A morning dawned without Jae Ho.

I went out to feed Pink as she was scratching at the door. Suddenly looking around, I saw autumn leaves everywhere. Today, this season seemed to burn even redder.

I picked up a few relatively clean maple leaves. The face of the man who told me to wave the maple leaves at him came to mind.

As he said, I was completely swept up by him. There was no way to avoid the man who poured down like a storm.

No, maybe that’s just an excuse. Perhaps I wanted it to happen more than anyone else.

Although my resolve to end things with him remains unchanged, my heart is starting to find excuses. Do I really need to end it right now? Maybe I could see him a bit longer after going to Seoul.

Since human feelings can’t last forever, won’t Lee Jae Ho’s feelings change someday? Perhaps that time will come sooner than expected. One month, or two months. So until then…

I hope he doesn’t find out about the hospital bills and remaining debt. If possible, I’d like to keep my private life closed and just continue dating for a few more months, but Da Jung tried to calculate if that was realistically possible. In this way, she was increasingly finding excuses to stay by his side in her own way.

Walking around the pension yard, she smiled slightly. Even though these thoughts were quite pathetic, she was unabashedly happy.

“Are you done eating?”

As she approached the cat washing its face and spoke, it meowed as if asking for more food.

“No way. I know you get fed at other houses too.”

– Meow. Meow.

“No. You’re getting fatter. You’ve become completely chubby in just a few weeks.”

– Meow. Meow.

“Noooo. Absolutely not.”

Da Jung put strength in her eyes.

– ……

Da Jung looked at Pink quietly.

“No way… Oh my God. Are you pregnant? You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”

– Meow.

Examining the unusually swollen belly and chest, Da Jung opened her eyes wide in surprise. Should she take her to an animal hospital? But this was a cat that couldn’t be easily caught.

When she reached out her hand, the cat retreated just that much.

“You, when are you going to have your babies? Can you give birth alone? It would be nice if you gave birth while I’m here.”

– Meow.

“Don’t ignore me. Believe it or not, your elder sister is an expert.”

Regardless, Pink finished grooming herself diligently and stood up haughtily, walking towards the beach.

“Come back again! I’ll give you more food from now on.”

**

A long day was expected.

They had said goodbye sufficiently last night, and this morning he had also stopped by her room to see her sleeping before leaving, but he already missed her. Jae Ho closed his eyes as he leaned his body.

Three weeks had passed since meeting Da Jung. Time was so short that sleep felt wasteful, and he didn’t want to sleep if possible. But when he held her, he fell asleep so easily it felt futile.

The fortunate thing was that Da Jung also slept well. The days of her sleeping soundly were gradually increasing, even though she used to complain of frequent nightmares.

“Sir! This is Byung Hoon. Yes, yes. I’m on my way with hyung. No! You don’t have to do that. Hyung said he’d just go straight to the interview. Yes, yes. He said he wants to finish quickly. He said he doesn’t need to eat. Yes, yes.”

How did I live all those years without Yoon Da Jung? He smirked self-deprecatingly at his own behavior, rushing like a puppy with its tail on fire.

The suit he wore after a long time felt a bit unfamiliar. Jae Ho fiddled with his tie and sleeve, thinking of Da Jung’s comments he had seen on the fan cafe.

Those cute excited reactions she would post every time he did a formal wear photoshoot. Handsome. Good-looking. So nice. She probably doesn’t know how many more male brand model contracts he signed just to see those reactions one more time.

And he hoped she would never know until the end. He wished for the ending where they met one day like fate, fell in love, dated, got married, and lived happily ever after, without anything happening.

What expression should he make when Da Jung shyly confesses someday that she was actually his fan?

He hadn’t decided yet whether to laugh loudly, tease her for being sneaky, or suddenly get serious and steal a kiss first. Since she would be embarrassed no matter how he reacted, he thought it might be fine to do all three, and then he would miss her again.

“Byung Hoon. How much longer?”

“It hasn’t even been an hour since we left, hyung.”

Jae Ho laughed softly.

“Right. Sorry.”

This journey contained a big decision.

Jae Ho, who rarely visited home because he was uncomfortable with his uncle’s family, readily agreed because there was something he desperately wanted to receive from his grandfather.

There would probably be quite a gap between what Lee Hun Tae wanted to give and what he wanted to receive, but he was determined to get it no matter what. He was willing to give up a lot. He was even prepared to stop his acting activities for a while if asked.

If only they would allow the marriage. He could do even more than that.

[What are you doing?]

When he sent a message to Da Jung, her reply came right away.

[OMG! I think Pink is pregnant.] [And I talked with Kyung Jun.]

Jae Ho furrowed his brow. Frowning at Lee Kyung Jun’s name was Jae Ho’s long-standing habit.

[Why on earth are you with Lee Kyung.]

As Jae Ho was sending a reply, Da Jung was faster.

[He said he was coming this weekend, so I called to stop him. He agreed not to come.]

Jae Ho erased the message he was writing.

[You did well.]

A reply came from Da Jung.

[Travel safely. I’m going to make some nutritious food for Pink.]

After that, did she hesitate briefly? After a short pause, another message arrived.

[I miss you.]

**

That guy and I were complete enemies from our first meeting.

‘Hyung. Woo Jung is your friend, right?’

