“I’m the one who’s curious. How much fuller Do Hyunseo will become inside me.”

Gyeom said he was constantly growing every moment. At his confession that he was already full to the brim yet kept adding more until he couldn’t handle it, Hyunseo couldn’t help her pounding heart.

He stroked her hair.

The hand cupping her cheek was excessively tender, the gaze that wouldn’t leave even for an instant was so warm that she finally couldn’t hold back anymore and nestled into his arms.

After becoming aware of his feelings, he didn’t hesitate to express his heart. He poured out his love toward her without restraint, seemingly finding it wasteful that they’d had times when they couldn’t properly reach each other.

Each time, her heart naturally swelled. She realized something—that even when you like someone too much, you can sometimes feel afraid and anxious.

Of course she trusted him. This overwhelming love wouldn’t end easily. She would work to make sure of that.

“Do Hyunseo.”

“Yes?”

“I love you. Very much.”

His low voice wrapped around her ear. Her lips curved naturally at the incredibly sweet voice.

“I love you too.”

“Say it again.”

“I love you. Very much too.”

“Ha, what do I do? It got even bigger.”

“Not for long.”

“Hm?”

“The kiss. People will be waiting, so if we take too long…”

Before she could finish, their lips collided. She didn’t refuse the tongue that naturally pushed in. She couldn’t bring herself to. Surrender was simply easy to the softness of the moist, pliant flesh.

Thick breath spread throughout her mouth. Her body quickly heated at the kiss that gradually became messy. He hugged her tightly while licking and sucking up even her ragged breaths. 

Another sweet confession burst out.

***

“So, did you block it?”

“Yes, we replaced it with an article about the succession for now, but they’re saying they’ll keep a close eye on it. For the time being, it would be better to be especially more careful…”

“Good work. You can go.”

As soon as Secretary Ahn disappeared, Sujeong put down the tablet PC she was holding onto the table with a loud thud.

Her displeasure was indescribable. Just recalling the contents of the article she’d just seen made her insides boil. Sujeong, pressing her temples, let out a deep sigh with a furrowed brow.

These days, Sujeong was preoccupied with blocking articles about Gyeom.

The PR team had been preventing exposure as much as possible, respecting Gyeom’s wishes since he disliked being in the media from the start. 

Except for work achievements, it was true there wasn’t much to write about thanks to his clean private life, but at some point several reporters had caught the scent and swarmed in. 

News of Gyeom’s romance was quite an interesting piece of gossip.

Actually, talk had been circulating in social circles for quite a while. She’d been annoyed by people chattering about the meeting between the company’s next heir and an ordinary woman. 

She couldn’t help the rumors that spread in secret, but she couldn’t tolerate an official article coming out. That’s why Sujeong was desperately blocking them.

Yet she wasn’t confident. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep blocking them. At first, her mindset had been ‘he’ll give up eventually.’ 

She’d thought they’d break up soon, but it was devastating that there was no sign of that.

It had already been well over half a year. From what she’d heard, they seemed even closer than before—would these two even break up?

He must have known everything when he made that threat. Knowing full well the company couldn’t run without him, he’d scared her saying he’d throw everything away. 

Even the excessive workload she’d deliberately increased was useless—what should she do about this? This d*mn son of hers would turn her insides out.

“Pathetic boy. Completely lost his mind.”

Still with a contorted brow, Sujeong let out a hollow laugh. When she recalled the article from a few days ago about how he’d rented out an entire grand theater to watch a performance alone with her, she was so dumbfounded she couldn’t even speak.

Why not just hold a ritual ceremony while he’s at it?

While she was desperately trying to block articles, Gyeom himself was acting against her wishes. Even knowing this, she couldn’t blame him. He was too far gone, completely distracted.

She’d never dreamed he’d cause problems over a woman. Sujeong still couldn’t believe the change in Gyeom, who’d always been such an upright, good son.

She even woke up with a start in her sleep. Because it was absurd. Because it didn’t make sense. She’d clutched her chest in the middle of the night more than once or twice, saying this couldn’t be happening.

With a heavy heart, Sujeong let out another sigh and glared at the calendar. That ungrateful boy. Now he’d even forgotten his mother’s birthday. Despite her efforts, she couldn’t help feeling hurt. She laughed again in disbelief.

Back in those days long ago, using a surrogate had been an unavoidable choice.

Sujeong, who couldn’t get pregnant because her ut*rus didn’t function properly from birth, had to make a difficult decision to continue the family line. After a grueling wait, she’d finally held Gyeom in her arms, and Sujeong had never once thought of him as anything but her son.

