The occasion where Kang Woo introduced Hee Won was full of surprises. His friends were rubbing their eyes, unable to believe the sight before them.

“Wow, is that really Cha Kang Woo?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“I’ve known that guy for 15 years and this is the first time I’ve seen him like this.”

“Me too. They say people change when they’re about to die.”

“Hey, that’s going too far.”

Kang Woo’s friends talked while alternating glances between Hee Won and Kang Woo.

“I don’t think those two even realize what kind of expressions they’re making.”

Lost in their own world, Hee Won and Kang Woo were visibly absorbed in each other to anyone watching.

“Eat plenty.”

The food came out in courses.

Whenever a dish Hee Won might like appeared, Kang Woo would push his own plate in front of her, even if it was his.

Each time, his friends’ gazes would pour onto Kang Woo and Hee Won.

“Kang Woo should eat too.”

Embarrassed, Hee Won pushed the plates piled in front of her towards Kang Woo, but he placed them back in front of her again, saying,

“Don’t you like this? Though the taste might be a bit different, it’s the same white fish with cream sauce, so it should suit your taste.”

On the pure white plate sat steamed white fish topped with cream sauce and sprinkled with green parsley powder.

Suddenly, memories with Kang Woo came to mind.

[This is really delicious. I didn’t know steamed fish could be this tender. Wow, the cream isn’t heavy at all.] [Is it that good?] [Yes. It’s so soft.] [Try mine too.] [What? No, Kang Woo should eat his own food.] [No, I feel fuller just watching you eat, Hee Won.]

It was a mealtime with Kang Woo in New York.

Remembering how he had been considerate of her then, her heart suddenly welled up with emotion.

Hee Won took a big spoonful of the dish he had handed her and put it in her mouth.

“It’s… delicious.”

At that, his eyes curved beautifully like crescent moons. Perhaps because of that, her heart began to beat faster.

“I’m glad. I asked them to add it, hoping you’d like it.”

“Add?”

To her question about what he had added, Kang Woo smiled meaningfully.

“It wasn’t originally on the menu, but Kang Woo ordered it. For Hee Won’s sake.”

Ji Min, who was dining beside them, answered instead of Kang Woo.

“Really?”

When Hee Won turned her head to look at Kang Woo as if to confirm, he nodded slightly.

“So eat plenty, Hee Won. Kang Woo will feel full even if he doesn’t eat.”

Min Chan said to Hee Won.

An indescribable emotion swept through her heart.

Had anyone ever thought of me like this before?

No one had ever remembered what I liked to eat or enjoyed eating…

Everything Kang Woo did for her was a first experience.

The things he did for her were being engraved one by one in her heart, like inserting photos into an album.

“What are you thinking about?”

Kang Woo’s friends were good people too. Only then did Hee Won feel at ease.

“Just that I’m happy.”

“About what?”

“Actually, I was worried, but everyone seems so nice. Maybe because you’re Kang Woo’s friends, but you all seem to be considerate of me.”

She wasn’t particularly eloquent, nor was she very sociable.

Though she couldn’t show it outwardly, she had worried a lot before coming.

What if I make a mistake? What if they tell Kang Woo I’m strange?

After all, they were the close friends of the man she liked, so Hee Won wanted to get along well with them.

Even if her relationship with him was a contract, her feelings for him were sincere.

Kang Woo, who had been staring intently, opened his mouth.

“Of course they like Hee Won.”

“…Pardon?”

As Hee Won asked again in surprise, Kang Woo wiped her mouth with a napkin and continued speaking.

“Anyone would like Hee Won.”

Her heart, which had sunk with a ‘thud’, started beating rapidly.

“Alright, now it’s time for the gift-giving ceremony.”

If Ji Min hadn’t spoken up, she might have asked Kang Woo.

Do you like me too, Kang Woo?

Thinking it was fortunate, Hee Won turned her head, and Kang Woo also shifted his gaze from her to Ji Min.

“Hee Won, please accept this.”

Ji Min held out a white envelope to Hee Won.

“What is this?”

“It’s a wedding gift we prepared separately.”

“A… wedding gift?”

As Hee Won looked on with wide, surprised eyes, Ji Min smiled and continued speaking.

“Yes. We had something we agreed to give to the first person among us to get married.”

“…Ah.”

“Open it.”

Hee Won opened the envelope her friends had handed her. Her eyes grew even wider than before when she confirmed its contents.

“A key card?”

Inside the white envelope were a key card and a piece of paper with an address written on it.

“What is this?”

