“I even called and told you not to come early. Did you catch it from Taecho?”

‘Catch what?’

Not understanding what she meant, Yeon-woo stared at her mother-in-law with wide eyes.

“I’m asking whether you caught his habit of never listening.”

Her mother-in-law spoke as though she disapproved of Yeon-woo arriving early, but Yeon-woo felt neither hurt nor frightened. She knew every word came from concern for her.

Linking arms with her mother-in-law, Yeon-woo rubbed her cheek against her shoulder.

“Are you angry because I didn’t listen to you?”

“……No. Well, perhaps a little.”

Since her mother-in-law had no daughters, she was exceptionally weak against such affection.

“I’m not angry.”

Afraid that Yeon-woo might feel hurt, her mother-in-law quickly corrected herself. Yeon-woo smiled radiantly, and her mother-in-law stroked her hair as though she found her unbearably precious.

“Did you call your mother? Tell her to come early.”

There was still plenty of time before the agreed meeting hour, yet her mother-in-law urged her to summon her mother immediately.

“When else will she ever escape from that house? Let’s pester her into spending the day with us.”

Yeon-woo had heard that her mother-in-law relied greatly upon her mother because they had known each other for years and got along so well. Just as Yeon-woo worried about how exhausted her mother was from caring for the old residence, her mother-in-law sincerely worried about her close friend and sadon.

Understanding that affection, Yeon-woo hugged her mother-in-law’s arm tightly.

“Should we?”

“Yes. I bought a lovely bottle of wine. It’s exactly the kind you’ll enjoy. You do drink wine, after all.”

Her mother-in-law tempted her with the suggestion that the women have a wine party today.

“That sounds wonderful. I’ve been craving wine too.”

“Really? Perfect.”

Yeon-woo didn’t particularly enjoy alcohol, but she loved the warm, cheerful atmosphere that came with sharing a drink. Therefore, she willingly gave in to her mother-in-law’s persuasion. She couldn’t bring herself to refuse the wine, which had undoubtedly been chosen with her low tolerance in mind.

It was no ordinary bottle of wine.

It was a tender expression of her mother-in-law’s affection.

A short while later…

Once everyone had gathered and shared a simple dinner, they moved to another room. This spacious room, used for family gatherings and entertaining guests, was also laden with food, demonstrating the amount of care her mother-in-law had put into the preparations.

Although her mother-in-law claimed that the housekeepers had prepared everything, Yeon-woo knew the truth. Seeing her cook several dishes personally for Yeon-woo’s parents filled her with gratitude.

While her father-in-law, brother-in-law, and Taecho drank the traditional liquor that her father had brought, her mother-in-law, mother, and Yeon-woo shared the wine.

“Son-in-law, how does the liquor taste? Do you like it?”

Her father could no longer drink alcohol after undergoing cancer surgery. Yeon-woo considered stopping him from repeatedly filling Taecho’s glass instead of drinking himself, but ultimately remained silent. Even if she had tried to intervene, everyone present would undoubtedly have told her to leave the two men alone.

As she pretended to watch her father, Yeon-woo stole a glance at Taecho.

His expression revealed nothing as he drained the liquor her father had poured in one gulp.

“It’s delicious.”

The liquor must have been bitter, yet he didn’t reach for any food afterwards. Not the slightest change crossed his face as he swallowed it.

Should she at least be grateful that he was treating their elders with respect?

The memory of Taecho coldly telling her that he had thrown away her handkerchief the previous night overlapped with the scene before her.

A bitter smile lingered on Yeon-woo’s lips. She quickly composed herself before the adults could notice, but the bitterness remained on her tongue.

After fidgeting with her glass, Yeon-woo drank the wine all at once. Perhaps because her mouth was already bitter, she could not taste it at all.

She put the glass down and raised her head.

“……”

Her eyes met Taecho’s, if only briefly.

His indifferent gaze raked across her face. Unable to bear looking at him, Yeon-woo abruptly turned her head away.

She was still angry with him. If he disliked the handkerchief, he could have just stopped carrying it. There had been no need to throw it away.

Ignoring him, she reached for her wineglass again, her face burning.

Crash!

“Oh, Yeon-woo! Are you all right?”

“Sister-in-law, are you hurt?”

Her hand had slipped, causing the wineglass to fall to the floor.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for? As long as you aren’t hurt, that’s all that matters. Please clean this up.”

When the glass fell, wine spilled across the table. Yeon-woo bit her lip as she stared at the mess. Then she noticed a familiar object moving back and forth in front of her.

It was a handkerchief.

With trembling eyes, she looked towards its owner.

It was her brother-in-law.

She had no idea when he had come up behind her, but he was using the handkerchief to mop up the wine before it could drip from the table.

