Kang Mo carefully entered the room and tiptoed to the side of the bed. Seo Hee’s eyes were tightly closed as she leaned against the headboard. She seemed to have already fallen asleep.

Her long hair, still damp from the shower, was coiled in a donut shape atop her head, and her bare face, sans the light makeup, was radiating with a sparkling glow.

Kang Mo’s gaze flowed down Seo Hee’s slightly tilted neck. Through the V-neck of her ivory silk pajamas, her alluring skin seared into his retinas. Kang Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. He was at a loss, unable to easily tear his gaze away from her gently rising and falling chest.

Ha… Baek Seo Hee, you were born with a talent for driving people crazy.

Barely suppressing his bubbling desire, Kang Mo drew close to Seo Hee. Even when he waved his hand in front of her face and called out “Baek Seo Hee,” she remained still. Only her faint breathing dispersed into the air amidst the silence.

Wanting her to sleep comfortably, Kang Mo gently slid his arms behind her neck and knees. In an instant, her head fell against his shoulder with a thud. Seeing no change in her breathing, she seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber.

With a sigh of relief, Kang Mo carefully laid Seo Hee on the bed and pulled the covers up to her chest.

He had to leave immediately, but his feet were reluctant to move. He bent over and placed his hands on either side of Seo Hee’s head. Watching her sleep innocently like a baby, his chest strangely tickled.

Her fair face, resting peacefully in the soft light, was so adorable that he couldn’t resist. He gently pressed his lips to her round forehead, her cute little nose, her plump lips from which faint breaths escaped. Even so, this gentle soul remained motionless.

Do you know how hard it was for me to turn my back on the room where you slept and leave?

“Director Kang.”

“…”

“Director Kang?”

The foreign voice penetrating his ears shattered Kang Mo’s brief contemplation.

“Oh. It’s nothing. I just wanted to have breakfast together.”

Together. As he let the word slip, he could feel Seung Ho’s questioning gaze. Kang Mo chuckled and opened the car window. The breeze, carrying the faint scent of autumn, gently brushed past his heated face.

The season Baek Seo Hee loved, full-fledged autumn, was approaching.

Kang Mo, who had been working at his office desk, pushed back his chair and stood up to take a short break. Now facing head-on the scenery he had kept behind his back, he perched on the edge of the desk and stretched his long legs out in front.

Through the full-length window, the city, dyed in the hues of dusk, filled his view. The orange glow of sunset reached its peak beneath the high-rise buildings at twilight. Even with a view that would make anyone gasp in admiration, Kang Mo felt no emotion.

He merely glanced indifferently at the scenery and picked up his cell phone from the desk, opening the recent call list.

“Seriously, Baek Seo Hee. You never call first.”

A unavoidably lonely feeling crept in.

When will you ever call me first? Will you think of me at least once a day? When will you fully open your heart to me? Will such a day ever come? A long sigh involuntarily escaped from the suffocating feeling.

For Kang Mo, who considered himself the weaker one in love, patience and waiting were a luxury. He gave up on trying to wait a little longer. They say a thirsty man digs a well. He had to be the one to approach first, even if it was just to hear her voice.

In the end, Kang Mo made the call first again.

Due to their mismatched schedules, three days had already passed without seeing Seo Hee. He had endured years without knowing where she was, but now he was anxious after just three days of not seeing her. It was ridiculous, but no other way to overcome the longing came to mind.

With anticipation of whether he could see her today, Kang Mo waited for the call to connect.

The phone, as heartless as Baek Seo Hee, refused to connect, burning him up inside. Just as another long sigh involuntarily escaped, the tedious ringtone finally ended.

“Baek-”

The moment he blurted out, a voice other than Seo Hee’s flowed through.

– Hello. This is Seo Hee’s mother.

With just this one sentence, Kang Mo shot up from his perched position on the desk. He unknowingly stood up straight and bowed his head, even though no one was there to see. Unaware of Kang Mo’s tension, the other person continued speaking in a voice that seemed to hold a smile.

– Our Seo Hee left her bag and stepped away for a moment. She’ll be back soon. I’ll let her know you called when she returns.

“Yes, thank you. Mother.”

– Um, by any chance…

“Yes, mother. Please go ahead.”

– Ah, no. I’ll tell Seo Hee to call you when she gets back.

“Yes, thank you.”

After politely expressing his gratitude again, Kang Mo checked the ended call and sighed. He rarely got nervous, but remarkably, his body stiffened at the mere mention of her being Seo Hee’s mother.

