It was bitterly cold out there, though cold is good if one is warm inside, just the same as how people love ice in the summertime.
Hanging low in the dove gray sky, the afternoon winter sun brought out the purity of crystalline snow blanketing the earth; pristine and white.
Is this glistening white world their blank slate?
Or is it just a new page in their book, waiting to be filled with more stories, she wondered, humming along to the Christmas songs riding the airwaves.
Sitting in the passenger seat in Hyun Bin's car, with her overnight bag on the backseat, Yejin found herself constantly stealing glances at the professor's devastatingly good-looking side profile.
This Christmas Eve dinner would mark their first official date.
All he had instructed in a text message for her to bring along was an 'overnight bag, herself and an open heart'.
Seeing that Hyun Bin had asked her to pack some essential belongings and how they were now driving along the streets of Gangnam, it was pretty obvious that they'd be spending the night together. At his place, most likely, snuggled up in that very comfortable bedroom of his.
"Bin. How did you spend last Christmas?" Yejin quietly asked, casting a casual smile at him.
It was funny that she asked, the student inwardly thought. On one hand, she was painfully curious, yet on the other, she knew she would inevitably feel a twinge of uneasiness if he were to reply that he had spent it in some other lady's company.
"I spent it grading research papers," He replied with his eyes fixed on the road ahead, before turning to give her a soft smile. "And wondering how a certain girl was spending hers."
A certain girl...? Her brows knitted involuntarily.
"This year, I don't have to wonder, for she's spending her Christmas with me."
"...you were referring to me...?" Golden rays danced across her features— her eyes glistened prettily with the afternoon sun casting flecks of glitter in them, parted lips upturned in a surprised smile.
"I'm not crazy enough to ask more than one lady out on Christmas."
Her smile grew with amusement, before Yejin quietly added, gesturing at themselves, "So...this could have taken place last year. I spent last Christmas watching TV and eating two pints of ice cream by myself."
That drew a chuckle from Hyun Bin, "I thought you seemed...very close with Mr Jung."
"Mr Jung...oh!" Yejin exclaimed as a familiar face from her postgraduate course popped up in her mind. "Hae In? We are friends, yes, just that he calls me Noona. He's a very nice guy, but, yeah...no sparks there, and he has a girlfriend. Was that why you didn't..."
The professor nodded. "So when I overheard him asking you what sort of birthday present would be appropriate for his girlfriend, I thought to myself, 'Now that's one out of the way.'"
Tickled by Hyun Bin's faint chuckles, it was Yejin's turn to laugh. "You could have asked me directly! I would have just told you."
"It isn't exactly appropriate, you know." He replied, the amusement slightly fading off with the hints of 'White Christmas' on the radio. "With me being me, and you being you."
Hearing that, she gradually slipped into silence, settling for staring at her hands in her lap, knowing very well that what he said was right.
No matter what, they were still teacher and student, albeit being 35 and 29 respectively.
Teachers and students don't date or sleep with each other, do they?
It was only a two-year postgraduate course in this long journey called life, but sadly, it was during this period when he stepped into her life.
She personally thought it to be a shame; instead of it being simply Hyun Bin and Son Yejin, they were teacher and student first, a relationship which subjects them to societal disapproval, whoever 'societal' might be.
"I have no regrets." Hyun Bin added softly, as if sensing her distress over this matter.
The car came to a temporary halt at the traffic juncture, and the student turned to regard the man by her side.
"Me neither. Never did," Her typically soothing voice was bold with steely conviction as her eyes locked onto his.
Then, as fragments of her confidence slipped through the gaps in her scarred heart, Yejin added in a pensive whisper. "And hopefully, never will."
A small, reassuring smile was all she got in response, as the car soon continued in its journey.
Looking out from the car window, Yejin watched the world outside rush by in a blur of apartment buildings, wintry trees and parked cars glistening in white and gray.
Instead of the luxury residential area which she could still recognize from their first night together, this was the business district, where the conference and trade centers were.
"Hm? Isn't this...?"
"Here we are." Hyun Bin announced with a small smile, catching her completely by surprise as she peered out of the window to do a double take at the words emblazoned at the heavily-decorated lobby.
InterContinental Seoul COEX.
Caught by surprise, Yejin could only gape as her thoughts struggled to catch up, "Wait a minute, Bin, this is..."
He nodded, mirth clinging on to his features upon seeing her endearing reaction. "We will be staying here for the Christmas countdown tonight."
———————————————————
Hyun Bin gently knocked on the sliding door to the walk-in wardrobe. "I am ready when you are."
"I'm sorry, please give me two minutes!" Came a slightly frazzled feminine voice from the other side of the door.
"Take your time, I'll wait at the living area." He stepped away, taking in the details of the Ambassador Suite as he made his way to where the couch was.
Situated on level twenty-eight with panoramic views of the Hangang River, Bongeunsa Temple and Seolleung park, it is certainly a magnificent room for a memorable time together. Even the bathtub boasts an amazing view of the city, and he would see to it that it is being put to good use.
