It felt as if all the cells in her body were rushing to her fingertips. Ha Yeon bitterly laughed to herself, thinking it was a bit much to feel such a sensation when his hand just overlapped hers.

“This isn’t bad either.”

Min Je chuckled and pretended to pat Ji Hoo like Ha Yeon did.

“Yes, it’s not bad.”

Ji Hoo smiled faintly, mimicking Min Je’s words. Since Ji Hoo’s way of speaking closely resembled Min Je’s, Ha Yeon forgot her tension and burst out laughing.

“Go to sleep now.”

Ha Yeon stroked Ji Hoo’s round forehead. With his bangs swept to one side revealing his forehead, Ji Hoo looked so lovable, one could describe him as handsome.

“Yes, I should. I’m sleepy.”

Ji Hoo rubbed his face against the pillow with a contented smile.

While waiting for the child to fall asleep, Min Je playfully toyed with Ha Yeon’s hand. As he intertwined their fingers and tickled her palm, Ha Yeon felt an inexplicable warmth rush over her.

‘He’s really incorrigible.’

Ha Yeon let out a small laugh, not disliking his actions.

How much time had passed? Steady, quiet breathing could be heard. Ha Yeon slightly raised her head to check Ji Hoo’s face. The child was sound asleep, oblivious to the world.

And Min Je, lying next to him, seemed to have fallen asleep as well.

‘No wonder it got so quiet.’

Min Je’s hand, which had been playfully tickling hers, had loosened – probably because he had fallen asleep.

Ha Yeon silently gazed at the sleeping figures of Min Je and Ji Hoo for a long while.

She found it difficult to take her eyes off the sight of the two people she loved most in this world lying side by side, fast asleep.

Ha Yeon suddenly felt a lump in her throat as emotions welled up. She tried to compose her crumbling expression, but her efforts were in vain as her eyes grew hot.

Was it alright to be this happy by their side? If possible, she wished this happiness would never end.

Ha Yeon chuckled, thinking how truly endless human desires are. Despite trying so hard not to be swayed. Despite struggling not to fall in so helplessly. Now it had become irreversible.

“I don’t regret it.”

Ha Yeon muttered to herself – a habit she had developed after her parents passed away – as she hurriedly wiped away the tears that had formed in her eyes.

There was no need to cry since she had no regrets. Even if the future of her life wouldn’t always be sweet, she would silently walk the path given to her.

Having steeled her resolve, Ha Yeon smiled happily yet wistfully at Min Je and Ji Hoo sleeping in the same pose like two peas in a pod.

“I love you, I love you.”

Having poured out the feelings she could no longer suppress, Ha Yeon spent a long time afterward smiling as she gazed at their sleeping faces.

Heavy rain clouds cannot help but release their rain.

She was the same. It felt like she could no longer live without pouring out her heart that had grown so heavy.

As if reflecting her heart, heavy rain poured endlessly outside the window.

August was already nearing its end. Ha Yeon smiled as she looked at Min Je’s birthday displayed on her phone.

His birthday was August 31st. Ha Yeon suddenly thought it was a date that suited Kang Min Je well. It was a very appropriate day to think of a man as hot as the peak of summer.

Ha Yeon had come to the department store to buy his birthday gift. She had received a lot from him lately. Though it felt insufficient to call it a repayment, Ha Yeon wanted to give him something in return.

Despite it being a weekday, the department store was packed with people. Ha Yeon, not being a frequent visitor to department stores, felt a bit awkward as she looked around here and there.

What would be good? What would suit him well? Being able to think of her loved one with everything she saw, Ha Yeon enjoyed shopping with heightened spirits for the first time in a while.

At that time, Cha I Tae, who had just finished lunch at a restaurant in the department store with a collector to discuss the sale of artworks, was going down the escalator.

A woman who looked just like Ha Yeon passed by in front of his eyes. Was he seeing things because he had been thinking about her too much lately?

I Tae was lost in thought for a moment, wondering what he should do, but his deliberation didn’t last long.

“I just remembered something I need to do. I enjoyed lunch today. I’ll contact you again.”

Before the collector could react, I Tae got off the escalator. Then, almost running, he stepped onto the escalator going up.

His earlier hesitation about whether to follow her seemed foolish now as he felt anxious about possibly not meeting her. What if their paths didn’t cross? What if he couldn’t find her in the crowd? As these useless thoughts ran through his mind, I Tae’s steps kept getting faster.

Did he see wrong? Where did she go? When he had almost circled the entire floor, he finally spotted Ha Yeon. She was in the men’s clothing section, contemplating several ties laid out in front of her.

‘So it was real.’

Feeling a strange sense of relief that it wasn’t an illusion but real, I Tae straightened his clothes. His breathing had quickened from practically running around the floor in search of her.

Ahem, he deliberately cleared his throat loudly behind Ha Yeon. But Ha Yeon, deep in thought, didn’t hear the sound.

‘Not even once does she move according to my expectations.’

Why was that so amusing? Smirking, I Tae strode over and suddenly thrust his face in front of Ha Yeon’s.

“We meet again here.”

“Ah! Goodness, you startled me!”

Ha Yeon exclaimed, shrinking her neck at the face that suddenly appeared before her eyes.

“Last time you were like a rabbit, this time you’re like a turtle.”

Ha Yeon raised one eyebrow at I Tae’s words as he grinned, finding something amusing.

