The way home from work was unusually light-footed for once.

Thanks to the misunderstanding being cleared up, Se Eun was able to focus entirely on her design work.

Mo Na treated her like an invisible person the whole time, which made her feel more comfortable.

Sun Woo sent word that he would wait in the parking lot from now on.

If that made Se Eun more comfortable, he said he would comply.

It was a good thing.

She always welcomed his greetings, but didn’t want to run into Mo Na.

Mo Na, who already glared at her, would intensify her gaze even more upon seeing Sun Woo.

Sun Woo, who was standing by the car, quickly opened the passenger door as soon as he spotted her.

“You worked hard. Nothing unusual happened?”

As he fastened her seatbelt firmly, Sun Woo kindly asked about her day.

“Ah. Yes. I found that jewelry.”

Se Eun’s response was a beat late, as she had developed a habit of holding her breath when his body hovered over hers.

At the news of recovering the jewelry, Sun Woo, back in the driver’s seat, let out a relaxed sigh as if pleased.

“Looks like the thief turned themselves in.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Never mind. More importantly, take off your shoes and get comfortable. I put a foot warmer down there.”

“A foot warmer?”

When Se Eun looked under the passenger seat, there really was a fluffy, pillow-like warmer placed there.

“I thought your feet might be cold from wearing heels you’re not used to. You’re sensitive to cold, after all.”

“Ah… thank you.”

“Hmm? Your button’s undone. Look at me.”

“Pardon?”

As she automatically turned her head at his command, Sun Woo leaned in close and placed his hand on Se Eun’s chest.

“…!”

Even with the thick layers of clothing, wasn’t this a somewhat dangerous position?

Contrary to Se Eun’s expectations as she froze with startled rabbit eyes, his hand movements were like those of a mother tending to a child.

“It’s no use wearing a fur coat if you don’t button it all the way up. There, now it’s snug up to your neck. Ah, should we put the hood on too?”

“It’s, it’s fine! At this rate only my eyes will be peeking out.”

“Hmm. That’s not bad either. It would be quite cute.”

“Cu… cute…”

Her cheeks flushed hot at those words.

Far from being cold, her body felt so warm that she wondered if it was okay to be bundled up like this.

Se Eun stared intently at this man.

The kindness that once felt clumsy and unfamiliar had somehow become a familiar consideration.

No, come to think of it, it had been that way from the start.

He had only said he would play at being a husband while loafing around, but he always fulfilled his role by her side.

Not once had he ever not been Se Eun’s husband.

Suddenly, a more fundamental question arose in her heart.

Even before asking why he was being good to her.

“Ki Sun Woo…”

“Yes?”

“Why did you marry me?”

As if it was an unexpected question, Sun Woo’s hand on the steering wheel paused for a moment.

Wanting a proper answer this time, Se Eun waited patiently.

She was well aware that Ko San had recruited a grandson-in-law by offering shares in his name as a condition.

As such, at first she had simply thought ‘money’ was the reason.

But as she spent time with Sun Woo, that thought gradually changed.

Ki Sun Woo. He definitely didn’t marry her because he was tempted by shares or anything like that.

Money or honor. He was completely different from the type who pursued such worldly things.

She wanted to know. The real reason.

Whatever his purpose was, she wanted to be of help if she could.

But instead of answering, he smiled with his eyes half-closed.

“Well… Let’s just say it was fate?”

“What? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t particularly like to talk in terms of results, but since you asked, Yeon Se Eun, that’s how it seems in the end.”

“…?”

“You don’t like that answer?”

“It’s not that…”

Suddenly feeling shy, Se Eun quickly turned her head away.

As she fiddled with her hands neatly placed on her lap, pretending to be distracted, a pleased laugh could be heard from beside her.

“It can’t be helped if you don’t like it. That’s the best answer I can give you.”

“…Alright, let’s just go quickly. I’m hungry.”

“Okay. What do you want to eat today? I bought lots of ingredients, so just say the word.”

Hmm~ Se Eun pretended to think hard about the dinner menu.

But only one word was circling in her mind.

Fate. Could there be a more heart-fluttering answer than that?

Even if it was a sweet lie, Se Eun vowed to gladly be deceived.

*

It seemed that being a househusband suited him, he was certain of it by now.

Taking care of Se Eun from morning wake-up to nighttime sleep was more rewarding than anything else in his life so far.

Of course, not only a rabbit but even a puppy had come along, but they were both cute so that was enough.

A smile never left his face as he checked the locks and turned off the lights after putting the two adorable beings to sleep.

Se Eun had shyly asked for a lullaby again, and her cheeks were so flushed that he almost wanted to tease her by refusing.

Perhaps because her skin was so fair, when she blushed she looked just like the rabbit-shaped apples she had cut.

