Tae Wook’s apartment.

To be precise, it was an apartment that Chairman Kang had prepared for the two of them to celebrate their marriage.

Unit 4311.

As Gyeo Wool got off the elevator and the familiar front door came into view, she felt strange.

She thought she would never return here again.

Tae Wook, showing his broad back, pressed the numbers on the door lock.

Beep!

As he opened the front door with the unlocked door lock, he spoke in his usual tone.

“The password is still the same.”

Gyeo Wool thought it was unexpected.

The password made by combining her birthday.

Since they hadn’t parted on good terms, she naturally thought he would have changed it.

What was Tae Wook thinking when he pressed those numbers?

Suddenly, Gyeo Wool became curious about Tae Wook’s feelings.

“Come in.”

“Yes.”

Gyeo Wool followed Tae Wook inside.

“Welcome, sir.”

Hearing the sound of the two people, the housekeeper came out of the kitchen.

Seeing an unfamiliar face, Gyeo Wool looked disappointed.

She thought Mrs. Lee would still be here since the apartment was the same…

“Is dinner ready?”

“Yes.”

“Please prepare it.”

The housekeeper glanced curiously at Gyeo Wool before going into the kitchen.

“You can use the room as it was before.”

At Tae Wook’s words, Gyeo Wool turned her head towards the room at the end of the long hallway.

It was the room she had used from their marriage until their divorce.

“Change into comfortable clothes and come out. I’ll change too and we’ll have dinner.”

Tae Wook went into his room.

Gyeo Wool stood there, slowly scanning the interior of the apartment with her eyes.

How could this be…

When she stepped into the apartment, she almost dropped the shopping bag she was holding.

Nothing had changed.

Everything was exactly as it was 3 years ago when she left the apartment.

The sofa she had bought after much searching and the tall lamp she had placed next to it were still in their places.

− Secretary Han chose and placed them… but they don’t seem to match.

She recalled Tae Wook’s words when he saw the delivered sofa, looking perplexed.

Why hadn’t he removed the sofa he said didn’t match?

“No way…”

Gyeo Wool hurried to the room she had used.

It was because of Tae Wook’s words to change into comfortable clothes.

“This can’t be…”

When she opened the door, this time something hot welled up in her throat.

She slowly moved, running her palm over the dressing table, tea table, and desk as she walked around the room.

These were the furniture that had been with her for 2 years.

The only differences were clean bedding and curtains.

And a laptop placed on the desk.

“What on earth is he thinking?”

Gyeo Wool couldn’t understand Tae Wook.

Not changing the door lock password.

Leaving everything with her traces intact.

She sat at the dressing table, lost in deep thought.

How much time had passed?

Knock knock.

The sound of knocking on the door was heard.

Gyeo Wool stood up abruptly.

She had forgotten to change clothes.

“Dinner is ready.”

“I’m coming out.”

Gyeo Wool hurriedly opened the closet door.

“Haa… really…”

Seeing her out-of-fashion clothes neatly organized, she let out a deep sigh involuntarily.

She changed into comfortable sweatshirt and cotton pants and left the room.

Tae Wook was already waiting in the dining room.

He had changed into a light pink polo shirt and beige cotton pants.

While he had a cold and sharp impression in a suit, now he looked soft and comfortable.

As Gyeo Wool sat at the table, the housekeeper brought rice and soup and left.

“I asked them to pay special attention. I hope it suits your taste.”

The food laid out on the table looked too fancy to eat.

But!

For food that showcased its skills, it didn’t suit her taste.

It might also be because her mind was unsettled.

“Does it not taste good?”

Seeing Gyeo Wool’s chopsticks moving hesitantly, Tae Wook asked carefully.

“I ate a lot.”

Gyeo Wool carefully put down her chopsticks on the table.

“I’ll ask Mrs. Lee to come back.”

Mrs. Lee had worked as a cook at Tae Wook’s family home for a long time before being sent to the apartment for the two of them.

Gyeo Wool liked Mrs. Lee a lot.

Not only her cooking, but being older, she took care of her like a daughter.

“You don’t have to do that on purpose.”

“Actually, I don’t like the food either.”

Tae Wook lowered his voice, seemingly hoping it wouldn’t be heard in the kitchen.

Then, as if he couldn’t eat anymore, he put down his chopsticks too.

The two looked at each other’s faces and burst into small laughter, as if they had just shared a secret.

.

.

.

After finishing their meal, the two went to the living room.

While drinking the tea the housekeeper had brought, Tae Wook suddenly asked Gyeo Wool as if he had just remembered something.

“You seemed to have bought something at the department store?”

“Yes.”

“A necktie?”

“Did you see me buying it?”

Gyeo Wool asked in surprise.

“No, I just thought so.”

Tae Wook could pull off any suit like a model with his tall height and fit body.

However, he wasn’t so good at matching neckties.

Even as his secretary and after marriage, he had to rely on Gyeo Wool’s help for neckties.

So she must have noticed that his suit and necktie today didn’t match properly.

And she must have chosen a necktie that would match the suit he wore today.

In the past, whenever she went to the men’s clothing department, she always chose neckties.

“If I had known, I would have paid for it.”