He sincerely hoped Yejin would like whatever he had planned, especially when she was also looking forward to this Christmas date, seeing from how her nails had been prettily manicured in a festive red and silver design.
It wasn't easy planning a surprise, but Hyun Bin was determined to make it good.
Their relationship, or at least, whatever they have at this point, had started off on a very unconventional note.
He had always thought it to be a one-sided crush, and lust for that matter, on his part— Son Yejin was in every way his type, but he also wasn't foolish enough to assume that she wasn't being sought after by other men.
Everything about her was so insanely attractive. He might be strange, but even a compelling debate with her in the classroom comes across as sexy as can be.
Furthermore, they were professor and student. Teacher-student relationships were generally frowned upon by society, even if they were in a post-graduate course, with ages merely six years apart.
There were too many unknowns for him to devise a strong plan.
For one, he never knew if Yejin was single. Her marital status on the student's profile read single, but that only meant she wasn't legally married. It didn't say anything about her dating life.
Secondly, he didn't know what she thought of him, or if she was even open to the idea of being with someone like him. What if she found it creepy that her professor was interested in her? That would certainly have made things worse.
Thirdly, even though Yejin was always surrounded by men and women alike, there was a sense of loneliness that clung heavily to her.
Hyun Bin didn't know what exactly it could be due to, but there was something about faint hints of despondency that emerge on her face whenever she thought no one was looking.
Yet when he got that one golden opportunity out of the blue, during which he had been totally caught unprepared, lust had taken over.
He yielded completely to temptation.
Instead of whatever he had dreamt of, and planned for in terms of romancing this beautiful lady, things had taken an odd turn, leaving themselves in this situation that was neither here nor there.
Driven by physical attraction and sexual chemistry like he had never experienced, the professor and his student were caught in these webs of lust they had woven, where escape wasn't an option.
"Bin, I'm all good to go. Sorry for the wait, I was having a hard time with the zipper at the back, which I need your help with..." Yejin started, hastily stepping into the living area with a hand still tackling a stray lock of hair which didn't seem capable of cooperating despite hairspray.
Instinctively, Hyun Bin turned in the direction of her voice, intending to tell his date it was alright, this wasn't a lesson at college so she didn't have to keep apologizing for being a few minutes late...but no words came out.
Instead, the professor could only freeze in position as his eyes took in the breathtaking sight in front of him.
His lips parted uncharacteristically while staring at his date in awe, appreciating the way the long-sleeved black dress clung to her meandering curves, and how her toned thigh was playing peekaboo with his eyes through the sultry high slit in the dress.
Of course, he knew he was the one who chose and bought that dress for Yejin, but seeing her bring the outfit to life with her flawless, unpretentious beauty was sparking off a myriad of feelings in his heart and mind.
For tonight, Yejin had chosen neutral hues to keep her eye makeup simple, opting for an impactful look with her lips— MAC's Ruby Woo, the little black dress of the lipstick world— to paint an effortlessly sophisticated yet timeless impression.
Light swipes of peach blush gave her cheeks an elegant flush, though Hyun Bin inwardly questioned the need for it, for he had always managed to put vibrant hues into her beautiful face without the use of cosmetics.
She had put waves in those long mahogany tresses, achieving a glamorous effect without going over the top. Rhinestones and diamantés from her accessories sparkled in the soft down lights in the hotel suite; she looked ethereal, commanding his full attention with nothing but her presence, drawing him deeper and deeper into her vortex of attraction.
"Can you help me with the zipper?"
When all she got was a glassy-eyed stare in response, complete with an half-opened mouth, Yejin tried to suppress her chuckles as she asked again.
"Bin...can you help me with the zipper?"
Then it was as if the professor had suddenly returned to earth, literally jumping by a fraction of an inch right there on the couch.
"Of course."
Eyes shining with unconcealed appreciation, Hyun Bin rose from the couch to take two steps towards Yejin to stand by her side, gently leading her to the full-length mirror.
In a move that left his student's heart skipping a beat, the professor carefully swept her hair over her shoulder to the front, as they both looked into the mirror.
It wasn't just about the simple act itself; they had done way more than touching hair.
Rather, it was the way in which Hyun Bin had tenderly done so—he was so caring, like a real romantic partner, sending Yejin's pulse racing faster. The featherlight caresses of his fingers against her nape were faintly ticklish, yet oddly electrifying, especially when his eyes met and held hers in the reflection.
With a smooth hum, the zipper was pulled up all the way, gathering the fabric to accentuate her curves even more.
Words fell short as the professor quietly appreciated Yejin's beauty yet again, eyes darkening with smoldering intensity.
Seconds slipped by, and she found herself growing increasingly self-conscious, from both Hyun Bin's scrutiny, and his devastatingly good looks in a new Ermenegildo Zegna's gunmetal gray Trofeo suit.
"Is there a problem...?" Yejin shifted awkwardly, instinctively sucking her tummy in, not that it made much of a difference on her slender figure, while a hand hurriedly smoothed the creases of her dress at the sides.
