Jian admired with exclamations as she cleared her plate, and Kanghyun, enjoying the cute pouting of her cheeks, accepted the food Jian offered.

They decided to postpone swimming until the next morning and concluded a satisfying meal.

In celebration of Christmas Eve, the hotel lounge was bustling with families and couples. Disregarding the somewhat sour-faced individuals, Kanghyun and Jian moved to the cocktail bar within the lounge, reluctant to go up to their room.

Trapped in Kanghyun’s arm, Jian tilted her head playfully against his firm chest, swaying side to side, expressing her antics. Kanghyun, witnessing her displayed face, responded with a smile, creating an image of lovers overflowing with affection.

“Soye, what are you doing?”

Soye, who had her eyes wide open, glared at Kanghyun and Jian passing by.

Unlike her, who recognized Kanghyun at a glance amidst the crowd, Kanghyun’s gaze was solely fixated on Jian.

“Soye, what’s up?”

Ignoring her friend’s call, Soye only chewed on her lips, and in her view, Kanghyun completely disappeared.

Suppressing the urge to chase after him immediately and pour out her frustration, Soye’s crumpled face twitched with a slight tremor.

“Do you know that person?”

“No, let’s go inside.”

Forced into a strained smile, Soye, who opened her tightly shut lips, grabbed her friend’s arm and led her away, looking around.

Even after entering the restaurant where the others were waiting, the sense of defeat didn’t easily dissipate.

Why should I lose something to such a woman?

Unable to comprehend why Kanghyun would choose Seoyoon over her, frustration swelled within her.

“Soye, what do you want to eat?”

“Anything is fine.”

Bluntly replying, Soye vigorously shook her head.

Even if she couldn’t have Kanghyun, she didn’t want to see Seoyoon in a happy state. It would be better if Seoyoon’s memories returned.

Listening to the recorded voice and revisiting her miserable appearance might ease her mind.

???? ???? ????

Compared to the brightly lit lounge restaurant, the cocktail bar was decidedly dimmer.

Entering the room that emitted a reddish glow similar to the wine they had just consumed, Jian draped her thick coat over her shoulders.

Her knitted dress, clinging to her body, and the slight warmth from the wine she had sipped in place of Kanghyun, made her entire body feel warm.

“Take it off slowly.”

“It’s hot.”

“If you take it off suddenly because you’re hot, that’s not allowed. Take it off after the staff leaves.”

“But it’s really hot…”

Kanghyun scolded Jian, who pouted her lips, and coaxed her while pulling up the coat that had come down to her elbows.

“Chairman, your jealousy knows no time or place. But you’ll only do it to people, right?”
“Well, if you’ve been holding onto that cushion the whole time you’ve been here, it seems possible with objects too.”

“Wow…”

“But I’m still trying my best, so you won’t be uncomfortable.”

Not covering her white shoulders at the restaurant was also a form of effort.

“If I don’t make an effort, how will I make you uncomfortable?”

“You might want to stop seeing me.”

“That won’t happen, so just let me know a bit, okay? I want to know a lot about Chairman.”

Jian sat closely, leaning against Kanghyun’s thigh, grabbing his arm.

As her desire for Kanghyun grew, her curiosity increased. She wanted to know everything, from what thoughts hid behind his expressionless face, why he was so strict with himself, how he lived during his childhood, and even the smallest details.

Unable to resist Jian’s persistent gaze, Kanghyun, after much contemplation, opened his mouth.

“There’s no date like today. We got everything, food, drinks, all delivered to the room, and I couldn’t have walked around in a crowded place. So, even though I made time on Christmas Eve, I probably just sat on the sofa and worked.”

That was if he made time on Christmas Eve at all.

His attachment to Seoyoon remained unchanged, despite neglecting even his own birthday.

To the doctor who had once been trapped in a stifling life and was now smiling beautifully, Kanghyun couldn’t say anything.

“This is a real staycation. I like it. I have no confidence to disturb Chairman while working. You won’t get angry, right?”

“Of course not.”

Kanghyun chuckled, pressing his warm hand to Jian’s cheek with both hands.

“Don’t you have any questions about me, Chairman? It’s okay to have expectations.”

“I hope you’re happy.”

“I’m really happy now.”

“It would be even better if you were happy by my side.”

“Of course. Today, even though the day hasn’t ended yet, it’s more enjoyable than I expected. I enjoyed delicious food, received Christmas presents.”

Jian, receiving affectionate glances from Kanghyun, cheerfully chattered on.

Listening with a languid smile, Kanghyun heard a knock and firmly held Jian’s coat that had opened.

“What’s that?”

Jian pointed to the pink box that the staff had placed on one side, along with two cocktails and a cheese plate.

“It’s a Christmas gift prepared by our store. It consists of a simple board game for couples to enjoy.”

“Wow, thank you.”