I waved my hand and laughed.

“Don’t say weird things. How is this a date?”

At my response, Yuri narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly.

“What’s the definition of a date?”

“A time when a man and a woman who like each other spend time together?”

As I tilted my head to the right and answered, Yuri pointed at both of us with his finger.

“Here it is. A man and a woman who like each other.”

“Ugh.”

Well, if you put it that way! I shook my head.

“Don’t say things like that, even as a joke.”

“Then what am I if not a man?”

“What?”

If Yuri wasn’t a man, then what was he?

I opened and closed my mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

‘Right. What exactly is Yuri to me?’

I thought I would have an immediate answer, but surprisingly, my mind felt tangled, and no clear response emerged.

‘He’s not family, but calling him just a friend feels too distant…’

What was this? When had Yuri started occupying such a significant place in my heart? Blinking in confusion, I met Yuri’s gaze as he looked down at me with a teasing smile.

But why did he suddenly seem so annoyingly relaxed? I snorted and replied.

“A high-performance coffee dripper?”

“That’s harsh!”

What was so harsh about that? I chuckled.

“A high-performance coffee dripper is much better than a relationship between a man and a woman that can change at any moment. As long as I’m drinking coffee, you’re the most important thing.”

It was the same for me. I wanted to be a consistent presence for Yuri. Hearing my answer, Yuri tilted his head.

“Titi, you speak about relationships between men and women with a negative tone.”

I found Yuri’s remark more surprising. I frowned and asked back.

“Aren’t you someone who doesn’t believe in marriage?”

“What?”

Yuri blinked rapidly in surprise but still answered my question earnestly.

“It’s true that I was negative about institutions like marriage… but can’t people’s feelings change?”

Yuri replied with a lukewarm attitude. I waved my hand dismissively.

“Just hold on to that feeling and don’t turn back. Marriage is a crazy thing.”

I said it with a smile, but it was my genuine opinion. It was advice from someone who had done that crazy thing twice.

‘There will definitely not be a third time.’

In this life, there was no room for marriage. I decided to seize my happiness on my own.

‘And I feel like I can do well in this life.’

With consecutive successes boosting my confidence, I thought I just needed to keep going as I was, clenching my fist with determination.

After a moment of contemplation, Yuri slowly spoke.

“But what if, no matter how determined you are not to marry, you end up falling in love with someone? When you love deeply, you naturally want to be by that person’s side and gain legal rights concerning them. You can’t suppress that feeling, can you?”

Yuri’s words somehow sounded like he was yearning for love. Regardless, I shook my head firmly.

“Those are all meaningless emotions.”

At my resolute answer, Yuri blinked and eventually gave a wry smile.

“Titi, you can be so dry at times like this. Yet, at other times, you’re full of warmth.”

If the conversation had continued, it might have been exhausting, but Yuri naturally changed the subject as he swept his hair back.

“Anyway, are you saying I look too dashing and it’s making you uncomfortable?”

“Yeah. Just like you usually…”

I was about to say “dress” when Yuri grabbed my wrist. With a spirited tone, he said, “Then, let’s go buy clothes first!”

“Why does it end like that?”

Just dress normally!

Without giving me a chance to argue further, Yuri pulled me outside the shop.

Standing under the sunlight, Yuri looked unbelievably beautiful. His pink hair caught the light, turning into a bright golden hue at the ends, attracting the attention of passersby.

Perhaps bothered by the stares, Yuri pressed his hat down and winked.

“Hurry up. I don’t want to waste even a minute.”

His smile was as bright as the sunlight. I couldn’t help but smile back.

The first place we headed to was indeed a women’s clothing store. Without hesitation, Yuri picked out a coral ruffle dress.

“Try it on and come out.”

Yuri’s choice was so decisive that I found myself heading to the fitting room without thinking.

