“Are we going home now?”

Han Ye Rin smiled at Cha Do Ha after finishing dinner at a famous restaurant that required reservations months in advance.

Despite a brief interruption, Ye Rin was very pleased with how the day had gone. From the art gallery to the meal, Do Ha had perfectly prepared everything. His kindness and thoughtfulness made her regret that the day was already coming to an end.

Feeling good but also a bit tired, Ye Rin was looking out the window when she heard him speak.

“You didn’t think this was the end, did you? There’s still one more thing left.”

With a playful expression and affectionate gesture, Do Ha caressed Ye Rin’s cheek as he spoke. Startled as if he had seen right through her, Ye Rin showed a somewhat dazed look.

“What?”

“You said you wanted to sleep with me outside. So let’s go.”

Only then did Ye Rin recall the evening two months ago, when she and Do Ha had eaten stir-fried octopus to celebrate her interview at Dally Coffee.

– I want to sleep with you.

Bold words she had blurted out while drunk, unable to control herself. That night, Do Ha had gently refused, but the next morning, he had agreed to her request, if not perfectly.

– Okay. Even if we can’t go far, let’s at least go somewhere nearby together.

Unfortunately, with starting at Dally Coffee and the subsequent company incident, she had completely forgotten about the promise. Do Ha had remembered and prepared for a promise that she herself, the one who made it, had forgotten.

Frozen in the unexpected situation, Ye Rin showed a dazed look. Seeing this, Do Ha laughed mischievously, grabbed her cheeks and gave her a light kiss.

“Ye Rin. Does doing this mean you want me to hold you like a princess and do it again?”

The whole way to the hotel, Do Ha wore a gentle smile. Even while driving, his occasional hand holding showed deeper affection than ever before.

“What are you thinking about?”

When the car stopped at a light, Do Ha reached out to stroke Ye Rin’s hair and asked with gently curved eyes.

‘I like going for a drive this late at night.’ Or ‘Thank you, Do Ha, for keeping your promise.’

Countless appropriate responses came to mind, but Ye Rin couldn’t say a word and just smiled faintly. The two of them were on their way to a hotel right now.

That was the problem.

In this exciting moment, there was just one thing weighing on her mind. No, something that was grating on her nerves entirely.

‘I shouldn’t have said I wanted to sleep outside.’

She knew the reason Do Ha couldn’t take his clothes off in front of her, the reason he only wore long-sleeved pajamas.

Ye Rin lifted the corners of her mouth.

“Thinking of us.”

Seeming pleased with the answer, Do Ha laughed softly and held out his hand. They were already in the hotel parking lot.

In the elevator that went up quickly without much noise, Ye Rin was a bit stiff, unlike the eager expression she had shown Do Ha when checking in.

It wasn’t just because Ye Rin knew about Do Ha’s scars. Do Ha had also been conscious of it the whole time and didn’t even sleep with her to hide it. But now he was the one suggesting they go to a hotel first.

‘Do Ha, are you trying to show it to me? Or…’

Ye Rin shook her head. If Do Ha showed her his body, it would mean he was revealing the accident from a year ago, and if he was going to reveal it so easily, he wouldn’t have hidden it so tightly.

So right now, Do Ha was doing this for her sake, trying to comfort his wife who felt sad and disappointed with a husband who suddenly stopped being physically affectionate.

‘I made things hard for him again.’

Me, again.

Ye Rin regretted it. An uncontrollable sense of self-blame washed over her.

What was the big deal?

What was physical affection or sleeping together that she made things hard for Do Ha again?

Even if she made the excuse that she also didn’t know about Do Ha’s injuries at the time she brought it up, it provided no comfort. Thinking that he had booked the hotel room forcibly for his wife’s sake, she found it hard to take another step.

“What is it, Ye Rin?”

“…It’s nothing.”

At the bland answer, Do Ha laughed briefly and opened the hotel room door. Ye Rin stepped into the room decorated calmly in gray tones.

It was a pretty room. Although surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, the view was beautiful no matter where you looked without any obstructions, clearly showing Do Ha had personally selected it.

“I should wash up quickly. Do Ha, I’ll wash up first.”

Ye Rin hurried to the bathroom. It was so she could pretend to be asleep due to fatigue when Do Ha came out after washing up following her.

When she came out after washing quickly but thoroughly, Do Ha was looking out the window.

“Do Ha, go wash up.”

Speaking rapidly, Ye Rin slipped into the fluffy bedding and showed a happy expression.

“I’ll be out after I wash up.”

As soon as he spoke, the sound of the bathroom door closing was heard. As soon as Do Ha, who didn’t take his clothes off outside the bathroom just like at home – no, couldn’t take them off – went into the bathroom, Ye Rin’s face darkened.

She sighed in lamentation at her situation of not being able to do anything even in front of the person she loved. Right now, she wanted to run to him and shout.

That she knew everything. So let’s stop this act.

But Ye Rin still didn’t know the whole truth. In her current state, it was clear she wouldn’t be able to fully empathize with the pain and hurt Do Ha had experienced.

‘Do Ha probably doesn’t even want me thinking like this anyway.’

She was trying to reveal the truth for Do Ha’s sake, but he didn’t want the truth to be known. So she, who had to be selfish, had gone along with it under the pretense of doing it for him.

