Touch Therapy: Where Hands Go, Bodies Beg-Chapter 364: Plans (1)

Joon-ho’s phone rang just as he was leaving the private office building where he’d been conducting meetings all afternoon. The caller ID showed Harin’s name, and he answered with a familiar warmth that had developed between them over the years of working together.

"Harin. How did the meeting with Chae-won go?"

The response was immediate—Harin’s voice came through with a slight slur that betrayed more than just polite celebration. She was tipsy, her words flowing together with the kind of looseness that only alcohol could produce.

"It went amazing, Joon-ho! Seriously amazing!" Harin’s enthusiasm was barely contained, her volume slightly higher than necessary. "Chae-won is incredible—not just talented, but genuinely nice. She didn’t put on airs, didn’t make impossible demands, just wanted to discuss the project like a professional. We ended up having dinner together, just us girls, and the conversation was flowing so naturally..."

From somewhere in the background, Joon-ho could hear Mirae’s voice chiming in, equally cheerful and evidently sharing in Harin’s celebratory mood.

"She’s so friendly! I was worried she might be distant or intimidating, but she’s just... normal. We talked about the characters, about our approaches to acting, about the industry in general. I’m so excited to work with her, Joon-ho—this is going to be an incredible experience."

Joon-ho found himself smiling at their infectious excitement. The meeting had clearly gone even better than he’d dared to hope, and hearing Harin and Mirae so genuinely thrilled about their new collaboration was reassuring.

"I’m glad to hear it. It sounds like you made a real connection."

"We did!" Harin agreed enthusiastically. "And Mirae was right—Chae-won is the kind of person who makes you want to be your best self. She’s professional, yes, but also warm and approachable. I think this is going to be a great partnership."

From behind them, Joon-ho could hear Yurin’s voice attempting to bring some order to the situation. Her tone was patient but firm, clearly trying to manage two women who were enjoying their celebration a bit too enthusiastically.

"Here, drink some water. You need to stay hydrated. And maybe slow down a little—you’ve both had quite a bit already."

Her words were followed by the sound of glass clinking, presumably as she pressed water into their hands. Joon-ho could visualize the scene perfectly—Harin and Mirae in varying states of tipsiness, Yurin doing her best to keep them from getting completely out of hand.

Then another voice joined the conversation—Yura’s, audible through the phone with its characteristic blend of maternal authority and genuine concern.

"Can you two please calm down? Nari is finally settling down for the night, and you’re making enough noise to wake her. I appreciate that you’re happy about the meeting, but have some consideration for the baby."

Her tone was scolding but affectionate, the kind that came from someone who cared deeply about maintaining peace in the household.

"And while we’re at it, you both smell like alcohol. Honestly, did you have to celebrate quite this thoroughly? Go take showers, both of you. You need to sober up before bed, and the smell is becoming overpowering. I mean it—now."

Harin and Mirae’s protests were half-hearted at best, evidently recognizing that Yura was right. Their voices became slightly muffled, as if they were moving away from the phone or being herded toward the bathrooms.

"We’re going, we’re going. No need to be so bossy about it..."

"It was just a few drinks..."

"Come on, let’s get you cleaned up..."

Joon-ho listened to the domestic chaos with genuine affection. This was his household, his women, his family in all the ways that mattered. The fact that they were celebrating a professional success with this much enthusiasm spoke to how much they believed in what they were building.

"I’ll let you get to that." He interjected when it became clear that Yura was successfully herding them toward the showers. "It sounds like I should give you some space to handle the aftermath of your celebration."

"You’re no fun." Harin’s complaint was good-natured rather than genuinely annoyed. "But you’re probably right. I’m feeling a bit more lightheaded than I expected. We’ll talk tomorrow?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Absolutely. Goodnight, Harin. Give my regards to Mirae and Yura."

"Goodnight, Joon-ho. Thanks again for making this happen."

With that, the call ended, leaving Joon-ho with a smile and the lingering sense of warmth that came from knowing his team was happy and motivated. The meeting with Chae-won had been a resounding success, and the foundation for the project was now solid.

