Baek Seo Hee, if you’re not going to hug me right now, please don’t send messages at this ungodly hour. Don’t provoke me anymore.

In his mind, he muttered words he couldn’t bring himself to say. Normally, he would have called her right away to finish the conversation, but right now, even Seo Hee’s voice seemed like it would be too stimulating.

Having no choice, he sent a message filled with patience.

The reply came in less than a few seconds.

Anyhow, she’s amazingly good at backing out.

Lee Kang Mo lay blankly on the bed and closed the blackout curtains. In the pitch-black darkness, only his white eyes shone brightly. Despite his extreme fatigue, he found it difficult to fall asleep. It was useless to force his eyes closed and endure for a few minutes.

The thought that she was within reach just beyond the door consumed his mind. At the same time, all sorts of chaotic scenes of Seo Hee and himself entangled together bloomed like flowers in his imagination.

Damn it…

Cursing under his breath, Kang Mo abruptly sat up, grabbed the remote to open the blackout curtains again, and headed to the bathroom. If he didn’t release the pent-up heat, it was evident he would spend the night wide awake, so he had no choice but to quench his boiling desire with cold water once more.

This is driving me crazy.

Leaving behind yesterday’s endurance, Kang Mo tossed his phone on the bed and stepped out. His entire body felt as heavy as water-soaked cotton due to his lack of proper sleep. Twisting his groggy body, Kang Mo entered the living room and paused at the scent stimulating his sense of smell. At that moment, his pace quickened as he entered the kitchen.

Seo Hee, dressed in a feminine ivory-colored long dress with an apron, glanced at him and greeted him.

“Oh, you’re up early? Hurry and wash up. Let’s eat.”

Having said her piece, Seo Hee started chopping. The rhythm of the knife against the cutting board was steady and lively.

Her long hair tied naturally below, the pretty apron adorned with yellow wildflowers, her slender ankles in slippers, the warm greeting delivered behind her busy movements – his heart trembled uncontrollably at the sight.

Although the sun had not yet risen, it felt as if warm sunlight was shining strongly all around her.

Seeing her prepare food for him was so lovely that his heart swelled, and his feet naturally led him to Seo Hee.

Kang Mo gently embraced her small back as she scooped soup into a small bowl to taste it.

“Oh my. What, what are you doing? You startled me. Weren’t you going to wash up?”

Tension could be felt in her shoulders, which had jumped up, indicating she was truly surprised. Kang Mo pretended not to notice and pressed his lips against her delicate neck. Even the delicious aroma of food couldn’t mask the faint sweet scent emanating from her body.

“What are you making?”

“Huh? Ah, there was some dried pollack… So I made pollack soup, braised tofu, and stir-fried some potatoes.”

Kang Mo’s lips, which had been lingering on Seo Hee’s neck, stretched into a long smile. Each dish was simple, but they were the foods he loved more than any delicacy.

“Did you make them knowing? They’re all foods I like.”

“Well… I just happened to think of them.”

Although she spoke as if it wasn’t a big deal, Kang Mo couldn’t hide his overwhelming gratitude towards Seo Hee for remembering his taste preferences even after a long time had passed.

“Kang Mo, the rice is ready. Do you want to… eat first and then wash up?”

His arms around her tightened. Every time he pressed his lips firmly against her long neck, Seo Hee’s delicate skin twitched. That reaction was so adorable that he turned her around. Seo Hee, who stubbornly avoided his gaze, pushed Kang Mo away and scolded him.

“Are you really going to be like this from the morning? Stop it. The soup is getting cold. What’s the point of me preparing everything so diligently? If you don’t sit down right now, I won’t give you any food.”

Despite her rather stern tone, he couldn’t help but laugh.

“Then what should I do? I’m always hungrier for Baek Seo Hee than food.”

“What, what? Jeez… seriously. If you keep this up, I’m going to ban you from coming near me. How can you… be so shameless?”

“Yeah. I don’t know such things.”

Saying it brazenly, he immediately captured Seo Hee’s red lips. Even if his heart burned with unquenched overflowing desire, he felt that entering the apartment was the best decision he had made a hundred times over.

If you drop a drop of blue ink into clear water, would it result in such a clear and blue sky color?

Sitting on the living room sofa and gazing blankly out the window, Seo Hee couldn’t take her eyes off the blue sky that approached with wonder. Even the clouds adorning the sky were cutely fluffy like a painting.

Looking at the leisurely clouds, the sky of Guam, where she had stayed until recently, naturally came to mind.

The dazzlingly beautiful blue sky that met the vast emerald sea was so stunning that she often lost herself in it. A wistful smile escaped her lips at the suddenly rushing memories of the scenic view.

While in Guam, she missed the sky of Korea, and while in Korea, she missed the sky of Guam. Seeing this, she wondered if she was going against the grain… Suddenly, she felt the urge to go somewhere.

“Ah… forget about work and everything, should I just rest a bit more and travel?”

Once she returned to work, it was clear that her daily life would revolve around the repetitive cycle of home, work, home, work, like a hamster on a wheel. Although it may be the common life of an office worker, she questioned if that was truly the life she desired.

Throughout her life, Seo Hee had never greatly coveted anything. She simply strived to do her best in each moment and lived with the determination to leave no regrets, even if she were to close her eyes tomorrow.

Until now, at the crossroads of various choices, she had selected the path she believed to be the best and took pride in doing well in her own way. She had never hesitated much when making decisions or pondered over them for too long.

