Seeing the seaweed soup on the breakfast table, Ji Wan was silent for a while.

“…Whose birthday is it?”

Do Eum’s question was quite cautious, even though she knew her mother Eun Hee wouldn’t know about the birthday.

“It must be someone’s birthday in this world. I just made it because I had the ingredients. Please, sit down.”

Although he heard Yi Seol leaving early in the morning, Ji Wan didn’t go out to see her.

He should have apologized to Do Eum after Yi Seol left, but he dawdled until it was time to go, and ended up sleeping, so he didn’t properly apologize until the morning.

“About yesterday’s scandal, I’m sorry for making you misunderstand. I should have explained earlier…”

Initially, in the case of a contract marriage, there was no need to explain about the relationship between Yi Seol and himself.

It was also stated in the contract that nothing personal would be involved between them.

“I didn’t think I’d make another one of my people look foolish while trying to protect one of my own. I didn’t realize how short-sighted I was.”

Since the contract marriage was off and the situation had changed, he should have explained earlier before Do Eum got hurt.

“That can’t be. Is there anyone as thoughtful as you, sir?”

Do Eum’s voice became mournful, feeling sorry for Ji Wan who must have been running around trying to protect his people while surrounded by enemies.

As Yi Seol said, the man might be a hostage.

Nevertheless, it was admirable to see a man who didn’t beg to save only his life, quietly doing his part in this long fight without negotiation.

“Weren’t you uncomfortable all night? You should have just slept in my room yesterday.”

“Then what about you, sir?”

“We should sleep together, you and me in my room.”

How can a man say something like sleeping together so casually?

Do Eum rolled her eyes white.

“Is your room, what, comfortable?”

The grumbling words spilled out.

Ji Wan didn’t back down from the statement that she was more uncomfortable than when they first met.

“Don’t pretend like you weren’t sleeping soundly in the bed I carried you to. If something had happened with us sleeping together, it would have happened long ago.”

Ji Wan seemed to want to say that he had endured with his infinite patience the trouble that could have happened long ago.

“Even so, I just wanted to be with the young lady last night. You must have been alone in that officetel for days. I liked it, the two of us in one bed.”

“Looks like you’ll get to do a lot of that ‘liking’ with me.”

“Huh?”

“People are coming from the main house starting tomorrow.”

Heeek.

Do Eum choked as if the seaweed soup got stuck in her throat.

Ji Wan stood up, poured a glass of water, put it in Do Eum’s hand, and waited until she emptied the glass before speaking.

“Thank you for letting me skip the lengthy explanation.”

It was his sincere feelings following the apology.

“I can’t be certain it won’t happen again, but even if it does.”

Long fingers brushed away the stray hair on Do Eum’s forehead.

“I’ll always tell you first. I promise.”

Do Eum’s throat kept getting blocked, so she just nodded instead of answering.

Following her gaze, Ji Wan bent his knees and looked up at Do Eum’s face.

“I was thinking of coming home early today. If you have time, shall we go on that date we couldn’t have that day?”

“…What are we going to do?”

“I’ll plan it properly. So you won’t even remember missing that midnight movie at the drive-in theater. Despite appearances, I’m a man optimized for making plans, writing reports, and putting them into action.”

Instead of answering, Do Eum smiled brightly, and Ji Wan, finding her lips lovely, lightly kissed the tip of her nose before pulling away.

No matter what expression she made or what she did, she was fatal from head to toe.

Lest he do something more while eating breakfast, Ji Wan hurriedly stood up.

“Ah, how did that liberal arts course report turn out last time?”

Liberal arts course?

Report?

As Do Eum’s eyes couldn’t grasp what he meant,

“2 years of dating, proposal on the spot.”

Not knowing that the proposal was for Do Eum to make to another man, Ji Wan calmly continued his question.

“Which one worked, the luxury car or the game console?”

Rather than asking which one she’d prefer, it was a question thrown out of curiosity about what kind of proposal Ji Wan wanted to receive.

“Ah, that. Wildflowers.”

Ji Wan made a puzzled expression at the statement that wildflowers, which weren’t even among the candidates, beat out the luxury car and game console.

“Just wildflowers, with a sincere confession. That’s all it took.”

“If a car wasn’t even in the running, that’s expensive.”

“Aren’t wildflowers cheap? They might be expensive for me, but you could fill the entire front garden of our house with those flowers, couldn’t you?”

“No, not that. A sincere confession. That.”

Ji Wan casually said as he checked the time on his left wrist.

“If it’s hard enough to confess, adding sincerity on top of that is the end. That’s something you can’t buy even for thousands or millions. That person is smart.”

Smart person. That’s, me.

Do Eum smiled proudly.

“Should I pick you up from school today?”

As Ji Wan suddenly asked while getting up,

“No!”

Do Eum’s answer came out urgently, as if burned.

“Why?”

The question sounded slightly hurt.

“My friends don’t know that my cousin who always comes to see me is the CEO of Bando Construction. If you come too often, they’ll find out.”

“Your friends in the business administration department don’t even watch the news? How is that possible?”

One has only the extraordinary talent of recognizing beautiful women,

And the other has the outstanding ability to spot high-end limited edition vehicles.

They lost the common sense that others have in exchange for gaining those talents.

Putting aside the lengthy explanation, Do Eum said firmly.

“It’s possible. So, don’t come.”

Ji Wan nodded and was about to get up, but after taking a couple of steps, he turned back.

“You’re suspicious.”

