Shortly after receiving the call to come down, Nam Yoo In, white as snow, popped out from the entrance where only her retreating back had been visible before.

Staring at her appearance, as expected, she awkwardly fidgets with her clear face, unable to fully hide the sinking worry.

Ki Yeon slightly squinted one eye as he looked at Yoo In in comfortable clothes but with an expression that was not.

Actually seeing the gloomy face with his own eyes, his mood was worse than he thought.

“Did you eat dinner?”

“Yes. Sort of.”

As she asked “What about you, sir?” while looking up with clear eyes filled with an indescribable hesitation.

Ki Yeon looked down at Yoo In silently for a moment.

The reason Yoo In was like this was obvious. Either the useless friend of Nam Yoo In that Ki Yeon had stirred up the day before had talked about him, or made a damn confession.

“I haven’t yet.”

Answering calmly, his steady pupils examined Yoo In closely. Slightly wrinkling the bridge of his nose and tilting his head, it seemed she wasn’t in a completely serious state, but he was displeased nonetheless.

No matter how much she knew, no matter how close they were, couldn’t she just not meet someone like Yoon Ji Han? He tried hard to hold back the desire to say it out loud when Yoo In’s calm voice spoke.

“Please eat well no matter how busy you are. You need energy to work.”

Seemingly embarrassed by her own words, she lowered her eyelashes and pressed her lips tightly.

Ki Yeon clenched his jaw to suppress the strange itchy feeling inside his skin. Along with the thought that he was right to have held back his irritation just now.

Yoo In was the first person Ki Yeon felt was lovable while looking at another. Probably, the first and last.

Ki Yeon fixed his eyes, filled with warm affection, on Yoo In and gently took her white hand buried in the sweatshirt sleeve.

“I don’t get weak like someone just from skipping one meal.”

“…I don’t get weak either?”

“I didn’t say it was you. Yoo In, feeling guilty?”

Instead of replying, Yoo In just pouts her plump lips. At her childlike behavior, a laugh like a breeze escaped through Ki Yeon’s lips.

How can such a small gesture be so pretty that it makes me laugh like this? I really don’t understand.

What is this little girl that I can’t bear to be apart and come running like this?

The irritation and anger that had built up on the way to her had long since vaporized and scattered in the gentle breeze.

“Nam Yoo In.”

As Ki Yeon gently rubbed the back of her delicate hand, her round eyes peeked up at him.

The streetlight illuminating them settled with a small sparkle in Yoo In’s moist pupils.

A peaceful scent seems to seep from her slowly blinking eyelids. Nam Yoo In’s warm, soft fragrance.

Yes, with you by my side, able to hold your hand, and looking at me, what can’t I endure for you?

A smile slowly spread across Ki Yeon’s lips as well.

“Let’s go eat ice cream.”

“…Now? Where to?”

Her round eyes grew a little bigger.

Ki Yeon gently grasped her confused hand and pulled her close to his side. Closer.

“Just follow me.”

Seeing Yoo In set out with him without a word despite her questioning face, Ki Yeon felt an unparalleled sense of fulfillment.

This too is strange. That just following without protest is so adorably endearing. I must really be crazy.

Having failed his plan to just see her face and send her back, Ki Yeon quickly racked his brain as he set out with Yoo In.

After the restaurant incident last time, he had vowed to never take Yoo In anywhere with many people watching, so he needed to find a suitable place quickly.

Wondering if he had been too impulsive, he hurriedly sent an SOS to CEO Seo.

-Oh, Director Do.

“I’m coming now, can you open the rooftop for a bit?”

-Suddenly? That’s not difficult… bringing your girlfriend?

Ki Yeon glanced at the seat beside him. Checking if Yoo In had heard CEO Seo’s voice, but she was just absentmindedly fiddling with the hem of her white sweatshirt that resembled his, looking straight ahead.

Ki Yeon cleared his throat for no reason.

“If it’s not difficult, please arrange it. It’ll take about 20 minutes.”

-You’re already on your way and still calling? Really.

“I can’t just barge into the CEO’s office. You have your dignity too.”

-Why bother asking? Want me to prepare some wine?

“That’s fine. Just keep others out. We’ll use it for about an hour.”

After hearing an affirmative reply along with laughter that seemed to be teasing him, he hung up and felt Yoo In looking this way.

“What?”

“Who’s CEO Seo?”

So she wasn’t just zoning out but concentrating. Always doing such cute things.

Ki Yeon chuckled and opened his mouth.

“The CEO of SJ Hotel.”

“…What?”

“The fiancé of the woman Nam Yoo In saw and misunderstood last time.”

“…Ah, that friend… is the CEO of SJ Hotel?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.” Yoo In let out a small sigh-like sound.

“Then, are we going to that hotel now?”

“Yes.”

“Is there ice cream there?”

“The ice cream is in the back.”

As he nodded towards the back seat, Yoo In’s head followed along and then returned, but her expression seemed somewhat complicated.

Not knowing Ki Yeon’s vow to not show Yoo In to unfamiliar people, it seemed she didn’t quite understand why they were going to a hotel to eat ice cream they had bought.

Moreover, since he had mentioned the rooftop, she must be even more confused about what was what. Ki Yeon just secretly smiled at the perplexed Yoo In without adding any explanation.

When the long hand of the clock pointed to 8, the two arrived at the hotel and immediately took the elevator, passing the highest floor of guest rooms and going even higher.

Passing through the quiet and luxurious corridor and opening a closed door, a different world from the carpeted hallway unfolded.

A place with the rich smell of fresh greenery and flowers blooming regardless of the season.

The rooftop indoor arboretum, maintained at a constant temperature year-round, was a facility CEO Seo had been putting effort into managing recently.