I carefully unfolded the dress. The fabric was exceptionally soft, featuring a full skirt made by layering thin material multiple times. The overall silhouette was delicate and lovely.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever worn something like this before.’

Feeling quite embarrassed, I hesitated for a moment. Having brought the dress into the fitting room, it seemed awkward to just leave. Taking a deep breath, I slipped it on.

‘How does it fit so perfectly?’

The dress fit me as if it had been tailored just for me. Awkward in the suddenly lighter and shorter outfit, I hugged my clothes tightly and cautiously stepped outside.

As I emerged, the shop assistants greeted me with bright smiles and compliments.

“The dress suits you well.”

“This fluttery design is really in fashion this year.”

But in my eyes, only Yuri was visible. I asked him in a small voice as he looked around the shop.

“Isn’t the length too short?”

Yuri, who had been wide-eyed, answered a beat late.

“What… What? What is?”

“I said, isn’t the length too short? Doesn’t it look awkward on me?”

“Not at all!”

Yuri replied loudly, then excitedly began chattering.

“If it were up to me, I’d buy about ten more of these! It looks amazing on you. The shorter length makes you look more lively and cute… oops!”

“Enough!”

I covered Yuri’s mouth, which was overflowing with compliments. I face flushed red.

Yuri, squinting his eyes like a fox, gently pushed my hand away.

“I’m being honest.”

“That’s enough, stop.”

“You sure are shy.”

If the roles were reversed and I showered him with compliments like this, he would blush too.

After a round of giggles, Yuri, smiling broadly, held up the shoes in front of him. They were flat shoes with long ribbons, resembling pointe shoes.

“It was worth picking these. They’ll look really pretty with those ribbon shoes.”

“Oh my, you really know your stuff.”

The shop assistant looked at Yuri with an expression of amazement. Feeling a bit more confident after Yuri’s compliment, I twirled halfway around and asked again.

“Are you sure it’s okay? Does it not look awkward?”

“Not at all. It matches well with your eye color.”

With a bashful expression, I lifted the hem of her skirt slightly. At that moment, Yuri approached me.

Like he was assessing how well the dress suited me, Yuri circled around, his gaze lingering on my collarbone.

‘Ugh, does it look awkward after all?’

I usually wore clothes with collars, and the static electricity that often bothered me made me tie a handkerchief tightly around my neck. This was the first time I had worn something that exposed my neckline so openly.

As I awkwardly touched my neck, Yuri’s large hand gently stroked my hair, treating me like a child.

“Titi, you’re so good. Good and pretty.”

“Suddenly?”

When I pushed his hand away with a look that asked what he was doing, Yuri smiled and replied.

“I can see the necklace I gave you. It makes me happy.”

“Oh.”

The necklace with a transparent pendant that Yuri had given me was now visible because of the outfit’s open neckline.

I pouted and adjusted my disheveled bangs.

“Why does me wearing it make you happy?”

“Because I gave it to you hoping you’d wear it often.”

“…”

At Yuri’s words, I pressed her lips together tightly, feeling a lump in my throat.

‘I think this is the first time I’ve heard something like this.’

It seemed like the first time I had received a gift filled with genuine feelings. My poor first husband had never had the means, and the gifts from my second husband lacked any meaning.

‘It’s funny that Yuri, who’s not even my husband, would give me a sincere gift.’

Whether Yuri knew I was getting emotional or not, he knelt in front of me and offered the shoes he had chosen.

“Quick, try these on.”

I carefully slipped her feet into the shoes. They fit perfectly, as if they were tailored just for me. Unintentionally, I responded in a slightly haughty tone.

“…Casanova.”

Yuri’s eyebrows shot up as he tied the ribbons around my ankles.

“That’s not something I can just ignore. Why am I a Casanova?”

“My mom said any guy who can guess a woman’s ring and shoe size in one go is a Casanova.”

“Not at all. Maybe other guys, but definitely not me.”

Yuri took my wrist again.

“Alright, shall we get going then?”