The next evening.

The usually lively atmosphere at Memoria Yeonnam branch was chilly.

After coming to work, Seo Yu Hyun hadn’t come up to the first floor even once, and Choi A Rin kept sighing repeatedly.

It wasn’t difficult for the Memoria staff, including Choi Sung Han and Cheol Yong, to notice that something was amiss in the relationship between the two.

The usual sight of them sticking close together and joking around, or rather Yu Hyun unilaterally sticking to A Rin’s side and teasing her, had completely disappeared today.

As the two who had been so close now avoided each other as if they had fought, the employees had to be careful around them.

Cheol Yong watched A Rin carefully while organizing items. Sung Han, who had cleaned the coffee machine, approached Cheol Yong and whispered in a very low voice.

“Something’s strange, right? With the boss and Yu Hyun hyung.”

Cheol Yong glanced at A Rin, raising his head.

“Just pretend not to notice. It’s not our problem to get involved in. Is hyung still in the basement workshop?”

“Yeah, he’s been down there all day strangely. I thought it would be fine after a day, but it’s been several days now. Hyung hasn’t come up once while working… Usually he would have come up several times to check on the boss… Boss, did you fight with hyung?”

“I don’t know. Yu Hyun hyung isn’t the type to let it affect work like this.”

Cheol Yong and Sung Han exchanged glances.

“We should send the boss home first and talk to hyung.”

Cheol Yong approached A Rin, who was sitting at the counter.

“Boss, are you finished?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought… What did you say?”

“Ah…”

A Rin had been in a daze and didn’t hear Cheol Yong’s words. Cheol Yong realized it wasn’t an issue to easily get involved in. He composed his expression and said:

“I said we’re done closing up.”

“Already? Cheol Yong, good work. You can go home first.”

Cheol Yong shook his head.

“No, I always leave first, so today you should go home first, boss. We’ll stay and do some menu development.”

“You don’t have to…”

“Go home, I’m making a special concession today. In exchange, you have to let me leave early next time!”

Cheol Yong winked. A Rin hesitated for a moment, but soon realized his consideration and nodded.

‘Any other time would be fine, but if I run into oppa while leaving together today… No way!’

She was trying to avoid Yu Hyun because it was uncomfortable. But there was a bigger reason. She had plans with Ban Jae Hyuk after work, and if Yu Hyun and Jae Hyuk were to run into each other…?

“Thank you, Cheol Yong. I’ll accept your offer. I’ve already placed the orders for tomorrow.”

“Oh, you’re fast! Then you’re done with work, so go home!”

A Rin left the shop with Cheol Yong seeing her off.

“You worked hard today. See you tomorrow, Cheol Yong. Sung Han, you’re off tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, I’m off tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll see you next week. I’ll go first.”

“Okay. Get home safe.”

“See you tomorrow, boss!”

“Thank you.”

After saying goodbye to Sung Han and Cheol Yong, A Rin grabbed her bag and left the shop. She couldn’t have imagined the look in Cheol Yong’s eyes as he turned away.

Cheol Yong watched A Rin’s retreating figure through the large window. His face twisted as a man approached her.

“Ah. So that’s how it is.”

“Why? Oh…”

“Ha, so that’s why hyung… Hey, are you free today?”

Cheol Yong asked Sung Han.

“Me? Today’s fine. Why?”

“I don’t think we should let hyung go home alone today, let’s hang out together.”

“Ah…”

Sung Han had also spent many years working alongside Yu Hyun with Cheol Yong.

Yu Hyun, who they thought would never love again after overcoming the pain Ha Yeon had given him, had started a new love. But it seemed that love had also become unrequited. Feeling frustrated at the thought, Sung Han rubbed his face.

“You’re right. Looks like we shouldn’t plan on going home today.”

Cheol Yong locked the shop door and went down to the basement, with Sung Han following behind. Before opening the workshop door, Cheol Yong said with a serious expression:

“Don’t say anything weird, okay?”

“Do I look stupid?”

“Just think of it as a casual drink today. Got it?”

“I have that much sense. Don’t you remember? When hyung got dumped by Min Ha Yeon, you and I hung out with him the whole time.”

“Yeah, I know. But the situation now seems even more serious than back then, that’s why I’m saying this.”

Unsatisfied with the response, Cheol Yong lightly patted Sung Han’s shoulder and flung open the workshop door.

“Hyung, let’s go for a drink.”

Cheol Yong spoke even more energetically on purpose.

“I’m treating today. Seo Yu Hyun, let’s go!”

Sung Han and Cheol Yong forcibly dragged out Yu Hyun, who had been hiding in his shell like a snail all day.

[This is the timeline separator]

“A Rin, over here!”

As soon as she left the shop, Ban Jae Hyuk came into view. He had parked his car across from Memoria and was waiting.

Their eyes met and he waved. A Rin’s mood wavered at the sight of him. The white musk scent that touched her nose grew stronger. She couldn’t look at him under his intense gaze.

“Are you done with work?”

Jae Hyuk’s gentle voice, which had only been cold before, felt terribly unfamiliar.

‘I wish he wouldn’t look at me like that. I wish he wouldn’t call me so affectionately.’

“It’s cold. Let’s get in the car.”

“You came early. We still have a while before our appointment time.”

“My schedule ended early. I’d rather wait for you than have you wait for me.”

Was he sincere?

