilted her head but didn’t pay attention to his disbelief and looked down at the distance between them.
“Sit a little further over.”
Motioning for her to sit farther, Ringsinru lay down in the spot once Yoori moved back. His damp hair rested on her thigh; her thin cotton pants felt wet.
Seeing Ringsinru sigh heavily and rub his tired eyelids, Yoori said, “Wait a moment,” and tried to get up. Around this time, when Ringsinru finished showering and lay his head on Yoori’s thigh, she usually covered his eyes with a warm towel and rubbed them.
When Yoori tried to get up to bring a hot towel, Ringsinru seemed to hesitate, then said, “No.”
“I don’t want you to move your head. It’s bothersome. Just rub it like this.” He closed his eyes as he said this.
Looking at him, Yoori lowered her half-raised body again and slowly covered his eyes with her palm.
The long eyelashes tickled her palm softly. Gently stroking the soft and thin eyelids, she pressed lightly with her fingertips.
As she relaxed his eyes and around them, Ringsinru’s body visibly loosened.
Starting with a long, pleasant sigh, from his neck to shoulders to back, his whole body relaxed, stretching comfortably as if about to sleep.
Watching that made Yoori feel her own heart relax and loosen. He liked this moment.
She heard a regular breathing that whispered as if saying comfortable and good.
As if sharing a connection, Yoori also relaxed and exhaled quietly and deeply.
Then, suddenly, a quiet whisper came.
“Thank you.”
Looking down quietly at Ringsinru, Yoori was silent for a moment after hearing the words from his moving lips, then said, “It’s okay.”
She could easily do this much. An invisible eye ensured his eyes didn’t hurt, and the visible eye rubbed to prevent further fatigue was no difficult task. Moreover, hearing the thank you made Yoori herself deeply enjoy this time.
Ringsinru must have known that too. Even while rubbing his eyes, he must have known Yoori breathed comfortably, yet his mouth curved slightly in a smile.
“I just think that way. Not just now easing your eyes, but thanks for everything else too.”
After a pause, Yoori answered shortly, “You’re welcome.”
She didn’t know what exactly he was grateful for, but if she gave him something to be thankful for, she was glad.
At least she hadn’t upset him, and she smiled quietly.
“But saying thank you empty-handed... I feel a bit sorry always receiving... Is there anything you want?”
But Ringsinru’s smile disappeared at this question. Yoori looked at him awkwardly. She wasn’t the type to want many things, so she hadn’t thought much about it.
“No, nothing.”
“Think about it. I want to give you something.”
“Well... I got a swimsuit as a gift recently... really nothing.”
Yoori thought for a moment but shook her head because she couldn’t think of anything.
Besides, even if she received gifts, if she didn’t use them, that wouldn’t be comfortable either.
That swimsuit was like that.
When Ringsinru suddenly handed her a rectangular package saying “It’s a gift” not long ago, Yoori wondered what it was.
It wasn’t a special occasion and there was no reason, but still she thanked him and opened it on the spot. She was speechless at the swimsuit inside.
Surely she had just mentioned not long ago that her current swimsuit was fine—did she say something negatively?
She glanced at Ringsinru, who tossed the package carelessly and went to change clothes, meeting his eyes.
“Why? Don’t you like the color? I tried to pick something that would suit Gabe, but should I get a different one?”
Yoori wasn’t interested in dressing up, so whether the swimsuit was red or had an aloha flower pattern, as long as it fit, she didn’t care. She said, “No, I like it. Thank you,” but quietly looked down at the swimsuit wondering why he suddenly gave it.
But thinking about it, if one gives a gift, it should be something the other would like, and since Yoori liked swimming, a swimsuit was a good choice.
She accepted that and thanked Ringsinru again.
“I’ll keep it carefully and use it well when the one I’m wearing wears out. Thank you.”
No sooner had she said that than Ringsinru’s expression suddenly fell, as if she said something wrong.
“Throw away what you’re wearing now.”
