Work Text:
“Timjang-nim.”
Kang Woo hears Kwon Joo's voice, but doesn't turn his head.
"If you hear this, please call me." Kwon Joo's voice sounded a little worried. "I think I've been paying less attention to you. I'm sorry."
The car Kang Woo was driving stopped in front of a low-fenced several-story building. He is following Jeon Chang Soo, the killer of Senior Detective Na who is also Kaneki's accomplice. He was informed that the man he was chasing was in the building.
"Many people talk badly about you," Kwon Joo continued after a deep sigh. "But don't forget there are also people who keep thinking about you here. Please take care of yourself. I hope we can catch Kaneki together."
Kang Woo's hand had already moved to open the door as Kwon Joo sighed again and continued.
"Please call me."
------
Since the door of Kang Woo's apartment is open, Kwon Joo doesn't even have to bother knocking. She walks into the apartment, takes off her shoes, and makes eye contact with Kang Woo who is standing in the kitchen hallway.
"Do Timjang-nim," Kwon Joo greeted, then cleared her throat. She stood motionless near the door that was still open.
Kang Woo looked at her as he walked past, stepped towards the door, and closed the door tightly. He walked back to the kitchen, with his eyes fixed on Kwon Joo. He saw the left side of Kwon Joo's neck which was still slightly purple. Only a little, because the scar is only visible if he looks carefully at it.
Kang Woo stands in front of the stove, and suddenly realizes that Kwon Joo is not wearing her uniform. He looked at the woman from top to bottom. To be honest he had never seen Kwon Joo without a uniform. She looks like an ordinary woman with this look. Oversized sweater and long jeans.
"Ah, I stopped by the apartment earlier," Kwon Joo explained as Kang Woo looked at her. The man didn't even have to ask. It seems like Kwon Joo can already read Kang Woo's mind with just looking at his eyes. "I also bought kimchi and egg rolls."
"I've told you: don't bring anything," Kang Woo said coldly, but didn't take his eyes off Kwon Joo. He pointed to the dining table with his chin. "Just put it there. The meal is finished soon."
Kwon Joo smiled slightly, walking to the dining table with her eyes staring at the pot on the stove. Actually from the smell alone she already knew what their dinner menu was today. Ramyeon.
While sitting on a dining chair with her body facing Kang Woo, Kwon Joo watched Kang Woo who was making sure his cooking was cooked perfectly.
Kwon Joo cleared her throat. "Hmm, I didn't expect you to actually call me."
Kang Woo looked back, squinting at Kwon Joo sharply.
"Not that I'm not happy," Kwon Joo quickly added clumsily. "I'm glad you called me."
"But you still bring food from yourself," Kang Woo snorted, lifting the pot from the stove to the dinner table. He looked at Kwon Joo who was staring at the contents of the pot with excitement. "Isn't I the one who should be paying for food when we eat together again?"
Kwon Joo's gaze immediately turned to Kang Woo. Her brown eyes widened with excitement. "Do you remember that? It's okay, there's still another time."
"That next time, it should be today."
"It's okay." Kwon Joo smiles sweetly at Kang Woo. "This way there will always be 'next time'. Because you haven't really paid for dinner."
Kang Woo's eyes returned to Kwon Joo's neck. Her sweater collar was quite loose and since Kang Woo was in a standing position, he could see part of Kwon Joo's shoulder. Her entire neck and part of her shoulders. Her skin is as white as milk.
Deciding the view was a little dangerous for him, Kang Woo chose to immediately sit across from Kwon Joo and focus on staring at ramyeon.
"You forgot the chopsticks," Kwon Joo chuckled, biting her lower lip. Kang Woo's red ears made her blush. And because she is sensitive to the people around her, Kwon Joo knew Kang Woo was staring at her neck. Maybe it's not only her neck.
Kang Woo stood up quickly, took the chopsticks from the counter drawer, then gave Kwon Joo a pair without looking. If he looked face to eye with Kwon Joo at this time, it seemed like he could lose control. It's better to eat first, so if anything happens...
