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On weekdays, after work, they would have dinner every night like a couple and roll around in bed. On weekends, they were closer to being a married couple than lovers.
The definition of “sex partners” became meaningless as the two shared their daily lives.
The speed of their intimacy was faster than that of most couples. Within three months of being together, they had become closer than anyone else.
The relationship between a man and a woman was a strange thing. No matter how often they saw each other, three months of friendship wouldn’t make same-sex friends call each other best friends, but with the addition of sex, the two became closer than anyone else in the world.
Shin-woo let Hee-jin’s constant drawing of boundaries as “sex partners” go in one ear and out the other, and Hee-jin, likewise, didn’t push away Shin-woo, who acted like a lover.
There was no signal of “from today, we’re a couple,” but the two gradually became lovers.
Many couples in the world naturally became lovers without going through the process of a confession, but Shin-woo felt something was missing in their time together without a clear declaration.
A declaration that “you and I have become lovers” was needed. He wanted to tell the whole world. He needed proof that Song Hee-jin was Cha Shin-woo’s woman.
Shin-woo bided his time, waiting for the hundredth day since their first sexual encounter.
In his heart, he wanted to confess long ago by putting a couple’s ring on Hee-jin’s finger, telling her that they were now exclusive in their love, but he couldn’t act rashly, fearing that she, who had drawn a line since their first sex, would feel burdened.
However, he now had some confidence. He could tell by the way Hee-jin would voluntarily come to his house on weekends without being called. He could feel it by her attitude of constantly texting him, chattering about her every move.
“Tae-hwan hyung. How about this?”
“Well...”
Shin-woo, who had no interest in rings or even jewelry, dragged Tae-hwan, who at least had an interest in luxury watches, to the department store, but bringing a “relationship dummy” to choose a couple’s ring was probably the mistake of a lifetime.
“Is it not good?”
“The yellow one is gold, and the white one is silver or platinum...”
The manager nearby answered, looking at Tae-hwan, who spoke like an old man, extending his sentences with intonation as if singing.
“Our brand does not carry silver products.”
“Aha!” Tae-hwan clapped his hands, adding a filler.
“It must be platinum, then.”
“Haa... This is getting embarrassing.”
Shin-woo left Tae-hwan, who was looking at luxury watches, behind and carefully chose a ring again.
He recalled Hee-jin’s face. She was a gorgeous beauty, glamorous when dressed up and elegant without makeup.
He pondered what kind of jewel would suit her. There was no need to hesitate; diamonds suited her best. It was only right to offer the most beautiful jewel to the most beautiful woman. Expensive things were usually worth their price. When one wasn’t an expert in something, choosing the expensive option usually guaranteed above average quality.
After choosing the ring, he thought of Hee-jin’s bare ears and neck. When he licked her earlobes, there were two pierced holes in each ear. When he asked her why she didn’t wear earrings, she said it was because he sucked on them too much... Even if he bought her earrings, it was obvious she wouldn’t wear them, but he wanted to offer sparkling things to those beautiful earlobes that he adored.
He chuckled, remembering Hee-jin’s words, and this time chose a necklace. Any necklace would look good on her slender, long neck, but again, there was no need to hesitate. A diamond would be the prettiest on Song Hee-jin.
A pearl necklace might also suit her, but if there were too many types, the most important ring might get overshadowed, so this was enough for today.
After choosing everything, it became a three-piece set: a ring, earrings, and a necklace. The rings were ordered in both Hee-jin’s and Shin-woo’s sizes, and they were set to pick them up next week.
“Spending big, aren’t we?”
Tae-hwan glanced at the receipt and stared at Shin-woo’s face, slightly surprised.
“Are you pitying me too, hyung? Even if I’m just a grandson, my grandfather is Chairman Lee Sung-ho of JK. Can’t I even afford this much?”
“No, that’s not it. I’m wondering if this price range means you’re proposing.”
“Is there a fixed rule for gifts like that?”
“Isn’t it a bit excessive for just a gift?”
“I think it’s lacking. Is it too much, so it’s not good?”
Were there separate price ceilings for gifts between lovers and for proposal gifts? That’s strange. He wanted to buy her the best of everything.
