Chae Won, who had been watching, approached and tightly grasped Jae Min’s hand with both of hers.

“You’ve thought well, darling. Now you understand my heart. The wait was worth it.”

Jae Min’s eyes trembled slightly in confusion.

She had thought that if he really had another woman as Ro Na said, he would consider reconciling or his gaze would waver, but a completely different reaction came back.

Surprised, Jae Min rolled his eyes in confusion and hurriedly pushed Chae Won’s hands away.

“W-wait a moment.”

Seeing Jae Min’s awkward expression, Chae Won became more confident in her thoughts and continued acting.

“I’ll move back in right away. So let’s forget about the divorce, and from today we’ll…”

“Ah, no. Just a moment.”

Jae Min distanced himself once more and blinked several times.

“Ah, sorry. I, well, I’m still not sorted out and just said that out of confusion.”

“You just said it?”

“Uh, sorry. I thought maybe my feelings would change if I made this decision and said it, but it seems it won’t work. It seems hard to overcome this slump and personality differences. Anyway, I’m trying so hard to live with you like this, but it’s just not working out.”

He had barely managed to persuade Ro Na not to go to the hospital. Even if it meant going through with a contested divorce, he promised to definitely break up with Hee Joo.

“Look, I’ve texted with you several times during this time, right? Tried talking to you like this, right? I’ve tried this and that to live with you, but my heart just isn’t in it. It really doesn’t seem to be working.”

Jae Min looked at his wife, who he was sure would be crying by now saying this was too much, as he resolved that he really needed to come to his senses now.

But she was looking at Jae Min with an expression that showed not even the slightest impact, let alone tears.

As he was looking at her with a puzzled face, Chae Won’s slender hand cupped Jae Min’s cheek.

“It’s hard, isn’t it?”

“…Huh?”

“Take your time to think. I’ll wait for you.”

Seeing Hee Joo step back and embrace him even in this situation makes his heart waver again.

Yes, Hee Joo had such a kind heart.

And why does she look so pretty today?

Has this purple shirt always suited her so well? The short denim skirt that particularly catches his eye, her long, flowing hair with its nice texture, and her skin that seems even fairer than before all seem new.

Why does she only look prettier these days? If it weren’t for Ro Na, he felt like they could get passionate again, divorce or not.

“I have an appointment today, so I won’t be home.”

Jae Min, having difficultly tearing his gaze away from his wife, soon went out with both hands tightly clenched.

Chae Won erased her smile, straightened her back, and folded her arms.

A glimpse to one side of the room showed Hee Joo’s suitcase and her framed photo tilted haphazardly.

Chae Won went over and straightened the photo.

Even though she had gathered evidence of the affair…

Even though she was trying to get a provisional seizure on Noh Jae Min’s assets before he could hide them…

She can’t move because she’s not Kim Hee Joo.

Now she really feels at her limit, but she can’t stop either.

“Wake up, elder sister, please…”

Chae Won stroked Hee Joo’s photo and made a wish once more.

In the photo, Hee Joo was smiling brightly without a sound.

*

“Hmm, no matter how I look at it, it’s such a pretty house.”

Jenny, standing in front of the detached house in Seongsu-dong, rose up on her tiptoes and looked at the house beyond the fence.

It was their third visit while on a date near Hongdae.

“How can they leave such a nice house empty?”

Ho Tae, standing with his hands in his pockets, scratched his forehead and said,

“Choi Yoo Gun probably has quite a lot of stuff here? He just got another place near the company for work.”

“That’s what I mean, why waste so many houses like this? This would be perfect as our newlywed home. Hmph.”

Jenny, standing far from the house, hopped up and down in place trying to see the garden over the fence.

“Ho Tae, did you ask your grandmother to give us this house?”

“I did. But it didn’t work at all. She says it’s the only house she’s giving as a condition for elder brother’s dating.”

“So is he dating?”

“I don’t know about that. He won’t say even when I ask.”

After hopping up and down a few times, Jenny licked her lips as if unsatisfied and turned to Ho Tae.

“Maybe he can’t get it if he’s not dating?”

“Probably?”

“Ah. I see.”

The two who had been thinking casually suddenly opened their eyes wide and looked at each other.

“Honey, you said that elder brother isn’t dating, that he might be gay. Even if he says he’s dating, if he’s lying to get the inheritance, couldn’t we tell grandmother and get it ourselves?”

Ho Tae nodded as if it was a good idea as he listened seriously to Jenny’s words.

“That’s right!”

Jenny smiled brightly as if she had found the answer.

“Honey, I really want this as our newlywed home. I’ve only lived in detached houses my whole life, so I hate apartments with noise between floors and all that. You can do that for me, right?”

Ho Tae slowly rolled his eyes as he thought about various things.

“I should talk to Father and look into elder brother’s background a bit. Father’s been itching to do something about Choi Yoo Gun lately since he even messed with Father’s company.”

“Oh my, why did he mess with Father’s company?”

“Actually, our company, my uncle, that is Choi Yoo Gun’s father, was the CEO. When uncle passed away, Father took over the position, but Choi Yoo Gun is very unhappy about that! He’s just so greedy! He probably thinks that company is rightfully his too.”

Jenny blinked her large double-lidded eyes several times.

“Oh my, that’s really ridiculous. Why is he so endlessly greedy? I guess you really can’t judge people by their looks.”