“Ah, no. Why would you, sir? It’s a gift.”

“A gift?”

Tae Wook’s expression suddenly turned cold.

He had naturally believed it was bought for him.

“I bought it as a birthday gift.”

Gyeo Wool’s eyes trembled slightly, as if flustered.

Just who was she planning to give it to?

Tae Wook’s heart began to burn with jealousy.

“A necktie as a gift. Is it a gift with a special meaning?”

“Special meaning? It’s not like that.”

Gyeo Wool blushed at Tae Wook’s question, startled.

A strong denial and a blushing face on top of that.

Tae Wook recalled the words of the man who had been pestering her on the day he first went to find Gyeo Wool.

− Is Gyeo Wool like this because of Vice President Choi from L Hotel?

− You think I don’t know? That you won the L Hotel contract thanks to Vice President Choi’s favor.

At that time, Tae Wook believed Gyeo Wool’s reaction of denying it angrily more than the man’s words.

Because from what he had investigated, he knew she had been alone since breaking up with the man she said she loved.

However, he couldn’t ignore the men hovering around Gyeo Wool.

Hadn’t he chased away the young guy who approached her at the department store?

There really could be something between Gyeo Wool and this Vice President Choi.

“Think twice before giving a necktie as a gift. The recipient might think differently from Secretary Han.”

“What do you mean by thinking differently?”

“You must know, the meaning a necktie carries?”

“I bought it because you didn’t seem to take it that way until now…”

So it’s not the first time you’ve prepared a necktie as a gift?

Tae Wook stared at Gyeo Wool, who was looking troubled, with a cold gaze.

“I’m asking you, during the contract period, please don’t create any trouble because of a man.”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

“I’m saying I hope there won’t be a situation where Secretary Han messes up work again, saying she’s found a man she loves like last time.”

Gyeo Wool couldn’t understand why Tae Wook was suddenly bringing up the topic of men.

She just felt sad and hurt that he seemed not to trust her.

“Don’t worry. During the contract period, even if there are men, I won’t even look at them.”

Gyeo Wool blurted out words she didn’t mean.

“That’s good then.”

The atmosphere that had been comfortable and even friendly until just before suddenly cooled.

[This is the timeline separator]

A few days later.

The weather that had been hazy all day started to drizzle occasionally from late afternoon.

Perhaps because of the weather, employees were rushing to leave work.

It seemed even more so after receiving a message from Eun Young saying she had gone out and would be heading home.

“Team leader, aren’t you leaving work?”

The last remaining female employee asked Gyeo Wool as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

“You go ahead. I’ll finish up some remaining work.”

“Then, see you tomorrow, team leader.”

Even after the female employee left, Gyeo Wool was busy making a construction schedule for a long time.

As soon as they signed the contract with Flore Resort, they had to start construction right away.

She could have just left it to another employee later when she went up to Seoul.

But for a job she had started, she wanted to do her best until the end.

The schedule included not only the time, manpower, and materials needed for each construction phase, but also lists of partner companies and material suppliers.

Pitter-patter!

The sound of rain hitting the window intensified like a summer shower.

Gyeo Wool looked at the wall clock while rubbing her stiff neck with her hand.

“It’s already this late?”

It was well past 8 o’clock.

“I should stop now.”

Just as Gyeo Wool was about to stretch, something happened.

Suddenly, the sound of rain grew louder and a cold, damp wind blew into the office.

The cool scent of the forest carried by the wind and rain.

Surprised by the familiar scent, Gyeo Wool turned her head towards the entrance.

“Sir!”

Tae Wook was standing at the door.

Shoulders wrapped in a rain-soaked suit.

Hair dripping with water.

When he roughly shook off the moisture with his fingers, his hair became messy.

“I got caught in the rain on the way.”

Tae Wook smiled gently.

Forgetting that she had been hurt by him a few days ago, Gyeo Wool was staring at him in a daze.

A smile on that handsome face that was hard to take your eyes off even with his hair sticking out in all directions.

“Could I borrow a towel?”

Gyeo Wool, who had been staring at Tae Wook like someone entranced, didn’t hear his words properly.

“Pardon? What did you say?”

“As you can see, I’m quite wet.”

Instead of speaking, he spread both arms to the side to show his wet condition.

“J-just a moment.”

Gyeo Wool quickly took out a towel from the storage cabinet and brought it over.

“Here.”

How much rain could have fallen?

He must have only walked a few steps from the car, but how did he get so wet?

Gyeo Wool handed the towel to Tae Wook and wondered.

He wiped off the moisture on his hair and suit jacket with the towel.

He was so careless that his face and hair were still wet.

Unable to watch any longer, Gyeo Wool pointed to a spot the towel hadn’t reached.

“Behind your ear.”

“Here?”

The towel had passed over, but water was still dripping.

A man who was perfect in work had some careless aspects in things like this.

“Let me.”

Tae Wook handed the towel to Gyeo Wool and naturally bent his knees to lower his posture.

Just like he did for her to fix his crooked necktie

Gyeo Wool stood close enough to touch Tae Wook’s front.

She carefully wiped the places his hand hadn’t reached with the towel.

Then her eyes met directly with Tae Wook’s eyes that were staring intently at her.