She was in the kitchen pouring a glass of wine when Sehun left the bedroom. Back to him she blocked sight of whatever she was drinking, but Sehun heard the thud of glass on tabletop; the tilt of Namjoo’s head as she drank whatever it was she was drinking.

“They’re gone.” He said coming to stand by the chair beside her.

Namjoo held a finger out to signal for him to wait as she finished her glass of pink liquid. He glanced at the Pink Moscato wine bottle. The alcohol level was just at 5% but the amount she was drinking increased the volume she was loading into her body.

She was being very dangerous.

“Good,” Namjoo commented after gasping, her lips satisfied. Setting the wine glass on the table she poured another glass. Her fingers were bony. Knuckles protruded. Green-blue veins were too visible beneath the thin skin. Jineol was right to say she needed to gain some weight.

How much did she eat a day?

“That’s above the standard line.” Sehun commented when she filled the glass to the near brim.

“It’s not strong enough. I can hardly taste anything.” Namjoo said. Holding the glass to her lips she side eyed him, “Your name is?”

He seriously couldn’t believe her. He’d been here over a week and she had no clue what his first name was.

“I’m Oh Sehun.”

“Right.” She dismissively said. “Well, good job.”

She was so annoying. Why did he even bother?

His eyes dove from her to the bottle of wine then said, “You should stop drinking. It’s not even noon.”

Sehun turned to leave. Maybe he shouldn’t bother saying anything. Her life was not his concern. Stay out of their family affairs he reminded himself. If he could move any more swiftly then God help him.

“So, what do you think about Yena?” Sehun chided himself incessantly for stopping at her voice. Curse everything! Why did he care?!

He swiveled around to find Namjoo with an arm across her body, hand cupping her elbow, and leaning against the table. Facing him now.

Sipping the wine, Namjoo concentrated more closely on him. He wondered if she’d had some of those tablets this morning. Raising the glass again she took a mouthful. Her eyes traced the rim of the glass before looking at him again. Sehun stared back wondering what she really wanted to hear.

No, because her husband was already sleeping with the younger female. Him saying no might boost her esteem when compared to Yena. Yes, because she wanted to hear what all men would say.

“Is she pretty?” Namjoo asked.

This again.

He really should have just walked.

“I’m going to work.” Sehun started leaving.

“She must be, from a man’s perspective, right?” Namjoo pressed.

Sehun internally groaned. Peering over his shoulder before fully shifting to stand facing her. He tried not to frown too hard, because she was pestering him. He just wanted to get to work not be mean.

Namjoo’s cool glazed eyes stayed unchanging when he took a step toward her. Another and then another. Her brow twitched when he closed into her space forcing her to angle her head. There was nowhere for her to go because her back was already tucked against the table.

Just a width apart Sehun stared down at her. She looked tired like she hadn’t slept for days. The dark hues under her eyes indulged her face. It should be amazing that she had the energy to even move at all.

Wrapping his hand around the glass of wine Sehun removed it from her grasp. Leaning past her to set it on the table he withdrew continuing to look down at her. “You had enough today. That’s enough.”

Namjoo’s brow drew lower onto her eye. He didn’t care. If she’d had some of those pills a splash of alcohol would be deadly for her, especially at the rate she was depleting the bottle. No one was about to die on his watch.

She grasped his arm when he started turning to go. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Yes, she’s pretty.” Sehun answered and Namjoo instantly released her grasp. Pain and fact struck her face, but Namjoo withstood it without any cruel comment. He felt almost horrible.

She shoved him away and turned, picking up the glass of wine, and lifted it to her lips draining the glass at once.

“She graduated around the time my leg got torn apart,” Namjoo started as she poured another glass, again, over the standard 5oz line. When the bottle landed on the table, Namjoo went on, “Jineol worked more, accompanied me to my therapy sessions less, and then he stopped.” She drank another sip, lowered the glass from her lips, “There comes a point where things become bleak and pointless, so I stopped walking, I stopped therapy, I didn’t take my meds. It didn’t make him pay more attention to me. Jineol was just…distant. Do you know how I learned about them?” Namjoo didn’t wait for him to reply. “Miss Han. So I walked because I cannot lose.”

Namjoo’s fingers curled around the stem of the glass. The expression of her eyes deepened darkly like she was in another universe retelling a tale of all her woes.

Once more, Sehun took the glass from her and put it down on the table. Repeating more demandingly, “That’s enough.”

Her lips became firm and taut. Repressing anger she had dug up herself. Namjoo huffed and puffed. Ignoring him she began walking off.

“I said she’s pretty,” Sehun veered around to watch her go, “but anyone with a good head would know she’s too young.”

Namjoo’s foot hit a stop, coming parallel to her opposite foot. It took a second to register before she glanced at him. Her eyes were finally not menacing. Instead, giving off the appearance of a girl innocently caught off guard.