He was currently in Su-bin’s office, a space that reflected its owner’s particular expertise in ways that most business environments did not. Su-bin had carved out a niche for herself as a specialist in female and lesbian sexual wellness, and her office was stocked accordingly—shelves lined with high-end toys designed specifically for women who loved women, devices created for mutual pleasure, products that catered to desires that mainstream manufacturers often overlooked.

The atmosphere was professional despite the nature of the inventory, and Joon-ho had come to respect Su-bin’s knowledge and dedication to her field. She was serious about her work, committed to providing products that genuinely enhanced intimacy and pleasure for her clients.

"You seem to be in a good mood." Su-bin observed, her eyes assessing him as she entered the office with a folder in hand. "Successful call?"

"Very." Joon-ho confirmed. "Chae-won signed the contract, and she’s already bonding with Harin and Mirae. The chemistry between them is developing naturally, which bodes well for the project."

"That’s excellent news." Su-bin nodded approval, taking a seat across from him. "Having that kind of rapport from the start will make everything easier—press junkets, promotional events, the inevitable comparisons and speculation that come with high-profile casting. If they genuinely get along, it will show in their work together."

She opened the folder, revealing a collection of photographs and USB drives that she’d carefully organized for this meeting. "Now, on to other matters. I’ve compiled everything we discussed earlier—materials that might prove useful for your conversations with Brother Dong."

Joon-ho leaned forward, his attention focused. This was the business that had brought him here today—the leverage he might need in his dealings with the Dong family heir.

"What have you found?"

Su-bin selected one of the USB drives, inserting it into her laptop and bringing up a series of files. Her expression was serious, all business now, as she navigated to the evidence she’d gathered.

"This first batch relates to a woman connected to one of Dong Min-jae’s most trusted men—Lee Kang-hoon, who manages Dong’s private investments and has access to sensitive information about the family’s operations. The woman is Kang-hoon’s wife, and she’s been having an affair with someone significant."

She clicked on a video file, and the screen filled with footage that was remarkably clear visually, though the audio had its limitations. The setting was a luxury hotel room, the kind that catered to high-end clients who valued discretion. A woman was visible on the bed, her features unmistakable despite the awkward camera angle. She was in her mid-thirties, with an elegant bearing and the kind of polished beauty that came from privilege and careful maintenance.

She was engaged in sexual activity with a man whose face was only partially visible, but whose voice Joon-ho would have recognized anywhere. The man in question was a mid-level executive within the Baek family’s business empire—someone who moved in the same circles as Dong, someone who had access to information that could be damaging if it fell into the wrong hands.

"Watch this." Su-bin pointed to the screen, increasing the volume. "The visual is crisp, but the audio has some static—we recorded from a distance, and there was interference. But the important parts are still audible. Listen carefully around the seven-minute mark."

Joon-ho watched as the video continued, the couple’s intimate activities captured in detail that was both explicit and undeniably arousing. But it was what happened between encounters that held his interest.

The woman—Kang-hoon’s wife—was lying back against the pillows, her body relaxed in the aftermath of pleasure, her expression one of satisfied languor. Her lover had moved to pour them both drinks, and in that unguarded moment, she began to speak with a candor that alcohol and post-coital relaxation had encouraged.

"You have no idea how much I needed that." Her voice came through clearly despite the underlying static, each word distinct. "My husband... he’s never been able to satisfy me like that. Not even close. He’s always so busy, so focused on his work for Dong, so immersed in those investments and confidential matters. Sex with him is perfunctory at best—something to be done quickly, without passion, without real connection. It’s exhausting, really."

Her lover smiled, reaching out to caress her cheek, and she leaned into his touch. "I’ve never felt this way with anyone else. The things you do to me, the way you make me feel... it’s like I’m actually alive for the first time in years. I forget everything else when I’m with you—all the expectations, all the appearances I have to maintain, all the pressure to be the perfect wife to a man who’s married to his job."

She sighed contentedly, her fingers tracing patterns on his arm. "I almost wish we could just run away together, leave all of this behind. The obligations, the secrets, the endless games people play in our circles."

"We could, you know." Her lover’s tone was encouraging. "If you really wanted to, we could make it happen. I have resources, connections of my own. We wouldn’t have to live this double life forever."