A silence fills the study.

Sun Woo, having returned home, sat at his desk for tens of minutes, absentmindedly rolling a pen, with papers piled on the desk.

On his desk were unfinished papers, and closer to the papers was a blank marriage registration form.

He stared blankly at the calendar on the desk, counting with his finger the days until the promised date with his grandfather.

Already two days had passed without accomplishing anything.

He regretted moving up the date to return home by a week in a fit of anger. If he hadn’t done that, it would have aroused more suspicion.

They say a person’s judgment becomes clouded when backed into a corner, I never thought it would happen to me.

It was an urgent matter. So today he had definitely planned to tell the woman.

Sun Woo’s expression darkened as he rubbed his forehead.

“What’s so difficult about it.”

Just say it happened that way, one sentence would do.

At any other time, he would have pushed through talking about contracts. When he only saw her as the subject of a contract, everything that had been easy suddenly became difficult from start to finish.

“Haa…”

A sigh escaped involuntarily. There were urgent papers to review, but he couldn’t focus at all. Was picking up the marriage registration form that kept catching his eye, intending to quickly get it over with, the root of the problem?

He laughed.

At himself, unable to write even a single character while hesitating, when not long ago he had boldly declared war on his grandfather and brought home the marriage registration form.

It was a problem he had never considered before. Even when bringing Eun Jae into the house, he had clearly thought himself an extremely rational person.

But to think Ji Eun Jae would come to be seen as a woman.

“Ridiculous.”

He found himself laughable, worrying when there was no one to give rice cakes to.

Don’t mix in unnecessary emotions, it’s just a one-year contract. It was only a few weeks ago that he had pushed her with his nose in the air.

“I’m really doing all sorts of things.”

Now that he’s even held her hand and embraced her, is he gradually becoming confused?

They say even celebrities sometimes get so immersed in their roles while acting that they mistakenly think they really like their co-star.

“Right, it’s a misunderstanding.”

How could fake emotions become real?

“In a year, we’ll have to return to our original places.”

Both you and I.

After denying the already revealed truth like that, Sun Woo, feeling relatively at ease, began to fill out the marriage registration form without hesitation.

[This is the timeline separator]

It was truly a whirlwind. Things to do came pouring down all at once.

There was barely a month left, yet they were trying to do everything others do.

Eun Jae’s eyes were hazy as she sat in the cafe for 30 minutes, listening to explanations that weren’t sinking in. She just stared blankly at the documents strewn messily on the table.

“Studio A is famous for lovely yet casual photos, and Studio B is a hot studio with traditional Korean house backgrounds. Studio C has a heavy atmosphere but is popular for its modern vibe. Do you like any of them?”

“…”

“Bride?”

Feeling it was utterly impossible, Eun Jae sheepishly spoke up with words she should have said much earlier.

“Um, Planner, I’m really sorry, but could we discuss it a bit more and decide later?”

Though it was a one-sided appointment, she had been listening, thinking it was something she ought to do.

But the more she listened, the stronger her feeling that this wasn’t right. She thought now was the earliest time she could turn back.

When Eun Jae politely expressed her opinion, the planner comforted her, saying it was fine and not to feel bad. With 10 years of experience as a planner, she truly was different.

Gathering the scattered documents, she said with seeming regret:

“It would be nice if the groom-to-be could look together, but he seems very busy.”

Groom. I wonder when that title will become familiar, no, will it ever become familiar?

She had heard it over twenty times just today.

Eun Jae nodded with an awkward expression, then saw off the planner and returned home.

Though she had listened to the explanations, she couldn’t remember a single thing she had heard.

She thought they would become a married couple just by holding the ceremony at the wedding hall, but she had seen the process too simply.

Massaging her stiff neck, Eun Jae walked into the bathroom.

She wanted to relax in warm water.

[This is the timeline separator]

Eun Jae glanced at him carefully while eating dinner.

She had called off deciding on the wedding preparations earlier, and the man was oddly quiet.

Eun Jae put a soybean in her mouth while observing his expression. As the salty taste seeped out, followed by the nutty flavor of the bean, she asked the man:

“Sir, do you know what ‘SDM’ means?”

“What is it?”

The man answered with an indifferent expression, as if it were someone else’s business.

