“There wasn’t any decisive incident. Just… it was a difficult time. The situation was so bad that I wondered if I should even be dating. I got tired even from small mishaps…”

Sol Hee nodded with an understanding expression. Sometimes breakups happen not because someone did wrong, but because of circumstances or bad timing.

“But now it’s different from back then.”

“That’s true.”

“If that’s the case, I don’t think it would be bad to meet again. That way there won’t be any lingering attachments or regrets.”

Hearing the words “meet again” in Sol Hee’s voice gave Eun Soo a strange feeling, so she couldn’t give any reply.

Sol Hee, who was observing the pensive Eun Soo, muttered:

“If it goes well, we might see Yoon Ki Woo on his knees…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

Sol Hee calmly stabbed her food with a fork.

“Nothing, it’s just something.”

“It feels a bit empty.”

So Min looked around . Just a little while ago, PD Park and the assistant director had come to collect the cameras they had set up all over , and had exchanged greetings with the staff before leaving.

“Yeah. Especially since neither the CEO nor Manager Oh are here…”

Jae Rim trailed off, glancing at So Min’s expression. So Min briefly met her eyes before looking away.

Joo Han had gone on a business trip, and Sun Kyung had contacted Eun Soo early this morning to say she was taking a day off due to body aches. Of course Eun Soo was worried, but Jae Rim and So Min felt even worse.

Sensing the somewhat gloomy atmosphere, Jae Rim quickly spoke up.

“But Manager, you really look disappointed.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yes. You’re showing how much you miss the CEO. How did you manage before?”

“What are you talking about? I’m not thinking anything. It’s not like he’s only gone for a day or two on this trip.”

“For someone saying that, your eyes look a bit watery.”

“Jae Rim, are you perhaps the one who feels like crying today? Want me to make you cry?”

“No ma’am. I’m sorry.”

Just as she was about to say more, the door opened and the first customer entered. Eun Soo quickly relaxed her clenched fist and smiled brightly.

“Welcome.”

Jae Rim approached the customer, while So Min headed downstairs. Eun Soo tidied up the showroom a bit before going up to the office.

“Come to think of it, I’m alone.”

It felt strange to see Sun Kyung’s seat empty. Thinking about it, Sun Kyung had never been absent on a non-holiday workday for before. That made Eun Soo even more worried.

“I wonder if she went to the hospital…”

Eun Soo fiddled with her phone. The number 1 was still next to her last sent reply, wishing Sun Kyung to rest well and recover quickly. She thought about calling but decided against it in case Sun Kyung was sleeping.

Then her eyes fell on the chat with Joo Han just below. The last message was her brief reply to his notification that he had arrived safely at Copenhagen airport.

In the unusually quiet office today, stray thoughts drifted.

‘It feels like he should be down in the workshop…’

Somehow Joo Han’s absence didn’t feel real and left her feeling empty. It’s not like they saw each other that often during work hours normally.

‘Is it because we’ve been spending more time together lately due to filming?’

Her mind drifted to the airport. The unfamiliar atmosphere unique to airports, the embrace that felt truly affectionate whether due to the place or the cameras, and then…

“Ah, geez!”

Eun Soo smacked her own forehead.

That scene that had been haunting her mind all night came flooding back again. It was embarrassing and hurt her pride to be replaying a brief peck, not even a real kiss, over and over in her mind.

The thought that she couldn’t bury or forget it at will since it was captured on camera, and that she’d have to see her own expression from that moment on broadcast, was just depressing.

‘Enough. I just need to readjust to things going back to normal.’

Can I do that?

Pushing down the question rising from a corner of her heart, Eun Soo prepared to work.

Just as they were about to close up and leave work together, Eun Soo got a phone call.

“Wow, it’s the CEO? Calling right at closing time? Oh my.”

Jae Rim, who had somehow seen Joo Han’s name on the screen, made a big fuss before heading towards the door.

“Go ahead and answer! I’ll head out first!”

“See you tomorrow.”

After Jae Rim and So Min left, suddenly became quiet. Eun Soo took a shallow breath and answered the phone.

“Hello.”

― Are you off work?

“I was just about to leave.”

It must be around lunchtime in Denmark now. Eun Soo pondered internally.

“But why did you call?”

― Do I need a specific reason to call? I can just call. Between us.

It sounded half-joking, half-serious. As Eun Soo hesitated, not sure what to say, Joo Han’s voice came through again.

― Eun Soo?

“Yeah.”

― So you were listening. I thought you might have hung up right away after hearing me talk nonsense.

Sensing the more distinct playfulness in his tone, some of the tension left Eun Soo’s shoulders.

Right, we can call without a specific reason. But what kind of things did we say at those times?

Trying to hide her unnecessary unease, she was about to speak when Joo Han beat her to it.

― Actually, I do have a reason for calling.

“Oh, really?”

― I’m really sorry, but could you go up to my place instead of me? You’re the only one I can ask this sudden favor of.

“Your place? Suddenly?”

― There was an issue with the fridge recently so I requested a repair, but I hadn’t set a specific date. But now they suddenly contacted me saying the technician is on his way.

Ah, I see.

If that was the purpose of the call, why did he have to say that nonsense about not needing a reason…?

Realizing she felt somewhat disappointed, Eun Soo was internally aghast. Trying not to let her flustered state show, she quickly asked:

“Is that all? Will it take long?”

