“I’ve started to like you, Jaeho Lee.”

The man laughed. His sharp eyes softened, and a gentle curve formed at the corner of his mouth. Seeing him smile made her eyes well up unexpectedly.

Dajeong turned her head away. His voice echoed from behind her.

“Say it again.”

“…I like you.”

What was she doing? Was this okay? Dajeong, trying not to show her tears, spoke with a trembling voice. Everything was a mess. The sturdy world of Dajeong had crumbled.

“Then don’t leave. Stay tonight.”

But in that collapsed world, everything seemed like a flower path. No matter how many times she rubbed her eyes, it was still the same.

“I’ll put you to sleep.”

Morning arrived.

Back in her room 102, Dajeong sat on the sofa, watching the sky gradually brighten.

She wondered how she could sleep in Jaeho Lee’s arms, trembling, but she fell asleep without realizing it. His voice, as he made a pillow with his arm, was as comforting as a song.

Jaeho Lee, who usually insisted that men and women can’t be just friends, suddenly shared an inconsequential story about having a close female friend who had a younger sister.

That sister was very kind, he said with a laugh. What was he trying to say? She felt a little hurt by his incomprehensible words but still tried to listen happily, liking his voice.

Before falling asleep, they promised to go to a flower exhibition together.

At five in the morning, he woke Dajeong up.

“It’s time to get up. If it’s any later, it might be troublesome for you, Yoon Dajeong.”

She was startled and apologized for falling asleep. He then said,

“I really meant to put you to sleep. Were you expecting something else? I’m still available now.”

He managed to make her blush. Dajeong, feeling as if she had done something monumental even though nothing happened, rushed out as if fleeing. His laughter echoed softly behind her.

Smiling at these thoughts, she realized it had been a long time since she had fallen into a deep, carefree sleep without any sleeping pills. It was strange and surprising to have slept so soundly.

Kyungjun came stomping into the living room.

“Hey, what’s with these birds? So noisy. My ears are bleeding!”

Kyungjun frowned and asked. Dajeong brushed away her thoughts and laughed.

“It’s seagulls. They get like this sometimes. Incredibly loud.”

“Wow. You mustn’t have slept a wink. How can you sleep with this noise? Wow, unbelievable.”

…She hadn’t even realized the seagulls were making noise, having slept more soundly than she thought. Dajeong was momentarily taken aback by this realization. Kyungjun quickly approached the sofa and playfully messed up her hair.

“What shall we do today?”
Here’s the English translation of the provided Korean paragraph:

‘Even your friend is a man. Don’t keep allowing physical contact.’

What should she do about this man?

It hadn’t even been a week since they met, yet the arrogant monarch who had taken over Dajeong’s life exerted his powerful influence every moment, even in his absence. Her lifelong friend Kyungjun had become a burden. She was confused whether it was okay to distance herself from Kyungjun for a man she would part with in a month.

No, could she even part with him in the first place…

Kyungjun, removing a strand of hair from Dajeong’s cheek, pressed for an answer. She realized how casually she had been engaging in physical contact with Kyungjun all this time. Dajeong put some distance between them and spoke.

“Kyungjun, I’m sorry but…”

“Yeah?”

“I’m tired. Can you leave now?”

“Wow. There’s a flower exhibition nearby. Let’s go. I’ll drive so you don’t get tired.”

“…The exhibition isn’t close. It’s quite far.”

She kept responding defensively.

“And there’s not much to see there anyway. Why bother going?”

The night before, in Jaeho’s arms, she had been thrilled to promise to go to the flower exhibition. Now, with cold eyes, Dajeong emphasized her tiredness.

“I want to be alone. Don’t come over anymore.”

Dajeong wanted to draw a line and distance herself from Kyungjun. She continuously explained to herself to view the situation more objectively. Kyungjun was clearly a man, and they were maintaining a closeness beyond just friendship.

Watching room 102, where they might have been enjoying a pleasant morning together, Jaeho smiled bitterly. Kyungjun might even mistakenly think they were like a trivial honeymoon couple. If Dajeong had been the oblivious one, she would have laughed and played along with that misconception.

Without Jaeho’s intervention, a future where they simply continued as friends and naturally progressed to marriage was easily imaginable. It must have been Kyungjun’s meticulously planned strategy from long ago.

How many times did he touch Dajeong’s hand and shoulder today? If he couldn’t touch her directly, he would have done so with his eyes even more.

Exhausted from these tumultuous thoughts, he sighed when a call came in. It was from Chief Choi, the closest aide to Taemyung Group’s Heontae Lee. He was also someone Jaeho had looked up to like a father since high school.

“Yes, Chief Choi.”

[Mr. Lee, I’ve stopped by Taean. I’ll be arriving soon.]

“Suddenly? Why?”

Jaeho’s gaze quickly shifted to room 102. Should Chief Choi know about the secret liaison he was sharing with Dajeong? His mind became cluttered as he weighed various considerations.

[Sorry for not contacting you earlier. I heard you were always at the lodge, so I hurried over. Chairman Lee has some instructions for you.]

Ha. Chief Choi chuckled in his good-natured way and asked if Jaeho needed anything. Well. He couldn’t think of anything.

Unlike Jung Min-ho, whom he completely trusted, Chief Choi was slightly uncomfortable. He was trustworthy but still a man of Heontae Lee. Jaeho pondered the possibility of Dajeong’s existence being revealed to Heontae Lee.

He didn’t want to hide Dajeong, but to speak of her himself at the right time. Not yet.

“I don’t need anything. And please call before you come next time.”

Chief Choi was the first adult man Jaeho had ever felt affection for, in the absence of his father. Speaking like this was the most he could grumble.

For now, he had to hide Dajeong’s existence. Jaeho picked up his phone. Typing each letter felt unbearably heavy. He resented himself for having to speak this way, but he had no other choice.

[I’m going to the flower exhibition with a friend. Something came up for me today.]