But every time she faced that fact, it felt like falling into a dilemma. The feeling of wandering aimlessly at a forked road with no signposts.

What pulled Ye Rin out of her self-contradiction was a thudding sound.

Click.

Ye Rin squeezed her eyes shut tighter and curled up facing the wall. With the lighting dimmed as much as possible while pretending to sleep, every noise felt as loud as if there was a speaker right next to her.

As the presence got closer, Ye Rin did her best to limit her body movements. Soon, Do Ha sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Ye Rin.”

A choked voice mixed with breathing seeped into her ears. The edge of the bed sank and a hot aura rose up her nape, conveying the cool sensation of having just showered.

“Are you sleeping?”

Ye Rin trembled her body imperceptibly. Sorrowful brown eyes closed desperately in the darkness. Even though she didn’t want to hurt Do Ha, she was hurting him at the same time.

Because he would think she knew nothing at all about the accident. But what would he feel seeing her fall asleep like this on such a special night?

Hiding the pitiful contradiction, the thin fabric of clothes was felt behind Ye Rin’s curled up body. Do Ha, wearing the pajamas provided in the room, pulled her slender back into an embrace and tightened his arms.

As expected, the long sleeves remained. Holding her even tighter, he whispered in a resonant, choked voice.

“I love you.”

I’m sorry, Ye Rin.

Why did his words of love feel like a confession of sin?

Ye Rin couldn’t bear it.

She wanted to tell him to rest assured. That she was fine, that they still loved each other. That she would always be by his side so he shouldn’t worry. The words welled up to the tip of her tongue. Ye Rin strained to stop her shaking body.

How should she approach a person like this? Could she really pretend to know?

“I love you too, Do Ha.”

Unable to find an answer in the end, Ye Rin turned her body. She just wanted to tell him.

That she loved him. That it was unchanging.

Ye Rin roughly crashed her lips into Do Ha’s. Startled for a moment as Ye Rin, whom he thought was asleep, suddenly kissed him, Do Ha immediately ravaged her lips and soon hot breaths dove into each other’s mouths.

Mmph.

Letting out a faint moan, Ye Rin reached her arm back and turned off the dim lighting. In the pitch darkness, her breathing deepened.

After the long kiss ended, Ye Rin held Do Ha tight. Then she turned her body the opposite way and reached back to bring Do Ha’s arm to wrap around her waist. Soon, warm body heat was felt against her back.

* * *

“Ye Rin! Did you have a good weekend?”

“What? Oh, ah. It was good. Did you have a nice weekend too, sunbae?”

So Jung greeted her with a bright smile from the morning. Contrary to her pure intentions, the weekend Ye Rin spent with Do Ha came to mind, instantly reddening her cheeks.

Of course, nothing had happened that night. But why did she feel so embarrassed by So Jung’s question?

“Hmm~”

As expected, So Jung made a subtle look as if she noticed something. Ye Rin looked pitiful, unable to show it and just floundering, but fortunately she quickly changed the subject.

“I had a good time. Then shall we start our hectic work again today?”

Chatting away, the two of them left the office and headed to Seongsu-dong to carry out special duties.

“It’s the annual Foley bag MD event, and this bag is so popular as a luxury item that it’s resold at a premium through second-hand transactions.”

Ye Rin had also heard about it. That Dally Coffee recommends and gives out luxury bags to customers as prizes every year on its founding anniversary.

“It’s a tradition for headquarters employees to directly participate on-site and sell beverages. Be careful since not only our Management Support Team but other departments come too.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

The junior who hadn’t even shed her newbie label nodded attentively at the prudent request of her 6-year senior. The Foley bag event prize was Dally Coffee’s oldest and most popular tradition, so it was both nerve-wracking and exciting.

The event location was selected each year by drawing lots among nationwide branches, and this year, the grand opening was held at the Seongsu-dong branch where Dally Coffee first began.

“Wow, I’ve participated a few times but this is the first time I’ve seen such a huge crowd. Daebak!”

Judging from So Jung’s words alone, it sounded like she was excited for a change, but one look at her face made it clear that wasn’t the case. Even before the event began, So Jung looked completely drained as she gazed out at the street outside the branch.

Since it was a rare occasion being held in Seoul, customers were already lining up and waiting before the opening because Dally Coffee was doing a ‘generous’ event.

The star of the event was a world-renowned luxury item with a whopping price tag of 10 million won.

“It’s going to be a bit tough with so much work, right?”

So Jung, who had already experienced the fearsome taste of the Foley bag MD event, already looked fed up, but Ye Rin, as a newbie, answered in an entirely positive tone.

“Isn’t it better than having no work? Let’s work hard, sunbae.”

“…Our Ye Rin sure is positive. Okay, let’s think of it in a good way!”

So Jung shouted, though it was unclear if she had given up or just recovered quickly. Soon, Ye Rin and So Jung, along with other headquarters staff, donned Dally Coffee uniforms and were deployed to sell beverages. Apparently all these numerous people were here in hopes of winning the Foley bag.

“One cold brew and one limeade, please.”

The first order. In the eyes of the customer ordering the drinks, the desperate wish to see the words “You won!” written on their receipt was glimpsed.

Some time passed. When the long-awaited 1st place winner finally emerged, the atmosphere reached its peak. If only things had ended on this good note. The incident occurred right as closing began.

“You people! This was all a scam!”