Chae Won pulled the blanket up to her chest and turned her body to the right with her eyes tightly closed.

After staying still like that for a while, she turned her body to the left again.

Blinking repeatedly, Chae Won, thinking the air conditioner was the problem, reached out to the nightstand and pressed the remote control.

The air conditioner made a clear sound and started operating again.

As she tried to fall asleep again, Chae Won opened her eyes once more.

“Huh.”

She got up and slipped her feet into slippers.

Chae Won went to the living room, took out bottled water, and filled a cup.

Gulp gulp. As her thirst was quenched, her mind became clearer instead.

“I’ve slept enough…”

Insomnia that had been continuing for days.

She usually avoided drinking alcohol as much as possible because she disliked the habit of falling asleep after drinking, but she deliberately drank today, worried that if she couldn’t sleep again, it would cause problems seeing patients the next day.

Thanks to the alcohol she drank today, the short nap in Yoo Gun’s car made her head feel a bit refreshed, but sleep still wouldn’t come.

Chae Won put down the water cup and dragged her slippers back towards the bedroom.

“Huh?”

Suddenly noticing Yoo Gun’s jacket, Chae Won stopped in her tracks.

“Ah, I forgot to return it when he offered earlier.”

It was his clothes that he had given her, saying she might be cold from the air conditioning.

“Doesn’t he need to wear it tomorrow?”

She considered taking it to him now, but the clock on the wall showed it was past 1 AM.

Even if their work schedules matched well, she could give it to him in the morning, but they might not ring each other’s doorbells out of consideration in the early morning…

“I’ll just leave it in front of his door.”

Having made up her mind, Chae Won took out a large shopping bag and neatly folded his clothes into it.

Click. After opening the door and coming out, Chae Won put the shopping bag down in front of his door and picked up her phone.

“He’ll be sleeping, so a scheduled message would be better, right?”

Setting it for 6 AM, Chae Won typed the message.

[I left your clothes in front of the door. Thanks for lending them.]

Click. Just then, as the door opened, Chae Won’s eyes widened.

“Oh?”

Yoo Gun, who came out in workout clothes, also stopped with an unexpected look on his face.

Flustered, Chae Won checked to see if her message had already been sent, then looked up again.

“Ah, it’s nothing else, I just brought your clothes. I was going to leave them since I thought you might be sleeping.”

Only then noticing the shopping bag, Yoo Gun made an “Ah” sound.

“But Yoo Gun, how did you know I was here and came out?”

“I didn’t know that, I came out to buy beer. I was feeling a bit thirsty.”

Yoo Gun put the shopping bag inside the entrance and closed the door.

Wearing black pants and a black hoodie, his hair was slightly damp, covering his forehead.

Judging by the pleasant, natural scent, he seemed to have just finished showering.

Chae Won, looking unfamiliarly at his boyish appearance, stepped back and said,

“I don’t know if Yoo Gun is the type who can drink or the type who can’t like me, but be careful when you go out. Don’t forget you have to keep your wits about you until you get home.”

Having his own words thrown back at him like revenge, Yoo Gun let out a wry laugh as he pressed the elevator button.

“You hold grudges, huh?”

“That’s my charm. Not letting things slide easily.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t have let things slide either.”

“What do you mean?”

Yoo Gun’s gaze naturally fell on Chae Won’s lips.

“Did I really say something strange?”

“We didn’t do nothing.”

Chae Won’s eyes widened for a moment as she tried to recall what had happened, and the elevator arrived.

Yoo Gun stared intently at Chae Won, who was deep in thought.

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t find the answer, and finally looked up at Yoo Gun with curious eyes.

Meeting her clear, moist eyes, Yoo Gun felt his body heat up as if the cold water he had been dousing himself with had been in vain.

With difficulty, Yoo Gun tore his gaze away and quickly got into the elevator before the doors closed.

“Sleep well.”

Chae Won, standing there with a puzzled expression, disappointedly watched the elevator doors close.

“It’s nothing, yet…”

Yet he kept staring…

Chae Won brushed the back of her hand over her lips, which he had been continuously looking at.

While she stood still, her heart unsettled, the sensor lights in the hallway gradually turned off.

“I guess I’m not completely sober yet.”

Shaking her head to clear away unnecessary thoughts, Chae Won soon went back into her apartment.

*

The next afternoon.

Ro Na, holding a bouquet in her arms, walked with light steps towards Jae Min’s house.

She also brought the ultrasound images of the baby that she had taken an extra trip to the hospital to show Young Ja.

Today, after celebrating Young Ja’s birthday, they would also set a date for the formal meeting between the families.

“Mother, I’m here.”

“Oh my, Ro Na, you’re here? Is our grandchild healthy?”

“Of course, Mother.”

Ro Na smiled brightly at Young Ja’s welcoming voice.

“Let’s go eat something delicious today. Actually, I made a reservation at the J Hotel restaurant.”

“Oh my! How did you know I like the food there!”

“Really? Jae Min didn’t tell me separately, I guess we’re in sync, Mother.”

As Ro Na was laughing and exchanging greetings, she noticed Jae Min coming out of the kitchen, focused on his phone.

“This kid is really using his head, huh? Why isn’t he replying at all, huh! Dar- darling? When did you come.”

His expression was more like someone caught doing something wrong than being happy to see her, so Ro Na’s brow quickly furrowed.

“Why do you look like that?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Jae Min shoved his phone into his pocket and approached Ro Na.

