“I apologize for being late.”

Unable to look him directly in the eye as he inclined his head in greeting, Yeon-woo stole brief glances at him, as if she were secretly admiring someone she shouldn’t.

Although his head was bowed, she knew that no one in the world could make him bow. She also knew that he would never willingly bow to anyone who was not his family.

A breeze swept past, gently stirring his jet-black hair. Yet even the wind seemed to retreat before his cold, emotionless face.

His icy gaze slowly swept across everyone gathered in the main hall. Their eyes met for only a moment, but it was enough to make Yeon-woo’s cheeks flush.

“Come and sit down.”

“Yes.”

Yeon-woo could hear his deep voice resonating in her ears. Not only was it captivating, but he was also breathtakingly handsome. She had never fallen for anyone before, yet the moment she met him, she fell hopelessly in love at first sight.

He was so handsome that he would inspire jealousy in the gods. An unmistakable air of nobility surrounded him. From one angle, his features appeared refined and almost beautiful; from another, they looked strikingly masculine. Even his gaze carried an arrogant defiance, as though there were nothing in the world he feared.

After removing his shoes, he stepped into the main hall. As though sensing her gaze, he suddenly turned his head towards her.

Fearing he might notice her flushed face, Yeon-woo quickly lowered her eyes and pretended to study the food on the table. Although she was acutely aware of him, she acted as though she had no interest in him whatsoever.

When he sat down beside her, the faint scent of the breeze seemed to linger on him.

He was close, yet somehow still impossibly distant. She could smell him, but she knew that none of his warmth would ever cling to her. Before sitting down, he had removed his coat, leaving only a crisp white shirt molded neatly to his frame. Yeon-woo had seen him dressed this way countless times before, yet the sight still made her heart tremble.

“Eat as much as you like. Your mother-in-law worked hard preparing all of this for her son-in-law.”

“Thank you.”

Although he expressed his gratitude, his expressionless face and monotonous voice made him sound anything but thankful.

“Tsk. This is why raising sons is pointless. ‘Thank you.’ What kind of response is that?”

When her father-in-law imitated Taecho’s tone from a moment ago, Yeon-woo burst into laughter. Then she felt a piercing gaze from beside her and hurriedly lowered the corners of her lips.

“You’re fortunate.”

“Of course I am. Our Yeon-woo is so sweet and affectionate.”

Throughout the meal, their parents shared stories about their daily lives and told each other jokes. Taecho, however, remained completely silent, focusing solely on his food.

Fascinated by the neat, precise way he handled his chopsticks — a manner that suited him perfectly — Yeon-woo found herself reaching for every side dish he picked out.

Just as she extended her chopsticks towards the seasoned vegetables he had taken, her mother-in-law, who was sitting opposite her, spoke up cautiously.

“But have you heard any good news about a baby yet?”

Yeon-woo’s shoulders flinched. Without realizing it, she turned to look at Taecho.

“Mother.”

His cold tone sounded like a warning. Yeon-woo immediately turned her head forward again.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand me. I wasn’t trying to upset you. I was simply curious.”

“……No. Not yet.”

Yeon-woo’s cheeks grew even redder when her eyes met Taecho’s, but she forced a smile. She could feel him watching her, but his face was completely expressionless.

“Tae-cho, you should eat.”

In front of their parents, she deliberately played the part of the dutiful wife. Her mother was worried that Yeon-woo might get hurt in their loveless marriage due to Taecho’s coldness. Hoping to ease her mother’s concerns, Yeon-woo turned towards Taecho and smiled brightly.

She saw his eyes narrow. She knew he had no intention of answering her, but hoped he would at least refrain from ignoring her in front of their parents.

As expected, he turned away without responding and resumed eating. The radiant smile on Yeon-woo’s face slowly faded into a forlorn one.

“Mother, we’re trying, so please wait a little longer.”

Despite her efforts to keep them steady, the corners of her lips trembled. Suddenly, her mother-in-law rose, walked around the table and came to her side, clasping her hand tightly.

“We understand how you feel, Yeon-woo. I was simply in such a good mood today that I got carried away.”

