Yeon Se Eun smiled. And it was a bright smile.

At this unbelievable scene, Sun Woo slowly blinked his eyes.

He thought it was an illusion, but it wasn’t.

Her silhouette, gently swaying at his fingertips, was still brimming with a smile.

Suddenly, his heart’s tempo became faster than a waltz.

Tension crept into his previously relaxed gestures, and he began to lose sight of his surroundings.

Sun Woo’s gaze became completely fixed on Se Eun’s face.

What could it be, what was this sudden breathlessness?

Yeon Se Eun seemed unaware that she was smiling.

Only her small toes, carried by the rhythm, were fluttering lightly like butterfly wings.

“……”

Even though it was time to look away, Sun Woo’s eyes remained fixed on Se Eun.

Her even, white teeth gleamed under the lights as she beamed.

At the same time, dimples that he had never seen before and didn’t know existed appeared deeply on both of Se Eun’s cheeks, making their presence known.

That sight was truly beyond cute, utterly adorable, like a small white rabbit.

Even without wearing fluffy clothes, still.

It was then that Sun Woo realized.

The cause of this breathlessness. It was an unfamiliar flutter.

Had he ever felt someone was ‘adorable’ before?

Had there ever been someone who smiled at him with such pure and innocent joy?

His self-questioning ended abruptly as the waltz music stopped and applause erupted.

The crowd that had been whispering about Se Eun’s legs earlier was now cheering.

Seeing this, Sun Woo finally sorted out his confused emotions.

“You succeeded.”

“Pardon?”

“The counterattack.”

As if not understanding what he meant, Se Eun tilted her head slightly.

Then, realizing her foot was still on top of his shoe, she hastily lowered it.

Her flushed cheeks still held the afterglow of the waltz.

It seemed they weren’t the only ones left with lingering emotions.

The guests who had been applauding now gathered around the two, proposing a toast.

“Hello, young lady Se Eun. This is our first time meeting, right? I attended the wedding too.”

“Ah… Nice to meet you. Thank you.”

“That was such a wonderful waltz! We were worried because we heard your leg was injured, but you danced so well, it was nothing!”

“That’s right, rumors are always strangely exaggerated, aren’t they? Your feet were so light. Just like a fairy!”

It was as expected.

According to Sun Woo’s plan, people began to remove the shadow of prejudice about Se Eun’s leg after she successfully performed the waltz.

“I heard you’ve joined Lady Jang Ha Yeon’s company recently?”

“Ah, yes…”

“You really resemble your mother, such a beauty. I hope you become an excellent designer like your mother.”

“Shh, how can you say such things here? Chairman Ko is present.”

“What’s wrong with that? It’s not like we can keep it hidden forever.”

As the well-wishes began to flow in a somewhat sensitive direction, Se Eun fidgeted with her hands.

For Ko San, ‘Ko Yeon Hwa’ was almost a taboo word.

Even on a good day like this, if he heard someone mentioning that Se Eun resembled her mother, he would likely unleash his fury.

Perhaps sensing her discomfort,

Sun Woo suddenly pulled Se Eun’s shoulder close affectionately.

“Now, now, I understand your desire to get close to my wife, but as you know, we’re newlyweds.”

“…?”

“After dancing so passionately with our eyes locked, we need some time alone as a couple.”

“…!”

As her discomfort doubled, Se Eun’s eyes widened.

What on earth was he saying in front of guests they were meeting for the first time today?

However, it would be no exaggeration to say that there was no one who didn’t know this ‘prodigal son’ Ki Sun Woo, so they obediently made way.

“Well then, shall we go?”

“…Alright.”

Se Eun carefully took Sun Woo’s hand again and stepped forward.

It was at that moment. Perhaps due to the release of tension, her steps became tangled, and her body began to collapse.

As a result, the lace cloth wrapped around her waist fell to the floor, fully exposing her thighs.

Curious gazes were drawn to her exceptionally white, fair, and smooth legs.

As her cheeks flushed helplessly, Sun Woo quickly took off the jacket he had absolutely refused to remove until now and wrapped it around her.

Then he suddenly picked up Se Eun in a princess carry.

“That’s enough showing off. From now on, I’ve decided that only I will see my wife’s beautiful legs. Well then, excuse us.”

“Ki, Ki Sun Woo!”

Se Eun struggled with her feet almost pleadingly, but Sun Woo carried her out intact through the guests with their mouths agape.

The whispers heard from behind made her feel so mortified she could just die.

A moment later, the place where Ki Sun Woo set Se Eun down was the party venue’s balcony.

He closed the door tightly so they couldn’t be seen from inside and gently sat Se Eun on the railing.

Since the party venue was on the first floor, the railing wasn’t very high, and thanks to the garden spread out behind, the scent of spring flowers just beginning to bloom wafted over.

