“It’s a gift from Lady Bae. I didn’t choose it.”

It was an excuse-like defense. Or a defense-like excuse.

“Grandmother is too provocative.”

“I should tell her.”

“Don’t do that.”

A breath-like laugh mixed in. Come to think of it, Kang Jae Kyung and I often had matching senses of humor. We communicated quite well too.

While looking at the ever-changing scenery outside the window without much emotion, Da Hae thought about things that came to mind in the flow of consciousness.

Then suddenly, a name crossed her mind. The one she had been pondering during Kang Jae Kyung’s entire business trip.

“Um, you know…”

The driver’s gaze, which had been looking straight ahead, briefly turned over as if to say ‘speak’.

“Choi Ae… no, I mean Kang Jae Kyung’s mother. I think it would be right to visit and greet her.”

Jae Kyung’s eyebrows rose. Turning his head to look to the side, Da Hae, leaning her head against the window, awkwardly avoided the topic.

A smirk escaped from his straight lips. Due to the constant flow of laughter, the corners of his mouth that had risen once showed no signs of coming down.

How could she have come up with such a thoughtful idea? The woman who had been busy running away with all sorts of excuses like official meetings and business trips.

While it didn’t seem like a particularly good idea to introduce the two, he was grateful and pleased that she had willingly shown consideration. It felt like she was opening up to him.

Should he suggest going right now? Who knows when this complicated woman’s mind might change. As he was thinking this, passing through the last traffic light.

“Well, we’re going to break up soon anyway…”

“…”

Of course. The lips that had been constantly smiling found their place again. Then a low sigh followed.

“Can’t you stop saying that about breaking up?”

“Are you trying to pick a fight again?”

“It’s a skill to interpret this as picking a fight.”

“Right, it’s a fight.”

The sedan that had arrived at the complex slowly reduced speed and came to a stop.

The conversation was cut off and the laughter had long since disappeared.

Kang Jae Kyung leaned his head on the headrest and turned his head towards the driver’s side window.

Similarly, Kye Da Hae leaned her head and directed her gaze far out the passenger window. Despite thinking they had communicated quite well, the air in the car was distinctly chilly.

It was Kang Jae Kyung who ended the heavy silence that had continued for a while.

“Later.”

Though he said later, given that it was a relationship with a set time limit, it was tantamount to an indefinite rejection. That’s what Da Hae thought.

“How much later do we have?”

At another mention of the end, Jae Kyung sighed softly.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“But how can I…”

“There’s no need to, really. For a couple that’s going to break up.”

The lips that had opened slightly closed firmly. It was a moment when all the time spent worrying and hesitating felt futile.

While it was true that she didn’t feel particularly good about the constant mention of breaking up, that wasn’t the reason for the futility.

Regardless of the relationship, she wanted to do well. She felt disappointed that such efforts were easily dismissed.

Da Hae laughed like a breath, as if to disperse the emptiness, and removed the seatbelt clip.

“Thanks for the ride. Take care.”

“Let’s go to your front door.”

“No. I want to walk a bit.”

“Let’s walk together.”

“Why?”

The delicate shoe that stepped out of the car made a clear, crisp sound as it touched the tile.

Two gazes collided as she took off the jacket hanging on her shoulder and placed it on the seat. Unstable air. The humid breeze of early summer. A businesslike tone laid over such things.

“There’s no need to, really. For a couple that’s going to break up.”

With that, the door closed.

* * *

Pink roses wrapped modestly in apricot-colored floral paper.

“I’m made for window shopping.”

The expression of the woman holding the flowers was dry and cold, like a dry autumn or the dead of winter.

The thing that had appeared before her eyes now looked at the floor as the hand holding it fell. It was hidden behind her legs as if trying not to be seen by others.

Da Hae, who had sighed repeatedly, roughly brushed back her thick hair.

Already the tenth time. In the ten days since they had parted like that, the man had sent flowers every day.

To the company on weekdays, to her home on weekends. The type of flower was consistently pink roses.

Calls that would go to voicemail and texts that would receive no reply came punctually like attendance stamps. He didn’t come in person, perhaps disliking being turned away at the door.

“Again today? So romantic…”

“If there’s a next life, I want to be born as our team leader! I’m really so envious!”

This kind of reaction for the second week. When she had expressed her opinion that not getting married could also be a good life, she was severely beaten by her unmarried team members. Saying that only those who have everything say such things.

So she just laughed it off carelessly.

Feeling the sparkling gazes following her back, she entered her office to find a large bouquet of fully bloomed roses in a vase.

Placing what she was holding next to it, Da Hae propped her elbows and rubbed her eyebrows.

She had intended to leave them until they withered away, unable to throw them out. Whose diligent workplace act was this now?

Team Leader Kye’s puzzlement was resolved by Manager Choi, who appeared with a knock.

“Not bad, right? You seemed busy, so I thought I’d show off my skills a bit.”

Saying they would easily last for over a week, and that she would gladly arrange today’s flowers too, Da Hae answered with an awkward smile as she sat down.

