The Opera?
“연극?”
The next day. Adeline couldn’t hide her bewilderment at Noah’s demand. The man had suddenly proposed, “Let’s watch an opera.”
Adeline let out a soft hum and carefully studied Noah’s face. He had asked her to accompany him to the opera house, but the distance was simply too far. Lately his condition had worsened even more. He suffered frequent dizzy spells and would rest his head against her shoulder and chest. Right now, he had his forehead pressed firmly against her breastplate.
She was sitting on Noah’s bed, hugging him in this odd posture, yet she had convinced herself it was reasonable. The patient must be suffering from illness. It was better to think of him as a large dog rather than a person. There was no deeper meaning in a dog pressing its face against a woman’s chest. That was all.
“In this situation, taking the carriage would be far too taxing on the body……”
However, just as she spoke calmly, Adeline bit her lip to stifle a pained groan. Noah’s nose brushed against her collarbone, sending a sudden shiver down her spine. She could not forcefully push the man away who was leaning on her, nor could she hold him warmly. She was merely clinging to him, stuck in place.
“So I called it,” Noah said, breathing deeply as he slowly pulled himself away from her. The moment he rose from the bed, Adeline straightened her disheveled dress. He was, in short, an invalid. The sick child clung like a spoiled child to its parents. Having been neglected by her mother in childhood, he sought comfort in a woman’s embrace.
Adeline tried to erase the impure thought that had crossed her mind—perhaps he was deliberately acting this way, even though she had come to view him almost like a mother.
“Called it? Here?”
“By now, everything should be ready. Let’s go.”
Noah took her hand. Every time he touched her without hesitation, her shoulder twitched. Their fingers soon intertwined, binding her like shackles. He gently led her forward.
* * *
Adeline was completely oblivious. Though she wasn’t entirely unaffected, whenever she swayed, she quickly regained her composure. She had no idea what kind of internal circuitry was operating inside that small head of hers.
Noah had one reason for arranging the opera. It was to awaken her sexually. If he could stir the nerves of a woman who had no sense of shame in intimate matters, their bond would become even more interesting. Perhaps the naïve woman would blush until her face turned bright red…
“No, Noah, ahh……”
He imagined she would make such a cute sound. Just the thought made him feel quite excited. Noah exhaled slowly. In a distant corner, the actors were performing with all their passion. The play was a familiar tale of love.
“My lord, you deceived me! Can this be called love?”
“Oh, Anna. Please listen. I only wanted your heart.”
“How can you call it love?”
A poor tenant farmer’s daughter had fallen for a nobleman who pretended to be poor to win her affection. That was the scene where she realized her lover was of noble birth.
‘Is this entertaining?’
Noah rested his chin on his hand and watched Adeline beside him. Unlike him, who was bored, her eyes sparkled with interest. As if concentrating intently, she rarely glanced sideways. Her eyes were round and bright—something Noah had never seen before. It was fascinating and oddly stirring, so he couldn’t tear his gaze away.
“Don’t come looking for me anymore!”
“Anna, Anna……”
“Let go of me!”
The man grabbed the hand of the woman trying to flee. She struggled fiercely, but sensing the end, he seized the back of her head.
“Ahh……”
Adeline’s shoulder jerked. As the kiss began, her eyes wavered. She sneaked a glance to the side. Noah, noticing immediately, pretended not to see and rolled his eyes. When Adeline checked for his reaction, she cleared her throat with a hum. Noah bit the inside of his cheek, fighting back a laugh.
“Ugh, ungh……”
It was the kissing scene from the adult play, which both actors were fully immersed in. The way they suddenly startled and checked for cues was rather cute. Ah, the genuine article. No wonder he felt a strange thrill.
For the first time, the woman had only felt annoyed, but if the partner was Adeline, it might not be so bad. The image of her shy, blushing face filled Noah’s chest with warmth. He rubbed his chin, hiding the upward curve of his lips.
The kiss grew deeper and more intense. First it was the nibbling and sucking of lips, now tongues intertwined. The woman’s legs bent, and the man, who had mounted her, hurriedly lifted her dress.
‘Why is he staring so much…… it’s so sneaky.’
What was the reason for his constant glances while trembling? Was he wondering what expression she wore? Whether he was checking her reaction or something else. Noah knew she was embarrassed. She cleared her throat unnecessarily, licked her lips as if thirsty, then scraped her nails against the chair armrest.
Noah observed her restless movements in silence.
“Do you think I’ll come back if you do this?”
“You don’t have to come back. Right now, I want you. You want me too, don’t you? No? Look how wet you are. Right?”
“A-ah!”
The intensity steadily rose. The man’s hand slipped inside her dress. His fingers moved roughly. The woman trembled and let out a seductive moan.
Clang! Adeline’s chair shook. Too startled, she nearly stood up, but Noah gently pulled her hand back.
Noah forced a smile, his mouth twitching. The sweat on his palm came from tension.
“It’s not over yet.”
He sat her down on the chair and deliberately leaned his upper body toward her. Rubbing his lips against her stiff cheek, he whispered,
“Albert chose it.”
His hot breath spread across her lips and cheek. Adeline’s shoulders stiffened visibly.
“It’s more provocative than I expected. I’m in trouble.”
Noah furrowed his brows in apparent annoyance and scratched her palm. Because her shoulders were tense and standing, they trembled. As if wanting to swallow his dry throat, Adeline swallowed hard.
“I’ll scold Albert later.”
“……”
“Was it to make us feel awkward?”
As if seeking confirmation, Noah turned his head. His lips grazed her cheek. He couldn’t ignore the soft, hot sensation. Adeline clutched her dress. The rustling sound mixed with the actors’ moans.
“……N-Noah, it’s too close……”
Noah deliberately cut off her words and clasped her hand.
“So stay in your seat. Albert worked hard on this; you’ll be disappointed.”
He deliberately rubbed his palms together. Adeline bit her lower lip and bowed her head. Noah memorized her bright red cheeks and thought to himself how well he had chosen an adult play.
* * *
The intensity of the play only grew thicker.
“Hah, hahng!”
Slap-slap! The sound of flesh hitting flesh rang out clearly. The adult play was extremely expensive; most performances took place not in theaters but in noble mansions. Of course, everything was staged. Yet Adeline, encountering it for the first time, was sweating profusely.
She lifted her heels. The sound of shoes scraping the floor and falling was unsettling. She wanted to run away immediately, but it was impossible since she was holding hands with Noah.
‘I’m so embarrassed……’
Why on earth had Albert prepared such a play? Adeline bit her lip in resentment toward him. Even though she wanted to sit casually, the woman in front of her was crawling on all fours. The man pressed close behind her, thrusting his hips up.
The sight of the two burned into her memory. The greater shock was realizing that the man and woman before her had transformed into Noah and herself.
Noah seized Adeline’s breast. He gripped her chin and roughly rubbed his tongue against hers. Heat spread through her belly. Adeline couldn’t help rubbing her thighs together.
‘Why am I thinking this……’
Adeline shook her head to control her chaotic thoughts. The air felt unnecessarily humid. Sure enough, Noah was also stiff.
“Noah……”
Adeline called out to him softly. Noah turned his head, but Adeline couldn’t look at him.
“P-Please let go of my hand.”
“Why?”
“It’s just…… I’m hot.”
Noah leaned his upper body toward her and suddenly pressed his lips near her ear. His lips appeared enlarged. It made her dizzy. Adeline leaned back slightly. She had felt it before, but Noah seemed to have no hesitation in physical contact.
“If you’re hot, shall we leave?”