What is this happening? How is this situation developing?

Ji Wan is lost in thought, about three steps removed from reality.

The place she’s trying hard to ignore right now is none other than the bed where she’s slept for a long time.

The feel of the blanket and its cozy scent were things that comforted her heart, but somehow Ji Wan couldn’t hide her discomfort.

And for good reason, because right next to her was a presence more frightening than a ghost in the middle of the night – Joo Tae Sung.

To briefly explain how this came about, the flow went something like this:

“What?! Spend the night together?! That’s nonsense!”

When Ji Wan jumped up in alarm at the suggestion of spending the night together, Tae Sung smiled and replied in a low voice.

“Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of touching you.”

“Lies! Your expression just now was no joke!”

“You don’t trust me enough. Didn’t you say you wanted a relationship of trust?”

Of course, it was Ji Wan who had said they should build trust, but not like this.

Tae Sung said he wouldn’t touch her, but that was as believable as making tofu out of beans.

Grasping her dizzy mind firmly, Ji Wan responded resolutely.

“We’re not a normal married couple to begin with. We shouldn’t apply normal couple relationship solutions to this situation.”

“Then?”

“There are many ways to prove trust as human to human, not as man and woman.”

As she said this, Ji Wan thought to herself how incredibly logical she was being.

But her opponent was Joo Tae Sung.

More than grand reasons like faith or trust, he was a mischievous man who simply enjoyed provoking Ji Wan.

As a prosecutor by profession, he was skilled at packaging even trivial reasons as major issues.

“A way to prove trust… I think sharing a bed is the only way.”

“What?!”

“You confirm your trust by entering my bedroom, and I confirm mine by not touching you.”

“Ah, no. How can you connect that…”

“I think that method can resolve the most fundamental distrust. What do you think?”

What she thought was that sleeping in the same bed was still too much.

“Have a better idea?”

But a better idea didn’t come to mind throughout dinner.

Finally, resigned to Tae Sung’s intentions, she arrived at the bedroom.

“Really… we’re sleeping together here?”

Ji Wan asked, having gotten under the covers first.

Tae Sung, leaning against the headboard checking his phone, answered without even looking at her.

“My bedroom door is always open. You’re free to come in or leave.”

It meant trust would be broken if she left.

Left with nothing to say to that, Ji Wan pouted and grumbled.

“Why do you keep calling it your bedroom? This is clearly my house and this bed was bought by my father…”

“Isn’t that term of endearment too sweet? Calling me ‘honey’.”

“Ah, you know that’s not what I meant. Don’t interpret it weirdly. You’re so slick.”

Tae Sung continued doing his own thing on his phone while listening to Ji Wan’s complaints.

He looked so nonchalant that anyone watching would think they normally slept together.

In contrast, Ji Wan was so conscious of the fact that she was sharing a bed with a man that she couldn’t relax her tension.

Though it was queen-sized, the bed was slightly small, so his warmth brushed against her slightly with every movement.

It would be better if the lights were just off. Why was the mood lighting by the bed so unnecessarily bright?

“Um… I don’t know what you’re doing, but can we turn off the lights now?”

Ji Wan glanced at Tae Sung and asked.

Tae Sung answered while still staring at his phone screen.

“To find my memories from the past 3 years, I need to review the cases I handled during that time. Go to sleep first if you’re tired.”

“I want to sleep first, but the light is bothering me.”

“Ah… the type who can’t sleep when it’s bright?”

Finally, Tae Sung’s dark eyes turned towards her lying down.

His features seen from the bed looked even more distinct and imposing than usual.

Overwhelmed by that aura, Ji Wan unconsciously gulped.

“Sorry. Bear with it a little longer.”

Tae Sung extended his large hand.

The slow and quiet gesture created a large shadow in front of her eyes.

Thanks to that, most of the daylight-colored light from the mood lamp was blocked, but…

Strange. His presence becomes even clearer, in stark contrast to the darkness covering her eyes.

They say other senses become more sensitive when vision is blocked. Perhaps that’s why every nerve cell seems to be acutely aware of Joo Tae Sung.

“Ah, no! I’ll turn around and sleep. Tae Sung, please continue with your work.”

Flustered by the heightened unfamiliar feelings, Ji Wan hurriedly turned her back.

In contrast to her tenseness, Tae Sung’s relaxed chuckle could be heard from behind.

Being together must be unfamiliar for Tae Sung too, so why am I the only one getting so worked up?

Ji Wan felt somewhat unjustly treated, but had nowhere to complain.

Lying still without moving for fear their bodies might touch, Tae Sung’s breathing became increasingly clear.

Always bringing storms to her calm days, yet his breathing is regular and steady.

Ji Wan tightly shut her eyes, trying to somehow calm her heightened senses.

There was no way she’d be able to sleep properly tonight.

It seemed she’d have to wait until Tae Sung fell asleep and then sneak out…

.

.

.

…About 10 minutes after thinking that.

Ji Wan, who had even made escape plans, fell into such a deep sleep that she wouldn’t have noticed if someone carried her away.

