Do Joon looked down at Tae Yeon and raised the corner of his mouth.

“It’s because I want to see that expression of Jin Tae Yeon again.”

“Pardon?”

“And I’m also curious about what face Jin Tae Yeon would make if I did something more.”

Tae Yeon narrowed her eyes in disbelief.

Just then, the elevator arrived at the floor with the executive parking lot.

Do Joon didn’t get off first, but held the open button, considerately letting Tae Yeon exit.

“You said you don’t like being seen by others. My car is at B13.”

Do Joon even handed Tae Yeon his car keys and let her exit the elevator first.

Tae Yeon took his car keys and hurried her steps.

Even though their fingers had only lightly touched, her cheeks flushed red.

It wasn’t just her cheeks that were heated.

At some point, her heart had lost its normal rhythm and was beating wildly.

As if she were a person in love.

“I’m crazy. What’s wrong with me?”

Before blaming Do Joon for saying misleading things and playing tricks, she was more bewildered by her own excessive reaction.

She wasn’t a child anymore, yet she was so embarrassed just from their fingers touching.

“Did he say I’m cute?”

Sitting in Do Joon’s car waiting for him, Tae Yeon took out a mirror. Her small face filled the mirror completely.

“Where exactly?”

She tried to imitate the expression Do Joon had mentioned, but it wasn’t easy.

Thinking that only Do Joon had seen a side of her that she herself didn’t know gave her an odd feeling.

Today was the day of Do Joon’s homecoming party.

It had been quite a while since he returned, but Do Joon had made various excuses to skip gatherings, resulting in several of his homecoming parties being held without him.

Today, at his friend Tae Hwan’s insistence that he must come, Do Joon headed to the KK Hotel lounge bar.

As soon as Do Joon entered the lounge bar, his friend Tae Hwan approached and put an arm around his shoulders.

It was early evening, but everyone’s faces were flushed with alcohol, as if they had been drinking since daytime.

“Cha Do Joon, it’s been a while.”

Everyone greeted Do Joon warmly. Do Joon sat down without much enthusiasm and raised his glass meaninglessly.

Tae Hwan asked.

“How have you been lately? Isn’t it uncomfortable living in the same house with Jin Tae Yeon? You’re the type who can’t sleep with others.”

At those words, everyone fixed their gaze on Do Joon curiously.

Do Joon put his glass down on the table and crossed his long legs.

“It’s good.”

“…What did you say?”

Everyone looked dumbfounded, as if they had heard something unbelievable.

“I said it’s good.”

“What is?”

“My life these days, I’m satisfied with it.”

Everyone exchanged glances, wondering if this conversation flow was natural.

This time, Do Joon asked.

“I really don’t understand women, so can I ask a question?”

“Sure. Ask away.”

Women never seemed to leave Tae Hwan’s side.

Even women he just met would quickly fall in love after exchanging a few words with him. Do Joon was suddenly curious about his secret.

“I’m curious about how to make women like you.”

“Wow. Cha Do Joon is curious about that?”

Tae Hwan looked truly surprised. Do Joon seemed to think he had asked an unnecessary question and quickly waved his hand.

“Never mind. I asked a useless question.”

“Sincerity.”

“What?”

“You have to treat them well with sincerity. Not something fake.”

“Sincerity…”

Do Joon swirled the amber liquid in his glass, repeating that word.

Then, as if he still didn’t quite understand, he asked again.

“So how exactly?”

“Is it difficult to show sincerity?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Well, that’s…”

Do Joon couldn’t answer easily.

Right. Why was it difficult to treat someone sincerely?

Rather than difficult, it would be more accurate to say he didn’t know how.

Others had always adjusted everything to Do Joon before he even thought about how to treat them.

Tae Hwan poked his own heart with his finger as if it were really simple.

“Just do what this tells you to do.”

Do Joon raised one eyebrow.

“Don’t follow what your head suppresses. Do what you want to do.”

Do Joon smiled an enigmatic smile, as if he understood but didn’t.

“If you like her, say you like her. If you love her, say you love her. Express yourself.”

Tae Hwan leaned in closer, smiling with interest.

“Why? Did you find a woman you’re interested in?”

“Hey, we should keep this from your sister-in-law if that’s the case.”

“What are you talking about?”

Do Joon frowned deeply.

“You didn’t get a girlfriend?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then why did you ask that question earlier?”

Tae Hwan looked skeptical.

“Hey, don’t tell me. Did you really develop feelings for your sister-in-law?”

“Well. I am curious. Lately, I keep thinking about her.”

Silence fell simultaneously among Do Joon’s friends. Do Joon looked at them as if to ask why they were acting that way.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Tae Hwan picked up his glass and downed it.

“So what are you going to do? Confess your love or something?”

“I don’t know.”

A relationship where everyone would find it strange if the couple treated each other sincerely despite being married. That was a strategic marriage.

But there was no law saying they couldn’t.

Tae Hwan looked at Do Joon with a serious face.

“First, treat her well. No woman dislikes a man who treats her well.”

“Treat her well… You mean give her KK Group stocks or something?”

“Ha. What are we going to do with this guy, really.”

