Ignoring his work, Lee Hyun was excitedly searching for the currently popular proposal hot spot restaurants when he finally found a place he liked.

But just as he was about to happily pick up the phone to make a reservation, there was a knock on the door from outside.

“Yes.”

The door soon opened and Ji Won entered with an ambiguous expression.

“Director. You have a visitor.”

“A visitor? Did I have such a schedule?”

“No. You don’t, but…”

“Then who is here?”

“Oppa!!”

Before Lee Hyun’s question was finished, Jin Yu Ha, the person he was in marriage talks with, popped out from behind Ji Won.

Appearing with a voice that couldn’t be more lively, she rushed straight towards Lee Hyun.

Lee Hyun’s handsome brows furrowed in irritation.

“You’re in Korea? Why?”

“Why! To marry you, oppa.”

“I won’t. I have a woman I’m going to marry. So go. Don’t show up suddenly while I’m working.”

“I called but you didn’t pick up! You didn’t check my messages either! But what do you mean you have a woman to marry? Do you have a girlfriend? Whose daughter is she? Does the chairman know?”

Faced with questions pouring out endlessly, Lee Hyun continued speaking stiffly without even looking at her.

“You don’t need to know. And I’ve blocked your number so I won’t pick up in the future either, so don’t contact me.”

“Oppa!!”

“You’re loud. I’m busy so leave.”

Lee Hyun still didn’t look at Yu Ha who was bouncing around in front of him.

Instead, he gave a sideways glare at his secretary and troubleshooter, Ji Won, who was standing behind with a sullen face.

At that, Ji Won let out a small sigh and nodded.

“Ms. Jin Yu Ha. The director has a meeting in 5 minutes. I’m sorry but you’ll have to leave now.”

“Tsk, fine…”

Yu Ha bit her lips tightly, looked at Lee Hyun regretfully one more time, then turned around and left the director’s office.

She headed straight for the chairman’s office.

“Mother~ I’m here!”

“Yes. It’s been a while. Did you have a good time in America?”

“Of course! But I missed Hyun oppa so that was a bit hard. Ah! I have something I bought for you~ This is a limited edition. It’s elegant and noble, perfect for you!”

As her high-pitched laughter rang out, In Hwa gave a businesslike smile.

That girl’s mouth must be powered by a motor. Even after seeing her for over ten years, it was still going strong.

The fact was, both her son Lee Hyun and his mother In Hwa were the same in not being able to adapt to Yu Ha’s loudness.

But not knowing or caring about that, Yu Ha took out a scarf with a bright smile and waved it around excitedly.

“Ta-da!! Isn’t it pretty? It’s really pretty, right? Do you want to try it on?”

“No, it’s fine. The color doesn’t match the clothes I’m wearing today. I’ll try it on tomorrow matching with them. Thank you.”

“Since you only have a son, I have to take good care of you~ A good relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law like real mother and daughter is great, isn’t it?”

Yeah, not great. It’s distracting.

Unable to say the truth, In Hwa just smiled calmly.

“By the way, mother. Is Hyun oppa seeing a woman right now?”

“He was. I already took care of it.”

To be exact, that girl disappeared.

“But oppa said he has a woman to marry so he won’t marry me? Who is that woman? What family is she from? What’s her educational background? Is she pretty? What charm does she have? Does she have a really good body by any chance?”

Faced with questions pouring out endlessly, In Hwa shook her head firmly.

“That girl has already been handled and left. So don’t worry about it. The engagement will proceed as planned.”

“Really? Ah~ As expected, there’s no one like you, mother~”

Seeing Yu Ha happily rejoicing like a child, In Hwa suddenly thought of Ha Jun’s gentle eyes that had looked at her expressionlessly.

That girl who ran away and disappeared, could she be crying right now?

“Sigh…”

Startled by the sigh that came out without realizing, In Hwa looked ahead. But fortunately, Yu Ha didn’t notice her sigh as she was laughing and getting excited by herself.

− It’s turned off so it’s connected to voicemail…

Lee Hyun tilted his head at the message that came out instead of the call connecting tone.

Something felt strange. However, he desperately suppressed the anxiety that was trying to seep out.

She might be in a meeting… Or her battery might be dead.

Yeah, that must be it. Let’s not be anxious about Ha Jun anymore. She’s my woman.

“I miss you. Should I just snatch you away from Se Ra?”

If he took her as his secretary, he could see her 24 hours a day at the office and at home… This wasn’t a problem with Se Ra, but it was obvious Ha Jun would refuse, saying she doesn’t like it with a straight face.

“She would say no right away without even breathing. No. I don’t like it.”

Cutely.

Smiling, Lee Hyun picked up the phone again. Having been interrupted by Jin Yu Ha, he made a dinner reservation at a restaurant that he couldn’t do before, and this time he called somewhere else. It was his personal shopper.

“Manager Kim, it’s been a while. I want to make a reservation at 5. No, not for clothes, but for a proposal ring.”

