Later that night, dinner ended in warmth. Laughter lingered at the table, conversations weaving effortlessly from one topic to another. Hae-in felt… included. Seen. Welcomed.
She smiled when spoken to, listened when they talked, and nodded when needed. And every time she smiled, she felt it.
His gaze.
Steady. Unhidden. Soft and consuming all at once.
Usually, she ignored it. Tonight, she could not.
Something fluttered lightly in her chest, a strange, unfamiliar tickle. Butterflies, maybe. The kind that arrived without permission. A quiet sign that he was starting to reach her, slowly, inch by inch.
Still, she kept her composure, careful not to betray the way he was beginning to affect her.
After the chatter faded, one by one, everyone wished goodnight and retreated to their rooms. The house slowly settled into silence.
Ji-hoon walked straight to the wardrobe, grabbed a towel, and disappeared into the bathroom. The door shut softly behind him.
Hae-in followed her usual routine. Cleanser. Moisturizer. Lip balm. Then she climbed into bed, scrolling aimlessly on her phone.
The sound of the shower stopped.
Moments later, he stepped out, towel secured around his waist, hair damp, water droplets trailing slowly down his skin.
Her eyes flickered to him before she could stop herself.
Just for a second.
She turned away instantly, facing the window. Her heart beat a little faster than it should have, betraying her calm.
He walked to the cupboard and pulled out another towel, rubbing it through his damp hair. He stood there for a moment, glancing at her back. The faint curve of her shoulders. The way she pretended to be absorbed in her phone. A small smile tugged at his lips.
Then he picked up the hair dryer and switched it on.
The sudden hum filled the room, breaking the quiet. Hae-in's attention wavered despite herself. Her eyes drifted toward the glass window ahead of her.
And her breath caught.
His reflection stood there, clear and unavoidable. A towel low around his waist, arms lifted as he dried his hair. Muscles flex naturally with the movement. A flat tummy, a broad bare back, his skin scattered with visible dots of moles that only made him look almost unreal. Raw. Intimate.
Her stomach tightened. Her toes curled beneath the blanket.
She couldn't look away.
Her gaze traced him in the reflection, like a secret she should not be indulging in, heat creeping into her stomach.
Then he turned.
She snapped her gaze down to her phone instantly, scrolling without seeing a thing.
What are you doing, Hae-in? Have some shame. Since when did you start checking out a man like this?
She scolded herself silently.
Still, her eyes betrayed her. Flickering back to the reflection. Again and again. Until the dryer clicked off.
He placed the hair dryer back where it belonged, pulled on a pair of comfortable pants and a soft tee, then moved through his skincare routine with unhurried ease. When he finally turned toward her, she was still facing away, her back a quiet line of distance.
He smiled. She could see his smile in the reflection.
He climbed onto the bed gently, careful not to jostle her, then reached out and dimmed the lights. The room softened instantly, shadows settling into familiar corners.
She placed her phone on the nightstand, pulled the blanket higher, and closed her eyes.
He watched her. The way she lay still. The way she hadn't turned to face him even once since he entered the room.
He smiled softly. Then,
"Hae-in," he called her.
Her heart jumped at the sound of her name.
Why is he calling? She swallowed.
"Hmmm?" she replied softly.
"Are you free tomorrow?"
She paused, staring at nothing. "Why?"
His smile deepened, warmth threading through his voice. "Tomorrow, I want to take you on a movie date. 3 pm Show."
She went completely still.
A date? Tomorrow? A movie… with him?
Her mind scrambled. She had never done something like that before. Never gone on a date with anyone. Never sat beside a man in the dark, sharing popcorn, shared space.
Her heart picked up its pace again. Fingers curled under the blanket. Toes followed, betraying her nerves.
Relax, Hae-in. He's your husband. Not a stranger. This is normal.
She repeated it to herself, again and again, like a calming chant. Yet the unfamiliar excitement refused to settle, fluttering somewhere between her ribs and her stomach.
As she battled her thoughts, his voice came again, softer this time, almost hesitant.
"Are you free tomorrow?"
"Ye… yeah…" Her answer slipped out unevenly, betraying her nerves.
He smiled, a quiet, breathy sound she felt more than heard. She shut her eyes, embarrassed at how easily her voice had given her away.
"Okay," he said softly. "Come to the restaurant after lunch. We'll go from there."
She hummed in response, barely audible.
Silence settled again. But neither of them slept.
Behind her, Ji-hoon lay awake too, nerves buzzing, eyes tracing the curve of her shoulder, the slow rise and fall of her breath. His arms felt restless, memory betraying him with the warmth of last night, the way she had eventually relaxed into his hold.
He wanted to reach for her again. To hold her. But courage refused to arrive on time.
Instead, his fingers moved restlessly over the mattress, drawing invisible patterns, circles, and lines that led nowhere. On her side, she lay facing the window, thoughts tangled. The breakfast table. His parents' words. Expectations were spoken gently but pressed firmly. The weight of being someone's wife before she had learned how to be herself inside this marriage.
Then she felt it.
The subtle shift of the mattress. His body is moving closer.
Her breath hitched instantly. Her senses sharpened, skin suddenly too aware of distance shrinking. Last night flashed in her mind, how his arms had wrapped around her when he wasn't fully conscious, how she had let it happen because it felt… safe.
But tonight he was awake.
Her heart began pounding harder. What is he doing now? What does he want?
She stayed still, pretending calm, while her thoughts ran ahead of her.
Then his voice came again.
"Hae-ina."
This time it was closer. Lower. Deeper. Close enough that the sound brushed against her spine.
Her heart stumbled again.
"Hm…?" she replied, her voice slower than she intended.
He hesitated for a fraction of a second before speaking, eyes fixed on her, and turned back.
"Can I… cuddle you tonight?" he asked quietly.
Her heart raced.
Did he really just say that?
Her thoughts scattered in every direction at once. Should I say no? Should I say yes? Why does this feel so heavy? Oh God, please help me… she pleaded silently, almost dramatically, waiting for some divine sign.
Instead, his voice came again, closer this time, softer but deeper, sending a strange tremor through her.
"Can I cuddle you tonight, Hae-in?"
Why the fuck does his voice sound like this tonight? she wondered, her chest tightening. He never sounded like this before. Or was it just me hearing him differently now?
He waited. Patient. Careful. Not moving until she answered.
But her lips refused to cooperate. Words tangled in her throat, heartbeat thundering loud enough to drown her thoughts.
The space between them disappeared when he shifted a little closer, heat radiating against her back.
"Hae-in," he murmured, concern slipping into his tone. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Panic rushed in. "O… okay," she blurted out.
And he froze.
Did she just say okay?
For a second, he stayed perfectly still, processing, eyes widening as realization hit him. A stunned smile bloomed across his face, bright.
She said yes. Oh God… thank you. Thank you so much.
Happiness exploded inside him.
Before she could rethink, his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back firmly. He tucked her into his chest, like a child clinging to warmth. He buried himself against her, snuggling close.
Her heart stumbled wildly. Butterflies erupted everywhere as her back pressed fully against him, his freshly showered scent wrapping around her senses, soap and shampoo mingling into something unbearably comforting.
He tightened his hold just a little.
"I love you," he murmured into her skin, voice soft, sincere, lips barely brushing her skin.
She eyed at him, breath uneven.
He held her as he meant it. Like he wasn't planning to let go anytime soon. Like this was exactly where he wanted to be, tonight and every night after.