During the pending silence Sehun did nothing but hold her stare. They broke off at the sound of footsteps. Miss Han came around the corner and halted surprised to see them together.

“Oh…I’m…” she began.

Sehun cut her off, gesturing with his chin toward the table, “She’s done.” Then stepped past them and finally headed outdoors.

⅏⅏⅏⅏⅏

Namjoo tried not to let her gaze follow Sehun down the hall through the foyer and out the door. Standing there she in a breath. Trying to remain cool although she was more shaken up by what he’d just said.

“Madam.” Miss Han’s voice broke into her thoughts.

Namjoo turned to see the woman watching her. Blinking rapidly to regather her thoughts, Namjoo asked, “What?”

“Your glass…”

“Get rid of it.” Namjoo said then headed back to the bedroom in hopes of cooling her mind. Forgetting that she never left any drinks unfinished. Not bothering with the fact that Miss Han would think strange of it.

Closing the door Namjoo stepped into a rearranged room. The bed she had earlier messed up was neatly fixed. It wasn’t what she had expected.

As if to dispel anything, Namjoo stepped forward to readjust the corner of the blanket over her side of the bed. Like doing it would erase the fact that Sehun had touched the bed. Instinctively she glanced out the window and moved toward it. Being cautious to remain afar as she peeked out. In case Sehun was by her flower garden and might catch her peeking.

He wasn’t in sight.

A kind of relief. After confirming, Namjoo stepped closer to the window. Felt her eyes hover over the flower garden. The colored petals gently swayed in the breeze prettily. Looking at such pretty things made her want to smile. Ugly as the world was, beautiful things still blossomed into existence.

Crossing her arms over the windowsill, Namjoo continued to admire the garden.

She stayed inside the room then left late afternoon to sit in the sun room and read. Jineol was home in a timely manner for once.

“Hey,” he greeted her.

Putting the book down, Namjoo followed him into the dining room. “I didn’t know you were coming early.”

“Just thought it’d be nice,” he said. Namjoo eyed his back feeling fishy. Maybe something good had happened with Yena or perhaps he was making up tonight to her so he could stay out late tomorrow. “I have to stay at the office late tomorrow.”

Of course.

“You said there’s a project,” Namjoo said.

“That’s right.” Jineol pulled out the seat at the head of the table and sank down into the chair. “If you’re lonely, call in Driver Oh to have dinner with you.”

“What?” Namjoo frowned when one of the housekeepers hovered over the table with a steaming dish.

“Yes,” Jineol nodded reaching for his glass of water. The ice cubes clinked as he lifted the glass to take a sip. “There’s nothing wrong with treating him like a friend. Plus, he’s new, so it’d be good to get to know each other. Look at how familiar we are with Driver Lim; we can trust him with anything.”

Namjoo narrowed her eyes. Suspicious about what Jineol could be concocting.

“We don’t want to lose him. It’s hard finding credible drivers, so let’s build up some trust with him,” Jineol continued persuading. “You’re home all the time. You can get a head start on becoming friendly with him.”

“You seem to trust him already,” Namjoo sourly stated.

“He’s a good guy.” Jineol shrugged plating his dish. Whispering to her now with a hint of pity, “Manager Seo found him through a hiring institute for the unfortunate.”

Namjoo narrowed her eyes. Saying nothing as she’d already heard this part from Sehun.

“His background checks out. He used to work at an autobody shop, so he’s a reliable mechanic if ever there’s anything wrong with the cars. And you know, I have no knowledge about cars,” Jineol grinned like he was proud of it. “I like him.”

“Just like that.” Namjoo said.

“Just like that.” He repeated more cheerily.

But he didn’t know Sehun had been in jail for murder.

“You have no plans for the weekend?” Jineol changed the topic.

“No. Why?”

“Then that’s good.” Jineol popped a bean sprout into his mouth. “Driver Lim is taking me to work for a board meeting on Saturday morning, so Yena asked if she could borrow the new driver.”

Namjoo raised her brow. Amused. “What does Yena need that her family driver can’t do for her?”

“Oh, they’re having internal problems,” Jineol explained, “so their drivers aren’t readily available right now.” Lowering his voice again he went on, “The household keepers are retaliating, so everyone is being checked out and cleared. It’s a process.”

“I see.”

“And what does the driver say?” Namjoo asked.

“It’s an order. He can’t say no.” Jineol replied. Too busy munching to see the notorious look on her face.

As Namjoo lay awake in bed that night she wondered what the hell Miss Yena Park had up her sleeve. The fact that interfering in her marriage wasn’t enough for the young sprout, she had developed an interest in Sehun? Namjoo had not seen that one coming.

What was she going to do about that?