“This is the handkerchief you gave me, sister-in-law. What a shame it got stained.”

It was the handkerchief she had made for him as a gift.

He must have carried it with him all this time.

“Wine stains are difficult to remove. This is so upsetting. I really loved this handkerchief.”

The red wine spread across the pristine white fabric.

Yeon-woo couldn’t understand why something so insignificant had affected her so profoundly.

Had the alcohol already started to affect her, despite how little she had drunk?

Her nose stung and her eyes began to burn. Just as the handkerchief became stained red, her cheeks turned crimson.

“I’ll make you a new one.”

Hiding the emotions surging within her, she forced a smile and pulled the corners of her lips upwards.

She could feel Taecho’s gaze lingering lazily on her face from across the table, but she refused to look at him. Instead, she smiled even more brightly.

Feeling strangely hot, she sipped the glass of wine that her mother-in-law had just poured for her.

The wine made her feel hot and flushed her cheeks.

Yet it tasted so delicious that she kept drinking.

Before she knew it, she had drunk far more than she usually would.

“Your cheeks are red, Sister-in-law.”

“……Are they?”

Yeon-woo wasn’t trying to laugh, but she couldn’t stop quiet giggles escaping her lips. She could feel everyone at the table looking at her, but she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

She was so happy to be spending time with her parents, who were always busy maintaining the old family home and entertaining guests.

Thanks to her father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law, who all treated her like a daughter and sister, her heart also felt light enough to soar.

“Taecho, isn’t your wife absolutely adorable?”

Her mother-in-law’s voice did not reach her clearly. It sounded as though it were coming from far away.

Yeon-woo blinked her large eyes and giggled.

“I know, right, Brother? I’m jealous. Where could you possibly find someone as kind and beautiful as Sister-in-law? If only I were a little older……”

A short while later…

After sharing a simple dinner, everyone gathered in another room. The spacious room, which was used for family gatherings and entertaining guests, was also laid out with food, demonstrating the amount of care that her mother-in-law had put into the preparations.

Although she claimed that the housekeepers had prepared everything, Yeon-woo had seen for herself that this was not the case. Seeing her personally cook several dishes for Yeon-woo’s parents filled her with gratitude.

Her father-in-law, brother-in-law, and Taecho drank the traditional liquor that her father had brought, while her mother-in-law, mother, and Yeon-woo shared the wine.

The line below should appear much later.

Watching her brother-in-law grin mischievously as he teased her, Yeon-woo opened her mouth.

“Son-in-law, how does the liquor taste? Do you like it?”

Her father could no longer drink alcohol after undergoing cancer surgery. Yeon-woo considered stopping him from repeatedly filling Taecho’s glass instead of drinking himself, but ultimately remained silent. Even if she had tried to intervene, everyone present would undoubtedly have told her to leave the two men alone.

As she pretended to watch her father, Yeon-woo stole a glance at Taecho.

His expression revealed nothing as he drained the liquor her father had poured in one gulp.

“It’s delicious.”

The liquor must have been quite bitter, yet he didn’t even reach for the accompanying food. Not the slightest change crossed his face after he swallowed it.

Should she at least be grateful that he was being respectful in front of their elders?

The memory of Taecho coldly telling her that he had thrown away her handkerchief the previous night overlapped with the scene before her.

A bitter smile lingered on Yeon-woo’s lips. She quickly composed herself before the adults could notice, but the bitterness remained on her tongue.

Fidgeting with her glass, she suddenly raised it to her lips and gulped down the wine. Perhaps because her mouth was already bitter, she could not taste the wine at all.

After putting the glass back down, Yeon-woo raised her head.

“……”

Her eyes met Taecho’s, if only briefly.

His indifferent gaze raked across her face. Unable to bear looking at him, Yeon-woo abruptly turned her head away.

She was still angry with him. If he disliked the handkerchief, he could have just stopped carrying it. There had been no need to throw it away.

Ignoring him, she reached for her wineglass again, her face burning.

Crash!

“Oh, Yeon-woo! Are you all right?”

“Sister-in-law, are you hurt?”

Her hand had slipped, causing the wineglass to fall to the floor.

“Oh, yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for? As long as you aren’t hurt, that’s all that matters. Please clean this up.”

When the glass fell, wine spilled across the table. Yeon-woo bit her lip as she stared at the mess. Then she noticed a familiar object moving back and forth in front of her.

That familiar object was…

A handkerchief.

Her eyes trembled as she looked towards its owner.

It was her brother-in-law.

She hadn’t noticed him approach, but he was already using the handkerchief to mop up the wine before it could spill over the edge of the table.

“This is the handkerchief you gave me, sister-in-law. What a shame it got stained.”

It was the handkerchief that Yeon-woo had embroidered especially for him.

