Even though Seo Ina had been in his arms just a moment ago, Seojun slept soundly for the first time in a long while.

However, when he woke up around 2 PM, he was alone.

She really has a knack for disappearing. Just as he was startled to see the pillow she had laid on, shocked like someone who had seen a snake after looking at a rope, Seojun noticed the note on her pillow and his heart sank for a moment. The first time she had disappeared leaving only a note came to mind.

But the content of the memo was completely different from that time.

“I have some business to take care of at home. I’m leaving without waking you so you can sleep in. I’ll call you later, elder brother.”

Along with saying she would return, the cute way she addressed him at the end made Seojun smile as if his wish had been granted.

“This woman, really! Playing with people’s hearts!”

After splashing cold water on his startled face, Seojun left the bed and sauntered to the bathroom.

He checked the black box footage right after taking a shower and going up to the second floor study.

After reviewing the document with the logo and putting it in the desk drawer, Seojun opened the file Park Sungho had sent on his laptop.

The first scene of the video, edited to show only the key parts, was a collision accident as expected.

Screech, crash!

After the collision noise, a familiar voice flowed out.

“Ms. Eom Soyeon.”

“What is the meaning of this?”

“I did as Lady Cha Yeojung ordered, so I can’t say I’m sorry. Take this money.”

“No. I won’t accept it! I’ll say it again, I have never done anything with Representative Gu Wonhoo that could be misconstrued! We’re not in that kind of relationship! Forget the money, just make sure to tell this to Lady Cha!”

As the video and conversation recorded in the black box played, Seojun sighed and laughed alternately.

Even while angry, Eom Soyeon only selected words that made sense. Despite it being a very flustered situation, she handled it calmly. A woman who could seem fragile like a young girl but become surprisingly strong in the face of extreme circumstances.

“But did aunt really have to do that?”

Seojun could sufficiently guess certain things just from this video.

They said what is done cannot be undone.

Seojun forwarded the black box file to Gu Wonhoo as is.

Since it was his aunt’s doing, the first thing was to wait and see how Seongbuk-dong would handle it well. However, there was a deeper reason for tossing the accident video to Gu Wonhoo.

Just by directly informing him of the unsavory incident that befell Eom Soyeon, the quick-witted Gu Wonhoo would immediately realize – that the woman he admired was Tae Seojun’s woman.

It was judged that there was no need for cousins to broach the awkward topic directly.

Eom Soyeon had stayed at the Nonhyeon-dong house for less than a day. But the void left by her sudden absence felt so big it made his heart ache.

Seojun was in the movie viewing room attached to the inner part of the study, following the afterimages she had left all over the house.

Last night, after eating a late-night snack, they had moved here and sat close together in the plush chairs. Seojun plopped down on the chair, unconsciously picking up his cell phone.

How cute she had looked, rubbing her pert nose against his chest and dozing off. He had carefully carried her to the bedroom and they had fallen asleep together under the same blanket.

But why hadn’t the woman who said she was going home called even once despite it being late afternoon?

Annoyed, Seojun furrowed his brows deeply and rapidly typed out a text with his long fingers.

[Come back right now, you bad woman! My heart aches because I can’t see you! But why are you……]

But before finishing the text, Seojun deleted everything he wrote and let out a long sigh through clenched teeth.

“Whew! How did I end up like this…!”

Had he ever acted so pathetically in his life? Had he ever been this anxious over a woman? Of course never, but now he was confused about which side was his real self.

Seojun, who kept laughing at himself, tossed his phone towards the cushion on the next chair.

Right then,

The phone screen lit up with a flash.

Thinking it might be her, Seojun quickly picked up the phone again and checked the message.

[You haven’t had dinner yet, right?]

It was a text from Eom Soyeon.

[I haven’t even had lunch. Come quickly.]

Seojun sent a fast reply, too happy to see her message.

[Don’t whine like a child.] [I’m hungry. If you’re late I might end up eating you.] [Eek! I’m not food, Tae Seojun!]

He could imagine Eom Soyeon’s face turning serious from her texting style.

[Then something else.] [What else are you going to eat?]

