40-57

Chapter 57: Chapter 18: Confession (3) 

After showering, we laid Sunhwa on the bed and spread blankets on the floor. Sua lay down with her head on my arm, humming a tune as we shared the same blanket. 

"So, what are you planning to do now?" 

"Hmm?" 

When I answered with a question, Sua sighed softly and continued, "Did you forget? I mean Jiye. What are you going to do about her? I don’t think it’s good to just leave things as they are." 

"Oh, is that all? Don’t worry about it." 

"Why?" 

Looking up at me from my embrace, Sua asked. I took out my phone and showed her the screen. "The conquest is already done. Now I just have to treat her better from here on out." 

Jiye was already added to the list of completed conquests. The last quest condition must have been her accepting me as her master. It seemed she made up her mind after seeing me with both Sunhwa and Sua. Maybe Sua coming here today actually helped me. 

"What’s this? Oh! I’m here too, and so is Sunhwa!" Sua looked at my phone with interest. "So this means, what, conquest is finished? I’m a caught fish, huh?" 

"Haha... You don’t have to put it like that. It’s not like that." 

"Tch, can’t even joke around." 

Sua gave me a light kiss on the cheek and whispered, "So? What does it say here?" 

"Uh... Want to see?" 

There was no need to hide anything from Sua now. I tapped her profile and handed her the phone. Humming, she scrolled down the screen. 

"Hmm... So this is how it is? I thought something was off... Oh my." 

When she reached the titles and skills section, Sua smiled and stroked my stomach. "What’s this? ‘Main Wife’? Huh? What is it~" 

I guess getting comfortable sleep tonight was out of the question. 

The next morning, after Sunhwa pouted that we hadn’t woken her, we all had a bowl of hangover soup and went our separate ways. At the restaurant, after ordering, Sunhwa gave me a look as she drank her water. 

"How sneaky." 

"You passed out crying, I couldn’t help it. But aren’t you worried about Minji? Her lesson’s this evening." 

"...She went to see her dad." 

When Sunhwa’s husband came up, Sua gave an awkward smile. 

"It’s fine, master. Sunhwa’s husband, well..." 

"No need to hide it. And Kim, you already know, right? We’re separated. It’s basically over." 

Sunhwa wiped her lips with a napkin and continued, "It wasn’t a marriage out of love anyway. We got married because of Minji. I didn’t get divorced for her sake, but... now I’m starting to think differently." 

Sua asked, "Why? Did your husband ask for a divorce?" 

"Like that bastard would? He’s probably off screwing some college girl in a hotel. I’ll be the one to ask for a divorce." 

The adults’ conversation drifted to property division and lawyers. I kept my mouth shut and nodded as I listened. Moments like this made me realize I was still just a kid compared to them. I was far from being a full-fledged adult in this world. 

After a while, Sunhwa teased me, "What’s wrong? Are you bored because you can’t keep up with the conversation?" 

"Oh my, master. Are you bored?" 

"No, don’t worry. I was just thinking about lessons." 

Technically, my main job was teaching their daughters. I was just being diligent. But when I brought up their daughters, Sua chuckled and said to Sunhwa, "You know, at first I thought he’d end up dating my daughter." 

"You too? I worried at first that my daughter would lose her mind over him." 

"You weren’t in any state to worry back then." 

"Shut up, Kim." 

Sunhwa rolled her eyes playfully and added, "Anyway, thank goodness you have unique tastes." 

"Haha... Yeah. Still, I... hmm, never mind." 

Sua trailed off with a sly smile, as if she was thinking something dangerous, but the food arrived before anyone could dig deeper. 

Meanwhile, Jiye was at the convenience store under my apartment, her mind foggy as she recalled last night’s lovemaking. For someone who’d been alone for years, the pleasure of being penetrated once and fainting was unforgettable. Sitting at the nearly empty counter, Jiye absentmindedly rested her head on the desk, replaying the night in her mind. 

The size that barely fit in her mouth, the hardness that her teeth couldn’t dent, and above all, the heat that made her lips burn none of it was easy to forget. For an ordinary woman like Jiye, it was a bliss she might never experience again. 

Thinking about it, her nipples began to harden, but unlike usual, it didn’t show through her clothes. The reason was simple: today, she’d actually paid attention to her underwear. Normally, she’d show up to work in a baggy t-shirt and jeans, unconsciously tempting passersby. She didn’t acknowledge it, but she still looked good for her age she just had a harsh self-image. If she hadn’t, Sehyun wouldn’t have noticed her. 

Today, though, she’d hesitated in front of the mirror, fussing over her outfit because of last night’s memories. She was worried Sehyun might drop by unexpectedly and lose interest if she looked sloppy. 

"Haa..." 

She’d even worn a bra she rarely used, but Sehyun hadn’t come by. Jiye’s mind wandered to the images of Sua and Sunhwa from last night. Both women, nearly eight years older than her, looked younger and far more voluptuous. Their mature beauty, carefully maintained, made Jiye’s body seem shabby in comparison. 

"...I miss him." 

She muttered to herself, fidgeting her thighs as she killed time. 

"Looks like your grades are stable now. You’re doing well in math and English, right?" 

"Ugh..." 

Minji was always exhausted after lessons. Maybe she got her mood swings from her mom, but at times like this, it was easy to see she was Sunhwa’s daughter. 

As I packed up, Minji mumbled, "Teacher, are you busy?" 

"Hmm? I should head home. It’s late." 

"Then could you listen to my worries before you go?" 

"Worries?" 

Part of my job was student mental care, after all. 

"Sure. What’s up?" 

Minji slowly opened up. The topic wasn’t new it was exactly what Sunhwa had talked about at breakfast. Minji had seen her father’s affair with her own eyes the day before. 

"Oh..." 

"I mean, I hate my dad, I resent him, and it’s not like I didn’t know, but seeing it in person just made my mind go blank. What should I do...?" 

Not that I could give her any real advice, especially since I was her mother’s lover. Telling her the whole truth would be like dropping a bomb on a minefield. I tried to keep my face neutral. 

"...Does your mom know?" 

"I think so. I overheard her on the phone with Dad last night." 

"Ah, I see." 

This is why you can’t even drink cold water in front of kids. They pick up on everything. 

I had no idea what to say. Telling a child about her parent’s affair outright is never the right move. But I couldn’t just say nothing. 

"What do you think?" 

In the end, I took the coward’s way out. 

Minji sighed deeply and answered slowly, "I just... I just want Mom to be happy. Dad, he’s always been with other women, so I’d rather Mom found someone else and was happy too." 

"You’re so mature, Minji." 

"I don’t know..." 

She buried her face in her arms and quietly cried. I gently patted her back and stayed by her side until she calmed down. 

"Get some rest, okay?" 

Leaving Minji to recover her emotions, I stepped out to find Sunhwa standing at the bedroom door, biting her lip. 

"...Lesson’s over?" 

"Yeah, it’s done." 

"Is Minji alright?" 

"She’ll get through it. I’ll help her." 

"...Thank you, Mr. Kim." 

Sunhwa said it in a slightly trembling voice.