“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Juwon suddenly approached and asked Ina, who was looking up at him.

“Juwon.”

Ina called Juwon’s name with a trembling voice.

“Yes?”

When Juwon answered, Ina looked at him with wavering eyes and said.

“…I love you.”

Juwon’s eyes widened at the sudden words.

And then, seeing Ina’s brown eyes moistening, one side of Juwon’s chest ached.

Juwon pulled Ina’s waist and hugged her with an affectionate smile.

And looking down at her lovely eyes, he said in a sweet voice.

“I love you more.”

At that sweet voice, Ina smiled, and Juwon smiled too.

White cherry blossom petals fluttered over the lovers smiling beautifully at each other.

After finishing their cherry blossom viewing while holding hands tightly, the two went to a nearby restaurant for a meal and then had coffee.

After that, they took the subway back to Juwon’s house.

As soon as they got home, Juwon filled the bathtub with warm water and took Ina to soak her feet.

“Hm? Why my feet?”

“They must hurt from walking all day. Just soak them for a bit.”

“No, it’s okay.”

But Juwon lifted Ina and made her soak her feet in the tub.

“Then you soak yours too.”

At Ina’s words, Juwon said he was fine and started massaging Ina’s small feet.

“Now you sit down. I’ll massage you.”

When Ina got up after a while and said this, Juwon shook his head and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

“I’m fine. You must be very tired, so let’s wash up quickly and go to sleep today.”

Ina reluctantly nodded at Juwon’s words, and after washing up, the two lay down side by side on the bed.

“Since our Seo Ina is very tired today, I’ll behave and not touch you.”

Ina giggled at those words, which sounded like he was granting a great favor.

“Oh my, yes yes. Thank you.”

Juwon laughed and pulled Ina into his arms.

After a while of lying in Juwon’s broad embrace with her eyes closed, Ina heard quiet breathing from him.

When Ina quietly raised her head and looked, Juwon was sleeping with his eyes closed.

Though he said he was fine, Ina thought Juwon must have been very tired too, and felt affection.

Ina gazed at Juwon’s face for a while, then gently reached out to caress his cheek.

The more she touched his sculptured, handsome face, the more an uncontrollable hot love bloomed in her chest.

Ah… To think this kind and wonderful man is my man…

With newly surging emotions, Ina looked at Juwon with fluttering eyes.

Looking at that wonderful face, Ina fell into deep thought.

The thought she’d been having since coming up from Yeosu after discharging her mother… Ina thought about it over and over all night long while looking at Juwon’s face.

* * *

Two weeks passed and it was Friday.

Ina’s heart started pounding as she prepared to leave work.

Her hands even trembled as she stood up with her bag.

Ina took a deep breath and left the office.

As she exited the main entrance after getting off the elevator, she saw Juwon waiting with his car parked in the distance.

Her heart started pounding again as she walked towards Juwon with a smile.

Barely calming herself, she stood in front of Juwon, who looked down at her with a smile.

“Aren’t you too pretty today?”

Juwon looked down at Ina with loving eyes and opened the passenger door with a smile.

After Ina got in, Juwon quickly got into the driver’s seat.

“So, where should we go?”

Juwon asked in a playful voice.

Three days ago, when talking on the phone with Juwon, Ina had said it would be 180 days since they started dating on Friday, and Juwon was surprised it had been that long already.

When Ina said she wanted to celebrate 180 days, Juwon laughed and asked how she wanted to celebrate, and Ina confidently said to leave it to her.

Instead of answering Juwon, who had his hands on the steering wheel asking for the destination, Ina entered an address into the navigation.

“J Hotel?”

Juwon asked with a surprised expression.

“Yes. We’re going here. I made a restaurant reservation.”

“Oh…”

Juwon had an unexpected expression, then smiled and started driving.

When they arrived at the hotel and entered the restaurant on the upper floor, the manager confirmed the reservation and guided them to a table by the window.

As they sat down, the beautiful evening scenery of Seoul came into view all at once.

“180 days… Isn’t our baby overdoing it?”

When Juwon rested his chin on his hand and said playfully, Ina said with a proud expression.

“Today, this elder sister will pay for everything, so our baby should keep his wallet tightly closed. Got it?”

Juwon burst out laughing at Ina’s tough voice.

Laughing so hard his shoulders shook, Juwon looked up at Ina.

Looking at Ina, who was so cute he wanted to bite her, with a deep gaze, Juwon reached out and held Ina’s hand tightly.

“Really? Today I just need to trust and follow elder sister?”

“Yes. Just trust elder sister.”

At Ina’s words, Juwon laughed again.

“Ah, our elder sister, what should I do because you’re so cute? We should hurry home after eating, right?”

As Juwon looked at Ina with blatant eyes, the bread and salad appetizers arrived.

