Chapter 373

[ 1,162 words ]

Katia’s POV

Julian froze mid-step.

“Okay,” he said slowly. “And who am I finding? A Noona p>

I froze too, caught off guard by the fact that he actually knew the term, that he had clearly done more research into this than I had given him credit for.

“You have done your homework,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him. “But you find no one. You enjoy your stay, and I’ll find my Oppa. Got it p>

“Got it,” Julian agreed.

We walked the rest of the way to the car in silence, the kind that felt warm rather than heavy, both of us carrying the private amusement of two people who had just made each other a promise neither of us fully intended to keep. Aiden ran ahead of us, backpack bouncing, already asking the driver a dozen questions about Seoul before either of us had a chance to catch up.

I glanced at Julian as we walked.

“You are not actually worried,” I said. “About the Oppa thing p>

“I am terrified,” Julian said, deadpan, though the corner of his mouth was fighting a smile. “Somewhere in this city there is a very handsome man who is about to steal my wife, and I have no way of stopping it, because apparently I am not allowed to look for a noona p>

“You could look,” I said. “I never said you could not look. I said you would not find anyone p>

“That is significantly more threatening than the original rule,” Julian said.

I laughed, the sound of it surprising me the same way it always did lately, easier than it had been in months, and Julian reached over to take my hand as we walked, not asking, simply doing it the way he had started doing lately, and I let him.

The car ride into the city took us past streets lit in neon, storefronts glowing pink and blue and gold, the kind of skyline that made even someone who had grown up surrounded by wealth stop and look twice. Aiden had his face pressed to the window again, narrating everything he saw to whoever would listen, and Julian sat beside me with my hand still in his, watching the city pass by with an expression I had rarely seen on him before this trip, something close to unguarded.

“Thank you for this,” I said quietly, not entirely sure he would hear me over Aiden’s running commentary.

He looked at me.

“Thank you for saying yes,” he said.

I did not have anything to add to that, so I simply leaned my head against his shoulder and let the city carry us the rest of the way to the hotel, Aiden’s voice filling the car with excitement about everything we were about to see, both of us content, for the moment, to let him lead the way into whatever this trip was going to become.

Julian’s POV

We went out for dinner that evening in Seoul. The city was alive with lights, the streets buzzing with energy that felt different from New York, though softer and more colorful, with neon signs reflecting off glass buildings and the Han River in the distance. We found a rooftop restaurant with a view of the skyline, and the moment we sat down, I noticed the way Katia’s eyes kept drifting.

She was flirting. Subtly at first, then more openly as the night went on. The waiters were young and handsome, with sharp jawlines and easy smiles. One of them, tall with dark hair and a dimple, kept coming back to our table more than necessary, refilling her wine glass with a little extra attention.

Katia smiled at him, tilted her head, and laughed at something he said in broken English. Another server, broader shoulders, and high cheekbones stopped by to recommend a dish, and Katia leaned in, asking questions, her voice warm and interested in a way that made my chest tighten.

I sat there and said nothing but loved how Koreans are so welcoming even though my wife was flirting. I didn’t make a comment about the way they looked at her or the way she smiled back. I kept my face neutral, even when one of them, who had the kind of face that belonged on a billboard, lingered a little too long while taking our order. Inside, I felt it. The slow burn of jealousy. These men were handsome in a way that was almost unfair. Sharp features, flawless skin, that effortless confidence. I didn’t know a man could look like that in real life. They were fucking handsome, and it wasn’t fair.

But I stayed quiet. Because deep down, I knew exactly what was going to happen when we got back to the hotel room. I was going to fuck her. Hard. I was going to remind her exactly who she belonged to.

We ordered Korean barbecue, the kind where you grill the meat yourself at the table. The food was good, but I barely tasted it. Katia kept glancing around the restaurant, her eyes catching on different men, the host at the front, another diner a few tables over with that classic K-drama look. I watched her, saying nothing, just letting the heat build in my chest.

At one point she caught me looking and smiled, almost teasing.

“You’re quiet tonight,” she said.

“Just enjoying the view,” I answered, keeping my tone even.

She raised an eyebrow but didn’t push it. Later, when the conversation turned to the shows she loved, I finally asked.

“So,” I said, leaning back in my chair, “who is your favorite K-drama guy? Since Aiden seems to think you have a whole list of them p>

Katia laughed softly, swirling her wine.

“Oh, there are so many,” she said. “Let’s see… Song Kang is definitely up there. That face, those eyes. Then there’s Lee Min-ho—classic. The way he carries himself in Boys Over Flowers and The King: Eternal Monarch. Hyun Bin, of course. That deep voice and the quiet intensity in Crash Landing on You. Gong Yoo in Goblin—he’s something else. Ji Chang-wook in Healer and The K2. Park Seo-joon in What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim and Itaewon Class. Lee Jong-suk in While You Were Sleeping. Kim Soo-hyun in My Love from the Star and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay. Cha Eun-woo—he’s so ridiculously handsome it almost feels unfair. Rowoon from The King’s Affection. And don’t even get me started on the newer ones like Byeon Woo-seok in Lovely Runner or Lee Do-hyun in The Glory p>

She kept going, naming more — Kim Tae-hyung’s acting debut, Jungkook’s visuals, even some from older dramas like Jang Dong-gun and Lee Byung-hun. She wasn’t just listing names. She was describing them with genuine appreciation, her eyes lighting up. Every name felt like another small cut, but I didn’t say a word against any of them. I just nodded, listened, and let the jealousy sit quietly in my chest like fuel.

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