“O-okay!”

“Really?”

Yeo Reum quickly wiped away her tears and looked up at him, answering firmly.

“Yes. I want to shower with San Ha!”

What an unexpected opportunity!

“But why are you drooling like that?”

“Me? I’m not!”

She hurriedly wiped her lips with her palm.

Somehow saliva had pooled in her mouth.

‘This honest body of mine!’

At the thought of being with him, her whole body was already twisting, and laughter burst from her lips.

‘What luck do I have today? Dad, I hit the jackpot!’

She was trying her hardest to hold back from shouting with joy.

“Does the magpie like bathing so much?”

“That’s right. I’m a bit like that! Hahaha!”

After laughing loudly, she quickly covered her mouth with one hand at the indiscreet thought.

“I’m a bit of a clean freak. Hohoho.”

“Then which side does the magpie want to wash on?”

What is he saying? Why is direction suddenly coming up here?

As Yeo Reum looked up at him questioningly, he said.

“Do you want to wash in the bathroom attached to your room, or in that bathroom over there?”

“Aren’t we washing together?”

“That’s why I’m saying let’s wash at the same time. Unusually for a house, there are two bathrooms here.”

Yeo Reum was dumbfounded.

‘Gu San Ha, you tiger, you can’t do this! This kind of thing is troublesome! It’s troublesome if a tiger becomes herbivorous!’

Eat me! I’m telling you to eat me!

Unlike Yeo Reum’s desperate expression, he was only nonchalant.

“I suppose the magpie would be more comfortable in the bathroom attached to her room? Take your time washing. I’ll use this one.”

‘Ah, Dad! Why did you needlessly make an extra bathroom! Making me miss this golden opportunity! Why!’

Looking down at Yeo Reum, who was only pouting instead of answering, San Ha said,

“Are you perhaps angry?”

Yes, I am! Wouldn’t you be if you were me?

Instead of answering, Yeo Reum glared at him.

“You know what?”

“What?”

“Even when the magpie is angry, it’s cute.”

Yeo Reum wondered if she had heard wrong.

His large hand ruffled Yeo Reum’s hair as he said.

“Really cute.”

…Cute?

Am I really cute?

“Probably the cutest magpie in the world.”

Gasp.

It felt like an arrow was piercing her heart.

No, it had pierced.

And it was a large Cupid’s arrow at that.

Yeo Reum stared at him blankly before breaking into a smile.

This charming tiger.

This beautiful tiger.

Ah, what should I do with this man, really.

“I’ll wash over here.”

San Ha tried to go to the bathroom in the living room.

“Wait a moment.”

Yeo Reum stopped him.

“I’ll give you some comfortable clothes. Change into them after washing.”

“It’s fine.”

“Be comfortable even for a moment. There should be something wearable among my dad’s clothes.”

She went into the master bedroom.

While Yeo Reum was rummaging through the closet, he examined the photos in the living room.

A moment later, she came out with a black tracksuit her dad used to wear often and handed it to him.

“Thanks.”

“It’s nothing.”

“But are these the magpie’s parents?”

It was a family photo taken while picking grapes with her parents on a vast plain.

“That’s right.”

“Looks like you traveled a lot with your family?”

“My dad likes to travel. So we were always dragged along during vacations.”

“Both of them are really handsome and beautiful, aren’t they?”

“Right? My mom and dad were always called a handsome and beautiful couple wherever they went.”

Smiling happily, Yeo Reum looked at him and said.

“What’s with that expression?”

“The two of them look like a picture. Especially your mother is an incredibly beautiful woman. But the magpie… Hmm…”

He swallowed the rest of his words.

But his gaze briefly swept up and down Yeo Reum.

“As expected, the more I look, the prettier the magpie is, right?”

“What?”

Yeo Reum leaned against the living room display cabinet, striking an alluring pose.

“I know too. That I’m extremely pretty. Lovable.”

“Wow.”

“My mentality is pretty too, right? I know everything. That you’ve fallen head over heels for me.”

He chuckled and said.

“Who says that?”

“They say love can’t be hidden. So stop pretending and just coolly admit it.”

“It’s really amazing.”

“What is?”

“Do you like me that much?”

“Of course.”

