II - 33

“Now that you know everything, let’s finish filling it out, alright?” 

I-jun lightly tapped her stiff shoulders. Her rigid posture was unmistakable beneath his touch. 

It was understandable that she was startled. His relentless questioning had only complicated things further when he’d tried to brush it off casually. 

Tilting his head slightly, he picked up the pen. 

“Still can’t do it? Is it too hard?” 

He waved the pen in front of her face, but she gave no reaction. 

A small pang of guilt tugged at him for teasing her so much. 

Even so, there was no way he could reveal the real target of his curse. How could he explain that a college senior he’d met months ago had bragged about having an affair, using her as a topic of conversation? 

When she first joined AE Cosmetics, he had assumed she was a complete novice with no prior work experience. But later, he discovered she had been an HR assistant manager at J-Wear Apparel—and that’s when he realized her connection to his senior. 

“Always fawning over the department head, acting all sweet—it was so easy to toy with her.” 

Though his senior was full of bravado and exaggeration, I-jun didn’t believe every word he said. 

Still, at the time, he had thought she must have given him an opening. That she had unknowingly let him slip into her life. 

This made him curious about her. 

He had intended to ask her directly if what his senior said was true, but he kept quiet before the wedding ceremony. 

Why, then, did those words resurface now, just as they were about to register their marriage? 

“Then I’ll start writing.” 

I-jun lowered the pen he had been waving and hastily bent over to fill in the blanks, starting with his name. 

The sound of the pen scratching against the paper grew louder, enveloping her ears. She focused on the rustling noise, trying to erase unnecessary speculation and misunderstandings. 

Her gaze shifted from the document to the surroundings. 

Behind them stood their chauffeur and secretary, waiting patiently to sign as witnesses. 

I-ryeong tried to read their expressions, but their faces—just like their employer’s—were unreadable. 

‘Well, it’s fortunate they don’t seem interested.’ 

Feeling relieved that neither the chauffeur nor the secretary paid attention to her or I-jun’s behavior, I-ryeong parted her lips slightly and exhaled a breath heavy with heat. 

“…Hoo.” 

The breath she had been holding in felt sticky, almost as if she were truly aroused by him. Though whether she really was, she couldn’t say. 

While I-ryeong steadied her breathing and gathered her thoughts, he handed her the completed document. 

Once again, she simply stared at it without making any move. 

She had thought the wedding ceremony would be the end of it all. But during their honeymoon, he had expressed his desire to register their marriage as well. 

Not just a couple bound by formality, but legally recognized spouses under the law. 

He should have seriously considered this while they were still in Greece, but he had been complacent. 

If they became a legally bound couple through paperwork, separating would be even harder. 

“Should I fill yours out too?” 

I-jun grew worried seeing her lost in thought. Was she regretting this just before registering their marriage? He felt a sudden wave of anxiety. 

“It’s just one certificate to fill out, so tell me if you want me to do it.” 

Without realizing it, he hurried his words, fearing she might flee somewhere with that hollow look in her eyes. 

“Or we can come back on a day off.” 

He took a step back, afraid that rushing or pressuring her might ruin everything. 

At that moment, his earlier talk of lust and other things seemed to have only heightened her unease. 

“No, it’s fine. Give it to me.” 

I-ryeong took the document and pen and began filling it out, one blank at a time. 

‘Don’t overthink this.’ 

As she recalled his words, she wrote smoothly without hesitation. 

Though it might have meant something else, for now, she didn’t want to complicate things. 

Reminding herself of her growing affection for him, she reassured herself that this was another step toward becoming a married couple. 

Just as she neared the end of the paperwork— 

“Just in case, are you regretting this?” 

His voice invaded her unguarded ear once more, accompanied by his damp yet hot breath. 

Her chest, which had finally calmed, began pounding violently again, and she felt heat rising around her neck. 

I-ryeong forced herself to stay calm and stamped the seal. 

“Why? Do you regret it, I-jun?” 

Her lips trembled slightly, but she maintained her composure. 

Regretting it would be a lie, but she held onto a faint hope. A tiny part of her wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t regret it either. She answered with her eyes instead. 

“Never.”

His eyes and voice betrayed no hint of trembling. 

“If I had regrets, I wouldn’t have gone through with the marriage in the first place.” 

“Same here.” 

I-ryeong smiled faintly and extended her hand to him. 

“Let’s try our best to make this work.” 

“That’s the plan.” 

Their hands met firmly, though it was unclear whose grip was stronger. 

“I’m counting on you, Wife.” 

“And I’m counting on you too, Husband.” 

She had to be content with finding refuge in this marriage. Though she couldn’t yet yearn for complete love, she submitted the fully completed marriage registration form without hesitation. 

“Please come back in a week to confirm your marriage certificate.” 

The clerk’s explanation sounded almost like a serenade to I-jun—because in a week, they would officially and irrevocably become husband and wife. 