She’d raised him with all her heart. She’d lived completely forgetting the awareness that he wasn’t a child born from her own womb. Though she’d been somewhat strict, the essence was love.

She’d wanted to raise him better than anyone in an affluent environment, and she’d been terrified of losing that son. She’d driven away the surrogate who’d come looking, and interfered so she couldn’t find him.

She’d simply wanted to protect her son. Not that it was right, not that it was natural, just…

She felt regretful. Had that sin ultimately come back like this? Sujeong stared into the distant air with a bitter expression. As she massaged her stiff neck, she suddenly heard a knock.

“Director, the Executive Director is here.”

“Gyeom?”

“Yes, he’s in the drawing room right now.”

Sujeong jumped up. Just before leaving the study, she whispered to the employee.

“Did he come alone?”

“Yes, the Executive Director is alone.”

Instead of asking if it was really true, Sujeong hurried her steps. Of course. No matter how ungratefully he acted, would he really forget his mother’s birthday?

Her uncomfortable mood seemed to calm peacefully, seemingly forgetting it had ever been there.

Unable to hide her excited expression, Sujeong entered the drawing room. Her heart, which had been fine just because Gyeom had come, quickly became anxious seeing him standing there blankly. Gyeom, dressed in a nice black coat, bowed his head lightly.

“I’m here.”

“Yes, but why aren’t you sitting down?”

“I have to go.”

“What?”

“I stopped by briefly to give you this.”

There was no way she could have noticed the large shopping bag. Sujeong pressed him in a voice barely holding back her anger.

“You’re just going to leave right after arriving?”

“I showed my face, so that’s enough.”

“Enough my foot—so where are you going? Off on another d*mn date?”

“Not d*mn, but yes, it’s a date.”

“Gyeom, you really…!”

“Why the loud voice again?”

Guk, who’d entered the drawing room, frowned in displeasure. Gyeom held out the box he’d been carrying.

“This is for Father.”

“Hm? Why for me?”

“Hyunseo said it would be better to give something to both of you.”

“Hehe, really? I’ll gratefully accept it.”

“Gyeom, are you really going to leave just like this?”

Sujeong clenched her trembling fingertips hard. If it was going to be like this, it would have been better if he hadn’t come at all. After barely stopping by for the first time in months, just showing his face and leaving right away. 

Where in the world was there such a thing?

After remaining silent for a moment, Gyeom let out a quiet sigh. That’s when Sujeong, who’d been about to press him further, stopped. Gyeom slowly approached and carefully embraced Sujeong. 

Sujeong’s expression went blank.

“Mother, happy birthday.”

“Gyeom…”

“Hyunseo made me do this too. She told me to make sure to hug you.”

“…What?”

“If it weren’t for Hyunseo, I wouldn’t have come. You know that, right?”

Gyeom slowly pulled away from Sujeong again. Beyond his serious expression, she could read the anger that still hadn’t faded.

He was definitely still resentful. Sujeong could tell that if Hyunseo hadn’t asked, Gyeom wouldn’t have even set foot here, birthday or not. Gyeom bowed and left the drawing room just like that.

“I felt this before too, but she’s quite something. Her eye for things is useful.”

Guk, sitting on the sofa, smiled contentedly as he unwrapped the package. The muffler that Hyunseo had probably chosen herself was exactly to his liking. It was natural to feel good receiving a gift when it wasn’t even his birthday.

“Gyeom, that boy, he takes after me and has an eye for things. Don’t you think so?”

“Be quiet and leave.”

“You should hurry and open yours too. The person who gave it put thought into it.”

“Stop scratching at me and get out!”

“Geez, such a temper.”

Guk grumbled as he stood up. Even as he left, the way he clutched the gift to his chest preciously was utterly ridiculous.

Sujeong sank down weakly. After almost throwing the shopping bag on the table, she hesitated and then opened the box.

The luxury suede gloves were in the burgundy color she liked.

Her taciturn son wouldn’t know her tastes. It wasn’t hard to imagine Hyunseo choosing them herself.

Had she agonized over it? What would be good, what would suit her better, consulting and choosing for a long time?

Actually, with gifts, that was more important than the price. The heart that would have worried the whole time choosing, the care that would have been devoted. Things like that.

‘Mother, happy birthday. Hyunseo made me do this too. She told me to make sure to hug you.’

“Well, I’ll be.”

Sujeong let out a hollow laugh. Even when he’d been such a good son, Gyeom had been terrible at physical affection. 

Far from warmly hugging her, he’d found even occasionally holding hands so difficult. But now, good grief.

What should she do? Just go ahead and marry them off?

Those d*mn women—how excited they’d be, chattering away. How could she watch that scene?

Sujeong held her aching head. She kept thinking it seemed wrong to make them break up. 

