“Parachute…..”

Se Eun quietly murmured the word that had just come from Sun Woo’s lips.

It was a word that had seemed completely unrelated to her until now.

“Yes. I just thought of the perfect place.”

“Mr. Ki Sun Woo, what on earth are you saying… How could I possibly work at a company?”

“Hmm. And why wouldn’t you be able to?”

Instead of answering, Se Eun swallowed hard.

She found it strange that he didn’t seem to know how her maternal grandfather viewed her.

Surely the great Chairman Ko San wouldn’t allow her to freely work at a company.

She felt anxious.

She felt she needed to stop Ki Sun Woo before he started any unnecessary trouble.

But just as Se Eun was about to open her mouth again, he cut her off.

“Ah, perfect timing. You’re already dressed to go out after coming back from the hospital. Let’s go.”

“…Pardon? Where to?”

“I just told you. You need a lot of things to work at a company. Like clothes and bags. You can’t go around dressed like that now, can you? People might think you came from the North Pole.”

Without giving her a chance to escape, he promptly dragged Se Eun outside.

Before she knew it, she found herself neatly seated in the passenger seat of Sun Woo’s car.

She was dumbfounded by his tremendous drive to action.

“Now, you need to fasten your seatbelt, Miss Yeon Se Eun.”

“I-I can do it myself!”

“Too late. I’ve already done it.”

In an instant, Sun Woo’s body hovered over Se Eun before returning to the driver’s seat.

His hands had just firmly fastened her into the car.

That brief movement in the confined space left a strong impression of Ki Sun Woo’s fresh scent on Se Eun.

Almost like an imprint.

Se Eun remained silent, feeling that if she opened her mouth or moved her hands, that scent might fly away.

Just like when she was carried on his back before, she thought it was a scent that strangely put her mind at ease.

*

“Well, welcome to our department store.”

“This is…..”

Se Eun blinked her large eyes at the dazzling sight before her.

This space, decorated to exude a winter atmosphere, was none other than the main branch of Juha Department Store.

“Why did we come here?”

When Se Eun cautiously asked, Sun Woo broke into a thoroughly cheerful smile.

It was a smile full of mischief and recklessness, somehow making her heart flutter.

“I thought it would feel good to spend my father’s money, since we’re shopping anyway.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m joking. I have enough money to buy pretty clothes for my wife. Don’t worry.”

Words like ‘wife’ and ‘pretty clothes’ seemed to keep tickling her ears, making Se Eun lower her gaze.

She had never even properly gone shopping before, let alone dare to dream of it.

She couldn’t even remember the last time she had been to a department store.

“Now, let’s take off that old fur coat and transform you today.”

“I’m fine as I am…..”

“I’m not fine with it.”

Saying that, Sun Woo suddenly grabbed Se Eun’s hand.

Startled, Se Eun tried to pull her hand away, but he only wrapped his fingers around hers more tightly.

Unlike the flustered Se Eun, Sun Woo led her with a relaxed expression, holding her hand.

“Isn’t it okay to hold hands by now? I think this is already quite late for a couple married for two weeks.”

“…..”

“Hm? Your face suddenly seems to have turned red. Is it because I’m holding your hand?”

“N-No! Absolutely not!”

Sun Woo’s lips curved up into a grin.

Not knowing what he might say next, Se Eun unconsciously gripped his hand tightly.

“Let’s hurry and go shopping.”

The low, humming-like laughter from behind tickled her heart again.

Not wanting this tickling feeling to be discovered, Se Eun walked ahead for a while without looking back.

How long had they walked? Suddenly, something caught Se Eun’s eye.

Sparkling, dazzling pieces.

They were wedding rings, neatly displayed in the jewelry section.

Come to think of it, despite being married, the two of them hadn’t even exchanged rings.

The only ring she had was the dandelion flower ring he had carelessly tied for her on their wedding night.

The more she thought about it, the more peculiar their marriage seemed.

Unconsciously, Se Eun looked down at her empty fourth finger.

Then, a nonchalant voice came from behind.

“Should I buy you a ring?”

Talking about wedding rings as if choosing candy at a corner store was truly like Ki Sun Woo.

Se Eun shook her head.

It wasn’t something that suited her in the first place.

“No, thank you. I wouldn’t wear it anyway.”

“That’s true. But don’t you want a big diamond?”

Sun Woo pointed to a diamond ring with his fingertip.

Indeed, as he said, a huge diamond about the size of a pinky nail was shining inside the display case.

Se Eun shook her head again.

Then, as if to persuade him, she fingered the Mia necklace around her neck.

“This is all I need. I don’t need things like jewels.”

Hmm, a faint smile brushed Sun Woo’s lips before he obediently turned away.

For some reason, it felt like he was holding her hand even more tightly than before.

