There were many things Bo Mi wanted to ask, like where he had been all this time and why he appeared only now, but she couldn’t say anything. This might be just a momentary dream.

“Can you walk? May I hold your hand?”

Bo Mi slowly nodded. The gentle voice directed at her was indeed the one she loved.

Won took Bo Mi’s hand and started walking ahead. Bo Mi stumbled along, looking at his back as Won led the way. Somehow, a giddy smile spread across her face as even the touch of his palm felt just like before.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Nak Won turned around and wrapped his arm around Bo Mi’s waist.

“Let’s walk like this until we reach where the car is parked, even if it’s uncomfortable.”

Jae Kyung suggested this, judging it would be less dangerous to support Bo Mi who couldn’t walk properly.

As he wrapped his arm around Bo Mi’s slender waist, she leaned on him without any resistance. He felt foolish for worrying about whether she would think he had ulterior motives.

If it were the usual Han Bo Mi, she would have glared like an angry cat and snapped back…

He found it cute how she nuzzled her pale cheek against his chest.

To think even her drunken state was appealing… Isn’t this a bit dangerous?

Although he absolutely despised people who couldn’t take care of themselves, Han Bo Mi seemed lovable to Jae Kyung even when she didn’t meet his standards.

This is why he drove for 4 hours non-stop from the factory.

Jae Kyung looked down at the round head with bobbing short hair leaning against him and let out a sigh of relief.

‘Director, the Paradisus augmented reality team dinner is tomorrow evening.’

Upon receiving the message from Secretary Kim, Jae Kyung moved up his business trip that was expected to last overnight. He left the night before and started handling work from early morning.

‘What? Director, you came all the way here but you’re leaving without having a drink? Do you have a hidden housewife at home or something?’

The research center director tried to hold him back, but Jae Kyung left as soon as his work was done. Jae Kyung thought that if he actually had a hidden housewife at home, he wouldn’t feel this way.

If Ga Jin and Ga Young’s plan succeeded… He felt a stifling sensation, as if a stone was placed on his chest. He was anxious.

He didn’t want to see her hurt and crying because of some other guy.

Jae Kyung couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling until he arrived in Seoul. He had to meet Han Bo Mi before Yeon Ga Jin.

He planned to naturally enter the dinner venue under the pretext of dropping by for encouragement, check if Han Bo Mi was safe, and then leave.

He noticed Yeon Ga Jin’s yellow sports car parking noisily across the street. Han Bo Mi’s face, standing like a doll in front of the seafood restaurant, looked pale.

He quickly snatched her up as she was looking around and backing away as if she had seen something frightening.

Jae Kyung had discovered Bo Mi just moments before Ga Jin.

“CEO Han Bo Mi. Get in.”

“Where are we going?”

Jae Kyung felt relieved after barely managing to get Bo Mi, who asked with difficulty through half-open eyes, into the car.

“We should go home.”

“Home… Our home.”

Bo Mi’s lips moved slowly. The home where Nak Won, Bom, and Yeo Reum live together.

If this is a dream, I hope I don’t wake up.

If I could touch and feel you like this, I wouldn’t have wavered for a man who resembles you.

Bo Mi felt like the reality of Nak Won’s appearance was a dream.

So when you drink a lot, you can see what you want to see.

“CEO Han Bo Mi. Are you alright? Would you like something to drink?”

Nak Won looks at her with a worried face.

Won. During the five years without you, I was so tired and struggling. If it weren’t for Yeo Reum, I wouldn’t have been able to endure.

Bo Mi looked at Jae Kyung with teary eyes.

It really is Nak Won. Did he come on vacation from heaven as Yeo Reum said?

“Did you come on vacation?”

“I just got off work.”

“So you didn’t come to see me…”

Bo Mi pouted her luscious lips, seeming disappointed.

“That’s right.”

Jae Kyung closed his eyes as if admitting it. If I tell you I was worried all day about whether you’d be safe, would you believe me?

“I came to see CEO Han Bo Mi.”

“Why don’t you call me Bo Mi?”

She grumbled, seemingly displeased with being called CEO Han Bo Mi.

Jae Kyung stared intently at Bo Mi’s face. Is this okay?

Jae Kyung covered his mouth with his hand as if trying to hide his bewildered expression.

“This is too sudden.”

He was flustered by Bo Mi suddenly closing the distance between them.

If these are words spoken while drunk, is it okay to be momentarily enchanted by them?

For the past week, he had been disappointed about not having any contact with Han Bo Mi.

Due to external events and schedules piling up, there was no time to directly involve himself in the Paradisus project. All he could do was watch her focused backside from afar.

The fact that she was now within reach made him feel elated.

A strange sensation arose near his heart, as if soft feathers were tickling him gently.

“CEO Han Bo Mi. Hmm…”

“…”

As Bo Mi glared at him, Jae Kyung took a moment to catch his breath.

“Bo Mi.”

Jae Kyung was surprised at himself for being able to speak in such a gentle voice.

“Yesss.”

Bo Mi blinks her eyes, looking at Jae Kyung while dragging out her response.

“So… Ha…”

Jae Kyung hesitated, touching his lips.

“You’re not seeing anyone right now, are you?”

He wanted to hear the answer she had been avoiding.

He wasn’t desperate enough to steal another man’s woman, but if she were with someone else, he needed time to figure out how to win her over.

“Why… Am I not?”

So she does have someone. Jae Kyung tried hard not to show his disappointment as he composed his expression.

