The stability that comes from a whole relationship can calm the mind better than any drug. My chronic lack was mostly like a deprivation born of loss. They were problems that would naturally resolve once the cause was addressed.

Since meeting Kwon Yido, I quit sleeping pills entirely. I still go to counseling, but the sessions have dropped from three times to two. The doctor said my rate of improvement had markedly sped up and that before long I might be able to stop the other medications too.

So I really am getting better. I hadn’t even known I was sick, and at some point I was already in recovery. Like the weather growing steadily warmer, our romantic front and my health were both smooth sailing.

And that went for the company he gave me as a gift and that I built up, too.

“Sejin to launch year-end collection... partners with Seonho.”

“Perfume-cosmetics brand ‘Sejin’ donates portion of profits.”

During the period when I’d broken up with Kwon Yido, the perfume released by “Sejin” was loved by everyone regardless of age or gender. Maybe it was Seonho’s power, but the promotional effect was also better than usual. Naturally, satisfying profits followed, and I was relieved there was no risk of causing a loss to Yido after he’d gone to the trouble of investing.

A few months after that, “Sejin” rolled out a new collection for the spring season. This time, too, there were collaboration products with the foundation, and unlike last time, I personally participated in the development of every product. Thanks to my much-improved blending skills, there were even a few items composed entirely of my ideas.

“Thank you to our distinguished guests for attending ‘Sejin’s’ third event.”

Thus, after winter passed and spring arrived, we held a launch. It was the first event since we started dating, and the concept for this event, which we would continue to hold quarterly from now on, was none other than flowers. Unlike last season, which had many heavy scents, this time the perfumes were mostly built on light, gentle bases.

“I’m Jung Sejin, the representative of ‘Sejin.’”

The moment I greeted them, applause sounded from all around. It was a little early in the season, but the event was set up in the outdoor garden of the Yeongbingwan annex at the Myeongseong Hotel. We placed one fresh flower—the motif for each perfume—beside every bottle to show how naturally we’d captured its scent with natural ingredients.

“For this fifth product, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to single-parent households, including single mothers...”

Maybe because it was already our third event, I wasn’t all that nervous the moment I took the mic to speak. There had always been a nameless tension tightening my solar plexus, but now excitement outstripped it, beating louder. A shapeless sense of expectation curled up like steam, and I’d felt buoyant since morning.

‘I’ll definitely come this time.’

I already knew the reason why. Now that we were lovers, Kwon Yido had kissed the back of my hand and said so. No need to let me go, no need to end our relationship—he’d just come to celebrate the results I’d built with my employees.

“Then please enjoy your time.”

I wrapped up the brief remarks and handed the mic back to the host. Half the guests were corporate invitees who’d received invitations, and the other half were ordinary attendees selected by lottery. Among them, there was still no sign of Kwon Yido.

When will he get here...

This time, he was bound to keep his word. He’d skipped the last two events, but our relationship and circumstances were different now. Even if we couldn’t go public as lovers, we could at least exchange greetings as business partners.

All throughout the event, I greeted guests while scanning for him with my eyes. I thought I wasn’t being obvious, but the moment my attention drifted, someone came up and spoke to me.

“Looking for someone?”

“...Ah.”

It was Lee Heena. The short coat and gray slacks paired very well with the soft white knit beneath. As soon as our eyes met, Heena smiled brightly and winked playfully.

“Recommend one perfume for me too.”

I always ended up gifting every product to her anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to play along, so I led her over to the perfumes. As I had her smell the flowers and then the perfumes in turn, a deep smile touched Heena’s lips.

“This one smells very much like you, Sejin.”

It was a light perfume with a jasmine base. For a moment it hinted of rose, then the lingering drydown was close to a cotton accord.

“Come to think of it, are you not releasing that perfume?”

“That perfume?”

“You know, the one you were making like crazy last year.”

“...Oh, that one.”

The word “last year” brought a scent to mind. The woody perfume I’d worked on all day long during the time I’d broken up with Kwon Yido. I’d even asked Heena for advice on it, so of course she remembered.

“That one already has an owner.”

The perfume I’d gifted to Kwon Yido still didn’t have a name. I had originally planned to release it, but I decided quietly to bury it. It was a trivial reason—I just didn’t want other people to know his pheromones. Call it a flimsy possessiveness if you like, but for me the only owner of that perfume was Kwon Yido.