“Will you really marry me?”

“Yes. I’ll marry San Ha and have three sons and one daughter.”

“The number increased by one already?”

His reaction was bewildered.

“I thought we should have one daughter who takes after me too. And an even number is good for a family. Hohoho.”

“Do you really believe that’s possible?”

“I told you, didn’t I? There’s nothing stronger than a person’s wish.”

Yeo Reum clenched both fists.

“Where does that courage come from, magpie? Even if you like someone, people usually can’t approach so directly like that.”

“Because you’re Gu San Ha.”

“What?”

“Because I like you that much. Because I don’t want to lose you to someone else. Because I absolutely have to have you. I’m a greedy magpie, that’s right. And I will definitely have you.”

San Ha chuckled.

Laughing along, Yeo Reum looked at the photo and said.

“Wasn’t I so pretty when I was young? And I definitely take after my dad more than my mom, right?”

“Your dad is handsome too?”

Yeo Reum slapped his arm.

“Ouch.”

San Ha stepped aside half a step and rubbed his arm.

“They say the firstborn takes after the father after all. Looking at you, San Ha, you’re exactly like Chairman Gu Dae Han.”

“You know my father?”

“Is there anyone in Korea who doesn’t know the chairman of Daesin Group? Honestly, among chaebol chairmen, your father is the most handsome.”

“My father is that level?”

“Unrivaled, unrivaled.”

“My father would be pleased to hear that.”

“He’d say he really got a good eldest daughter-in-law, wouldn’t he?”

Looking at the grinning Yeo Reum, San Ha said.

“I’m sorry, but my father won’t have an eldest daughter-in-law.”

“We just kissed and hugged over there, didn’t we? Isn’t that a bit unfair to say to me?”

“I always return what I receive.”

“What did you say?”

“I’m the type to settle accounts clearly.”

Yeo Reum’s lips protruded in a pout.

Whether she did that or not, San Ha said.

“I think I should wash now.”

Instead of saying anything else, he strode away and went into the bathroom.

*

Shampooing her hair in the bathroom, Yeo Reum muttered while looking in the mirror.

“It should be time for him to fall for me now, right? Even I can see how pretty this body is, huh?”

As much as she grumbled, she scrubbed vigorously with her hands.

Then she firmly pressed the shower button.

Warm water poured down over her head all at once.

“Ah, it feels good…”

Even though it was the same water, it felt clearly different from the Blue House.

Yeo Reum closed her eyes and let the shower water rain down on her like a downpour.

‘I’m sorry, but my father won’t have an eldest daughter-in-law.’

His answer from earlier came to mind.

She was truly disappointed.

His answer on this matter was always unwavering.

Like some kind of conviction.

‘But I won’t give up. And I’ll love you to the fullest extent of my heart.’

Yeo Reum let her sinking mood wash away with the hot water.

She didn’t want to show a gloomy expression in front of him.

She always wanted to face him with a face full of happiness.

After warming her body with the pouring shower water for quite a while, Yeo Reum started to finish up.

She wiped her wet body and quickly dried her long hair using a hairdryer.

Putting on the loose pants and boxy t-shirt she always wore at home made her feel even more comfortable.

After applying light lotion to her face, she went out to the living room.

“What are you doing now?”

San Ha, wearing the black tracksuit, was standing in front of the gas stove in the kitchen.

His height was certainly tall.

Even though her dad was in the early 180cm range, the pants were slightly dangling, revealing his ankles.

“What is all this, really?”

What he was busily stirring with a wooden spatula was kimchi fried rice.

“Don’t tell me, you cooked?”

“The magpie can’t stand being hungry, right?”

Well, that’s true, but.

“But how did San Ha cook rice?”

“I took the rice from the rice container and the rice cooker cooked it. I wanted to make other side dishes, but the fridge was all organized. There was only kimchi. I thought this would be better for the magpie than going out to eat, no matter what.”

Yeo Reum approached him as he answered nonchalantly and hugged him tightly from behind.

“Get away. I’ll call you when it’s done. The smell will get on you.”

“I don’t mind.”

“You just washed. Go away.”

Pressing her face more firmly against his back, Yeo Reum said.