Snapping out of his trance, the professor nodded solemnly. "This zipper might come undone again if you don't walk out of here quick enough."
The postgraduate student took a moment to process his reply, before realization dawned upon her. Smiling bashfully such that her eyes crinkled up into two radiant arches, she became even more mesmerizing in that moment, as much as it seemed impossible with how perfect she already looked.
Gazing down upon his lovely date, the professor placed a hand at the small of her back. "You look so beautiful."
She was certain if it wasn't for the fact that Hyun Bin had his hand on her back, she would have keeled over from the fluttery assault of butterflies in her stomach.
"You look amazing as well." She managed a heartfelt reply, as the duo made their way out of the suite to head to the Sky Lounge of the hotel, with their respective gifts in hand.
The door to the hotel suite was shut with a heavy click, before the professor turned to her, saying with a small smile as he extended a hand in her direction.
"Your stilettos are new, aren't they?"
Trust him to be so thoughtful of everything.
Nodding, she gently slipped her hand into his larger one with a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "The carpeted flooring makes it hard to walk."
Yet even when they had long stepped off the carpeted walkway onto polished midnight marble at the elevator lobby, her hand was still snugly held in his.
Throughout the elevator ride up to level thirty, and even as they walked into the restaurant, never did Hyun Bin once let go of Yejin's hand.
As with the rest of the hotel, festive cheer and sparkle had definitely been injected into the Sky Lounge located on the 30th floor. In the dark of the night, out there in the frightful cold, winter illumination lit the city up in breathtaking vibrancy, especially when viewed from their table by the window.
A grand Christmas tree adorned with glistening ornaments and glowing fairy lights proudly took centerstage, with warm smiling faces all around at individual tables.
Continuous chatter, subdued by the grandeur of the venue, lingered in the vivacious atmosphere along with the most delicious aromas of Christmas roast and freshly-baked treats.
It was definitely falling into the extravagant category for Yejin; such luxuries, along with the three-inch stilettos she had on, were things she wasn't quite accustomed to.
A waiter soon came by after the maître d' had exchanged pleasantries with them to take their orders.
Like the gentleman he is, Hyun Bin gestured towards Yejin for her to go first.
"I will have the grilled seabass fillet with sweet potato gratin and white asparagus." She read off the printed menu, looking up at the waiter with a polite smile before gesturing back at her date sitting adjacent to her at the table.
"Any preferences for sides?" The Professor asked, to which Yejin shook her head.
"Anything, really. I'm not picky."
That was a refreshing change; in his past, he had once gone out with a heiress who wouldn't eat beyond three mouthfuls of anything.
"The oven-baked Han Woo beef tenderloin and fresh lobster, please." The professor placed his order. "Along with a warm shrimp and beetroot salad, and half a dozen oysters. For drinks, two glasses of the Wohlmuth Ried Hochsteinriegl Sauvignon Blanc. 2017 please, if available."
As the waiter politely took his leave, Yejin asked with barely concealed awe.
"Are you a certified sommelier or something, Bin?"
Still maintaining his usual solemn facade, the professor motioned for his favorite student to lean in. She instantly complied, listening intently with widened eyes, as he replied in a hushed whisper.
"I'll let you in on a secret."
"Mmhmm?" Eyes sparkling with the glimmer of fairy lights on the table's centerpiece, Yejin prompted.
"I memorized a few of these wines so I could impress you tonight."
"No way." She chuckled daintily, lightly smacking her date on the arm. "I'm sure you can't be clueless."
He mirrored her amusement, adding humbly after a small pause, "I'm just a pretentious alcoholic who has attended one too many wine-pairing courses in my free time."
That elicited hearty laughter from Yejin, who leaned back in her seat and shook her head in amusement. "You've succeeded though. It was impressive, alright."
Their laughter slowly melted away into the notes of 'Jingle Bell Rock' lingering on the delicious aromas in the restaurant, and Yejin noticed Hyun Bin quietly looking at her, his expression unreadable.
"...why are you looking at me with those wistful eyes?"
"I was just thinking, laughter is an accessory that you wear so beautifully."
Those words, spoken so naturally and sincerely, tugged heavily on her heartstrings.
Hyun Bin continued, giving Yejin a small smile, "You're always smiling in class, but hardly ever laughing out loud. Maybe my class is too boring, but...happiness looks good on you. It really does."
That was nice. Very nice, in fact.
Who wouldn't like happiness? She would like it too.
It's just that happiness doesn't grow on trees, and for something that had been so readily available in her younger days, it had become impossibly elusive as the years went by.
"Thank you."
Now as they remained waiting for the food to arrive, Yejin discreetly placed a box onto the table.
"Merry Christmas, Bin." She smiled bashfully, gently pushing the present in his direction. "It isn't much, but I hope you will like it."
Seeing that his date had taken her present out, Hyun Bin too, placed a small robin egg blue paper bag in front of her.
"Merry Christmas, Yejin. I hope you'll like the present."
