Chapter 150

EP.150 If You’re Pickled, You Should Move to the Next Step

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“Dr. Jennifer Cash! Hello!”

Adeline greets cheerfully.

The doctor, amused by her actions, smiles brightly.

“Nice to see you, Adeline.”

“Wow! You look so pretty when you smile!”

The doctor is secretly pleased.

She knew she was pretty.

But Adeline in front of her, Silvia, Sehwa, and even Yuria…

With so many beauties around, her confidence had taken a hit. But hearing Adeline, who doesn’t seem like she’d lie, call her pretty lifted her spirits.

“Thank you. Your Korean has improved a lot, hasn’t it?”

“Yes! I’ve been studying hard! But where is Jihyuk?”

When Adeline suddenly mentions Jihyuk’s name, the doctor’s brow twitches slightly.

“Jihyuk? Why Jihyuk…?”

“Because I miss him! He’s such a kind colleague, Jihyuk!”

Colleague… Someone like Adeline would naturally run to someone she likes.

Even though the doctor has Jihyuk’s contact info, Adeline asking her where he is implies she hasn’t contacted him personally.

So, it seems she doesn’t have romantic feelings for him.

The doctor sighs in relief internally and answers.

“Jihyuk went home for a bit.”

“Home? Why?”

“He had some things to do… This is the spaghetti you like, right?”

Changing the subject, the doctor holds out a bag, and Adeline peers inside before laughing cheerfully.

“Wow! Spaghetti! I love it!”

Adeline jumps up and down on the spot.

It’s cute, but she seems a bit too childish.

It’s hard to believe someone like her is so strong…

As the doctor enters the house, she exchanges brief greetings with Silvia and turns on the translator device Silvia handed her.

“Why did you come alone today?”

Silvia’s polite question.

Her manners are impeccable.

She always gives off a calm vibe, and like Jihyuk said, she seems like a good match for Adeline.

But why do I feel like they’re always looking for Jihyuk? It’s a bit unsettling.

“Jihyuk is a bit busy, so I came instead.”

“I see… Is the device production going well?”

The doctor can’t help but feel guilty.

She hasn’t made anything in four days.

She hasn’t even been to the lab.

Swallowing her saliva discreetly, the doctor lies calmly.

“Yes. It’s going smoothly. But it’s still a long way off. It takes a lot of time to make.”

“I’ll wait as long as it takes. Thank you, Doctor.”

She felt sorry… so very sorry.

She decided to go to the lab with Jihyuk later today and start production.

With that resolve, the doctor smiles brightly.

“I’m glad you’re doing well. I’ll be going now.”

“Already? That’s a shame…”

“I’m busy. I just came to deliver some food today. Let’s talk next time.”

“Okay, I won’t keep you. Take care on your way back.”

Silvia misunderstood.

She thought the doctor was going to make the device.

What kind of face would she make if she knew the doctor was going to buy food ingredients for Jihyuk?

She might even look down on her. Just imagining it is terrifying.

But starting today, she’ll reduce her sleep and get to work on production.

No need to feel guilty. That would just raise suspicions.

“Thank you. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

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The bubbling stew.

The doctor, with an overwhelmingly negative visual and anxious eyes, scoops a bit of the stew with a spoon and tastes it.

Then she sticks out her tongue and furrows her brow.

“I’m going crazy…”

The seasoning is completely off.

She can make Western dishes above average, but Eastern dishes don’t seem to suit her.

Jihyuk might even throw up if he eats this.

She was worried he’d get tired of only eating American food… but it seems better to stick to what she knows.

Of course, Jihyuk is good at cooking. The bean sprout soup she tasted at his officetel last time was really light, and the side dishes were just right.

If he gets tired of it, he’ll make his own, but she still wants to do it herself.

The doctor turns off the induction stove and throws away all the stew. She makes sure to clean up all the residue and flush it down the drain so Jihyuk won’t notice.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The doctor, leaning against the sink, feeling gloomy, snaps out of it when the loud sound of the washing machine echoes.

She takes out dozens of towels and underwear from the washing machine and sighs.

She used them all in four days.

Whether she was dressed or not, every time their eyes met, they had relations, and she showered several times a day, so it’s no wonder there’s so much laundry.

Thankfully, the washing machine is large.

Looking outside, it’s pouring rain.

The news said it’s the autumn marathon rainy season… It seems like it’ll rain for a few more days.

