It was a confession he had prepared for a long time. Of course, he hadn’t conveyed even a fraction of his feelings. It was somewhat impulsive, too.

The moment he faced Se Ah at the place of their memories, he was overwhelmed by intense emotions. The original plan was to confess romantically, sharing a glass of wine in the suite room he had reserved.

He forgot all about that plan. He felt like dying to tell her he loved her right then and there. With Ji Se Ah, he was increasingly losing his patience.

‘Should I have just said I love her unconditionally?’

That wasn’t what he meant. It felt like he had given reasons and conditions for loving Se Ah, leaving him with a bitter feeling.

But if someone had confessed love to him in the past, he would have surely wanted to know why. That’s the essence of sincerity.

“Difficult, Ji Se Ah.”

He chuckled faintly, turning on the faucet.

While Kang Woo showered, Se Ah stood by the bathroom door, listening. He usually took long showers, but today seemed particularly extended.

She tiptoed back to the bedroom. Opening the bottom drawer of her vanity, she pulled out the contract with Nam Tae.

The drawer had seemed the safest place to store the contract. But now that he was back in the bedroom and likely to stay home longer due to his vacation, it became a concern.

Worried he might open the drawer, she realized she needed another place to store it.

She went to the dressing room and opened a cabinet, looking for the shopper bag she had used the last time she was summoned to Nam Tae’s house. She placed the envelope containing the contract inside the bag and took out a thick gaming book.

Chrrrk. Flipping to the bookmarked section, she found a micro-recorder inserted where the book folds.

Nam Tae was bound to visit the company again, she was certain.

She had prepared the smallest and thinnest recorder possible, knowing a phone or a bulky device would easily be noticed by Manager Lee. Hidden inside the book, it was perfectly concealed.

As expected, Manager Lee returned, and she turned on the recorder while in a taxi.

When Manager Lee snatched the bag and scrutinized its contents with eagle eyes, her heart raced. Thankfully, he didn’t check inside the book.

She peeked outside the door again, not locking it to avoid arousing Kang Woo’s suspicion. She had to finish quickly and quietly.

She connected earphones to the recorder. Pressing the button once played the recording, pressing it again switched to recording mode, and holding it down turned the power on or off.

Pressing the button briefly, she heard the events of that day. She listened intently, her brow furrowed, making sure the recording was clear.

After listening to the end, Se Ah sank into thought.

If she were to play this recording to Kang Woo.

‘But that doesn’t change the fact that I deceived him.’

‘Did you enjoy playing with me while conspiring with my father? Watching me grovel?’
Eyelids lowered, she anticipated a cold response from him.

This nightmare-like imagination had become a habit ever since she started harboring hopes that he loved her.

She never expected him to embrace her completely. The reason for the recording wasn’t seeking understanding but to leave at least some evidence against Nam Tae.

“Right here, bursting with it, I love you.”

When he gripped her hand against his broad chest, his deep pupils overflowed with love.

Tears flowed listlessly with her heart pounding as if it would explode, moved by the long-awaited moment. Yet she couldn’t purely rejoice due to the complicated situation.

Having just heard his declaration of love, she couldn’t bear to see his eyes turn cold.

Rather than seeing that…

She pressed the welling tears with her thumb, wiping them away.

“What are you thinking so deeply about?”

Suddenly, Kang Woo’s voice came from behind. Startled, she inadvertently pressed the recorder button and dropped it. It rolled somewhere inside her bag.

“Make some noise when you walk. You scared me.”

“To be loved by Ji Se Ah, even in footsteps, seems like a long road ahead.”

She glanced at Kang Woo, opening a wardrobe beside him. He seemed somewhat downcast.

“……Is something wrong?”

Putting on a black nightgown, Kang Woo looked at her. Her gaze naturally fell to his hands moving leisurely, then to his tautly muscled abdomen, before reluctantly moving back up.

Kang Woo tilted his lips, seeing her gaze return.

“Nothing. Just being rejected by Ji Se Ah.”

His expression resembled the one he had only once before, but even more sullen now, his tone slightly sarcastic, clearly showing off his pique.

“Rejected? What do you mean by that……?”

Her previous troubled feelings had vanished. The man before her was too adorable, and she wanted to appease him.

Fiddling with something in her shopper bag, Se Ah opened the wardrobe door wide, and Kang Woo moved closer.

“Did you hide something significant?”

“Hide what……”

His eyes narrowed, and Se Ah took a deep breath.

“I found this.”

She held up a rectangular luxury case, quite long. Clearly, it was a tie.

“Did you buy this for me?”

“Of course. It’s a man’s tie…… obviously.”

“…….”

“Take it. It’s a Christmas gift.”

Kang Woo’s lips relaxed as he took the box. He held out the tie to Se Ah.

“Tie it for me.”

“You’re in a gown.”

“Just tie it around my neck.”

She had overlooked his hurt feelings, being lost in her own thoughts. She knew he must have prepared for days for today’s confession.

Feeling belatedly sorry, even if forced, she wanted to oblige him.

“Could you lower your height a bit?”

“Uh.”

After draping the tie around Kang Woo’s neck, she roughly tied it, giving it shape.

With a gown on and a navy blue tie around his bare neck, it was odd, but to her eyes, he was stunning.

“Really, really handsome.”

Kang Woo’s lips fully relaxed.

“And earlier, I was too stunned to say anything…… and suddenly started crying……”

Gently tugging the end of the soft silk tie, Se Ah lightly pressed her lips to his, then quickly withdrew.

“Thank you for confessing…… and I love you too, Kang Woo.”

“……Ah.”

Kang Woo tilted his chin down to her nape. His rough breathing warmed the delicate area below her ear.

“I’ll say it again. I love you, no matter the reason.”

It wasn’t the same innocent and sweet confession as before. His voice was urgent, his gaze intense, and Se Ah felt breathless.

“I can’t wait anymore.”

Kang Woo lifted Se Ah upright into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and their lips met again.