NLFSD Chapter 47

Chapter 47

“I’m going to wash up.”

“Ah, yes…! Take your time.”

Seo Taecheon headed to the nearest bathroom. His steps seemed just slightly awkward in a way that made Jiwoon suspect why — but he forced himself to stare into empty space instead. If it was indeed for the reason he was thinking of, he would rather dunk his face in a basin of cold water than admit it.

“Ha… barely escaped.”

Soon, faint water sounds could be heard past the bathroom door, and Jiwoon felt all the tension drain out of him.

“That was close just now.”

It had been that kind of dangerous, suggestive atmosphere — like he had barely escaped stepping into the adult world.

Jiwoon’s gaze shifted toward the package box that had, quite literally, saved him.

“This thing ruined the mood… Or maybe it’s lucky it did.”

To calm his muddled thoughts, he decided to open it.

I haven’t ordered anything lately… so is this Taecheon‑C’s?

Come to think of it, Taecheon didn’t seem like the type to shop online. Usually, if he needed something, he’d have his secretary buy it or go to a department store with a personal shopper. Groceries and household items were all taken care of by the housekeeper. He really had no reason to place a delivery order himself.

Then what the heck are you?

Jiwoon picked up the package and looked at the shipping label.

“Oh? The sender is… the Ministry of Health and Family?”

Looking closer, it was from the Promotional Team for the Divorce Reflection Program under the Ministry of Health and Family. The listed recipients were Seo Taecheon – Lee Jiwoon.

So it’s for us. But why would they send something here…?

“No way.”

A vivid — and very inappropriate — image flashed across Jiwoon’s mind.

This is for maintaining a healthy marital relationship — so of course it must be something naughty!

Still addled from earlier skinship, Jiwoon viewed the package through his own bright red lewd-tinted glasses.

Adult goods. Definitely. The other day they were promoting ‘safe heat–rut cycle management,’ weren’t they? Reflection couples are expected to spend a lot of nights together, so they must’ve sent something for that.

His face turned crimson even though no one was watching.

Let’s open it before Taecheon‑C gets out of the shower.

Hurrying to the living room drawers, Jiwoon fetched a box cutter and began slicing it open. If it was something embarrassing, he’d either destroy it or stash it away before Taecheon saw — either way, he needed to inspect it first.

“What the—”

But when he opened the box, Jiwoon let out a short laugh.

It was nothing like the shameful item he’d imagined — in fact, the contents were ridiculously wholesome and entirely useless.

“It’s all Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i merch.”¹

Frowning, Jiwoon began pulling the items out. The top layer held two Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i plush dolls — one blue, one yellow. The bottoms had holes for inserting your hands.

“They want us to play dolls? What a waste of taxpayer money.”

The rest was equally headache-inducing: Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i‑headed pens, Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i sticky notes, a Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i engraved toothbrush set — trinkets of every kind. At the bottom lay colorful printed postcards reading:

We present this Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i merchandise set to couples beginning their Reflection period.

With Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i full of love, build harmony in your marriage!

Why not “Reflect” the Sook‑ryeo‑way♥

“Ha… how anticlimactic.”

All that pomp, slapping the Ministry’s name on… and it’s just this.

Jiwoon glanced toward the bathroom. Taecheon was taking longer than usual — probably enjoying his own private time. Jiwoon didn’t want to intrude, so he decided to wait quietly on the living room sofa until he was done.

Guess I’ll play with the Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i plushies in the meantime. The stuffing’s really plump — feels nice.

With nothing else to do, Jiwoon slipped one plush over each hand.

Alone, doing a one‑man puppet show felt awkward, but acting out scenes as if he were in a drama was one of Jiwoon’s quirks and hobbies. Old habits die hard — he dove right into over‑immersion.

I’m the yellow Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i — no, really I’m Lee Jiwoon, Seo Taecheon’s lover, just in plush form. Then the blue Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i? That’s Taecheon himself.

“Darling, I love you.”

Imitating the messenger sticker he’d sent the other day, Jiwoon half‑lidded his eyes and bobbed the yellow plush cutely.

Ooh, this is kind of fun. Alright, now for blue’s turn.

“I love you too, darling.”

He lowered his voice to mimic Taecheon’s deep tone. A shiver ran through him and goosebumps covered his arms.

