While walking toward the parked car, Yulli suddenly turned around and was embraced by Jeho as if collapsing. Before Jeho could figure out what was happening, she took a step back and kissed him.

With a refreshing touch, a sweet breath flowed into her mouth.

Perplexed, Jeho widened his eyes, and Yulli, releasing her lips, smiled at him.

“Don’t worry. This area is a blind spot for CCTV.”

Having finished the surprise kiss, Yulli turned around and walked towards Jeho’s car. Unlike her, Jeho remained in place without a single move.

Then, Yulli turned back with a puzzled expression. Jeho, responding with an innocent look as if asking why she did that, smirked.

Is it just because of the mood? Could it be that now that Minwoo is no longer in Korea, these actions come from a feeling of loneliness? Or…

Jeho’s complexion darkened in an instant as he considered other reasons.

Does she know about the intentional approach?

Certainly, Yulli’s attitude had changed since the business trip to Jeju Island. She had gone from actively approaching him to suddenly becoming chilly, treating him like a stranger.

It was like a fluttering butterfly that danced around him. Just when he tried to catch it by reaching out his hand, the butterfly flew away as if avoiding capture.

If he wanted, he could quickly reach out and catch it. However, he had to be cautious not to harm its wings. For whatever reason, he needed to ensure that she didn’t get hurt. He had already left irreversible and cruel scars.

Having organized his thoughts, Jeho began walking again. Approaching the car, he opened the door for Yulli. As she got into the car, he turned around and took the driver’s seat.

“Shall we go home?”

Activating the navigation system, Jeho asked Yulli, who shook her head in confusion.

“Home? Which home are you talking about?”

Although her tone was somewhat twisted, Jeho didn’t take it seriously and lightly brushed it off.

Honestly, she could go to one of three places. Representative Chae’s house, her independent studio apartment, or Jeho’s house. Among them, which place would she consider as home?

“Are we going to your family’s house? You’ve been staying there lately.”

Starting the engine, Jeho asked again, but Yulli remained silent, staring out the window. With no response from her, Jeho interpreted it as an indication to go to her family’s house, so he started driving.

“Just go straight.”

While changing lanes to make a left turn onto a major road, she quickly stopped him.

“I’m going to the studio apartment.”

“The studio apartment?”

“Yes. I’ll be staying there from today.”

“Alone?”

Jeho frowned as if displeased with the idea.

“…Why? Are you worried?”

“What are you talking about? Of course, I’m worried.”

In response to his words, Yulli chuckled and shook her head.

“Why are you laughing?”
“I like it. I’m so happy because you’re worried about me.”

“Yulli.”

Jeho, who had stopped the car at a red light, turned his head toward Yulli. Jeho seemed displeased, and as he frowned, Yulli collected her laughter and looked at him with a shy expression.

“I want to be alone for a while. I mentioned it before, right? When I’m not feeling well, I prefer being alone.”

It wasn’t a lie; she genuinely felt comfortable being alone for now. Moreover, she wasn’t ready to spend time with him yet.

Because she hadn’t completely sorted out her complex emotions, being with him for an extended period was risky. At work, she could easily provoke him without any problem. There was always a space to escape his gaze.

His home was different. Using the space they shared was like embracing oil and jumping into the fire. It couldn’t be done without her entire body burning or turning into a flying moth.

“Okay. Instead, let’s eat dinner before you go in.”

Jeho seemed worried that she wouldn’t properly take care of herself once she returned to the studio apartment alone. To be honest, she only planned to go to bed immediately. Just pretending to be okay had already drained her energy.

“Sure, okay.”

Yulli didn’t object and obediently followed Jeho’s words. Having lunch together seemed like a big deal, so having dinner wasn’t that significant. If she delayed a little more, it would be enough. As long as she could sleep separately, it didn’t matter.

There would be no more occasions where the two would share a bed. Even though it was sparse, there was still a faint hope until she met Chief Kim.

She thought it might be a skillfully edited video sent by someone. She didn’t know Minwoo’s daily life.

But all hopes were in vain. Kwon Jeho and Shin Dahee truly knew each other and had a collaborative relationship.

She didn’t know why Shin Dahee sent her the video intentionally, but one thing was certain: everything Jeho had said to Shin Dahee was true.

―Yes, I approached intentionally.

―There’s nothing to be afraid of.

Not only that, he sincerely loved another woman.

―Of course I love you, rain or shine.

Yet, he still embraced her. Of course, to him, it might have been just a pastime.