Junhwan just smiled without giving a direct answer to Heeyoon’s question.

Eunwoo had been dating a woman he met at an animal hospital about a year ago. Initially, Heeyoon thought they were just dating, but he introduced her to his grandmother, who was also Heeyoon’s mother-in-law, and even took her to his grandmother’s house in Jeju.

It wasn’t just a casual relationship if cautious Eunwoo went to such lengths.

“Hmm.”

Heeyoon nodded thoughtfully.

“About this secretary.”

“Yes, Madam.”

At the sound of Heeyoon calling him, Junhwan politely bowed at the waist.

“Look more deeply into the woman Eunwoo is meeting. And…”

Heeyoon smiled as if finding it amusing.

“Check if there’s any chance we might coincidentally meet her.”
While giving instructions to Junhwan, Heeyoon emphasized the word ‘coincidentally.’

“Understood.”

“Of course, keep it a secret from Eunwoo.”

“Absolutely.”

Satisfied with Junhwan, who always neatly wrapped up his tasks, Heeyoon gestured for him to leave.

Things had become very interesting.

Eunwoo finally made up his mind and brought a woman along.

Lately, Heeyoon’s daily life had been anything but dull. Every day seemed to repeat the same routine.

She looked out the window. The fierce wind was still blowing outside. Fallen leaves twirled in a whirlwind, dancing in the blue sky.

“I look forward to what will happen in the future.”

A bright smile appeared on Heeyoon’s face.

Unlike the noisy day before, today’s Dolmae Animal Hospital was exceptionally quiet. It was so serene that even scheduled patients canceled, let alone emergencies.

As a result, the manager and others were at the back, cleaning up, while Seolhee sat alone at the counter. With paperwork done, there was nothing left to do. Eunwoo’s words from this morning came to Seolhee’s mind.

“I have something to tell you.”

What could it be? He rarely said he had something to say recently. If it were a simple matter, he would have mentioned it during breakfast. Was it related to hospital matters? But these days, the hospital was unusually peaceful.

Hyun, who had left, was replaced by a new veterinarian, and she was as experienced and capable as the former director. She quickly adapted to her role.

What could it be that he wanted to talk about?

Seolhee pondered with her head tilted. Just then, her phone, which had been causing her anxiety, rang.

Who could it be? When she checked her phone, a message from the man who had been troubling her so much appeared. Today, Eunwoo had left the hospital in the afternoon due to university lectures.

[How about dinner at 8 pm today? I’ve made a restaurant reservation.] [Sure, sounds good. Is it a nice restaurant?]

Upon sending the message, a prompt reply came.

[A bit. No need to dress up too much.]

Usually, on weekdays, they either went home and had a meal prepared by Eunwoo or dined at a nearby restaurant. They rarely visited upscale restaurants.

However, sometimes Eunwoo took Seolhee to a beautiful place she had never been before. Unlike Eunwoo, who always looked sophisticated no matter what he wore, Seolhee tended to be flustered when suddenly taken to such places.

So, if they were going to a special place, Seolhee always asked Eunwoo to tell her.

[Alright, I’ll go home and change my clothes. I came out wearing something ordinary.] [Sure, do that. Let’s meet in front of the house around 7:30.] [Okay, sounds good.]

After sending him a message, Seolhee rested her chin on her hands.

A somewhat nice restaurant, he said.
Today, he said he had something to say. It was undoubtedly related to the restaurant reservation made because of that. It became increasingly curious, not just a coincidence. It made me anxious.

Before, Eunwoo had suggested marriage to Seolhee. At that time, Seolhee had just finished studying, and she had promised to wait until she felt emotionally ready. However, several months had passed since then. Seolhee thought she was now stable and ready to consider marriage, but she hadn’t talked to Eunwoo about it yet.

Perhaps… was he trying to retract what he said back then?

While their relationship was harmonious, could it be that he meant something other than marriage? Unreasonable worries flashed through her mind, but if it wasn’t that, she couldn’t think of why he would find it so difficult to talk to her.

But…

Seolhee had a bad memory. The memory of her longtime boyfriend Chanjeong leaving her. Eunwoo was entirely different from Chanjeong, but sometimes, when faced with his almost perfect image, Seolhee felt uneasy.

This morning, she remembered the face of the man who had whispered to her.

“It’s so lovely when you say such things.”

Recalling Eunwoo’s expression, Seolhee shook her head. It couldn’t be Eunwoo. Surely not. Eunwoo was a man who never lied. Still, not knowing what he was going to say, she clutched her phone tightly, feeling anxious.

It was a beautiful evening.

A fall night. It was the end of September after the heat of summer had passed. The chirping of crickets and the cool breeze made the night refreshing. In front of the building where Seolhee and Eunwoo lived, Seolhee waited for him wearing a black dress that fluttered in the gentle wind—a dress she usually didn’t wear.

“The weather is nice.”

Looking up, she observed the office building where Eunwoo and she lived. It had been over a year since they moved into this building.

It had also been a year since they started dating. Spring, summer, fall, winter—the four seasons had passed by the two of them. She wondered what color the next season would be for them.

Suddenly, she felt curious.

She waited silently for Eunwoo. They lived in the same building, worked at the same workplace. Most days, they spent from morning to night together, so she rarely had to wait for him like this.

That’s why her heart was pounding. When would he come, what would he be wearing, and where would he take her?