Se Hee had just finished dressing up in her gown for the midnight event.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang with perfect timing.

Se Hee slowly opened the door.

Kyle was standing in front of the door.

As if they were real lovers.

“You’re early?”

A bright smile spread across Se Hee’s face as she greeted Kyle.

Perhaps I said we were nothing during dinner time because I wanted to confirm his feelings too.

Since my heart was already leaning so much towards him, maybe I wanted to know his feelings as well.

But while I was confused by Kyle’s reaction to those words, on the other hand, a strange emotion stirred.

To be escorted by him.

Seeing Kyle looking so handsome, I couldn’t contain my fluttering heart.

Se Hee was wearing the dress Kyle had sent.

It was the dress with a subtle silver sheen that Se Hee had liked the most.

To Kyle’s eyes, Se Hee wearing it shone brighter than the dress itself.

“…It suits you well.”

“Ah… You said it’s a gift from the captain. Quite an expensive dress. Like you said, Kyle, it seems my luck is turning. At this rate, I wonder if I might even win the wedding event.”

Se Hee shrugged her shoulders as if excited.

“Well… that’s possible.”

Kyle, who already knew the outcome, answered briefly, trying not to reveal his hidden emotions.

“Oh right. While organizing the dresses, I realized I hadn’t returned Kyle’s suit jacket. I forgot about it.”

“We need to go to the event hall now, so I’ll get it back later.”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Se Hee smiled brightly.

Kyle hadn’t forgotten either that the jacket was still with Se Hee.

But for some reason, he wanted to leave it there, in Se Hee’s space.

Especially after encountering that annoying fellow in front of this door that day, it was as if it became a shield protecting Se Hee.

Kyle even thought himself childish for being so serious about such a trivial matter.

* * *

The grand ballroom where the event was taking place was already packed with people.

“Wow. There are really so many people. I wonder if everyone on this ship applied? It seems there are a lot of people who want to wear that wedding dress. What was the designer’s name again? Pack… something?”

Se Hee was excited like a child.

“It’s a work by the famous designer Perfectory.”

“Ah… Perfectory! It was really beautiful. The bride wearing such a wonderful wedding dress must be so happy, right?”

Se Hee’s face was full of envy as she turned to look at Kyle.

‘Se Hee, you’ll be the one wearing it.’

Answering only in his heart, Kyle just nodded lightly as if agreeing.

“There’s still some time left, but there are too many people, right? Are you okay?”

Se Hee asked as if worried about Kyle.

“It’s bearable.”

“Thank you. You must really hate places like this.”

“I never said I hated it.”

Kyle furrowed his brow.

“Do I have to say such things out loud for you to know? You’re someone who only seeks privacy. I can tell just by looking. And it’s written all over your face right now too.”

Se Hee said primly, looking at Kyle who kept frowning.

In fact, Kyle was nervous.

Soon, the manipulated content due to the organizers’ tricks would be announced.

He wondered what expression he should make to look most natural.

Whether his awkward attitude might give him away.

Kyle had practiced alone on the way to Se Hee’s cabin, but every expression felt awkward.

Upon arriving at the bar with Se Hee, Kyle downed several glasses of alcohol in succession.

“Does Kyle get nervous too? If you drink so hastily, you’ll get drunk.”

Se Hee held onto his glass with a worried look.

“My throat is a bit dry.”

“Then you should drink water.”

Se Hee quickly handed him some ice water nearby, smiling.

Kyle’s gaze was captured by Se Hee’s sparkling face.

She was beautiful.

So much so that he thought maybe he had done such a thing just to see that smile.

His steadfast principles that he had maintained until now had crumbled.

Because of this beautiful woman standing before him.

Kyle gulped down the ice water Se Hee had given him in one go.

The cold ice water went down his throat, but it couldn’t cool his burning heart.

At that moment.

The MC on stage finally began the countdown for the drawing.

Then, all the passengers in the hall became one and shouted the numbers.

Three, two, one.

As they finally shouted zero, the MC pressed the button.

The event box containing numerous capsules began to spin with a loud noise.

For that moment, the grand ballroom became so quiet that not even a breath could be heard.

Everyone focused their gaze on the spinning box of capsules with tension.

Finally, one capsule rolled out.

“Now, let’s open it.”

The MC held up the capsule.

The hall began to stir with added anticipation.

“Oh my. I’m nervous. My goodness, even though the probability is low, why am I so nervous? This is the first time I’ve felt this nervous.”

Se Hee was beside herself like a child expecting a gift.

Kyle watched Se Hee with a subtle smile on his face.

Meanwhile, an unsettling, heavy emotion made him uncomfortable.

“The winner is…”

The MC paused his speech to the audience and took a deep breath, maximizing the tension.

“Lee! Se! Hee! Congratulations.”

Along with the MC’s powerful announcement, cheers and applause erupted.

But Se Hee, the actual winner, just stared blankly at the MC.

Like a statue.

“Lee Se Hee! If you’re here, please come up to the stage.”

When the shocked Se Hee didn’t appear, the MC called the winner’s name once again from the stage.

“Did you… did you just hear that? My, my name, did they really call me? Is it really my name? Maybe there’s another Lee Se Hee?”

Se Hee couldn’t believe that her name had come out of the MC’s mouth on stage.

Se Hee looked at Kyle with a dazed expression like someone who had lost their mind.

“I think it’s correct, but if you’re doubtful, we can go check your cabin number.”

Kyle’s voice suggesting to check the room number was extremely calm.

