TWENTY

The night was getting late and the wind was blowing hard enough to fly the dry leaves that had fallen on the ground. The moon this night also seems shy to bring out its light and chooses to hide behind dense clouds that are ready to spill water droplets on the earth's surface. Jinwoo just got out of his SUV and he immediately received a welcome from his guys who were guarding his house.

"Yujin is sleeping?" Jinwoo asked one of his guys.

"Yes general. We checked the condition of the house fifteen minutes ago, and it seems that Mrs. Yujin is already in her room," replied the young soldier straightforwardly.

Jinwoo nodded slightly and immediately walked into his house.

Half past twelve at night. Actually he didn't intend to go home this late, but circumstances forced him.

After meeting Nara, he gets a call from his father asking him to meet at the Blue House. Then when he was about to go home at eight this evening, his father-in-law suddenly called him and asked him to have dinner with him. Actually, it wasn't just an ordinary dinner because throughout the dinner, Mr. Im kept stuffing him with various kinds of advice to look after Yujin.

Lee Jinwoo subconsciously touched his ear while growling furiously with every sentence that Mr. Im crammed into his ear. If he didn't have good self-control, he would have given up all the harsh words because he never liked being teased. As a man and of course the husband of Lee Yujin he clearly knew what his responsibilities were. He no longer needs to get various advice because he really has understood all his roles and duties.

Jinwoo opened the wooden door in front of him slowly and he found the contents of his room that looked a little different. He then glanced at Yujin who was curled up comfortably on his bed with his clothes that looked too big. He was sure this afternoon the woman had done something with the house. Evidenced by some of his belongings that are no longer in their original place. But he felt okay with all of that. As long as Yujin didn't disturb his weapon room, then he would be fine.

With calm steps without making a sound, Jinwoo started walking towards his shoe rack at the end of the room. He took off his shoes and placed them neatly on the shoe rack whose position had now changed. After that he walked to the bed and started crawling up to follow Yujin into dreamland.

But before he actually closed his eyes, Jinwoo took the time to look at Yujin for a while while thinking about what Nara said to him this afternoon. He doesn't love Yujin. Not! That feeling was never in him. But he also didn't just use Yujin to strengthen his position as general. Then what is the reason for marrying Yujin? Returning the favor, taking Minwoo's place, and because he felt sorry for the woman. Yes, that's the reason for marrying Yujin. Isn't that not too bad? At least he married Yujin not to take advantage of her.

"General Lee..."

Yujin sighed softly in her sleep and suddenly turned towards him. The woman's lips twitched slightly and her eyelids seemed almost open. But after that she closed her eyes again while curled comfortably in Jinwoo's chest.

Jinwoo looked at Yujin sharply with both his hands on the right and left sides of his body. He suddenly felt something strange inside him when Yujin was unconsciously hugging him. He finally hugged Yujin and buried Yujin's small body inside his big body. His instincts as a man who wanted to protect his woman came out of nowhere as soon as he saw Yujin curled up inside his broad chest. There was a feeling of comfort and peace to see Yujin sleeping soundly in his arms.

"You look cuter when you sleep, but you'll be a fussy woman when you open your eyes." Jinwoo muttered quietly.

He then kissed the top of Yujin's head which gave off a calming lavender scent and closed his eyes for a moment to absorb it. Besides liking Yujin's sweet blood, he also likes Yujin's unique body scent. He had never smelled Yujin's scent on any other woman, the woman he targeted or the woman who openly admired him. So should he be grateful for his marriage?

He was very worried about Yujin's future. He should not have rashly told his adoptive father to take Minwoo's place to marry Yujin. But he also couldn't let a jerk like Minwoo marry Yujin. Yujin is a kind woman with a heart as soft as cotton that the right man should take care of. Unfortunately he himself is also not the right man for Yujin.

He still vividly remembered in his head how his father-in-law was being cynical about him tonight. Mr. Im frankly tells him that he doesn't really like himself to be her daughter's husband. If he is just a bodyguard for his daughter, Mr. Im can still trust him, but to be the husband of his daughter, he honestly can't really accept it. But seeing Yujin happy when she was with him made Mr. Im unable to do anything.

As a father he can feel the vibrations of happiness felt by his daughter. And Mr. Im knows that in the past Yujin didn't like Minwoo at all. He saw that Yujin was happier when she spent her days with Jinwoo, who was her bodyguard at that time. From there, Mr. Im then concluded that his daughter had always liked General Lee, who was known to be cold and cruel.