A moment later, the two arrived at a section filled with luxury brands.

Before Se Eun could wave her hands in surprise at the dazzling lights, Sun Woo quickly pushed her inside.

“Welcome. Oh my, aren’t you the second son of the Chairman?”

A seasoned manager recognized Sun Woo and greeted him rather respectfully.

Soon her gaze turned to Se Eun, who was standing awkwardly next to Sun Woo.

“This is my wife. Please prepare everything that would suit her.”

“Yes, understood. Please come this way.”

“Pardon? Ah, um…..”

As Sun Woo handed Se Eun over to the manager, the manager promptly guided her inside.

Without giving her a chance to protest, Sun Woo plopped down on a sofa.

What followed was chaos itself.

The manager brought clothes as if she was about to sweep up everything on display, and chose a few outfits to put on Se Eun.

It wasn’t just clothes. Bags, shoes, everything passed through the manager’s hands and was attached to Se Eun’s body.

A moment later, Se Eun was standing there, adorned from head to toe in expensive items.

“Now you look like Ko San’s granddaughter.”

Sun Woo, who had been watching leisurely, clapped lightly and pulled up the corners of his mouth crookedly.

His gaze scrutinized Se Eun thoroughly, moving from top to bottom.

Under his intense gaze, like that of a leopard, Se Eun finally looked at herself in the mirror.

A truly unfamiliar woman was standing in the mirror.

The cream-colored dress that came down to her knees looked particularly pure, with her hair flowing below her bustline.

It was clearly a beautiful dress, but her eyes involuntarily stopped at her exposed calves and ankles.

As if by automatic reflex, words tumbled out.

“…It doesn’t suit me.”

“Who says it doesn’t suit you?”

Sun Woo immediately stood up and strode over to Se Eun’s side.

Then his long fingers traced from her nape to her slightly exposed shoulder, gently caressing.

The somewhat sensual touch made her hair stand on end.

“Wh-What are you doing?”

“Appreciating. It’s better if we look together, don’t you think?”

There was no way to hide her uncontrollably reddening cheeks.

Because the mirror reflected the two of them just as they were.

With Sun Woo, a head taller, standing closely behind her, it looked almost like he was giving her a back hug.

“…Pretty.”

At those words that escaped between his breaths, Se Eun’s shoulders trembled.

Sun Woo patted her shoulder as if to soothe her and whispered.

“Shall we try on something else? Something shorter, more low-cut.”

“Mr. Ki Sun Woo…!”

“Don’t worry. It really suits you well. It’s just your style, Yeon Se Eun.”

At his gesture, the manager quickly approached and handed over another outfit.

It seemed she had prepared it while Se Eun was in the changing room.

The vibrant pattern and flowing silhouette of the dress were extraordinary.

But again, there was no room for resistance.

“…I absolutely can’t wear clothes like this.”

As soon as she came out wearing the dress, Se Eun crossed her arms over her chest, fidgeting.

The outfit she was wearing now was truly shocking.

Even though the previous dress had slightly exposed her shoulders, this was on a whole different level.

The neckline not only revealed her chest but created alluringly round curves.

Moreover, the length was also radical.

The full skirt barely covered half her thighs, making it difficult to even move.

“I want to take it off right now.”

“Why? It looks good. Miss Yeon Se Eun, you’re not just skinny after all.”

“Right? Our beautiful young lady has a very nice figure. She’s a bit thin, but she has a chest and such a slim waist. This dress is perfect. Just like Tinkerbell.”

Se Eun’s mouth fell open.

Is this how they sell clothes in department stores?

Shameless compliments were flowing as naturally as morning greetings.

“You heard that, Yeon Se Eun? Now remove those hands you’re hiding behind.”

“N-No way!”

“What do you mean, no way? We’re a married couple who’ve already seen everything there is to see.”

“…!”

The manager and other staff members looked on fondly at Se Eun, who was on the verge of collapse.

They were clearly misunderstanding, but Se Eun didn’t know how to explain.

As she was making a pitiful face, Sun Woo began to approach her again.

His smoldering eyes were filled with determination to pry Se Eun’s hands away from her chest.

Unconsciously, Se Eun took a step back.

But perhaps because of the high heels she was wearing to match the dress, even escaping wasn’t as easy as usual.

She’s going to be caught. Just as she thought that and tensed her hands, at that moment.

Between the two who had suddenly drawn close, an unfamiliar voice interjected.

“Oh my, who do we have here? Isn’t this our second son?”

“…!”

Startled by the words “second son,” Se Eun’s hands unconsciously dropped.

Then the gaze of the woman who seemed to be the owner of that voice fell upon Se Eun in her defenseless state.

With a gentle and elegant smile, she narrowed her eyes.

“And this must be our daughter-in-law.”