“This kimchi was made together by my mom and dad.”

“Was it?”

“Yes. Since our family was small, kimchi-making day was our family party day. Mom and dad kneaded the kimchi, and I sat next to them, only eating the bossam they wrapped for me. I really sat there like a bird, just opening my mouth.”

Yeo Reum chuckled.

“Do you miss your parents?”

“Yes.”

It was truly so.

Coming home made her miss them more, and smelling this kimchi fried rice made waves of longing wash over her endlessly.

There was the scent of mom and dad in this, and now Gu San Ha’s scent too.

Yeo Reum just clung to San Ha’s back, hugging him as he made kimchi fried rice.

Even though it should have been annoying, he just kept moving the spatula busily instead of saying anything.

After a while, he said.

“Want to try it?”

She nodded.

He scooped up a spoonful with a spoon.

After blowing on it several times, he held it out.

“It might be hot. Be careful.”

Yeo Reum eagerly took the spoon he offered into her mouth.

“Is it okay?”

There was still some heat left, so it felt like her palate was slightly scalded.

But it was delicious.

Looking up at San Ha who was looking down at her, Yeo Reum said.

“It’s really delicious! The best!”

A smile bloomed on his face.

“It would be nice if there were eggs. It’s a bit regrettable.”

“It’s good even without that! It seems like it’s all done?”

“That’s right.”

Yeo Reum quickly placed a pot holder in the center of the round dining table.

As he set the frying pan down on the table, she put out plates and utensils.

“Try it.”

“I’ll eat it gratefully!”

After expressing her gratitude to him, Yeo Reum transferred a full spatula to her plate.

“But the amount of fried rice seems too much?”

“Isn’t the magpie going to eat it all?”

“Actually, that’s right.”

Yeo Reum giggled and put the kimchi fried rice in her mouth.

The combination of fluffy rice with just the right amount of oil and tangy kimchi! It was truly delicious!

“It’s really delicious!”

She couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

Compared to Yeo Reum who was wolfing it down, he ate slowly.

“San Ha is good at cooking?”

“Not to that extent. Just enough to get by.”

“When did a chaebol’s son learn this? Especially kimchi fried rice?”

“Mom wanted me to eat, so I learned from the housekeeper auntie.”

Yeo Reum paused eating and looked at him.

“I lived with my mom until I was nine years old. But my mom never ate rice.”

“Why?”

“Because she was sad. I thought if I made it for her, mom would eat.”

He spoke calmly while eating.

*

“The house is cozy and really pretty.”

“Right?”

Yeo Reum offered him herbal tea and sat down next to him.

“Even for a house, these days there aren’t many with a wooden porch, right?”

He smiled, touching the shiny wooden floor.

He was wearing the usual long padded jacket.

“When my mom and dad bought this old house and remodeled it, they specially kept this space. Our family likes this place the most too.”

“Really?”

“You can see the whole garden in front, right? My parents sat here side by side drinking tea every day, and I ate chicken.”

He chuckled and said.

“Must have been delicious.”

“You bet. Chicken should be eaten on the wooden porch, of course. I really can’t believe it even when I see it. It hasn’t been long since I went to the Blue House, but coming back here feels like a dream.”

He nodded as if he understood and drank his tea.

“But how did San Ha know about our house? And how did you get in here?”

“If you try to find out, you can know everything. Also, when I lifted the flowerpot in front of the gate, the key was underneath.”

“As expected, our San Ha is smart!”

Feeling pleased, Yeo Reum giggled.

“But for leaving in a hurry, the house is too clean?”

“My mom is originally very neat. And before going to America, she asked a friend to look after the house.”

“I see.”

“Ah, coming home feels so good. So much!”

Unlike the Blue House where she always had to be on edge, this place was just comfortable.

Yeo Reum lay down on the wooden porch and rolled around.

Then she suddenly sat up.

“San Ha.”

“Hm.”

“What’s your real identity?”

“Eldest son of Daesin Group. Director of Management Support at Daesin Electronics. You know all that, don’t you?”

“No, not that. I mean your real identity.”

“There’s no such thing.”

He chuckled and picked up his teacup.

Yeo Reum asked.

“Perhaps, are you in the mafia?”