"Timjang-nim?" Kwon Joo frowned at Kang Woo, who was now shaking his head. "Are you okay? Is there any medicine I can get you?"
"No." Kang Woo cleared his throat, focusing on ramyeon without saying anything else.
Kwon Joo opens the food box she brought from her apartment and places it in the middle of the table. She also eats without a sound, while occasionally pushing the food box closer to Kang Woo until the man picks up one of the foods she brings.
The vibration of the phone makes Kwon Joo gasped in shock. She placed chopsticks on the table, pulled out her phone from her jeans pocket. After reading a text message from Detective Park, Kwon Joo smiled while looking at Kang Woo. "Jeon Chang Soo has been caught."
Kang Woo nodded his head. He was very relieved, but he didn't show it. He ate the rest of the ramyeon, chewing without sound.
"Let me wash the dishes," Kwon Joo offered, standing up from her chair after seeing Kang Woo put chopsticks on the table. The man only stared at Kwon Joo expressionlessly, so Kwon Joo took the pot and chopsticks from the dining table, taking them to the sink which was only three steps away from Kang Woo's chair.
Kwon Joo just stands with her back facing Kang Woo, washing seriously, but Kang Woo is already captivated.
Kwon Joo's short hair makes her neck look longer, and due to the shape of her wide sweater collar, Kang Woo's eyes are focused on Kwon Joo's white skin. Her neck. Her shoulder. The nape of it.
Before Kang Woo realized what he was doing, he was already standing up, both of his hands holding the edge of the sink, trapping Kwon Joo's body. His body doesn't touch her at all, but he can smell her sweet body scent up close. His nose was almost poked the nape of her neck.
Sensing Kang Woo standing very close behind her, Kwon Joo unknowingly releases the chopsticks she was holding into the sink. The stainless steel sound instantly shocked her and her head jerked backwards. She stood frozen when she felt the tip of Kang Woo's nose now come into contact with the nape of her neck.
Kwon Joo tried to move. She instinctively wanted to escape. Maybe she could instantly turn around and punch Kang Woo in the jaw.
But Kang Woo's rapidly accelerating heartbeat, like her own, left her unable to move. It was lucky enough that her legs could still support her body.
Then Kwon Joo felt Kang Woo's fingers holding her sweater collar on the right side, roughly pulling the fabric down her shoulder. Kwon Joo trembled slightly as Kang Woo exhaled over her open shoulder, feeling the hot air from Kang Woo's breath directly on her skin.
"Tim-- Timjang-nim--"
Kang Woo's mind is too busy to think of an answer at the moment, so even though he hears Kwon Joo, he doesn't answer. He pressed his cheek on her shoulder, feeling Kwon Joo's delicate skin come into contact with his unshaved jaw.
As she feels Kang Woo start nuzzling his nose and cheek across her shoulder and the nape of her neck, Kwon Joo chuckles at the tingling feeling from his action. But her giggle didn't last long.
Kang Woo bit her.
Kwon Joo's body instantly froze. A little shocked, a little scared, but strangely she liked it. Kang Woo bites right between her neck and shoulders, and Kwon Joo unknowingly bent her head in the opposite direction.
Kang Woo releases his bite for a few seconds as Kwon Joo moves around to give him more access and then re-sticks his teeth at the bottom of the previous bite mark. He made sure the bite was on her shoulder that would be covered when Kwon Joo put on her uniform.
Kwon Joo's brain has stopped working completely. She feels the pain, but she doesn't want Kang Woo's bite to stop. Her heart starts beating faster, until she gets a little dizzy, then realizes Kang Woo's bite is getting harder. It's a little too painful. She whimpered.
The next second Kwon Joo no longer felt the bite or shadows of Kang Woo's body behind her. She tried to take a deep breath, calming her own heart. She also felt her face blushed. She didn't expect her mouth to make a sound like that. This was the first time.