The doctor really hates rainy days.

The damp atmosphere naturally makes her feel depressed.

It’s the same now.

No, with Jihyuk not home, she feels even lonelier than before.

The doctor, with her shoulders slumped, slowly puts the laundry into the dryer.

Why is Jihyuk taking so long? He said he’d stop by the officetel and come back…

It’s not that far… Could he be with Sehwa?

Her hand holding the laundry tightens involuntarily.

“Gasp!”

Realizing what she was thinking, the doctor swallows hard.

She felt jealous. Of Sehwa, Jihyuk’s lover.

For a moment, she had bad thoughts about the hero who saved humanity.

Taking deep breaths to calm herself, the doctor tilts her head when she doesn’t see her husband’s navy blue T-shirt.

Where did it go? She definitely hand-washed it two days ago and put it in the laundry basket to wash again…

After searching for the T-shirt for a while, the doctor gives up.

It didn’t grow legs and run away, so it must be somewhere.

She’ll ask Jihyuk when he gets back.

With that thought, the doctor turns on the dryer and goes into the utility room to pull out a frame from the corner.

“……”

The wedding photo she hasn’t looked at in four days.

Staring at it with a distant look, the doctor puts the frame back in the corner.

This time, she covers it completely.

She’s worried her husband in heaven might suddenly appear in the photo and watch her and Jihyuk’s intimate moments.

A ridiculous thought. But she’s so guilty that she thinks such things.

-If you feel so guilty, don’t do it! Just don’t do it!-

It feels like her husband’s voice is coming from somewhere in her heart.

Don’t do it? She can’t.

She’s already addicted to Jihyuk’s kind voice, handsome face, perfect body, and impressive thing.

Her feelings for him have grown uncontrollably.

Being with Jihyuk fills the emptiness in her heart.

It reminds her of the sweet married life she once had, and it feels so good.

-Jenny… Don’t do this.-

It’s coming again.

Don’t do this? You’re the one who left me!

Do you know how lonely I’ve been for 10 years… You don’t understand my feelings, yet you tell me not to do this.

Isn’t that too selfish? I want to be happy too!

The doctor, about to blurt this out, is startled.

For a moment, she directs her anger at her husband. Why did she think that?

The jealousy she felt towards Sehwa earlier, and now this, it seems like her loneliness has created a sense of compensation.

Hurriedly leaving the utility room, the doctor washes her face and plops down on the sofa.

Hummm-!

The sound of the dryer in the quiet living room.

The loneliness feels overwhelming again.

Being alone, all sorts of thoughts flood in.

She’s afraid to face Sehwa.

She feels sorry to Yuria, Silvia, and Adeline.

As the head of the headquarters, she should be setting an example… but she feels so pathetic.

But what can she do? She likes Jihyuk so much.

She misses him. She misses his gentle voice holding her, driving her crazy.

Even though they’ve been intimate so many times, she still wants more.

Just the thought of him touching her makes her feel wet down there.

It’s like she’s discovered a new side of herself.

Beep!

The sound of a card key at the front door.

Jihyuk is here.

The doctor, overjoyed, gets up from the sofa and runs over.

Clunk!

The door opens, and Jihyuk, with one shoulder wet, holding a large shopping bag, asks the doctor.

“What were you doing?”

His warm voice.

Her heart melts. A smile naturally forms on her lips.

Feeling her heart race, the doctor bites her lower lip.

She wants to jump into his broad arms right now, but she’s afraid she’ll be scolded for not acting her age.

Unable to do anything, Jihyuk smiles brightly and spreads his arms.

“Ah…!”

He noticed her feelings.

That’s Jihyuk. Yes, age is no obstacle.

Jihyuk likes her like this, so what does it matter?

Finishing her short thought, the doctor approaches and hugs Jihyuk.

Then Jihyuk gently touches the back of her neck and says.

“Our noona, were you very lonely?”

The doctor doesn’t answer.

She’s marveling at Jihyuk’s firm body, which doesn’t budge even as she presses against him.

It’s a sensation she feels every time, but it’s amazing. It’s different from her somewhat frail husband.

She thought he resembled Ed in personality, but she takes that back.

Jihyuk has his own charm.

Even though they haven’t been together long, she’s already deeply in love.

“Hop on. Let’s go in.”