However, because he was standing and she was sitting, it somehow felt like a slightly suggestive position, and embarrassment washed over her.

“…I want to get down too.”

“No. Stay seated and rest for a bit. You just overexerted yourself dancing.”

“You did all the dancing, Ki Sun Woo. It was nothing.”

Se Eun glanced down at his snow-white sneakers.

There was a clear mark from her shoe on just one instep.

Seeing that, suddenly a corner of her heart ached.

“I’m sorry. Did it hurt?”

“As if. Yeon Se Eun, your body is just like a feather. Even lighter now that you’ve taken off that furry outfit you always wear.”

Se Eun stared blankly at Sun Woo as he joked.

And he, in turn, stared blankly back at her.

Thanks to her sitting, their eye levels were similar, and each other’s image was fully captured in their pupils.

For a moment, it felt like they had returned to the scene of dancing the waltz earlier.

At the same time, Se Eun’s heart began to dance rapidly.

A beat clearly different from usual.

Not the regular, monotonous heartbeat, but alternating thumps of ‘thump-thump’ and ‘ba-dum ba-dum’ hitting her chest.

Sun Woo’s eyes, which she thought were like beautiful amber, were right in front of her nose.

“Ah, um, well…”

Feeling like these feelings might be discovered, Se Eun opened her mouth first.

If things continued like this, it felt like her cheeks might catch fire.

“I think I’m a little thirsty.”

“I thought you might be, so I brought this on our way out.”

Sun Woo reached behind the railing and held out a champagne glass.

His thorough preparation was enough to make her tongue-tied. Or should she say meticulous?

It had been a casual excuse, but receiving the glass made her really feel thirsty.

Se Eun immediately drank the champagne he handed her.

It was a distinctly different color and taste from before.

As soon as she drank it, she felt heat rising in her body.

So this is what they call getting tipsy, she thought, feeling like she’d made a new discovery.

“How’s your ankle? Does it hurt?”

“It’s fine. Strangely, my feet moved lightly. This is the first time I’ve experienced this.”

“That’s good. Dancing seems to suit you unexpectedly. You could add another hobby besides calligraphy.”

“It’s not to that extent.”

Se Eun wiggled her feet in the air out of embarrassment.

With that, her silver shoe fell to the floor with a thud.

“Ah, my shoe…”

“Stay still. I’ll pick it up for you.”

Sun Woo naturally bent down and picked up her shimmering silver shoe.

“I, I’ll put it on myself!”

Se Eun flinched and shook her foot again as Sun Woo lowered his knee to put the shoe on her, looking completely at ease.

But it backfired.

Even his jacket that was draped over her legs fell to the floor.

“……”

An ambiguous silence. This time, Sun Woo didn’t try to pick up the jacket.

Due to his kneeling position, his gaze was completely filled with Se Eun’s fair legs.

After silently putting the shoe on her, he slowly got up from his seat.

“You must be cold.”

With the same hand that had been holding the silver shoe just moments ago, Sun Woo gently stroked Se Eun’s thigh.

Just like when he had tenderly caressed the piano keys.

At his touch, Se Eun felt as if all her body hair was standing on end.

Sun Woo’s eyes met hers again as he stood up.

Would it be a mistake to think she saw flames rising in them?

“Yeon Se Eun. Was the champagne just now delicious?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. It was a bit stronger than the one before…”

“Give me some too.”

“Ah… I drank it all.”

Feeling sheepish for having downed it in one shot, Se Eun tried to get down from the railing, thinking she should go get him some.

But before she could jump down, Sun Woo pressed his body close.

Leaving no space between them.

It felt as if time had stopped.

His lips, looking at her askance, seemed particularly red and deep.

Soon those lips made a request of Se Eun.

“There’s a way to fully convey the taste of champagne.”

Sun Woo’s hand gently wrapped around Se Eun’s waist, just like when they were waltzing.

“Tell me if you don’t like it.”

His other hand parted Se Eun’s wave-like hair and tenderly cupped her cheek.

Was it because of the alcohol? Somehow, she didn’t want to reject his touch.

The lingering aroma of champagne on her lips was incredibly fragrant and pleasant.

She wanted to let this man before her know that too.

As soon as she closed her eyes, her lips suddenly became hot.

Lips, champagne, and lips again.

The moist sensation completely broke down boundaries as it passed between them.

Se Eun’s shoulders trembled at this heated contact she had never known before.

Was it really the taste of champagne that he was curious about?

Sun Woo’s breath, blindly exploring her lips, told her it wasn’t.

Their tightly pressed chests were beating frighteningly fast.

In the repetition of this dizzying sensation, Se Eun couldn’t tell if she was intoxicated by the champagne or by him.

She no longer felt the cold, or even the slight fatigue in her ankle.

The only thing enveloping Se Eun was this fiery first kiss, and Ki Sun Woo’s lips delivering it.