“Can you handle it?”

Lee Se Hee felt herself being drawn into Kyle’s deep blue eyes, whose depths seemed unfathomable.

Se Hee’s heart received a strong shock from his unexpected response.

It felt like her breath would stop right there from his dizzying scent rushing in.

“Is no answer a yes?”

Kyle’s gaze, tilted slightly right in front of her, was fixed on Se Hee’s red lips.

“Of, of course, if, if a situation arises where I need to handle it, I’ll have to, but I don’t think it’s now.”

Se Hee, who had gathered her wits with difficulty, turned her face away from his gaze.

An indescribable sensation that crept up her spine seemed to cause dizziness.

He let out a small snort.

Se Hee moved to break away from him, but Kyle embraced her even more tightly.

He pulled Se Hee close to himself and whispered softly in her ear.

“Next time, you’ll have to be careful. I might not let you go.”

His lips brushed dangerously close to Se Hee’s earlobe.

At that moment, as if shocked by electricity, Se Hee experienced for the first time a thrill running through her entire body from head to toe.

A moment later, Kyle loosened his arms and released Se Hee.

But Se Hee, frozen in place, couldn’t move easily.

“It seems redder than the sunset.”

One corner of Kyle’s mouth turned up arrogantly as he gazed intently at Se Hee’s face, as if admiring it.

* * *

She couldn’t even remember how she got back to her room.

Her hands and feet were numb from how much she had trembled nervously in front of that man.

Se Hee scolded her heart for responding so easily, when it hadn’t been long since what happened with Hyo Jun.

“Get it together, Lee Se Hee.”

She even found Kyle annoying, looking so relaxed on the returning boat, as if nothing had happened, unlike herself.

Isn’t this man a player?

Making other people’s hearts flutter like this.

Her mind became complicated.

It seems tonight will be another sleepless night.

With a thud, Se Hee lay down on the bed and closed her eyes.

When she closed her eyes, she vividly recalled that man’s breath she had felt on her ear.

“Ah… What is this. Really.”

Se Hee decided to forcibly think of something else.

Just then, the room’s doorbell rang.

Could it be?

Se Hee jumped up and checked her condition in the mirror.

Should I change clothes?

No, no. Let’s not do this. I need to calm down.

“Who is it?”

“Hello, guest. I’m the room manager.”

Manager?

Se Hee carefully opened the door.

“I apologize for the late hour. But I thought I should deliver this to you quickly, so I’ve taken the liberty.”

He held out a box he was holding, with a kind smile and gentle words.

“What is this?”

“It’s a gift prepared by our CEO as an apology for last night’s incident.”

“A gift?”

“It was clearly our cruise company’s mistake for not ensuring the passenger’s safety.”

“Ah, no. It was me who entered that area.”

“We will do our best to ensure a more comfortable journey from now on.”

“Ah… yes.”

Se Hee felt sorry for the overly kind crew member.

Dropping the earring, entering the underground engine room hatch because of it, and getting trapped – in a way, it was all her own mistake.

“Then have a pleasant night.”

After Se Hee took the box, the crew member bowed politely and left.

Se Hee, who had entered the room, stared blankly at the box.

It was a very luxuriously wrapped box.

No matter how she thought about it, this gift seemed too much.

With a dazed expression, Se Hee began to open the box.

When she removed the wrapping, a high-end jewelry box, incomparable to the wrapping paper, revealed its true form.

Se Hee was surprised once again.

‘What is this?’

As she slowly lifted the lid of the jewelry box, a pearl accessory set emitted a brilliant light.

And in one corner of the accessory set was a small box.

Inside the box, the pearl earring that Se Hee had lost was preciously contained.

‘Good heavens.’

To be given a pearl accessory set as compensation for being trapped in the hatch.

Her small earring even looked inferior compared to the pearl earrings she had received as a gift.

Se Hee, who didn’t welcome unearned income, pondered.

But on the other hand, she could understand such excessive compensation.

Wasn’t it a shipping company operated by Evans Hotel?

A place renowned for its top-notch facilities and services, so the method of covering up a problem with customer safety would also be at the highest level.

Se Hee thought that the person who had asked for her earring to be found was probably Mr. Graham.

That he had lodged a complaint with the captain after sending her back first.