“Wow… I didn’t know SJ Hotel had a place like this!”

Suddenly placed in an urban forest, Yoo In made a face full of wonder like a child arriving at an amusement park for the first time.

“It hasn’t been long since it was built. Originally it’s only open to VIP guests.”

“But is it okay for us to just come in like this?”

“It’s fine if you’re with me. No one else is here, so take your time looking around.”

At that, Yoo In, who had looked surprised, smiled slightly and then broke free from Ki Yeon’s hand to begin exploring in earnest.

Nam Yoo In, such a child. Ki Yeon smiled and followed behind Yoo In who was lightly running around.

The tour of the arboretum, which wasn’t very large since it was on the hotel rooftop, soon ended, and they decided to sit on the bench in the center of the greenhouse and eat the ice cream Ki Yeon had bought.

“Oh! It’s all melted.”

When she opened the lid, along with the sweet and sour fruit smell, sticky liquid dripped down, causing Yoo In, who had been holding the disposable spoon in her mouth, to exclaim in disappointment.

It was because more time had passed than expected getting here and smelling and looking at each type of flower.

Ki Yeon frowned along with her and said:

“I know. Maybe we shouldn’t have come all this way. You don’t like melted ice cream?”

“No, it’s fine if it’s melted. Thanks to that, I got to see such a beautiful and amazing place, it’s totally great.”

Yoo In shook her head vigorously and smiled brightly.

Has the unpleasant mood disappeared a bit? Ki Yeon smiled faintly, unable to take his eyes off the clear blush that had risen on her right cheek.

In the end, unable to resist, Ki Yeon’s fingers gently brushed against her soft skin, causing Yoo In to open her eyes wide like a rabbit and smile again.

As his pounding heart finally settled with a thud, cotton candy-like pastel clouds billowed up, filling his chest so full it was suffocating.

What is this feeling? Too sweet. Too bitter. As Ki Yeon exhaled a shallow breath, trying not to show it, Yoo In opened her mouth.

“Thank you, sir.”

“For what?”

“Just, everything.”

Her round eyes scanned the arboretum, looked at the melted, mushy peach-flavored ice cream, and finally landed on Ki Yeon’s eyes.

Following the path Yoo In’s clear gaze had traced belatedly, Ki Yeon suddenly realized.

Ah, how can something be so adorable? No wonder my heart can’t help but go to her. Making me so anxious with just one look rather than a hundred words.

Ki Yeon laughed helplessly and rubbed his face with one hand. Then a green spoon suddenly poked through the gaps between his fingers, and when he lowered his hand, Yoo In’s white fingertips were waving.

“Let’s eat quickly, us.”

At Yoo In’s use of “us,” his entire chest area ached. Ki Yeon smiled again, feeling the irresistible force.

“Alright. Let’s eat quickly, us.”

Yoo In clearly likes desserts more than other things. She was so diligent in scooping up the melted ice cream and bringing it to her mouth that she didn’t seem to notice Ki Yeon had put his spoon down long ago.

When he wiped the ice cream smeared on the corner of her mouth with his thumb, Yoo In was startled and pulled her head back. When he brought it directly to his mouth, she made a face and let out a shrill “Why would you do that!”

“What’s the big deal? It’s just food.”

Ki Yeon rested his elbow on the backrest, propped his chin, and stared blankly at the white face shaking its head with a shallow sigh.

Unlike the purely good feeling just from looking at her, his mind was spinning in a different direction.

What exactly did Nam Yoo In’s friend say? He was curious, but also didn’t want to hear it from her mouth. Ki Yeon felt a strange displeasure at the wavering he couldn’t control.

Unclear and vague things weren’t his style, but when it came to Yoo In, he ended up acting like an idiot.

“Yoo In.”

“Huh?”

Her pronunciation was muffled as she was in the middle of chewing. Even then, he had the ridiculous thought that it might be quite nice to hear Yoo In speak casually to him.

“You should only believe what I show you. Only believe what I say. Don’t pay attention to anything else. There’s no need to see or hear other things.”

“…”

“No matter what others say, just look at me and follow me. Understood?”

In the quiet arboretum, completely cut off from the outside, the two people trapped in their own space just stared at each other for a while in the night filled with a suffocating mix of flower scents.

Ki Yeon gently caressed the clear eyes that seemed somewhat distorted as if hurt with a kind gaze.

Look only at me. Listen only to me. Keep only me inside you. I’ll know and embrace everything about you. I’ll do everything you want and make it happen for you.

Selfish ulterior motives were melted here and there in his roundabout words, but Yoo In wouldn’t know.

“Yoo In. Do you understand?”

“…”

“You need to answer.”

The low voice gently urged Yoo In.

In response, Yoo In rolled her eyes this way and that, slightly biting the corner of her lip, before nodding repeatedly.

Ki Yeon smiled, crinkling his eyes, and stroked her soft hair, saying “Good girl.”

However, inwardly he was formulating a meticulous plan, feeling the urgency that he couldn’t delay any longer.

“Shall we go a bit far next weekend?”

“Far?”

“Yeah. Not too far though. Is that okay?”

Yoo In blinked her eyelids lightly once, then just nodded her head again this time.

After stroking Yoo In’s head more as she docilely agreed, he gestured for her to eat more, and she moved her stopped hand again to pop the spoon head into her red mouth.

When she asked why he wasn’t eating together, he just smiled faintly, and seeing Yoo In not urge him further, Ki Yeon briefly pondered another idle thought.

What were his past relationships like? No matter how much he racked his memory, he couldn’t really remember.

Just, because it’s you. Because it’s Nam Yoo In. That was the only answer he could come up with.