“Don’t worry. The car has a transponder, so it’ll automatically open the gate. Just press the button on the rearview mirror to open the garage door, and you can enter the house through the garage. I’ve turned off the alarm, so don’t worry.”

Yul Li hesitated, but Je Ho’s assurance made her feel it was alright to enter his house. She accepted the keys.

“Don’t worry about the lights either. I’ve set them to motion sensors.”
Just as Je Ho had said, the moment Yul Li stepped into the mansion, lively music played, and the space brightened as if it were broad daylight. The mansion, although unvisited for several days, seemed warm and lived-in.

Yul Li took off her jacket and placed it with her bag on the sofa. She tied her hair back and rolled up her sleeves, determined to find the necklace before Je Ho arrived. Despite her efforts, the necklace remained elusive, just as it had been over the past few days.

She had only two places left to search: the master bedroom, which she hadn’t entered even on her first visit, and the garden with the swimming pool. The bedroom door was locked, as it always had been.

Yul Li sighed heavily and checked her watch. More than two hours had passed since her arrival. It seemed Je Ho would be much later than anticipated.

The last place to look was the garden and pool area. Stepping outside, the garden lights turned on, illuminating the area like daylight. Despite the jacket, the night air felt chilly, and Yul Li rubbed her arms for warmth.

“Come on, Yul Li, find it and go,” she whispered to herself.

But the necklace was not in the garden either. Where could she have dropped it? Could it be lost forever?

Suddenly, as she gazed aimlessly at the pool, a gentle breeze caused the water to ripple. A glint of gold caught her eye in the blue water.

What’s that?

She kneeled at the pool’s edge, peering intently into the water. It was hard to see clearly, but it looked like a necklace. She searched for a long brush or a pole to retrieve it, but found nothing suitable.

Should she wait for Je Ho? But even if he came, there was no obvious way to help. Draining the pool was an option, but doing so risked the necklace being sucked away.

In a mix of frustration and hope, Yul Li sat on the lounge chair, her gaze fixed on the shimmering object in the water, contemplating her next move.
Yul Li had no choice. It was now or never to retrieve the necklace. She removed her shoes and jacket, and then firmly tied up her hair again. Although the water was expected to be cold, she was confident in her swimming skills, so it shouldn’t be a major problem.

With a splash, Yul Li dived into the swimming pool. The water was much colder than she anticipated. Pain like needles pierced through her body, but she gritted her teeth and swam towards the shimmering golden object.

Incredibly, it was the necklace she had been searching for all this time. It felt like a miraculous reunion with her mother. Yul Li grabbed the necklace and swiftly swam upwards.

When she surfaced, she let out the breath she had been holding. Suddenly, she heard an angry voice shouting.

“What are you doing?”

Turning toward the sound, Yul Li saw Je Ho rushing towards her with an angry face. She smiled broadly and waved at him, holding up the necklace.

“I found the necklace!”

“What? The necklace? You, now?” Je Ho frowned, clearly upset.

As Yul Li reached the edge of the pool, Je Ho grabbed her shoulder and pulled her out. Stepping out, she felt the chilly night air biting her skin.

“Damn it.”

As Yul Li gasped for air and shivered, Je Ho muttered a curse under his breath and wrapped her in a large towel from the lounge chair. He then carried her towards the house, with water dripping from her body.

“No, this will wet the carpet,” Yul Li protested as they entered the living room. Je Ho looked at her incredulously.

“Is the wet carpet really the problem now?”

“But… it’s someone else’s house,” Yul Li argued, shivering yet stubbornly leaning against the glass wall of the living room.

Exasperated, Je Ho ran a hand through his hair, left Yul Li briefly, and then returned with several large towels. He exchanged the wet towel wrapped around her with dry ones. However, as Yul Li continued to shiver, he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

“We need to get you out of these wet clothes,” he said, starting to unbutton her blouse. As the blouse opened, exposing her skin to the air, a burning sensation engulfed her numb skin. Surprised by her own reaction, Yul Li hastily grabbed his wrist, but he didn’t stop.

“We don’t have time. You need to get out of these before your body temperature drops further.”

“Then… I’ll do it,” Yul Li said, her voice trembling. As she spoke, Je Ho paused, and their eyes met.

Yul Li’s cheeks, initially pale, gradually reddened.
Yul Li’s voice trembled so much that it hardly sounded like her own. She couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or from her nerves.

“I’ll… I’ll undress myself,” she said.

As she spoke, she gently grasped Je Ho’s hand, which was unbuttoning her blouse, almost pleadingly. He paused his actions and their eyes met.

Yul Li’s cheeks, initially pale, slowly turned a shade of red.