“Oh, right. Sejin, please make a little time soon.”

Heena started to move off, then suddenly looked up at me. When I gave her a puzzled look, her gentle eyes curved softly.

“I need to give you a wedding invitation.”

“...Wow.”

The exclamation slipped out before I knew it. How long had those two been together again. Lee Taeseong had never given anything away to me, and apparently the time had already come. It was surprising news, and even as the listener, I felt happy.

“Congratulations. I’ll definitely make time.”

“It’s thanks to you, Sejin.”

She said she’d treat me to a meal later and tell me the details, then stepped away. Before she went, she didn’t forget to sneak a little wave at Lee Taeseong standing by the entrance.

I’ll have to tease him about it later. I had just turned back toward the other guests when—

“...”

A stir rose from somewhere. It was a subtle change, but my senses were sharpened, so I felt it distinctly. Wondering what it was, I looked that way, and a blaze of red flashed through the crowd.

“...Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped me. The anticipation that had been rising slowly overflowed in an instant like a wave. My expression relaxed, and at the same time my heart began to beat happily. The moment our eyes met at a distance, his excitement passed to me intact.

“...”

“...”

He walked toward me with a neat stride, a rose in one hand. When was it—ah, like the day of the engagement, when he had walked over white petals. Dressed perfectly from head to toe, a faint smile on his lips. He was only walking straight ahead, and yet I thought—it looks like a scene from a movie.

“Representative Jung Sejin.”

That dignified voice calling my name no longer felt unfamiliar. Coming close, Kwon Yido offered me the rose with a gentle look that met mine. Thump, thump—the heartbeat, whoever’s it was, seemed to drum at my ear.

“Congratulations on this launch as well.”

“...Haha.”

The awkward laugh didn’t do much to loosen my tension. The fact that everyone was looking at us didn’t matter much either. My face was probably a little flushed. I was too giddy to care.

“I didn’t think you’d... bring flowers.”

It wasn’t the first time I’d received flowers at an event. Even when not from him, people sometimes gifted bouquets as congratulations. Most of the time Mr. Kim carried them for me, but this one—I had a feeling I’d keep it in my arms until the end.

“Thank you, Executive Director Kwon.”

At my words, he smiled so tenderly it felt like he’d melt. The fingers that brushed mine with ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) the flower left a lingering regret as they withdrew. He glanced down to check the watch on his wrist and, slipping one hand into his pocket, spoke.

“Will you explain the perfumes to me?”

His sudden appearance drew a lot of attention from those inside the venue. Half seemed to be waiting for a chance to exchange a word with him, and the other half watched from afar as if he were a celebrity. He was a famous figure and extraordinarily handsome, so there was no helping it.

But Kwon Yido ignored everyone and stuck to my side alone. He listened to my explanations for every product, and that wasn’t enough—he threw in all sorts of frivolous questions. Could he layer the perfumes when spraying, which product the representative recommended. They were nothing but flimsy gambits, but I was happy to answer.

“Representative, great job!”

“You two get home safe!”

When the event ended, the employees all but lined up to greet both of us. Whether I should call Kwon Yido shameless for standing there, or praise the staff’s adaptability for taking it in stride—I let out a baffled laugh, and then one of the employees suddenly called me.

“Oh, right. Representative!”

I turned, and so did Kwon Yido. The cluster of employees murmured to each other, lowering their voices. While I wondered, one of them grinned broadly, face alight.

“Happy birthday!”

“...?”

Birthday? I didn’t have time to ask. That first congratulations triggered the others, and one after another they chimed in.

“Congratulations!”

“Have a great time tomorrow!”

“Eat lots of good food!”

Instead of answering, I blinked blankly. The date... was it already that time? I had completely forgotten, and only then did my birthday come back to me. I couldn’t respond right away, and seeing that, an employee asked carefully:

“...Isn’t your birthday tomorrow?”

Their face was tight with nerves. The others, so excited a moment ago, were watching for my reaction. So I softened my expression and smiled at them.

“No, you’re right. Tomorrow is my birthday.”

They always had a cute side to them, as they did now. Moments like this made me think of the employees I’d worked with at Haesin. They always remembered my birthday even when I forgot it myself.

“How did you know it was my birthday?”

“Oh, there are ways we find these things out.”

