Seo Yeon’s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck. Even as she was shocked, Seong Jun did not retreat. Rather, with their lips still touching, he fixed his pitch-black eyes on Seo Yeon, seeming to take in every detail of her expression.

Meeting his deep gaze, the trembling she had been trying to suppress spread throughout her body.

Flustered, Seo Yeon took a step back to push him away, raising her hand when the intercom rang.

Seong Jun moved away from Seo Yeon. An awkward silence fell between them for a moment. The next instant, Seong Jun’s gaze, which had been fixed on her, turned towards the intercom.

‘What on earth? What just happened?’

Seo Yeon stared blankly at Seong Jun’s back as he walked away without any explanation for his actions.

Even so, her heart was racing uncontrollably against her will.

−Sir, this is Park Jin Sung. I just picked up the food we ordered from the restaurant. Is it alright if I come up now?

Seong Jun parted his tightly closed lips and said,

“Yes. Come up.”

Seo Yeon took a long, deep breath and exhaled. Her husband would turn around soon, but she had no idea what expression she should wear when facing him.

Should she demand to know why he did that? Or wait until he speaks first? As Seo Yeon stood there with an anxious face, considering various possibilities, Seong Jun turned around just then.

“Let’s eat first.”

“……!”

Seo Yeon’s eyes widened at the indifferent words that came out of his mouth.

His face was so calm, unlike her own heart which was beating painfully fast.

Facing that expression, feelings of bewilderment and betrayal began to spread quickly in her heart. She couldn’t shake the thought that she had been toyed with by his incomprehensible whim.

Why did he suddenly change so strangely?

Even in his previous life, he had hurt Seo Yeon’s heart by meeting other women besides her, but at least his actions were consistent.

Until he spent a night with her while drunk, he rarely even held Seo Yeon’s hand. No. Even long conversations were few and far between.

So why did he suddenly change?

‘Womanizer.’

There was only one conclusion.

For reasons unknown, her husband had extended his claws to her as well.

‘Lecher!’

Seo Yeon’s eyes sharpened again as she looked at Seong Jun.

She couldn’t even guess why he suddenly acted this way towards her when he had never paid her any attention before, but Seo Yeon couldn’t contain the emotions welling up inside her.

‘I’ll just pretend it never happened.’

As Seo Yeon was vowing that she would definitely do that, that she wouldn’t even care about it, the sound of the front door opening was heard, and a moment later, Jin Sung appeared.

“Ah, it’s cool inside.”

Jin Sung, who came in fanning himself, spotted Seo Yeon and greeted her with a bright smile.

“Hello, madam. Park the driver is here.”

Snapped out of her thoughts by his voice, Seo Yeon belatedly responded with a smile across her face.

“Welcome. It’s been a while.”

Perhaps because he was someone who had always been kind to Seo Yeon from beginning to end. Just seeing him somehow brought a smile to her face. Jin Sung made a puzzled expression.

“Huh? Oh? Yes. It’s been a while.”

It was a reaction indicating that Seo Yeon’s warm welcome was unfamiliar. Seo Yeon, who at first wore a similarly puzzled expression, soon realized.

That in the past, she didn’t have the mental capacity to speak kindly to those around her, let alone show a smiling face, always wearing an expressionless face instead.

“I heard you haven’t had dinner yet? You must be very hungry. I saw when I was packing earlier, the quality was exceptional. Please wait a little. I’ll set it up for you quickly.”

“No, Jin Sung. I’ll do it. Give it to me.”

As the two were arguing for a while, Seong Jun approached. He lightly took the shopping bag from Jin Sung’s hand and moved towards the dining room.

“Have you eaten, Jin Sung?”

“Ah……! Actually, I haven’t eaten yet either. But don’t worry. The boss bought mine too earlier, so I can eat in the car downstairs.”

Seo Yeon’s eyes widened in surprise at Jin Sung’s answer.

“In the car?”

And she unconsciously muttered as if she couldn’t understand.

“That’s ridiculous.”

Jin Sung was like a brother to Seong Jun.

When they were young, they grew up like real brothers in the same house, and when they grew up, when Jin Sung failed to get a job and complained, Seong Jun, who had been commuting by driving himself until then, forcibly created a job and employed him as a driver.

‘Even though they’re such close friends, he’s thinking of making him eat in the car. What on earth is Seong Jun thinking?’

No matter how much her husband was a man who clearly separated public and private matters, it was incomprehensible to Seo Yeon’s common sense. Seo Yeon narrowed her eyes.

‘It’s because he’s a cold and selfish person.’

Overlapping with how he had just acted shamelessly towards her and then behaved as if nothing had happened, she couldn’t help but feel even more resentful.

Why did he suddenly change so strangely?

Even in his previous life, he had hurt Seo Yeon’s heart by meeting other women besides her, but at least his actions were consistent.

