“Senior. Was I this type?”

On the way to see off Sang Hyun, Sun Woo sat in the passenger seat for a moment, lost in thought.

“Are you talking about Se Eun? What type is that?”

“Well. It’s a long story, but cute enough to hold in one hand… Adorable enough to want to put in your pocket… Fluffy and lovable enough to want to nuzzle…”

“…Ha. This is severe. How come you two are exactly the same. Exactly the same.”

With a half-rotten face, Sang Hyun moved away from Sun Woo.

“If you’re going to be so serious about such nonsense, how am I supposed to react, Ki Sun Woo.”

“Huh? It’s not nonsense.”

“Let’s stop talking. Stop.”

Sang Hyun shook his head as if he had a headache.

Seeing him like that, the corners of Sun Woo’s mouth curved upward.

“By the way, senior. What’s the real reason you came? It’s not like you suddenly came for a housewarming party.”

“It’s true I was passing by. But I have something to tell you, Sun Woo.”

“What is it?”

Even though there were only the two of them in the car, Sang Hyun leaned in and lowered his voice significantly.

It seemed to be quite a serious matter.

“This is really, really confidential information I heard from a very close source, but Chairman Ko San. There’s talk that he’s been going to the hospital recently.”

“Hospital? Isn’t it stranger for an octogenarian not to go to the hospital?”

“Well… It seems to be heart-related.”

“Heart…”

At those words, Sun Woo felt his own heart ache.

The terrible disease that had driven his mother to death.

It felt as if that wound, still in his heart despite the passage of time, was suddenly being stirred up.

“You mean his heart is unwell?”

“I don’t know that much. Rather, now that you’re family, wouldn’t you know better than me?”

“We’re not close enough to be called family.”

Sun Woo replied indifferently.

Even if he were dying tomorrow, would Ko San tell him such a thing?

But if it were true, he could vaguely understand why he was so urgent about the whereabouts of Queen’s Tears.

An old man’s health is like a candle in the wind, after all.

“Well… Given his age, he might have some chronic illness. He might have just gone for a check-up. Anyway, I came to give you a heads up because I thought you should know. In any case, Chairman Ko San’s recent actions have been quite peculiar, haven’t they?”

“You mean the most peculiar action was making me his grandson-in-law, right, senior?”

“You got me. So, when are you going to spill your secrets?”

Sang Hyun narrowed his eyes and poked Sun Woo with his elbow.

It was an expression of dissatisfaction with the unbalanced give-and-take of their exchange.

To this, Sun Woo responded with his usual slippery evasiveness.

“Later. When the time comes to reveal it.”

Faced with this uninformative answer, Sang Hyun changed the subject first.

“By the way, I saw earlier that you have a dog at home?”

“Ah, yes. Cho Bbang.”

“Cho Bbang? That’s quite an unusual name.”

“Don’t say that. My wife put a lot of thought into choosing that name. It even has a surname. Yeon Cho Bbang.”

“Yeon Cho Bbang…”

Sang Hyun shrugged his shoulders as if admitting defeat and let out a sigh.

“Alright. I get it. I shouldn’t try to understand newlyweds being lovey-dovey. Still, you look more at ease.”

“Huh?”

“I said you look more at ease than before you got married. Whatever the purpose, seeing you like this isn’t bad.”

“Senior…”

“Ugh. Don’t look at me with those creepy eyes!”

“Why? I’m touched right now. Should I give you a big hug?”

“No thanks! Stay away! Get out now!”

Ha ha ha, Sun Woo’s cheerful laughter echoed in the car.

Despite his grumbling, wasn’t he always someone who genuinely worried about him?

Trying his best to hide his embarrassment, Sang Hyun offered advice once again in a serious tone.

“Anyway, if you can let it go, wouldn’t it be best to let it go, Ki Sun Woo?”

Let it go…

Sun Woo found himself repeating those words.

Could he let it go?

He had lived thinking about only one thing for nearly ten years, persevering even as he destroyed himself.

Could he really put away the blade of revenge that had just been sharpened?

Somehow, he couldn’t say for certain.

*

Lying side by side on the bed, Se Eun blinked her bright eyes.

It seemed she needed a bit more time to digest the rabbit-shaped apple they had for dessert.

Carefully, Se Eun turned to face Sun Woo lying next to her.

“Um, Ki Sun Woo.”

“Hmm? You’re not asleep yet?”

“No.”

“If you can’t sleep, shall I play you a lullaby?”

“It’s okay. Today, I just want to… talk about this and that with you until I fall asleep.”

Sun Woo, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly turned to face Se Eun.

As a result, the two were now lying face to face, looking at each other.

It was a position that naturally made one’s heart flutter.

Afraid that her loud heartbeat might be heard, Se Eun quickly opened her mouth.