She could easily recognize the color and the logo; it was probably harder finding a girl who did not know about Tiffany & Co. here in Seoul.
"Would you like to open it first?" Hyun Bin asked, regarding her with a gaze that warmed her up from within.
Nodding, she deftly undid the ribbon at the top of the paper bag, before retrieving the classic Tiffany Blue box nestled within.
Wrapping her hands around the small box, Yejin's eyes sought Hyun Bin's again, before taking the lid off the box.
"Wow..."
The professor reminded her of a little boy in that instant, eyes sparkling with child-like excitement as he closely watched her facial expression.
"Do you like it?"
"I love it. It's gorgeous." Yejin's response was heartfelt, as she gently traced the dual interlocking circles of the pendant necklace. "You really shouldn't have...it must have cost a lot."
Shaking his head, Hyun Bin extended his hand in her direction.
"May I?"
Nodding once, she sat very still, gathering her hair in a hand as the professor carefully picked the necklace up to loop the thin silver chain around her neck, before deftly clasping it.
"It looks great on you." He commented sincerely as he returned to his seat, quietly admiring how his chosen gift added a further touch of elegance to the beautiful lady by his side. "May I now open my present?"
Hearing those words brought a small, awkward grimace to her features. "Maybe not...it pales too much in comparison. You've given me something so nice—"
Too late. Hyun Bin was already opening the gift from her.
"Wow," His eyes lit up with a warm sparkle as Yejin's gift to him came into view. "Did you make this?"
She nodded, casting a slightly embarrassed glance at her gift.
It was a Christmas-themed succulent terrarium, done tastefully in a simplistic style that reminded him strongly of Yejin.
"The best gifts are handmade; I should be the one striving to do better." The professor said, snugly cradling the ball terrarium in his palm. "It's beautiful, and I like it very much. Thank you."
"I thought your living room could do with a fresh pop of green." She smiled. "It's a very elegantly designed home, but everything was gray, brown and black, so I thought this could perhaps bring you happiness when you look at it from time to time."
He will certainly treasure this present. "How should I care for it?"
"Ten nice words a day."
"Hm? What's that about?"
Yejin chuckled prettily. "It's rather silly, but I was watching this very popular TV drama recently. The female lead gave the male lead a tomato plant, asking him to say ten nice words to it every day. Apparently, that would show the plant a lot of love and allow it to grow strongly."
"That's interesting. I'll give it a try then." Hyun Bin replied warmly, before gesturing at Yejin's smartphone which was by her side. "I have something else for you. Log in to the student's portal on the intranet."
"Now?" Perplexed, Yejin nonetheless complied, picking her phone up to open the student's portal page with practiced ease.
There was a new notification which she had missed. Tapping on it, Yejin's eyes first widened upon seeing what was on the screen, before her head snapped up to regard her professor with a growing smile of surprise.
"B+...?"
Hyun Bin nodded. "Good work on the paper. I hope you are motivated by this grade, it was a pleasure reading and grading your work."
Shaking her head, the student was quick to reply, "Thank you. I could never have done it without your guidance and the chance you've given me."
Then the entrées arrived, marking the beginning of a very memorable Christmas dinner.
—————————————————————-
The air jets in the jacuzzi tub were softly caressing her skin, sending Yejin's body into a state of calm that was in ironic contrast with the bubbly turmoil in the bathtub.
The hotel had gone ahead with preparing a romantic jacuzzi bath for the couple when they were out at the Sky Lounge for dinner, with the bathroom lights dimmed and flickering tea lights adding touches of romance around the place.
It was a very movie-like cliché, she thought, with crimson rose petals loosely scattered around the place, and a bottle of red wine chilling in an ice bucket, opened to aerate, accompanied by two wine glasses and a festive selection of chocolates.
Slow Christmas jazz played in the background, evoking coziness, while layering on a sultry, erotic touch, especially since she had Adonis himself right there in the hot tub with her.
"I'll most likely dream of that grilled sea bass for nights to come." Yejin softly gushed, eliciting amused chuckles from Hyun Bin as she casually drew her knees to her chest. "It was probably the best bass I've ever had."
"It was very tender indeed. I'm glad you enjoyed the meal."
It was almost scary how comfortable she felt being naked around him, sitting together in the hot tub like it was the most natural thing to do. Had anyone else been that close physically, she would have felt her personal space was being invaded, but in this case his masculine scent and his presence felt unbelievably reassuring.
From their earlier experiences, it was pretty obvious that sex was on the menu this Christmas, except that she did not expect things to feel so much like romance.
Where would this put them? She wished to ask, but what went past her lips was a different question.
"Shall we drink? I can pour it out."
"I'd be happy to." Hyun Bin replied, nodding his gratitude as his lover pulled herself into a kneeling position to lean over the edge of the bathtub to reach for the wine bottle.
Clear rivulets of rose-scented water gently caressed her alabaster skin, running down her curves and edges. He could feel desire pooling in him, especially at the sight of the water droplets glinting in the candlelights on her bare breasts.
Lifting the bottle from the ice bucket, Yejin cautiously tilted it over the wine glass.
