Refusing Your Ex-Husband’s Obsession: A Guide

It was perhaps right to say that time was medicine.

It’s through the medicine called time that memories start to fade—that memories of love would disappear from one’s mind. Things that I did not notice at that time flashed before my eyes.

He was like arrogance incarnate. He never so much as took a single glance at the food I ate before, and he was so fussy about dirt that, if there was even just a single drop of water that would come upon his shirt or anything, he’d take it off and throw it away.

I mean, water could just disappear once it would evaporate anyway.

It’s not like it’s coffee, nor was it something like soup.

And that’s not all. It’s as if he couldn’t stay still at all if I wasn’t at home. Whenever I happened to be out for field work, he never failed to blast my phone with calls, making a fuss while urging me to come home right away. If it wasn’t that, then he’d be sure to find out where I was so that he could personally come to me.

Yet, once we got home, he always just treated me as if I wasn’t there anyway, as if he’s done doing what he needed to do with me. Why in the world was he so anxious to bring me back home anyway if he was just going to be like that?

He never said anything whenever I met up with Seoyoon or other Espers, but why did he still keep insisting on knowing everyone I knew?

So mean. Seriously so mean. I should have noticed all of that at first and called him out on it.

I have no idea why I threw my whole life away just for my ex-husband.

But I was still scared of that guy’s affections, really.

I grumbled to myself as I peeled off one roasted potato’s skin. I suddenly got annoyed because the memory of that guy’s fingertips flashed before my eyes. Why did those even look so familiar, too. I munched on my smoothly peeled potatoes, which I seasoned with a bit of salt.

Around the time I had already eaten three, Mary eventually gave me some sugar. In the end, I ate all six potatoes in the basket because I couldn’t bear to see any leftovers.

“Mmh, as expected. Roasted potatoes are paired the best with sugar.”

A bit more sugar was left, but I didn’t want to ask for more roasted potatoes. Patting my full stomach, I got up from the couch and circled around the room. I rolled up my negligee a little to do some practice kicks.

After a series of kicks—forward, side, back—I felt lighter. It was only after this that I lay back down on my bed.

I felt a little dismayed that I didn’t get to say good night to my family. At the very least, I should wake up early tomorrow so I could see them first.

With practiced ease, I took out the hairpins that kept my hair up and blew the candlelight. With only the subtle moonlight left to illuminate my surroundings, I closed my eyes and felt myself drifting off.

I was about to succumb to the calls of slumber right then, but my nerves became taut the moment I noticed the very slight feeling of someone’s presence entering my room.

Almost no sound could be heard from that person’s movements, and it seemed as if they were very used to this. After I reincarnated into this world, the only people who snuck into my room before were my family.

Still, it might be too much to say that they snuck into my room to intrude, since they only ever checked to see if I was sleeping well. Anyway, the last time that happened was three years ago.

And, my family normally came in through my door.

Not the window.

I couldn’t hear that person’s footsteps, but as their movements got closer and closer, I quietly took out my katar, which was always near me. It was a habit that I got from my time in the special forces, and it’s been ingrained in me for so long that it’s difficult to let go of it.

Until now, I had been burrowing my face beneath my blanket and pillows, but the moment that the presence reached an arm’s length from me, I lunged and immediately swung the katar at that person.

The sharp blade grazed something. I must have missed my target, so I readjusted my aim and stabbed once more.

However, whether or not the intruder escaped her retaliation, he reached towards me and drew me into his embrace.

“Haa, Seohyun…”

“……”

Hearing that name—a name that had no place in this world—I forgot to breathe.

“I knew it. It really is you…”

The tone of his voice was mixed with palpable joy. He turned me around to face him, and I was soon met with the sight of his blue eyes, which looked cold beneath the glow of the moonlight.

This was a grave miscalculation. I should have considered the possibility that he’d break into my room. I should have confirmed the intruder’s identity first before I swung my katar.

I broke out of my reverie. Using my free hand that wasn’t holding the katar, I pushed him roughly over the stomach to get him away.

No damage at all was dealt to him, but at least the distance between us had definitely widened.

Now that I was further away from him, Ciel stared at me with a strange look on his face.

“Why are you looking at me with that expression?”

It must be that he could see me clearly. Sure enough, an Esper’s physical prowess was different from any ordinary human being’s.

I had no idea what kind of expression I was making right now. I was feeling so confused that I didn’t even know what to think first.

How the hell did you recognize me? How is it possible that you know me?

My expression was surely like an open book for him to read right now.

As though this was certainly the case, he answered without me having to voice my questions.

“My wife, did you think that I wouldn’t recognize your guiding?”