To Hee Won’s question, Min Chan answered.

“It’s nothing too extravagant, just a villa in Gyeonggi Province.”

“A… villa?”

“We kind of made a bet among ourselves.”

“To give a villa?”

“Yes. Well, it was just a joke at the time. Giving a house seemed too much, so we thought about what else we could do, and the idea of a villa came up.”

Hee Won was speechless at the scale of the gift, which was beyond what an ordinary person could follow.

“But still, a villa…?”

Hee Won looked at Kang Woo. He too wore an unsurprised expression.

She was the only one there who was flustered.

What kind of wedding gift involves giving a villa?

She had heard that her friends’ families were not ordinary.

Among the group of seven, Min Chan was the son of an American investment company, and three others were also children of chaebol families. One was set to inherit a gaming company, another came from a family of legal professionals for generations, and another from a political family for generations – the so-called diamond spoon kids. She knew this, but she never imagined receiving a villa as a wedding gift.

“We chose a suitable size since Kang Woo already has his own villa, hope you like it.”

As Hee Won stood dazed, neither accepting nor returning the gift, Kang Woo took the key card and memo from her hand and put them back in the envelope.

He put it in his bag and whispered in her ear.

“Let’s go together this weekend to commemorate.”

“…”

With the hot breath brushing her ear and the low, resonant voice filled with laughter, Hee Won’s heart began to beat rapidly.

She turned her head and met Kang Woo’s eyes. His smile was shining brighter than the sun.

She was starting to like him so much that she wondered if it was possible to fall this quickly.

* * *

Just as the meal ended and dessert was served, the atmosphere changed dramatically when a man entered the restaurant followed by a woman.

“Why is that bastard here?”

Min Chan spoke in a cold voice as he saw the man and woman entering.

Hearing his voice, Hee Won, who had been chatting with friends, also turned her gaze to the restaurant entrance.

“…”

Hee Won’s heart sank when she saw the woman.

‘Why is that woman here…’

Ji Min stood up abruptly and approached the man with a fierce demeanor.

“Joo Ah Min, where do you think you are to bring her here.”

Then Min Chan, who had been watching Kang Woo’s reaction, also approached the man called Ah Min.

Ah Min spoke with an indifferent expression.

“It’s not like we’re not allowed to come here, is it?”

The atmosphere became even more bleak at Ah Min’s response.

“We? Are you crazy? Do you know what kind of gathering this is?”

Min Chan glared at Ah Min, spitting out words as if to crush him.

Hee Won could only look at the woman with confused eyes, unable to do anything.

Just as her mind went blank, Kang Woo’s voice reached her ear.

“It’s alright. Nothing will happen.”

“…”

Then, before he could even hear her response, he stood up and approached Ji Min and Ah Min.

“That’s enough.”

Kang Woo patted Min Chan’s shoulder and spoke to Ah Min.

“I don’t recall inviting you two.”

Kang Woo’s eyes became as sharp as if facing an enemy.

“You’re as brazen as ever.”

At Kang Woo’s mocking words, cracks appeared on Ah Min’s previously indifferent face.

“Cha Kang Woo.”

Ah Min’s fists trembled, but he could only glare at Kang Woo without saying anything.

At that moment, the woman standing behind approached Kang Woo.

“Oppa, it’s been a while.”

The woman smiling as if nothing was wrong was none other than Stacy.

Her voice towards Kang Woo was warm and affectionate.

“How could I not come to my oppa’s wife introduction gathering?”

Her voice was so affectionate that if strangers saw, they might mistakenly think Kang Woo and the woman were very close, causing Kang Woo’s face to wrinkle even more.

“Even if I’m in America, how could you not invite me to the wedding? I’m hurt.”

At Stacy’s coquettish voice, Kang Woo spoke with a sharp tone.

“You, stop talking nonsense and leave. I thought I told you I’d let it slide once, but not twice.”

Kang Woo spoke as if crushing each word, but Stacy’s expression didn’t change at all.

“Don’t try to scare me. What did I say I’d do? I just came to say hello.”

Stacy smiled at Kang Woo and then walked past him to stand in front of Hee Won.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

Hee Won’s heart sank as she saw Stacy smiling and speaking to her.

“…Stacy.”

Hee Won’s fists trembled as her eyes met Stacy’s. She couldn’t control her expression at the woman’s brazenness.

The woman who had not hidden her hostility towards her, who had made her wary, who had given off the impression of having some kind of relationship with Kang Woo and upset her.

Hee Won’s mood sank as she wondered why she was here at this gathering.