Chapter 198 - Tired And Worn Out

Yoo Shiro came home depressed and with a headache that made him feel as if someone was hammering his head. It was almost morning now and he already loathed to even think about the day ahead. It had taken him a few hours to clean up the events from last night. And only as he drove home, did the fact that Nora had died sink in. And he could not help but blame himself for it. There were so many things he could have done to help her, to prevent this but he had been unable to. Yu Seok had received a few stitches and after dropping the two injured people to their home, he had driven himself home. The few minutes of silence had also eaten at him, the burden of Nora's death too much for him to bear. He thought back to the time when she had sweetly hugged him and looked up to him. Behind her innocence had hidden such cruelty. He stared out of the car, his fisted hand resting on the wheel in front of him.

He had no wish to enter his own home and was tempted to just go to a bar and get him self drunk. Another part of him wished to go to Shan Shan and sink himself in her warmth, letting go of all the burdens on his shoulders. But even this thought made him feel guilty as Nora's last words that she said in the ambulance echoed in his ears, "Why could I not get his love?"

For all intents and purposes, Nora had received all the love from her family but she had only ever craved Yu Seok love. Yes she had been a psychopath, but did that mean that se did not deserve love? He had helped her grandfathers and father grieve over her. Assured them that he would definitely avenge her death for they believed that someone had attacked her. Apart from Sir Xiao, the other two had been unaware of insanity and had only cursed the person responsible for her death. He had told Sir Xiao the truth and also given him the autonomy to portray Nora's death as he saw fit to the world. Because she may or may not deserve their love, but the family she had left behind, the old men, deserved to be at peace about her.

Just as arrived at the decision to go to a bar and drown his sorrows in alcohol, the light in his house was turned on and the door opened. For a moment he wondered if Nora had planned something for him also but then he noticed the woman walking towards him and his tiredness almost seemed to seep out of him. She was here and the truth he had been avoiding hit him. It was not alcohol he needed but her. He did not have to tell her anything, but just holding her to him would be enough for him..

Immediately, he opened the door of the car and stepped out while a blast of cold wind him him in the face. Immediately, he frowned and walking to the woman, he held her hand and guided her inside, "Why are you stepping outside? It is so cold! Come on move in? And why are you even awake at this hour? You should have called me when you came over."

By now, Yoo Shiro had walked in while guiding Shan Shan inside. But when he turned around to scold her some more, he realized that Shan Shan had suddenly frozen and was staring at him with wide eyes and looking almost ready to faint.

He looked down and realized that he was covered in blood. Extending his hand to touch and comfort her, he stopped at the dried blood and sighed,"Shan Shan, the blood is not mine. Don't worry." For a moment, she did not seem to realize what he had said. But when her brain did understand, she heaved a sigh of relief and almost crumbled on the floor. In a trembling voice she asked,"What happened?"

Not wanting to explain but knowing that he would not be able to get away with it, Yoo Shiro shook his head saying,"Let me just freshen up. And then I will explain everything."

Shan Shan nodded wide eyed and turned to go into the bedroom. Raising his brows, he followed her to the bedroom and then into the bathroom. He watched as she set the water to fill the bathtub like a little housewife. Once the wanted was filled, Shan Shan went on to add some herbs which she claimed were soothing and then walked to him. Her hands went straight to the buttons of his shirt. This simple action made him freeze and he unintentionally caught her wrist in a tight grip before growling,"What are you doing?"

The sudden aggression shocked Shan Shan who looked at Yoo Shiro strangely before she cared to explain," I was just helping you get rid of the dirty clothes. So that you can get into the bath."

Even though she said nothing, he could feel her gaze bore into him as he tried to avoid her gaze. He let his hands hang at his sides as she undressed him before she lead him into the bath. The warm water surrounded him and he leaned his head back, his eyes closing of their own accord while his hand kept a hold of hers. When she tried to pull away, he said,"Join me. Just let me hold you."

Shan Shan observed him carefully. This was the first time she had seen such a defeated look on him. She wanted to pepper him with questions but the exhaustion on his face stopped her. She placed her other hand on top of his and said,"Relax.I am not going anywhere."

Taking off his hand from over hers, she carefully sat next to the bath tub and sprayed some water onto his head.Squirting a bit of the shampoo, she massaged his head, making him groan with pleasure as he exclaimed,"Shan Shan! I feel like a king from the ancient times.. And if we had been born a few hundred years ago, then I assure you, you would have been my most favored concubine!"

Seeing that he had gone back to his teasing, Shan Shan playfully tugged at his hair and answered,"Do you think so? Even if we had been born hundreds of year's ago, I would have been the only one who could have tolerated you!"

This caused Yoo Shiro to open his eyes and squint at her carefully before he finally caught her and carefully pulled her into the bath tub in his arms. He burrowed his face in her neck, breathing in her vanilla scent and agreed,"Yes. you are right.You really are the only one for me in all my reincarnations."

Satusfied with his agreement, she let him hug her, even though her clothes were drenched. "What happened?"

Closing his eyes, he narrated the entire incident from the time he had received the information to the time he had replaced Yu Seok. And then the events that took place in the hotel room. The events of the evening shook even Shan Shan as she realised that her best friend had been in such danger and she had even been unaware of something like this. She could also feel her man's sadness and his heartbreak. And now she understood the mysterious message she had received from Yu Seok who had asked her to go stay at Yoo Shiro's house. She shuddered at the lost look that she had seen on his face when she had been observing him. If he had come home to an empty house, he would have kept this weight in his heart and suffered by himself. She slowly rubbed her hands along his arm in soothing circles. Just when her small hands reached his shoulders, Yoo Shiro held her face and fused his mouth to hers. He wanted to get rid of the feel of another woman's arms on him. He wanted to let her smell seep into him so deep that no one would ever get to him again. Soon, one of his hands slipped into her dressing gown and caressed her soft flesh and the events of the evening were left behind. Finally, the two people left the bathroom and snuggled into the covers, even as they whispered sweet nothings to each other. Finally, Yoo Shiro asked the question that he had wondered when he first saw her."Why were you here suddenly?Is everything alright?"

Sleepily, she teased him,"Does that mean that I am not allowed here when everything is Ok? Silly man. Just like you were worried for your brother, he too was worried for you and sent me here. The last dredges of coldness were chased away from his mind at Yu Seok subtle care of him.