Su Yeon’s lips parted in surprise, and she blinked rapidly.

“There’s a bathtub in the living room bathroom, so we can soak together.”

“What??”

“Maybe because I used muscles I haven’t in a while last night, my body feels a bit stiff. You must feel the same.”

In Ho’s voice and expression remained calm.

‘Is he really serious about showering together?’

Su Yeon was unusually flustered.

Just the thought of showering with In Ho made her head spin.

“Stop joking and go shower quickly. Myung Woo will be here soon.”

“I’m not joking. We have about two hours before Myung Woo arrives.”

“Quickly shower and have breakfast. I don’t have as much time as you if I want to go to Seongbuk-dong.”

“If we argue about this, we could have already been showered and on our way, right?”

“……Are you really serious?”

Su Yeon asked with a pale face.

Unable to contain himself, In Ho burst into laughter.

He couldn’t help but find her panicked face both adorable and lovely.

He couldn’t resist teasing her.

In Ho grabbed Su Yeon’s face and kissed her deeply.

Nibbling on her lower lip, he teased Su Yeon, eliciting a moan.

The short-lived moan had a significant impact.

In Ho felt his blood boiling with an uncontrollable desire.

Unable to resist the urge, he parted his lips and looked at Su Yeon with passion-filled eyes.

“I was joking, but now I really want to shower with you. You’re just too cute and beautiful.”

“……Stop it. Your jokes are too much this morning.”

“It’s not a joke. Let’s shower together, okay?”

“No, stop tempting me this early in the morning and go shower!”

Su Yeon realized In Ho wasn’t just teasing and quickly detached herself from him.

She then escaped the bedroom, feeling In Ho chasing after her.

Quickening her pace, she opened the bathroom door in the living room and hurried inside, but couldn’t close it in time.

In Ho swiftly followed her in, closing the gap with a sly smile on his lips.

“In Ho, stop……!”

Her attempt to dissuade him filled the bathroom but was only fleeting.

Her lips, captured by In Ho, helplessly succumbed to his heated breath.

Arriving at the department store, Su Yeon straightened her attire and entered the food section.

She had chosen clothes that covered her neck as much as possible, but she still felt self-conscious.

After last night and this morning.

In Ho, like a beast, had left marks all over her body, finding every possible spot.

This made her spend a considerable amount of time in the dressing room.

Thankfully it was a cold season; had it been summer, she would have been confined to her house for days until the red marks disappeared.

Su Yeon shook her head yet couldn’t help but smile broadly.

It was hard to believe that the passionate moments with In Ho were only an hour ago.

The fact that such happiness had returned to her felt like a dream.
But her attitude towards embracing this happiness was not the same as before.

“I’ll protect it.”

Su Yeon whispered to herself.

“I won’t ruin it.”

She wanted to guard this happiness that had found her once again, at all costs.

She didn’t want to lose it a second time.

Her steps, unlike usual, seemed particularly light.

After browsing the food section for a while, Su Yeon stopped and pulled out her phone.

Her fingers moved nimbly as she searched for a number.

Soon, a familiar voice came from the other end of the phone.

－Yes, Mrs. Youngest Daughter-in-Law.

The voice belonged to Mrs. Young Cheon, who took care of the housework in In Ho’s family home in Seongbuk-dong.

“Auntie, it’s me. Have you had breakfast?”

－Of course. What time do you think it is? Have you eaten, Mrs. Youngest Daughter-in-Law?

“Yes, I’ve eaten. I heard mother wasn’t feeling well.”

－Ah, she’s been having headaches. I’ve been giving her the chrysanthemum tea you brought last time.

“Oh, really? Does mother like the chrysanthemum tea?”

Su Yeon asked with a bright face.

Her heart fluttered inexplicably.

－It seems to be working. She even ate breakfast on her own today.

The response was more welcome than Su Yeon had expected.

Her heart swelled with the news.

Chrysanthemum tea, of all things, was so moving.

“I’m so glad, really…….”

－Don’t worry too much. Her complexion isn’t great, but she doesn’t seem too unwell.

“I’m still worried. I’m on my way from the department store right now. I thought of making her some abalone porridge. I’ve picked up most of what I need, but is there anything else you need at home? I’ll pick it up while I’m out.”

－Oh, you don’t have to. I buy what we need as we need it.

“Then I’ll just get the ingredients for the abalone porridge. Don’t bother with lunch preparations. Have the abalone porridge with me.”

－Alright. Thanks to you, I’ll have a treat for lunch today.

The warm voice through the phone pleasantly lingered in Su Yeon’s ears.

Therefore, she couldn’t erase the smile from her lips.

She felt unusually good and excited.

It felt like a perfect day.