Although it was a long time ago, he had met Seo Hee’s mother several times. Every time she saw him, she would praise him and express how remarkable he was.

Back then, Kang Mo was merely her daughter’s friend’s younger brother, a student she adored like a son. But now, he was a man who desired her daughter.

Would she welcome him or disapprove if he were to visit and pay his respects someday? Just envisioning that day in the near future made his heart pound.

By the way, seeing that Seo Hee was with her mother, he had an ominous feeling that he wouldn’t be able to see her today either. His furrowed brows clearly reflected his frustration. As he roughly ran his fingers through his hair and walked to the window, aimlessly staring at the view, the cell phone in his hand vibrated.

Seeing his personal term of endearment for her, the corners of Kang Mo’s mouth curled up as if asking when he had gotten annoyed.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

– Okay. I heard you called.

“Where are you? Can I see you today?”

– Ah, sorry. I came out shopping with my mom. She said Chuseok is coming up soon and asked me to help because there’s a lot to buy. I think I’ll be quite late today.

“…Then tomorrow? Let’s have dinner together if nothing comes up.”

– What should I do? I have a prior engagement tomorrow. Hold on.

Yes, mom. I’m coming. The voice that had momentarily drifted away drew near again.

– Kang Mo, it’s a bit difficult to talk right now. I’ll call you back later. I’m hanging up.

A wry smile escaped at the call that was coldly cut off. Kang Mo’s expression hardened as he massaged the back of his neck with one hand.

This is worse than being a dog waiting for its owner. At the very least, a pet dog gets to see its owner every day.

This couldn’t go on. The fear that he might lose her again if he remained foolishly still like this overwhelmed him. As he pondered how to hold onto Seo Hee, a crude knocking sound penetrated his ears.

“Come in.”

Seung Ho, who had strode in after opening the office door, spoke with an awkward expression.

“Director Kang, there seems to be a problem with the villa you were supposed to move into. I think we’ll have to postpone the move-in date a bit.”

The house Kang Mo currently resided in was an apartment under his father’s name.

For the few years his father had been away, it was difficult to leave the house empty. However, it was also challenging to rent out a place filled with precious ceramics, high-end furniture bearing his late mother’s touch, and expensive artworks. So Kang Mo had moved in and lived there instead.

Now that his father was returning, all he had to do was vacate the house with a light heart.

“What problem?”

He wondered what issue could have arisen at the place he was about to move into.

The villa Kang Mo was moving to was a newly constructed one in a residential complex known for its luxury homes. It had garnered significant attention even before move-in, as famous celebrities and political and financial figures were set to reside there.

Residents had begun moving in one by one starting this week, and Kang Mo was scheduled to move in the following week.

“There’s an issue with the German-made electrical remote control module. The parts have been ordered, but since it’s from overseas, it will take some time for the supply to arrive. Even when the parts come, the AS (after-service) will be carried out for the households that moved in first. So they asked if it would be possible for you to delay your move-in date a bit.”

“They sure love their luxury villas. How can there be a problem with the electrical module? Shouldn’t that have been the first thing they checked before move-in? They lack the basics, the basics. Their reputation is undeserved…”

As Kang Mo responded cynically, his voice gradually faded. He furrowed his brows as if deep in thought, tapping his cell phone with his index finger. Soon, a smile graced his lips.

“Director Kang?”

“Got it. Tell them to contact me again once the system is serviced. You handle the compensation issue as you see fit.”

“Yes, I understand. Then, without separately packing your belongings, I’ll wait…”

“No, pack my things. Right now.”

“Pardon? Aren’t you going to continue staying at the apartment for the time being?”

With a meaningful smile, Kang Mo shook his head. Seung Ho could only stare at him in bewilderment, tilting his head.

“Yeah. I’m moving. So pack my things right away. I don’t need anything else for now, just pack a few sets of clothes I can wear immediately. We can sort out the rest slowly.”

Kang Mo chuckled at Seung Ho, who was eyeing him suspiciously.

Why didn’t I think of that before? If Seo Hee can’t make time, I’ll accommodate her.

They say a dog’s luck is better than a beggar’s. Shall I try being a dog waiting for its owner? It’s quite an appealing idea. Kang Mo’s face, which had been shadowed all day, became the brightest it had been.

Was the sunset seeping into the earth always this beautiful? Only now did the view of the landscape heading into the night fully enter his eyes.