“You’re more persistent than you look.”

When she retorted coldly, I Tae put on an exaggeratedly hurt expression.

“I didn’t say anything, that’s a bit harsh.”

What on earth is he doing? Ha Yeon’s eyebrows danced up and down.

“If you’re thinking of making that offer again from last time…”

“I just happened to see you by chance while passing by, it’s embarrassing how grandly you’re interpreting it.”

I Tae shrugged his shoulders as if it were really true. Ha Yeon rolled her eyes, trying to discern his intentions while keeping her mouth tightly shut out of embarrassment.

“Are you buying a gift for someone? Director Kang Min Je?”

When I Tae asked with a knowing look in his eyes, Ha Yeon instinctively hid the ties behind her back. Seeing Ha Yeon’s eyes clearly showing wariness, I Tae laughed out loud.

“Your expression is quite fierce. Can’t you relax a bit? I’m not going to do anything.”

Though his lips were smiling, somehow his eyes looked lonely, causing Ha Yeon to momentarily relax her gaze.

“Oh, you’re quite obedient. Since you listened to my request, I’ll help you too. The first one. That will suit him best.”

Ha Yeon unconsciously trembled. Just before I Tae appeared, she had decided on that very tie as the gift.

The thought of giving Min Je something he had chosen made her extremely uncomfortable. Seeing Ha Yeon’s expression turn strange, I Tae burst out laughing.

“It was nice to see you. Next time we meet, don’t pretend not to know me.”

Before Ha Yeon could respond, I Tae waved his hand and left.

How could someone’s expressions be so varied? Her expressions that revealed all her thoughts were amusing.

Would she buy the tie he had chosen, or would she buy a different one? He was already curious about that.

“Kang Min Je is lucky.”

Getting gifts and all. I Tae’s expression, which had been smiling all along, suddenly hardened. Then, as if he had never smiled, he strode into the crowd with an expressionless face.

‘Ah, really. That one was prettier.’

Ha Yeon grumbled while fiddling with the gift box for Min Je. In the end, she bought a different tie than the one I Tae had pointed out. Although it was the one she had first set her eyes on, buying it somehow felt very uncomfortable. It was as if that pure feeling of choosing a gift while thinking of Min Je had been tainted.

So in the end, she chose the second prettiest one in her eyes as an alternative.

‘Well, this is pretty too, so it’s fine.’

Ha Yeon nodded, trying to convince herself. Now, what mattered was not which gift she had chosen, but how she would give it to him.

She sat in front of the canvas, pausing her painting to ponder.

“‘Director, happy birthday.’ No, this is too cliché.”

She tried simulating how to give it, but no method seemed particularly satisfying.

“‘I prepared this for you.’ Wow, cheesy, creepy. This is a pass.”

As Ha Yeon was rubbing her arms, there was a knock at the door.

What should I do? I haven’t decided anything yet! Ha Yeon panicked for a moment, then hid the gift box behind the canvas leaning against the wall. It was only later that she realized, among all the things, it was the canvas with Min Je’s portrait, but there was no time to change it.

“Yes! Come in.”

Ha Yeon cheerfully replied, pretending to be busily painting in front of the easel.

“I just came to see how much progress you’ve made. And to see your face before bed.”

Min Je leaned against the doorframe, tilting his head to examine Ha Yeon’s expression. With KIAF approaching soon, he had been trying hard not to disturb Ha Yeon’s work time lately.

“Well, at this rate, I should be able to complete 6 works smoothly.”

Ha Yeon smiled, pointing to the painting she was coloring. Only then did Min Je approach and carefully examine the painting.

“Yes, it’s good.”

Min Je’s gaze on the painting was sharp, but his lips were softly relaxed. Ha Yeon had painted a picture with a more distinct style than he had thought. He couldn’t help but feel proud.

The work inspired by butterflies had become a piece showcasing her unique personality through oil marbling and various attempts.

Just like famous artists who succeeded by focusing on one motif, she too seemed to have infinite potential for future development.

Ha Yeon still couldn’t get used to Min Je’s gentle smile, so she pressed down on her pounding heart. The thought of giving him a birthday gift made her heart race uncontrollably.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“No, it’s fine!”

She ended up flatly rejecting Min Je’s words. Because she had cut him off so abruptly without leaving any room, an awkward silence fell.

Feeling embarrassed, Min Je cleared his throat and looked around, when his gaze suddenly fell on the canvas leaning against the wall. Unlike the other canvases, this one was turned backwards, which bothered him greatly.

“Are you going to keep it like this?”

Min Je, who had previously witnessed Ha Yeon turning his portrait around, felt somewhat bitter. If she was going to keep it hidden like this, why did she paint it in the first place…

Clicking his tongue, Min Je approached the canvas in question, and Ha Yeon gasped and blocked him. She couldn’t let him see it first when she hadn’t even decided how to give him the gift yet.

“That’s strange. I’m sure I put it back properly.”

Ha Yeon thought she would approach the canvas first, turn the painting around, and discreetly remove the box hidden behind it.

But there was something she overlooked. His superior height!

She clearly reached out first, but Min Je’s arm touched the canvas before hers. And immediately, the canvas was turned to face forward.

Before she could stop it, the gift box hidden behind fell to the floor with a thud.

Good heavens, giving a gift shouldn’t be this hard. Ha Yeon let out a deep sigh.