By Zephyria 
===
After hesitating for ten minutes, Eun-won slowly shook his head. He felt like such a fool right now. It wasn’t even a mean message; why was he hesitating so much just to send a thank-you note…? Feeling pathetic, Eun-won let out a deep sigh, gathered all his courage, and tapped the send button.
Right, it’s this easy, so why on earth was I…
Before he could even fully process the slight relief of having sent the message, the number 1 next to the text vanished. Cha Se-jin had read it immediately. Not expecting him to read it so quickly, Eun-won’s heart began to race.
Eun-won quickly shoved the phone under his pillow. It wasn’t as if hiding it would stop it from working, but his heart was pounding so fast and his hands were shaking so much that he couldn’t help it.
…What do I do… What if he replies…
Since he had sent a message, a reply was only natural, but the thought of it suddenly made him incredibly nervous. Wondering if he had done something unnecessary, he bit his lip in tension when a muffled vibration sounded. In that instant, his heart seemed to vibrate along with it.
“…….”
Knowing full well that the sound was coming from beneath his pillow, Eun-won took a slow, deep breath. Then, he pulled the phone out from under the pillow as it vibrated once more.
[Husband: I want to hear it from you directly. Can I call?]
[Husband: I’m going to do it anyway, even if you say no.]
The moment he finished reading the messages from Cha Se-jin, the screen changed and a call came through. Without any time to prepare, Eun-won answered the phone instinctively. Cha Se-jin’s pleasant voice, no longer unfamiliar, warmed his ear.
Yes, Darling. It’s me.
“Y-yes….”
Tell me. Your worries and your thoughts.
“…Pardon?”
I’m curious about what worries and thoughts you had so many of.
“Ah… it’s nothing much… It’s the kind of thing that would be boring to hear…”
So you’re not going to tell me?
Fidgeting with the pillowcase, Eun-won agonized over where and how to start. He felt he should answer quickly, but with various disjointed thoughts flooding his mind, no words came easily. He worried that Cha Se-jin might get frustrated while waiting.
Do you want to do it next time? In person.
“Yes… since it’s sudden, my thoughts are all jumbled… I’ll tell you next time.”
Okay, sure.
The voice responding sounded slightly echoed. It was very quiet around him; it didn’t sound like he was outdoors, but it didn’t feel like he was in a typical house either.
“…Are you outside?”
No, at home. I came to swim.
At home, but swimming…? Having never heard of someone swimming at home, Eun-won couldn’t immediately picture the scene. However, considering he was the most powerful tycoon in the country, it occurred to him that he might have a swimming pool at home.
“Do you like swimming?”
Yes. How about you, Darling? Do you know how to swim?
“I… I only know how to move forward.”
So you do know how. That’s good. Let’s do it together every day once we’re married. Oh, have you ever tried horseback riding?
“…No.”
We’ll have to visit a riding stable then. If you wore riding gear, Darling…
It felt like the conversation should have continued, but the line went silent for a moment. Wondering if the call had dropped, Eun-won checked the screen, saw the seconds ticking by steadily, and put the phone back to his ear.
Just thinking about it makes me feel like I’m getting hard.
It would have been better if he hadn’t understood what that meant, but Eun-won understood Cha Se-jin’s words instantly. With his ear—and even the opposite ear—turning bright red, Eun-won moved past the pillowcase and pulled the duvet over his head, pressing his lips, nose, and half his face firmly into it. The sound of his own voice echoing made the feeling even stranger.
If I hear your voice more, I feel like I’ll want to do it. Shall we try once?
“…Then I’ll… see you tomorrow….”
He heard Cha Se-jin’s laughter. Imagining the man’s smiling face made Eun-won feel even more flustered, and he buried his entire face in the duvet. He wondered when that face had become so vivid in his mind.
Okay. I’ll come pick you up around… hmm, 6 PM.
“…Yes….”
Okay, sleep well.
It wasn’t a special phrase, and it was a common thing many people were likely saying at this very moment, but the sound of those words—sleep well—made his heart drop. Eun-won carefully ended the call first, rather than letting the silence linger. Then, he crawled entirely under the covers and pulled a spare pillow into his arms, hugging it tight.