Regardless of the gasping sound coming from the other end of the line, Lee Hyun continued speaking nonchalantly.

“She doesn’t like flashy things so prepare everything as simple and elegant as possible regardless of price. Oh, let’s also look at necklaces together as a set with the ring.”

A satisfied smile appeared on Lee Hyun’s lips as he hung up the phone.

What kind of expression would Ha Jun make when he proposed to her with an elegant diamond ring sparkling brilliantly like a star?

“I hope she smiles brightly. The happiest in the world…”

He thought of Ha Jun’s bright smile that she had shown him in her sleep before.

He would definitely see that pretty smile today. That’s what Lee Hyun thought.

After crying for a long time, Ha Jun finally calmed down and a humble meal prepared by Bok Seon was placed in front of her.

“You must be hungry? Of course you would be after crying. Here, try eating this.”

Bok Seon put a spoon in Ha Jun’s hand and scooped the flat and long white fish flesh onto the rice with her hand.

“This is a fish called silver pomfret. It’s delicious so try it.”

“Yes…”

As Ha Jun took a spoonful of rice with the fish flesh Bok Seon scooped for her and put it in her mouth, the salty and mild fish flavor spread smoothly.

Bok Seon’s wrinkled eyes watching Ha Jun eat curved into crescents.

“How is it? It’s good, right? Huh? Grandma dried it last winter. It’s a delicious one I only bring out for special guests.”

“It’s delicious.”

Ha Jun smiled slightly.

Seeing Ha Jun smiling with her swollen eyes, Bok Seon also laughed along.

“Pretty. You’re even prettier when you smile. Hurry and eat a lot. Okay?”

“Yes.”

To be honest, the food was really delicious.

Perhaps because it was by the sea, the soybean paste stew was full of clams and conches, making it refreshing. The unidentified seaweed salad and the kimchi that seemed heavily seasoned with salted seafood were all delicious too.

Watching Ha Jun busily moving her spoon nonstop, Bok Seon got up with a proud smile and brought the leftover rice from the kitchen.

“Pretty. Eating well, you’re the prettiest in the world. Our baby is pretty.”

“It’s so delicious, grandma.”

Ha Jun smiled brightly and accepted the new rice Bok Seon brought.

The spoon moved busily again. Bok Seon’s hands scooping the fish flesh also became busy.

Today, for the first time in her life, Ha Jun emptied two bowls of rice completely.

The past few days, her stomach felt bad whenever she ate and she had no appetite at all. But today, she was strangely hungry for rice.

The day that had been so endlessly hard became the day Ha Jun overate the most since she was born.

The rice filled with Bok Seon’s affection was delicious. Every time the warm soup went down her throat, her heart seemed to grow warm.

“Thank you for the meal. I’ll do the dishes.”

“Do you want more rice?”

Ha Jun shook her head with a bright smile at Bok Seon’s question. Only then did Bok Seon also nod.

Ha Jun, who went into the kitchen with the small table, pushed Bok Seon back as she followed her in. When she tapped her chest to show that she would do the dishes, Bok Seon laughed and obediently stepped back.

Ha Jun warmly watched Bok Seon’s back as she sat leisurely in front of the TV on the floor and picked up the remote control. Then she turned her head and took a look around the small and humble kitchen.

It made her smile unconsciously as it had a similar atmosphere to the semi-basement room she had lived in with her mother during her childhood that she didn’t remember well.

She really liked Bok Seon and this cozy and humble house that resembled her.

But at that moment, something suddenly poured out from her nose.

“Oh…?”

It was bright red nosebleed. Surprised by the nosebleed wetting her hand, Ha Jun turned on the faucet of the sink and washed off the blood. She had never had a nosebleed no matter how tired she was…

The nosebleed was heavy too. It took quite a long time for the bleeding to finally stop.

“Is it because of stress…?”

Tilting her head, Ha Jun soon thought it could be and started doing the dishes.

Having finished the dishes neatly, Ha Jun quietly sat next to Bok Seon. As if she had been waiting, a puffed rice snack entered her mouth.

“This is made right there at the market stall. It’s crunchy, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s delicious.”

Bok Seon kept moving her hand even while watching TV. As if she wouldn’t allow Ha Jun’s mouth to be empty even for a moment, her movements were very agile and precise.

They say you get sleepy when you’re full and your back is warm.

Ha Jun’s eyes, experiencing this comfort for the first time in her life, blinked slowly, unable to fight the drowsiness.

Then, at some point, Ha Jun, who had quietly laid down on the floor, soon fell into a deep sleep.

Seeing that, Bok Seon brought a blanket from the bedroom, gently covered her, and slowly patted her back with her rough hand.

“Sleep, sleep, our baby. Sleep, sleep, sleeping so well. Black puppy, don’t bark. Cock-a-doodle-doo, don’t crow…”

Under the bright red sunset of the West Sea preparing to set, Bok Seon’s gentle lullaby rang out warmly.

A serene smile softly appeared on the lips of Ha Jun, who had fallen asleep without knowing the world.