Shin-woo looked at Tae-hwan with an expression of incomprehension.
“No, it’s not that. This brand itself is famous for engagement rings.”
“Is it?”
He hadn’t known that. When he asked his secretary what women’s favorite ring brand was, she had only mentioned that Hallyu star Ji So-jeong recently received a proposal with a ring from this brand, causing a shortage even overseas.
Ah... I see. Engagement ring. He had focused on the “ring” part and let the word “proposal” slip by.
“Movie star Ji So-jeong with a ring from here...”
“I know. My secretary told me.”
“Is it a proposal?”
Shin-woo pondered for a moment.
If he was so cautious about asking her to date him, would she be horrified and run away if he asked her to marry him? What would Song Hee-jin’s reaction be if he proposed?
“That would be good too.”
“What? Really? Are you going to get married before me? This is a betrayal! Hyung hasn’t even gone yet, and you’re going first?”
Shin-woo walked past the fiercely reacting Tae-hwan and exited the luxury store. Tae-hwan followed closely behind, chattering non-stop.
He wondered what expression Song Hee-jin would make the moment he put the ring on her finger. He liked the phrase “will you marry me” more than “will you date me.”
Suddenly, his heart began to beat rapidly.
Had he finally found his lost owner? Since the day he met Song Hee-jin, each day had been filled with enthusiasm.
________________________________________
Division Head Kim Tae-hwan’s gaze was still burdensome today.
“Well, well, who do we have here? Our Assistant Manager Song Hee-jin, right? Is work fun?”
Lately, whenever Division Head Kim Tae-hwan passed by Hee-jin at the office, he would call her by her full name, Song Hee-jin, and greet her.
Whenever he emphasized their “closeness” by calling her “our” Assistant Manager Song Hee-jin, her colleagues would give Hee-jin subtle glances.
“Our Assistant Manager Song Hee-jin, coffee call?”
“No, I’ll get the coffee myself...”
“Americano served!”
One morning, when they accidentally met in the pantry, Division Head Kim Tae-hwan even personally brewed her an Americano. She was at a loss as to how to respond to the excessive kindness of a distant superior with whom she had no work contact.
“Assistant Manager Song, your face is glowing these days. Is your boyfriend treating you well?”
During lunchtime, he even joined her table without asking and subtly brought up the topic of boyfriends, trying to find out if she had one. At this point, anyone would have noticed that Division Head Kim Tae-hwan was interested in Hee-jin.
And late at night after overtime.
“You worked hard today with overtime. Cheer up with something sweet!”
Division Head Kim Tae-hwan sent Hee-jin a private text message along with a cake gift coupon.
It was excessive for a division head to show such interest in a mere assistant manager. She hadn’t received a direct confession yet, so it was an awkward situation where she couldn’t outright reject him.
However, she couldn’t just accept the cake and pretend to be oblivious to his interest.
Someone liking her was truly something to be grateful for, but if that feeling was one-sided, it became burdensome.
Hee-jin suddenly recalled the thorn-like words of her ex-boyfriend.
“We’re not at the age to think about marriage yet. You’re so burdensome, it suffocates me just watching you.”
“I’m sick and tired of celebrating every anniversary: the hundredth day, the first anniversary, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, White Day, and Christmas. Even when I know you went to karaoke with your manager at night, if I don’t contact you for a bit, it’s calls and texts, like you’re putting me in shackles. And it’s terrifying how you try to sound me out about introducing you to my parents, and how you give my younger sibling pocket money. Sometimes, you’re like a ‘Misery’.”
Each word was like a knife, and every time she replayed them, her heart bled.
But now, she couldn’t even manage a hollow laugh.
Yes, Park Myung-ho didn’t like her. He was burdened because he didn’t like her.
And Hee-jin realized. Cha Shin-woo, who was restless if he couldn’t give her something, even when it wasn’t a special day. Cha Shin-woo, who was willing to give her everything without any calculation.
Even after an hour-long phone call on her way home from work, she wanted to hear his voice again.
Cha Shin-woo liked Song Hee-jin. His feelings were not a lighthearted game.
“Division Head, hello. I’m sorry to say this, but I’m seeing someone.”
