Swallowed - Chapter 23

It seemed like Jaeha had come with the intention of enjoying a riverside date with Seyoung, as they still had over an hour left. With envious glances from others, Seyoung nodded, getting ready quickly. As Seyoung and Jaeha left, Ye-mi, watching them, commented curiously, “Baek Jaeha doesn’t seem to mind at all that Seyoung can’t speak. When I heard her talking without the TTS, I was really surprised. I can see why she uses it.”

Yu-jeong frowned at Ye-mi’s comment, but since others around them were nodding in agreement, she couldn’t say anything. Frustrated, she grabbed a bottle of soju and popped it open, to which Ye-mi gave her a side-eye.

“I wasn’t criticizing her. I was just saying it surprised me, that’s all.”

“I know. That’s why I didn’t say anything.”

“You gave me the stink eye, though.”

“If you knew, why did you have to say that?”

Pouting, Ye-mi muttered, “Anyone would think you’re her mom,” but everyone knew how close Seyoung and Yu-jeong were. Even though Seyoung usually hung out with both Da-ram and Yu-jeong, Da-ram kept a bit of distance, while Yu-jeong had none of that.

“By the way, I heard Baek Jaeha fought with a first-year girl recently.”

This news from another classmate, Min-young, widened both Yu-jeong and Ye-mi’s eyes. That easygoing Jaeha, fighting with a girl?

“Apparently, the girl said Seyoung’s TTS was creepy, and she said it right in front of him.”

“What kind of crazy b*tch would say that?”

Yu-jeong immediately jumped up as if she were ready to go pull someone’s hair out. Da-ram, extending a hand, pulled her back into her seat, urging her to listen more.

“Because of that, she’s a complete outcast now. No one wants to get on Baek Jaeha’s bad side, and besides, she badmouthed a Sunbae.”

“What’s her name?”

“Kim Woo-rim, I think? Leave it alone, though. I heard Jaeha already put her in her place.”

“Hmph.”

Yu-jeong narrowed her eyes, her expression hardening. This semester seemed to be full of complications. From professors giving them a hard time on the first day to a young junior openly badmouthing Seyoung, it felt like happiness and misfortune were walking hand in hand. She had just started dating, but there were so many things getting in the way.

Seeing her expression, Da-ram let out a little laugh.

“You really are like Seyoung’s mom. Do you think Seyoung is fifteen? Stop worrying so much.”

“No, our little squirrel here is the one who’s fifteen. Our mischievous middle schooler is eyeing the soju again. Didn’t I say no drinking, young lady?”

“Do you want to die?”

The conversation soon shifted to their usual playful bickering, and Seyoung wasn’t mentioned again.

***

For once, the weather forecast had been accurate: no rain. The riverside was perfect for a walk, and the well-maintained trails were beautiful. Holding Seyoung’s hand, Jaeha was in a great mood. They really felt like a newly dating couple. At one point, they sat on a lovely bench along the path and took photos together.

The resort offered various water leisure programs, and boats and jet skis were parked at the dock.

“Have you ever tried wakeboarding?” Jaeha asked.

Seyoung shook her head lightly. He pointed toward a banana boat and asked if she had ever tried it. The sight of the yellow banana boat cast a slight shadow over Seyoung’s face.

It reminded her of a high school field trip. Back then, they had taken turns riding the banana boat in groups. However, Seyoung had been ostracized at the time, not fitting in with anyone, and had been left out even during the field trip. The teacher had forced everyone, including Seyoung, onto the boat, but she hadn’t found it fun at all.

To make matters worse, someone had deliberately caused the boat to flip, and everyone had ended up swallowing water. Someone had grabbed Seyoung’s head and shoved it underwater, and she had almost drowned. She had flailed so much that she nearly passed out before they finally pulled her back up. To this day, she had no idea who had pushed her under, only a suspicion.

“Why do you look so serious?” Jaeha asked.

“I almost died once, so I don’t like water activities.”

At the mention of almost dying, Jaeha’s expression darkened instantly. It wasn’t just that she couldn’t swim—it was something more serious. Without realizing it, he gripped her hand tightly, making her wince in pain. He quickly let out a sigh and loosened his grip.

