Tae Yeon was startled and quickly pulled her hand away while holding her cell phone.

“What did you talk about with my father?”

“We agreed to have a meal together on the weekend.”

Tae Yeon nodded her head in response. Do Joon narrowed his eyes as he observed her.

If they were a close mother and daughter, her face would have brightened at the mention of seeing her parents on the weekend. Tae Yeon was the complete opposite.

Seeing Tae Yeon’s hands trembling slightly on her lap, Do Joon sat down beside her.

Tae Yeon raised her head and looked at Do Joon.

“Do you have something on your mind?”

“No.”

“Your face says otherwise.”

“It’s nothing.”

As Tae Yeon averted her gaze again, Do Joon reached out his hand. He gently grasped her chin, not enough to hurt, and turned her face to meet his eyes again.

“I can’t live with debts.”

“Yes…”

Tae Yeon’s eyes widened, as if wondering what he meant by this sudden statement.

“I feel indebted for misunderstanding that Jin Tae Yeon had a man.”

“But you already apologized for that.”

“Yet I still feel strangely uneasy about it.”

Do Joon slowly scanned Tae Yeon’s face. His gaze fixed on her dark brown eyes.

“It’s the first time in my life I’ve felt sorry towards someone.”

“…”

“And it’s also the first time I’ve been constantly concerned about someone.”

Do Joon’s eyes didn’t waver as he spoke these words. Rather, it was Tae Yeon whose pupils were shaking violently.

Does this man even realize what he’s saying?

“You’re concerned about me?”

“That’s right.”

“But why…”

She couldn’t recall doing anything to upset Do Joon, no matter how much she thought about it.

Do Joon also had no idea why thoughts of Tae Yeon kept popping up in his mind.

His gaze fell upon Tae Yeon’s clear, dark brown eyes.

Yes, it all started with those eyes.

Tae Yeon’s eyes were so clear and transparent. Looking into them, he felt as if he could see right through to her heart.

But the reality was completely opposite.

Usually, he couldn’t grasp what Tae Yeon was thinking. She always seemed to follow his opinions, but he wondered if it truly came from her heart.

It felt more like she was fulfilling her duty as a wife.

The old Do Joon would have been satisfied with just that.

As long as they appeared to be a normal couple in the eyes of Chairman Cha and others.

“It seems you’re no longer uncomfortable being with me like this, Jin Tae Yeon.”

Do Joon gazed intently at Tae Yeon’s face, still held in his hand.

At those words, Tae Yeon averted her gaze again and murmured softly.

“Lady Choi isn’t here today… I’d like you to let go.”

As Do Joon relaxed his grip, Tae Yeon lifted her hips and moved away as if trying to increase the distance between them.

The gap he had tried so hard to close was widening again.

Tae Yeon was always like this. Drawing a clear line and not crossing it.

Suddenly, he became curious.

How would she react if he crossed that line?

Without hesitation, Do Joon closed the distance.

Seeing him approach, Tae Yeon tried to move to the edge of the sofa, but a large hand suddenly grasped her waist. Tae Yeon’s head turned sharply.

“Do Joon!”

“Why do you keep running away from me, Jin Tae Yeon?”

“Running away? It’s just hot, and you keep moving closer.”

Tae Yeon immediately regretted making such an implausible excuse.

The air conditioning was actually blasting so much that it was rather cold.

Do Joon slightly raised the corner of his mouth and asked mischievously.

“Is that so? Then you should take off that cardigan you’re wearing.”

His dark eyes moved to Tae Yeon’s slender shoulders. Tae Yeon raised her hands to hold her cardigan tightly, as if afraid it might slip off.

“Are you worried I might take it off for you?”

“What? No.”

“It doesn’t seem like that’s not the case.”

Tae Yeon bit her lip before admitting her misunderstanding.

“If you could just move away a little, I think the heat would be fine.”

When he didn’t budge, Tae Yeon thought she should leave and tried to stand up from the sofa.

However, Do Joon quickly grabbed her wrist, forcing her to sit back down.

“Jin Tae Yeon, it’s just the two of us in this house today.”

“…Yes.”

“How about we have a conversation as a married couple?”

“What?”

Tae Yeon’s eyes widened in surprise. Then, with an awkward smile, she started rambling.

“Do Joon, I don’t think that’s a good idea today.”

“Why not?”

Tae Yeon once again clutched her cardigan tightly with both hands, holding it closed at her chest while continuously glancing at Do Joon.

“Well… That’s something usually done between people who love each other.”

There was no response from Do Joon after Tae Yeon finished speaking. Then he slowly licked his lower lip and asked.

“Jin Tae Yeon, did you perhaps misunderstand what I meant by a married couple’s conversation?”

“Pardon?”

Seeing Tae Yeon’s cheeks turn red, Do Joon was certain. The corners of his mouth twitched into a curve.

“Haha. I suppose my words were quite open to misinterpretation.”

“…”

“I didn’t mean physical intimacy. I had no idea you were expecting such a thing.”

“That’s not it!”

Tae Yeon’s voice trembled slightly. Do Joon nodded with a serious expression.