Hee-jin stopped before sending the text message and deleted everything she had typed.
Strictly speaking, she had only drawn the line with Cha Shin-woo as a sex partner, and she had cautiously taken a step back whenever he approached seriously. Whenever Cha Shin-woo sweetly whispered for them to meet, she would playfully ignore his words. She didn’t have the right to say she was seeing someone when it came to Cha Shin-woo.
Hee-jin realized through her experience with Division Head Kim Tae-hwan. If Division Head Kim Tae-hwan’s actions were burdensome, but Cha Shin-woo’s were not...
“Division Head, I have someone I like.”
Hee-jin sent the text message to Division Head Kim Tae-hwan and let out a sigh of relief.
Yes, she liked Cha Shin-woo. She liked Cha Shin-woo more than anyone.
To think she only realized it now, like a fool. She wanted to meet him. She wanted to be lovers with Cha Shin-woo.
Buzz.
A reply arrived from Division Head Kim Tae-hwan, as if he had been waiting.
“Okay^^ Looks good~~ Have a beautiful relationship^^~~~♡♡♡”
What was this? Division Head Kim Tae-hwan’s overly cool demeanor didn’t seem cool at all. With the excessive emoticons, it was suffocatingly burdensome.
Through Division Head Kim Tae-hwan’s attempt to act cool because he didn’t want to get hurt, Hee-jin thought of herself trying to act cool in front of Cha Shin-woo.
Park Myung-ho’s breakup declaration, where he said her clinginess was burdensome, had become a trauma that affected even her relationship with Cha Shin-woo. She had vowed not to care what others thought, but in pretending to be the “cool Song Hee-jin,” she had actually been caring about others’ opinions.
It was Cha Shin-woo who had freed Hee-jin, who had lived passively wanting to appear as a woman who wasn’t lacking for her lover.
In front of Cha Shin-woo, she didn’t care what anyone thought and simply became Song Hee-jin herself.
It was Hee-jin who had drawn the line by suggesting they be sex partners, so she felt that she was also the one who needed to unlock that barrier.
Should she confess to Cha Shin-woo first?
They had already become a couple who didn’t need a confession, but she wanted to give him all the things she hadn’t been able to give him until now.
Cha Shin-woo definitely wouldn’t feel burdened. Their relationship transcended such things.
Hee-jin, with a pounding heart, envisioned the near future where she would proudly be lovers with Cha Shin-woo.
________________________________________
The Seongbuk-dong mansion, dressed in the vibrant colors of autumn, was bustling. For Chairman Lee Sung-ho’s 80th birthday, relatives had gathered in one place after a long time.
A string trio echoed in the garden as they sat in small groups, beginning their course meal.
They say people become like children as they age. The innocent old man, surrounded by sons who only caused trouble and his biological grandsons, couldn’t hide his smiles, looking exactly like a child. Chairman Lee Sung-ho’s eyes, which once commanded the business world, had become clouded. His sharp judgment had long since vanished.
“Why does Father smile so sweetly at my brothers, I wonder what’s so endearing about them?”
Lee Ae-jeong, Shin-woo’s mother, clucked her tongue and shook her head. Lee Mi-jeong, who closely resembled her, sighed deeply with her arms crossed.
“Exactly. Did you see those arrogant sons show their faces even once when he was hospitalized? Yet he absolutely hates caregivers, and if he doesn’t see his daughter’s face for a day, he throws ashtrays. He acts weak, but when he gets angry, he’s still full of vigor.”
The twin-like sisters grumbled about their father, Chairman Lee Sung-ho, nervously cutting their steaks.
“Sister, aren’t you heartless? That Sang-hyuk, what a completely rude bastard. I knew it from the moment he exploited Tae-hwan. He even isolated our Shin-woo in his car, and look at his face, all happy. Our Shin-woo and Tae-hwan look like they haven’t had a decent meal.”
Lee Ae-jeong groaned, as if lamenting Shin-woo’s handsome face, and Tae-hwan burst out laughing.
