Seo Yu Hyun liked how diligent Choi A Rin was. He sat down beside her, brushing away the strands of hair that fell over her face, gazing at A Rin with a pleased smile.

“What do you want to do?”

“I’ve been thinking, I… wait a second, let me take out my phone and talk while looking at it. Oppa.”

However, A Rin did not see his expression. She had her head down, taking her phone out of her bag.

“Okay.”

Yu Hyun was still looking at her with a smile. As if it did not matter at all that A Rin was not looking at him.

Not knowing what was on Yu Hyun’s mind, A Rin was busy pressing the power button and clicking on the portal site app on the screen.

“I don’t think there’s a need to bring people from the mainland. Maybe it’s because there are so many bakeries in Jeju Island, but when I checked, there were surprisingly many locals who wanted to be hired for baking and confectionery. Oh, is the Wi-Fi bad? Why isn’t it loading.”

“Take your time.”

“Oh, it loaded. If I go here… Ah…”

However, A Rin’s fingers that were moving on the phone screen suddenly stopped. The tips of her frozen fingers were trembling slightly.

“…Ha.”

Yu Hyun’s expression, who was looking at the screen together, also stiffened at the same time.

It was impossible to pretend not to see the headlines filling up the main screen of the portal site.

[Breaking News: VAN Group Vice Chairman Ban Jae Hyuk to marry LW Group Director Min Yu Jin soon?] [Vice Chairman Ban Jae Hyuk’s fiancée revealed to be LW Group Director Min Yu Jin.] [Vice Chairman Ban Jae Hyuk’s side plans engagement before marriage.]

“Don’t look at stuff like this.”

Yu Hyun snatched A Rin’s phone and hid it behind him. Both his face and A Rin’s face had darkened deeply.

A Rin raised her head to look at Yu Hyun.

“…Oppa, I’m okay.”

A Rin tried to lift the corners of her mouth and smile, but she could not hide her slightly trembling shoulders.

Seeing this, Yu Hyun’s brows furrowed in an instant.

He did not like seeing A Rin make such an expression because of that man.

He inwardly cursed at Jae Hyuk.

“Oppa, I’m really okay.”

Yu Hyun saw through A Rin’s lie.

A whole two years.

He had been by her side every day, every hour.

He was more interested in A Rin than anyone else in the world. So knowing her heart was not a difficult thing.

Yu Hyun’s heart wavered.

What was difficult for him, he resented that man for shaking her heart with just a passing article.

He understood. He had heard from Ji Yun how much A Rin had loved that man.

Moreover, A Rin had even been pregnant with that man’s child before, so he knew her feelings were more complex and profound than just lingering attachment.

Yu Hyun had reminded himself many times not to be impatient with A Rin for not being able to erase that man easily.

But at times like this, he could not help but feel impatient. Yu Hyun roughly ruffled his hair.

‘Get it together, Seo Yu Hyun. You can’t show such petty jealousy to A Rin. But be satisfied for now that you will never have to meet that man again. You decided to become a man A Rin can rely on in a situation like this.’

In front of A Rin, he absolutely had to be a good man.

“Yeah. I know how you feel, A Rin. But still…”

Yu Hyun handed the phone back to A Rin, which he did not want to give, and continued.

“Still, don’t look at things like this. Let’s go home.”

A Rin stared blankly at the phone.

“Okay, I won’t look. Oppa, you just keep the phone.”

A Rin put her phone back into Yu Hyun’s hand and stood up.

“Why.”

“No, I just need to go to the restroom for a bit.”

“…”

“Oppa, you go out first.”

A Rin felt that somehow Yu Hyun’s expression looking down at her was strange.

“…You.”

But as if giving up, Yu Hyun closed his mouth.

“Come back soon. I’ll start the car.”

**

A Rin quickly walked to the restroom.

She noticed that Yu Hyun’s expression was not good. But right now, she did not have the luxury to scrutinize Yu Hyun’s expression.

“Get it together, Choi A Rin. What are you thinking.”

It was a relationship that had completely ended three years ago. If someone asked her if she had any lingering feelings for Jae Hyuk, she could say no.

“He’s my ex-husband. No. He’s not even my ex-husband. We haven’t even filed for divorce yet. But then why haven’t we filed for divorce? And now engagement. This isn’t even funny. What are you trying to do with me.”

She wanted to completely cut ties with him as soon as possible, even if it was just one day earlier. Because then she would not have to feel these tumultuous emotions anymore.

As her former mother-in-law Jung’s voice echoed in her head, A Rin’s eyes reflected in the restroom mirror wavered.

[There was a girl Jae Hyuk had liked since he was young. She’s studying abroad now, but I heard she’s coming back soon.]

“That woman… was none other than Min Yu Jin.”

It was still a memory and name she could not forget.

Jung’s voice on the phone followed, not stopping the call even though she knew her daughter-in-law was right beside her.

[So what can we do. The connection between Yu Jin and our Jae Hyuk was meant to be. As the time for Yu Jin’s return approaches, things around him are clearing up nicely. Hoho.]

“Then hurry up and stamp the divorce papers. Stop playing with me. I don’t want to be shaken anymore.”

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day.

A Rin was busy preparing for the opening.

Two hours before opening time, she unlocked the store door and someone entered.

“I’m sorry…”

A Rin, who was organizing the display case next to the counter, lifted her head to greet the customer but stopped mid-sentence. Her face stiffened in an instant.