No sound was heard, so Kwon Joo finally looked back, and she immediately felt pain on the right side of her neck. Painful, but that feeling made her heart beat faster. She tried to look at Kang Woo.
Kang Woo was still standing behind her. The man's eyes were out of focus. His eyes looked scared, panicked, and worried mixed into one.
That expression worried her. She turned her body completely, staring at Kang Woo who had already lowered his head. "Do Timjang-nim?"
Kang Woo's head was slightly raised. He stared at the faded purplish marks on the left side of Kwon Joo's neck. The bruise he made with his own hands as he strangled Kwon Joo. That night. In that building. He even slams Kwon Joo's back against the table, strangling her mercilessly.
Kang Woo couldn't look Kwon Joo in the eye. His head was lowered again. "Did I just hurt you?"
Kwon Joo bit her lower lip, still embarrassed when she thought about the sound she had let out earlier. But the voice wasn't because it hurt. It hurts, but... how to explain it?
"What if I lose myself and hurt you again?" Kang Woo said quietly, not raising his head at all.
"It hurts, but I... liked it?" Kwon Joo answered with a question while turning her head. Her neck hurt again, but she smiled.
Kang Woo slightly confused with Kwon Joo's answer which is a question. Did he hear wrong? Actually, he almost bit Kwon Joo harder because of the sound she made, but he managed to control himself and release her.
"As if you hurt me like that time, it's not going to happen. And even if it happens again, I won't repeat the same mistake: calling 'Do Timjang-nim' over and over again."
Kang Woo's curiosity could no longer be contained, so he held his head up, looking at Kwon Joo with a questioning face.
"I won't call Do Timjang-nim, but--" Kwon Joo extended her hand, which was still wet from washing, grabbed the back of Kang Woo's neck and pulled the man towards her.
The sudden movement surprised Kang Woo, but he didn't withdraw.
Kwon Joo pressed the side of her face to Kang Woo's cheek, until the distance between her lips and Kang Woo's ears is only a few cm. Kwon Joo whispered softly, "I love you."
Instantly Kang Woo's body jolted. He took a step back from Kwon Joo, looking at the woman with his eyes widened.
Kwon Joo couldn't hide her smile. "See? You'll be instantly awakened, like this. It's my fault I didn't use this spell that day."
"Kang Kwon Joo," Kang Woo's voice trembled slightly. "You--"
Kwon Joo's hands are now on Kang Woo's shoulder. She looked at Kang Woo fondly. "I'm serious. And about earlier, I... It's okay.”
"Earlier, the voice was--"
Kwon Joo's face was blushing again. She lowered her hands from Kang Woo's shoulders. "That-- because I liked it."
Seeing Kwon Joo's red face made Kang Woo's confidence flared up. He brought his face closer to Kwon Joo's face, whispering in a deep voice. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"
Even though her face was hot, Kwon Joo could still smile. Without looking at Kang Woo she kept her face away, casually turning back towards the sink. "But wait a minute. There's only one pair of chopstick left to wash."
"Wait?" Kang Woo repeats Kwon Joo's words with raised eyebrows. "Does that mean I'm allowed to do it again?"
Kwon Joo placed the finished washed chopsticks on the dryer rack, then dried her hands with kitchen towels. She looked at Kang Woo. Her eyes sparkled and she smiled seductively. "In a good way or bad way?"
Kang Woo blinked his eyes. "Mmm... Good way?"
"Okay," Kwon Joo replied briefly, then walked up to Kang Woo. She brings her face closer to Kang Woo’s, making Kang Woo flinch slightly backwards, and Kwon Joo chuckles.
Kwon Joo's provocation managed to shock him. But that doesn't mean Kang Woo doesn't want to see this kind of "provocation" more often.
Kwon Joo raised herself, sitting on the dining table with her legs hanging. He looked at Kang Woo with a smile, then brushed Kang Woo's bite marks on her neck and shoulder. "But bite in another part."
Kang Woo happily chose to bite Kwon Joo's lower lip.