It must have been the aftermath of running around all day trying to find chicken galantine.

Sensing her defenseless breathing, Tae Sung slowly turned his head to the side.

“Mmm…”

As if her shoulder was uncomfortable, Ji Wan turned her body towards the ceiling and lay flat.

The mood lighting gently illuminated her sleeping face.

Tae Sung’s gaze lingered on her longer than usual.

A face he rarely got to examine closely, as she usually avoided him warily.

Looking again, her skin is quite fair, and her features are quite delicate.

He hadn’t noticed when she was always frowning, but her face looks cute with her brows relaxed.

‘Did I consider appearance when choosing a wife?’

The sudden thought made Tae Sung himself startled.

Having received enough attention from the opposite sex throughout his life to be sick of it, he had never taken much interest in the opposite sex until now.

But that just now seemed like a thought similar to praising someone’s looks. Though I wonder if my tastes were always this plain.

“Well… whatever works is good.”

Tae Sung smiled and looked down at the sleeping Ji Wan once more.

A spouse who is more likely to be a false connection within a well-laid plan.

Perhaps the person furthest from me and knows the least about me.

Despite having such uncertainty, there was only one reason Tae Sung chose to stay by her side.

Even if this marriage is just a contractual relationship, even if Lee Ji Wan ends up not being on my side.

I’m confident I won’t be devoured by this woman.

This time proved it too.

Usually those trying to use Tae Sung would hide their desires and only try to gain favor, but this simple woman not only blatantly reveals her intentions, but even asks for permission to use him.

With a personality so simple it’s fascinating, she’s the only one who doesn’t even feel the need to be wary of.

That’s why Tae Sung had to prevent the divorce and defend this nest.

If enemies are all around, it’s wise to take a position next to the enemy where victory is most certain.

“It’s quiet now that you’re asleep.”

Tae Sung put down his phone and leaned his upper body a little more towards her.

Her features right below him were newly distinct and smooth.

As Tae Sung quietly gazed down at that face, his dark eyes gradually moved lower.

His gaze, starting from her closed eyelashes, passed over her delicate nose bridge and reached her plump, slightly raised lips.

Ji Wan tilted her head back as if tossing in her sleep.

What was revealed at the same time was a delicate nape fully imbued with Tae Sung’s tastes.

“Hmm…”

His breath filled with deliberation.

At the end of it, a wicked smile settled.

* * *

I opened my eyes in a soft bed after a long time.

The sunlight that can only be felt in the bedroom tickled my barely open eyelids.

It was truly a perfect morning.

At least until I remembered who I had been with last night.

“Ah…!”

Ji Wan, startled as she remembered Tae Sung’s presence, quickly checked beside her.

The neatly arranged bedding next to her was just as it had been taken out of the wardrobe yesterday.

Rather hoping that yesterday’s shared sleep, no, Joo Tae Sung himself had been a dream…

“Did you sleep well? Sleepyhead.”

Joo Tae Sung, whose hobby seemed to be shattering her hopes, opened the bedroom door and entered.

Ji Wan’s spine tingled at the pet name he brazenly attached.

“Can you not call me that?”

“It’s a term of endearment.”

“That’s why it’s not okay.”

Tae Sung let out a chuckle at Ji Wan’s firm answer.

It wasn’t an attitude of taking the rejection seriously.

“Nothing happened yesterday, right?”

Ji Wan asked, glaring at him.

Judging by his proper attire, it didn’t seem like he had done anything untoward, but she was just asking just in case.

However, Tae Sung’s response was unsettling.

Instead of answering whether something happened or not, he just smiled―

A really soft and subtle smile―, which was definitely a signal that something had happened.

The intuition grown from being pushed around all this time was telling her so.

“What? What did you do?”

“…”

“Ah, you did something you can’t answer about?”

“…”

Ji Wan asked twice more.

Tae Sung didn’t answer twice.

He even unnecessarily lowered his gaze once.

“What did you do!”

When Ji Wan finally burst out shouting, Tae Sung leisurely turned his head to look at her.

Then, maintaining a meaningful smile, he answered.

“I finally found it.”

“Found what!”

“The reason I fell for you.”

“What does that mean?!”

Instead of answering Ji Wan’s interrogation, Tae Sung sent a gaze.

His black eyes lingered on a spot that was clearly her nape.

Feeling that, Ji Wan quickly covered her neck and put up her guard.

“What about my nape…?”

“Come out and have breakfast. Don’t seduce me sitting on the bed.”

Once again without giving a proper answer, Tae Sung left the room with a shameless line.

Left alone, Ji Wan quickly got up and headed straight for the dressing table mirror.

The nape he had given an uneasy look to was fine without any traces.

Just in case, she checked other places too, but there were no hand marks or even a feeling of déjà vu.

“What is this, really. Was he just teasing me again…”

Ji Wan touched her nape and glared towards the door where he had been standing.

A feeling of suspicion without physical evidence.

Living with the inscrutable Joo Tae Sung truly feels like walking on thin ice.