“If you want to get married that badly.”
His low voice echoed very close to her ear.
“……Do it with me.”
It took a while, but Si Hyun finally nodded.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
Towards Tae Ha, who was startled, Si Hyun stepped up, her eyes shining.
“When do you want to do it? I’m a bit urgent, the sooner, the better.”
“……?”
“March is almost over, how about April? Or May for a bride also sounds good.”
Rather, Tae Ha made a bewildered face. At his gaze that seemed to ask why she was doing this, Si Hyun laughed. Anyway, he was just messing around.

Sighing heavily, Si Hyun turned around and started to punch in the passcode of her front door.
“We’ve already exceeded the quota of nonsense for today. I’m tired, let’s call it a day.”
But before she could finish inputting, her wrist was caught.
“Do you think I’m talking nonsense now?”
His face was full of anger.
“Of course it’s nonsense, who would say such a thing in their right mind?”
Si Hyun stared back at him. Once fooled, twice foolish!
“I’m warning you, stop bringing up things that you should be telling other women. I won’t tolerate it twice.”
“What have I done?”
Taken aback by his sharp rebuttal, Si Hyun retorted.
“You! Don’t you remember what you said to me in front of the elevator last night?”
The moment she said that, she bit her tongue. Right, the one who didn’t remember was me!
“Weren’t you sober?”
Tae Ha asked, surprised. Si Hyun sighed in resignation.
“Yes, I thought you confessed to me, and I was worried all day about what to do. So go directly to the person concerned with such talk, please.”
Glancing at his goodlooking face, Si Hyun tried to shake off his hand that was still holding hers.
“You should be thankful it’s me. Any other woman would have filed a lawsuit.”
But Tae Ha did not let go of Si Hyun’s wrist.
“Kang Si Hyun.”
Instead, he suddenly called her name.

But this is no way to address an older sister, Kang Si Hyun, how rude! As she was glaring at him, Tae Ha’s face suddenly came close.

What’s this, she thought, and at that moment, something soft touched her lips.

Si Hyun froze on the spot. Not just her body, but her mind stopped completely as well.

All she could feel in the meantime was the warmth of his lips touching hers.
“……”
A moment later, Tae Ha slowly pulled his lips away and muttered.
“I thought you wouldn’t understand anyway if I told you verbally.”

“Si Hyun had forgotten to blink, even to breathe.
“…….”
In her robotlike state, Tae Ha watched her with a wideopen chest.
“I never made nonsense. Nor talked about other women.”
“…….”
“So think about it and answer.”
Worried about Si Hyun, who had been frozen all this time, Tae Ha lightly tapped her shoulder before entering the house.
“And breathe.”
As the door closed, Si Hyun collapsed on the floor.

((()))

The next morning.

The elevator door opened, and Si Hyun came out. She cautiously looked around before tiptoeing out.

Tae Ha, who had been waiting since a while, casually asked with his arms crossed,
“Going to work?”
Si Hyun jumped.
“……!”
Just from her back, it was clear she was startled enough to faint. After a while, Si Hyun turned around with a stiff motion.
“Ta, Tae Ha.”
“Come here. Ride in my car.”
He opened the car door, but Si Hyun didn’t listen.
“Um, Tae Ha. I thought about it.”
It was bitter yet funny to see her maintaining a safe distance while talking. She was obviously scared he might kiss her again.
“Do you pity me? You want to save me, right?”
Tae Ha sighed shortly and replied,
“If you still don’t get it, should I do it again? What I did yesterday.”
Si Hyun instantly retreated a few meters. She felt treated like an explosive.
“No! That’s fine!”
Seeing her panic to that extent, he felt a little spiteful. Were his lips that revolting? Moreover, it was his first kiss.
“Ok, let’s say it’s true. … When did it start?”
“I can’t remember. It’s been too long.”
“We lost contact after you went to the army. How is that possible?”
“It was way before I joined the army.”
Seeing Si Hyun’s eyes growing bigger, he was worried they might fall out. After a while, she spoke seriously.
“Yoon Tae Ha, are you out of your mind? You were a minor then!”
“That’s why I didn’t do anything. I was afraid you’d get caught.”
He replied lightly and approached Si Hyun, taking her arm and leading her towards his car.
“We’ll be late. Get in quickly.”
“That’s fine. I can take the bus.”
“I won’t do anything, so don’t worry and get in.”
“No, that’s not what I meant……!”

“Keep doing that and I’ll do it.”
Only after being threatened did Si Hyun finally listen.

After getting Si Hyun in the passenger seat, Tae Ha also climbed into the driver’s seat. Just reaching out to fasten her seatbelt, Si Hyun flinched in shock, curling herself up.
“Ah!”
“All you can think about is that, huh.”
While fastening her seatbelt, Tae Ha clicked his tongue.
“We’re on the way to work, let’s think about something wholesome, Miss Kang Si Hyun.”