“Right, he’s glared at me for years just because I wrecked his car before.”

“Huh? That accident… You said it was your cousin’s car, but it was this person’s?”

“Yeah, Choi Yoo Gun’s. Ah, really, he’s been glaring at me for years over wrecking that thing.”

Recalling the past accident, Jenny spoke with a cautious expression.

“Honey, your cousin doesn’t know about that accident, right? It was still his car after all.”

“He doesn’t know, I got rid of the black box and everything, and elder brother Jae Min helped clean up afterwards, so it was taken care of without a trace!”

The two looked away with even more cautious expressions as they recalled the life lost because of that.

“Anyway, let’s not talk about that incident anymore.”

“Yeah. My elder brother said he’ll never speak of it either.”

“I’ve received a lot of help from elder brother. When we get married, I’ll properly repay him with wedding gifts.”

Jenny, who didn’t care what he gave Jae Min as long as it wasn’t hers, grabbed Ho Tae’s collar and said,

“Anyway honey, look into your cousin’s background a bit. If we play our cards right, this could become our house.”

“Alright, don’t worry honey.”

Ho Tae nodded several times as he held Jenny’s pleading hand.

*

Chae Won went up to the second floor with a shopping bag in one hand and walked to Jenny’s room.

Click, she opened the door to find clothes strewn about everywhere and a dog playing alone.

Looking around Jenny’s room surrounded by pink wallpaper, Chae Won approached Jenny’s desk.

“Hello Toto.”

The dog, which had been scratching the floor with its front paws, recognized Chae Won and wagged its tail.

Woof woof, after excitedly jumping around to show its happiness, the dog soon calmed down when Chae Won scratched its head a few times.

Chae Won chuckled and straightened up again.

“I come every week but really… it’s so dirty. Surely elder sister hasn’t been living like this while cleaning up.”

Though she’s certain that’s the case, she hopes it’s not true.

She’s been coming every weekend as declared to maintain the appearance of not wanting a divorce, but this house was becoming so messy it was unpleasant to set foot in.

Chae Won looked around the room with disdain before turning her eyes to Jenny’s desk.

After putting down the shopping bag she brought on the desk, Chae Won’s eyes turned to something that had been slightly pushed aside.

A card designed with gold letters saying “We’re getting married” on a white background.

“…A wedding invitation?”

It seems Jenny is finally marrying that Ho Tae or whatever his name is.

As she was picking up the card, quick footsteps approached and slapped Chae Won’s hand down.

“You, what are you doing? Huh? Why are you entering someone’s room without permission and touching their things!”

Chae Won looked at Young Ja standing before her with a pale complexion and tilted her head slightly.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Who’s surprised! I’m saying this because you barged into a room without the owner present and are rummaging through things!”

Her complexion was particularly pale, as if something terrible had nearly happened, for such a trivial reason.

Chae Won smiled slightly.

“The young lady asked me to borrow some clothes.”

“Clothes?”

“She said she’s going on a hotel date with her boyfriend and asked to borrow clothes she wore before. When I called earlier, she told me to leave them on the desk, so I was about to put them down.”

Young Ja blinked a couple times before clearing her throat.

“By the way, you look very pretty today, ma’am. Like you’re going to meet the in-laws or something.”

“Wh-what nonsense! I’m going to a friend gathering!”

Young Ja’s voice cracked as she was caught off guard, and she cleared her throat again while scratching her neck.

“Anyway, if you’ve put the clothes down, get out of this room right now!”

Chae Won, who had been watching, plopped down on Jenny’s bed right next to her.

“Hey, I told you to get out, what are you doing now?”

“I’ve caught a disease recently. A disease where I don’t want to do what I’m told.”

“Have you really gone crazy! Aren’t you going to get out of my daughter’s room?”

“Ah, I don’t want to.”

“Hey!”

Even at Young Ja’s loud shout, Chae Won lay down completely on Jenny’s bed.

“Enjoy your friend gathering. I need to take a nap.”

“You, you really! Do you have no respect now? Huh?”

Just then, the music of “Love’s Greeting” played as a ringtone.

The elegant cello sound reached Young Ja’s ears, stopping her boorish expression.

“Y-yes. Yes, I’m leaving now.”

It was a quite cultured voice, completely different from her shouting just moments ago.

Chae Won smirked and made herself more comfortable on the bed.

Young Ja, after ending the call, flared her nostrils at Chae Won again, but thinking of her scheduled appointment, she had no choice but to calm her excitement.

“You! Just try staying here until I get back! Huh? Don’t think I’ll let this slide today!”

Young Ja soon gathered up all the wedding invitations on the desk and left.

Chae Won slowly opened her eyes and blinked lazily.

“I wonder why she’s so sensitive…”

Her unusually sensitive reaction made the wedding invitations she took away seem somehow bothersome.

As she was thinking with her gaze half-lowered, she heard the sound of Toto excitedly tearing into something under the desk.

Chae Won sat up and tilted her head slightly.

“What are you eating so eagerly?”

As she watched, the paper the dog was stepping on looked familiar.

Chae Won pulled out the completely torn paper.

It was the same as the wedding invitation Young Ja had just collected.

Roughly piecing together the torn scraps of paper, the completed words:

Chae Won, who had naturally assumed it was Jenny’s, straightened her head and stared at the combination of letters for a long time.