Her face was flushed red as she climbed into the car.

Her once straight, long hair had been styled into soft waves, gently draped over one shoulder. She wore an elegant ivory-toned dress that accentuated her delicate figure, and her subtle makeup gave her pale skin a soft, radiant glow.

Fidgeting with the bag on her lap, Ji-an stole a glance at the man beside her.

“……”

But she couldn’t hold his gaze for long and soon looked away again.

“I’ll drive now.”

Tae-hoon said, stepping on the accelerator. Se-hyeon turned his eyes toward the window, watching the scenery outside as he finally spoke.

“Did you review everything Chief Joo sent you?”

“…Yes. I did.”

There was a brief exchange.

Then silence.

This was only the second time they had met since signing the contract. They hadn’t had much opportunity to talk, let alone get to know each other.

Of course, Se-hyeon had prepared everything in detail. He had provided her with a thorough narrative. It covered how they met, how they fell in love, and every moment that had been scripted for appearances’ sake.

They were to play the part of the perfect couple. Ji-an had studied her role down to the last word.

Before she knew it, the car arrived at the meeting place.

Se-hyeon stepped out first, then leaned slightly towards her and held out his left hand.

She hesitated, staring at his hand.

Seeing her freeze, Se-hyeon gave her a faint, knowing smile.

“Take it.”

Slowly, Ji-an extended her fingers and placed them in his.

His large, steady hand wrapped around hers.

And just like that,
Their fake marriage—
Their performance—
Began.

***

The alcohol was beginning to take effect.

It was her first time drinking wine.

She hadn’t expected it to affect her so quickly.

The bittersweet flavour was surprisingly pleasant, so she continued sipping it.

Before she knew it, she was feeling tipsy.

‘Ah, it’s hot!’

Her face felt flushed, so Ji-an pressed the back of her hand to her cheek.

“Are you okay?”

The voice came from beside her. It was Se-hyeon, watching her with concern in his eyes.

He had started performing from the moment they stepped out of the car.

Of course, so had Ji-an.

The first thing to change once the acting started was—

His tone of voice. It was gentle. A warm tone. His eyes were soft, and he even smiled.

Although Ji-an had only met Se-hyeon a few times before, she had never seen this side of him before; he had always seemed cold and curt.

“Yes, I’m okay.”

“Drink slowly. You’ll get drunk like that.”

He said with a light chuckle. His friends looked at him across the table as though they were seeing a ghost.

“Hey, what the hell is going on?”

Jun-young nudged Kyung-jin, muttering under his breath.

Kyung-jin looked just as stunned.

“Seriously, I have no idea what’s happening right now.”

They had heard that Se-hyeon had rejected every arranged date thrown his way. So had he been seeing someone all along?

He’d never hinted at it or brought anyone to their gatherings. And yet the first woman he introduced turned out to be his fiancée.

Naturally, they were all taken aback. This was all the more surprising given that she didn’t come from a powerful family. She seemed so ordinary.

“Have you set a date yet?”

“Yeah. Time to start preparing.”

Se-hyeon replied casually, lifting his wine glass with poise. Seated beside him, Ji-an held her own glass lightly and offered a soft, quiet smile.

Even while chatting with his friends, Se-hyeon kept glancing at her.

‘She barely touched her food – had she always eaten so little? Or was it the wine?’

The flush on her cheeks was all the proof he needed that she was tipsy.

“Ji-an.”

“Yes?”

Though the others maintained polite expressions, their curiosity was impossible to miss.

“So tell me—what do you even like about that guy? He’s got a terrible personality. Rude, abrasive, and just plain insufferable.”

A teasing grin tugged at Jun-young’s lips. He was joking, of course. Among them, Se-hyeon was actually the most gentlemanly.

But because he had never dated, everyone had been dying to know who he’d end up marrying.

“Hmm…”

Ji-an tapped her wine glass with her finger, her eyes thoughtful.

The information Se-hyeon had given her was extensive.

However, it hadn’t explained why she was supposed to like him.

This sudden question took her by surprise, leaving her frozen for a moment.

Why would she like him?

It wasn’t love. She’d never thought of him like that before.

They hadn’t had many conversations. But she couldn’t say that aloud.

So she gave it some thought.

She searched for something believable. Then, a phrase came to her:

“He seems like a good person.”

At that, Se-hyeon slowly turned his head towards her and narrowed his eyes slightly.

There was a strange flicker in his gaze. It was as if he was trying to read between the lines.

“Eight years ago, when I first met him… I just knew. I could tell that Se-hyeon was a good person.”

“Ooh!”

The sincerity in her voice caused the group to exchange glances.

Satisfied with her response, Se-hyeon smiled gently.

“What happened?”

“Yeah, you’ve got to tell us now! Don’t leave us hanging.”