During the time she was gone, Seojun’s expression had only been bland and cynical. But as he exchanged texts with Soyeon, a blush slowly spread across his face, softening his features.

And at the moment he sent the last text……

[Ramen cooked by my girlfriend?]

Seojun had the happiest smile in the world on his face.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Eek!”

As soon as Soyeon entered the house, she was swept up by Seojun who had been guarding the front door before she could avoid it.

Soyeon’s eyes grew even wider at the sudden kiss as Seojun’s lips claimed hers. But with her arms wrapped around Seojun’s neck and her legs around his firm waist, Soyeon fully accepted the perfectly interlocking handsome lips.

As a slippery sensation and hot breath rushed in, Soyeon let out a choked breath and looked Seojun straight in the eyes as if protesting.

“Are you trying to suffocate me to death?”

“As if I’d kill you. It’s punishment for making me wait.”

“Hmph!”

True to the word punishment, the kiss that started again was soft and romantic, like one shared between loving couples. The force pinning her to the wall was also gentle. But his temperature sucking and releasing her was too hot. His caressing hands were also very blatant.

Soyeon, thinking they might end up skipping dinner at this rate, stopped Seojun who was pouring his all into it with great effort. Barely managing to twist her body and put some distance between their faces, Soyeon spoke.

“Wait, wait! Put me down for a moment! Didn’t you say you hadn’t even had lunch?”

“I’m more desperate for Eom Soyeon. You like it too. Kissing.”

“N-no I don’t!”

Her small face turned bright red like a ripe apple, as if admitting herself that it wasn’t untrue.

“No way. Eom Soyeon likes my kisses a lot. She really likes being caressed too.”

“Wh-when did I ever? I’ve never!”

Her sharp tone was cute. Even her grumpy expression was driving him crazy with love. Moreover, he found her return after leaving of her own accord very admirable.

Seojun chuckled and finally let Soyeon’s feet touch the ground, playfully saying,

“Are you going to play dumb? This won’t do! Should I list out in detail what kind of woman Eom Soyeon is? It was the first day we met. Who seduced me despite knowing nothing? Is that all? Last night……”

He couldn’t finish saying she had even slyly stroked his abs because Soyeon’s hand firmly covered Seojun’s mouth.

“Don’t say it!”

Her face was so red it seemed about to burst any moment, her expression so flummoxed she looked on the verge of tears, which was quite amusing. Seojun pulled Soyeon into a tighter embrace and affectionately pressed his lips to her forehead.

“Embarrassed? What’s the big deal between us. Eom Soyeon is my woman now.”

“……”

Just earlier he had called her his girlfriend in the text, and now his woman.

Soyeon felt thrilled but also apologetic. He sincerely liked her, but she couldn’t be that way yet, if only because of the secret about the child.

“Let’s eat.”

Soyeon quickly picked up the bundle of side dishes she had dropped as soon as she entered the house and swiftly moved to the kitchen.

“I’m coming with you.”

Seojun smiled and immediately followed after her with large strides.

A while later, Soyeon and Seojun sat facing each other at a neatly set table.

The table was full of side dishes Soyeon had brought from home.

“Did Eom Soyeon make all of this?”

“Mom made it and I helped on the side.”

“Was today a special occasion?”

“No, Mom quickly made these before going to my eldest sister’s house, and her portions are always huge so we have a ton at home too.”

“Then your mother left for Jeju Island with the child?”

“Yes. I saw Mom off and came here.”

She had briefly mentioned her family in passing the first day she met him. Soyeon was simply amazed Seojun still remembered that.

“So until your mother returns, we can stay here together?”

“I don’t think that will work.”

“Why?”

“I have to go to Daejeon at the crack of dawn tomorrow. It’s a soft drink CF shoot, and since it has to be finished in one day, I’ll return to Seoul late at night.”

“Right. Eom Soyeon’s popularity is no joke these days. CFs, variety shows, you name it.”

She seemed very satisfied rather than tired with her busy entertainment activities. Soyeon smiled adorably, corners of her lips lifted, and shrugged her shoulders playfully.

“Don’t say it like that. I’m just so happy to have places inviting me.”