“Aunt, you have to speak correctly. Anyone can see that Lee Sang-hyuk is the one who looks like he hasn’t had a decent meal. Can’t you see a flower blooming on Shin-woo’s face?”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. What flower? At his age, he was licking Lee Sang-hyuk’s butt and got exiled, so of course his face is a mess.”
At Lee Ae-jeong’s aggressive words, Shin-woo idly looked at his face reflected on his phone screen.
Is it not good? It’s about time I started taking care of myself. Should I go to a dermatologist with my mother? They say there’s nothing lasers can’t do these days. I can’t look ugly in front of Song Hee-jin. Do men who frequent dermatologists look pathetic? Then I’ll have to go secretly.
“A mess? Can’t you see this guy is beaming because he’s dating?”
“What? Dating?!”
Shin-woo’s parents and Tae-hwan’s parents, who were sitting at the same table, all looked at Shin-woo at once.
Shin-woo glared at Tae-hwan and rubbed his face with his hand. He could already picture Lee Ae-jeong, who was already overly worried about her son, making a fuss.
“Tae-hwan hyung. A favor.”
“What. Just say the word. You’re my brother, I’ll do anything for you.”
“Shut up.”
“Shin-woo.”
“Yes?”
“No.”
Lee Ae-jeong grabbed Tae-hwan’s hand, who was teasing Shin-woo, and began to question him relentlessly.
“Who is it? What kind of lady? Is she respectable? How long have you been dating? You know Shin-woo takes after me and is only rough with his words. He’s blunt and unfeeling, but is he doing well?”
“Aunt, no.”
Tae-hwan gripped Lee Ae-jeong’s hand and spoke with a serious expression.
“No? Why? Does the lady not like him?”
“It’s not that, it’s about Shin-woo. I thought he took after you, Aunt, but he doesn’t.”
“Then who?”
“He takes after Uncle.”
Professor Cha Kyung-joon, Shin-woo’s father, who had been sitting demurely next to Lee Ae-jeong, only looking at his wife, widened his eyes at the sudden mention of himself.
Professor Cha Kyung-joon, who had been checking if his wife lacked anything throughout the meal, probably hadn’t properly heard what conversation had transpired, as he was solely focused on Lee Ae-jeong’s face.
Even though they had been married for well over 30 years, Professor Cha Kyung-joon’s eyes were still full of love. On the table, roses he had casually picked from the flowerbed before they started eating, saying they were beautiful, were strewn about. They were roses Professor Cha Kyung-joon had given to Lee Ae-jeong, saying a woman needed flowers every day, but Lee Ae-jeong, for whom gifts were an everyday occurrence, merely sniffed them once and tossed them onto the table.
“Really? Shin-woo?”
________________________________________
“Don’t worry. I’m totally pushing the two of them.”
Shin-woo sighed and drank from his water glass. Please, just shutting up would be helping. Since when did this brother become such a chatterbox?
“What kind of lady is she?”
“She’s an employee who works under me. Pretty and diligent, ugh...!”
Shin-woo stomped on Tae-hwan’s shin under the table with his shoe, to stop him from speaking further.
“Diligent what? Huh? What is it?”
“I, huff, guarantee it.”
Tae-hwan rubbed his shin repeatedly with his hand but didn’t stop chattering. Shin-woo was holding his head, about to get up, when an uninvited guest approached.
“Aunt, you’re here? Shin-woo, are you here? You should greet your older brother first when you arrive.”
His cousin, Lee Sang-hyuk, the Vice President of JK Electronics, who had been keeping Shin-woo in check all along, stumbled and sat down in a chair, his face flushed with alcohol.
Should he even be grateful to Lee Sang-hyuk for shutting Tae-hwan up?
Even useless Lee Sang-hyuk can be helpful sometimes.
“Hyung. Did you greet Tae-hwan hyung?”
Shin-woo subtly asked Lee Sang-hyuk, who treated Tae-hwan like a servant, then abandoned him, and now sat brazenly in front of him without greeting him.
“Oh, hyung. You’re here?”
The playfulness vanished from Tae-hwan’s face, instantly replaced by a shadow. It was clear he had a lot bottled up and wanted to overturn the table.
“Shin-woo. You look good?”
“How could I? I’m stuck with the failing JK Motors.”