The others chimed in, their curiosity getting the better of them. They were dying to know what exactly had she seen in him to make her think that?

But Ji-an only offered a faint, mysterious smile.

“I haven’t even told Se-hyeon yet, so… it’s a secret.”

“Whoa!”

They were completely taken by surprise, erupting into playful cheers at the table.

Even Se-hyeon let out a small, incredulous laugh and shook his head in amusement.

Embarrassed, Ji-an turned bright red and downed the rest of her wine.

‘Why do I suddenly feel so thirsty?’

Se-hyeon took a sip of his wine and glanced at her.

This was their first outing and performance together.

‘Not a bad match.’

***

Hic. Hic.

The quiet car was filled with the awkward echo of Ji-an’s hiccups.

They had started as soon as they left the restaurant and hadn’t stopped since.

It was unclear whether they were caused by the cold or the wine.

‘Haa…’

Perhaps it was the warmth of the car, or maybe the alcohol was still having an effect.

Either way, sleepiness hit her like a wave. She had never gone out drinking at university before.

She was always too busy working part-time, and freshers’ parties were a luxury she couldn’t afford.

And so, for the first time ever, she had tasted alcohol tonight.

Caught up in the atmosphere and the glow of the evening, she felt beautiful in her pretty dress and carefully done makeup.

— she felt like Cinderella.

And she had allowed herself to enjoy it.

“Miss Yoo Ji-an, are you alright?”

Se-hyeon turned to her with a note of concern in his voice.

Ji-an nodded drowsily.

“Yes. Hic. I’m okay.”

“You don’t look okay.”

Despite her words, she looked exhausted.

Se-hyeon’s brows knit slightly as he studied her.

Her pale cheeks had turned a deeper shade of red, probably due to the heat inside the car.

Her eyelids fluttered heavily and she sighed wearily.

Each of her movements was strangely distracting.

“We’ve arrived, sir.”

Tae-hoon said from the front. The car had pulled into the villa car park where Ji-an had recently moved in. Upon hearing this, Ji-an turned towards Se-hyeon and gave a polite bow.

“Thank you for today. Please get home safely.”

She said her goodbyes with her usual courtesy.

As soon as Tae-hoon opened the door, Ji-an stepped out of the car.

Haa…

Was it the heels? Or the wine? Either way, even standing felt difficult—her legs felt weak and unsteady.

Thunk.

Tae-hoon gently closed the door behind her, bowing politely.

Ji-an was just about to make her way toward the building when something blocked her path, making her flinch in surprise.

Slowly, she looked up—

And there he was.

Se-hyeon, who had just been seated in the car a moment ago, now stood before her. She stared blankly, unsure why he’d gotten out.

Then, without a word, he stepped closer and gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

“I’m really fi—”

“I’ll walk you up.”

He cut her off before she could finish, his tone leaving no room for argument. And just like that, he began walking with her.

Her legs were already on the verge of giving out—but leaning against him, she felt a surprising sense of relief.

Ji-an didn’t resist any further.

Silently, she let him guide her as they headed toward her home.

***

It was his first time at her home.

Everything up until now had been managed through his secretary—assigned, arranged, and reported back. He had been too busy to personally handle every detail himself.

Once they stepped inside and reached the entrance, Se-hyeon finally let her go.

Ji-an bowed her head toward him.

“Thank you for walking me up.”

Anyone could hear it—it was the kind of thank you meant to send someone off.

But Se-hyeon remained silent, unmoving, and clearly unamused by her unspoken dismissal.

Feeling the tension, Ji-an hesitated, nervously wetting her lips before speaking again.

“Would you… like something to drink before you go?”

“Sure. Why not.”

Se-hyeon replied casually. Ji-an gave a stiff nod and awkwardly turned to lead the way.
He followed her in without a word.

Down the hallway, the spacious living room revealed itself.

This was where Ji-an would be staying for the next three months.

The villa, with a sweeping view of the Han River’s nightscape, was lavish beyond anything she’d ever lived in before.

Following his instructions to spare no expense, the home was filled with high-end furnishings and luxury items—
Yet the space still felt untouched. As though Ji-an hadn’t dared to make it her own.

She gently set the fur stole from her shoulders onto the sofa and turned toward him.

“Would you like something cold to drink? I… haven’t stocked much yet. Actually… there’s not much here at all.”

She still felt out of place in this home. It was her house, technically—yet it didn’t feel like hers.

She hadn’t even thought to prepare for guests. No one ever visited, after all.

‘What did I even put in the fridge?’

Her thoughts were sluggish, dulled by the lingering haze of alcohol. As she turned toward the kitchen, trying to recall what was available—

“……!”

Suddenly, her wrist was pulled back—

And her slender body stumbled sharply from the unexpected force.