His expression as he went with the captain had looked quite fierce.

Se Hee wasn’t the type to go around talking about being trapped even if she wasn’t given something like this, but she decided to accept it gratefully, thinking that returning it might cause another misunderstanding.

A necklace, earrings, bracelet, and even a ring that spread a mysterious, brilliant light.

They were really pretty.

But was the ring originally part of the set?

Se Hee, who had only had the couple ring she had matched with Hyo Jun as a ring, just tilted her head.

Se Hee tried on the ring.

Originally, wedding rings are worn on the ring finger.

Huh. What’s this?

“Why does it fit so well?”

As if it had been custom-made, the ring fit perfectly on Se Hee’s finger.

“Was my size actually the international standard size?”

Se Hee nodded as if she had just realized.

Se Hee, who had put on each accessory one by one, stood in front of the mirror.

Her reflection in the mirror, tinged with the brilliant light of the pearls, was smiling brightly.

* * *

The next morning.

Although she had fallen asleep late in the early hours, thanks to setting several alarms, Se Hee was able to wake up without being late.

The Decona, which had sailed non-stop through the night, had already arrived at its second port of call, Mykonos, even before Se Hee woke up.

Mykonos, the most beautiful island in the Aegean Sea – Se Hee was already starting to get excited.

After having a quick breakfast at the buffet, Se Hee packed her camera and phone.

And after disembarking with other travelers, she boarded the shuttle prepared by the cruise ship and departed with a joyful heart.

She planned to first see the landmark windmills of Mykonos and Little Venice.

“Be careful with your camera.”

When getting off the shuttle, the crew member reminded her once again.

“Yes, thank you.”

Se Hee smiled brightly at the kind crew member and eagerly headed towards the windmills.

Wow!

She arrived at Kato Mili, where five windmills stood prettily in a row.

The blue sea and sky visible behind the windmills blended so well together.

It seemed like even a carelessly taken photo would become a masterpiece.

Should I just settle down here?

It was so beautiful that she felt like not wanting to return to the complicated Korea.

Se Hee looked at the refreshing Aegean Sea with a happy heart.

It’s blue.

Really blue.

That man’s eyes also had a blue tint, didn’t they?

‘Can you handle it?’

Huh.

What am I thinking?

Why is that man coming to mind while looking at the sea?

Se Hee shook her head.

And headed towards the downtown alleys.

But she soon regretted going there.

Is. This. A. Maze?

Se Hee simply couldn’t find her way out of the alleys.

For Se Hee, who was one of the worst with directions in Korea, this was the highest level of difficulty.

‘Damn. I’m screwed.’

At that moment.

“Hey, you bastard. Give me the bag.”

Familiar Korean was heard from somewhere.

And soon after, a foreign man came running at a terrifying speed into the alley where Se Hee was.

“Move!”

The bag the man was holding caught Se Hee’s eye for a brief moment.

It was a brand familiar from Korea.

Se Hee pretended to stick to the wall while subtly sticking out her foot.

With a thud and a bang, the man tripped over Se Hee’s leg and fell flat.

‘That must hurt.’

Se Hee, ignoring the falling man, quickly picked up the bag that had fallen far away.

The man who had hurriedly gotten up approached Se Hee with a menacing expression.

“Hey! You thief. Got you red-handed. I’ll show you the taste of Korean Taekwondo.”

At that moment, a well-built Korean man with a nicely tanned skin came running into the alley with a frown.

Seeing the considerable difference in physique, the thief glared fiercely at Se Hee before quickly making a run for it.

“Are you the owner of the bag?”

Se Hee asked the man.

“Oh, are you Korean?”

“Yes.”

“Wow. Indeed, even in a place like this, I receive help from a fellow countryman. Thank you. I’m Ban Seong Jae, the bag owner’s friend.”

“Friend?”

No sooner had Se Hee finished speaking than a woman in short shorts with long wavy hair came rushing into the alley, her hair flying.

“Di, huff huff… Did you catch him? Huff huff.”

She was so out of breath that she could barely speak.

“Of course. Who else but Ban Seong Jae could catch him? Though I did get a little help.”

Seong Jae winked at Se Hee.

“Here.”

Se Hee handed over the bag she was holding to the woman.

“Thank you. You’re Korean, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I happened to help by chance.”