When Shin-woo replied with self-deprecation, Lee Sang-hyuk couldn’t hide his improved mood, chuckling slyly and offering insincere consolation.
“See, if you had stayed quietly under me, I would have handed over the trading company. Why go to Motors and suffer like that?”
“I know my place.”
“The subsidiary separation will be finished soon, so you can come back anytime.”
Shin-woo gave an inscrutable smirk and languidly looked at Lee Sang-hyuk. Lee Sang-hyuk got up again, stumbled, and left the table.
“Know my place? Know my place? Sister. I’m going to burst. Two of the most outstanding guys in our family saying they know their place.”
“It’s driving me crazy. This isn’t just about that Lee Sang-hyuk. Why are you two so lacking in ambition?”
Shin-woo and Tae-hwan exchanged glances, ignoring the sisters, Lee Ae-jeong and Lee Mi-jeong, who were scolding their sons.
Only then did a smile spread across Tae-hwan’s face, which had been dark ever since he encountered Lee Sang-hyuk.
________________________________________
“0307.”
Hee-jin entered Shin-woo’s apartment, pressing the door lock password while he was away.
He, who had constantly nagged her for setting her door lock password to her birthday, had changed his door lock password to his own birthday, wanting her to remember it.
Thanks to that, they shared each other’s house keys and naturally memorized each other’s birthdays. Of course, due to Shin-woo’s nagging about the danger of thieves, Hee-jin immediately changed her door lock setting back to the password he had set.
It was Shin-woo’s house, which she frequented on weekends as if it were her own, but it was her first time coming to his house when he wasn’t there. Even though he had repeatedly brainwashed her, telling her she could come anytime, whether he was there or not, somehow visiting an ownerless house felt awkward.
But today, beyond the awkwardness, she wanted to become even closer to him. Hee-jin’s hands were full of things she had prepared.
Hee-jin first placed champagne and cake on the dining table. She tied on an apron and stood in front of the sink, beginning to prepare a twelve-dish feast.
Shin-woo, who had never poured himself a glass of water, initially looked up recipes on video to cook for Hee-jin, but now he could prepare quite delicious meals without a recipe.
Frankly, the first egg drop soup Shin-woo made for Hee-jin was too salty, but his cooking skills improved day by day to the point where she couldn’t eat rice without the soup he made.
When Hee-jin offered to help him, feeling sorry for always being fed by Shin-woo, he wouldn’t let a drop of water touch her hands, as if something terrible would happen.
She wasn’t skilled at high-end cuisine, but she was quite confident in Korean food, having helped with festive meals every holiday.
Even if it wasn’t a stylish table setting for good photos, she personally made seafood stew, seasoned vegetables, japchae, and braised short ribs.
The thought of feeding Shin-woo made the cooking time not difficult at all. Her heart swelled thinking that Shin-woo must have felt this way when he cooked.
Three hours flew by when she finished cooking. She had made so much food while adjusting the seasoning that all the apartment residents could come and eat it. She was at a loss as to where to store all this food, but checking the clock, Hee-jin quickly began preparing for the event again.
She lit a path of candles from the entrance to the dining table. She checked Shin-woo’s text message saying he would be home soon and would call her after he showered, then lit the candles.
She wondered what Shin-woo’s reaction would be when he opened the door, completely unaware that Hee-jin was in his house.
Finally, Hee-jin stood in front of the dining table, holding a hundred roses bought from the florist and the couple rings she had splurged on at the department store, then turned off the lights and waited for Shin-woo.
The soft candlelight beautifully illuminated the white-toned house.
The plan was for Shin-woo to walk along the candlelit path and find Hee-jin waiting with flowers and rings. Although the rings were incomparably modest compared to Shin-woo’s spending, she prepared today’s event with sincerity, hoping he would be happy.
Ding-dong, ding-dong-ding.
A moment later, the door lock sounded, and the door opened. Her heart pounded as if it would burst. She had never been this nervous in her life.
She had only expected to be confessed to, but this was her first time confessing. However, confessing for the person she liked was more exciting and happier than being confessed to.
“Shin-woo, I like you...?”
“Oh, oh, goodness gracious.”
