Please be my wife for just one year.

EP.7

It had been a week since the wedding.

She was gradually getting used to life in the newlywed home.

In the mornings, Sung-ho, who got up first, prepared a simple breakfast, and Yeo-ju sat across from him while getting ready for work.

There wasn’t much conversation.

Sung-ho "You can have the toast."

Yeo-ju "...Thank you."

Sung-ho "I prepared the coffee hot."

Yeo-ju "...Yes."

Brief conversation.

But it was no longer as suffocatingly awkward as it had been at first.


---

That afternoon.

SH Group president’s office.

Manager Kim came in holding a schedule.

Manager Kim "President."

Sung-ho "Go ahead."

"This Friday, SH Group will hold its 50th anniversary celebration."

"..."

"The chairman said you should attend with your wife."

Sung-ho looked at the schedule and let out a small sigh.

At last, the moment had come.

From now on, they would have to act like a 'real married couple' in front of other people.


---

That evening.

Sung-ho got off work a little earlier than usual.

In the living room, Yeo-ju was sitting on the sofa, looking over materials for a design contest.

Yeo-ju "Oh? You're home early today."

Sung-ho "I have something to tell you."

Yeo-ju closed her laptop.

Sung-ho sat across from her and spoke calmly.

Sung-ho "The day after tomorrow evening."

Yeo-ju "Yes."

Sung-ho "There will be SH Group's anniversary event."

"..."

"You will need to attend with me."

She had expected it, but hearing it for real made her tense up.

Yeo-ju "...Is it okay for me to go?"

Sung-ho "You have to go."

Yeo-ju "..."

Sung-ho "The heads of all the subsidiaries and the reporters will be there."

Yeo-ju "...Reporters, too?"

Sung-ho "Yes."

For a moment, Yeo-ju's shoulders stiffened slightly.

Sung-ho did not miss that change.

After looking at her for a moment, he quietly continued.

Sung-ho "...There's no need to worry."

"..."

"I'll be by your side."

His words were very matter-of-fact, but strangely, they eased some of Yeo-ju's tension.


---

The day before the event.

Manager Kim came to the newlywed home.

He was carrying several dresses and tuxedos in both hands.

Manager Kim "Miss Yeo-ju, the stylists prepared these."

Yeo-ju "...All of this?"

Manager Kim "Yes."

Five dresses alone.

Several pairs of shoes, too.

Accessories had been prepared as well.

Yeo-ju stared at the dresses, looking dazed.

"These... look incredibly expensive..."

Manager Kim "The president chose them himself."

Yeo-ju "...What?"

At that moment, Yeo-ju turned to look at Sung-ho.

Sung-ho was casually flipping through a newspaper.

Yeo-ju "...You chose them, President?"

Sung-ho "Because you need clothes that suit the event."

"..."

"I picked them because I thought they would suit you."

He said it so casually that Yeo-ju only grew more flustered.

'You picked them because you thought they would suit me...?'


---

The day of the event.

Hotel banquet hall.

Countless business figures and reporters had gathered.

A black sedan slowly came to a stop in front of the entrance.

The chauffeur opened the door.

Sung-ho, who got out first, went around to the other side and opened the door himself.

Sung-ho "...Be careful."

Yeo-ju looked at his hand.

After a moment's hesitation, she raised her hand.

The instant their fingertips touched.

Sung-ho naturally supported her.

Yeo-ju "Thank you."

The two of them walked down the red carpet side by side.

At that moment.

Click!

Click!

Dozens of camera flashes burst all at once.

"President! Over here, please!"

"Your wife, too!"

"Please hold hands once, the two of you!"

The reporters' shouts poured in.

Yeo-ju instinctively stiffened.

Seeing her like that, Sung-ho said in a very low voice,

Sung-ho "...Excuse me."

The next moment.

Sung-ho gently took Yeo-ju's hand in his.

He did not interlace their fingers.

He simply held her hand softly.

But even that brief contact made Yeo-ju's heart start pounding hard.

'...Hand.'

'Held it.'

She tried hard to keep her expression composed, but the tips of her ears had already turned red.

Sung-ho, too, looked perfectly normal on the outside.

Yet he could feel Yeo-ju's trembling all the way through his fingertips.

Before he knew it, he had tightened his grip just a little.

'You're nervous.'

That's all he thought.

Strangely, his own heartbeat had also sped up a little more than usual.

The reporters' flashes kept going off.

Without a word, the two of them walked into the venue.

The contract had a clause that said, 'Act like a married couple in necessary situations.'

Clearly, they were only keeping that clause now.

And yet.

Strangely, Yeo-ju did not want to let go of his hand.

And Sung-ho, too, could not let go of her hand until they entered the venue.

The two of them still did not realize.

That their first hand-hold, begun with a contract, was leaving a tiny change in each other's hearts.