“Ah… That’s right. My cabin number. You’ll come with me, right? My heart feels like it’s going to burst right now. I’m so glad Kyle is a rational person. I’m really about to faint.”

As Se Hee moved her trembling legs, Kyle supported her from the side so she could walk safely.

Kyle protected Se Hee like a bodyguard from the numerous people offering congratulations.

When they arrived at the desk where the event staff was, the staff handed Se Hee a form to verify.

Even after confirming the application form with her cabin number, her name, and Kyle’s name as her partner written on it, Se Hee kept shaking her head as if she couldn’t believe it.

Se Hee couldn’t come to her senses throughout signing the confirmation she received from the event staff and hearing instructions about tomorrow’s schedule.

In the end, she barely managed to understand the staff’s request to come to the shop at 11 AM.

* * *

The two made their way through the large crowd to a quiet place.

Se Hee still couldn’t believe it.

She couldn’t hide her excitement that had soared sky-high.

“On a day like today, I should buy a lottery ticket. How… how could such luck come to me… how.”

Se Hee’s voice was choked with emotion, almost to the point of tears.

“Are you that happy?”

“Yes. I can’t express it in words. Kyle. I’m so happy.”

Despite wearing an elegant dress, Se Hee, overcome with excitement, suddenly leapt into Kyle’s arms as if about to take flight from where she stood.

Se Hee’s arms wrapped around Kyle’s neck.

She buried her face in his chest, filled with happiness.

“I’m so happy. I’m so happy.”

Se Hee even burst into tears of joy on Kyle’s chest.

Watching Se Hee who was overjoyed as if she had gained the whole world, Kyle decided to forget the guilty conscience that had been troubling him for a moment.

Just seeing her so happy made Kyle’s heart swell as well.

He slowly embraced Se Hee’s waist as she came into his arms.

Her sweet and fragrant scent wafted intoxicatingly.

“Congratulations.”

Kyle slowly bent his head and whispered softly in Se Hee’s ear.

The moment that captivating scent emanating from Se Hee strongly stimulated his senses, it paralyzed Kyle’s reason.

As if drawn to that scent, Kyle’s hot lips gently settled on Se Hee’s neckline.

It was too impulsive.

Fearing he might lose Se Hee who flinched in surprise, Kyle’s arms around her waist tightened with more strength.

He was feeling dizzy from the vibrations that felt so close, it was impossible to tell whose heart was beating.

Kyle’s self-control seemed to have already exceeded its limit the moment Se Hee embraced his neck.

The moment his lips touched her, Se Hee almost stopped breathing.

It was on a completely different level from the emotions heightened by winning the wedding event.

It was hard to handle the heat that spread throughout her body in an instant, as if electricity had run through her entire body.

Se Hee had jumped into his arms without realizing it, overcome with joy.

She had thought that the rational Kyle might push her away with a deeply furrowed brow.

But Se Hee found it hard to handle the tremendous impact her actions had caused.

Her heart was beating as if it would explode.

Thinking that Kyle might already be feeling the vibrations of her heart, she tried to move away, but this time he wouldn’t let go.

Just as she thought she might faint like this, fortunately, Kyle’s lips parted from her.

The strength in Kyle’s arms loosened.

Se Hee, who was trembling, looked up at Kyle with a bewildered face.

Only then was Kyle’s reason gradually returning.

What had he done?

“…We should head back now.”

His slow voice was full of lingering emotion.

It was no longer as cool as before.

“Y-yes, we should. Yes.”

Se Hee, who still felt dizzy as if she were in his arms even after separating from him, barely managed to turn around.

* * *

Even after seeing Se Hee into her cabin, Kyle stood in front of that closed door for a long time.

He needed to gather his emotions that weren’t easily calming down.

It was dangerous to cross the line any further.

Kyle left the front of Se Hee’s cabin with heavy steps.

However, there was a shadow quietly following the slowly walking Kyle.

But Kyle couldn’t have been unaware of it.

Kyle deliberately waited for the follower in front of the elevator after getting off on his floor.

As expected, the elevator that had gone down came up again and stopped at the 21st floor.

The doors opened and.

The moment their eyes met with the person getting off, Kyle’s brow properly twisted.

“I thought you might have already noticed…”

Seong Jae slowly got off the elevator, glaring at Kyle.

Kyle’s gaze was cold as he looked at Seong Jae in silence.

“It seems we’ve met before in the past… There’s something strange.”

Speaking meaningfully, Seong Jae approached without hesitation.

“Why are you hiding it? Your real name.”

Seong Jae sharply glared at Kyle.

“I haven’t hidden anything.”

Kyle snorted as if it were ridiculous.

“Se Hee doesn’t seem to know that you’re the representative of this cruise line.”

“Sihan Group. Vice President Ban Seong Jae.”

Seong Jae flinched at Kyle’s voice.

It seems he too had noticed his presence.

“I didn’t deceive. I just didn’t have a chance to say it.”

Seong Jae said irritably, as if to say he was different from Kyle.

However, Kyle’s slow voice flew at Seong Jae with an unpleasant look, as if to say you’re no different.

“Regardless of how the situation turned out.”

“If you think of Se Hee as just a one-night stand, I won’t let you off easy.”

“Vice President Ban Seong Jae. You should watch that mouth of yours.”

Kyle’s expression hardened instantly at Seong Jae’s unpleasant choice of words.

Kyle’s low voice, filled with a chilling air, blew coldly towards Seong Jae.

Kyle’s gaze looking down arrogantly at Seong Jae was more authoritative than ever.

“I warned you, that I wouldn’t let it slide anymore.”