“I will definitely do it today!”

Unable to sleep properly with her burning heart, Se Hee woke up early in the morning and was busy preparing for the trip.

After running hard all night, the Decona Ho arrived the next morning in Rome, Italy, a city that preserves ancient civilization.

As it was such a famous tourist destination, passengers were bustling about from early morning for port of call tours.

Se Hee looked at herself in the mirror and smiled happily.

“I don’t want to be the only one showing how excited I am.”

In fact, because it was the day of traveling to the port of call with Kyle, her excitement was already clearly visible on her face.

Se Hee tried to imitate Kyle’s expression, recalling his cold demeanor.

Before she knew it, she was thinking of Kyle.

The person who made her happy just by thinking about him.

Kyle had been busy managing his schedule since the crack of dawn.

It was because he had changed the meeting to a breakfast meeting in order to spend today with Se Hee.

So Se Hee bravely finished breakfast alone and agreed to meet Kyle again when he returned.

Se Hee headed to the buffet she had visited most frequently while using the cruise.

At first, she felt awkward eating alone and was unfamiliar, but now she moved comfortably, even knowing the layout.

After setting her plate with only her favorite menu items, someone called out cheerfully to Se Hee as she was looking for an empty seat.

“Se Hee?”

It was Seong Jae, who was eating alone.

“Seong Jae. It’s been a while.”

Se Hee also greeted him with a bright smile towards Seong Jae, who was waving his hand cheerfully.

“I don’t see Jung Yeon today either? Did you two have a fight?”

Se Hee asked with a worried expression.

“Jung Yeon already left for Rome. She had been looking forward to today. Please join me. I felt awkward eating alone, so this worked out well.”

Seong Jae stood up and pulled out the chair across from him.

Saying thank you, Se Hee sat down in the seat across from him.

“Are you traveling alone again today, Se Hee?”

“No. I have someone to go with today.”

A smile spread across Se Hee’s face at Seong Jae’s question.

“Could it be… that… Kyle?”

Seong Jae asked cautiously.

“Yes. That’s right.”

Se Hee nodded and answered.

“That person is really lucky then.”

Seong Jae said quietly, as if talking to himself.

Se Hee pretended not to hear because Seong Jae’s expression as he said that wasn’t very good.

The perceptive Seong Jae quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, the trip is already coming to an end.”

“That’s right. The 14 days seemed like they would be so long, but there’s not much time left.”

Se Hee also spoke regretfully.

“This trip was a very meaningful time for me. Because I got to meet you, Se Hee.”

Seong Jae suddenly began to openly express his feelings.

“When we return to Korea, will we be able to meet again?”

Seong Jae asked.

“Well, I’m not sure?”

But Seong Jae’s behavior made Se Hee uncomfortable.

“I want to meet again. You still have the contact information I gave you before, right?”

However, Seong Jae stubbornly continued his story as if he hadn’t noticed Se Hee’s feelings at all.

“If you ever miss me, or if you need help, please contact me anytime. I’m quite an influential person, more than you might think.”

As he spoke, Seong Jae took out one of his business cards and handed it to Se Hee.

Small waves appeared on Se Hee’s face as she awkwardly received the card.

Seong Jae Ban, Vice President of Sihan Group.

“What do you think? Surprised, right?”

Seong Jae, who was smiling with a confident expression, felt even more unfamiliar to Se Hee today.

“I usually introduce myself when I meet people at travel destinations like this, but strangely, you never asked anything about me. So I’m finally properly introducing myself now.”

Seong Jae spoke to Se Hee as if he was upset that she hadn’t asked.

“Can I have your business card too?”

Seong Jae waited for Se Hee’s answer with an expectant expression.

“I’m just an ordinary person. So I don’t really have a business card.”

Se Hee’s answer was brief.

“You don’t want to tell me?”

Seong Jae asked again, seemingly disappointed.

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s more that there’s nothing worth telling, right?”

Se Hee spoke indirectly, blocking Seong Jae’s approach.

“Hmm. Then can you just give me your contact information?”

But this time Seong Jae blatantly asked Se Hee.

“I was very upset that you never contacted me even though I gave you my contact information last time.”

“Um… Seong Jae.”

Se Hee’s voice became calm.

“Yes?”

“Can’t we just enjoy our breakfast?”

Se Hee said firmly.

Seong Jae’s expression hardened in surprise.

Because he realized it was clearly a rejection, even if not direct.

Seong Jae decided to confess his feelings since it had come to this anyway.

“I’ll be honest. I’ve been interested in you from the start. But that man……”

“I’m sorry, Seong Jae.”

Se Hee cut off Seong Jae’s words abruptly.

“I find your behavior like this very burdensome.”

Se Hee conveyed her intentions politely but firmly.

For a moment, Seong Jae’s expression crumbled.

“Then I’ll get up now. I hope you have a good trip from now on.”

“Se Hee.”

As Se Hee tried to get up from her seat, Seong Jae’s chilling voice held her back.

“So that man is okay, but I’m not?”

Se Hee was taken aback by Seong Jae’s question.

“How much do you know about that man? Do you trust him? Is that man sincere towards you as much as you are towards him?”

Seong Jae asked Se Hee persistently, as if frustrated.

“If you’re asking about my relationship with Kyle, I don’t think I need to answer. That’s between the two of us.”

Se Hee stood up from her seat.

Seong Jae didn’t want to give up on Se Hee, who was turning away and leaving.

But he couldn’t hold her back now.