Thinking that if her husband showed any signs of discomfort, she would say that Jin Sung was her guest, Seo Yeon said,

“Don’t do that. Since you’re here anyway, let’s eat together.”

Jin Sung’s face brightened as if he didn’t dislike Seo Yeon’s suggestion.

“Is that okay…….”

However, on the other hand, he looked in Seong Jun’s direction as if worried about his reaction.

“Come in.”

Permission fell from Seong Jun’s lips as he looked at the two alternately with a somewhat displeased expression. Jin Sung rushed to the dining room as if worried that Seong Jun might change his mind. Seo Yeon followed behind.

At first, it was just a suggestion she made thoughtlessly because she felt sorry for Jin Sung saying he would eat alone in the car, but thinking about it, it was fortunate.

If only the two of them had been left alone, it was obvious that the atmosphere between them would have become even more awkward due to what had just happened. And she, feeling upset, would have definitely lost her temper and gotten angry at her husband at some point.

As Seo Yeon was organizing her thoughts like that, the three of them started their meal.

“Wow. This tteokgalbi is really delicious.”

Jin Sung exclaimed in admiration as he picked up his chopsticks. It wasn’t just idle talk; every dish was perfect beyond compare.

So much so that he felt he would have regretted it if he hadn’t eaten this lunch box today. As they were enjoying their meal happily, Jin Sung’s voice was heard again.

“People’s reviews really don’t lie, do they? It was worth searching hard for good restaurants. Boss. I mean, sir.”

Seong Jun’s eyebrows twitched.

“Park Jin Sung.”

Seong Jun, who had been frowning in confusion for a moment, opened his mouth as if warning Jin Sung. As Jin Sung blinked his eyes with a clueless expression, Seong Jun continued with a stern face.

“Did you come here to play? Keep your mouth shut and just eat quietly.”

Jin Sung’s shoulders immediately drooped dejectedly. Surprised by Seong Jun’s prickly response, Seo Yeon hurriedly defended Jin Sung.

“Why are you being like that to Jin Sung? I like talking while eating. Let’s just leave Seong Jun, who doesn’t like conversation, to eat alone and talk amongst ourselves while we eat.”

“Oh. Shall we?”

As if he had never been dejected, Jin Sung regained his smile.

“Sir, please just eat your meal.”

“…….”

On the other hand, Seong Jun frowned as if revealing his discomfort. His gaze towards the two was also not pleasant.

But Seo Yeon snorted inwardly.

Somehow, just for today, she didn’t want to take her husband’s side at all. Absolutely not.

“Ah, I got it!”

At that moment, Jin Sung, who had been focusing on the food, shouted while looking at Seo Yeon’s face.

“Whenever I saw you, madam, I always thought your face looked familiar. But when I tried to think of who it was, I couldn’t remember, so I was curious, but I just remembered now!”

“……?”

“Olivia Hussey!”

“……Pardon?”

Seo Yeon’s mouth opened slightly at Jin Sung’s sudden claim.

“There’s this really pretty movie actress that my father liked the most when he was young, you know? I haven’t seen the movie, but she’s the main character in a movie called Romeo and Juliet. You look like that actress!”

And after that, Seo Yeon’s face reddened in embarrassment at the endless, blatant compliments that followed.

She had often been told she was beautiful, but this was the first time someone had made Seo Yeon uncomfortable by openly admiring her like this. However, Jin Sung was on the oblivious side.

“She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen, but… now that I look at you, madam, I think you’re even more beautiful! Right, boss!”

Eventually, Jin Sung even added the compliment that she was the most beautiful in the world and sought Seong Jun’s agreement.

Seo Yeon wished there was a mouse hole she could escape into.

“Olivia Hussey?”

And as Seong Jun pointedly picked up on Jin Sung’s words, her face grew hotter. Seong Jun’s gaze turned to Seo Yeon.

“I’ll have to take a close look to see if she really resembles her. Is she really that beautiful?”

Seong Jun, who had responded playfully, began to scrutinize Seo Yeon’s face as if evaluating her. It seemed he intended to make her even more uncomfortable by playing along with Jin Sung’s silly talk.

“Stop it, Seong Jun.”

Seo Yeon warned briefly.

“I told you to stop.”

But Seong Jun pointedly met her gaze. Their eyes locked in the air for a moment.

“…….”

At first, Seong Jun’s eyes seemed to be looking seriously, but the next moment they trembled slightly. Seo Yeon, who was secretly curious about Seong Jun’s answer despite the embarrassing situation, waited for his response. Somehow, a strange sense of anticipation welled up.

“……You look like a frog.”

“……!”

And that expectation crumbled at Seong Jun’s words. He was clearly teasing her about her crying earlier.

“Thank you. For saying I look like a cute frog.”

Because it was a response she had half expected, Seo Yeon snorted, and Jin Sung protested vehemently.

“That’s nonsense! Where is there a frog as pretty as this!”

However, Seong Jun just kept his lips tightly sealed with a troubled expression, without giving any particular answer.