“Not bad.”

That was the first thing the man said after looking around the pension. He had arrived much earlier than Da Jung.

“Buy first, appreciate later. I bought it in a hurry, so I’m only seeing it now. Are rooms 101 and 102 the same structure?”

“Yes, they are.”

“It’s a nice building. Worth buying at twice the market price.”

He had prided himself on building it meticulously, and it showed. Unlike regular houses, pensions are often built with panels to reduce costs, but this building was concrete. It passed the safety check at least.

The large windows facing the sea captured both the scenery and natural light. The living room was spacious and high overall.

The refreshing openness gave a sense of relief. The sofa was a deep blue color reminiscent of the sea, mixed with gray tones to create a calm atmosphere.

The structure could be prone to drafts, but using high-quality windows provided some coverage. Not only that, but a fireplace was also installed, capturing both romance and heating. It was a house that made one look forward to winter even more.

The first room on the first floor had a structure with a bed and dressing room together. Behind the bed was an archway without a door, and entering through it led to a small dressing room. It was just the right size for two people. The bed was a spacious king size with a top-grade mattress chosen by the man himself.

The bathroom next to the kitchen had a large bathtub for two installed. There was nothing particularly special about it, just clean. The man thought if he had designed it himself, he would have put in a large window in the bathroom to see outside. He thought the person who built it must have been old-fashioned.

It would have been better if it had been designed to shower while looking at the sea.

While there were clearly some aspects that went against his taste, overall it was quite a nice place.

The second floor had an attractive large terrace facing the sea and one more small bedroom and bathtub. But since he planned to stay alone, he thought he wouldn’t use the second floor much except for viewing the scenery.

Manager Jung said,

“Sir, Yoon Da Jung and her party have just left the tollgate.”

The man glanced at the watch on his wrist and said,

“About 30 minutes… and they’ll arrive. Is the luggage all sorted out, Manager Jung?”

“Yes. The people we hired earlier came and finished everything. Just in case, shall we check once more?”

“No need. You must have done well. Then let’s go up now. Ah, before that.”

The man turned his gaze from the sea to look at Manager Jung.

“Please call the pension caretaker couple. Da Jung thinks she’s the pension owner, so I want to pass on a few precautions.”

“Yes, I understand. And Byung Hoon will stay nearby for support.”

“Of course. He’s my manager after all.”

Manager Jung smiled slightly at that response.

“He’s already complaining about being bored.”

Jae Ho shrugged once and turned his gaze back to the sea. With Kim Byung Hoon’s personality, he would surely find something to enjoy before three days were up. With his uniquely optimistic nature, he was the type who could find a way to survive even if dropped in a desert. Even while complaining about being bored, he was probably planning ways to make this vacation worthwhile in his own way.

Manager Jung gave a light bow before heading to the entrance. Jae Ho followed three steps behind. Just as he was about to put on his shoes, Manager Jung turned around as if he had forgotten something important.

“The Chairman’s birthday is coming up soon.”

“…I know.”

“He said to tell you to make sure to attend.”

Jae Ho’s expression darkened for a moment.

He was well aware of the expectations his grandfather had for him, and considering the internal circumstances of the group, he recognized that it was time for the successor to take a more active role in overall management. Jae Ho had been following the course to become Tae Myung’s successor since high school, living a perfectly planned life.

But that was only his grandfather’s will, not his own desire at all. The only thing he wanted to do was act, and unable to give up that dream, he became an actor as soon as he finished studying abroad. His grandfather’s disappointment was obvious, but he couldn’t bend his will despite that.

Jae Ho was the type of person who wouldn’t act until he was sure of himself. He was trying in his own way to find a reason to participate in management out of respect for his grandfather’s wishes, but he hadn’t found an answer yet.

He knew. It was because he couldn’t fully blend into the Tae Myung family.

Even though Jae Ho was living enjoying everything he wanted under the protection of his grandfather, the Chairman, there were times when he still felt like he was wearing someone else’s clothes. That’s why he loved acting even more. The achievements made entirely by his own power made his blood boil excitedly. It was a thrill he had not yet felt at Tae Myung.

“I’ll try to attend.”

“Not try, he emphasized several times that you must come.”

Jae Ho smiled faintly.

“He’ll just say the same old things.”

“He just has high expectations for you.”

Manager Jung took a moment to straighten his clothes and catch his breath.

“By the way, I sincerely congratulate you on finally meeting Yoon Da Jung. I told the Chairman you went on a trip alone.”

Jae Ho nodded, his eyes complex as he sorted out his thoughts. Right now, neither acting nor Tae Myung mattered. It was time to find the most precious thing in life again.

After Manager Jung left, Jae Ho stayed in the living room for a long time. How much time had passed? When he heard the sound of a car driving in on the gravel, he lowered the blinds halfway and stood at the edge of the window.

