CHAPTER 1: Wedding Anniversary Gifts (Part 2)

The silhouette of a man walking alone towards the entrance of the restaurant caught her eye.

Moon-kyeong checked the time. With five minutes left until the appointed time, he leisurely took his seat.

The tie she had meticulously tied for him in the morning remained impeccably neat, without a hint of disorder.

A luxurious suit that complemented his 186cm stature exuded a splendid aura as if it were celebrating the owner’s presence.

A black suit, his favorite. Moon-kyeong praised herself for the excellent choice of the tie.

In sync with Seojun’s arrival, the dishes he had reserved in advance were served one by one. Of course, to be precise, these were dishes his secretary had booked.

Moon-kyeong, more than anyone else, knew that this man, who was so busy that a day wasn’t enough, didn’t bother with such trivial matters personally.

She warmly welcomed Seojun.

“Welcome.”

Seojun carefully examined her dressed in a white two-piece outfit.

Whether at home or outside, she is always the same. Quiet, delicate, and elegant.

She hadn’t strayed one bit from the performance of Giselle he’d seen the other day when she’d given the best performance of her career.

She had quit ballet and, even before getting married, attended cooking school for bride classes. For the past year, without fail, she personally prepared breakfast every morning.

Even when he suggested taking a break on weekends, she wrinkled her nose and smiled with her characteristic expression, saying that she preferred cooking. Seojun habitually glanced at his watch.

“I’m sure you’re hungry, but next time you arrive early, feel free to order and start eating.”

“It tastes better when we eat together. What’s the point of eating alone?”

“I say that because you always come out too early. I sent a bag to Seongbuk-dong this morning.”

Even though he was speaking nonchalantly, he sounded like he was looking for a compliment. Moon-kyeong found it a bit cute.

It was hard to believe that this man, who feared nothing in the world, would occasionally give her a casual glance.

He was such a cold, unyielding man, that she’d thought marrying him would be a blast of cold air.

Moon-kyeong chuckled.

“I know, I heard about it from Mom. Thank you, every time. I don’t think there are many sons-in-law who take care of their father-in-law and mother-in-law like you.”

“Good to know.”

“So, what’s my gift? It’s always on a larger scale than I expect, and even though I don’t want to, I keep getting excited.”

Terrifyingly, what he presented at the end of his sentence was a set of diamond-encrusted necklaces. Moon-kyeong smiled brightly, expressing her delight at the gift. She didn’t forget to elegantly cover her mouth while smiling.

As Seojun watched her smile, he noticed that her water glass was empty and raised his hand.

A staff member diligently came over and refilled it before disappearing from sight once more.

The two of them leisurely enjoyed their multi-course meal. While there wasn’t a lot of conversation, they talked about things that only a married couple can talk about.

Even though she couldn’t understand half of it, he often shared details about his work at the company.

It wasn’t bad to hear, and it felt good to know that Lee Han Group’s future, which he would soon be leading, was in capable hands.

Toward the end of the meal, Moon-kyeong presented him with a tie she’d picked out at the department store.

“It might look modest compared to yours, but I chose it with care.”

“Thank you.”

He smiled as if he were receiving a gift for the first time.

Seeing his smile, Moon-kyeong lightly touched the pearl earrings hanging from her ears.

In the final season of her twenties, the snow still continued to cover the world, not showing any signs of stopping. She wonders if she’ll be living a different life when the snow melts.

In her thirties, she hopes she’ll be happier than she is now. Moon-kyeong looked at him.

“Seojun.”

“…”

“Let’s get a divorce. You promised me that we could break up whenever I wanted, and I want you to honor that promise now.”

Her words were short and to the point, devoid of any unnecessary details. Like she knew all along that Seojun liked things done neatly.

Her demand for a divorce hit his ears with a sharpness that couldn’t have been more accurate.