Rich burgundy, with garnet red highlights cast by the tea lights in the bathroom, dived from the opened mouth of the bottle into the wine glass with a faint gurgle, filling the bowl with exquisite notes of licorice, blackberries and currants that slowly unfurled to reveal earthy undertones of minerals and charcoal.
Wrapping her fingers around the stem of the wine glass, Yejin passed it to Hyun Bin, who received it with an appreciative nod.
"Thank you. This is one of my favorites. What I enjoy about this Bordeaux wine, lies in how the overall impression is upfront, yet has incredible elegance on the finish." The professor slowly swirled his wine glass, appreciating the enticing shade of garnet.
"58% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a beautiful high-wire act of balancing between minerality and finesse...in that aspect, this La Mission Haut-Brion reminds me so strongly of you."
So enthralled was she by his words, Yejin almost didn't stop in time when pouring the wine out for herself.
"Oops!" She inaudibly mouthed, stopping at the two-third mark before placing the bottle down by the side of the bathtub.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, I am. Sorry, I'm so clumsy." She should be careful— at this rate, she might just pour her soul into the glass as well.
"Don't worry about it." Raising his glass, the professor softly said, "Merry Christmas, again."
"Merry Christmas," Yejin returned his greeting with a smile, bringing her wine glass closer until they met with a faint clink.
In companionable silence, the lovers quietly took the first sip.
"May I hold you?" Hyun Bin softly asked after a few seconds, a question to which Yejin nodded, lips quivering ever so slightly at the prospect of physical contact once again.
Shifting in the hot tub such that she could sit herself down by her lover's side, the postgraduate student let out a small cry when her elbow accidentally came into contact with a side rail.
The wine in her hand sloshed over the rim of the glass, staining her shoulder.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry!" Yejin hurriedly apologized for the careless accident, face frozen in a helpless wince as she tried to stop the wine from flowing into the bath water. "Ugh, I'm wasting excellent wine and dirtying the water—"
"Shh. It's okay." Came Hyun Bin's rich baritone, reassuring and commanding so much presence as always. "Don't worry about it."
A gentle hand wrapped itself around hers, holding the wine glass by its stem to take it out of her hand, before placing it on the ledge of the bathtub with a soft clink.
"Let me help with cleaning up." The hand returned to hold hers by the wrist, before Hyun Bin leaned in closer.
Rivulets of chilled red wine ran down soft milky skin, sending tingles down her spine, before warm tendrils of breath danced over her skin, with parted lips subsequently planting kisses over the expanse of her neck and shoulder, licking sensually at the trails of wine.
Her breaths deepened sultrily; his seductive kisses and licks were like fuel thrown onto the alcohol-induced heat in her chest.
Catching a droplet of the dark wine with his index finger, Hyun Bin brought it to Yejin's mouth, gently pressing the pad of said digit to her lips.
Smoothly, yet with agonizing slowness that left her senses smoldering like red hot coals, he painted her lips with wine, and her heart with flutters.
Usually a shade of creamy cerise, those mesmerizing lips were now tinged scarlet from the earlier Ruby Woo lipstick and the coat of intoxicating sin he had just painted on.
He took a quiet moment to appreciate her beauty— taking in her naked glory, her glazed eyes and the way her wet hair was swept back from her forehead.
Then he lifted her chin, bringing her face closer to his, warm breaths mingling in the space between them.
"Do you even know how beautiful you are?" He whispered hotly, those soulful eyes of his looking straight into her heart.
Her beauty was his undoing; how was it even possible that he was constantly feeling the desire to pamper, protect and treasure her, and to make love to her, and also, to fuck her into oblivion?
To such a question, Yejin had no verbal answer, but only a heart that pounded even harder. Leaning in, she wrapped her arms around the broad expanse of Hyun Bin's muscular back, kissing him fully on the lips with her wine-tinged ones.
Their mouths met in a hungry kiss, his body firm against hers, and she writhed in a mute plea for him to hold her more tightly.
Seeming to know exactly what she wanted, Hyun Bin reached between them to cup her right at the place where he could feel her ardent need.
A single stroke of his finger revealed that she was already embarrassingly damp, before he broke the kiss briefly to reach for the forgotten wine glass, drawing a deep draught.
Firmly holding Yejin by the jaw, Hyun Bin's mouth descended once again upon those rose petal lips of hers. His mouth claimed hers, and the warmed red wine flowed over her tongue from his lips, mingling with his flavor.
His other trailed her back, fingers drawing sensually over her bare skin, alternating between long pauses and firmer pressure.
Closing her eyes at the intimate experience, she savored the red wine, tongue dancing with his as the rich alcoholic burgundy swirled and lingered in their mouths. A tiny trail of wine trickled from the side of his mouth, and she eagerly leaned in, licking it up.
"More...please."
The glass was filled again, and the professor continued feeding his lover sips of wine with his mouth. Languidly, he caressed her tiny nub of pleasure, until she could take the teasing no more, breaking off kisses as she leaned her head against his shoulder, moaning softly.
