“Were you planning to sleep alone tonight?”

Yuri, who was about to say ‘Of course,’ quickly shut her mouth. Jeho’s expression had turned cold, as if an icy wind was about to blow. Was she being too harsh after he helped her move?

“…Um, the bed’s too narrow for two. So…”

A somewhat apologetic explanation slipped from Yuri’s lips. Jeho, who seemed lost in thought for a moment, took Yuri’s hand and led her.

“Then let’s go buy a bed first.”

“Now?”

Yuri looked at Jeho with a bewildered expression.

“If we want to get it today, we should go now.”

“Wouldn’t it be strange if the two of us went to buy a bed together?”

They were keeping their relationship secret, even avoiding dining out together. When they went to Gangneung, he wore a wig as a disguise. But now, going to buy a bed together seemed like asking for trouble. Besides, she wondered how often he planned to stay over to justify changing the bed.

“I’ll go buy the bed alone later. Today, let’s just go…”

Yuri trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. She found it difficult to say “Let’s just go.” At the thought of sending him away and spending the night alone, a chill ran through her heart. Had she already grown so accustomed to being with him?

This shouldn’t happen on the first day of living independently…

Yuri chewed on her lower lip. As if reading her inner thoughts, Jeho sat down on the bed with a relaxed gesture.

“Alright. Then let’s try it out here tonight. To see how uncomfortable it is.”

“What do you mean, try it out…”

“Ah, sorry. I misspoke. Let’s try sleeping here tonight.”

Instead of asking ‘Are you really not going home?’, Yuri pushed Jeho off the bed. Then she silently put on the bed sheet.

At the thought of falling asleep together in the small bed, she felt strangely excited. Spending the first night of her independence with him didn’t seem so bad after all.

I’m crazy! What am I thinking?

Yuri was shocked at her own outrageous thoughts. She felt like a completely different person compared to a few months ago. She was even scared that she might fall head over heels for him.

He’ll return to America someday. How will I manage alone then? It’s only just begun, and I’m already wavering like this…

Her emotions in turmoil, her movements became rough as she put on the sheet. Watching her, Jeho gently took the sheet from her hands.

“I’ll do it.”

After putting on the bed sheet and spreading out the blanket, Jeho finally placed the pillow. Just one pillow.

Unlike Jeho, who always placed two pillows whether at home or at the villa, even when sleeping alone. Somehow, it felt like seeing the difference between him preparing for a future together and her preparing to be left alone.

In the end, that night, the two of them lay down on the single bed. Although Yuri felt suffocated, squeezed between the wall and Jeho, she surprisingly felt a sense of security.

The pressure of not being able to move properly wasn’t all bad. She thought this might be why cats like small spaces. But while it was fine for her, Jeho, whose feet stuck out of the bed, must be uncomfortable.

“Isn’t the bed uncomfortable for you?”

“Not at all.”

Jeho said no, but Yuri couldn’t believe it.

“The mattress seems hard too, like it’s old.”

If she felt this way, Jeho, who only slept on top-grade mattresses, must feel it even more. While she was silently thinking that at least the mattress should be replaced, Jeho’s voice came from above her head.

“Compared to sleeping in a sleeping bag, this is nothing. I often go hiking whenever I have free time. Usually, I plan a week-long trip, spreading out a sleeping bag on hard ground to sleep. Just walking for days on end.”

“I didn’t know you liked hiking.”

Yuri looked up at Jeho. It was hard to imagine this urban-looking man walking through forests with a backpack. Jeho smiled softly and brushed back Yuri’s hair that had fallen forward.

“I like the feeling of becoming one with vast nature… Walking continuously sometimes brings fresh inspiration. My next hiking plan is Arches National Park in Utah, a place with spectacular red rocks that can’t be seen in Korea.”

Giving Yuri a light kiss on the lips, he whispered softly.

“The sunset over the rock formations is truly fantastic. Let’s go together someday.”

Jeho said “Let’s go together someday” so naturally. Just like with Santorini before. Though it was probably just talk, her heart fluttered with vain hope each time.

And on the other hand, it was bittersweet. How long would this relationship last? It was just a fleeting game with a visible end.

“Yes. Let’s definitely go together someday.”

Yuri spoke calmly, knowing such a thing would never happen. It was a futile dream, but she was satisfied with just this sweet and happy moment.

Unexpectedly, Yuri was able to fall asleep comfortably in Jeho’s arms. Though the bed was narrow, her body and heart were so warm…

And so passed the first night of her independence.

“Manager, what brings you here?”

Shin Dahee greeted Minwoo with a surprised face as he showed up late at night without notice. Minwoo had cut off contact with her before his wedding to Yuri. She thought their relationship had naturally ended this way, so why was he here now? Had his mind changed because the wedding was called off?

Minwoo roughly loosened his tie and looked around the messy interior. Boxes and items were scattered everywhere, as if she was packing to move.

“Are you moving somewhere?”

“…Ah, yes.”

She had decided to accept Jeho’s offer. She planned to submit her resignation on Monday and go abroad for a while. That’s why Minwoo’s visit wasn’t entirely welcome. How long must she wear a mask and flatter this trash, she felt disgusted.

“Without telling me? Tsk, do you look down on me too now?”

“Look down on you? What do you mean? I thought you hadn’t been contacting me lately…”

“Damn it.”

