Back when she was not Seo Tae In of Tae Gang, but just Seo Tae In, she was sincerely happy and enjoyed herself.

“I thought we were having chicken.”
Tae In was slicing a steak at a restaurant overlooking the night view of Seoul.

“I can’t help it. We came here to get our pictures taken today.”
Nok Hyun responded in such a way and swapped her fully sliced steak with Tae In’s halfcut one.

Tae In looked at Nok Hyun with narrowed eyes.

Why did he keep doing things he didn’t usually do?

The good husband cosplay didn’t suit Nok Hyun at all.

Despite thinking this, Tae In put the steak in her mouth without retching.

“It does taste good.”

Throughout the meal, Tae In gave an honest evaluation of the taste, causing Nok Hyun to chuckle lightly.

“For a while, we will dine outside like this whenever we find the time.”
“Why?”
“Because there are rumors of discord.”
“……Ah.”
It was a result of Seji’s diligent work. Tae In felt unjustly aggrieved, though she had done nothing wrong.

“So, cooperate.”
Lying a bit, Nok Hyun spent busy days without a moment to spare.

It was to the point where it was a waste to take time out to eat like this.

“……Aren’t you going down a difficult path?”
At Tae In’s words, Nok Hyun only glanced at her with his eyes.

If the temperature of the gaze could be measured, it would undoubtedly be below zero.

However, Tae In continued her words without any care.

“How about reconsidering now? I will only take a small alimony.”
Nok Hyun wiped his mouth with a napkin, though there was nothing to clean.

“Is it your hobby, Seo Tae In, to say two things with one mouth?”
There was nothing to say about that, really.

“You said it was good, and then you said it was embarrassing.”
“……”
“You said let’s divorce, then made a fuss about why you don’t like me.”
“……”
“A moment ago you called me darling, now what, alimony?”
Nok Hyun chuckled as if he were choked.

While he pointed out Tae In’s mistakes one by one, her face turned beet red.

“This much is just playing around.”
“No.”
“Then do it, say darling.”
“I did wrong.”
Nok Hyun tilted his head and slightly furrowed his brow.

Tae In was calmly chewing the steak that Nok Hyun had sliced for her.

Tae In’s “I did wrong” might have meant to stop that already.

“But you know.”
Tae In added words with uncharacteristic caution.

“Say it.”
“Wouldn’t it be okay if I only drank one glass of wine? Just one glass.”
“You know it well.”
“I just asked.”
Tae In’s heart, which had fluttered with a glimmer of hope, rapidly sank.

She couldn’t drink even one glass of wine when the steak was so delicious.

Nok Hyun rested his chin on his hand and looked at Tae In.

The sight of him vigorously slicing the already cut steak seemed like a protest.

“Do it again.”
“What?”
“Say darling.”
Tae In’s pupils trembled minutely.

“Just now, didn’t I say that I helped you because you seemed so embarrassed?”
“It’s not jealousy?”
“……Jealousy, what.”
“You looked like you could kill several people with your eyes.”
Nok Hyun’s face bore the smile of a victor.

Tae In’s hand holding the fork trembled.

He was too cunning.

But she didn’t want to give up.

I will definitely drink wine today, I will drink it.

Even if it’s just saying darling, I’ll say it ten times.

Tae In, who had made up her mind, opened her mouth.

“Dar……”
But the words did not come out easily.

“Ling?”
“What are you saying.”
Noticing Tae In’s heart, Nok Hyun deliberately played dumb even more.

When she had lost her memory, she used to say embarrassing things without hesitation, now she was shy again.

Well, it wasn’t too bad. Rather, it was cute.

Even if Tae In returned to her cold demeanor before losing her memory, she would still be lovable.

I must be very sick, indeed.

“……Honey.”
“What, honey.”
“Sigh……. Kang Nok Hyun, you’re really annoying.”
She fanned her face which was forcibly squeezed into a frown.

Nok Hyun, chuckled, then called a waiter over to order wine.

Nok Hyun regretted not stopping Tae In from having another bottle.

He wanted to slap his past self who had thought that it wouldn’t be a waste to give her everything his liver, his gall bladder upon hearing her call him honey.

He rushed to go home, pleaded to drink only one more shot, said that he needed to feed Stella, suggested to go to a karaoke.

Drunk Tae In was as annoying as she was lovable.

“Mister, let’s go quickly, my younger sibling is waiting.”
Tae In, wrapped around Nok Hyun’s shoulder, tapped his back and spoke.

“Doesn’t your husband wait?”
“My husband doesn’t wait for me.”
Halfslurring, Tae In replied and then started laughing, finding something amusing.

Nok Hyun went through the front gate.

“Let me down, I’m dizzy.”
“If I let you down, you’re just going to lie down.”
“I won’t lie down.”
Nok Hyun carefully let Tae In down.

Tae In promptly rested her head on his shoulder.

Nok Hyun moved slowly, matching Tae In’s pace.

Thanks to the refreshing breeze, Tae In was gradually sobering up.

Walking slowly, it was quiet inside the house when they entered through the front door. It seemed that Stella and Arin were asleep.

Nok Hyun promptly gave Tae In some water.

Tae In, who drank the water gulp by gulp, laid her cheek on the island kitchen table. The cold touch of the marble seemed to help sober her up a bit.

Tae In, grabbed the hem of Nok Hyun’s clothes, as he was about to clear the water cup and go inside the bedroom.

“Are you close with that woman from before?”
Nok Hyun stopped and looked down at Tae In.

“Why are you curious?”
“……Because I was a little jealous. Answer me, are you close?”
“If I answer, can I have a kiss?”
“No. I smell of alcohol.”
Nok Hyun shook off Tae In’s hand holding his clothes and opened the cupboard.

With his back to Tae In, Nok Hyun took out some whiskey and poured it into a glass.

“We’re not close, she’s a friend of Sim Min Gyu.”
At Nok Hyun’s words, Tae In slowly raised her body.

Nok Hyun, who was gently swirling the glass containing the golden liquid, emptied the glass in one go.

“Is it okay now?”
“Huh?”
“I’ve also had a drink.”
Before Tae In could say anything else, Nok Hyun, who had lowered his height, brought his lips to hers.

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