― No, it shouldn’t.

“Alright. I’ll leave a message later, so don’t worry about it and focus on your work.”

As Eun Soo was about to hang up without lingering, Joo Han suddenly asked:

― Um… Did you have a good day today?

“Why so suddenly?”

The thought and the words coming out of her mouth were almost simultaneous. Despite it being a potentially hurtful response, Joo Han calmly replied:

― Just because. It felt a bit awkward for me. I felt strangely empty. Even though I’ve always traveled alone just fine until now.

Eun Soo was at a loss for words, feeling like he had read that she’d had similar thoughts earlier. Unaware of the meaning behind her silence, Joo Han quickly wrapped up:

― The front door passcode is 0511. I’ll be counting on you.

After the call ended, Eun Soo stared at her phone and let out a short breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.

‘Why did that have to come up here too.’

It was their anniversary date, a number meaningful only to the two of them, the same as the passcode Eun Soo had changed for her own place before.

Chewing on her lip, Eun Soo pushed open the door and stepped out.

‘He really has a knack for making people anxious.’

After locking up at the end of business hours and turning on the security system, she went up to Joo Han’s place via the external stairs. Trying her best not to think about anything, she entered the passcode and went inside.

The interior was pristinely clean, almost chillingly so. It seemed he had tidied up thoroughly in preparation for his trip. Eun Soo set down her bag and sat primly on the sofa.

As she was fiddling with her phone to pass some time, the doorbell rang. Eun Soo quickly went to open the door.

“I’m sorry for the sudden visit. Another appointment just got canceled for this time slot, and if you couldn’t receive service today it looked like it would be pushed back quite a while.”

“It’s fine. Thank you.”

Eun Soo guided the repair technician carrying a large bag and parts box towards the kitchen.

“The fridge is this way…”

Eun Soo paused. A photo stuck to the fridge caught her eye. It was that Polaroid taken by an elderly couple at the beach during their fake date.

“My, the fridge is so clean. You must have worked hard to tidy up in a rush. I’m sorry about that.”

“Ah, no. It’s fine.”

She had meant to explain that it was originally emptied for the business trip, but missed the timing. The technician had already half-inserted himself into the fridge and was busy working on something. Eun Soo stood awkwardly at a distance, staring blankly at the photo before averting her gaze.

“It’s all done.”

“Oh, already?”

“Yes. The repair itself is simple, it just takes time to import the part from overseas.”

The technician who had packed up his things and stood up got a signature on the repair confirmation form and said goodbye.

“Then I’ll be going now. If you have any more issues in the future, please contact us.”

“Yes. Thank you. Please take care on your way.”

After the technician left, Eun Soo stood still in front of the entrance for a while. Then she went and stood in front of the refrigerator.

Staring at Joo Han in the photo as if having a staring contest, she reached out her hand. As she removed the photo attached with a small magnet, a paper that had been behind the photo fell to the floor.

“Oh…”

Reflexively bending down to pick it up, Eun Soo bit her lip hard.

‘That’s a copy. The original is here.’

She recalled Joo Han saying that with an annoying face on a certain day.

‘There was no expiration date. Good thing I didn’t throw it away. I’ll use it now. This.’

So he really had kept the original separately.

A helpless smile spread across Eun Soo’s lips.

She wanted to ask why he still had this, and why he had it stuck behind this photo like some kind of charm.

At the same time, she didn’t want to ask. Because it felt like she had already heard the answer, and it kept making her feel strange.

‘You really have no fear. What did you think I would make you do, writing just one line so recklessly? To someone who would find loopholes to do what they want no matter how many conditions you attach.’

At age twenty-two, her same-age first love and boyfriend of barely 100 days said that with breathless laughter, yet still held this paper tightly in his hand. When Eun Soo, her face bright red with embarrassment, reached out her arm asking for it back, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms, saying:

‘I’m going to keep this well without using it. Unless… in the truly unlikely case that you ever tell me you want to break up, I’ll absolutely never use it. I don’t think I could use it.’

“Ah, really…”

Eun Soo hastily tilted her head back, blinking rapidly.

How foolish.

As she muttered inwardly, she recalled that she had said the same words back then too. Her eyes grew even hotter.

In the end, she quickly wiped away the tears that had escaped down the corners of her eyes and took a deep breath. She carefully reattached the photo to its place, and put the wish coupon in her own bag.

Just as she was about to leave, the doorbell rang again. Wondering if the repair technician had forgotten something, Eun Soo immediately opened the door.

“…!”

A woman was standing in front of the door. She was a middle-aged woman with an elegant bob that suited her well.

Eun Soo’s mind went blank, as white as the color of the woman’s two-piece suit, but she quickly realized who she was.

“Ah, hello.”

The woman with the horizontally long eyes that looked just like Joo Han’s – Joo Han’s mother.

Seeing Eun Soo standing stiffly before bowing deeply, Ja Kyung faintly furrowed her brow.

“And who might you be…?”

“I’m Sun Eun Soo. I work at .”

“Ah.”

Ja Kyung’s expression changed as if she just remembered.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

“You remember.”

Eun Soo let out an awkward laugh and straightened her posture, tensing her waist. It was her own effort not to be overwhelmed by the intimidating adult before her.

“But why are you in this house?”