Chapter 160.2

Chapter 160.2

Han Seoryeong’s gaze drifted to the open land beyond the terrace before she continued.

“But for now, it’s just the two of us.”

“Good! Then I’ll grill the lamb extra delicious for you! You’ve heard this is the Land of Fire, right? Flames like flamethrowers shoot from the ground, and they haven’t gone out for four thousand years. That’s why couples visit. They say it means their love will last just as long. You came to the right place!”

For the briefest moment, Seoryeong’s cheek twitched. Four thousand years… with Wooshin?

“That’s just natural gas. Methane, sulfur, and oxygen mixing underground-”

The owner smirked at her flustered rebuttal.

“What, is four thousand years too long for you?”

“Ah, well-”

“Honestly, love is only fun in the beginning. Once husbands start clinging, they’re a nuisance. Women just want to live alone as they get older. But now you’ve gone and tied the knot, what’ll you do?”

The owner sighed dramatically and patted Seoryeong’s shoulder.

“Your groom is handsome, I’ll give him that. But the way he stares right through you… If he keeps that up even when you’re old, living with him will drive you mad!”

With a knowing glint in her eye, the owner suddenly checked her watch. “Oh, look at the time!”

“You’ll find your way back to your room, right? I need to run to my husband’s hunting grounds.”

“Hunting grounds?”

Seoryeong’s previously indifferent eyes flickered with interest. The owner pointed to an old jeep.

“There’s a hunting site nearby that my husband used to manage. It’s scheduled for demolition soon. We’re clearing it to build a second guesthouse.”

Seoryeong casually gripped the owner’s arm.

“Mind if I tag along?”

The jeep rattled violently as they drove to the shabby hunting grounds, leaving her utterly exhausted by the time they returned. The old rifles and leftover animal tranquilizers suggested the place had been more functional than expected.

Back in her room, Seoryeong sank into a rocking chair and dozed off.

The breeze from the wide-open terrace brushed against her skin, until suddenly, the swaying of her hair stopped. Someone lifted her effortlessly into their arms.

“—”

‘Ah… Is it Hyun? No… Instructor?’

She wasn’t sure what name slipped out. Even in her half-conscious state, she instinctively curled deeper into his hold. The man stiffened for a second before tightening his embrace and lying down with her on the bed.

Careful fingers combed through her hair, tracing each strand of her eyebrows. It tickled, but sleep pulled at her even harder. Then his forehead pressed fully against hers, their breaths mingling. A peaceful moment.

She wanted to open her eyes, but her overloaded mind and toxin-weakened body felt completely drained.

The hand caressing her face slid down to her chin. When his fingers brushed the nape of her neck, goosebumps rose. Seoryeong shifted restlessly and mumbled like a sleep-talker.

“Tomorrow…”

“Tomorrow what?”

“Tomorrow… we’ll…”

“Look at her.”

The man immediately responded to her sleep-talking.

“What are we doing tomorrow?”

“The wedding night…”

He let out a short laugh before leaning in. A hot breath brushed against the nape of her neck.

“A person should be either poisonous or cute. Not both.”

His lips pressed teasingly against her nose before grazing the corner of her mouth with a playful nibble. Small, feather-light kisses followed, one after another.

She knew she shouldn’t, but it felt warm. Happy. Kim Hyun’s—no, Wooshin’s unchanging warmth was slowly consuming her.

“I heard a lot of stories from the owner today.”

Then, Wooshin pulled the blanket up to her chin and murmured to himself, his voice sinking like deep water beneath a frozen lake.

“One of them was about the Maiden’s Tower. Do you know why it’s called that?”

No answer came.

“A princess who lived here once loved a man, but she was forced to marry a prince instead. The prince built the tower to win her heart, and it stands as tall as it does now. Years later, the princess danced at the very top-”

He paused, holding her tighter.

“- and jumped.”

His gaze darkened as it lingered on the fluttering curtains.

“No one here knows how the prince lived after that.”

He buried his lips in her hair and whispered,

“But I think I do, Seoryeong.”

Somewhere in the distance, the screech of vultures tearing into corpses grew louder.

“My little owl… I’m sorry, but you’re not going anywhere.”