38-67

Chapter 67: Night of Despair 

As the man's hand moved toward my wife's genitals, she slowly spread her legs. She even shifted her body a little toward him so his hand could reach more easily. The man covered her vulva with his palm and rubbed her with his fingers. My wife spread her legs, feeling him touch her, her lower body twitching. Wet sounds began to come from where the man was touching her. 

My wife's hand, which had been caressing the man's cheek, moved to the back of his neck and gently pulled his face toward hers. Their faces drew close and their lips met. My wife and the man kissed deeply, their lips and tongues moving hungrily, as if they were trying to fill some longing that still remained. 

The man's movements as he touched her grew bolder, and my wife's legs opened wider. One of her hands slid down the man's body and touched his penis, which, even after ejaculating earlier, had not gone soft. She gently stroked it up and down. 

Their lips parted and they gazed into each other's eyes again. My wife's eyes were completely unfocused. Without a word, she nodded. The man turned and positioned himself over her. He brought his penis to her entrance. My wife closed her eyes again. Supporting his weight with his arms, the man pressed his hips forward. My wife's head fell back. As the man's hips began to move in earnest, my wife wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. 

I tore my eyes away from the hole and turned around. I couldn't watch any longer-not because it was hard to see my wife's infidelity, but because it was unbearable to just watch, doing nothing. I wanted to rush into the hut and put an end to it all. But if I did, not only would my marriage be over, but my relationship with my wife's family would be ruined as well. I even thought about becoming a cram school instructor or working at a research institute, living as an ordinary office worker. Maybe that would be more dignified. 

But then, what was the point of all the patience I'd endured up to now? I was paralyzed by my attachment to that so-called professorship, unable to do anything, just hesitating. This was the result of telling myself to endure for the sake of my career. If I was going to make a scene, I should have done it long ago-instead, my greed for position had brought me to this point. I realized, perhaps too late, that my father-in-law had sent me on this expedition not to protect my wife by force, but to keep her reins tight. 

Feeling like I might cry, I frowned and stared blankly at the night sky. From beyond the wall of the hut I was leaning against, I could hear my wife's moans and the cries of jungle animals. I felt as if there were wild beasts both in front of and behind me. 

I must have stayed like that for quite a while, because eventually my wife's moans stopped. I wondered if they had finished, but I didn't want to look inside. After a while, I felt a small vibration in the wall I was leaning against. Startled, I turned to look inside through the hole. I almost cried out in surprise. My wife and the man had gotten up from the floor, and my wife happened to be leaning against the wall right where I was peeking. The small vibration had been her pressing against the hut wall. 

My wife was looking down at the floor, her face at about the same height as the hole I was looking through. Outside, it was pitch dark, but inside the hut, a torch was burning, so she paid no attention to my presence or the hole. In fact, she was in no state to notice anything. 

She was bracing herself against the wall, sticking her hips back, and the man approached her from behind. He grabbed his penis, lined it up with her entrance, and grabbed her hips. His powerful thrusting began again. 

“Haa... ahng...” 

My wife made strange noises and closed her eyes, her head and dangling breasts shaking with the force of the man's thrusts. The sound of their bodies slapping together began again. Drool started to run from my wife's mouth, just inches from my eyes. As the man's thrusts grew stronger, my wife's head hit the wall. 

I tore my eyes away from the hole and sat back against the hut wall. The vibrations from the man's powerful thrusts were transmitted directly through the wall to my back. With just a handspan of wood between us, I sat hunched over, head bowed, while my wife was filled with another man's penis in ecstasy. The vibrations in my back, the knowledge that there was no going back, made me feel more and more wretched. 

I was so drained I couldn't even stand. The vibrations in my back and my wife's moans went on for a very long time. I was sure she climaxed at least once in that position. 

In my daze, I eventually noticed the vibrations had stopped. But my wife's moans continued for a while longer. I don't know exactly how long, but it must have been nearly an hour. After her moans faded, only the faint sound of heavy breathing remained. I wasn't even curious about what was happening inside anymore. 

I just sat there, staring blankly at the black jungle. After some time, I heard my wife's moans start up again, and they continued for another hour. I almost wanted to applaud the endless lust and energy of my wife and the man. 

I sat there for hours without moving. Even after my wife's moans stopped, I stayed for a long time. Now, there was only the sound of the jungle around me. When I finally came to my senses and tried to get up, it was difficult because I'd been in the same position for so long. I managed to stand and peek into the hut. My wife was asleep, using the man's arm as a pillow, curled up against his chest. The man, too, seemed to be asleep, his penis finally flaccid, a large hunk of flesh lying on his thigh. 

I left the hut and headed back to the village. I'd never gone outside the village fence at night before, nor had I ever thought of doing so. There were too many unknown dangers lurking out there. But now, walking like a zombie, I felt no fear at all. Like a soulless shell, I walked to the village entrance. 

There was no night watch at the entrance tonight. I staggered home. Soo-hyuk and Ho-cheol were already asleep. I didn't know if they'd been with any women tonight or had just come home on their own. I spread out a banana leaf and curled up to lie down, closing my eyes. There was no way I could sleep. I spent the night wide awake, eyes open. 

As the light slowly grew, I could feel morning coming and the passage of time. About an hour later, I heard Ho-cheol get up, and then Soo-hyuk. We all went to the stream to wash up and came back. Neither Soo-hyuk nor Ho-cheol mentioned my wife's absence; they seemed to be watching my mood. 

My wife still hadn't returned by the time we finished breakfast and set out for work. Ho-cheol went hunting, Soo-hyuk went to cut wood. A woman I knew approached and asked me to help her with her work. She looked to be in her mid-30s, and from her nipples, I guessed she'd given birth before. With a blank face, I nodded and staggered after her. 

She looked at me with a relaxed smile. 

“You must have had a hard time yesterday?” 

She seemed to think my exhausted look was because I'd spent all my energy on mating night. I couldn't be bothered to correct her. The woman led me to the area by the bonfire in the square, where the alcohol jars were. There were piles of tree roots there.