Division Head Kim Tae-hwan, why are you here?
Hee-jin, frozen like a statue, couldn’t move, rooted to the spot.
Soon after, before she could even process the situation, the lights came on brightly, and she heard people murmuring.
“My goodness, what is all this?”
“What is it?”
“Did Shin-woo prepare this?”
“Oh my, I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”
“Is it a girl?”
“Do you know her?”
Lee Ae-jeong and her husband, along with Lee Mi-jeong and her husband, all rushed into the kitchen, staring at Hee-jin like monkeys at a zoo.
“My phone’s in the car. What the heck is all this...”
And finally, the awaited Cha Shin-woo entered the house. The house was already brightly lit, and there was no romance left.
As the lights brightened, Hee-jin, holding flowers in front of so many people, felt naked.
Misery.
The word that filled Hee-jin’s mind was “misery.”
It was terrible. She had vowed not to be a clingy woman. She had held back so well until now. How crazy must she look? She took advantage of the man being out of the house to cook and prepare an event. Not only flowers and rings, but also cake and champagne were prepared. And all of it was discovered by Cha Shin-woo’s family.
“I’m sorry. I... I’ll just leave now.”
Hee-jin bowed her head deeply, and Lee Ae-jeong picked up a piece of jeon from the table and ate it, asking.
“Is this the lady Shin-woo is dating?”
Hee-jin cautiously looked at Shin-woo’s face. While Hee-jin had been pushing him away all this time, had Shin-woo been talking about her to his family?
Suddenly, a wave of apology washed over her. What words could she use to apologize to him, who had been so serious about her, despite her being selfish and bad?
Everything was terrible.
Song Hee-jin, why are you such a mess?
“Oh, the cooking skills are amazing. Where are you going? After preparing all this? Everyone, sit down and eat with us? Huh? Let’s sit, let’s sit.”
The family, who had already eaten until they were bursting, started murmuring again and sat around the dining table. Fortunately or unfortunately, thanks to her large hands while seasoning, the amount of food was not lacking even for seven people.
“Hee-jin, stand up. You must be uncomfortable, there’s no need to sit. I’ll take you home.”
Shin-woo took Hee-jin’s hand, who had gone pale, and helped her up. But Lee Ae-jeong took Hee-jin’s other hand and made her sit down again.
“Why are you so unfeeling, child? You’re sending a girl who made all this for you home without feeding her? Hey, Kim Tae-hwan. What do you mean Cha Shin-woo resembles his father? This blunt guy, just like his mother, he takes after me perfectly.”
Lee Ae-jeong, who didn’t notice Shin-woo’s consideration, instead looked at Hee-jin with pity.
“It’s fine, Mother. Don’t make Hee-jin uncomfortable...”
“It’s okay, Shin-woo. I’ll sit.”
Hee-jin nodded at Shin-woo and sat down. Shin-woo had even mentioned her to his family, so sitting there seemed like a consideration for him.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes.”
Shin-woo smiled at Hee-jin. Seeing him smile so brightly, looking like a truly happy man, made her heart ache.
What was she to him? She just felt sorry for this man who liked her so much.
“Aunt, I told you. Our Hee-jin is truly great. I guarantee it.”
Only then did Hee-jin remember Division Head Kim Tae-hwan’s presence.
Aunt...
So Shin-woo and Division Head Kim Tae-hwan were maternal cousins. And she hadn’t known that, mistakenly thinking he liked her like a delusional patient, and making a fuss.
“Okay^^ Looks good~~ Have a beautiful relationship^^~~~♡♡♡”
The text message Division Head Kim Tae-hwan sent to Hee-jin was genuinely congratulatory, without any ulterior motives. His actions of personally brewing coffee and buying gift coupons were simply him taking care of the woman his cousin was dating.
And she, not knowing this, had told Shin-woo that Kim Tae-hwan seemed to like her and that she was burdened but would handle it well herself.
Hee-jin shuddered at her own shallowness, having condemned Division Head Kim Tae-hwan while pretending to be cool.
Hee-jin felt like she wanted to hide in a mouse hole. Her face, flushed from her neck up, couldn’t be hidden.