You dumped it all on me with the excuse of being busy, but you could at least listen properly.

Eun Jae continued speaking, trying hard to keep her expression neutral.

“You didn’t know either, right? It stands for Studio, Dress, and Makeup.”

“Is that so? So, the decision…”

It seems the man was unfamiliar with the term too. Realizing it was related to the wedding, his expression changed.

The chopsticks he was holding were placed neatly on the rest, and his arms crossed and rested on the table. He leaned towards Eun Jae as if ready to listen intently.

“I understand the dress and makeup, but for the studio, they said it’s for taking wedding photos. I was wondering if there’s any need to leave photographic evidence of this contract marriage.”

“Do you prefer an outdoor or indoor wedding venue?”

“Yoon Sun Woo.”

The man answered Eun Jae’s words with a question.

Come to think of it, he was always like this. He never gave room to refute what he wanted to do.

“Sir, teacher, Yoon Sun Woo. Stick to one of those three. I get confused every time I hear a different one.”

“…”

Not making a mistake is impressive. The man muttered softly and smiled.

“I thought we agreed last time that we’d do everything without omitting anything. If you didn’t like any of the places, I can change the planner for you.”

“No, that’s not it. Why go to such lengths for a contract marriage-”

The man furrowed his brow as if something was bothering him. Seeing that expression, Eun Jae stopped mid-sentence. She had an intuition that she shouldn’t say more.

Sure enough, the man’s mood turned sharp.

“You keep mentioning contract marriage, but isn’t a contract marriage still a marriage?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I’m curious if you would have such thoughts even if this were a real marriage.”

As she listened, the man’s question seemed strange. No, it was like this a few days ago too.

“Would you give up even if I were a lover dying for you?”

He said to take it as it comes, but now he’s attaching “what ifs” and demanding sincerity.

Why go to the trouble and expense of creating something that will become a burden in a year?

You won’t be able to throw it away either.

The former was what she really wanted to say, while the latter lingered uncomfortably in a corner of her mind.

In fact, since being embraced by the man in the courtyard, strange emotions had been steadily blooming.

No. Those feelings had already taken root for a long time. A heart that had clearly tilted towards the man, beyond mere fondness.

After impulsively hugging the man, her flushed face and rapidly beating heart told her so.

Thanks to Tae Gyu lingering nearby, the time spent in his embrace was prolonged. Because of that, she could hear the man’s heartbeat for even longer.

At first, she mistook it for her own heartbeat, but it wasn’t. The man’s heartbeat was similar to hers. It was very fast and dynamic.

In truth, she secretly hoped Tae Gyu would stay longer. That embrace was warm and even fragrant. Even the man’s breath occasionally brushing her nape felt sweet.

Eun Jae, who had been keeping her mouth shut at the curious question, was quietly observed by the man before he spoke.

“Now that we’ve already stamped the contract-”

The man keeps confusing her.

“You and I are no different from a real married couple.”

Even though it’s not sincere.

[This is the timeline separator]

The man’s hair was wet as he came out after showering. Wearing a dark green nightgown, he walked slowly into the dimly lit living room and turned on a small mood light.

He poured red wine from the cellar into a wine glass. Sun Woo’s wrist, which had been lightly holding the stem and swirling the glass, suddenly stopped.

“Why go to such lengths for a contract marriage.”

The woman’s words kept bothering Sun Woo. It was clearly an irritating feeling, but it made him laugh.

He was displeased with the woman who only thought of quickly getting it over with and running away. Then and now, all she thinks about is escaping from him.

Sun Woo, looking at his schedule, seemed to ponder for a moment before picking up his phone. After a short ring, a middle-aged woman’s voice was heard.

“Head nurse, are there many patients scheduled for tomorrow?”

[No. Is something wrong?]

“I’d like to cancel the morning appointments.”

[Then I’ll take care of that, Professor.]

Sun Woo, putting down his phone, chuckled as he recalled what had happened earlier during dinner.

What was that about.

The woman’s cheeks, which had turned peach-red at the words “no different from a married couple,” were unbearably lovable. As if juice would flow if he took a bite.

Emotionless artificial intelligence robot. That was the phrase he had heard most often in his 33 years.