“How was it with your brother today? He gave us a fruit basket, but I didn’t properly thank him.”

“You don’t have to.”

“…Can I ask why he came?”

“It was nothing. Let’s just say he came to fight over who will get Juha Group.”

“What?”

As Se Eun’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit, Sun Woo burst into laughter.

Realizing it was a joke, Se Eun pouted her lips.

“I asked seriously, and you just brush it off with a laugh…”

“I’m not brushing it off. It’s true.”

“…”

Se Eun stared intently into Sun Woo’s eyes.

It wasn’t so much that he was lying, but rather that he was trying not to reveal the truth.

But why? She didn’t want to back down and pretend not to notice.

“This might sound strange, but… I want to be a source of strength for you too, Ki Sun Woo.”

“…Huh?”

His amber eyes shone brightly in the dim light.

Once she started speaking, Se Eun didn’t stop and honestly expressed her feelings.

She no longer wanted to just hide and swallow her thoughts like before.

After all, it was the man right in front of her, Ki Sun Woo, who had taught her not to do that.

“You’re always a source of strength for me. I think… spouses should be equal. Of course, I’m an utterly lacking person with nothing to offer… But still, if I can be of even a little help to you, I want to be. I really mean it.”

“…Yeon Se Eun.”

He looked somewhat dumbfounded, as if in a daze.

Sun Woo just stared blankly at Se Eun for a moment.

Then, as if troubled, he roughly ran his hand through his hair.

“Wow. This is a problem. I really want to put you in my pocket now.”

“What?”

Wondering what nonsense he was talking about, Se Eun blinked again.

Sun Woo’s long, straight fingers then gently came to rest on top of her head.

He began to affectionately stroke her hair.

“Our little rabbit, I should praise you. You’re doing well, just as I taught you. In fact, you’re so honest… you keep surprising me.”

“Then you should be honest too, Ki Sun Woo.”

As Se Eun grumbled, slightly pouting, a light smile spread across Sun Woo’s lips.

“Alright. You got me. My brother came to give me the piano.”

“…The piano?”

“Yes. The one my late mother used to play. I thought my stepmother had thrown it away, but it seems he secretly saved it. He’s quite something, my brother, just like me.”

“Ah…”

Somehow, even though his expression was a bit stiff, he didn’t seem like a bad person.

It struck her as a truly thoughtful gesture.

“So, are you going to bring it?”

“Well…”

Seeing Sun Woo’s hesitant expression, Se Eun became urgent.

Perhaps, as Sang Hyun had said, the piano was a source of pain, and he wanted to keep it at a distance.

But it was Ki Sun Woo himself who was teaching her that wasn’t the answer.

“Bring it. We have many empty rooms in this house. We could even put it in the living room on the first floor. It gets good sunlight there.”

“Hmm. Should I?”

“Yes. It’s important to you, isn’t it? I want to see that piano too… And I’m curious about your late mother.”

Se Eun tensed up, worried that Sun Woo might draw a line with her again.

However, contrary to her expectations, Sun Woo nodded and said he understood.

He added that when he brings the piano, he’ll also bring some photos of his mother that he left at home.

“Oh, by the way.”

“Yes?”

Sun Woo changed the subject and moved his body even closer to Se Eun.

Somehow, it seemed to represent the shortened emotional distance between them, and Se Eun secretly rejoiced.

However, the words that came from his lips were quite unexpected.

“By any chance, does your grandfather have any chronic illnesses?”

“Chronic illness?”

“Yes. He is quite elderly, after all.”

“No. He’s very healthy. He’s never had any major illnesses… As you saw at his recent birthday party, he’s quite robust for his age.”

“Hmm. I see…”

Se Eun was about to open her mouth again, curious as to why he suddenly asked such a thing.

After a moment’s hesitation, Sun Woo threw another unexpected question.

“Yeon Se Eun. You… naturally hate your grandfather, right?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Se Eun was at a loss for words.

Her grandfather hates her.

This premise was so obvious that she had never considered the reverse.

She had never dared to think about whether she liked or disliked someone so far beyond her reach.

Sun Woo’s question made Se Eun deeply consider this for the first time.

Ko San. What were her feelings towards her grandfather?

The man who had hated her all her life, despised her, and even married her off like this.

A man who had everything in the world but lost his beloved daughter forever.

“…I’m not sure.”

“You’re not sure?”

“Yes. Actually… Grandfather wasn’t always such a scary person. When I was young, he was quite nice to me in his own way. Most of it is hazy now, but I remember one thing clearly. Grandfather made a snow sled himself and pulled it for me. And at that time, I…”

Was happy, the emotion echoed from deep within Se Eun’s heart.

Suddenly, she recalled a winter day when Ko San had smiled brightly at her.

The scene of a brilliant day that can never return.