After returning from Germany, he was busy as expected, but not so busy that he couldn’t sleep. He found Joo Se-hee easily because of Kim Jin-woo, and thanks to having hired a private detective in advance, he was able to save time. However, since returning from Germany, Kang-joon had been suffering from insomnia. Even if he pushed himself to exhaustion, his body was just tired. He realized that habits were truly tenacious. Because of Joo Se-hee, who had made him realize there was a ‘we’ when he had always been accustomed to being alone. Even with his iron constitution, after more than a month, Kang-joon was getting tired. Especially today, he felt like he lost consciousness for a few seconds due to lack of sleep. It was the day he was meeting Joo Se-hee. Wanting to face her with a clear head, Kang-joon decided to rest for about 10 minutes. He lay on the sofa for a moment, fell asleep, and had a dream.

‘No, I’ll just cross it myself.’

When they came to a stone bridge that could cross the river, his wife insisted on crossing it alone. Kang-joon followed closely behind, ready to quickly grab her if she misstepped. Under the clear blue sky and dazzling sunlight, Joo Se-hee, in a white dress, skipping along, was beautiful. Her abundant hair, scattered by the blowing wind, tickled Kang-joon’s face. Intoxicated by the feather-light touch and the fragrance imbued in her hair, Kang-joon called out to his wife.

‘Joo Se-hee.’

His wife, who turned and looked at him, was smiling widely. His heart pounded as if it would burst from her sun-like smile. Instantly, his chest warmed, and Kang-joon grabbed her slender wrist, pulling her close. He felt as if he would go mad if he didn’t hold her in his arms right away. After holding her, he felt alive again, and Kang-joon slowly closed and opened his eyes.

“...Joo Se-hee.”

As if possessed, he reached out his hand, cupped her small head, and pulled her closer. He wanted to kiss her. Even though you’re always with me, I feel like I’m going crazy because you don’t feel real. As her delicate breath touched his lips, his strong arms tightened around her soft body. Just as their sweet lips were about to meet, a loud bell rang, shaking his eardrums. And slowly, reality returned.

“...”

“...”

The clear blue sky disappeared, and the sparkling river vanished. He met Joo Se-hee’s gaze, who was staring intently at him from atop his body on the sofa. The background was a dream, but the sensation in his arms was real. But far from letting Se-hee go, Kang-joon pulled her even closer and muttered lazily.

“This position is a little embarrassing, but it’s not bad.”

Her large, blinking eyes, as if dumbfounded, held a variety of emotions. Kang-joon whispered self-deprecatingly, embracing her soft body that was squirming on top of him as if trying to escape.

“I know, I probably started it again.”

It’s always me who approaches and is impatient, desperate. And it’s always you who runs away and endures so stubbornly.

“I’d gladly take a slap, so could you let me hold you for just 10 seconds?”

He had intended not to lay a finger on Joo Se-hee until the divorce was finalized. Because that was the right thing to do. But that plan was now completely shattered. Again, because of you, Joo Se-hee. For 30 years, his life had been meticulously planned, every single day. Without a single deviation, mistake, or indulgence, mechanically and dryly repetitive. He had no particular complaints about a life that would continue to repeat itself. But after meeting Joo Se-hee, Kang-joon’s life became tangled. Joo Se-hee had systematically and thoroughly attacked his brain and heart. First with anger and contempt, then with curiosity and questions, and then with interest. Eventually, it became love. She was a woman who was just out of reach, seemingly understandable yet unknowable. She was the kind of woman who drove people crazy. But his entire 31 years of life being shaken by Joo Se-hee wasn’t bad. Honestly, it felt good. Me loving you, this feeling, and you.

“...It’s been 10 seconds.”

Instead of letting go of the sigh-like whisper rumbling against his neck, his fingertips tightened their grip. He knew he should let go, but he couldn’t. Then came a knock at the door. Joo Se-hee, who sprang up like a coiled spring, had a face as white as paper, like a ripe apple. Engraving her beautiful image, which he wouldn’t mind putting in his eyes, onto his heart, Kang-joon rose from the sofa. Lifting the traditional Korean lunchbox the secretary handed him, he said casually to Se-hee.

“Let’s have lunch, Ms. Joo Se-hee.”

