The day we went to the East Sea. Do you remember when I bought you sushi because you said you liked it?

“Ah!”

Only upon hearing the words ‘East Sea’ did Gyeo Wool’s memory come back.

That time when she followed Tae Wook on his business trip, and it turned into an unplanned journey due to snow-blocked roads.

How could she not have recalled that day immediately?

Perhaps it was because she had tried hard to bury it deep in her heart and not bring it up.

That day, in the car returning to Seoul, Tae Wook had asked Gyeo Wool.

−I didn’t even know what food my secretary liked. Do you have any particular favorite food?

−Sushi.

−When we ate together a few times, you left some, so I thought you didn’t like it. Alright. Today, I’ll treat you to sushi for dinner.

Tae Wook happily took Gyeo Wool to a famous Japanese restaurant known for sushi.

“Of all places, it was famous for rolled omelettes. Not realizing I was deliberately leaving them, he kept urging me to try, saying I’d be surprised at how delicious they were.”

Tae Wook spoke as if he were watching himself there that day.

“It was really delicious, just as you said, sir.”

Gyeo Wool smiled faintly.

“But you struggled with itching after eating.”

She didn’t have to eat the rolled omelette until the end.

But she couldn’t bring herself to tell him about her egg allergy when he was so happy buying her favorite food.

She had to suffer through the itching until she bought and took antihistamines from the pharmacy.

“If you had said you couldn’t eat it, I wouldn’t have forced you.”

“I know.”

Gyeo Wool believed that too.

That day, they were both so happy.

“Usually it’s not that bad, but I reacted more severely because I was tired. It wasn’t your fault, sir.”

Even after all this time, she wanted to tell him that her allergic reaction wasn’t his fault.

“That’s a relief. I’ve been worried about it.”

He had been concerned about that day until now?

Why, when she had hated and despised herself?

Gyeo Wool couldn’t easily dismiss Tae Wook’s words.

“Um…”

Just as Gyeo Wool was about to say something to Tae Wook, the waiter came in with their order.

“Shall we eat?”

Starting with the appetizers, various sashimi and sushi were served in order.

“Eat this instead.”

As Gyeo Wool was about to take a sushi made with raw shrimp, Tae Wook placed a sushi made with wild jumbo shrimp on her plate.

“It’s fresher, so it’ll taste better.”

Her plate kept being filled with sushi and sashimi he selected for her.

“I’ll eat it myself.”

“Eat a lot. You probably didn’t have breakfast since you came up early.”

Gyeo Wool stared blankly at Tae Wook, who was calmly speaking while choosing more sushi to give her.

−I intend to treat Secretary Han just the same as before. So I hope Secretary Han will act the same way too.

No. It was different from before.

As far as Gyeo Wool remembered, Tae Wook hadn’t taken care of her so attentively.

He said it was to avoid making mistakes in front of Chairman Kang, but…

It felt somewhat burdensome and excessive.

.

.

.

As they left the Japanese restaurant after the meal, a car was waiting.

“I’ll take a taxi back to the company, so have her driven to the apartment.”

Surprised by Tae Wook’s instructions to the driver, Gyeo Wool looked at him.

Apartment…

“I’ll take care of my accommodation myself.”

Gyeo Wool quickly said to Tae Wook, who was opening the back door for her.

As if her words bothered him, he frowned.

“What do you mean you’ll take care of it yourself?”

“I’ll stay at a hotel tonight and visit the Chairman tomorrow before heading straight down to Jeju Island.”

“You’re going to book a hotel?”

The furrow between Tae Wook’s brows deepened.

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“I can’t say it’s not.”

Gyeo Wool answered honestly.

It was uncomfortable. And Tae Wook might still be living in that apartment where they had lived together.

If so, she wasn’t mentally prepared to return there yet.

“If it’s uncomfortable, I’ll stay at my family home.”

“Don’t do that!”

Gyeo Wool quickly interjected before Tae Wook could finish speaking.

Not a hotel, but his family home!

She knew all too well how much he disliked going to his family home.

Since moving out on his own, he had never slept there.

He only visited briefly during holidays or when summoned by Chairman Kang.

Knowing this, she couldn’t let him stay at his family home.

“I’ll just go to a hotel.”

“You’ll have to move in there in a week anyway. Think of it as getting used to it early. I’ll go to my family home.”

Gyeo Wool bit her lower lip hard.

She knew Tae Wook was mentioning his family home to make her go to the apartment.

But it was clear their conversation would go nowhere if she kept insisting.

“Alright. I’ll go to the house. But please don’t go to your family home, sir.”

Gyeo Wool got in the car and left the Japanese restaurant first.

[This is the timeline separator]

Tae Wook turned off his computer and checked his wristwatch.

5 PM.

Except for special occasions, he never finished work at this time.

But today, Gyeo Wool was in Seoul, and they had agreed to have dinner together.

−I’ll leave work early, so let’s have dinner together at home.