They were people she could not mistake even if she tried.

It was a middle-aged woman and a young woman who seemed to be in her 20s. The middle-aged woman spoke first.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

“Madam…”

The identities of the two women were Jung, A Rin’s former mother-in-law, and Min Yu Jin, the woman Jae Hyuk was going to marry.

There was no greeting at the reunion after five years. Jung did not do it, and A Rin had no intention of doing it either.

“I’m sorry. It’s time to prepare the store right now.”

Perhaps it was because she heard the news of Jae Hyuk’s engagement yesterday. These people would never be welcome even normally, but A Rin found their visit more unpleasant than ever.

Jung folded her arms and snorted.

“Insolent girl. Have you forgotten how to know your place while I haven’t seen you?”

Jung’s rebuke further dampened A Rin’s mood.

“I don’t want to talk with you for long either.”

A Rin did not avoid Jung’s eyes.

At one time, it was a gaze so frightening and terrifying that she could not even look at it.

Jung used to look at her with eyes that seemed to regard her as the most insignificant and inferior creature in the world.

So she felt like a miniscule and worthless being in front of her.

Still, it was much better now. She was still afraid, but not so much that she could not look at her like before.

A Rin clenched her white fists tightly and opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry. I’m busy right now. Please come back later.”

“Insolent girl.”

Unable to contain her anger, Jung slammed the counter.

A Rin’s eyes were drawn to another gaze fixed on her. Min Yu Jin was looking at her with folded arms and a relaxed smile.

It was the first time seeing Min Yu Jin in person.

Even in this situation, Min Yu Jin’s expression did not change at all, and she was wrapped in luxury brands from head to toe, exuding elegance.

The confidence, not confidence, that seemed to place everything beneath her, written on her face, resembled Jung so much that one could believe they were mother and daughter.

‘I’ve seen her in photos in articles, but she’s much more glamorous and beautiful in person. This is the kind of person oppa loved. That’s why he couldn’t love me.’

She thought she had thrown away all her feelings for him, but her heart ached.

A Rin found Min Yu Jin’s gaze unpleasant.

That’s when it happened.

As if noticing the small commotion, Yu Hyun’s voice came from the kitchen where he was preparing for the opening.

“A Rin, what’s going on?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“I heard some noise though.”

“It’s nothing. Oppa. I was just talking to myself.”

She did not want to show Yu Hyun this sight.

A Rin’s expression wavered.

“I have no intention of leaving until I talk with you. What will you do? If you resist, I don’t mind talking here.”

Jung thought this was the moment.

Although not outwardly apparent, she was burning up inside. To keep an eye on her son who was acting out like a colt, she had found the weakness of one of her son’s secretaries, Secretary Shin, and made him her ally.

Jung recalled the phone call from Secretary Shin yesterday morning as she glared at A Rin.

[The vice chairman says he’s going to Jeju Island tomorrow.] [He’s going to see that wench again?] [No. This time, he says he’ll meet her directly.] [What? Meet her?] [Yes. That’s right.] [Really? Are you sure?] [Yes. I confirmed it with Chief Han.]

Jung had to interfere before Jae Hyuk met A Rin.

She wanted to go to Jeju Island right away yesterday, but she could not leave Seoul due to an event she was hosting.

Jung hurriedly leaked articles about Jae Hyuk and Yu Jin’s engagement, then took the first flight in the morning to find A Rin.

“You wicked girl. How dare you sway my son. I need to cut you off at the roots for you to come to your senses!”

Jung ground her teeth.

“So whether we talk now or in an hour, the situation won’t change. I don’t want to see your face for long either, so I’ll make it short.”

Jung’s eyes fell on A Rin’s trembling fists. The corners of her mouth twisted up. Min Yu Jin, who had been watching the whole situation, was the same.

A Rin had to acknowledge that she had no choice.

“Let’s talk outside.”

She did not want Yu Hyun to find out about this situation.

“Come out quietly.”

A Rin took off the apron she was wearing and walked towards the door. She followed behind Jung and Min Yu Jin.

As she opened the door, the two went out first, and A Rin turned her gaze towards the kitchen where Yu Hyun was.

Fortunately, he did not come out and was working in the kitchen.

“Oppa, the signboard fell over from the wind. I’ll put the signboard back up and tidy up the garden before coming back in.”

A Rin shouted towards the kitchen. And then.

“Okay. A Rin. Be careful not to hurt your hands.”

Hearing Yu Hyun’s reply, A Rin let out a sigh of relief.

The sound of A Rin leaving was heard. As the door closed, Yu Hyun walked out from the kitchen. Yu Hyun’s expression as he looked at the door A Rin had left through was dark.

[This is the timeline separator]

That day, late afternoon.

They operated later than usual today.

“Oppa, I’m sorry.”

It was because A Rin had somehow ended up making more than the usual amount.

“I said it’s fine.”

A moment later, Yu Hyun, who finished the closing preparations, turned around to look at A Rin.

“A Rin, are you done over there?”

“…Ah, oppa. Sorry. What did you say?”

“What have you been thinking about so much. All day.”

Since Jung’s visit, A Rin could not think of anything. Even though she tried to erase it from her mind, what Jung had said kept echoing.

[Don’t misunderstand that the reason Jae Hyuk is not divorcing you is because of his lingering attachment to you. It’s all because I instructed him to.]