Moreover, while tidying up her desk during evening cleaning, he found that Se Eun was actually writing Cho Bbang’s life story on rice paper.

The day they first adopted him, the day he first barked, the birthday they decided together…

Seeing her create what was essentially the Cho Bbang Chronicles, Sun Woo felt an indescribable adorableness.

“You two are quite alike, in a subtle way.”

Chuckling, Sun Woo recalled what had happened earlier when he played the lullaby on the piano.

After tucking Se Eun into bed and leaving the door open while playing the lullaby, Cho Bbang had followed the piano sound into the room.

Then he sat down in the exact same spot where Se Eun usually crouched, listening to the performance.

In the end, he even fell asleep just like her.

As he climbed the stairs to the second floor after finishing his daily routine, Sun Woo suddenly realized he was reliving the day.

And with quite a joyful feeling at that.

Careful not to make a sound, Sun Woo opened the bedroom door.

Se Eun’s sleeping expression looked much more peaceful than yesterday.

He found it novel that he felt relieved by that fact.

When she had asked earlier why he married her, he gave an answer even he hadn’t expected, but seeing her like this now made him think that answer wasn’t wrong after all.

It was just a feeling that things had to be this way, somehow.

Even though he wasn’t actually a fatalist, it was surprising that such words had come out.

“Ah, the curtains…”

He could see the streetlight flickering on Se Eun’s eyes through the window.

Even after moving to the newlywed room, Se Eun always kept the curtains open by her headboard.

Not knowing that she furrowed her brow every morning from the glare.

Carefully, Sun Woo slowly, very slowly closed those curtains.

As darkness finally fell in the room, only her small silhouette remained in his vision.

“…Yeon Se Eun.”

Standing by Se Eun’s bedside, Sun Woo murmured softly.

As if making a confession.

Seeing her pure sleeping face, he couldn’t bear not to speak.

“It’s strange. I’m a bad guy, but I keep wanting to be a good person just for you.”

Finding his own words amusing, Sun Woo rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Then, with careful hands again, he placed the gift he had brought on the bedside table by her head.

Soon, a soft light emanated from the rabbit-shaped mood lamp, casting a gentle moonlight on Se Eun’s cheeks.

Whether called a prodigal son, trash, or whatever else, it didn’t matter.

At this moment, Sun Woo only wished for one thing.

Yeon Se Eun. To be even the smallest light for her.

*

Originally going to the hospital weekly, after getting hired as an intern he extended it to every two weeks.

Fortunately, the attending physician promised to keep it from reaching her maternal grandfather’s ears.

Saying there was no need to come to the hospital in the first place.

“I’m going to the hospital for a bit.”

“Let’s go together, Yeon Se Eun.”

“Pardon?”

Already dressed for going out, Sun Woo, neatly attired, quickly followed her to the entrance.

He was holding Cho Bbang wrapped in a puppy sling.

Somehow he had put him to sleep, as he appeared to be soundly asleep.

“I put this little guy to sleep so we could go together. He sleeps well at this time and won’t wake up easily. I installed a pet cam, and we can call a pet sitter if needed.”

Se Eun was puzzled as to why he was volunteering for such troublesome tasks and insisting on accompanying her.

Sensing the question marks swirling around her just from her expression, Sun Woo readily answered.

“It’s lonely going to the hospital alone, isn’t it? We went together for all of Cho Bbang’s vaccinations, so it’s only fair we go together for your hospital visits too.”

“No, I’m really fine…”

“No way, Yeon Se Eun. Have you forgotten?”

“Forgotten what?”

Rustling, Sun Woo suddenly rummaged through his back pocket.

Then he abruptly held out a crumpled piece of paper.

Se Eun took it and unfolded it with puzzled hands.

“This is…”

“Yes. Our family registry. It clearly states there, Yeon Se Eun. You and I are spouses.”

“Spouses…”

“You know the saying that spouses are one body and mind, right? So don’t refuse. We’re family now.”

Family, why?

At that word, Se Eun’s heart suddenly stirred.

It felt as if a new color was being overlaid on that word, which had been riddled with loss, pain, and suffering.

Once again, as if the man named Ki Sun Woo had cast a spell on her.

She had thought she had lost it forever.

After her parents passed away, neither her maternal grandfather, aunt, nor Mo Na could be a family shelter for her.

She didn’t dare consider them family.

But now Ki Sun Woo was giving her a new definition of ‘family’ as if it were the most natural thing.

Se Eun gazed intently at Sun Woo’s beautiful eyes and at Cho Bbang sleeping in his arms.

Family… Had she gained a family again?

So happy she could hardly believe it, Se Eun unconsciously broke into a wide smile.

At that smile, family smiled back at her right before her eyes.

For the first time, Se Eun erased the line she had drawn herself.

“Alright. Let’s go to the hospital together.”