Saying this, Jihyuk pats the doctor’s butt.

The doctor wraps her arms around Jihyuk’s neck and jumps, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Carrying the doctor, Jihyuk enters the house and plops down on the sofa.

Putting the shopping bag aside, he asks.

“Were you doing laundry?”

“Yes. Where are the clothes?”

“I brought them. Here.”

Looking inside the shopping bag, it’s full of clothes.

He originally said he’d only stay for two days… but looking at the clothes he brought, it seems like he plans to stay for a while.

The doctor feels uneasy but secretly happy.

The fact that Jihyuk brought so many clothes is proof that he’s into her.

Taking out a few clothes and sniffing them, she notices a pleasant but unfamiliar scent.

It smells like the fabric softener Sehwa uses.

There’s also a faint scent of black cherry.

It’s the same scent she noticed when she woke up at Jihyuk’s officetel last time.

Jealousy towards Sehwa rises again.

“Let’s wash these again. They smell.”

“Smell?”

Jihyuk sniffs the clothes.

Then he tilts his head.

“I don’t smell anything.”

“No, there’s a bit of a musty smell… Maybe your closet got damp from the rain these past few days. Or maybe you left them wet…”

“Is that so? You probably know better than me. Let’s do that.”

“Why did you bring dress shirts and suits? Are you expecting work at the company?”

“Yes. In case something urgent comes up, I can leave right away.”

“Don’t you have a suit bag? They’re all wrinkled. Let’s take these to the dry cleaner.”

“What if something comes up while we’re doing that? Just leave them.”

“No, same-day service is available. I’ll go quickly and come back. Wait here.”

“If you’re going, let’s go together.”

Hearing the answer she wanted, the doctor’s face brightens and she nods.

Jihyuk chuckles.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing, just… I like you, noona.”

The doctor can’t hide her smile.

This kind of life is really refreshing.

Feeling happy over small expressions of affection, wanting to take care of everything for her lover.

It’s like being in a fresh new romance.

She feels younger, both physically and mentally.

Leaning against Jihyuk, slowly rocking, the doctor says.

“Ah, Jihyuk.”

“Yes?”

“Have you seen the navy blue T-shirt? I thought I put it in the washing machine, but it’s gone.”

“That T-shirt? I haven’t seen it… Did you lose it?”

“I think so. It must be somewhere in the house…”

“Should we look for it together?”

About to nod, the doctor feels like Jihyuk is testing her.

Jihyuk didn’t like that T-shirt.

Recalling how he casually tossed it aside when she gave it to him, it’s clear.

It was a precious item.

But now that she wants to deepen her relationship with Jihyuk, saying “Let’s look for it now” or showing attachment to the T-shirt might disappoint him.

Yes, clinging to her husband’s belongings and crying over them was strange.

It’s not like that’s the only memento of her husband… If Jihyuk has to leave for work, she’ll look for it then.

After much thought, the doctor speaks.

“No, it’s okay. It must be somewhere.”

Hearing this, Jihyuk smiles contentedly.

Seeing Jihyuk’s expression, the doctor feels she gave the right answer.

She feels a bit sorry towards her husband, but it quickly fades.

‘It’s not like I threw it away… It’ll be fine.’

Rationalizing, the doctor feels ecstatic as Jihyuk hugs her tightly.

She’s glad she answered that way. It seems her romantic cells aren’t dead yet.

Thinking this, the doctor, nestled against Jihyuk’s chest, looks up and asks.

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. I’m hungry.”

“I’ll make something quick. Just wait a bit.”

“No. Let’s eat out while we’re going to the dry cleaner.”

“Should we? What do you want to eat?”

“Hmm… There’s a gambas place nearby, shall we try that?”

“I’m fine with anything.”

“But I don’t feel like moving now. Let’s stay like this for a bit?”

The doctor shyly nods.

It’s what she wanted to say.

Not just a bit, but for a long time… No, she wants to be with him every day.

‘I should say let’s go to the lab…’

She should… but she can’t.

The doctor tightens her arms around Jihyuk’s back.

All she can think about now is how happy she is.

It seems she’s completely immersed in the swamp where this man resides.

She thought Edward was her first and last love, but she was wrong.

If she had met Jihyuk when she was younger, it would have been great…

It really would have been great…

This thought briefly crosses the doctor’s mind before disappearing.

Next episode―――――――――――――――――――――

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