The coming morning once Jineol left, Namjoo wandered outside. Since Jineol had offered to let Sehun stay to accompany her during her meals, Driver Lim had taken charge today. Sehun was supposed to become her friend.

Sehun, sacrificial lamb.

“Those shoes better be washable.” A voice made her turn.

Sehun in his street clad jeans and dull blue tee walked toward her with a face mask and goggles. His appearance was too rugged to be considered appealing, but for some strange reason he pulled it off. Perhaps it was the autobody persona in him. He used to work at a garage Jineol said.

He was carrying something large and white with him. A black cord curled around it. Something like a hose gripped in his hand.

“I just sprayed pesticide over the yard,” Sehun said. “If you’re afraid to become smelly, I would highly suggest the Madam stay inside.”

Namjoo tilted her head to defy his princess perception of her.

“You complained about roaches…”

“Beetles.” Namjoo corrected.

“Roaches,” Sehun stubbornly repeated. “Well,” he sighed giving up and started brushing by, spraying this area, that area, “I’m just doing my job.”

Namjoo hissed when he shot near her foot and she jumped away. Chewing her lower lip, she followed at a safe distance.

“I heard you have something on this weekend,” Namjoo started.

Sehun continued to pretend she wasn’t there. Sprayed here. Sprayed there.

“I saw her eyeing you at the dinner table the other night,” Namjoo said. “Who knew, Yena has such peculiar taste.”

Sehun didn’t bother turning. “What’s it to you?”

“Isn’t it obvious Yena is fishing for a date?” Namjoo asked.

Sehun stopped, bringing her to a halt, too. He didn’t move for a minute, maybe thirty seconds included. When he turned his brows seemed knotted together.

Sliding the mask down to his chin, he said almost cheekily, “If you want to talk, let’s talk over lunch. I believe your husband said we’ll be having lunch and dinner together.”

Namjoo’s expression pulled back sternly. “He didn’t.”

“Quote, ‘You’re welcome to help yourself to lunch and dinner with my wife,’” Sehun mimicked Jineol. Crookedly smiling, “I’ll see you later.”

Recovering his mouth, he continued walking away spraying there to here and that area.

Namjoo scowled after him before stomping back inside.

Today she would be eating lunch. For once.

Namjoo sat in her usual seat. Facing the foyer. Jineol absent from the head of the table. Normally she never sat facing anyone. Recently, Sehun had changed that.

She wasn’t accustomed to the new change.

Her focus drew in the empty foyer. Repressing the dissatisfaction glowering deep inside her chest. Fine, she thought. She would find out what Yena had up her sleeve; whether Jineol had other intentions; and decide for herself whether the new face could be reliable.

She heard the front door click open and then footsteps faintly hit the hardwood floor. Sehun really appeared.

So, it seemed they would be sharing a meal alone together.

Today.

For the first time.

Namjoo pulled on her most welcoming smile. Stiff as it appeared, she thought it was acceptable.

“I see you’re making yourself comfortable.” Namjoo couldn’t help but trace her disapproval over the outfit he’d been in when she saw him just hours ago.

“Feels just like home,” Sehun smugly said.

The smile loosened on her face. If he was trying to be funny, she really didn’t think he was.

“Help yourself,” she said, but he had already reached over the table to scoop plenty of food onto his available plate. “Sure, take all you need. We have plenty.”

“What?” he asked after the first bite. “No appetite?”

Namjoo stared back flatly. “No.”

“Why? The food is delicious.” Sehun touched the scoop spoon in the soup dish, the plastic tongs sitting against the plate of seasoned vegetables, the pink curvy spoon in the curry bowl. “You have three entrées to choose from. It’s a kingdom here.”

Pretentiously grinning, Namjoo commented, “How great you feel that way.”

Sehun poked his cheek with a tongue then dropped his spoon. “Is my being here a turnoff or something?”

“Nice, you consider yourself that.” Namjoo crossed her arms and leaned back into her chair.

Sehun rolled his eyes. Picking up his spoon, he explained, “Miss Yena is going on a shopping trip this weekend.”

Now Namjoo’s brow rose. Attention grabbed. “Miss Yena?” Leaning forward as she placed her chin on the back of her hand, she slyly smiled, “Oh, the pleasantry.”

Unaffected, Sehun met her eyes, “Do I call her baby then?”

Namjoo snorted highly entertained. “Now that’s funny.” She dropped back into her seat then peered off to the side. The sound of a bowl scraping against the tabletop brought her view to the table to see Sehun removing his hand from the curry bowl.

“This one’s the best.” He said.

Namjoo eyed the thickened broth. Yukon potatoes boiled till they were softened. Beef cubes floated at the bottom but poked up just barely surrounded by carrot.

When her eyes moved up to him, he said, “You should eat. You don’t need to eat when you’re alone, but when you’re sitting with someone else, you should eat. The food will taste better.”