“The wedding dress that has been passed down through the family for generations has been torn.”

“Ugh, sh…”

Just as he was about to curse, Minwoo stopped abruptly, closing his mouth. It was because his eyes met Yuri’s. He couldn’t lose his temper in front of her. Instead, Minwoo sharply swatted away Jeho’s hand that was wrapped around Yuri’s waist. While glaring at him with fiery eyes, as if to say don’t touch my woman.

“I’ll go change clothes.”

As Minwoo went out holding his phone, Yuri entered the fitting room wearing Jeho’s jacket. Perhaps because the space was small, the citrus scent flowing from the jacket felt stronger than it did outside. It was as if she was embraced in Jeho’s arms.

Are you crazy? What am I imagining right now?

Yuri laughed as if dumbfounded and hurriedly took off the torn dress.

[This is the timeline separator]

“What is all this about?”

After receiving Minwoo’s call, Lady Na rushed over right away.

“Nancy Song, how on earth did you manage this?”

Lady Na shouted loudly with an enraged face.

“I’m sorry, madam.”

“Do you think everything is solved by saying sorry?”

“I’m truly, truly sorry, madam.”

Although she had done nothing wrong, Nancy Song kept bowing to Lady Na. After huffing and puffing to herself as if trying to calm down, Lady Na now turned her fierce gaze towards Yuri.

“Yuri, do you know what kind of dress this is?”

Yuri kept her mouth shut and lowered her head.

“Just how lightly do you think of our family to act like this? This dress, I clearly…”

Just then, with a click, the door of the fitting room opened. Lady Na, who had turned her head towards the sound without thinking, was startled to see Jeho coming out wearing formal attire.

“Jeho, why are you here?”

“It’s been a while, Aunt.”

A subtle smile appeared on Jeho’s lips as he faced Lady Na.

Lady Na, who had no idea Jeho was here, glared at Minwoo as if to ask why he didn’t tell her. But in fact, it was all her fault. Upon hearing that the dress was torn, she had rushed over without even listening to the full story.

With Jeho’s appearance, Lady Na had no choice but to withdraw her fierce expression. Even if Minwoo pretended not to know and turned a blind eye to lies, Jeho wouldn’t.

“When did you come back to Korea? I’m only seeing your face now.”

“I’m sorry about that, Aunt.”

Though he said that, his expression didn’t look sorry at all. Jeho’s attitude towards elders was quite irritating, but now was not the time to fuss about such things. Lady Na hurriedly put on a forced smile towards Yuri and Minwoo.

“Well, it’s already torn, what can we do? Would you wear this patched up? Forget it. You two figure it out yourselves.”

After finishing her words, Lady Na glared at Jeho briefly and then turned around and left the dress room. Minwoo gestured to Yuri that he would go first and quickly followed Lady Na. As the two left, the noisy interior suddenly became quiet.

“I’m sorry for causing such a commotion.”

Yuri apologized to Nancy Song and the staff on behalf of Lady Na, even though she had done nothing wrong.

“Oh, no, it’s fine.”

Nancy Song waved her hand as if it was nothing, but she still felt uneasy. To think that the future mother-in-law would act like such a tyrant and cause a scene! Though she might be fake, at least the new stepmother, Lady Ahn, was always careful in everything due to being conscious of the voters’ eyes. As they say, husband and wife are one body, it seems it’s not just the Director Kwon who has a nasty temper.

Sigh, if it’s like this before marriage, how will it be after?

Yuri turned her gaze to the glamorous wedding dresses hanging on the rack with a bitter smile. The troublesome old dress was gone, and now she just had to choose a dress she liked, but perhaps due to the dampened mood, just looking at them made her feel tired.

“I’ll choose the main ceremony dress next time. Let’s stop here for today.”

“Yes, as you wish.”

Nancy Song nodded understandingly and retreated with the staff, pulling the mobile rack with the dresses.

“Oh my…”

Jeho, who had been watching silently until then, pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on.

“I’m not done with my fitting yet…”

Only then did Yuri realize that Jeho hadn’t been able to properly fit due to the commotion caused by Lady Na. Flustered, Yuri walked towards the bell installed on the wall.

“I’m sorry. I’ll call them back.”

“No.”

As she was about to press the bell button, he gently grabbed her wrist. When Yuri looked at him with a puzzled expression, he lightly shook his head.

“I’ll stop for today too. The medication is starting to wear off…”

Now that she looked, Jeho’s complexion seemed paler than before. So he had been enduring with painkillers until now?

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“Huh, it’s bearable enough.”

Jeho smiled wryly as he loosened his bowtie with his uninjured hand. Seeing him struggling to undo it with one hand, Yuri reached out and undid the tie for him.

“Thank you.”

“No, I should be thanking you.”

“For what?”

He played dumb even though he knew what she meant. Yuri stared into Jeho’s eyes as she undid the knot of the tie. His brows were furrowed as if enduring pain, but there was a hint of laughter somewhere in his eyes. It was clear that he hadn’t accidentally torn the dress while trying to untangle the lace, but had deliberately ripped it.

“Thank you for tearing the dress.”

In fact, she had wanted to tear it herself… He had boldly put into action what she had only thought about doing.

“Whew, you’re the first woman to thank me for tearing her clothes… If you need it again in the future, just let me know. I’ll tear it cleanly for you.”

“If I’m the first woman to thank you for tearing clothes, then…?”

“Why? Are you curious about how many women’s clothes I’ve torn so far?”

Yuri’s face turned bright red at the mischievous joke. She hadn’t meant to ask in that way, but it seemed he had interpreted it differently. When Yuri couldn’t say anything out of embarrassment, Jeho chuckled and went into the fitting room to change clothes.

Yuri, who had already changed, sat on the sofa waiting for Jeho. Though it was a short time, many thoughts came to mind.