Coincidentally, his wife had asked him to marry Yujin to the son of his best friend, Park Hyunjeong, so that he could do nothing but accept the marriage and leave Yujin to a cold man who was notoriously cruel like Lee Jinwoo.

Jinwoo subconsciously clenched his fists in annoyance at every cynicism his father-in-law showed him. Even though he doesn't care about trivial things like that, he still gets annoyed when other people underestimate him. What's more, that person was his own father-in-law. He will prove to his father-in-law that he can protect Yujin in his own way. Although he also couldn't guarantee that Yujin would remain intact without any injuries. At least he would still keep his promise to God at the altar if he would take care of Yujin for the rest of his life.

-00-

Yujin squirmed softly while rubbing her eyes. But her eyes still felt reluctant to open. Instead, she pressed her body back to her right side to seek the warmth that had surrounded her for a long time. Yujin comfortably closed her eyes again and intended to continue sleeping. But a familiar cold voice suddenly infiltrated her ears and forced her to open her heavy eyes immediately.

"Wake up. You should be ready by half to five, spoiled lady."

Yujin opened her eyes slowly and tilted her head up. Her reflex immediately shifted back after she realized that she had been so possessively hugging Jinwoo. Instantly her white cheeks turned bright red and she became embarrassed at Jinwoo. Even though the man in front of her was looking at her blankly without the slightest objection to her possessive attitude since last night.

"When you go home?"

She tried to normalize her heartbeat and began to control herself again who had acted stupidly in front of Lee Jinwoo.

"Midnight." Jinwoo answered short.

Yujin timidly tried to raise her head and looked into the eyes of Jinwoo who was currently looking at her with sharp irises. For the first time she saw Jinwoo's disheveled appearance typical of a man who just woke up. Even so, Jinwoo still looked handsome in her eyes. His hair that wasn't neatly combed as usual added a sexy impression that made Yujin swallow hard. Plus the position of the man who was now lying on her side with one of his hands that he used as a pillow, made Jinwoo look like the hot men she often saw in fashion magazine.

Damn! Why is General Lee so sexy? Oh my God, he can make me faint with just his piercing gaze!

Yujin looks busy in her mind with eyes movements that can't stop from Jinwoo's body from head to toe. But her pleasure did not last long because Jinwoo immediately interrupted her with his sharp and cold sentence.

"Are you stripping me with your eyes almost rolling out? Hurry up, you only have twenty-three minutes left."

"Wha-what?"

As if awakened from her daydream, Yujin immediately stood up and walked hastily to the bathroom. Her face was now so red that she felt hot. The man had caught her in a wild fantasy with his body. Lee Jinwoo would definitely think all kinds of things about her after this. She should be able to control herself not to admire Jinwoo's disheveled appearance in the very sexy morning. But unfortunately she couldn't, because Jinwoo was too sexy for her.

"Arghh… what did I just do!" Yujin muttered annoyed.

She was still trying to normalize her heartbeat while fanning her face which was still hot. After she felt better, she immediately turned on the bathtube faucet and filled it with cold water. Instantly Yujin shuddered in horror and didn't want to take a shower. But if she didn't take a shower, Jinwoo would definitely punish her.

She finally dipped her body into the bathtube which was full and immediately shivered with cold after that. She wanted to jump out and get dressed right away because she really couldn't stand the chill that was starting to pierce her bones.

"Gosh! I don't want to take a shower!" Yujin shouted while closing her cold eyes.

She quickly grabbed the soap and finished her bath as fast as she could. After that she immediately took her bathdrobe and stepped out of the bathroom in a hurry.

"I am done," said Yujin in front of the bathroom door.

Jinwoo, who had just stretched with his topless body, immediately looked at Yujin intensely while observing Yujin's small body that seemed to be sinking behind his bathdrobe.

"Your clothes are still in the car."

"Then I'll take it." Yujin said quickly because she couldn't stand being in the same room with Jinwoo anymore. Moreover, Jinwoo was topless. His holy mind was immediately polluted with the beautiful scenery in the morning that was able to make her heart beat noisily. Soon she might have a sudden heart attack because of Jinwoo's sexy appearance this morning.

"You wait here, I'll take your luggage."

Without waiting for an answer from Yujin, Jinwoo immediately walked out and left Yujin alone with her face turning red again.

"Oh my God, what's wrong with me?"

Yujin was fanning her face in front of the mirror while puffing her cheeks cutely. She now looks like a giant strawberry because her whole face is completely red.