It was when I was waiting in front of Woo Jung’s house. An unfamiliar and sharp voice called out to Jae Ho. Jae Ho, who had been looking at the ground and tapping the toe of his sneaker, lifted his head. Eyes filled with hostility were staring at him.

‘Yeah. So?’

Jae Ho was a late bloomer, so at that time he was slightly shorter than Lee Kyung Jun. Kyung Jun, thinking this was his weapon, deliberately put on an arrogant expression as he looked down at Jae Ho.

‘Why do you look at Yoon Da Jung like that?’

‘Like what?’

‘You always look at her lecherously.’

Lecherously.

Look who’s talking.

‘You don’t seem much different.’

Jae Ho laughed lightly, not intimidated at all.

‘W-what did you say?’

‘I said, you should manage your own gaze better.’

Kyung Jun, who had approached to confront but ended up being confronted instead, clenched his fist unable to contain his anger. Regardless, Jae Ho turned his head to the opposite direction. It was complete dismissal. It was Wednesday when Da Jung finished early, so he was only thinking that he might be able to see her face one more time if he was lucky.

He had heard from Woo Jung that she liked chocolate. He was worried if the chocolates he carried in his bag, not knowing what kind she would like, hadn’t melted.

The girl was pretty like a doll. Thinking of her thin white wrists and the faint smile at the corners of her mouth often made him thirsty.

‘If you’re thinking useless thoughts, wake up. Da Jung would never like someone like you.’

‘What kind of person am I?’

Jae Ho asked with a fiery gaze. Although he flinched a bit at that intensity, Kyung Jun said what he had to say to the end.

‘No father. Poor.’

At that moment, Da Jung appeared at the entrance of the alley. Kyung Jun quickly ran over and blocked Da Jung from Jae Ho’s view.

**

It was just as Da Jung finished cleaning and was closing the window. Knock knock. There was a knocking sound at the front door. Thinking of the owner couple who usually visited around this time, Da Jung opened the door without suspicion.

There was no one at the door. Instead, a rectangular yellow-brown envelope was placed on the floor.

‘What’s this?’

Da Jung took out the A4 paper as she closed the entrance. There seemed to be about three or four sheets.

[Hello, woman enjoying a secret meeting with Lee Jae Ho in Taean.]

The paper printed in the most representative font greeted like a letter. Da Jung’s heart sank.

[I think you should know this.]

What, what is this.

[Lee Jae Ho usually meets women like this. During every break period.] [He’s active on Lee Jae Ho’s fan cafe. That’s where he picks suitable fans and plays with them for a month or two as his way of resting.]

The corners of her lips trembled.

Before understanding the text, the fear of being discovered hit her first. She hadn’t thought they would be detected because Jae Ho was so confident. Da Jung reflexively looked around. But the cozy pension living room was just peaceful.

Her fingertips started to tremble. Only then did the words of this letter gradually sink in.

[You must be really happy right now, I’m sorry. But when that man goes back to Seoul, he’ll change. He’s an expert at subtly dumping women without ever saying he wants to break up first.]

What on earth does this all mean.

[I’m also a woman who passed by like that. I happened to come to Taean for fun and found out about your situation, and after thinking about it, I’m giving you advice. So you won’t become more miserable.] [Think about it. What are the chances of meeting Lee Jae Ho by coincidence?]

Thud.

The paper slipped from her weakened hand. Da Jung sat down on the sofa as if collapsing.

It felt like she was caught up in some strange conspiracy. Such nonsense, it was too obvious that it must be a lie. Could it be journalists or paparazzi plotting something?

After a while, she gathered courage and picked up the paper again.

[I’ll show you evidence.]

Two documents were enclosed.

[Look and judge for yourself. Or ask Lee Jae Ho. The owner of that pension is Lee Jae Ho. He’s the building owner. What do you think that means?] [He set it up in advance to lure you in. He’s a rich man, after all.]

Da Jung checked the documents.

It was a certified copy of the register. The location address was this pension.

And.

Even when she opened her eyes wide and looked, the letters didn’t change. Owner. Lee Jae Ho.

‘What is all this? This pension belongs to Lee Jae Ho? No way.’

Biting her lip and lost in thought, Da Jung threw away the paper and stood up. She walked towards the laptop placed on the bed.

‘It can’t be. I’ll check for myself.’

She turned on the laptop and accessed the government agency where register searches were possible. She couldn’t trust a piece of paper that could be manipulated a hundred or thousand times. Since anyone could view the certified copy of the register just by knowing the address, she intended to see it with her own eyes.

Where did such nonsense come from…

She accessed the site, entered the address, and requested a search. When the security program installation was complete, a certified copy of the register appeared in a new pop-up window.

Da Jung blinked slowly.

The same document she had received on paper was floating before her eyes. It was exactly the same, not a single letter different.

She thought for a long time.

Even looking again, it was the same. There was only one conclusion. What this document was saying. In other words, the real owner of this pension was Lee Jae Ho.

She remembered the fan cafe member who had sent a message offering to introduce the pension with good intentions. Right. She had written a post about going on a trip. She had also asked for a recommendation for a pension in Taean.

All of that had happened on the fan cafe. Da Jung’s jaw stiffened.

‘How could this happen.’