“Ah!”

Oh no, this is way more fun than I thought!

Kicking his feet and rolling across the sofa, Jiwoon got even more carried away and moved on to improv scenarios.

“Darling, what should we name our second child?”

Yellow plush leaned sweetly against blue plush as Jiwoon asked.

“Hmm… I don’t know. What does my beloved Jiwoon want?”

“I’ll go with whatever you say.”

“Then first, we’d better make a child. Why name one when we don’t have one yet?”

“Oh, right! Then… how about tonight?”

Giggling, Jiwoon was completely lost in the puppet play and didn’t notice the shower sounds stop — or the sound of slippered feet approaching behind him.

“What are you doing?”

“AAAH!”

A shadow fell over him from behind. Turning, Jiwoon saw Taecheon in a gray robe and nearly jumped out of his skin. His flailing hands sent the yellow and blue puppets flying.

“D‑did you… see everything?”

“Mm. Not from the start — just from the part where you proposed naming the baby after… relations.”

“AAAH!!”

Kill me now.

Jiwoon wanted to crawl into a hole. Covering his burning face with both hands did nothing to cool it.

“I‑I’m sorry…”

“No need to apologize. I just didn’t expect you to already be thinking of names for our child.”

“That’s not— no— it was just—!”

“For naming, we’ll have to ask one of the well‑known masters. And as you said… no point in naming one when there’s no baby yet.”

“What?!”

Jiwoon waved his arms in an “X” to block himself.

“W‑whoa, no way!”

Losing his balance, he tilted backward — until Taecheon caught him by the waist.

“Don’t worry, I’m not making one tonight.”

“Oh… uh… s‑sorry— I mean, thanks—no, I…”

Unable to handle the mortification, Jiwoon turned his head away. Taecheon kissed his forehead lightly.

“There’s nothing to be sorry or thankful for. It’s just a matter of when.”

With that, Taecheon smiled at his beet‑red lover.

“Go wash up. I’ll put the puppets away.”

“Y‑yes!”

Jiwoon practically fled to the bathroom. Despite the cold weather, he felt overheated enough to need a freezing rinse.

Whether from embarrassment or shame, the Jiwoon in the mirror looked like a wreck. After a tough shower, he filled the tub with cold water and sank in.

“What is even happening… so humiliating.”

And yet in the bath, flashes of today’s events — the almost‑dangerous tension with Taecheon — kept replaying, making him kick his feet under the water.

“Phew… But as Taecheon said, it’s something that’ll happen eventually.”

If he kept avoiding it out of fear and inexperience, could they really call themselves a married couple dating each other? Their relationship was both — lovers and spouses — so adult intimacy was… essential.

“When should it be… Hopefully, he gives me like two weeks’ notice so I can prepare mentally.”

Placing one hand over his still‑pounding heart, Jiwoon touched his swollen lips with a fingertip. The whole day felt like a dream.

After soaking in cold water for some time, he got into pajamas — but instead of heading straight to the bedroom, he went to the kitchen. Somehow, the day’s events had left him feeling drained, and he thought a health tonic would help.

“The housekeeper’s organized things nicely.”

Opening the fridge, he saw the vegetable drawer packed with pouch‑sealed herbal medicine. These had arrived last summer from Taecheon’s mother for her son, but Jiwoon had secretly tried one, gotten hooked, and now drank it every two or three days. Taecheon had shown no interest, and as far as Jiwoon knew, had long since forgotten its existence.

*Haven’t had one in a while. This stuff just… feels energizing. Fills me with yang energy…*²

As an Omega, talking about filling up with yang energy might sound absurd — but that was exactly how it felt to Jiwoon. A rush of vital, almost forceful warmth suffusing his whole body.

“Ahhh. That’s good.”

Downing it in one go and rinsing his mouth, Jiwoon headed toward the bedroom.

Footnotes:

1. Sook‑ryeo‑Doong‑i — A fictional, cutesy mascot character that often appears in official communications or promos within the story’s world, used here for government “Divorce Reflection” program merchandise.

2. Yang energy — In East Asian philosophy, the yang principle is associated with heat, vitality, and masculinity. Here, Jiwoon humorously applies it to himself even though, as an Omega in the ABO setting, it’s not technically “his” role.