"What's with your face?"

"Hah!!"

Yujin flinched in surprise when Jinwoo had suddenly lowered his face next to hers. The man looked at Yujin's reflection in the mirror with a blank expressionless face. But it managed to make Yujin awkward and immediately stepped away from Jinwoo.

"No, just… just cold."

She quickly turned to her suitcase and pretended to keep herself busy by rummaging through it. After that she immediately walked to the bathroom and closed the door tightly to put on her clothes.

"Hurry up. I'll be waiting for you downstairs." Jinwoo shouted a little loudly from outside the bathroom.

Yujin muttered under her breath and she quickly put on her clothes as fast as she could. Don't let her get an anger from Jinwoo or punishment. Because the man never played with the punishment he would give. Even though Yujin was his own wife.

-00-

"Fifty push ups!"

"What?"

Yujin screamed in annoyance after she finished doing seventy sit-ups.

Her breath seemed to still be ragged and sweat also seemed to be dripping down her temples. Not to mention that her heart was still beating fast because the man had been telling her to do physical exercise which was very tiring. Previously the man had also told her to run around his yard ten times. And now the man told her to do push ups. Lee Jinwoo was crazy! She really will make his own wife like his men are tough and strong in the military.

"I don't accept protests. Hurry up and do it!"

With an irritated face, Yujin began to position herself to get ready for push ups. It felt like her arms and legs would soon break because she wasn't used to doing such strenuous physical exercise. So far, she just jogged around her house. Thankfully she has a slim body, so she never bothers to do strenuous exercise at home. But now Lee Jinwoo treated her like a lowly soldier who had to do this and that.

"One!"

Yujin started to bend her arms down to start the push up movement. Next to her, Jinwoo also did the same with her. Since then the man has been accompanying Yujin to do physical exercise.

"Two!"

Yujin followed every cue Jinwoo gave until the man finished counting. Her arms were now twitching in pain from being forced to do heavy work. Meanwhile, Jinwoo looked so relaxed while wiping his sweat using a small towel next to him.

"I shouldn't have needed to take a shower earlier." Yujin grumbled annoyed. Now her whole body felt sticky and also smelled. She had to take another shower and felt the cold water in Jinwoo's bathroom which was terrible.

"Did I tell you to take a shower? Stupid!"

"Stupid? You stupid and cruel General Lee. You want to make me look like a factory worker? My hand muscles will be as big as yours and I won't look graceful anymore." Yujin shouted angrily.

Several young soldiers who happened to pass by occasionally stole glances at them which looked so contrasting. The chatty Yujin and the cold Jinwoo.

"Watch out to your damn feet or you will be harmed by your own stupidity." Jinwoo shouted sternly at his men.

Instantly they immediately walked away with stiff heads facing directly to the front. Yujin who saw that reflex imitated Jinwoo's speech with a face that she deliberately made as ugly as possible. She was too annoyed with Jinwoo because that man lied to her today. Yesterday the man said that they would only practice martial arts, but in fact he also had to do tiring physical exercise. She felt like she wanted to go back to her father's house and hide behind her father's sturdy back so that Jinwoo couldn't tell her to do this and that as he pleased.

"You lazy girl. Don't expect your father to help you because you are mine. After you marry me, then your father has no right to interfere in our domestic affairs."

"But you tortured me and almost killed me!" Yujin replied no less fiercely.

Suddenly Jinwoo had cornered her against the wall and locked her body with her strong strong arms. The man squeezed her small body with his big body and pressed his right arm on Yujin's neck until Yujin felt short of breath and coughed several times.

"Uhuukk.. uhuukk… General Lee… Let go! Uhuuk uhuukk.."

"Hmm, this is called kill, Lee Yujin. How does it feel?"

Yujin shuddered in horror at the change in Jinwoo's face that looked terrible. The man's crazy side suddenly appeared because he was provoked by Yujin's explosive emotions. Even though a few days earlier the man had managed to control himself. But somehow this morning he again lost control of himself and almost killed Yujin. For a while Jinwoo still held on to his position before finally releasing Yujin with Yujin's slightly limp state in front of him.

"Don't ever yell at me again." Jinwoo hissed angrily and immediately left Yujin just like that who was still trying to normalize her crazed heartbeat.

Again he almost died at the hands of Jinwoo. Luckily the man regained his sanity before anything bad happened. With staggered steps Yujin rushed to her husband's basement because Jinwoo couldn't possibly cancel his training session even though she almost suffocated to death because of the man's crush on her neck.