Well, if he’s okay, that’s fine, Hyun-suk said, taking Se-ah to the sofa. Even though Hyun-suk took a seat, Se-ah still stood.

“Give me your clothes and bag, Mom. I’ll put them in the closet.”

Hyun-suk waved her hand, took off her coat, and placed it on the empty seat.

“Just leave it here for now. There’s plenty of space. Se-ah, just sit comfortably.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, by the way, I bought some sushi on the way.”

Hyun-suk opened the shopping bag she had brought and showed it to Se-ah.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? You should eat breakfast, and don’t skip meals just because you’re busy. Have some toast, okay?”

“Yes.”

“Rather than that, let’s eat now. I’ll set the table.”

Suddenly, Hyun-suk stood up with the shopping bag.

“No, Mom. I’m not hungry right now. I’ll eat later.”

“Kang-woo is Kang-woo. He’s replenishing nutrition with high-quality nutrients, so make sure to eat later. Understand?”
“Yes.”

Se-ah and Hyun-suk talked for about an hour, discussing various things, including how they’ve been.

“Se-ah, I’ll go see the attending physician for a moment. I heard Kang-woo passed the health check, right? What on earth is he so busy with?”

“Yes. Please go.”

“Sure.”

After Hyun-suk left, Se-ah, feeling it was the right time, hurriedly went to Kang-woo’s bedside.

“Why isn’t he awake yet?”

No matter how many hours passed, he didn’t open his eyes once. It would be a relief to see him wake up. She thought it would be good if he just opened his eyes for a moment and then went back to sleep.

She turned on the humidifier to prevent the room from becoming too dry. After tidying up around the hospital bed, she sat back down in the guardian chair beside the bed.

As the boring time passed, the eyelids, which seemed like they would never open, trembled. With a heartwarming feeling, Se-ah stood up from her seat.

“Kang-woo, are you awake now?”

As if about to respond, Kang-woo’s lips slowly opened.

Waiting for his voice in silence, Se-ah’s gaze was fixedly caught in Kang-woo’s eyes like a deep abyss. A faint smile appeared on his lips, but he calmly closed his eyelids.

“Why are you barefoot? It’s cold.”

The sound caught in his throat rang out slowly. As warm as a confession of love.

“Oh.”

Only then did Se-ah look down at her feet. She didn’t realize she had been barefoot until now. Her feet must be cold because she was sensitive to the cold.

“Come here.”

Hesitant, Se-ah, who was standing there bewildered, was reached out to by Kang-woo. Various emotions surged, and her nose felt a bit tingly.

Just before the tears burst, he grabbed her hand. As his warmth touched her, her heart finally relaxed, and her chest felt full.

“You must have been surprised.”

“…Of course.”

Afraid that it might be tears again, Se-ah spoke brightly. Or maybe because she couldn’t see him directly.

“Why aren’t you looking at my face?”

His laughter seemed somewhat faded. With a slightly stubborn tone, he questioned her as if probing.

“…No. It’s just awkward. I’m glad you woke up, Kang-woo.”

“…….”

“Well… Do you need anything?”

Holding her large hand tightly, Se-ah twisted her body. Her gaze also avoided him sneakily.

Really, she was so worried, almost insanely. To the point that others might think it was excessive.

Even though the paramedics and doctors said there was no need to worry so much. But still, she couldn’t let go of her heart.

“Stay here. By my side.”

Kang-woo, who held her small hand, spread it open and inserted his fingers. The warmth intertwined without a chance to escape.

Min-young appeared in the luxury section of the department store.

The chauffeur following her seemed inadequate. While Min-young went to another store, the chauffeur had to go to the parking lot, load the trunk with shopping bags, and then return to her.

After checking out outerwear, underwear, and even shoes, it was finally the last-minute shopping time.
With confident steps, Min-young entered the T Company store. The manager, who had received advance notice of her arrival, was waiting at the entrance.

“Is it Manager Lee?”

“Manager Kim. It’s been a while.”

For Min-young, the visit last week seemed like a long time ago.

“Manager Lee, it seems like your style has changed a bit lately. Lovely styles suit you so well.”

“Do you think so?”

Min-young’s clothing preferences changed depending on the man she was meeting. When meeting Kang Hyun-tae, it was glamorous and dazzling. Now, in love with Cha Kang-woo, it was lovely, seemingly in line with his taste.

“Your beauty is outstanding. I envy you so much. You can pull off extreme styles.”

The manager naturally turned toward the showroom. If the mood was right, business for the day would practically be done.

In the back of the sparkling showroom, the manager took something out of a drawer. A dazzling necklace, wrapped in wine-colored soft fabric, caught Min-young’s eye.

“How did Manager Lee know you were coming? New items arrived. Did you see them just now? It’s a completely new product that hasn’t been shown to anyone yet.”

The figure of the necklace was tremendous. An elegant ensemble of diamonds and natural rubies for women. If she wore this necklace off-shoulder at a party, all eyes would surely be focused on her neck.

“It’s pretty, but…”

Unexpectedly, the manager’s eyes widened at Min-young’s somewhat indifferent tone.

“It’s too flashy.”

“I knew right away when I saw it that it was Manager Lee’s item. Money alone isn’t everything, right? This necklace is not for just anyone, so I reserved it for Manager Lee. It’s rare to find someone suitable for this necklace.”

“But still…”

Min-young, who had been pondering, raised her ring finger as if she had made up her mind.

“Then that and…”

“Yes.”

Min-young spread out a cute-sized tote bag and searched for her phone. She showed the manager a captured photo of the product from her gallery.

A pendant with HOLIC deeply embossed on a black line with a thick rectangle. It coiled around Kang-woo’s thick neck in a provocative manner.

“Is this the item?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“Give me this one too.”

A perplexed smile spread across the manager’s lips.

“…Um, Manager Lee. I’m sorry, but this product is not available in the store.”

“Then get it from another store.”

The manager lowered her head apologetically.

“I’m really sorry, but this product is not available anywhere in Korea. A gentleman bought the entire stock.”

“Who on earth is it?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s difficult to tell you as it’s customer’s personal information. I apologize.”

It must be Cha Kang-woo. If someone else had bought it, Cha Kang-woo wouldn’t be wearing that necklace.

In other words, it meant that the necklace had a special meaning.

Was it matched with Ji Se-ah?

“Even so, is it acceptable that we can’t get even one, in this Gangnam Center?”

“I’ll check the inventory again.”

The manager checked through the computer. As Min-young was about to lose her patience, the manager looked at her with a lowered gaze.

“We’ve confirmed that there is no stock.”

“Then it should be fine if we import it from overseas.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s not a mass-produced item; it’s a limited edition product. Even though I checked with the headquarters, it appears to be discontinued.”

Min-young managed to lift the corners of her stiffened lips.

“Let that be. Extract the purchase details for my three months.”

“Yes.”

The manager immediately handed Min-young the printout. The total amount matched the value of a luxury foreign car.

“Refund the entire amount. I stuck the jewelry in the safe without wearing it once.”

Looking at the pale-faced manager, Min-young shifted her gaze to the driver standing behind.

“This driver.”

“Yes, Manager.”

“Go to my house immediately and bring all my belongings.”