It was an impulsive suggestion he made when Gyeo Wool got in the car at the Japanese restaurant.

He had succeeded in persuading her to agree to go to the apartment.

But that alone didn’t seem enough.

Although she had taken his car to the apartment, there was still a possibility

She could easily stay elsewhere despite saying she would go to the apartment.

He thought if he suggested dinner, she would have no choice but to wait at the apartment.

He stood up, putting on the jacket he had taken off, and pressed the intercom.

[Yes, sir.]

“Have the car ready.”

As he was about to leave the office after tidying his desk, Secretary Kim entered.

“Please take this call. It’s Driver Choi.”

Secretary Kim handed the mobile phone to Tae Wook.

“I’m about to leave, why the call?”

“He says he can’t come into the company because of the department store.”

“Department store?”

Tae Wook narrowed his eyes as he brought the phone to his ear.

“Did she go to the department store instead of the apartment?”

[Yes, sir. Actually, she first went to a bookstore and then moved to the department store.]

“Why are you only telling me this now?”

Tae Wook’s voice sharpened.

[I’m sorry. I thought I just needed to drop her off at the apartment.]

“Huh…”

Tae Wook exhaled a frustrated breath, running his fingers through his hair.

[Just in case, I’m still watching nearby.]

At least it was fortunate that Driver Choi was keeping an eye on her.

“How long has she been at the department store?”

[Over two hours now.]

Two hours…

It seemed like a long time to him, but not necessarily for someone who enjoyed shopping.

“She must have had a lot to buy.”

[No, sir. She didn’t buy anything at the bookstore or the department store.]

“Then what is she doing at the department store?”

Tae Wook asked, puzzled.

[She’s been browsing the stores, sitting alone on benches looking absent-minded…]

Tae Wook realized that Gyeo Wool was killing time.

“I’m leaving right now. If she moves to another location, contact me immediately.”

Tae Wook hung up and moved immediately.

.

.

.

Driver Choi was waiting for Tae Wook in front of the escalator between the women’s and men’s clothing sections.

“She’s currently upstairs, in the men’s clothing section.”

No sooner had he heard this than Tae Wook went up to the next floor.

Tae Wook could find Gyeo Wool right away.

Though he didn’t want to admit it, she was an attractive woman who caught people’s attention.

And Tae Wook wasn’t the only one with his eyes on Gyeo Wool.

The store employees’ gazes were also focused on her.

However, Gyeo Wool paid no attention to the eyes on her and was looking at neckties

How could she be so oblivious?

Tae Wook shook his head in disbelief.

“Secretary Ha…”

Tae Wook was about to call Gyeo Wool but narrowed his eyes.

He saw a man approaching her.

A man in his early twenties wearing a baseball jacket with university initials in English.

The man’s face, tightly gripping his phone with both hands, looked quite flushed.

“What’s this? He’s not asking for her number, is he?”

Surely not.

Asking for the number of a woman you’re interested in, isn’t that too old-fashioned?

Anyway, the fact that a man, and such a young one at that, was showing interest in Gyeo Wool irritated him.

She’s always making me uneasy, even when she was just a secretary.

Tae Wook strode towards the section where Gyeo Wool was.

The man was already by Gyeo Wool’s side.

“Excuse me.”

Gyeo Wool, who had been fiddling with a necktie on display, turned at the man’s call.

“Yes?”

“I find you attractive.”

“Pardon?”

“Your phone number…”

Before the man could finish speaking.

“How about my number instead!”

A business card thrust forward abruptly.

“Sir!”

Gyeo Wool called out to Tae Wook in surprise.

“What? Is my number not good enough?”

Tae Wook waved the business card in front of the man’s eyes.

The man frowned, looking back and forth between Tae Wook and Gyeo Wool.

Then, muttering ‘Damn!’ he ran out of the store.

“I didn’t interfere unnecessarily, did I? He was young! And handsome.”

Strangely, Tae Wook’s voice was strained when he said ‘young’.

He didn’t realize it was due to jealousy.

“If you want, I can call him back for Secretary Han.”

“Ah, no, that’s not necessary.”

Gyeo Wool shook her head with a bewildered expression.

“But how did you come here, sir?”

“Driver Choi told me Secretary Han was wandering around the department store.”

At Tae Wook’s words, Gyeo Wool looked embarrassed.

She had heard from Driver Choi that he was going back to the company.

She had no idea he had stayed at the department store watching her all this time.

“I came to get you.”

“I was going to go to the apartment. Really.”

“Very late, you mean. Forgetting our dinner appointment too.”

“Well…”

Tae Wook had just been guessing.

But seeing her unable to answer properly, it seemed his guess was correct.

“Anything else you need to buy?”

Gyeo Wool was holding a paper bag with the department store logo, suggesting she had bought something while Tae Wook was on his way.

“Oh, no.”

Gyeo Wool shook her head.

“Then, let’s go.”

Tae Wook led the way out of the store.