“For now, we’re still a provisional couple.” 

He made a rare joke, his expression unusually relaxed. Seeing this, I-ryeong’s own tension eased slightly. 

“The district office is hosting an event for newly registered couples.” 

Just as the couple was about to leave the civil affairs office, a staff member stopped them. 

“We’ll take a commemorative photo at the photo zone.” 

Following the direction of the staff member’s pointing finger, their gazes shifted simultaneously. There stood a photo zone decorated lavishly with flowers. 

“This will also be uploaded to the district office’s social media. Is that okay?” 

“It’s fine… nothing serious,” I-jun replied casually, thinking it could even serve as publicity for AE Cosmetics since he was an executive there. 

“You’re okay with it too, right?” 

I-ryeong hesitated to respond. 

She wanted to say she wasn’t okay with it, but cold sweat trickled down her back, and her face stiffened noticeably. Before he started imagining something strange, she needed to come up with a plausible excuse—but her mind had gone blank, unable to think clearly. 

‘You wretch. You’ll suffer the same fate!’ 

Her thoughts were consumed by the message she had received in Greece, tormenting her endlessly. Why did it have to resurface now, haunting her like a curse from the department head’s wife? Her chest felt suffocating, as if blocked entirely. 

His gaze, fixed intently on her, now felt burdensome. It seemed determined to uncover the truth, which only added to her unease. 

Her mouth had gone completely dry, making it impossible to swallow, and thirst overwhelmed her. She hated how seriously she was taking the mere act of posting one photo—all because of fear of others. 

“I-ryeong?” 

His concerned gaze, dark and deep like the ocean floor, made her feel as though she had no choice but to tell him the truth. 

I-ryeong bit down hard on her lower lip. 

“…” 

She couldn’t reveal the secret she hadn’t even shared with her family—not now, not to him. 

She didn’t know what his feelings toward her truly were. He was still just a fake husband who craved only her body. 

“I-ryeong.” 

His rich, low voice flowed out. The hand gripping her shoulder tightened further. 

Now she was utterly confused—was he genuinely worried, or was he pressing her out of curiosity? 

“I-ryeong. Chae I-ryeong!” 

I-jun raised his voice, frustration evident as she continued to remain unresponsive. 

I-ryeong’s heart swayed like a shipwreck caught in a storm. She felt dizzy, as though seasick from violent waves, and finally bile rose in her throat. 

“Are you alright?” 

His cool palm touched her feverish cheek. 

It felt strangely comforting, as if he were silently assuring her not to run away. 

“…I’m sorry, I-jun. For a moment, my mind was heavy… I was feeling overwhelmed.” 

Before he could grow more curious, she forced herself to speak, revealing even the trembling she had tried so hard to hide. 

“I don’t want to take the picture. I-jun, I don’t feel like taking a commemorative photo. Is that okay?” 

She forced a smile, trying to mask her unease before he could suspect anything unusual.

“If you don’t want to take it, we won’t. If you don’t like it, I don’t either. It’s fine with me, but are you sure? Your complexion looks terrible, so I’m asking.” 

His expression and tone seemed genuinely concerned rather than curious. Even if it was her own misconception, I-ryeong felt grateful for his worry in that moment. 

“Let’s forget about the commemorative photo.” 

I-jun signaled their refusal to the staff and led her out by the hand. 

What could possibly be troubling her? 

He mulled over the unanswered question as they walked down the hallway. The deserted corridor echoed only with the sound of their footsteps, heightening the tension. I-ryeong felt a sticky sensation from the hand he held tightly. 

‘Surely, he doesn’t know… does he?’ 

Her thoughts spiraled downward, weighed down by unease she couldn’t shake off. I-ryeong found herself sinking deeper into confusion. 

Before long, they exited the building and walked toward the parking lot. In the distance, a car with its hazard lights blinking waited for them. 

“I-ryeong.” 

She looked up at the sound of his voice, revealing eyes clouded with uncertainty. 

Why did he keep calling her so tenderly, shaking her already fragile heart even more? 

The couple stopped walking simultaneously and gazed deeply into each other’s eyes. 

One pair of eyes sought the truth, while the other tried to conceal it. Their gazes, filled with tangled emotions, intertwined, and for a moment, silence enveloped them. 

Finally, I-jun broke the silence. 

“If something hurts, tell me. Let’s go to the hospital first.” 

He didn’t let go of her hand as he examined her face. Her pale complexion, even under the setting sun, left him no choice but to worry. 

“…I’m fine.” 

After a pause, I-ryeong finally spoke. 

“The air inside felt a bit suffocating. But now that we’re outside, I feel much better.” 

The civil affairs office, with its tightly sealed windows, had indeed been stuffy, just as she described. 

She was quite satisfied with the plausible excuse she had come up with. The cool spring breeze carried away some of the unnecessary heat, making her feel slightly relieved.