He must have been carrying it with him all this time.

“Wine stains are so difficult to remove. It’s so frustrating. I loved this handkerchief.”

The red wine slowly spread across the pure white fabric.

Yeon-woo couldn’t understand why such a small gesture had affected her so much.

Was the alcohol already affecting her, despite how little she had drunk?

Her nose stung and her eyes began to burn. Just as the white handkerchief had become stained crimson, a deep flush spread across her cheeks.

“I’ll make you a new one.”

Hiding the emotions surging within her, she forced a smile and pulled the corners of her lips upwards.

She could feel Taecho’s gaze lingering lazily on her face from across the table, but she refused to look at him. Instead, she smiled even more brightly.

Feeling strangely hot, she sipped the glass of wine that her mother-in-law had just poured for her.

The wine made her feel hot and flushed her cheeks.

Yet it tasted so delicious that she kept drinking.

Before she knew it, she had drunk far more than she usually would.

“Your cheeks are red, Sister-in-law.”

“……Are they?”

Yeon-woo wasn’t trying to laugh, but she couldn’t stop quiet giggles escaping her lips. She could feel everyone at the table looking at her, but she couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

She was so happy to be spending time with her parents, who were always busy maintaining the old family home and entertaining guests.

Thanks to her father-in-law, mother-in-law and brother-in-law, who all treated her like a daughter and sister, her heart also felt light enough to soar.

“Taecho, isn’t your wife absolutely adorable?”

Her mother-in-law’s voice did not reach her clearly. It sounded as though it were coming from far away.

Yeon-woo blinked her large eyes and giggled.

“I know, right, Brother? I’m jealous. Where could you possibly find someone as kind and beautiful as Sister-in-law? If only I were a little older……”

Watching her brother-in-law grin mischievously as he joked, Yeon-woo opened her mouth.

“You’re not my type, Brother-in-law.”

Her parents, in-laws, and brother-in-law all burst out laughing.

Everyone except one person.

Although Taecho was sitting in the same room, he seemed to exist in a completely different world. He seemed to be someone who would never allow himself to mingle with them, someone who could never truly belong among them.

Seeing him appear so distant and out of place caused the corners of Yeon-woo’s mouth to turn down.

He wasn’t glaring fiercely at his younger brother. His face was simply devoid of emotion, yet the sight pierced Yeon-woo’s heart and remained lodged there.

She forced a smile once more. Everyone in this room wanted nothing more than to see her happy.

A bitter expression had no place on her face.

Had she drunk too much?

Soft laughter kept spilling from her lips, and her body began to sway gently from side to side.

“I thought you were drinking too much. Yeon-woo, are you all right?”

Hearing the concern in her mother’s voice made Yeon-woo grin foolishly.

“Yeon-woo appears drunk. You should both stay here tonight.”

At her mother-in-law’s suggestion, Taecho—who had shown no reaction until now—twitched an eyebrow and quickly replied.

“No. We’ll go home.”

Yeon-woo could feel everyone staring at him, not only her.

“Our house is right in front of yours. Why would we need to stay overnight?”

He added that since he needed to leave for work at dawn, it would be better for them to sleep at home.

Yeon-woo slowly blinked her large eyes.

“Everyone is staying here tonight. I’ve already decided.”

However, his excuse had no chance of persuading his mother.

“Sis, you’ll stay the night too, won’t you? Sleep here and have breakfast before leaving. Please?”

Realizing why her mother-in-law was deliberately clinging to her mother, Yeon-woo smiled tipsily.

“Let’s send the children to bed and stay up chatting. We still have so much to discuss.”

Yeon-woo watched her mother-in-law link arms with her own mother. She then glanced at Taecho. His lips were pressed tightly together, and he looked utterly dumbfounded.

For some reason, this amused Yeon-woo, and she started laughing.

In accordance with her mother-in-law’s wishes, they agreed to spend the night at her parents’ house. Yeon-woo rose unsteadily and slapped her cheeks with both palms in an attempt to sober up.

She had meant to do this gently, but it seemed she had failed to control her strength.

“Ugh…… That hurts.”

When Yeon-woo pouted at the pain, her brother-in-law approached her.

“Sister-in-law, you’re so adorable. You know that, don’t you?”

He supported her by the arm and suggested they go upstairs. Yeon-woo smiled foolishly at him as they began climbing the stairs together.

“Move.”

They heard a cold voice behind them.

A moment later, her brother-in-law was pushed away.

Blink.

Blink.

Taecho was now holding her arm.

She had always wondered whether his hands would be cold or warm.

Now, at last, her curiosity was satisfied.

They were so hot that they almost seemed capable of burning her.

Yeon-woo climbed the stairs with him. Because of the alcohol, her body refused to obey her.