Manager Choi, holding out the approval folder in her arms, asked:

“You two had a fight, didn’t you?”

The eyes that had been skimming the approval documents went up to her and then back down. Instead of denying it, she laughed dryly.

“He seems to be agonizing a lot. Why don’t you just give in? His sincerity is admirable, isn’t it?”

“Oh no, no taking sides. I thought you were on my side, Manager.”

“That’s why I’m saying this. You don’t know how lovely the face of our team leader in love is, do you?”

“Ugh.”

Her slender shoulders shuddered. What’s all this about love and being lovely? These were all things too creepy and embarrassing to apply to her.

Manager Choi, who had received back the approval folder, smiled with satisfaction as if even such an expression from the usually businesslike Team Leader Kye was precious.

Pushing the door halfway out and then sticking her face back in, she said in a much more cheerful voice:

“Those pink roses. The flower language means ‘pledge of love’, they say.”

Pledge. A promise to definitely fulfill a promise or goal.

He probably didn’t know the flower language when he sent them, but even if he did, the pledge he’s talking about couldn’t be love.

If it was intended to remind her of fulfilling the contract, that might be understandable.

While thinking like that, after hearing the flower language, she glanced at those pink things every second.

The man whose sincerity was as opaque as the dawn mist on a reservoir. Was Kang Jae Kyung actually acting in every moment?

The eyes that looked at her so intensely. The sweet voice whispering sweet words.

In a contractual relationship where you take what you want and turn away at the right time. She had been drawn in defenseless, forgetting the implicit rule that personal emotions should be strictly excluded.

She felt a little flutter, and sometimes felt choked up with overwhelming emotions. The fact that she was moved by small kindnesses was probably because it was spring. She decided to think that way.

Because spring is a season when that’s allowed.

As she was trying to shake off the thoughts that kept coming up whenever she was about to forget, her phone placed on the table vibrated.

The caller was Kang Jae Kyung.

After letting one long call go to voicemail, Da Hae glanced at the phone that was sending vibrations again and eventually slid the screen towards receiving.

It seemed like she needed to put a stop to this suspicious behavior of constantly sending flowers. That was the surface reason.

-You’re answering.

“Stop sending flowers. Do you know how troublesome it is to go down to receive quick deliveries in the middle of work?”

-How else can I check on you? You’re not responding to contact.

My goodness. Da Hae’s jaw dropped slightly. At the same time, a sigh that could have been either exasperation or admiration escaped.

So, according to Kang Jae Kyung, the reason for sending flowers was as a means to confirm whether she was alive or dead. Because you have to sign to receive a quick delivery.

She stuck out her tongue at the intelligent method. Pledge of love, my foot.

-What are you doing this weekend?

“I’m doing something.”

-What are you doing?

“You don’t need to know.”

-A husband should at least know his wife’s whereabouts.

While it was frustrating to be arguing, Kang Jae Kyung’s responses remained consistently calm throughout.

Da Hae, who had fixed her gaze on any random spot on the pure white ceiling, answered mechanically.

“Workshop. Overnight trip. To Wando.”

It seemed like she had to satisfy his demand to be able to hang up.

Workshop… A mumble that had faintly drifted in trailed off.

-Are there men there too?

“I’m going to meet them there. Island village fishermen. Oh, Kang Jae Kyung was a fisherman too, right? Owner of global fishing grounds.”

Again, you’re being cheeky.

-Come home after work.

“I’m busy.”

-Article 2. Actively cooperate in each other’s crisis situations.

Saying that he keeps bringing up that Article 2 at every opportunity and that she’s sick of it, the call ended.

Jae Kyung, who put down his phone, buried his back deeply in the chair.

Kye Da Hae was seriously angry.

Of course, he was grateful. It was thoughtful. Both for having such thoughts and for bringing it up first.

He should have been a little gentler, but that darkness about breaking up soon irritated him and made him sharp.

Soon he let out a heavy sigh. His eyelids, which had been pressed down, slowly lifted after some time.

“…An overnight trip, huh.”

I don’t like it. But I can’t stop her from going either…

While staring blankly out the window, neglecting his work, a knock brought him back to his senses.

Director Jung from the Strategic Planning Office, who had entered quietly pushing the door, bowed his waist and approached the desk.

“Sir. I’ve sent you an email with the list of media advertising models.”

“They were all idols and rookie actors.”

“Ah… Considering that it’s for all ages, we targeted teenagers and those in their 20s. The list I sent you is of the most influential broadcasters in that age group.”

Tok. Tok, his extended index finger tapped the desk at a constant speed. It was a kind of habit that came out when he didn’t like the content of a report.

The most influential broadcaster in that age group listed as the first choice. It’s not because it was Yoon Si Ah that Kang Pil Seung had brought…

Somehow sensing an air of rejection, Director Jung gulped down a dry swallow.

His pupils, shaking with nervousness, moved slowly left and right, unable to settle.

How much time had passed? The man who had uncrossed his legs leisurely rested his chin on his interlocked hands.

“I have a slightly different thought, Director Jung.”