At the very end, today’s date was written as the publication date, and Hye-yoon’s name was under the author section. Below that, with a red star mark, the words ‘Special Limited Edition’ were written. Even the small wit brought a profound sense of emotion.
“Wow… It’s truly touching.”
Ji-ho’s hands gently held the thin picture book. Although the story had ended, he couldn’t easily detach his emotions. Unconsciously, he returned to the first page and repeated the story. This movement naturally brought great happiness to Hye-yoon.
Her eyes, still tinged with red, curved prettily.
“You like it more than I expected. Thank you.”
“When did you make all this? The writing, the drawings… You’ve been busy all this time.”
Even as he continued to speak, Ji-ho’s hands continued to caress the picture book.
“Three days before the trip. For three days, I only thought about .”
And in front of that precious effort’s time, she couldn’t stop her hands. From dawn until the next day’s dawn.
While she drew her happiness like an adult, she felt pathetic for throwing a tantrum, wanting to be seen like a child.
Where did she just throw a tantrum? She did more than that. No, she only did more.
Ji-ho’s tongue poked the inside of his mouth. Hye-yoon, who was unaware of such reflection, still remained shy.
“I actually tried to prepare slowly. But when I heard the travel story, I thought it was this day.”
“……”
“The drawings are weird, right? Hehe. I drew pictures for the first time too.”
“Weird? No, they’re beautiful.”
Ji-ho once again took in the animals from . The wolf who lost its home, the pig staring at the fierce wolf, and even the rhinoceros and deer guarding against the wolf. It was all warm faces.
She must have drawn it like herself since she couldn’t write the names. Warm and inviting.
Hye-yoon carefully observed Ji-ho’s face. How wonderful the gentle smile ingrained on his face was, she couldn’t know herself.
She wanted to remember every detail, including each eyebrow. It was a funny expression, but she wanted to brag to him about his beauty.
Tak[Dash]
At that moment, the sound of knocking on the door caught the attention of both of them.
“…Madam, are you there?”
It was the cautious voice of the landlady. Hye-yoon quickly got up. Even before the sliding door opened completely, she spoke clearly.
“No! She’s not sleeping.”
“Yeah. Since the lights were on… I’m peeling sweet potatoes and wanted to give some.”
As the door opened, the landlady’s gleaming eyes were visible. Her strangely wide pupils, unsuitable for nighttime, scrutinized Hye-yoon attentively. It was so confusing whether sweet potatoes were the real purpose. To add to the ambiguity, she peeked through the crack with a sly gesture.
Ji-ho’s face sitting beyond the crack of the door.
Although the landlady’s actions were strange, there was a reliable man behind her. Hye-yoon raised the corners of her mouth in response to the landlady’s kindness.
“We appreciate it. We’ll just put on our coats and go.”
“Sure.”
With the landlady’s nod, Hye-yoon, who quickly put on her coat, looked at Ji-ho. Until she left the room, leaving behind a mouth shape that said, ‘I’ll be back soon,’ Ji-ho’s eyes were still filled with the emotions of .
Creak[Dash] Creak[Dash]
With each step the two women took, the wooden floor made a comforting sound. The landlady’s voice, who had been walking ahead, mixed in between.
“Uh… you two didn’t fight, right? The expressions looked good.”
“Huh? Fight? No way. That wouldn’t happen.”
Out of the blue worry, Hye-yoon quickened her pace. Standing side by side with the landlady, the reason for the detective-like gaze from a while ago leaked out.
“No, just in case. I heard sudden loud crying, so I was surprised.”
“Oh……”
The steps that were side by side take a step back. It was because it was too embarrassing and awkward to show her face.
When they arrived at the main porch, two bowls of sweet potatoes neatly piled up were visible. In the hands of the owner grandfather was a pair of tongs covered with roasted laver. When Hye-yoon bowed her head, beyond the grandfather’s nodding gesture, a faint embarrassment could be seen.
In response to the grandmother’s quick hand movements, she quickly received a bowl.
“Wow, thank you. I’ll enjoy this. It looks really delicious.”
Amidst the sincerity that bloomed between them, Hye-yoon smiled brightly. In response to that radiant smile, the grandmother showed a somewhat similar expression.
“Oh my, why are you both so beautiful? It’s dazzling, both of you.”
From the eyes of the elderly couple facing me, it seemed like honey was dripping. The grandfather’s embarrassment was all coming from his heart.
“And how handsome is the son-in-law. Since the son-in-law is sparkling like this, it seems even more dazzling reflecting that light.”
“Uh, son-in-law…”
“Being shy makes you even prettier.”
Strength tightened in the hand holding the sweet potato dish. As the saying goes, young couples shouldn’t steal time at night, so it was even more like that. At the gesture to leave quickly, Hye-yoon left a quick farewell and turned away. Her embarrassed steps quickly gained speed.
The elderly couple couldn’t easily take their eyes off her retreating figure.
“I wonder what sweet potatoes will taste like. Just being together should make their mouths sweet.”
Unexpectedly, the grandfather chimed in with the grandmother’s warm voice.
“So polite and beautiful. But… didn’t they look like the people who appeared on TV a while ago?”
“Oh, those people are much prettier.”
In response to the grandmother’s teasing, the eyes turned back to the TV. In the place where had ended, a noisy and flashy advertisement was playing. The grandfather’s doubtful gaze was mixed with the grandmother’s assertion once again.
“And earlier, it was those kids from the drama, right? High school students.”
“Oh, right.”
Only then did the grandfather nod his head.
Swish[Dash]
As soon as Hye-yoon opened the door, she proudly offered the sweet potato dish. Ji-ho looked at her face affectionately. Perhaps just the thought of giving anything made her so excited.
So Ji-ho also reached out towards Hye-yoon. More precisely, towards the storybook he received a while ago. When Hye-yoon returned to the room with the fairy tale book, Ji-ho tilted his head.
“That… What did they call this in the fairy tale book? Anyway, they added a few more scenes.”
“Huh? What is it?”
Next to Ji-ho, who was smiling warmly, there was a pen placed.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