Seojun grinned at Soyeon’s words and maintained his elongated lips for a while. He couldn’t force her to stay at this house when she said it was hard to be together because of work. It was a smile of resignation.

“You won’t become so famous that it’ll be hard to even see your face later, will you?”

“Of course not. I’m only busy tomorrow, I don’t have any scheduled events for the next week even.”

“That’s good. Call me when you’re done with work.”

“Why?”

“So I can go pick you up.”

“Even if Dosoon and I come home, it’ll easily be past midnight?”

“What does time matter when I’m going to meet my girlfriend.”

“……”

Girlfriend.

Soyeon found the word unfamiliar yet pleasant to hear, and discreetly picked up her spoon while trying to suppress the smile tugging at her lips.

Seojun sampled the side dishes prettily arranged on the plates one by one without much change in expression. Wondering if that meant he didn’t like it, Soyeon nervously parted her lips.

“Why, does it not suit your taste?”

“Well, how should I put it.”

Avoiding a direct answer and beating around the bush – it must be pretty bad after all?

“Is it not tasty?”

Soyeon’s shoulders slumped slightly in disappointment. Seojun’s eyebrows curved into a shallow arc at the sight.

“I think my sense of taste has gone bad.”

“Oh no, then don’t force yourself to eat it.”

As Soyeon tried to clear the food from the table, Seojun stopped her with a mischievous smile.

“That’s not it, it suits my taste so perfectly that I think I’ll hate eating anything else.”

“What? Stop joking around!”

Soyeon narrowed her eyes at him, finding his constant toying with her heart annoying. Yet her indifferent complexion quickly turned rosy.

“Do you know how much my heart shrivels every time you tease me?”

“My heart is like that when I can’t see you.”

“……”

This man is saying weird things again. Suddenly feeling like she might cry, Soyeon quickly moved to the sink.

“Are there green onions and tofu? I’ll make soup with pollack roe.”

“There should be some in the fridge.”

Soyeon had a good eye as she neatly put the side dish containers she brought from Dogok-dong into the fridge.

“Ah, here they are.”

Seojun’s gaze deepened as he watched Soyeon swiftly prepare the ingredients she took out from the fridge, pour the broth she brought from home into a pot, and place it on the induction cooktop.

It was strange how she easily used the unfamiliar kitchen, and her diligently bustling figure looked especially pretty. Watching Eom Soyeon, who seemed to have become the owner of this place in a day, an unknown ache that didn’t hurt welled up in Seojun’s chest.

“You don’t happen to dislike pollack roe, do you? I’m worried I’m just doing as I please.”

“Make as much as you want. I eat well without being picky.”

Especially if Eom Soyeon made it, he was confident he would eat anything well.

“It’ll be ready soon so keep eating.”

“I don’t want to. I want to eat together.”

“You don’t like salty food, right?”

“I prefer moderate over salty.”

“It’s all done now.”

She put the chopped green onions and tofu into the pot and seasoned it moderately with salted shrimp. Soyeon glanced towards the table, conscious of Seojun’s unrelenting gaze that kept holding her and not letting go. Then the two made eye contact and chuckled simultaneously.

“I thought you were only good at making ramyeon, but looks like you’re skilled at other things too.”

“It’s been a few years since I’ve lived alone. I can do this much with my eyes closed.”

Soyeon made the soup in a flash, but it was Seojun who swiftly moved the soup bowls to the table. As he picked up a spoon and brought the pollack roe soup to his mouth, Soyeon carefully asked like before,

“How is it…?”

Her expectant eyes sparkled like jewels.

“Isn’t pollack roe always tasty?”

“W-well, I guess.”

He could have just complimented that it’s delicious even if it’s not.

Soyeon pouted her lips cutely in disappointment, and in that time, Seojun, who had slurped down the entire bowl of soup, stretched his lips and said,

“It’s my first time having pollack roe soup, but it’s really delicious.”

“You beg praise so desperately!”

She grumbled but smiled prettily as Soyeon finally brought the soup to her mouth as well.

During the meal, Seojun thought. A ordinary daily life of eating at home and conversing. How would it be to share such times with Eom Soyeon every day.

Just imagining it made him feel very good.

Good enough that the corners of his raised lips stayed there for a long time.