What if that arranged marriage from long ago had proceeded as planned? Would he have been a good husband? If so, would it have been less shocking when she found out about her father and stepmother’s affair? Would he have comforted her when she was sad? Would he have been a reliable support?

Yuri smiled bitterly and shook her head as she imagined a future that never came to be. She shouldn’t imagine only the good parts. Maybe they would have lived awkwardly, more distant than strangers.

A moment later, when Jeho came out of the fitting room after changing clothes, Yuri got up from the sofa and approached him.

“Did you bring your car? It must be hard to drive in your condition…”

“I came by taxi.”

“Then let’s go in my car. I’ll give you a ride.”

Minwoo had left his own car at the company and driven Yuri’s car to the wedding studio. He had already left with Lady Na, so there was no need to give him a ride.

As Jeho was about to answer, his phone started ringing. After checking the caller, Jeho excused himself for a moment and pressed the answer button.

“Yes, what’s the matter? …Why Jasmine?”

Yuri’s brows furrowed at the name Jasmine that flowed from Jeho’s lips. She didn’t want to eavesdrop, but she couldn’t help but focus her attention in that direction. Yuri held her breath and waited for the next words.

“Okay. I’ll do that.”

After hanging up the phone, Jeho turned to Yuri.

“I’m sorry, but can we stop by somewhere before going home? It’s near here.”

“Sure.”

The place Jeho needed to stop by was a pet store located a block away.

“She’s been crying since earlier because her favorite snacks ran out.”

Yuri remembered that he had a cat at home. As Jeho was looking around at the snack options, he made another call to confirm.

“Hey, Woo Kyung. What was it that Jasmine likes? Churu?”

Wait a minute! So the cat’s name is Jasmine?

Yuri’s expression subtly changed as she listened to the phone conversation.

“Is there anything specific you’re looking for?”

As the store clerk approached to help, Jeho switched to speaker mode so the clerk could hear too.

[Do you have Churu from Nyang Nyang?]

A familiar woman’s voice flowed from the phone. Yuri realized it was the voice of the woman who had opened the door for her that afternoon. So that woman’s name wasn’t Jasmine but Woo Kyung?

While the clerk went to find the product, Woo Kyung’s voice continued to flow out.

[Oh, by the way, Jeho oppa, my brother said he’ll be very late today, so don’t wait. I’ll just feed Jasmine dinner and go home.]

Yuri quickly put the pieces together. So the Jasmine that Jeho had called out to in his sleep wasn’t his lover but a cat, and the woman who opened the door earlier was the younger sister of a friend he’s living with? She had just stopped by her brother’s house? So I’ve been misunderstanding everything on my own all this time?

Yuri quickly turned around, covering her cheeks with both hands. She was so embarrassed that her face turned red from jumping to conclusions and imagining things on her own.

But the heavy mood that had settled began to lift gradually. For some reason, though she didn’t know why…

[This is the timeline separator]

That day, when Minwoo returned home, he had a big fight with his mother. He was scolded by Lady Na, who said that after raising her son, he had gone crazy over a woman and given her everything including his liver and gall.

But even while listening to the pouring nagging, he was inwardly overjoyed.

Today Yuri had smiled at him sweetly. Not only that, she had tied his tie for him and patted his shoulder, complimenting how handsome he looked in formal wear. What more could he ask for!

As the wedding date approached, it was clear that Yuri was slowly starting to accept him as a man. She might not show it outwardly, but surely she must be feeling butterflies too.

The next day, Minwoo could still feel Yuri’s touch as she tied his tie. The nape of his neck where her slender fingers had touched felt tingly, driving him crazy. Moreover, how beautiful she had looked in the wedding dress! Yuri’s image kept flickering before his eyes, making it impossible to concentrate on work. Finally, concluding that Yuri must feel the same way, he called her.

“Yuri, let’s have dinner together today.”

Contrary to his expectation that she would agree, a refusal came back.

[Not today. I have a company dinner.]

“Company dinner? Do you really have to go to that?”

[It’s a regular monthly dinner, so it would be awkward if I’m the only one who doesn’t go.]

“Then I’ll come too. I’ll call my senior and ask.”

Minwoo and Manager Kim are university seniors and juniors. Since they were already acquainted, he used to occasionally join their company dinners even before Yuri started working at Bauhaus. Until recently, Bauhaus was in a position to receive support from KG Group, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

[Okay then. You ask the manager.]

“Alright, see you later.”

As he hung up the phone with a big smile, a message came from Assistant Manager Shin.

If it had been yesterday, he would have told her to come up to his office right away, but… Minwoo frowned as he pressed the keypad firmly.

It was close yesterday, but it shouldn’t happen again today. He planned to wait with a pure mind and body, at least for today. Love is love, and desire is desire, but today is an exception.

The troublesome rag dress is gone too, so maybe Yuri will open her heart even more today than yesterday.

Minwoo smiled brightly as he pressed the intercom to call his secretary.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ah, that’s right! Does Minwoo know that Jeho is a partner at Bauhaus? If he doesn’t know, he might be surprised.

Yuri turned her head to the seat next to her to ask Jeho after hanging up the phone. But she saw an empty seat without its owner. Only then did she realize that Jeho was currently out on field work.

She wanted to call him, but she still didn’t know his number. With no choice, she was about to call Minwoo instead when suddenly an urgent design revision came up. By the time she finished dealing with it, it was already time to leave work.

The worrying situation finally happened. Like enemies meeting on a narrow bridge, Jeho returning from field work and Minwoo who had just arrived met face to face in front of Bauhaus.

“What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you that, hyung. What are you doing here?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

The corners of Jeho’s mouth lifted slightly as he looked at Minwoo.

“I’m the co-CEO of Bauhaus.”