"Here..."
With a firm grip on her arm, Hyun Bin carefully led his lover to sit on the ledge of the bathtub with her back against the tiled wall, lifting her legs to plant her feet firmly on the adjacent ledges.
Keeping Yejin's spread legs firmly in place with a hand gently clamped over her knee, the professor brought her half-full glass of red wine to her dripping core.
Half full, never half empty.
Breath hitched, she held on firmly to the rails on the bathtub, gasping inaudibly when Hyun Bin gently ran the curve of the bowl over her folds, teasing her with the chilled glass.
"As Salvador Dali said, the connoisseur does not drink wine..." The professor pinned her with a penetrating gaze. His eyes were deeply entrancing, in a dangerous, luscious way— one that left her shackled by anticipation, heart racing, and cheeks flushed with burning warmth.
Biting her lower lip, unable to tear her eyes away from the erotic sight in front of her eyes, Yejin involuntarily whimpered when her lover tilted the bottle, pouring red wine down along her womanly folds.
"...but tastes of its secrets." With his eyes still holding hers in a hypnotic trance that made it so difficult for her to think straight, Hyun Bin leaned in, dragging his tongue over her dripping entrance in a long, tantalizing lick that ended at her engorged clit.
Arousal was coursing through her like a dizzying drug; Yejin could hardly believe the erotic sight she was witnessing, it was as if it wasn't herself, yet the intense sensations reminded her otherwise.
It was such a vulnerable act in which she was relinquishing control of her most private and sensitive body part to her partner, exposed with nothing else left to the imagination. Yet with Hyun Bin, it felt so right; she found herself yearning for his domination, and for him to thoroughly ravage her.
By now, he was licking deeply into the seam of moist folds, drinking hungrily like he was parched, fueled by her increasingly enthusiastic responses.
It was sensual indulgence and luxurious bliss, with an erotic tinge.
Moaning repeatedly, she surrendered to Hyun Bin's ministrations, manicured fingers tangling in his hair as he savored her flavor, hands gripping her thighs whenever she jerked from the intense pleasure.
Eyes squeezed shut, lips parted as she gasped from the blinding sensations, Yejin bit back a cry of surprise when she felt chilled red wine run down between her legs again in perfect contrast to the heat from her lover's mouth.
Stroking and darting his tongue at her clitoris, Hyun Bin reveled in the way she was melting under his touch, hurtling faster and faster towards that elusive peak.
Whenever he thought Yejin was getting a little too close to the edge, he would back off, tormenting her in the sweetest way possible as she desperately tried to reinitiate contact.
"I might have just discovered my favorite way to have wine." His whisper was a devilish imprint on her soul, igniting carnal desires.
Tightening her grip on Hyun Bin's hair, Yejin would firmly and desperately try to pull his face towards her, only to have him deny her, prolonging her agony for a few seconds, before fervently resuming his ministrations.
He didn't just want her to come; he wanted her to come undone.
This time, drunk on her intoxicating wine-tinged flavor, the professor wasn't quite intending to stop. Circling the entrance before sinking his tongue deep into Yejin, mimicking what his cock would soon do to her, Hyun Bin could literally feel her succumbing to the overwhelming pleasure.
What had been a tiny spark of desire had escalated into an inferno raging within her, a fire that only he could tame.
His mouth was relentlessly wreaking havoc on her senses, licking, sucking and flicking, until she came apart with a keening cry and a wet rush of feminine lust which he drank with relish.
Rising into a standing position in the bathtub, the professor gathered his lover into his arms, claiming her lips hungrily with a kiss that tasted exquisitely of herself and the red wine.
Reaching for the bottle by the side, Hyun Bin ran the opened mouth over Yejin's full breasts, watching in fascination as the burgundy flowed to stain creamy porcelain. Cupping a breast in his hand, his mouth soon left hers to lavish attention on the other, savoring her wine-tinged flavor and feminine softness.
With her legs still weak from her earlier orgasm, Yejin allowed herself to lean heavily into Hyun Bin for support, wrapping a hand around his erection and pumping it sensually.
The generous amount of red wine he had poured over her chest was trickling down slick skin between them, trailing down south along Hyun Bin's toned abs in sensual invitation for her attention.
Eyes half-shuttered with lust, Yejin boldly sank on her knees in front of the professor. Her hand was still wrapped around his cock, thumb drawing circles on the tip as she mixed his pre-cum with rivulets of wine.
"Look at me...when you look down at me like this, it gets me insanely wet..." Her voice was a breathy siren's call, rendering him motionless as he watched her carmine lips part further to take his erect length into her mouth.
Inch by inch she took him in, until it became impossible to do so without gagging, alternating between sucking firmly and licking with soft and quick strokes along the hardened shaft.
Watching her pleasure him orally was definitely driving traces of sanity out of Hyun Bin's mind; it was taking all of his willpower to prevent himself from holding her by her hair and thrusting into her mouth.