“……”

“Yeon-woo, don’t let it upset you. All right?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Both her mother-in-law and father-in-law were wonderful people. Yeon-woo considered herself fortunate. She had been raised with an abundance of love by her own parents, and her in-laws were never difficult or unkind. They had always treated her warmly.

“Son-in-law, have a glass of the wild ginseng liquor I made myself.”

“Yes.”

Except for one person.

“This is really good for your health. I’ve been saving it, but I opened it especially for you, so help yourself. You know I can’t drink, so help yourself.”

“Thank you.”

Everyone except Ma Taecho.

Yeon-woo stared absentmindedly at the hand holding his glass. It was large and distinctly masculine, yet immaculate and entirely free of scars — much like its owner.

Would his hand feel cold?

Or would it be warm?

The liquor must have been bitter, yet Taecho raised every glass his father poured to his lips without hesitation. Most people grimaced when they swallowed strong alcohol, but Taecho’s expression never changed.

Yeon-woo wished she could enter his mind, if only for a moment, to discover his thoughts.

As the atmosphere grew livelier, the meal continued for quite some time. When the men eventually moved to the wooden veranda for another round of drinks, Yeon-woo stayed behind to help her mother clear the table.

“Sis…… No, I suppose I should call you my in-law now. Let me help too.”

Her mother-in-law smiled, admitting that she still could not break the habit of calling Yeon-woo’s mother sis, and approached while rolling up her sleeves.

“No, please remain seated. I can handle it.”

“How long would it take you to clear all of this by yourself? At times like this, my brother-in-law can be very stubborn. What would be so wrong with hiring someone to help?”

Warmth spread through Yeon-woo’s heart as she listened to her mother-in-law speak with such genuine concern for her.

“How can he expect you to manage an estate this large all by yourself?”

Yeon-woo gathered the remaining side dishes, stacked the empty plates, and took them into the kitchen — the only part of the old residence to have been renovated with modern facilities.

From the veranda in the distance came the gentle melody of a gayageum. Her father usually turned off the music once it got late, but he must have been in a particularly good mood tonight.

Then again, it was only natural for him to be happy: His son-in-law, who was usually far too busy to visit, had finally come to spend time with them.

Her mother and mother-in-law insisted on finishing clearing up and urged Yeon-woo to go and rest in her room. Knowing that neither woman would accept her help, Yeon-woo reluctantly headed towards the annexe.

Having worked up a sweat clearing the table, she felt sticky and decided to shower first.

When she had finished and returned to her room, she found that someone had laid out a traditional silk quilt on the floor in her absence. Yeon-woo gazed at it and let out a soft laugh.

Her mother was truly impossible to stop. The autumn wind gently rattled the doors, blending with the distant melody of the gayageum.

Yeon-woo sat on the floor and ran her hand over the quilt. The silk felt wonderfully soft beneath her fingertips.

“Where does she even find bedding like this?”

She could tell at a glance that it was brand-new. Yeon-woo lifted her hand from the silk quilt and rubbed the tips of her once-callused fingers together out of habit.

Sadness filled her eyes as she stared at the gayageum standing against the wall.

Creak—

At the sound of the door opening, Yeon-woo hurriedly concealed her sadness and turned her head.

“……”

He stepped through the open door.

“I’m sleeping here tonight.”

Yeon-woo approached him as he loosened the buttons of his dress shirt, seemingly uncomfortable.

“……All right.”

Throughout their year of marriage, he had never spent the night there, always claiming to be too busy. Wondering if he was drunk, she studied his face, but he seemed perfectly sober. His expression was as cold as ever, making Yeon-woo fidget.

“Are Mother and Father staying the night too?”

She thought he would probably leave for work at dawn and that she should return home with her mother-in-law the following day. Suddenly, his deep voice came from above her.

“Yes.”

“Oh…… They’re staying the night too…….”

Before Taecho left to have a wash, Yeon-woo gave him some comfortable clothes to change into. At times like this, it seemed as if she could anticipate everything several steps ahead. Had she not prepared his pyjamas in advance, Yeon-woo would have had to walk to the Anchae and knock on the door at such a late hour.

