Please be my wife for just one year.

EP.6

The first evening in the newlywed home.

The house was astonishingly quiet.

Perhaps because of the too-spacious living room and high ceiling, even footsteps echoed faintly.

Yeoju still couldn’t quite believe this house was real.

'Seriously... I’m really supposed to live here.'

As she was staring blankly around the living room, Seongho came down the stairs and said,

Seongho "Let me show you around the house."

Yeoju "...Ah, okay."

The two of them walked side by side as they looked around the house.

Kitchen, study, home theater, gym, dressing room.

Each one was bigger than the living room of an ordinary house.

Yeoju swallowed her admiration to herself.

'There’s a movie theater in the house...?'

Finally, when they reached the second-floor hallway, Seongho opened the door to the room at the very end.

It was a neat bedroom.

A sunny window and new furniture were neatly arranged.

Seongho "This is Yeoju’s room."

Yeoju "...My room?"

Seongho "Yes."

Yeoju "Then what about you, sir?"

Seongho pointed to the door directly across from it.

Seongho "I use that room."

Yeoju looked back and forth between the two doors.

Yeoju "...We don’t have to share one room?"

Seongho nodded calmly.

Seongho "It’s written in the contract too."

"..."

"Private space is to be respected."

"..."

"I thought it might be uncomfortable for you."

For a moment, Yeoju felt a little surprised.

At first, she thought he’d be cold and self-centered.

But he seemed more considerate of others than she’d expected.

He just wasn’t good at expressing it.


---

After finishing unpacking, Yeoju carefully went downstairs.

In the kitchen, Seongho was rolling up his shirt sleeves and opening the refrigerator.

Yeoju "...What are you doing?"

Seongho "Dinner."

Yeoju "...You’re making it yourself?"

Seongho "Yes."

Seongho nodded.

A little later, a savory smell spread from the pot.

Yeoju peered into the pot with a startled expression.

Yeoju "...You’re good at this."

Ten-odd minutes later.

A far more proper meal than expected was laid out on the table.

Doenjang-jjigae.

Rolled omelet.

Bulgogi.

Simple side dishes.

Yeoju picked up her chopsticks.

After one bite, her eyes widened.

"...It’s delicious."

Seongho drank some water and said calmly,

Seongho "I’m glad."

Yeoju "Sir."

Seongho "...Yes."

Yeoju "You go to work too, so when did you learn to cook?"

Seongho thought for a moment before answering.

Seongho "During my study-abroad days."

"..."

"I didn’t want to eat out every day."

That was all he said.

But in that short answer, she could somewhat feel how long he’d been living alone.


---

After the meal ended.

Yeoju naturally prepared to do the dishes.

Seongho "...Leave them."

Yeoju "Huh?"

Seongho "The dishwasher does it."

"..."

Yeoju "...Oh."

Feeling oddly embarrassed, Yeoju burst out laughing.

Yeoju "This house has more machines working than people."

Then.

The corners of Seongho’s mouth lifted just a little.

Just for a moment.

It was a smile that lasted less than a second.

But Yeoju saw it clearly.

'...Just now.'

'Did he smile?'

Without realizing it, she stared at Seongho.

Feeling her gaze, Seongho returned to his expressionless face.

Seongho "...What is it?"

Yeoju "...It’s nothing."

'Did I imagine it?'


---

10 p.m.

The two of them went into their respective rooms.

Yeoju lay down on the bed, but sleep didn’t come easily.

An unfamiliar house.

An unfamiliar room.

And a man separated from her by just one hallway.

'Starting today... for a year.'

She looked up at the ceiling and gave a small laugh.

'A contract marriage.'

It still didn’t feel real.

Then.

Knock knock.

She heard a knock at the door.

When she opened it, Seongho was standing there holding a small paper envelope.

Seongho "...This."

Yeoju "Huh?"

Seongho "Living expenses."

Yeoju took the envelope and opened it, then was startled.

Inside was a card along with a thick bundle of cash.

Yeoju "...This much?"

Seongho "I put in enough so you won’t be short for living expenses."

Yeoju "No... this is too..."

Seongho quietly cut her off.

Seongho "It’s in the contract."

"..."

"You don’t need to feel burdened."

With that, he turned away.

As Seongho walked down the hallway, he stopped for a moment in front of the door.

And without turning back, he said briefly,

Seongho "...Good night."

Leaving those words behind, he went into his room.

After hearing the door close, Yeoju stood there for a long while, clutching the envelope to her chest.

A cold, blunt person.

And yet, strangely.

Inside that coldness, kindness that others would easily miss was hidden little by little.

And those small kindnesses began to open Yeoju’s tightly shut heart, just a little at a time.