Facing a reality she couldn’t keep denying even though she didn’t want to, Sujeong couldn’t quite make a decision. Her wavering eyes looked at the gloves on the table for a long time. 

Another sigh came out.

***

It had been a winter with unusually heavy snow. Perhaps because of that, spring’s arrival was noticeably slower than usual.

Late March. People hunched over in the still chilly weather hurried their steps home. The sign of the sundae soup restaurant that had finished business went dark.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

“I will.”

“Leave it and go quickly. You said you just stopped by to show your face, so why do you keep working?”

Hyungja, who’d snatched the dishcloth from Hyunseo’s hand as she wiped tables, repeatedly gestured for her to go. With nothing left to do, Hyunseo still couldn’t easily leave and lingered around.

Peeking here and there, wandering around the shop seemingly looking for something to do, a sigh flowed from Hyungja’s mouth. Hyungja, who’d tossed the roughly wiped cloth into the dishwashing tub, grabbed Hyunseo’s hand and pulled her.

“Did your boyfriend go on another business trip?”

“No.”

“Then why are you alone?”

“Can’t I be alone?”

“Of course not. With such a great guy, you should always be stuck together.”

“Auntie.”

“What.”

“Do you think so too, Auntie? That I absolutely have to be by the Executive Director’s side?”

Watching Hyunseo ask with a somewhat sullen expression, Hyungja made a deflated sound. How strange that these two didn’t even fight. Hyungja nodded her head and spoke.

“Well, after a year together, it’s about time to fight.”

“We didn’t fight.”

“If you didn’t, why are you here like this? When did you ever show your face when you were busy dating?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Who asked for an apology? I thought my life got easier when you didn’t come, so why are you being annoying again?”

“He won’t let me go to the department workshop.”

“Workshop?”

“He says only I can’t go. All the permanent employees are going, and I just barely became a permanent employee this time, so why only me? He always won’t let me go to company dinners either.”

Pouting her lips even more than before, Hyunseo sighed. Watching Hyunseo complain to her heart’s content, Hyungja secretly swallowed her laughter. She thought she knew without hearing why Gyeom had discouraged her from going to company dinners or the workshop. Pretending not to know, she waited silently and Hyunseo continued.

“I think it’s too much.”

“What’s too much?”

“Isn’t it overprotective? It’s only two days and one night, but he says no. When he goes on overseas business trips for a whole week.”

“Did female employees go with Gyeom on his business trips?”

“No. Secretary Gu and everyone else are all male employees.”

“Right? But you really don’t know why he says you can’t go?”

At Hyungja’s point, Hyunseo pressed her lips shut. She’d had an idea, but she still didn’t understand.

Wasn’t it true—the male employees in the department were just work colleagues. Even if she went, she’d just stick next to Assistant Manager Hwang anyway, and nothing special would happen. Worrying about even that in advance was really too much.

“You said you didn’t fight, so why aren’t you answering the phone?”

“…Because I’m sulking. He clearly doesn’t trust me.”

“How about I give him a piece of my mind?”

At Hyungja’s offer to get angry on her behalf, Hyunseo, who’d been tempted, handed over her phone without hesitation as it rang again.

“Yes, Gyeom. Yeah. Where are you?”

Watching Hyungja answer the phone ready to get angry, Hyunseo’s eyes lit up. After hearing Gyeom’s answer, Hyungja glanced at Hyunseo once and then spoke in a composed voice.

“Then come right now and pick her up. She’s dying to see you.”

“…Auntie?”

“Yes, okay. Got it. Drive carefully.”

Hyungja, who’d ended the call, calmly returned the phone. Hyunseo, who’d become tearful, let out a resentful voice.

“What was that, Auntie? You said you’d take my side.”

“When did I?”

“You said you’d give him a piece of your mind.”

“I did. But what can I do when he’s already on his way? He said he’s almost here.”

“…Here?”

“His voice sounded so desperate. He hates being apart from you even for a moment.”

Why make such a fuss not even answering the phone, Hyungja clicked her tongue. Hyunseo, who’d been scolded out of nowhere, pouted her lips with an even more sullen expression. That didn’t last long because of Hyungja’s addition.

“Honestly, Gyeom isn’t exactly normal either.”

“Right?”

“That’s right. He should be getting tired of you by now, but seeing how he still thinks you’re precious, his illness runs deep.”

“…Auntie.”

“It’s not that he doesn’t trust you, he’s just too crazy about you. Hyunseo, you’ve got him completely hooked.”

At Hyungja’s words saying what else could she do but accept it, how much must he like her to not want to let her go anywhere, Hyunseo couldn’t argue back.