While tasting the refreshing citron-scented salad and savory bread, a fantastically presented beef tenderloin steak came out soon after.

The two had a glass of red wine and ate slowly while chatting.

After finishing the meal, sweet cake slices and coffee came out for dessert.

After leisurely finishing the coffee, Ina picked up the check.

“Are you really going to pay? Give it here. I’ll pay.”

When Juwon reached out his hand in surprise, Ina firmly shook her head.

“Elder sister told you, didn’t she? Our baby, keep your wallet tightly closed today.”

At Ina’s words, baby Juwon nodded with a smile.

“Okay, elder sister. I’ll keep my wallet tightly closed. The food was delicious.”

Ina toughly slung her handbag over her shoulder, got up, and went to the counter to pay.

As they held hands and left the restaurant, Ina’s heart started trembling.

After taking a deep breath, Ina pressed the up button for the elevator, and Juwon tilted his head and asked.

“Hm? Why did you press the up button? We should go down.”

Ina swallowed once, then held Juwon’s hand and said.

“Baby, I told you to leave everything to elder sister today, didn’t I? To celebrate our 180 days, we’re going to stay here tonight.”

Just as Juwon’s eyes widened at Ina’s words, the elevator arrived.

Ina toughly held the hand of the dazed Juwon and slipped into the elevator.

When Ina pressed 26, the elevator soon departed.

Juwon looked down at Ina with questioning eyes, then smiled and said.

“Hmm… Our elder sister, aren’t you really overdoing it today?”

Ina smiled brightly at Juwon’s words.

Though she smiled as if relaxed, Ina’s heart was trembling severely.

Soon after, the elevator arrived at the 26th floor, and Ina held Juwon’s hand and got off.

Then, as she took out the room key card from her handbag, Juwon said with a smirk.

“You really prepared thoroughly, huh?”

Instead of answering, Ina winked.

Then she placed the key card in Juwon’s hand and said.

“Do you want to open it, baby?”

Juwon laughed, then immediately tapped the key card.

After the beep of the door opening, Ina told Juwon to go in first.

Juwon entered without much thought, but stopped after a few steps.

And soon Juwon’s eyes widened.

From the room entrance, red rose petals formed a path, and pretty candles were placed closely along the petals, giving off a red glow.

Following the rose petal path, beautiful fresh flowers decorated various spots in the room with blackout curtains, and under soft lighting on the table were several framed photos of the two of them.

Right below the table was a large heart shape made of rose petals and candles, and on the lighting directly above was a sparkling ‘Marry me♥’ message.

Juwon’s mouth fell open and his eyes trembled.

As Juwon stared at the sparkling ‘Marry me♥’ lighting with a dazed face, unable to say anything, Ina carefully took out the bouquet she had placed under the table and approached Juwon.

Then she slowly handed the bouquet to Juwon and said in a trembling voice.

“Juwon. Will you… marry me?”

Juwon’s eyes reddened as he looked down at Ina.

Feeling his own heart pounding fiercely, Juwon reached out with trembling hands and took the bouquet.

Then he slowly opened his mouth and said.

“…Yes. I want to marry you, Ina.”

Tears fell from Juwon’s eyes.

Seeing this, tears also flowed from Ina’s eyes.

Juwon immediately reached out and hugged Ina.

Ina also raised her hands and hugged Juwon tightly, feeling Juwon’s shoulders trembling.

With an overwhelming and touching heart, Ina closed her eyes tightly and burrowed deeper into Juwon’s arms.

As tears flowed, after a while, Juwon gently released Ina and met her gaze.

Both of their eyes were moist with happiness.

Juwon reached out with trembling hands to wipe Ina’s eyes and quietly asked.

“How… did you come up with all this?”

Ina answered with a sniffle.

“Actually… I’ve been thinking about it since coming up from Yeosu? That I want to fall asleep with you every day, wake up with you every day… That I want you to be my husband now, not just my boyfriend…”

Juwon gazed into Ina’s pretty brown eyes with an affectionate smile.

“I guess our hearts were in sync. Actually… I was planning to propose right after waiting for your mother’s condition to improve a bit more. But… I lost the initiative to our elder sister?”

Ina giggled at Juwon’s playful voice.

“I told you to leave everything to this elder sister today, didn’t I?”

Juwon smiled, raising the corners of his mouth, then hugged Ina tightly once more.

Then, looking down at Ina with loving eyes, he said.

“Ina. I love you. So, so much.”

“…I love you more.”

When Ina said the line Juwon always said, Juwon gazed at Ina with a gentle smile.

Then, with deep and intense eyes, he lowered his head towards Ina.

Ina also closed her eyes softly and put her hands around Juwon’s neck.

Full of affection for each other, the two shared a sweet kiss for a long time.

Beside the kissing lovers, the ‘Marry me♥’ lighting sparkled beautifully.