“If you had let me know in advance, I would have gone to pick you up. I was surprised you were already here. Especially since you’re not alone.”

As Ro Na’s expression softened and she chuckled, Jenny came down from the second floor, making a shuffling noise.

Stroking the fur of the dog in her arms, Jenny stretched out her neck and soon wore a disappointed expression.

“Ah, what. It’s not Hee Joo unnie.”

The corners of Ro Na’s mouth, which were about to say ‘Hello, young lady,’ quickly turned down.

“This child! With a person right in front of you!”

At Young Ja’s scolding, Jenny pouted her lips and said,

“Hing, I thought I’d get to eat Hee Joo unnie’s cooking today. I really want to eat the kimchi stew unnie makes.”

“I made a reservation at the J Hotel restaurant. The food there is delicious, so let’s go eat together, young lady.”

“I’m not a young lady yet, am I? We’re not even married.”

Ro Na’s expression quickly soured at Jenny’s grumbling.

“Oh my, Jenny, you can’t say that! Your niece or nephew is in Ro Na’s belly right now. Are you going to keep saying such things?”

“Hey, No Jenny. Watch what you say, okay? Are you going to take responsibility if our little bean gets stressed hearing that?”

“I was just thinking about kimchi stew…”

Pouting and grumbling, Jenny soon disappeared into the kitchen, vigorously scratching the dog’s back.

“You’ll have to understand. She’s still immature even with her wedding day set.”

“It’s okay.”

“Anyway, you’re really the best – so understanding and mature, probably because you’re a teacher.”

Ro Na smiled softly at Young Ja’s words.

“Oh, Mother.”

“Yes, Ro Na?”

“About the formal family meeting we discussed over the phone. Is this Saturday really okay?”

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Everyone turned their heads towards the entrance at the sound of a machine.

Click, the door opened wide.

Jae Min’s double-lidded eyes, which had been watching absently, widened.

“You, why are you.”

“Is there a problem with me coming to my own house?”

Chae Won smiled brightly as she entered.

“No, it’s just…”

“It’s Mother’s birthday today, isn’t it?”

She knew from the alarm that appeared on Hee Joo’s phone.

That today was Young Ja’s birthday.

Although they had agreed to meet only on weekends, how could she just let it pass? It would be interesting to see their expressions.

“Mother, congratulations!”

Chae Won clapped her hands with a joyful face.

Young Ja immediately let go of Ro Na’s hand she had been holding and blinked her eyes with a serious expression.

“What brings you here today? Weren’t you supposed to come on weekends?”

“Of course a daughter-in-law should come on Mother’s birthday.”

Taking one step, then another, Chae Won turned her head towards Jae Min, who couldn’t close his mouth.

“Isn’t that right, honey?”

“Uh, uh, uh, that’s true, but we’re about to get divorced, so.”

“You kept asking, so I said I’d think about it, but we’re not divorced yet. Of course we should celebrate family birthdays. Especially for my mother-in-law.”

Everyone glanced at Ro Na with stiff expressions.

Smiling, Chae Won slowly turned her body to stand in front of Ro Na.

Jae Min’s adam’s apple bobbed nervously.

Unlike everyone else’s frozen expressions, Ro Na seemed rather composed.

“But, who might you be?”

As Chae Won moved closer to Ro Na, she straightened her shoulders even more and raised her chin.

“Hee Joo, did you really hurt your head? We’ve met a few times at our class reunions. We even talked a few times, don’t you remember?”

“Ah.”

Chae Won, taking another step closer, looked Ro Na up and down. As the silent observation continued, Ro Na smiled unpleasantly.

“What are you doing, Hee Joo?”

“I couldn’t recognize you right away because something feels different. It’s Ro Na, right?”

Something feels different.

She had her hair done at a salon and got her makeup done.

After choosing a gift for Young Ja, she also bought and wore a quite expensive dress from the department store.

Because she had anticipated that she might face Kim Hee Joo, who had changed so glamorously, like this today.

“The accident must have been serious, for you to recognize me only now.”

“Actually, I thought you were someone else because you’ve become a bit plump somewhere. Ro Na, you’ve gained some weight, right?”

Ro Na’s mouth corners, which had been showing a confident air all along, dropped sharply.

Although her belly wasn’t noticeably protruding, it was true that she had gained weight due to morning sickness that sometimes improved by eating when she felt nauseous.

She had come thinking that if they met, she should be more confident, more beautiful and elegant, but to be told she had gained weight.

Ro Na bit her lower lip, realizing that her appearance in the other’s eyes was only to that extent.

“I meant it looks good. You look very prosperous and pretty today, Ro Na.”

She had always been the type lacking in tact, but to say this as if it were a compliment. Ro Na let out a wry laugh, feeling dumbfounded.

“But why did Ro Na come here?”

“Uh, uh, about that!”

As Jae Min and Young Ja were each wracking their brains trying to make excuses, Ro Na smiled brightly and said,

“You know I’m an English teacher, right? I agreed to tutor the young lady in conversational English for a while. She said she wanted to speak more fluently on her honeymoon after getting married soon. Since it happened to be Mother’s birthday today, I brought these flowers.”

Chae Won smiled gently as she watched Ro Na lie without hesitation, as if she had prepared in advance.

“I see. Birthdays are more enjoyable when many people gather together. Please take good care of our young lady in the future, and enjoy celebrating our mother’s birthday together today before you go. Ro Na.”

As Chae Won smiled brightly, Ro Na smiled back.

Welcome to the hot seat, adulteress.

Chae Won gladly welcomed her.