As they stepped onto the empty ferryboat, Geon tightened his grip on Yeonwoo’s hand due to the swaying movement.

“It’s dangerous, so hold on tight.”

“Yes, I will!”

Holding Geon’s hand firmly, Yeonwoo, even in the swaying boat, had a radiant expression, as if she was enjoying herself.

The worries that had troubled Yeonwoo until recently seemed to have disappeared as soon as they arrived at the lake.

Both of them took their seats, and as they rowed, the ferryboat began to leisurely drift through the cluster of lotus flowers.

With the pleasant cool breeze and the scent of lotus flowers, Yeonwoo’s nose was gently tickled.

The rhythmic sound of water gently colliding had a strangely calming effect on their minds.

When they reached the center of the lake, the two of them took a break from rowing and enjoyed the surrounding scenery.

—Gurgle.

Perhaps it was due to not having breakfast yet; a sound of hunger came from Yeonwoo’s stomach.

Upon hearing that, Geon quietly took out a prepared bundle.

As he untied the bundle, various colored sweet rice cakes revealed themselves.

Seeing the display, Yeonwoo, swallowing her saliva, asked, “What kind of sweet rice cakes are these?”

“Someone ate sweet rice cakes while looking at lotus flowers, and it reminded me of that.”

No matter how much she thought about it, that someone was undoubtedly referring to Yeonho.

Recently, Yeonwoo had thought that Geon’s mind was occupied by the incidents involving Yeonho.

She believed that Geon still couldn’t forget Yeonho and was suffering emotionally.

As for Yeonwoo, being able to be with Geon, even if it was the male version of Yeonho, was bearable.

However, every time Geon looked at her, it seemed tender, and even Yeonwoo’s heart moistened with emotion.

With a somewhat forlorn expression, Yeonwoo opened her mouth.
“That rice cake, I don’t know who you ate it with, but it seems like you had it in a really picturesque place.”

“She was truly a beautiful lady.”

Cough!

Yeonwoo coughed dryly.

If she had been eating the rice cake, she would have choked on it.

With her face turning as red as a beet, Yeonwoo felt embarrassed and changed the subject.

“I-I’ll eat the rice cake. Please go ahead.”

There wasn’t anything wrong with the rice cake getting cold, but Yeonwoo blurted out anything to escape this awkward situation.

However, despite Yeonwoo’s urging to eat the rice cake, Geon stared at her without saying a word.

Yeonwoo became increasingly uncomfortable under his gaze, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

Why was this noble acting this way today?

She couldn’t distinguish whether he had come to make her feel comfortable or uncomfortable.

“Aren’t you eating? Well then, I’ll eat first?”

Just as Yeonwoo was about to pick up the rice cake, Geon abruptly grabbed her wrist.

Then, with his deep and intense eyes, he silently stared at Yeonwoo.

“……”

“……”

Although no words were exchanged, a strange tension filled the air between the two facing each other.

Since finding out that Yeonwoo was a woman, every time he saw her, Geon’s heart seemed to be burning more intensely.

Until Yeonwoo opened up her heart, until she herself revealed that she was a woman, Geon intended to wait for her response.

But as the waiting prolonged and his feelings for Yeonwoo deepened, Geon became impatient.

Even though Yeonwoo wouldn’t fly away somewhere, the anxiety that if he didn’t grasp her, she would disappear grew with each passing day.

The process of building trust was precious, but at times, he wished that Yeonwoo would honestly show him her true self.

Geon suppressed the feelings he couldn’t convey to Yeonwoo within himself.

Do you know? The feeling of pretending not to know even when you know.

The feeling of not being able to grasp even when it’s right in front of you. The feeling of waiting even though you know.

How long would Yeonwoo pretend not to know that she knew Geon knew she was a woman?

How long would he just watch this lovely, adorable Yeonwoo?

Every time he observed this pretty girl, this incredibly lovable Yeonwoo, Geon’s dark heart grew uncontrollably larger.

He wanted to embrace Yeonwoo in his arms right away.

He wanted to kiss her lips and declare that she was his woman.

On the other hand, Yeonwoo, who didn’t understand Geon’s intentions, rambled on about irrelevant things.

“Hahaha… Am I really making such a fuss about eating first?”

Feeling Geon’s burning gaze on her, Yeonwoo chuckled nervously.

She tried to free her hand from his grip, but it was a futile struggle.

Geon, who had fixed his gaze on Yeonwoo, seemed unwilling to let her go.

Was Gwangho, the noble, originally such a voracious eater?

“N-Nonsense. Are you making such a fuss just because I’m eating first?”

At that moment, Geon’s intense pupils approached Yeonwoo as if they were going to engulf her.
Analyzing Yeonwoo’s experiences with Geon so far, she could anticipate what would come next.

Geon’s gaze wasn’t focused on the rice cake.

“Hong Yeonwoo.”

“……!”

When Geon called her name in a subdued voice, Yeonwoo’s heart began to beat rapidly.

For some reason, just the sound of him calling her name made her whole body feel like it was melting.

Geon’s other hand slowly wrapped around Yeonwoo’s waist.

Simultaneously, his crimson lips gently descended onto Yeonwoo’s.

Splash!

The canoe tilted to one side, causing Yeonwoo and Geon to fall into the lake.

With a sweet kiss, the two sank beneath the surface.

A kiss as intense as the fragrance of the lotus flowers. A passionate kiss, just like the fully bloomed lotus flowers, had begun.