“Huh? It’s still wearable. It’s fine.”
It wasn’t torn or worn out.
But Ringsinru frowned.
“Throw it away. It’s dirty.”
“...”
She almost said, “I wash it every day,” but his sharp gaze stopped her.
In the end, Yoori threw away the swimsuit she had cherished for years in front of Ringsinru and started using the new one.
Though she washed it daily, it looked dirty, which shocked her a little, so she washed the new one more carefully than before.
“I shower every day and change clothes every day...” Yoori said gloomily with an indifferent face, and Ringsinru asked again.
“Really nothing you want?”
He took Yoori’s hand that was covering her eyelids and lifted it slightly. Beneath it, dark eyes blinked and looked up at him.
“No.”
Yoori said quietly but firmly, shaking her head. Ringsinru looked slightly disappointed. “Hmm, so nothing,” he said while absentmindedly scratching her palm.
Sometimes, when in a bad mood, Ringsinru showed such cat-like charm.
Recently, he did that quite often, and Yoori liked that feeling secretly.
Then, when Ringsinru glanced at her, he seemed to know she liked such charm. Read this novel at novelping.com for the best experience.
He looked at her with narrow eyes as if saying, “Be grateful I’m charming you.” He was somewhat arrogant yet lovely like a cat, making Yoori laugh.
“Alright then. If you want something later, tell me. Gabe has given me so many things, I think I should do something for you too.”
Ringsinru covered Yoori’s hand over his face. The flutter of eyelashes tickled his palm again.
Then suddenly, “...Nice smell.”
Ringsinru whispered to himself, lightly pressing his face against her hand and lifting his head a little, sniffing the palm. She felt him inhale.
“It smells good. Soap scent maybe?”
Yoori looked around, then raised her other hand near her nose but didn’t smell anything special.
“Well, I don’t know well, but I just washed, so maybe soap scent. Or since I touched Ringsinru’s face, maybe the scent transferred.”
“No, I don’t think that.”
Ringsinru still didn’t move. With his hand on top of Yoori’s covering hand, he lay quietly as if to sleep.
Yoori kept looking at his hand on hers for a long time.
“...Nice, very much so.”
“Right? Even a blind man can’t fail to notice that smell unless his nose is utterly crooked.”
Ling Tangyun laughed heartily and poured more liquor into Yoori’s glass. The pale yellow liquid swayed in the thin cup.
Yoori unusually shook her hand with regret.
“No, I have to drive, so I can’t drink more.”
“Oh, right. Well, since it’s poured, just drink this much.”
“...Okay, just this much.”
Though hesitant, Yoori finally nodded and took the glass.
Usually, she would have refused even this, but the liquor really tasted good.
Even Yoori, who didn’t usually enjoy alcohol, felt the liquor coat and melt on her tongue.
“This is from the south of Henan. They produce less than a hundred bottles a year even there. Isn’t it excellent?”
“I see.”
She nodded, sipping a few times, and the glass quickly emptied. Xiaoqun noticed her disappointed look and laughed heartily.
“Uncle Yoori, you don’t usually like liquor but you really seem to like this. I’ll teach you something good.
My father set aside a bottle to give you when you visited.”
“Inseok! Gifts should be surprises. If you say beforehand, what’s the fun?”
Ling Tangyun pretended to frown and scolded his daughter. Xiaoqun shrugged as if scared. Pei reached over, licked a drop of liquor left in the glass, and nodded.
“Definitely tastes good. But if you drink a lot, you’ll get a hangover.”
“Yeah, that’s the downside... and it’s a hot liquor, so people with warm constitutions shouldn’t drink it.”
Ling Tangyun sighed as if regretful. Pei poured more liquor into the empty glass, tasted slowly, and blinked.
“Going to sell this?”
“Hmm... needs some adjustment, though.”
Nodding, Ling Tangyun said it seemed they were about to start handling this liquor at the Ling family’s distribution business.
No sooner said than Pei made a sour face and pretended to cry.