No, how could a person change so much? As if he were a different person.

A Rin was confused, unable to read Jae Hyuk’s true intentions behind his change.

“Let’s get in and talk.”

He walked to the car first, opened the passenger door and waited for her to get in.

Seeing that, she suddenly recalled words he had spoken in the past.

The content was similar to now, but the voice and nuance were so different back then.

[Aren’t you getting in?] [Oh, yes. I’ll get in.] [Hurry up and get in. We’ll be scolded if we’re late.] [I’m sorry.] [Get in.]

‘Has oppa ever waited for me like this before? No. At least not after we got married.’

Even when walking together, Jae Hyuk was always a step ahead. Walking while looking at his back was very familiar to her. To walk side by side, she had to keep up with his pace, which was several times faster than hers.

Even if it meant straining herself like a magpie trying to keep up with a stork, she had to do it no matter how difficult and tiring it was.

Was it because memories of the past she wanted to forget came flooding back?

Or was she feeling resentful of his current behavior that was so different from back then?

A Rin felt her emotions welling up as she recalled the cruel Jae Hyuk of the past.

Jae Hyuk’s expression, tone, and entire attitude felt terribly unfamiliar.

Even if one died and came back to life, a person couldn’t change this much…

Was that not his true self?

Or is this current appearance a facade?

“It’s cold, get in.”

A warm voice came from above her confused head.

“Okay.”

A Rin got into the passenger seat without looking at Jae Hyuk.

“I’ll close the door. Watch your hands.”

“…”

A Rin couldn’t even imagine that Jae Hyuk was trying so hard to show her a bright smile… that back then, that appearance resembled her past self.

[This is the timeline separator]

A heavy silence fell inside the moving car.

After getting in the car, she fixed her gaze out the window with her chin resting on her hand, not saying a word. She deliberately avoided looking at him. She could feel his glances stealing looks at her whenever they stopped at a red light, but she ignored them.

“Should I turn on some music?”

“…Okay.”

With her permission, Jae Hyuk turned on the radio softly. As gentle piano melodies flowed through the radio, the suffocating atmosphere in the car eased a little.

“You haven’t had dinner yet, right?”

“No.”

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

“No.”

“Heavy food might upset your stomach, how about sushi?”

“Okay.”

Like talking to a wall, A Rin answered Jae Hyuk’s questions with short responses no matter what he said.

“The light changed. You can go.”

“Oh? Right.”

In the moments she was with Jae Hyuk, A Rin constantly tried to steady her wavering heart.

‘This isn’t real dating.’

She was afraid of pouring out the resentment, hatred, and confusion welling up in her heart towards him right now.

There was no reason to vent her resentment at him now for a one-year contract relationship that would end in a year anyway.

‘I can’t mistake this for getting back together with oppa. I can’t put emotions into it.’

Her hand supporting her chin tensed unconsciously.

[This is the timeline separator]

Jae Hyuk ordered far more food than the two of them could eat.

A Rin couldn’t believe her eyes at the amount of food that looked like it could break the table legs. Before she could even pick up her chopsticks while staring at the food, she said:

“Are we supposed to eat all of this?”

“We can pack up the leftovers.”

“…We don’t need to pack it up, we can just come eat it next time.”

“Just eat as much as you want.”

At Jae Hyuk’s words, A Rin pouted. Somehow she felt upset again.

“Fine. It’s not my money anyway.”

Jae Hyuk’s eyes remained warm as he looked at A Rin speaking curtly. He reached out and placed the chopsticks in front of her into her hand.

“Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“…”

Jae Hyuk read A Rin’s wavering gaze in the brief moment their eyes met. Contradictory emotions stirred in his heart.

‘Let yourself be shaken like this when I shake you.’

A part of Jae Hyuk felt guilty.

‘Is it arrogant to feel sorry and pity for A Rin when I’m the one who begged?’

Looking at A Rin, he was reminded of a hedgehog with its quills raised to protect itself. She had always been a kind person who smiled. She was someone who held back her words to avoid hurting others, and had consideration ingrained in her. The one who changed her was Ban Jae Hyuk himself.

‘So do whatever you want. Say whatever you want to say and don’t hold back your actions. If it makes you feel better, you can do anything.’

Jae Hyuk forced a smile, pulling up the corners of his mouth that wouldn’t rise. So that A Rin wouldn’t notice,

Small waves rippled in his eyes.

It was an emotion he hoped A Rin would never realize.

[This is the timeline separator]

The dessert arrived.

It was the moment she had been waiting for. A Rin took out the documents she had prepared from her bag and held them out to Jae Hyuk.

His eyes widened as he confirmed the nature of the document.

A Rin had even changed the name of the contract. It was to eliminate all possible causes of wavering.

“I added some things last time, but I realized there were more things needed. So I added more as I thought of them.”

A Rin clenched her fist as she deliberately met Jae Hyuk’s gaze.

She acted coldly on purpose to draw a line with him, who kept becoming affectionate and treating her sincerely.

I won’t waver until the end!

A Rin wanted to show her determination.

“Okay.”

Jae Hyuk, who had composed his expression by now, picked up the document.

The one who made the proposal was more nervous. A Rin found herself unconsciously watching Jae Hyuk’s reaction.

‘You idiot! What are you doing watching his reaction now?’

It was then, as she was scolding herself. His voice, tinged with amusement, came from above her head.