“How about you? You seem like someone who’d be good at swimming with shoulders like yours.”

“Can you really tell just by looking at my shoulders? Well, I did swim from a young age.”

“You’ve got swimmer’s shoulders—they’re broad.”

Jaeha laughed brightly. Seyoung glanced at his shoulders again, then nodded in agreement. Of course, they were wider than hers, but even compared to most guys, his frame was larger. His broad shoulders naturally led to a wide chest, and his upper body was quite thick. Even if Seyoung tried to hug him, her hands probably wouldn’t meet behind his back.

Yet despite his size, his waist was slim, forming a perfect V-shape. It didn’t seem like a body sculpted just by exercise—it looked like something he was born with.

“Your body is really beautiful. You could be a statue,” Seyoung said.

The word beautiful made Jaeha blush. The unexpected compliment about his physique left him feeling flushed. Not realizing how flustered he was, Seyoung continued to look him up and down, thinking there wasn’t a single flaw on him. Her slender fingers grazed his shoulders and slowly trailed down to his chest. His firm pectoral muscles twitched beneath his shirt, and Seyoung let out a small laugh.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

Realizing that his voice was husky, Jaeha cleared his throat with a soft cough. Unaware of this, Seyoung continued to press her finger against his chest and giggled even more.

“Your muscles are pulsing inside, but you’re sitting there in that cute yellow shirt, looking all innocent,” she laughed, finding the contrast amusing.

Seeing her laughter, Jaeha couldn’t help but chuckle too. He took Seyoung’s hand resting on his chest and guided it down to his stomach. Tightening his abs deliberately, he pressed her hand against his firm muscles and slowly moved it.

“This is how I lull you into lowering your guard before I devour you,” he teased.

Seyoung laughed and tried to pull her hand away, but Jaeha held on tighter, not letting her go. He smiled mischievously, telling her that now that she was caught, all that was left was for him to “devour” her. With a playful gleam in his eyes, he leaned down.

His lips brushed her forehead lightly, and the warmth of his breath made Seyoung gulp without realizing it. Too late, she realized she might have unintentionally provoked him. His hand, which had been rubbing her stomach, had drifted lower, lingering near the waistband of her pants.

“Jaeha,” she called softly.

“What should I do with you, hmm?” he murmured against her lips. Seyoung didn’t respond, but she lifted her head slightly, her nose brushing against his firm jawline. He tilted his head down, their gazes locking. His eyes were filled with raw desire.

“You said I could do whatever I want….”

Jaeha let out a shaky breath, feeling a mix of frustration and affection. He almost resented her for telling him to do as he pleased. If only she didn’t speak, maybe he wouldn’t feel this overwhelming need.

Today, Seyoung looked even more beautiful with her long, wavy hair cascading down. The sunlight reflecting off the river seemed to highlight her even more. Her flawless, fair skin looked almost translucent, and her long, dark lashes fluttered like fans, glistening under the light.

But what really captivated Jaeha was her plump lips. They glistened, possibly from lip gloss, and he found himself irresistibly drawn to them, wanting to kiss her and taste her completely.

Why did he always feel so ravenous whenever he saw Han Seyoung? It wasn’t like he could actually devour her, yet his mouth watered, and he felt a deep hunger. Swallowing hard, Jaeha couldn’t hold back any longer and pressed his lips to hers. Seyoung didn’t pull away and even opened her mouth slightly for him.

Instead of pushing his tongue inside, Jaeha gently sucked on her lips, eliciting a small movement from her hand as if signaling him to stop before her lips became too swollen. But he didn’t stop. He pressed her hand harder against his pants and sucked on her lips even more firmly.

“Hng….”

Seyoung felt the heat beneath her palm and shivered as his hot breath mingled with hers. The warmth emanating from him seemed to engulf her, making her feel as if she were burning from the inside.

She pressed her other hand against his shoulder and finally managed to push him away. Her lips, swollen and tingling, were bright red, and she gently pressed them with her teeth to relieve the discomfort. But Jaeha didn’t seem ready to stop, leaning in for another kiss.

Before he could, Seyoung whispered first, her voice slow and melodic, turning the air between them heavy with desire.

“Let’s… change locations.”