Kang Woo, who had finished work, entered the cafe Hee Won had mentioned.

As he sat down across from her, emotions blossomed on Hee Won’s face, who had been sitting blankly.

“You’re here?”

Seeing Hee Won not hiding her joy, Kang Woo sat down with an almost-smile expression.

“Have you eaten?”

“Ah, yes. I had a light meal before coming.”

“I’m hungry.”

“It’s 8 o’clock now, haven’t you had dinner?”

When Hee Won asked in surprise, opening her round eyes wide, Kang Woo said,

“That’s how it turned out. Can I eat something light?”

“Yes, that’s fine. I ate a salad, so I can eat more.”

“A salad, you say?”

“Yes. I always eat only salad for dinner.”

Kang Woo’s gaze fell on Hee Won’s slender body.

“You’re already thin, do you want to lose more weight?”

“Ah…”

Seong Hyun Je was managing more strictly in preparation for the wedding day.

Hee Won had to get on the scale every morning and evening to check her weight. On days when she gained even 100g, she reduced her meal portions to that of bird feed, and had to receive massages said to help lose weight. He also forced her to exercise on an empty stomach, saying it was good.

Seong Hyun Je pushed Hee Won to create the best marriage product.

Because of this, Hee Won, who was originally on the thin side, had lost even more weight recently.

“Don’t lose any more weight.”

Kang Woo said, looking at Hee Won.

“…Yes.”

At his voice filled with concern, Hee Won’s heart fluttered. But since she couldn’t tell Kang Woo all about her circumstances, she could only say “Yes” and nothing more.

“When we’re married, I’ll have to feed you well.”

“…”

Hee Won forced a smile at his words.

“Is it okay if we go to a place I know?”

“Yes. Shall we get up then?”

As Hee Won said with a smile, Kang Woo’s face suddenly hardened coldly. His gaze sharpened as it landed on a certain spot.

“Seong Hee Won.”

“Yes?”

Hee Won was startled by Kang Woo’s sudden change. When he stood up and reached out to touch her cheek, she flinched without realizing.

“Who did this to you?”

The spot Kang Woo’s hand touched was where Yu Na had left a scratch earlier.

It wasn’t that big of a wound. She had covered it with concealer and powder. After finishing her makeup, it had become such a small wound that even Hee Won herself had to stare intently to see it.

But how did Kang Woo notice, Hee Won was too flustered to say anything. Kang Woo’s sharp gaze changed to one of concern as he said,

“Did it hurt?”

Hee Won suddenly felt the spot where Kang Woo’s hand touched become hot.

“Not long ago, I said I would keep you from getting hurt if you were by my side… But there’s another wound on your body. I’m sorry. For not being able to protect you.”

Perhaps because Yu Na had just said she would take him away, Kang Woo’s actions felt more painful.

“…Cha Kang Woo.”

“Yes.”

Hee Won removed Kang Woo’s hand that had touched her cheek. Forcibly pulling up the corners of her mouth, she spoke.

So she wanted to ask.

If it was okay for her to go through with this marriage.

Since it was a contract marriage with her anyway, if it could be broken at any time, was it fine if it was anyone from Jin Sung Foods, as Yu Na had said.

She was clearly able to ask because of the concern in Kang Woo’s eyes.

That’s why she was able to confide in him these words she would have normally swallowed alone.

Hee Won looked at Kang Woo and said,

“Will you marry me?”

At Hee Won’s question, Kang Woo’s eyes narrowed.

“What do you mean by that?”

“This marriage, I wanted to ask if it doesn’t have to be me.”

She had actually gathered the courage to ask him, but she was afraid.

What if he said yes, the more you expect, the greater the pain that comes back – she knew this better than anyone. It was foolish to ask while knowing this so well.

All this time, she couldn’t let go of her expectations for her father, Chairman Seong.

Still, because he’s my dad, my real father, he must love me at least a little.

But every time she realized that wasn’t the case at all, she painfully experienced how much expectation turned into disappointment.

It was the same this time.

Even now, if Kang Woo chose another woman over her, she had to let him go.

Even if he said it didn’t matter who it was, not necessarily Seong Hee Won, she had to smile.

But she wasn’t confident.

Without realizing it, her feelings for Kang Woo had grown.

She didn’t want to hear words from Kang Woo that seemed to deny her.

As she lowered her head, her small fists on her knees had turned pale white.

“Seong Hee Won, look up.”

“…”

Kang Woo’s voice was heard from above her head.

“Can you tell me what you meant by asking me such a question?”

Kang Woo asked in a serious voice.

Hee Won couldn’t say that she asked because she was bothered by what Seong Yu Na had said.

Unable to look at him, she barely managed to squeeze out a voice to answer.

“I’m sorry.”

She had put him in a difficult position.

It wasn’t even a celebrity marriage, but a contract marriage, and it was her fault for trying to gauge Kang Woo’s feelings.

“I shouldn’t have asked such a thing.”