“…….”
Why is my heart beating so fast… My face is so hot, and I feel so strange that I don’t think I can sleep… Why does his face keep appearing before my eyes… How do I make this stop…?
Swept up in unknown emotions and a cluttered mind, Eun-won shook his head. His fine hair scattered softly across the pillow.
It was a night where sleep did not come easily, amidst a stirring heat.
* * *
Having slept in a bit because he had tossed and turned until dawn, Eun-won was greeted by Butler Kang as he came downstairs. Every time Eun-won saw Butler Kang, he was reminded of the Madam. There was a similar vibe to them.
“Good morning, Young Master. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes… Butler Kang.”
It was still uncomfortable for him to receive such formal honorifics from Butler Kang, who was much older than he was. As he gave a slight nod and tried to excuse himself, Butler Kang followed him.
“The Chairman and the Madam have gone out for a breakfast meeting.”
“…I see.”
“You should eat, Young Master. Since it’s the weekend, shall I have brunch prepared?”
“…Yes, anything is fine.”
Watching Butler Kang’s retreating back as he finally moved away, Eun-won left the house and stepped into the garden. In the evenings, there was a slight chill in the air, but during the day, the heat remained, as if summer were reluctant to leave, lingering in the air. Eun-won took a deep breath and looked up at the shimmering sky. It was such a sunny day that it felt like a waste to stay inside.
Looking at the beautiful weather, Eun-won suddenly thought of Cha Se-jin again. He was quite flustered that the man’s face occupied his mind so abruptly, despite there being no logical connection.
“Young Master! Please come and eat!”
As he took a slow stroll through the garden to clear his thoughts, he soon heard Butler Kang’s voice. Seeing Butler Kang gesturing to him, Eun-won headed back into the house.
At the quiet dining table where no one else was present, Eun-won slowly ate pancakes topped with strawberries, blueberries, and bananas, along with a salad. Then, with a cup of milk tea in hand, he went back up to his room and didn’t emerge until he heard the call to come down shortly after 3 o’clock.
“Eun-won, look at this. I bought some clothes for my son to wear when he goes to Director Cha’s house today, and some gifts for the Madam and the Chairman. I hope they like the gifts. Let’s try the clothes on first.”
The living room table was covered in shopping bags. Yeo Hee-jin took an oatmeal-colored jacket out of a suit case and held it up to Eun-won.
“I knew it would look good, but how can you be this pretty? I thought going too formal would be a bit much, but we can’t go too casual either, so I picked this, and it’s just lovely, Eun-won. You can wear this underneath, and, hmm, also….”
After spending quite some time holding various items up to Eun-won, Yeo Hee-jin opened the shopping bags on the table one by one, explaining them as if she had almost forgotten.
“This is a vintage wine, a gift for the Chairman. Chairman Cha is famous for liking vintage wines. It’s a rare piece obtained through an auction, so he’ll probably like it. And this is the gift for the Madam. I heard she likes tea, so this is a special blend….”
Listening to the long explanation, Eun-won locked eyes with the smiling Madam. Still smiling as if she had plenty more to say, the Madam reached out and grabbed Eun-won’s arms on both sides. Almost as if she were trapping him.
“Eun-won. We’re almost there now.”
“…….”
“Today is a truly important day. Director Cha likes you, but this marriage isn’t simply based on love. It’s not enough to just be liked by Director Cha.”
“…….”
“You can do it, right? My son will surely do well. Not just me, but Jun-hyeok’s expectations are very high. Our family’s future depends on you now, Eun-won. I believe in you, my son.”
The smile had vanished from her face, and her expression demanded an answer. Eun-won barely managed a small response and nodded his head. Only then did a bright smile return to the Madam’s face. Eun-won also slightly curled up his lips, though it didn’t feel natural. In an instant, he felt suffocated by the weight pressing down on his entire body.
‘Just trust me and come. I’ll take care of everything.’
Cha Se-jin flooded back into his mind once again.