________________________________________

It was a small meeting room attached to the office. She hadn’t known that Kang-joon’s office, which she had only visited once, had such a space. Se-hee turned her gaze from the floor-to-ceiling window packed with skyscrapers back to Kang-joon. Kang-joon was already neatly finishing the second tier of the three-tiered lunchbox she had bought. It was a custom lunchbox for a carnivore, composed of beef steak, lobster, abalone, and grilled chicken breast, encompassing land, sea, and air. Kang-joon, perhaps concerned by Se-hee’s picking at her food unlike himself, asked.

“There’s no way it wouldn’t suit your taste, so why are you eating so little?”

Se-hee’s lunchbox had been ordered in advance by Kang-joon. She was genuinely touched by Kang-joon’s preparedness, who had foreseen that she would bring a protein-heavy lunchbox. The lunchbox Kang-joon had prepared for her consisted of the simple vegetable side dishes and galbi-jjim (braised short ribs) that she enjoyed. But what was she supposed to do when she had no appetite? Finally, Se-hee put down her chopsticks and calmly asked.

“My stomach isn’t feeling well. Is eating well part of the repayment I owe you, CEO?”

Only then did Kang-joon put down his chopsticks. With a word to wait, he quickly cleared the lunchbox, put it in a shopping bag, and left. Left alone, Se-hee sighed softly, recalling the earlier situation. If the alarm hadn’t gone off, he really might have kissed her. She was glad the alarm rang and the secretary knocked.

“Joo Se-hee, snap out of it.”

The moment she thought she needed to be more alert, the door opened. Kang-joon, holding a tray, placed a teacup in front of Se-hee.

“It’s mint tea. They say this herbal tea is good when your stomach isn’t feeling well.”

It would be better if he just sent me away. Se-hee muttered to herself and picked up the teacup. After a few sips, her uneasy stomach seemed to settle. A brief silence flowed between them, using the tea as an excuse. A few minutes later, Kang-joon was the first to speak.

“The movie ‘Impure Relationship’.”

Even just the title was enough to change Joo Se-hee’s neat and unwavering gaze. It was understandable. The only movie they had watched together, the things Joo Se-hee had said in the car that day. Those weren’t the contents of the movie, but the story of Joo Se-hee’s parents and her hidden past. It was also the content of the envelope he had hoped he would never have to open.

“They say a sequel is coming out.”

It was his first time camping in a car. That day, Joo Se-hee, nestled in his arms, had asked.

‘If the twin sister and that man truly loved each other, I think the movie could have ended with their happy ending. What do you think, Kang-joon?’

He hadn’t known then, but now he thought. That it must have been her careful revelation of her feelings and her courage. And he was the one who had coldly crushed those feelings and that courage. It was natural that Joo Se-hee, who must have felt no hope from him, left. Thinking back to that day, a thought suddenly crossed his mind. If I had answered well, would you not have left me? Suppressing a bitter smile, Kang-joon asked calmly.

“Aren’t you curious about the content?”

Se-hee, who had been silent, finally opened her mouth.

“I’m not curious.”

Her clear eyes, quietly looking at him, seemed to whisper. What’s the use of it now? It’s already in the past, and that time has passed.

“I am curious. What Ms. Joo Se-hee will think.”

“...”

“The sequel has a happy ending.”

Se-hee’s slender fingers gently placed the teacup down. Her calmly lowered long eyelashes were annoyingly neat and pretty.

“If it’s a happy ending, then the man who returns is truly insignificant, and the woman who accepts such a man is also insignificant. Really.”

“...”

“Love isn’t absolution, is it? It doesn’t erase wrongs, and it can’t make a dirty relationship clean.”

Se-hee’s voice was calm and composed. But Kang-joon fully felt the emotion of her returning his own words to him. She must have been hurt that much, driven in as deep as a nail.

“And if I were the female lead, I’d refuse. It’s a feeling that would dull if I just endured a little, so why bother walking a difficult path? If they’re together, even an innocent child will obviously be pointed at, but if they separate, both can live perfectly normal lives. So why?”

Se-hee raised her head, gazing deeply at Kang-joon with eyes like a quiet lake, and finished her words as if muttering.

“What is that ‘love’ anyway?”

It sounded like she was saying it for Kang-joon to hear. Seeing Kang-joon’s silence, Se-hee stood up.

“I’ll be going now. For the next contact... please contact me, CEO.”