Bo Mi raised herself from the seat and moved closer to Jae Kyung. Her eyes, hazy from the alcohol, suddenly sparkled, shaking Jae Kyung’s heart. Bo Mi reached out and wrapped her arms around Jae Kyung’s neck.

“You are…”

“Bo Mi?”

Her breath tickled Jae Kyung’s lips, sweet and intoxicating.

“My lover.”

Bo Mi’s eyes reddened and her pupils became wet.

“Ha… Are you serious right now?”

Jae Kyung thought that if this was Bo Mi’s drunken rambling, he should never let her drink again.

“Who would lie about something like this?”

She blinked her large eyes and made a puzzled expression.

This is driving me crazy. Jae Kyung let out a wry laugh. He knew this woman was strange, but she’s not normal even in moments like this. Had things progressed to lovers in her mind without him knowing?

More importantly, he didn’t know what to do about the situation where she was practically leaning her body against him. Jae Kyung thought he should at least make things clear.

“Bo Mi.”

Her name felt like sweet cotton candy on his tongue, and he lightly moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue.

“Do you like me?”

“You’re asking the obvious.”

Bo Mi smiled, lifting the corners of her mouth.

“You’re acting strange today.”

“You too…”

Does she know? That she’s the strange one today.

While being uncomfortable with me yet conscious of me, your eyes hold me just as I hold you. I can’t stop my gaze from constantly going to you, and I don’t know how to stop thinking about you. Maybe I’m the strange one, just as you said.

“You’re different from usual today.”

“I drank a lot.”

Bo Mi smiled brightly and tightened her grip around Jae Kyung’s neck. Jae Kyung exhaled sharply.

“Bo Mi, you shouldn’t drink.”

Bo Mi slightly lowered her head and sniffed. Her fine hair tickled the tip of Jae Kyung’s nose.

“Do I smell of alcohol?”

Your scent is so intoxicatingly strong that it shakes me. If I embrace you like this, what expression would you make?

Jae Kyung sighed, looking down at his hands that couldn’t quite reach Bo Mi’s waist. What am I thinking, dealing with a drunk woman?

“Is the smell strong? Smell me. Please?”

Bo Mi lifted her head and offered her neck.

“You smell like Bo Mi.”

Jae Kyung barely managed to say those words as he turned his head.

‘You smell like spring.’

Bo Mi smiled brightly and hugged Jae Kyung.

“You still have a scent that makes my heart flutter.”

“This is driving me crazy.”

Bo Mi’s words and actions seemed to be accepting Jae Kyung.

As if saying it was okay to allow her plump and tempting lips, to touch her soft skin…

It felt like she was saying she would permit everything to Do Jae Kyung, making his heart beat fast.

Jae Kyung wrapped his arms around her waist.

The sound of his heartbeat echoed unusually loud in his head.

“It’s okay to go crazy. This time, be enchanted by me…”

Bo Mi lightly bit Jae Kyung’s lips with the soft tip of her own, smiling.

“Try taking me.”

Her laughter and hot breath tickled Jae Kyung.

How could anyone refuse this?

Jae Kyung closed his eyes and then opened them. It felt like a rush of hot energy was coming over him.

He tightened his grip on Bo Mi’s back and moved his hand up to cradle her round head. As their lips overlapped, Bo Mi’s body wrapped around Jae Kyung like a vine.

Hot passion spread with their mingled breaths.

Just a little more… So they could touch each other deeply.

No sound could be heard except their breathing. They explored each other in a quiet space where even the noise of the entertainment district was perfectly blocked out.

It was the first time Jae Kyung felt this emotion and pleasure. He made a promise to cherish Bo Mi… Bo Mi who had accepted him.

The rapid breaths escaping through her slightly parted, glistening lips were so sweet.

The moisture gathered at the corners of her eyes was so lovely that it made Jae Kyung’s heart tremble.

Impulsively, Jae Kyung kissed the corner of her eye.

“Won…”

Won?

The name she breathed out with closed eyes was not his own.

Like the ruins after a tsunami has swept through, Jae Kyung’s mind was in complete disarray.

The drooping willow branches made a clamorous sound every time the wind blew.

Whoosh.

If you walked following the sound of the hot summer wind, you would find a beautiful man standing under a weeping willow tree, out of place in this setting.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘Why are you so interested in me?’

The man’s deep dimples showed as he smiled and replied.

‘Is that not allowed?’

I know this kind of interest is excessive, but how can I take back the feelings that have naturally flowed since the day we started living in the same house?

When Bo Mi came to Nak Won Village from Seoul, she only wanted to forget everything and run away. A close colleague had stolen her project. They presented what Bo Mi had consulted on every time as if it was their own work. They even framed it as if Bo Mi was trying to steal the planning while they had done the development.

Bo Mi, who became the target of workplace bullying, submitted her resignation and fled to Nak Won Village where she had lived with her mother as a child. It was a remote mountain village with barely ten households, where cell towers had been installed only within the past decade.

Bo Mi’s mother, Ga Eul, had settled in this village to protect her child who was unwelcomed by everyone.

All of Bo Mi’s most beautiful and brilliant memories of her happiest times were in Nak Won Village. Perhaps that’s why from the moment she arrived here, it felt like her painful memories were fading away.

And now, Bo Mi was honestly confronting her feelings for the man who had entered her heart.

‘I’m interested in you, Won.’

‘Don’t be interested in me.’

‘Why not?’

Bo Mi asked, pouting her lips.

‘Because I’m a liar.’

Nak Won replied with a bitter smile.