Seong Jae angrily slammed the table.

* * *

Back in her cabin, Se Hee was bothered by Seong Jae’s words.

Why did he suddenly ask her such questions?

Se Hee began to reflect on Kyle and herself.

It was a relationship that had started by chance on an unfamiliar journey.

Because Se Hee’s feelings were sincere, she thought Kyle must be sincere towards her as well.

She had never doubted the actions of that sensitive man.

But why did Seong Jae say that?

It was an unsatisfactory attitude, as if he knew something but was hiding it without saying.

Was there something she didn’t know?

The small pebble Seong Jae had thrown was causing ripples in Se Hee’s heart.

* * *

As soon as Kyle returned to the main ship, he quickly changed into a casual suit comfortable for traveling.

And without even taking a breath, he immediately came to find Se Hee.

“Kyle!”

Kyle hugged Se Hee, who greeted him with a bright smile.

It was just a brief moment, but he thought he had missed her so much.

Kyle thought he had really fallen hard.

How could such a powerful energy be contained in this small body?

Only after fully savoring Se Hee’s sweet scent did Kyle release her from his arms.

“So where should we go first?”

“We have to eat gelato first, of course.”

To Kyle’s question about Rome’s tourist attractions, Se Hee boldly called out for food first.

“I guess we’ll have to go to the Spanish Steps first then.”

Kyle chuckled as if he couldn’t help it.

Whenever he had prepared it, Kyle had planned even the transportation in detail so that it wouldn’t be difficult for Se Hee to sightsee.

Because of this, Se Hee was able to fully enjoy the Rome trip without any inconvenience.

The Spanish Steps, called so despite being in Rome, Italy because of the Spanish Embassy, became famous due to a scene in a movie, he said.

Perhaps because of this, the Spanish Steps were extremely crowded with tourists.

It was forbidden to eat ice cream on the steps like in the movie, so they couldn’t imitate that.

But just like that actress from long ago, Se Hee tightly held hands with this handsome man by her side.

Se Hee was overjoyed as she climbed up and down the Spanish Steps holding Kyle’s hand.

She was happy.

After lightly finishing their sightseeing, the two headed to the nearest gelato shop.

Se Hee wanted to try all the different types of gelato, but since her stomach size was limited, she chose only two.

There was also a cute little customer in the shop.

The sight of the little one sitting next to her mother, eating gelato ice cream diligently, was adorable.

“I’m envious. Coming to such a wonderful place with your mother.”

Kyle looked at Se Hee, who was watching the little lady adoringly, even more adorably.

“…Does Kyle have memories with your mother too?”

It wasn’t intentional, but Se Hee ended up asking him first.

Preparing for her turn that would soon come.

“My mother often painted. She wasn’t a painter, but. Thanks to that, I have many memories of painting together with her.”

Kyle naturally opened up about himself.

“If she were alive, I wonder if she would still paint a lot now?”

Kyle’s expression sank heavily, as if recalling a faint memory.

For a moment, Se Hee’s expression froze.

She had planned to talk about her parents after Kyle answered.

So that Kyle could take one step closer to her, and she could get a little closer to Kyle as well.

But Kyle also had wounds related to family.

Se Hee felt so sorry for bringing up something that seemed to have touched his pain.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Seeing the surprised Se Hee, Kyle smiled as if it was okay.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about?”

“I asked first intending to tell my story. Your painful memory…”

“It’s from quite a long time ago. Now Se Hee, tell me your story. I want to hear it? What kind of person was your mother?”

Finally, it was Se Hee’s turn.

The moment she revealed the part she considered her flaw to him.

How would this man react?

Se Hee became anxious.

Se Hee’s expression darkened for a moment.

“I… don’t have any memories with my mother.”

Se Hee’s voice lowered as she cautiously began to speak.

Because she was sincere towards Kyle, Se Hee intended to talk about her darkest part first.

She had done so like some kind of ritual before becoming deeply involved with anyone.

If she didn’t speak about herself that way, she somehow felt like she was deceiving the other person.

Although it was her darkest part, she thought it was better not to create a deep relationship from the beginning if they couldn’t accept it.

Kyle worriedly watched Se Hee’s expression changing as she pondered.

“I was abandoned at an orphanage. So I don’t know my parents.”

Se Hee’s eyes and voice trembled as she spoke up courageously.

The moment he heard Se Hee’s words, Kyle’s heart ached.

How difficult it must have been?

Was this why she had such an anxious expression, intending to tell this story?

Kyle’s warm hand, which had been smiling comfortably, gently stroked Se Hee’s cheek.

“It must have been very hard, but you grew up well and strong.”

Kyle gently lifted Se Hee’s chin to focus her gaze on him.

There was no disappointment or change in Kyle’s eyes.

Only a faint emotion was contained.

And as if to comfort Se Hee who must have had a hard time, Kyle’s lips lingered long on Se Hee’s lips.

“Kyle.”

At Se Hee’s moist voice calling him, Kyle hugged Se Hee tightly again.

“It must have been difficult. Thank you for being honest with me. I hope you’ll always be confident like this in the future too.”

Se Hee was grateful to Kyle for accepting her flaw so nonchalantly.

“I’ll be not only Lee Se Hee’s perfect husband, but also a caring father when needed.”

Then he kissed Se Hee’s forehead.

Wow, perfect me, husband?

Se Hee looked up at Kyle in startling surprise.

Kyle grabbed Se Hee’s hand with a sly smile and set off.

“Now, was the Trevi Fountain next?”