Pffft.

Do Eum spat out a bit of water she was drinking.

“When do I ever go unexpectedly? What if you, like that guy last time.”

Haah.

The unfinished words were cut off and then continued.

One hand on his waist and a slightly crooked stance fully revealed the man’s dissatisfaction.

“Just once, catch me properly. That school might be remembered as a relic of history with only its name left.”

I overlooked it.

That this man is capable of making such outrageous boasts.

No, is this really just a boast?

For a man who builds schools in remote areas, destroying one school might not be a big deal.

It might be sincerity disguised as a boast.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t too bad.

Wiping the water from the corners of her mouth as she stood up, Do Eum started humming a tune.

*****

The boiling water passed through the sookwoo and was poured into the cups.

The Japanese-style tatami floor made a unique sound with every careful step.

The scent of bamboo surrounding the outside seeped through the windows covered with rice paper.

“This sookwoo thing.”

Chairman Jang pointed at the cup in Hyangin’s hand.

Sookwoo.

The process of cooling boiled tea water to the right temperature for the tea leaves to steep.

“How foolish it is to do that, transferring to a cup to cool when you could just boil it to the right temperature in the first place.”

The eyes of the summoned men rested on the tea tables placed in front of each of them.

There were seven executive-level members of the TF (Task Force), including Director Kwak Sang Tae of Bando Electronics and Director Oh Jong Taek of Bando Construction.

“But even in that foolish act, if you repeat it, there’s enlightenment.”

The old man took a sip from the teacup in front of him and continued.

“Is it easy to become someone who boils just right? The more one has boiled before, the harder it is to stop at the right moment.”

Director Kwak across from him nodded his head.

“That’s right, when it comes to Bando’s affairs, we’re just overflowing with passion, we’re the ones who need to open the lid first. No matter how much time has passed, how could we cool down? Yes, your words are absolutely right.”

Even in the midst of this, he praised himself and the others as the main players of Bando.

“I have never seen someone who boils vigorously and then stops at just the right temperature.”

Chairman Jang’s voice swept through the solemn interior.

Like running, once you start to gain speed, it’s not easy to stop.

Even if your throat tastes of blood and your heart feels like it’s about to burst out, not stopping is not only a matter of will but also excessive greed.

“I’m telling you all to do things in moderation.”

His wrinkled eyes lifted, scanning the executives across from him with a piercing gaze.

The calm air started to stir slightly.

The reason for not pinpointing exactly what to do in moderation, after calling all seven of them, was both a rebuke that he knew everything they were planning and an admonition to stop whatever it was at this point.

Kwak Sang Tae and Oh Jong Taek, who had been scheming for Ki Hyeok’s inauguration as CEO, urgently exchanged glances.

“Oh my, what are you saying? You know, Chairman, we are people who would willingly offer our necks for Bando if asked. Your will is our will, and our will is your will, isn’t it?”

Our will is my will.

A faint smile appeared on Chairman Jang’s wrinkled lips.

“Yes, I’ll believe that and let it slide this once. I’ve talked too long, keeping busy people here. You may all get up now.”

As Chairman Jang stood up, the seven men followed suit.

Eun Hee was standing with her hands neatly folded in front of the inner room, though it was unclear how long she had been there.

“You’ve come.”

Eun Hee looked up at Chairman Jang coming out with the seven men.

No matter when or where she saw him, he was always an imposing figure she dared not look at directly.

“Yes.”

The gaze that seemed to reign over her without doing anything, calling in Ki Hyeok’s people one after another as if to show her…

Eun Hee knew.

That all these actions were intended to manipulate her son Ji Wan through her.

As much as she knew this, she also knew exactly what her son Ji Wan wanted from her, his mother.

Knowing everything, but just pretending not to know.

It was the desperation of those who could only protect each other by turning their backs.

*****

After finishing the morning lecture, Do Eum returned to Hwa-an-dong, resisting Jae Han’s temptation to eat together.

On the way, she stopped by a shopping mall and bought a pair of low-heeled flat shoes.

She was planning to think about what to wear for her date with Ji Wan from now on.

Just as she reached the top of the hill, she saw a middle-aged woman wandering around the main entrance.

It was a familiar face, the woman who had come asking to see the backyard.

“Oh!”

Do Eum approached the woman with quickened steps, her face brightening.

“When did you arrive? Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I just got here a moment ago.”

A faint smile appeared on the middle-aged woman’s face, which had been devoid of any humor.

“So Kyung and Mr. Kim should be inside, why didn’t you ring the bell and go in?”

“No, I just came to take a look today. I was about to leave when I ran into you, young lady.”

The two walked side by side past the main entrance and up the hill.

“You must have a deep affection for this house. To want to see it like this, coming and going.”

“It’s not so much the house as the memories of the people I lived with here that are dear to me.”

The mature woman smiled shyly.

“Oh, right. Give me your phone. I’ll enter my number for you. From now on, don’t wait around aimlessly, coordinate with me.”

The middle-aged woman hesitated for a moment before handing over her phone.

Do Eum quickly entered eleven digits, saved her name, and pressed the call button.

“Do Eum?”

“Ah, yes. That’s my name, Kang Do Eum. It’s a bit unusual, isn’t it? My father gave me this name, meaning to be helpful to others.”

Do Eum asked as she took out her loudly ringing phone from her pants pocket.

“I’ve saved your number. But what should I save it as? Your name is…?”

“Yoon… Lee Young. It’s Yoon Lee Young.”