Annoyed by her inability to stand steadily, he sighed above her head.

“Stand properly.”

“That…… isn’t something I can control……”

Yeon-woo misjudged her step and almost fell down the stairs, but Taecho caught her just in time.

She leaned her weight against him.

As soon as he encircled her with his arm, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

He stiffened, but didn’t push her away.

“Good night, Brother. Sleep well, Sister-in-law.”

“Yes. You too, Brother-in-law.”

Yeon-woo giggled as she bid her brother-in-law good night.

After he entered his room, Yeon-woo followed Taecho into theirs. The sound of the door closing behind her made her shoulders flinch involuntarily.

“Pull yourself together.”

“……Yes. I need to pull myself together……”

“Let go of me first.”

He coldly ordered her to release his waist, but perhaps because she was drunk, Yeon-woo did not find him frightening.

“Are you going to let go?”

His voice emerged from between clenched teeth, sounding colder than ever.

Was it because she was drunk?

Why did he seem so flustered?

The moment she let go of his waist, he stepped away immediately. The sudden absence of his warmth made her feel cold all over.

She had been relying on him, and without his support, she felt as though all her strength had suddenly disappeared. Just as her legs gave way, Yeon-woo reached out to him.

Without realizing it, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist again.

“……Ha.”

A short sigh escaped Taecho.

Yeon-woo’s eyes flew open, then quickly closed again.

“Stop doing that and lie down.”

Tae-cho laid Yeon-woo down on the sofa and tucked a pillow beneath her neck. Then, in an irritated voice, he warned her not to bother him again.

After gathering a change of clothes, he disappeared into the bathroom. Left alone on the sofa, Yeon-woo fidgeted restlessly.

The longer she lay there, the more the alcohol seemed to affect her. Her cheeks felt unbearably hot.

No — her neck and ears were burning, too.

She repeatedly pressed her palms against her flushed face, but the heat refused to fade.

The only other time she had shared a room with Taecho was when they had spent the night at her parents’ house.

For no apparent reason, her heart began to pound.

Yeon-woo swallowed dryly as Taecho emerged from the bathroom. He ruffled his damp hair with one hand when he noticed her, then turned his head away coldly.

After switching off the light, he lay down on the bed.

Watching him, Yeon-woo furrowed her brow.

Why was she the one sleeping on the sofa?

There was no reason why she should. She disliked the fact that Taecho had put her on the sofa without asking.

“I want to sleep on the bed too.”

His head slowly turned toward her before tilting to one side. He even frowned as though he had heard something absurd.

“What?”

He had clearly heard her say that she wanted to sleep on the bed, yet he still asked her to repeat herself.

Yeon-woo stared at him.

Their gazes tangled in the air.

Yeon-woo spoke first.

“Sleeping on the sofa will hurt my back. I don’t like having a sore back.”

“……”

“Or you can sleep on the sofa instead.”

One corner of his mouth rose incredulously before settling back into place.

“Married couples are supposed to share a bed.”

Was it because he had scoffed at her?

Or because he was looking at her as though sharing a bed was unthinkable?

Whatever the reason, a stubborn urge to challenge him rose within her.

“Why? Are you afraid something might happen if you sleep beside me?”

Even after speaking, she was so nervous that she ran her tongue over her bright red lips.

Silence settled between them for a moment.

“Ha……”

A heavy sigh escaped him and pressed down upon her shoulders.

“Even if you were completely n*ked, I wouldn’t feel a thing. Do whatever you want.”

Tae-cho said he didn’t care if she slept on the bed or the sofa, then lay back down.

Yeon-woo clenched her fists and glared at him.

Her pride had been deeply wounded.

The anger she had barely managed to suppress surged through her once more.

Would he truly not feel anything?

Her chest heaved as she glared fiercely at his back.

The longer she stared, the hotter her anger burned.

Was it because she had been drinking?

Usually, she would have forced herself to think positively and let his cruel words slide, but tonight she could not bring herself to do so. Tonight, however, she could not.

She bit down hard on her lip.

The anger that had been building since the previous day now filled her chest, threatening to erupt from her throat.

Yeon-woo tore off her T-shirt and bra, leaving her br*asts completely exposed.

Without attempting to cover herself at all, she approached Taecho and climbed onto his stomach.

“What the hell are you—”

“Why?”

She cut him off before he could demand what she thought she was doing.

“You said you wouldn’t feel anything! I’m going to see if that’s really true!”

Was it because she was so furious?

Her vision suddenly went black.

She felt something inside her snap.

“……Have you lost your mind?”

Yeon-woo’s body pitched forward, and she collapsed on top of him.

“Ugh! Lee Yeon-woo!”

His beast-like growl faded into the distance.