Even as she pulled back for much-needed air, Yejin would continue licking the tip of his cock, running her tongue along his frenulum, while her hands kept themselves busy with the length her mouth neglected.
Then, in a kinky move that mirrored Hyun Bin's, she picked up the wine bottle, running its chilled contents over his throbbing shaft as she elicited a surprised hiss of pleasure from her lover. He was impossibly hard; the wine was getting everywhere, and so were their senses and emotions.
Yejin continued her sweet assault on him, enjoying the taste of the exquisite wine mixed with Hyun Bin's musky, masculine taste, until a firm hand threaded itself in her hair, halting her in her actions.
Wordlessly, he gazed at her with half-lidded eyes, drawing eager nods from her as he asked a question which he didn't really have to ask.
Shifting into a sitting position in the hot tub, the professor rubbed his heavy groin against Yejin's wet folds as she straddled him with her knees on each side of his thighs, coaxing a soft, deep-throated moan from his beautiful lover.
Snugly held in Hyun Bin's arms, Yejin waited for him with shallow breaths, head thrown back, eyes half closed, unraveling the final thread holding him together.
Positioning himself at her entrance, Hyun Bin steadily pushed into her dizzying heat, before pulling out slightly to drive himself in deeper in one long stroke. As always, his girth always brought her a delicious sensation of being delightfully stretched; so much so that she could only focus on him and only him.
Yejin welcomed the piercing pleasure of his urgency, opening her legs wider to take him in deeper as an eager mouth covered her nipple, sucking sensuously.
He wrapped one hand around the back of her neck, and the other went around the back of her thigh, wrapping them together, impossibly closer, overwhelming her with an extraordinary pleasure that felt like nothing she had ever known.
His large hands held her tightly against him, controlling, moving her up and down on his erection in a primal rhythm. Every breath and groan echoed over the water, reverberating in a certain pair of hearts.
Submerged in the warm tub, her entire body felt molten—fluid and hot, moving seamlessly with his as they heavily collided, again and again in the weightlessness of the water.
Luscious agony was building up within them, layer by layer, in the form of his guttural groans and erratic thrusts, and her helpless moans.
Inside her mind, she felt increasingly adrift, losing her grasp and a sense of her surroundings, as her thoughts went in a hundred directions.
Bathwater was sloshing dangerously close to the edges of the bathtub as they continued moving desperately against each other, rising further and further to the peak.
The next thrust, forceful and overwhelming, pushed her over the edge into a wine-tinged orgasm that left her mind seeing explosive shades of red, before all faded into white as the professor's body stiffened in her hold, his guttural cry echoing in the emptiness of the bathroom.
Quietly in the corner, playing voyeur to a tender moment between the lovers was an almost empty bottle of wine that stood forgotten.
—————————————————————
Standing by the floor-length windows, gazing out into the inky darkness was Yejin. Like herself, the city wasn't sleeping, being kept awake with millions of tiny gold and silver lights that illuminated lonely and delighted hearts alike.
Snow steadily fell, like a dusting of shimmering icing over the world, sugar-coating whatever issues there may be. But when the time comes, the snow would too melt, and whatever problems it had cleverly masked would eventually resurface.
Just like how she would eventually have to face the issue of this...arrangement, at some point.
Her heart was heavy when it should have been light; the irony of the situation was that Christmas night had been too wonderful, to the extent of her fearing that everything was too good to be true.
The last time she had thought life to be unbelievably good had been the prelude to the darkest days of her life. Now, with Hyun Bin, the happy feelings were eerily familiar, and if she were to be entirely honest with herself, even more intensely so.
He had lit a blaze within her, breathing life into a heart that had been left cold for years.
But that was too much reality for her to admit at this juncture, she thought, as gentle footsteps came from behind her.
Hyun Bin's solid presence came up against her much-smaller frame, before he quietly wrapped his arms around her in a back hug.
The moment itself felt so intensely intimate, reminiscent of the divine combination of toasty warm sheets and hot chocolate, yet it was so foreign to the heart which had known hurt.
"Can I have a word with you?" She broke the silence first.
He didn't reply verbally, but a gentle nod against the top of her head told her he was listening.
"Bin, if this is a game you're playing...please be merciful, and let me go," She softly said, reaching up to put her hand over his. "Before it is too late."
Like the millions of snowflakes dancing outside against the backdrop of inky darkness and glimmering lights, Yejin's whisper— her plea— left her lips frostily.
"It must come across as being so hypocritical; with us having slept together and all, starting this relation— friendship with a one night stand. I don't think I can go on with a frivolous arrangement...yet here I am, fearing what comes next. Call me a coward if you must, but I might have accidentally started a game my heart cannot afford to play."
She hated to say this; she could actually feel Hyun Bin freeze momentarily at her words. Every fiber of her being fervently wished he would reply in the negative, and the resulting anxiety and fear was killing her bit by bit inside.
Yet if this conversation were to lead to Hyun Bin laying all his cards out on the table, saying that he wished to pursue more with her, she wouldn't know what to do either.
How does one begin to love again with a broken heart?