“No. I wish you wouldn’t say you’re sorry. It’s not an action to be sorry for. First, look up.”

At Kang Woo’s urging, Hee Won raised her head. Then she met his eyes, which seemed to pierce through her.

“Have you developed different feelings?”

“…”

“Do you perhaps regret your decision to marry?”

Kang Woo threw questions instead. Hee Won’s large eyes grew even larger at the unexpected questions.

“…Regret?”

“Yes. I know that sometimes people think they don’t want to get married before the wedding. I think it’s called marriage blue. I’d like to think you asked because of such anxious feelings, and I wondered if you felt the same.”

“…Who says that?”

Hee Won was flustered in a different way as the conversation flowed in a direction she hadn’t imagined.

“My married friends say so.”

This marriage was a contract marriage.

A relationship with no love at all, one that would end in divorce after 3 years… a relationship with a set ending.

But why was he bringing up stories of ordinary people to her?

Hee Won couldn’t find words to answer. She could only listen to what Kang Woo was saying.

“Even if you regret this marriage, I will proceed with it.”

The moment she heard Kang Woo’s answer, Hee Won felt like her stuffy heart was clearing up like a lie.

“Because this marriage couldn’t have been established if it wasn’t you, Seong Hee Won.”

“…”

Kang Woo reached out and held Hee Won’s hand.

“So I don’t want to hear you say you can’t do it now.”

Hee Won’s heart wavered at Kang Woo’s words.

She wanted to ask why it had to be her to this extent.

She wanted to ask if he had developed even slightly different feelings for her.

So just as she was about to part her lips, Kang Woo’s words from before floated into her mind.

[How about becoming a relationship that can be mutually beneficial?]

Her head cooled as if cold water had been poured over it.

Kang Woo and she were not an ordinary couple.

Even the words Kang Woo was saying now were not because he loved her, but because he didn’t want to be in a difficult situation – she had to know this, even if it was disappointing.

Telling herself not to do this twice, Hee Won forced a smile, pulling up the corners of her mouth.

“Let’s go eat. I’ve gotten hungry too.”

Just as he was using her, she shouldn’t pull on personal emotions anymore.

Hee Won steeled her heart.

[This is the timeline separator]

Hee Won got into Kang Woo’s luxury car.

Silence descended in the car driving across the Hangang Bridge.

It was so quiet that even swallowing saliva felt burdensome.

“Is the radio okay?”

“…Yes.”

The radio was playing popular songs from the millennium era.

After driving like that, they arrived in front of a restaurant in Buam-dong.

“It’s a place my friend runs.”

Kang Woo said as he opened the passenger door where Hee Won was sitting.

“…A friend?”

Hee Won looked up at Kang Woo with a dubious gaze before she knew it.

From what she’d heard, Kang Woo didn’t attend elementary, middle, or high school in Korea.

Of course, he could have friends.

But she had heard that Kang Woo had no connections in Korea, so it felt a bit strange when he said friend.

When Hee Won looked at him, Kang Woo said calmly,

“A friend I became close with in America.”

“Ah…”

“Let’s go in.”

Kang Woo escorted Hee Won inside.

“Hey, you.”

A man who spotted Kang Woo coming in with Hee Won approached them.

“Oh? Hello.”

The man, noticing Hee Won, greeted her with a surprised expression he couldn’t hide.

“Ah, hello.”

As Hee Won greeted shyly, the man sidled up to Kang Woo and asked,

“Who is she?”

Kang Woo answered the man’s question plainly.

“The person I’m going to marry.”

Surprised by Kang Woo’s words, the man inadvertently raised his voice.

“What? Marriage?”

The man looked back and forth between Hee Won and Kang Woo with a dumbfounded expression.

“Cha Kang Woo is getting married? You?”

The man didn’t introduce himself, but it wasn’t difficult for Hee Won to realize he was Kang Woo’s friend.

“Wow, I. What did I just hear?”

As if he couldn’t believe it, the man scratched his head.

Hee Won silently looked at the man. Belatedly feeling Hee Won’s gaze, the man said,

“I’m sorry, I was just so shocked. Ah! Of course, you, no. Your name is?”

“It’s Seong Hee Won.”

“Ah, Seong Hee Won. Your name is as pretty as your face. Ah, that’s not it. Of course, it’s not that I dislike Seong Hee Won, but I was surprised because I didn’t know that guy would get married. If I offended you, I apologize.”

The man apologized politely to Hee Won.

Feeling the man’s sincerity, Hee Won responded with a smile.

“No, I wasn’t offended.”

“Oh, your heart is pretty too, as expected. Nice to meet you. I’m Yoon Ji Min. I look forward to getting to know you. Please go over there. As thanks for taking this unworthy guy off our hands, I’ll treat you to a full course dinner today.”

The man said with a hearty laugh.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Although they weren’t a real couple, thinking there was no need to disappoint the man who was sincerely happy for his friend’s marriage, Hee Won smiled and spoke, then Kang Woo cut in.