“It’s unlike me to hesitate like this. In the past, I would have packed my bags right away with time to spare.”

What was causing her to hesitate so much? What did she really want to do? How did she want to live her life from now on? It felt quite absurd to suddenly have these thoughts at this age. Was she experiencing a clumsy puberty only now? It was laughable.

Suddenly, her only Achilles’ heel, her one and only family, her greatest concern and worry – her mother – came to mind.

How fortunate it was that her mother had found someone she liked. Although the unpredictable temperament of that son was somewhat worrisome, with her uncle around, he wouldn’t be able to treat her mother recklessly. So leaving wouldn’t be a big issue.

Rather, considering Han Tae Oh’s persistent attitude, it might be better to distance herself a bit more. It seemed like a good idea for the sake of the family as well.

Her mother would undoubtedly be disappointed if Seo Hee said she was going on a short trip, but as always, she would trust and wait for her.

Yet, her mind wasn’t readily made up. All the circumstances were already directing the flow in one direction, but something was still weighing on her heart.

As she gazed at the distant sky once more, the image of Kang Mo leaving the studio apartment this morning flashed by.

Kang Mo, perfectly pulling off a black bespoke suit with a gray stripe pattern, exuded such a magnificent appearance that the clichéd expression of him looking like a model naturally came to mind.

His masculine strength and gravitas, completely different from his comfortable attire in training clothes yesterday, strangely made her heart flutter. Worried that he might notice this trembling, she deliberately greeted him from a distance, but didn’t he ask her to fix his tie?

When she carefully approached him, despite his perfect suit fit from head to toe, his tie was slightly crooked, which didn’t match his appearance.

Concentrating all her attention on the tie, she carefully aligned it to the center, and just as she was drawing a satisfied smile, her lips were captured by Kang Mo.

His heart rushed in, breaking through the smile that had vanished without a trace. The dizzying sensation was so intense that she unknowingly grasped his peaked lapel.

After the short yet passionate kiss, she felt so embarrassed seeing the wrinkled lapel.

‘The suit is all wrinkled. What should we do? Shouldn’t you change into something else?’

As she mumbled apologetically and tried to smooth out the creases on the lapel…

‘Just leave it. You’re saying the kiss was so good that Baek Seo Hee grabbed my collar. What’s a mere wrinkle compared to that?’

‘Lee Kang Mo, you always have to be so… blunt with your words. Sigh. Grabbing your collar is a bit too much, don’t you think? Anyway, I’m sorry.’

‘You can do more. Whether you grab my collar, pinch me, or scratch me, how can anything you do not be pretty?’

Seo Hee’s face undoubtedly heated up, making it impossible for her to properly look at Kang Mo, so she hurriedly pushed his back.

‘Just go. At this rate, what if you’re late?’

Pretending to be pushed away, Kang Mo finally embraced her again, showering her with small kisses before leaving through the front door.

Seo Hee let out a long sigh, erasing the lingering image of Kang Mo in the sky.

‘It’s you. You’re the one holding back my steps. It was you. The reason I’m hesitating to make a decision.’

When did Kang Mo manage to penetrate her heart to this extent? When did he enter her heart and gradually expand his presence?

Lost in thought, a familiar ringtone reached her ears. Glancing at the phone on the coffee table, Seo Hee had to take a moment to compose herself before picking it up.

The moment she saw the caller ID, her heart fluttered like a spring butterfly, and she worried that the trembling would be conveyed in her voice.

Baek Seo Hee, you’re being ridiculous. Do you want to be like this in front of your younger brother?

Seo Hee pushed aside the voice in her heart, took a deep breath, and only then could she answer the phone.

“Yes, Kang Mo.”

― Where are you?

“At home.”

― No plans for today? Not going out anywhere?

“Yeah. I have nothing to do today.”

― That’s good. Then, can you do me a small favor?

She felt uneasy. For some reason, it seemed like it wouldn’t be an ordinary request, so she became cautious from the start.

“First, let me hear it.”

A low chuckle could be heard from Kang Mo. Just hearing that faint laughter made her face heat up strangely.

― If you go to the room where I slept, there will be a sealed envelope on the table. It’s something I need today, but I forgot it. Can you bring it to the office?

If it was that kind of request, she could easily grant it. Seo Hee readily agreed, relieved that the request was simpler than expected.

“By when do you need it?”

― I need it by noon, but will you have enough time?

Looking at the clock on the wall, the short hand had just passed ten o’clock. There seemed to be plenty of time to get ready.

“Yeah. No problem. I’ll call you when I arrive. Should I leave it at the lobby?”

― No, it’s an important document, so I’d prefer if you could hand it to me directly.

Seo Hee hesitated for a moment before setting a condition.

“If you promise to behave yourself, I’m willing to give it to you in person.”

A stifled laugh could be heard from Kang Mo, followed by his gentle voice flowing into her ear.

― You think I would do that even at the office? Wait, could it be that you’re secretly hoping for it?

“Never mind. Forget it.”

Her curt and sharp answer seemed to amuse him, as Kang Mo’s laughter grew louder, but then his voice turned serious.

― Sorry, forget what I just said. It’s a really important document. Please do me this favor.

“Okay, I got it. I’ll be there on time. See you later.”

Hanging up the phone, Seo Hee covered her face, which felt warm, with both hands, and a troubled sigh escaped her lips.