“Well, the cooking skills are amazing. Even after eating so much, this still goes down.”
Shin-woo’s family, fortunately, continued eating while chatting amicably. They didn’t bring up any topics that would embarrass her, even with her present, so she gradually relaxed.
However, the traces of the event visible everywhere made her too mortified to join the conversation.
“Now that you’ve all eaten, why don’t you all head back?”
“Right. Tae-hwan and Shin-woo, you two. I was curious about your scheme and followed you, but it’s late today, so let’s talk next time.”
Lee Ae-jeong frowned, looking alternately at Shin-woo and Tae-hwan. Then, she gently took Hee-jin’s hand and showed a warm smile.
“Hee-jin, you worked hard making the food. It was so delicious.”
“No, not at all. Thank you for enjoying it.”
“My son’s face looks like he hasn’t had a decent meal, so it puts my mind at ease to know there’s a lady who takes care of his meals like this. Let’s meet again.”
As the elders left, Tae-hwan also winked at Hee-jin.
“See you at the office then, Hee-jin.”
“Yes, Division Head.”
Hee-jin forced herself to ignore her burning face and bowed deeply to Tae-hwan.
Slam!
The door closed, and the bustling house instantly became quiet. The words “Misery,” “clinging,” and “burden” echoed in her ears like auditory hallucinations.
Shin-woo reached out his hand to Hee-jin, who couldn’t lift her head from embarrassment.
“You’re so incredibly beautiful.”
“I’m sorry. I must seem like a stalker, don’t I? I guess I’m beyond redemption. I didn’t want to be a clingy woman. Yes, this is my true self...”
As soon as Hee-jin finished speaking, Shin-woo pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Be clingy.”
“Huh...?”
“You’ve been too hands-off with me.”
Hee-jin cautiously looked up at him. She was afraid this amazing man would find her burdensome. She was terrified of being abandoned for being a “clingy woman” and preemptively feared getting closer, thinking it was best to keep her distance.
“You’ll regret saying that, you know?”
“I won’t regret it.”
“Actually, I was dying trying to resist texting you. Now I might text you all day long, whenever I have a chance.”
“That’s what I want. Do you know how disappointed I was every time you ignored my texts because you were busy? Frankly, you have time to text from the bathroom, don’t you?”
Hee-jin gained courage from Shin-woo’s words.
“I also like chatting on the phone.”
“Let’s do video calls.”
________________________________________
“And also, I don’t have any friends to meet. So on my days off, I want to spend all day with you, Shin-woo.”
“Can’t you tell? I don’t have friends either. Perfect. We’re soulmates.”
“And also, as you can see, I really like events. Hundred-day anniversaries, first anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, White Day... I want to celebrate every single anniversary.”
Shin-woo tilted his head and looked at her.
While she regretted going too far, seeing him hesitate to answer...
“What day is it today? It’s not yet our hundredth day since our first time. There are still two days left.”
Hee-jin let out a giggle. She thought she wasn’t “cool” for counting the days since their first time, but here was another man who wasn’t cool in front of his lover.
Yes, if you could be cool in front of your lover, it probably wasn’t love.
Hee-jin finally understood the definition of love. And she also realized that she didn’t just simply “like” Shin-woo.
“Wait a moment.”
Hee-jin returned to the kitchen, frantically grabbed the hidden bouquet and ring, and came back to the living room.
“I wanted to confess first. Shin-woo, will you date m—”
Again, she couldn’t finish her confession properly. The moment Hee-jin was about to confess, Shin-woo knelt before her.
“Marry me.”
“Huh?”
She couldn’t even manage to confess to date him and suddenly heard him propose marriage.
“Huh?!”
Cha Shin-woo’s eyes, looking up at the dumbfounded Hee-jin, were earnest.
A man who seemingly lacked nothing in the world. A man who didn’t know earnestness. That man, who she thought would come and go easily, knelt humbly, waiting only for Hee-jin’s answer.
Was Cha Shin-woo’s first impression a wrong preconceived notion, or was he showing a different side only to Hee-jin?
Hee-jin was still full of things she didn’t know about Shin-woo. There was more to learn about each other than what they already knew.