“Father, I’m dying——. I’m overwhelmed with work and worry if I’ll open my eyes tomorrow morning, trembling every night——
Inseok, what nonsense are you talking about for just one more liquor deal!”
“Father! I’ve been learning for months. Do you think starting a new trade means only one more job? You want to make your son a bachelor ghost——”
Pei wailed, banging the floor, before Ling Tangyun gave him a hard slap on the back—not with a palm but a fist—with a truly painful ‘kkuak’ sound.
“Shut up. Even if you’re dying like that, this job won’t come to you.”
“Huh? Really?”
Pei, rubbing his back and quickly sitting up, laughed as if it didn’t matter and poured a drink.
“Yeah. Not just this job, but I heard Grandpa is going to hand over the liquor business to Sinlu soon.”
Ling Tangyun murmured heavily. It wasn’t mere speculation but news already spreading. Yoori, rinsing her mouth with water, stopped moving for a moment.
“Liquor? Wow, that’s a big deal. There will be many who are jealous. But considering Grandpa adores the youngest uncle, isn’t it rather that he’s only giving him this much?”
“But that side is complicated and difficult, right? Sinlu uncle has no training in business or management, does he?”
Xiaoqun seemed worried as she spoke. Pei nodded similarly. Ling Tangyun quietly tasted his liquor, pursed his lips slowly.
True, there were talks that Ringsinru would soon take over the family business. He was currently resting due to health, but was now old enough to start social life, and Linghwiryung wouldn’t just leave his beloved youngest son alone.
So Ringsinru would soon get busy. To do the work he’d postponed, even more than Pei who cried daily about dying.
And liquor... whether to call it unexpected or not, Yoori wasn’t sure.
Even just liquor-related matters must be considerable in scale. Pei said it was a “big deal.” But also, Pei said that compared to how much Linghwiryung doted on Ringsinru, he surprisingly wasn’t given so much.
However, Yoori shook her head, thinking it wasn’t her concern. She couldn’t know the internal circumstances, either.
Looking at Ling Tangyun’s expression quietly, it was clear he didn’t think the shares were “small.”
“But uncle still has a long way to go. Quite some time has passed.”
“The youngest grandmother called him to visit after a long time. Would she let him go so easily?”
Pei muttered, “Still far from done,” sipping his liquor. Yoori thought the same. Ringsinru himself sighed on his way, “I’ll be held back quite a bit again.”
A few hours ago, Ringsinru’s mother called him to the family home, saying she had brought a skilled healer. She called repeatedly before leaving the mansion, insisting he come quickly.
Ringsinru went, showing obvious annoyance. Yoori waited in the main house’s reception room, then was dragged by Pei saying, “Don’t just sit there alone, come play with me.”
But she never imagined that Xiaoqun and Ling Tangyun, who had come home for their mother’s birthday, would join to “play.” (The mother, whose birthday it was, was leisurely shopping with a chauffeur.)
“Well... Sinlu will do well. He’s always done above the basics from a young age.”
At that moment, Ling Tangyun, who had been smelling the liquor quietly, set down his cup and spoke. He had been thinking about the duties to entrust to Ringsinru.
“Also, recently, he’s lost much of his previous instability... He still has sides that make others wary, but that can be seen as a good thing as a senior.”
Ling Tangyun nodded and muttered to himself. He had once called Kyle about business matters. Judging by the time, Kyle was probably not in the office, so he called home. The phone rang once, then suddenly—
“What exactly do you want! Should I sing the national anthem or what?!”
A terrifyingly loud voice burst out, almost rupturing eardrums.
It was Jeong Taeui. He shouted so loudly the voice spilled outside the phone.
Ringsinru, who was sitting not far away flipping a schedule, flinched and looked this way. Yoori unconsciously met his eyes. Ringsinru briefly frowned when he saw her but then nonchalantly stood up and switched to speakerphone.
His brazen attitude to overhear someone else’s call left Yoori speechless. Besides, it was understandable since the other party was Jeong Taeui.