The intense, mind-blowing sex that they had been having was actually a lot easier to live with, than the conflicting emotions she was feeling.
But no matter what, Yejin knew she had to find out.
"What do you mean by 'what comes next'?" The professor quietly asked, to which Yejin closed her eyes, steadying herself for an honest reply.
"Love. We are only victims if we allow ourselves to be, so if this is heading towards a disaster, let's stop before it's too late."
At the rate they were going, Yejin knew very well it wouldn't be long before she fell hopelessly for Hyun Bin and ended up putting her mended heart on the line again.
She wasn't quite sure if she was capable of surviving a second heartbreak.
After a few tension-filled seconds, a pair of firm hands held her snugly by the shoulders, turning her around to face him.
Now, barefoot in the hotel room, standing face to face, Hyun Bin's presence was strong, intimidating even, as he loomed over her with his significantly taller frame.
Somehow, it felt so much easier saying those words when she had her back to him; this was the closest she had come to allowing an opening in her heart since that incident.
Now as she stood in front of Hyun Bin, head tilted, gazing at him straight in the face, wearing nothing but the hotel's bathrobe and her heart on her sleeve, Yejin had never felt so vulnerable.
Seeing the faintly forlorn way in which he gazed at her brought pangs of guilt that made her heart clench with piercing ache. Of course the professor would be upset; he had gone through all that trouble to ensure a good time for Christmas, but here she was, being a wet blanket on such a beautiful night.
"It is feeling a lot like romance, and I am not too sure if this is just a game, or part of the seduction, to you. Even if it isn't a game, I still fear, for I might not be able to give you what you wish for." She continued.
This was their all-or-nothing moment.
Breathing shallow and rapid, mouth running dry with dread, her pulse was pounding in her temples, and she genuinely thought her knees might give way from how her legs were involuntarily shaking.
"Indeed," He shifted forward, closing the distance between them by another fraction.
The dread was creeping over her like an icy chill, numbing her mind, which seemed capable of offering only one thought— there was no way of avoiding this.
His palm, warm and reassuring, cupped her cheek in a gentle yet firm hold, as darkened eyes roamed her face as if searching for something, though she did not quite know what it was.
Then he brought her face closer to his, before warm lips descended upon hers with equal parts tenderness and fierceness.
"Indeed, I'm playing..." He breathed against her lush lips, before capturing them in his intoxicating kiss.
The words pierced through her heart like icicles, sawing through the sinews she had painstakingly rebuilt with bravery and faith to hold pieces of her broken heart together.
"...I'm playing for keeps."
What...? For a second, she couldn't trust her ears.
"I am serious about us." He added between the long, drugging kisses that consumed her senses. "If your heart is on the line, please be assured that mine is right beside it."
She heard him this time, loud and clear, with no room for doubt.
Embarrassingly, what sounded like a ragged sob escaped her chest to die on his lips. Somewhere in the raging snowstorm of emotions, Yejin tasted wet, salty warmth, before Hyun Bin's lips trailed higher to kiss her tears away.
"I meant it when I said happiness looks good on you." He gently stroked her face, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. "If you'd allow me to, I would like to be the one who puts the laughter in your voice, and the happiness in your life."
"It's not so easy. It's not as easy as you think it is." She was quick to refute, shaking her head in muted agitation, eyes brimming with tears. "You deserve a girl who wouldn't hurt you."
"As I've said, love isn't about what I expect to receive. It is what I am prepared to give." Hyun Bin went on, brushing tears away from her face. "So even if I don't turn out to be the one who gets to stay by your side, that's alright. The only thing you should focus on is being happy."
Somehow, the last line of his pained her more than she thought it would.
"Sometimes, I really dislike myself." She whispered shakily, her voice breaking with emotion. "I feel lonely, yet when potential happiness presents itself, I lack the courage to embrace it."
Hyun Bin wasn't about to lie to himself; hearing such words from Yejin saddened him. However, at this point in time, without having any context on what had happened in her past, there was nothing more a man could really do.
One step at a time. That was probably his only option.
So he did the first thing that came to his mind.
Sniffling gently, Yejin was surprised when the professor's embrace on her tightened.
"Snow."
Pristine, shimmering.
"Christmas."
The season to be jolly.
"Terrarium."
He would certainly treasure the handmade present from her.
"Kind-hearted."
He continued, recalling the times when he had seen her extend a helping hand to classmates.
She sniffled again, and he nuzzled the top of her head with his cheek.
"Witty."
She had always shown herself to be very quick-thinking, with a wicked touch of humor.
"Beautiful."
This one spoke for itself.
"Sincere."
She chose to make, instead of purchase, a Christmas gift.
He could feel moisture on his chest, warm drops seeping through the fabric of his knit cardigan.
"Hardworking."
That too, spoke for itself considering how he is her teacher.
"Independent."
This is one woman who definitely did not need to rely on a man to survive; a man can only wish to be her companion, her equal, and not her life buoy.
He was giving her ten nice words, she realized.
"Son Ye Jin."