She received a proposal after only three months of meeting him. Even though their relationship was indistinguishable from that of lovers, could they truly consider marriage at a stage that skipped the universal dating process?
“Song Hee-jin. I love you.”
With her previous boyfriend, even after dating for three years, a part of her heart felt uncomfortable whenever she heard the word “love.” But in Cha Shin-woo’s eyes, there was not a hint of hesitation.
If she felt such certainty from a man she’d known for three months, something she’d never felt from a man she’d dated for three years...
This must be love.
Her resolve to be reborn was a mess. Even her plan not to care about others’ opinions was, in reality, a decision made with others in mind.
Then, it was time for the real Song Hee-jin to emerge. The time had come to look at Song Hee-jin’s true feelings in a space free from the world’s gaze.
“I love you.”
Shin-woo’s eyes turned red and bloodshot, as if he couldn’t believe Hee-jin’s answer despite having proposed.
“Shin-woo?”
“Really?”
Hee-jin smiled and nodded, and he slipped the ring onto her finger.
If he was trying to prove his feelings by the size of the gem, then how vast was this man’s heart? She couldn’t take her eyes off the excessively ostentatious diamond. The gold ring Hee-jin had prepared, worth almost a month’s salary, looked so shabby that she couldn’t bring herself to take it out.
“Come here.”
Shin-woo put earrings of the same design as the ring in Hee-jin’s ears. He caressed her sparkling earlobes, then put a necklace of the same design around her neck.
“Why are there so many things?”
“To make it so you can’t refuse because you feel sorry.”
“I’m sorry...”
She was disgusted with herself for having drawn a line with him all this time. Her eyes reddened at her actions, which had unintentionally hurt him out of fear of being hurt herself.
“Are you going to refuse...?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“You’re not a bad woman who seduces someone with pity and then dumps them, are you? If you’ve taken it, take responsibility.”
Could it be that his words, that she was his first woman, weren’t a joke after all?
“Really, your first time?”
“For me, Song Hee-jin, everything is my first with you.”
Her past self, misunderstanding Cha Shin-woo’s feelings and trying hard not to give him her heart, was just absurd.
“I’m sorry. I was afraid of falling uncontrollably, so I foolishly acted cool. The truth is, I’m really pathetic and clingy when you get to know me. The Song Hee-jin you know isn’t the real Song Hee-jin. If you knew the real me, you might be disappointed.”
At Hee-jin’s long-winded explanation, Shin-woo simply smiled like a man who had everything in the world.
“Tell me day by day. If discovering the real Song Hee-jin is fun, then the rest of my life will be interesting.”
Hee-jin embraced Shin-woo’s broad chest.
“Let’s do it, let’s get married.”
Shin-woo’s eyes became moist, as if he were deeply moved.
Shin-woo’s large hands, caressing Hee-jin in his arms, were warm.
“I’m shameless and selfish, right? But now I want to live honestly. I want to honestly love you, Shin-woo.”
“Include me too.”
“Huh?”
She tilted her head, wondering what he meant, and saw his gaze fixed on the ring she had prepared.
“It’s shabby compared to what you prepared, Shin-woo.”
“How can it be shabby if Song Hee-jin prepared it for me?”
Hee-jin smiled at his warm words and opened the ring case, taking out the couple’s ring.
“Put it on me.”
Hee-jin slipped the ring onto Shin-woo’s finger. The ring Shin-woo prepared and the ring Hee-jin prepared, worn side by side on their middle and ring fingers, looked both mismatched and perfectly suited.
“I wanted to prepare an event for you, Shin-woo. It’s ruined.”
“Ruined? No way. You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”
“Still, it’s not enough compared to what you did for me.”
“You’re always more than enough for me.”
Even though Cha Shin-woo was clearly the one who was “more than enough,” a single warm word from him made her the happiest woman in the world.
“We’re rich in rings.”
“In my heart, I want to put rings on all ten of your fingers. To show the world that Song Hee-jin is mine.”
“I want to show it too.”
“Shall we change our messenger profile pictures first?”
“Yes.”
Shin-woo’s lips passionately covered Hee-jin’s. In the deepening kiss, dazzling streaks of light flashed before her eyes.
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