Minwoo threw his jacket against the wall and roughly pulled Dahee into his arms. He was angry to the core and needed to vent on someone.

Suddenly summoned by Chairman Kwon, Minwoo heard not about postponing the wedding, but canceling it.

―Assemblyman Chae wanted to give you one more chance, but I opposed it. So forget about Yuri from now on. There will be new marriage talks with Taemin Group at an appropriate time.

―Grandfather, what are you saying?

―I just called Jeho and made it clear that marriage to the Assemblyman’s daughter is not allowed. So make sure there’s no more talk about it.

It was a bolt from the blue. It seemed Chairman Kwon had taken extreme measures, in his own way, to stop the cousins from fighting over one woman. The Chairman must have clearly seen that Jeho was interested in Yuri.

“Damn it, but why should I back down? If only that bastard would back off. She was mine to begin with!”

“Manager?”

Minwoo gripped Dahee’s shoulders with both hands as if she were Yuri.

“You’re moving without telling me? How dare you?”

For some reason, Chairman Kwon didn’t let Minwoo go until late at night. He suddenly decided to go to the Jeju Island villa together and took off on a private jet.

By the time they arrived in Seoul, it was almost 10 PM. He rushed straight to Assemblyman Chae’s house from the airport. Hoping Yuri would be home by now.

What awaited him was another thunderbolt.

―Unni, she moved out yesterday to live independently.

Yuri, whom he ran into in front of the house, told him with a cold face. He asked where, but she refused to give the address. She told him to ask Yuri directly, but she wouldn’t answer his calls, perhaps having blocked his number.

Feeling like he was going crazy, he came looking for Assistant Manager Shin, but she too was packing to move.

“Why is everyone doing this! Why!”

Sensing something was wrong, she tried to turn away from Minwoo. But the hands gripping her shoulders didn’t budge.

“Haah, damn it. This is driving me crazy.”

Minwoo glared at Dahee with eyes red with anger, as if he could kill her.

Independent living was a bit different from what Yuri had imagined. The next day, after Jeho left, Yuri called Hyunkyung to let her know she had moved to an officetel. Hyunkyung rushed over right away. Behind her, Manager Kim was visible, his hands full of shopping bags.

“Housewarming gifts. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

From high-end brand dishes and curtains to small items like towels, and a little later, food ingredients and prepared meals to fill the refrigerator were delivered.

Looking around the bedroom, Hyunkyung had the same reaction as Jeho.

“Isn’t the bed too small? It must be uncomfortable.”

“What’s small about it? But I am planning to buy a new mattress. This one’s a bit hard.”

“I’ll buy it for you. While we’re at it, let’s change the bed too. You might be fine, but Jeho…”

When Yuri shot her a glance, Hyunkyung burst out laughing, covering her mouth with her hand.

“Hehe, anyway, I’ll buy you a good bed. Trust your unni.”

Hyunkyung and Manager Kim stayed until evening before leaving. As Yuri was cleaning up, thinking ‘Finally, I’ll sleep alone tonight,’ she received a call from Jeho.

He had learned the passcode while helping her move, but it seemed he called first out of courtesy instead of barging in. A moment later, the sound of the passcode being entered was heard, and the front door opened.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

Though she was glad to see him, Yuri pretended not to be and averted her gaze.

“What do you mean, what brings me here?”

Jeho strode into the bedroom and hung his jacket on the coat rack.

“I showered at home.”

“What?”

“If you’re disappointed, we can shower together here.”

“No, that’s not what I…”

“What were you doing? I’ll help.”

He acted as if it were his own home. Before she could ask if he was staying over, when bedtime came, he naturally took off his clothes and got into bed.

Unless Yuri went to his place, he came every night without fail. Instead, he would leave early in the morning so as not to inconvenience Yuri. Because of this, she ended up never spending a night alone.

Before she knew it, she couldn’t imagine a night without Jeho. A week passed like this, and the same routine continued until the following Wednesday when Jeho left for a business trip to Changwon.

On Wednesday night, what she had worried about finally happened. She couldn’t fall asleep without Jeho. Even after receiving a call that he had arrived safely and talking late into the night, just his voice wasn’t enough.

Jeho was planning to stay in Changwon until the weekend and return late Sunday afternoon.

Yuri lay alone in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Now that she could finally stretch out her arms and legs easily to sleep, it felt too uncomfortable. It felt empty, as if something was missing, and her body trembled as if cold.

This is why she didn’t want to sleep together…

While the intense lovemaking was fleeting, spending the night together meant sharing a long time, which left a big aftereffect.

“Sigh.”

After tossing and turning several times, Yuri got up from bed, unable to fall asleep. Fortunately, there was some whiskey left that Hyunkyung had brought last time.

Thinking of it as a sleeping pill, she filled a glass to the brim and downed it. The next day was the same. She was starting to worry that she might become an alcoholic at this rate.

Luckily, Hyunkyung came over on Friday night and stayed over. Grumbling that the bed was too narrow for two people, Hyunkyung said the specially ordered bed would arrive next week.

Hyunkyung left around lunchtime, saying she had a family gathering. Shortly after she left, the doorbell rang.

Did Hyunkyung come back? Maybe she forgot something. Yuri quickly pressed the intercom button. But the person on the screen wasn’t Hyunkyung.

Yuri was startled by the unexpected visitor.

“Can I come in?”

An unwelcome voice came through the speaker.