All the men gathered there, except for Do Joon, laughed as if they couldn’t believe it.

“Not that. Like doing events or something. Or at night…”

Someone nudged Tae Hwan as he was rambling. He quickly realized the situation and wiped his mouth.

“Right, that’s going too far. Anyway, speak gently, you know? In a soft tone… Ah, forget it. As if you’d do something like that if I told you to.”

Everyone looked gloomy, as if facing a great dilemma.

They wanted to help their friend, but no matter what method they suggested, it didn’t seem like Do Joon would actually do it. It was a big problem.

Until now, there had only been work in Do Joon’s life. Even if the most beautiful woman came to seduce him, he wouldn’t even blink. So reciting common methods would be useless for Do Joon.

“I think it might be faster to just give up.”

“No. He might actually fall for it if we tell him to seduce her by giving her all the KK Group stocks.”

“Ugh. As if she’d fall for that.”

Everyone seriously pondered what Do Joon could do.

“If you manage to shake your sister-in-law’s heart but she still doesn’t budge? There’s one good method to use then.”

Do Joon showed interest in Tae Hwan’s words. Tae Hwan went to Do Joon’s side and whispered something in his ear.

Do Joon made an intriguing expression.

“That works?”

“Yes. You can trust me.”

After that, Do Joon’s friends continued to ramble on about methods to seduce women.

Do Joon, who had been half-listening to the conversation, emptied all the alcohol in front of him, shrugged his shoulders, and stood up.

“I’ll remember what you told me today. The conclusion is to do as I please, as I want, right?”

It was also what he was best at.

Doing what he wanted without considering others’ opinions.

The face of Tae Yeon, who would be waiting for him at home, flashed before his eyes.

It was a night to put the advice he heard from his friends into practice.

Even after parting with his friends, it was quite late when Do Joon returned to the newlywed home.

Tae Yeon, dressed in pajamas, greeted Do Joon when she heard the door open.

“You’re back?”

Do Joon staggered slightly as he approached Tae Yeon.

A faint scent of alcohol wafted from him, as if he had drunk a lot.

“Why aren’t you asleep? It’s quite late.”

Tae Yeon smiled brightly at that question.

Strangely, she didn’t want to enter the bedroom without Do Joon.

Unable to reveal such inner thoughts, she packaged it well with other words.

“I drank a lot of coffee during the day, so I can’t seem to fall asleep.”

“I see.”

He seemed to have drunk quite a bit, looking slightly disheveled unlike his usual neat self.

The tie he always wore neatly up to his neck was nowhere to be seen. His shirt buttons were undone, revealing his taut skin.

Tae Yeon deliberately averted her gaze and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Do Joon, you should wash up first.”

“Alright.”

After sending Do Joon to the bathroom attached to the master bedroom, Tae Yeon sent Mrs. Choi home.

She thought about just sitting and waiting for him, but remembering something she had received from Do Joon before, she moved to the kitchen.

While boiling warm water and stirring in honey, she worried about Do Joon.

“He seemed to have drunk quite a bit, I wonder if this will be enough.”

Should she go buy a hangover remedy?

As she was thinking that,

The bedroom door clicked open and Do Joon came out wearing a robe. His wet bangs covered his forehead.

Because of that, he gave off a different atmosphere than usual.

‘Can a person look so different just from letting their hair down?’

Tae Yeon moved her steps while staring at his face. Her hands were tightly holding the honey water she had made herself.

“Drink this.”

Do Joon took the honey water and asked.

“Did Mrs. Choi make this?”

“No. Mrs. Choi went home.”

If it wasn’t made by Mrs. Choi, there was only one person who could have made that honey water.

Do Joon raised the corners of his mouth and smiled gratefully.

“It tastes especially good since Jin Tae Yeon gave it to me.”

After emptying the honey water in one gulp, Do Joon closed his eyes tightly as if his head was dizzy and sat down on the sofa in the living room for a moment.

“Do Joon, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Should I go buy a hangover remedy?”

“No. Don’t worry about me, Jin Tae Yeon can go to sleep first.”

She could have easily done so, but strangely, she didn’t want to leave Do Joon’s side.

She knew how lonely it was to fall asleep alone from her experience in Busan.

Tae Yeon didn’t leave his side and stood blankly near the sofa.

Meanwhile, Do Joon exhaled hot breaths. The alcohol was spreading through his body faster after showering with hot water and coming out.

Do Joon closed his eyes for a moment, leaning his head on the sofa.

“Do Joon?”

Tae Yeon called his name, but there was no response.

Had he fallen asleep?

Tae Yeon got up and waved her hand in front of Do Joon’s face.

Still, only the sound of regular breathing could be heard, and he didn’t open his eyes.

“If you sleep like this, you’ll be uncomfortable tomorrow… Do Joon, let’s go inside and sleep.”

Tae Yeon unconsciously grabbed Do Joon’s hand and shook it. After calling his name a few times, Do Joon slowly lifted his eyelids.

“Oh? You’re awake! Thank goodness. I was worrying about having to drag Do Joon to bed…”

Tae Yeon couldn’t finish her sentence.

“Wait a moment!”

Do Joon suddenly spread his arms and hugged Tae Yeon tightly.