Alone in the room, Yeon-woo nervously ran her tongue over her dry lips.

She did not know how much time had passed before she heard heavy footsteps outside. The neat, measured steps — so perfectly suited to their owner — stopped in front of the door. A moment later, the door opened and Taecho appeared.

Yeon-woo swallowed dryly as her gaze darted around the room.

Whenever she had been in the room on her own before, she had always thought it was far too spacious. Yet Taecho’s mere presence suddenly made it feel cramped. As Yeon-woo hovered awkwardly, unable to decide whether to sit or stand, Taecho frowned.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Yeon-woo usually slept in a separate room from him.

“……There’s only one set of bedding.”

They had never once slept in the same room.

“So?”

He tilted his head to one side.

“Let’s just sleep together. We don’t have a choice.”

“……”

“I can’t sleep on the bare floor, and I’m sure you can’t either. We can hardly ask for an extra set of bedding just because we usually sleep in different rooms.”

From the outset, their marriage had been nothing more than a two-year contractual arrangement. Nothing could possibly grow between them when their relationship already had a predetermined end.

Yeon-woo had simply been foolish to take so long to accept that truth.

Did that mean they only had one year of marriage remaining?

In another year, she and Taecho would become strangers.

That was why she was trying so hard to appear confident. Perhaps she had been struggling to appear confident ever since the day she married him.

His silence made her uneasy. A sigh escaped Taecho’s lips before he lay down on the sleeping mat. Yeon-woo watched him for a moment, then turned off the light. After putting as much distance between them as possible, she carefully lay down beside him.

The soft silk quilt settled snugly around her body, its gentle warmth surprisingly comforting. Perhaps she should replace the bedding in her own room with silk as well.

When she turned her head cautiously, she could only see his back.

It was as though he could not bear to face her. Yeon-woo silently etched the sight into her memory.

Even his deep, quiet breathing seemed to reflect his character. Only after confirming that he had fallen asleep and was no longer moving did Yeon-woo finally relax. The tension drained from her shoulders.

The only sounds in the room were the wind outside and their intermingled breathing.

Yeon-woo reached out and touched his back.

“……”

But she did not touch him. He was standing so close that even the slightest movement of her fingers would have brought them into contact with his back. Yet Yeon-woo could not bring herself to move any closer.

Had they ever been this close during their year of marriage?

Every time the wind rattled the door, her heart trembled.

Two years.

They had agreed to divorce after exactly two years.

Looking back, she could not fathom where her confidence had come from. Taecho had told her that he was seeing someone else. He said the woman would return in two years. He had also made it clear that he was marrying her only because he had no other choice if he wanted to protect the woman he loved.

Yet Yeon-woo told him it didn’t matter.

She had even said it with remarkable confidence.

Now, rather than counting the time they had spent together, it was easier to count the days remaining until their separation.

She was a wife with an expiry date.

Soon, the woman Taecho loved so deeply would return.

When that happened, all Yeon-woo had to do was step aside.

But…

Why did her heart ache so much?

It was only natural that Taecho would never make room for her at his side. She had known that from the beginning, yet accepting it still caused an unbearable pain to spread through her chest.

She should never have fallen in love with him at first sight.

Yeon-woo had occasionally seen Taecho’s younger brother growing up, but she had never crossed paths with Taecho himself, who had been living abroad. They first met shortly before her father underwent surgery for cancer, so it must have been about two years ago.

Taecho had come to visit her father in hospital.

The moment she saw him, she fell hopelessly in love.

With tears in his eyes, her father told her that he wanted her to build a happy life with a good man. Holding his hand tightly, Yeon-woo promised to fulfil his wish.

She was desperate to grant him that one desire.

In hindsight, there was no reason to rush into marriage so quickly. Yet, given the circumstances at the time, it had seemed necessary. Besides, Yeon-woo was already deeply in love with Taecho.

At the time, she believed there was nothing to fear.

Taecho had drunk quite a lot of the liquor her father had poured for him.

Was he all right?

Yeon-woo raised her upper body slightly. Just as she craned her neck to check his face—

!

In the blink of an eye, he was straddling her.

Yeon-woo held her breath and stared up at him.