Se Hee smiled brightly.

“You’re my lifesaver. Everything I have is in this bag. I’m Jin Jung Yeon, the bag owner.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Se Hee, a solo traveler.”

Se Hee also smiled and greeted them at their impromptu introduction.

“Well, now that introductions are over, shall we go for a delicious cup of coffee? It’s my treat.”

At Seong Jae’s suggestion, the three of them went to find a pretty cafe nearby.

The cute and pretty cafe was full of travelers.

“Wow. We’re the same age.”

When Jung Yeon asked about her age and Se Hee answered, Seong Jae brightened up.

“Then shall we drop the formalities from now on? Why is our Se Hee traveling alone?”

Seong Jae leaned in close to Se Hee with a greasy look and a grin.

At that moment, a dull and heavy sound rang out from the back of Seong Jae’s head.

“Hey! That’s really burdensome, you know? Want me to smash your skull?”

Jung Yeon, who had hit Seong Jae’s head, glared at him with fierce eyes.

“Ugh.”

Seong Jae clutched his aching head.

“We came on that cruise ship docked in the sea, how did our Se Hee come?”

But still not giving up, Seong Jae asked Se Hee with sticky eyes.

“Oh? Me too. I came on that. The Decona.”

Se Hee said in surprise.

“Really? Why didn’t we see you? There shouldn’t have been many Koreans.”

Jung Yeon said, as if it was unexpected.

“Oh my goodness. This is fate. Destiny.”

Seong Jae closed his eyes tightly and placed his hand on his chest as if in admiration.

“Bullshit, say one more word, okay? I’ll make you ‘destiny’ today.”

Jung Yeon snapped back as if it was ridiculous.

“Did you two come on the cruise trip together?”

“Oh, no. No misunderstanding. We’re staying in separate rooms.”

Jung Yeon immediately answered Se Hee’s question.

“It’s because I’m really a good person. What they call a sucker? Something like that.”

Seong Jae nodded and touched his forehead as if he felt sorry for himself.

“Hey, speak properly. Uncle sent it, didn’t he?”

Jung Yeon shouted as if annoyed.

“Anyway, it was sent by my father at my request. So of course, it’s thanks to me.”

“Because of you, unnecessary past issues were dug up, do you know how much I suffered from my dad because of that incident? And when did I ever say I wanted to go on a cruise trip? Huh?”

Jung Yeon exclaimed in shock and even pointed her finger at Seong Jae.

“Since your father was sending us on a trip anyway, shouldn’t we go on a Mediterranean cruise trip that’s better than Alaska where that guy went? Ah… by the way, her dad and my father are quite close.”

Seong Jae added.

“What? This bastard, really.”

Jung Yeon grabbed Seong Jae’s collar and shook him.

Se Hee, who had been watching the two’s banter, could roughly guess how their trip had started.

The return journey after finishing the Mykonos trip with these interesting two people was also full of laughter.

“We have a dinner reservation at Francois on the 21st floor, would you like to join us, Se Hee?”

Seong Jae asked at the entrance where they were about to part ways to their respective rooms after returning to the Decona.

“Yes. Let’s go together. It must have been hard to eat alone since you came by yourself.”

Jung Yeon also said to Se Hee.

Francois Restaurant, famous even on the Decona, was one of the places Se Hee really wanted to visit.

“Then I’ll gratefully accept your invitation.”

Se Hee answered willingly.

* * *

Kyle, who had returned from the Mykonos field survey, was heading to the private room of Francois Restaurant to wrap up business talks over dinner with the visiting delegations from that side.

As he just entered the gallery leading to the restaurant entrance, a familiar figure appreciating the paintings caught Kyle’s eye.

It was Se Hee in a light pink dress.

The pearl necklace around her neck shone brilliantly.

He had chosen that size thinking it would suit her well, and it was as he had expected.

The necklace around Se Hee’s slender neck made her appearance even more radiant.

A satisfied smile briefly crossed Kyle’s lips.

Just as Kyle was about to take a step towards Se Hee,

“Se Hee.”

The voice of an unfamiliar man stopped Kyle’s steps.

The man who had called Se Hee’s name approached her with a friendly smile.

At that moment, Kyle’s brow, which had been standing still, furrowed.