Da Jung’s car was bigger than he expected. He thought it would be a small compact car, but an SUV? Just as he was wondering if driving wasn’t difficult, a man got out of the driver’s seat.

Lee Kyung Jun.

‘That guy came all the way here…’

Strength entered the tips of his clenched fists.

He still had the same dangerous look in his eyes as he remembered from before. He naturally took her heavy luggage, held her hand, put his arm around her shoulder, and smiled as he brushed dust off near her neck. Da Jung seemed very familiar with all these actions.

Unable to do anything at the moment, irritation slowly rose. Jae Ho took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

There’s nothing to get excited about. He’s just that kind of guy.

How much time has passed, and he still can’t capture her heart, just hovering around? During that time, Da Jung must have had countless opportunities to become Kyung Jun’s woman. Even without seeing it, he could tell. That they must have shared the same apartment, same hobbies, same time countless times.

Thinking that way made him feel relieved. If he couldn’t have her until now, he won’t be able to have her in the future either. To Yoon Da Jung, Lee Kyung Jun was just a friend.

The elderly couple played their role as pension owners excellently as previously agreed. They explained the precautions for using the pension, how to use the storage room, and how to separate recyclables for a long time. By then, it was already getting dark. All of Jae Ho’s nerves were focused on whether Kyung Jun would choose to stay overnight.

Why am I so desperately hoping for this?

A little later, Lee Kyung Jun disappeared in the couple’s car. At last, Jae Ho unclenched his fists. He had gripped them so tightly that even after relaxing, they remained stiff for a while.

Childhood friends or whatever, they’re all grown adults now. Of course Yoon Da Jung would be the one to draw the line.

Judging by how they argued over the car, it seemed to be Kyung Jun’s, but the fact that he left it behind out of courtesy meant there was no way Kyung Jun would draw the line.

Maybe that bastard came down intending to stay overnight, but circumstances changed and he just left. Whatever the case, he’s gone now, so it’s all good.

As he was thinking various thoughts, Da Jung walked towards the beach.

Her long, untied hair fluttered in the wind. Jae Ho imagined those strands of hair gently flying over to tickle his cheeks. Would it be like a puppy’s tail? Lazy and warm.

Feeling as if the wind was pushing his back, Jae Ho also stepped outside, following her footsteps.

The sky was beautiful, like a rough mix of red and pink. He was glad he could find this place. It seemed like magic could happen at least once in a place like this.

As Jae Ho quickened his pace, fine grains of sand crept into his shoes, tickling his feet. With each forceful step forward, he quickly drew closer to Da Jung.

Sensing his presence, she turned around casually. Jae Ho took a short deep breath.

Da Jung’s eyes, filled with surprise, grew wider and wider. When they couldn’t grow any larger, she covered her mouth with her hand.

“It’s the guest from next door.”

It was time for magic to happen.

The conversation flowed in an uncontrollable direction.

“I thought there wouldn’t be other guests in such a remote place. This is unexpected.”

Seeing Jae Ho’s gaze fall on his slippers, Da Jung just nodded as if enchanted. Looking down at her own feet, she saw the same logo engraved on Jae Ho’s slippers. She still couldn’t fully grasp the situation.

“The neighborhood is so quiet, I was just thinking I could use someone to talk to.”

“…”

“Since this is fate, would you like to have a cup of coffee?”

Da Jung’s brain slowly began to regain its function. Bit by bit, the situation became clear and thoughts started to turn. So, now, the celebrity Lee Jae Ho is here at this beach.

Why?

“What? No, that’s, what are you saying now. No, I mean, why is Lee Jae Ho here, is there a filming? This, this situation, what is this…”

Jae Ho chuckled. That laugh was like an arrow, and Da Jung, hit directly, almost collapsed right there.

“Do you have company?”

“What? Yes! Company? Yes. Yes. Of course. I do. No, actually not…”

Her answer became a mess as she alternately recalled Kyung Mi and Kyung Jun’s nagging to hide the fact that she came on a trip alone if possible.

The desire to answer that she had company and the desire to make an exception for Lee Jae Ho got all mixed up.

Lee Jae Ho wasn’t a stranger. At least not to Da Jung.

“So do you have company or not?”

Jae Ho asked lazily with one eyebrow raised crookedly and a playful smile. It was Da Jung’s favorite expression.

In the drama that ended early this year, this sexy smile appeared a lot, and Da Jung had watched videos compiling just those scenes hundreds of times.

“…I don’t have company.”

“Then we’ll only need two cups of coffee.”

Jae Ho started walking back towards the pension. Da Jung knew she should follow, but her two legs felt buried in the sand and wouldn’t move at all. Her stiff brain had loosened up, but now her legs had stiffened.

Jae Ho turned back to look at Da Jung. Was that a smile at the corner of his mouth? Knowing it couldn’t be, she kept getting the feeling he was being kind to her.

“It gets cold after sunset. Come here.”