“I swear, I wasn’t trying to make any advances.”

“But you clearly said a married couple’s conversation…”

“I meant this kind of conversation. Since we don’t know each other well yet, I thought we should talk.”

“Oh.”

Tae Yeon let out a short gasp of realization and immediately covered her face with her small hands.

She felt so embarrassed for misunderstanding Do Joon’s words that she wanted to hide in a mouse hole.

“I’m sorry for misunderstanding.”

“Haha. It’s fine.”

Do Joon gazed at Tae Yeon, who was still hanging her head low.

Her small frame, which could easily fit in his arms, caught his eye.

Seeing her unable to lift her face due to embarrassment, Do Joon unconsciously uttered a word.

“Cute.”

Tae Yeon slowly raised her face to look up at Do Joon. This time, it was Do Joon who was filled with bewilderment.

“What did I just say?”

Tae Yeon, also doubting what she had heard, replied.

“You said… cute.”

“I did?”

“Yes.”

“Huh.”

This time, it was Do Joon who stood up from the sofa first.

He aimlessly wandered around the living room, roughly running a hand through his bangs.

After searching for an excuse for a while, Do Joon finally spoke.

“I must have said that unconsciously because Jin Tae Yeon looked cute being embarrassed.”

“Ah… I see.”

As Tae Yeon laughed awkwardly, Do Joon laughed along with her. Wanting to change the atmosphere, Tae Yeon complimented him as well.

“Do Joon fidgeting like that is also quite…”

“Quite?”

“Cute.”

“…”

However, it had the opposite effect. Seeing his brow furrow slightly, Tae Yeon bit her lower lip, regretting the words she had just uttered.

At that moment.

Tae Yeon’s phone, placed on the table, rang. Thinking it might be Hye Sook again, she checked the caller, but it was Min Hyun.

Do Joon also saw the caller at the same time and spoke first.

“It’s that man.”

“Not a man, just a friend.”

“I see. A male friend.”

When Tae Yeon didn’t answer and flipped her phone over, Do Joon moved closer. He picked up the phone and handed it to Tae Yeon.

“Answer it.”

“No, I don’t think I need to.”

Do Joon shook the phone once more as he held it out, and Tae Yeon reluctantly took it.

“Then I’ll go answer it quickly.”

She was planning to hurry to the bedroom to take the call.

As Tae Yeon tried to stand up from the sofa, Do Joon interlocked his fingers with hers and pulled her back.

“I thought I told you to answer.”

“You did.”

“You need me to let go of this for you to answer.”

“You can answer right here.”

“Pardon?”

Do Joon gestured towards the phone with his chin and urged her.

“The call might disconnect.”

“Even so…”

After hesitating, Tae Yeon made a decision. There was no reason to hide her conversation with Min Hyun from Do Joon.

Tae Yeon’s finger firmly pressed the green answer button.

-Tae Yeon, did you see the message I sent?

“Yes, I read it.”

-I can explain everything about that day.

Min Hyun kept apologizing and then explained the reason for his unexpected behavior.

-A suspicious black sedan had been following you from in front of your company. I thought it might be a coincidence, but it even entered the restaurant with us.

“I see.”

This was something Tae Yeon hadn’t known either. As she glanced at Do Joon while on the call, he was pretending not to pay attention.

-And there was a man at a corner table who seemed to be glaring at you. I thought he might be your stalker, so I acted that way to see his reaction.

“Ah, that man was…”

-I know. Thankfully, it turned out to be your husband. I want to apologize. To you, and to your husband as well.

Do Joon’s lips curved into a smile, apparently able to hear the conversation. Tae Yeon wrapped up the call with Min Hyun and hung up.

“The black sedan that followed me from the company, was that you, Do Joon?”

“That’s right.”

“Why did you do that? Did you suspect I had a suspicious relationship with Min Hyun?”

“No, Jin Tae Yeon.”

Do Joon straightened his back and explained why he had to go to the restaurant that day.

“It was when I thought the person in the photo was you, Jin Tae Yeon, so I naturally expected paparazzi taking your photos to appear at the scene.”

Hearing this, it made sense, and Tae Yeon nodded. But there was still one unanswered question.

“Then why were you staring at me so intently? Wouldn’t that have looked even more suspicious?”

“Do you want an honest answer?”

“What? Yes.”

“I was jealous. I think I said this that day too.”

“Jealous?”

“In front of me, you only say what’s necessary and rarely smile, but you seemed comfortable with that man, so I envied him.”

It was an extremely honest statement. Even Do Joon himself was surprised by his words.

Never in his life had he envied anyone. Everything he wanted was already in his hands before he even thought of wanting it.

To think that the word ‘envy’ would come out of his mouth.

Tae Yeon was also so surprised by Do Joon’s words that she couldn’t respond right away.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t see that friend alone from now on.”

“I won’t. It would be troublesome for both you and me if strange rumors were to spread.”

It was the day Do Joon had the most conversation since coming to Korea. The clock hands had already passed midnight.

The wall of awkwardness between the two was gradually melting away on this night.