________________________________________

As soon as she got out of the elevator, Se-hee headed to the restroom. Even though her stomach was empty because she hadn’t eaten, she felt nauseous and dry-heaved. Once her stomach finally settled, Se-hee, weakly standing in front of the sink, muttered.

“I shouldn’t have taken those supplements on an empty stomach.”

If there was anything she valued more than money, it was her health. Because she needed to be healthy to get revenge, earn money, and spend that money. She had a lot to worry about these days, but it seemed she hadn’t slept properly. The stubborn habit of always falling asleep warmly in Seo Kang-joon’s arms was now eating away at Se-hee. Not getting enough sleep made her condition worse and she lost her appetite. It felt like she was barely getting by with supplements.

“It’ll be okay once the shareholders’ meeting is over.”

Kang-joon’s support was crucial to obtain a majority vote. So, she just needed to endure a little longer. Just a little more, and she could tough it out. Comforting herself, Se-hee fiddled with her phone.

“He won’t contact me again now. Good job, Joo Se-hee.”

Her heart might ache, but it felt as refreshing as if a festering wound had been cut out. It felt as though the lingering regrets that had clung to her had finally been cleared.

“Just focus on work. And earn even more money than now.”

It was the only way to prove how right she was to choose work over love. Love wouldn’t feed her or take responsibility for her. But money would feed her, make her confident, and prevent her from being servile. So, that was enough. Just then, the door opened, and someone entered the restroom.

“Why are you here?”

It seemed their sworn enemy was met on a narrow bridge, and that bridge was Hanshin Motors. It was Ms. Jo, who approached her with a cold glare. From the way she rolled her eyes, she was clearly imagining something absurd.

“You sly fox! It’s you, isn’t it? The one hiding behind President Seo and manipulating him!”

“...”

“Where did you hide my daughter? You must know! Where have you confined her, and what are you two...?”

“Auntie.”

Se-hee calmly cut off Ms. Jo. At the epithet she had never heard before, Ms. Jo looked dazed.

“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone you know, auntie. I recommend you get your eyesight checked. They say presbyopia is terrible, so you should take good care of it.”

A thrilling sensation ran down Se-hee’s spine as she saw Ms. Jo’s eyes widen and her mouth gape. How much bitter tears had she shed and endured for this day? But what can I do, Auntie? I haven’t even started yet. Se-hee walked past Ms. Jo, who was trembling with humiliation, and left the restroom. Ms. Jo, who came out of the restroom belatedly, roughly grabbed Se-hee’s arm and spun her around.

“You insolent...?”

But Ms. Jo suddenly stopped speaking, let go of her arm, and composed her expression. Se-hee turned around to see Kang-joon, who had just appeared at the end of the corridor, walking towards them. Kang-joon, who had approached, blocked Se-hee from Ms. Jo’s sight with his large body.

“You came early.”

His low voice was cold yet calm.

“Oh, I had some free time, so I came a bit early.”

“Then please go up first. I’ll follow shortly.”

At his firm gaze and voice, Ms. Jo obediently walked down the corridor and disappeared. Only then did Kang-joon turn to Se-hee and speak.

“Let’s go. I’ll walk you to your car.”

“You didn’t come down because of me, did you?”

“Would that be wrong?”

Instead of answering, Se-hee sighed softly and went down to the parking lot with Kang-joon. Se-hee bowed her head to Kang-joon, who courteously opened the car door for her, and got into the driver’s seat. But Kang-joon didn’t seem to have any intention of closing the door he was holding.

“Could you close the door for me?”

At Se-hee’s cautious request, Kang-joon leaned in and met her eyes.

“I followed you because I had something to tell you. Aren’t you curious?”

“...No.”

“Still, listen.”

Then why ask? As she looked up as if annoyed, Kang-joon continued as if he had been waiting.

“I’m getting divorced in a week.”

Divorced? Why on earth? No, why so urgently? Without taking his eyes off Se-hee, Kang-joon muttered with a feigned serious expression.

“Ah, would a divorcee be unattractive?”

“...”

“Still, it’ll be hard to find a man as good as me.”

Even in this situation, he was brazenly confident. Kang-joon leaned his upper body closer to Se-hee, who was speechless.

________________________________________

The precarious gap, the deepening scent of him, lips almost touching, and the moment her mind went blank from the dizzying stimulus, a low, firm voice resonated in her eardrums.

“I’m declaring war now.”

Defend yourself as much as you want.