The woman’s insignificant actions keep making him laugh. How did his laughter become so loose?

Sun Woo, entering his study, let out a deep sigh.

He stared blankly at the marriage registration form he had filled out in advance, then put it back in the drawer.

“It might start as small as a fingernail, but later it will snowball.”

He knows well it’s the wrong method. Though he’s not sure why he feels guilty now,

If by chance,

If this marriage were to become sincere,

If it were only one-sided,

He’d rather it be him.

Though it started this way, he didn’t want to be someone who hurts the woman until the end.

[This is the timeline separator]

The next morning. It was during breakfast, as usual, sitting at the table. The man paused as he was about to take a spoonful of beef soup.

“What time did you agree to meet?”

“Around 12 o’clock.”

In the end, it came to this. Last night’s argument with the man had been meaningless.

What’s the use of being the boss only on the contract, when he does whatever he wants anyway? Though I have no right to object.

Eun Jae roughly ran her hand through her hair and asked.

“You have no intention of reconsidering, right?”

“What did you just do?”

The man’s hand stopped as he was picking up a side dish. Eun Jae tried to recall what she had just done. She didn’t seem to have done anything particularly memorable.

“What did I do?”

“Don’t mess up your hair there.”

At the man’s answer, Eun Jae laughed incredulously and said.

“I washed my hair, you know?”

“Is that so? It just looked like you were doing it too.”

“When did I? When did I ever do that?”

The man just laughed without answering.

Eun Jae glared at Sun Woo as if annoyed, then suddenly remembered the day she first came to this house and fell asleep hugging a robe, causing her face to turn red.

“Seems like you remembered.”

“I did not!”

“You did, your face is redder than this.”

Her heart felt like it was melting at the man’s smile as he tapped the appetizingly fried kimchi pancake while continuing to speak.

The joke she had thrown to tease him suddenly became insignificant in an instant.

Just once. Yes, just that one time.

It was just as Eun Jae, having finished preparing for her appointment with the wedding planner, was about to leave the room grumbling.

“Are you ready?”

The man was leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway, turning pages of a book with one hand.

“Why… Are you still at home?”

Eun Jae looked back and forth between the clock showing past 11 and the man’s attire with surprised eyes.

It was just an ordinary shirt and pants outfit, but was it because he was wearing a bow tie, or because of his glasses?

No, it’s because of his needlessly outstanding appearance.

At Eun Jae’s questioning look, the man closed his book gently, tucked his removed glasses into his shirt pocket, and approached her.

“Let’s go. Where did you agree to meet?”

“You’re coming with me? What about the hospital?”

“The hospital won’t collapse just because I’m not there.”

“I was really going to listen properly and make a decision this time, honestly.”

As Eun Jae looked up at Sun Woo with an expression that seemed to ask if he didn’t trust her, Sun Woo snorted.

“How can I trust you?”

The man’s voice was still full of laughter.

Was he always someone who laughed so easily? He has been laughing more lately.

Sun Woo, who had been quietly looking down at Eun Jae, tapped her cheek and headed to the entrance first. His broad back disappeared, blocking Eun Jae’s view.

‘What, suddenly…’

Surprised by the sudden touch of the man’s finger on her cheek, Eun Jae stood still like a statue, clutching the cheek where his finger had touched.

In an instant, both her cheeks felt like they would burst with heat. This time even her heart was acting up.

Sun Woo glanced back at Eun Jae and said with a smile on his lips.

“Ji Eun Jae’s face turns red when she lies.”

That’s not why it turned red.

Sun Woo observed Eun Jae, whose face was red to the tips of her ears, as if watching.

Recalling one by one his incomprehensible actions until now.

Not being displeased by the touch of a woman he had just met, constantly calling out to her and bothering her, impulsively interfering in matters he didn’t need to, getting inexplicably angry when she said she was going to meet a former classmate.

And the reason why he could only see her amidst the scattering cherry blossoms.

In fact, it was something he had known for a long time but didn’t want to admit until the end.

An incredulous laugh escaped Sun Woo’s lips as he realized the emotion he had endlessly denied.

He thought she looked pretty because of her clothes, both then and now.

“Let’s go, we’ll be late.”

It seems,

That wasn’t it.