They quickly offered one more round of cheerful congratulations. They joked about whether we should go out for drinks, then, seeing Kwon Yido standing next to me, changed their minds. Once everyone had left, Kwon Yido was looking at me with a subtle expression.

“What?”

“...No, it’s nothing.”

“So bland...”

I let out a thin laugh and slipped my hand quietly into his coat pocket. When I carefully laced my fingers with the hand inside, he went a step further and interlaced them. In the gaze fixed straight on me, the long sunset had soaked softly.

“You’ll take me home, right?”

***

As always, it was just the two of us on the way home. He naturally headed for my officetel, and by the time we reached the parking garage, the sky had turned dusky. While we rode the elevator up together, it was Kwon Yido who held my hand first this time and didn’t let go.

“On a day like this, we should have a drink...”

I was in just the mood to get tipsy. I’d come to know how fun it was to drink happily, so at times like this I occasionally missed office gatherings. I didn’t want to be the kind of boss who made a nuisance of himself, but at this rate I might start arranging drinks every day.

“Want one?”

“Alcohol?”

“There should be some wine I brought over before.”

Like it was his own place, he punched in the passcode with practiced ease. It had happened a few times, but today it felt oddly new. If we’re going to do this, wouldn’t it be better to just live together. The thought popped up and lingered in my mind more than usual.

“Did we have wine?”

“Probably in the cabinet...”

Since he’d started dropping by my place, it had filled up with odds and ends. I’d originally had barely any furniture, but now there were even a few of his suit cases hanging in the closet. Somehow we’d ended up with extra bedding, and just like he said, there was wine in the cabinet.

“Since it’s here, we can drink a glass and sleep.”

At that, I couldn’t help letting out a little snort. Sitting down across the island, I said it casually:

“...‘Sleep’ has several meanings.”

Still holding the wine in one hand, he curled one corner of his mouth. Reaching his other hand toward me, he cupped my left cheek softly and leaned in. Before I knew it, his face was close; he pecked my lips and drew back.

“You should remember tomorrow’s the weekend, Sejin.”

“...”

A warning that struck with sudden danger. The voice was elegant and low, but I still hadn’t forgotten last week. As good as it had been—good enough to bring me to tears—the aftermath to be borne the next day had been massive.

He took out two wine glasses (I didn’t even know I had them) and opened the wine skillfully with an opener. I didn’t know why the motions—sinking the screw and pulling—looked so sexy. He filled the glasses with a soft pour and handed one to me.

“You should accept one, Representative.”

Like a smooth old fox, the tone was downright professional. It amused me a little, and I smiled with my eyes as I took the stem. He lifted his glass as well and clinked it lightly against mine.

After that, we emptied the bottle while chatting about nothing much. Halfway through, cheese appeared on the table—also something he’d prepared in advance. Was this my place, or his. At this rate, it would really be better to combine our households, I thought more than once.

“Sleepy?”

“Mmh...”

After we finished the wine, he scooped me up and settled me into a bath. At his place, the staff did everything. With Kwon Yido personally attending to me, it felt strange. We finished with light teasing hands in the shower and, wearing only robes, lay down side by side on the bed.

“...Mr. Kwon.”

In the unlit room, I could just make out his face. Giving me his arm as a pillow and patting my back, he glanced down at me. Having come twice in the shower, I was languid and on the verge of sleep.

“Do you remember the French I taught you before?”

“French?”

He echoed gently. Maybe because it was night, his voice was overly tender. Like the pheromones drifting now, all the tension had loosened.

“The thing about being on the moon... that one.”

It was a memory from the day we first kissed. He’d tested my French by having me translate a small poetry book. The day he’d kissed me softly, telling me I had no sense of reality.

“Turns out it means your mind is elsewhere.”

I only found out later it wasn’t as romantic as I’d thought. It depends on interpretation, but it probably didn’t mean “enchanted” like we had been then.

“So right now...”

I was about to say it was a little different from this drowsy state when he stroked the back of my head.

“You’re drunk.”

His lips brushed me like a feather. The tickle made me puff out a laugh. I was flushed with exactly the tipsiness he said, my muzzy head pleasantly fogged. So I made a little smacking sound on purpose as I spoke.

“You drank with me.”

“You’re calling me ‘baby’ again.”

“...That’s not that ‘baby.’”

He was teasing me, it seemed. He liked that form of address more than anyone, and maybe because I didn’t use it when sober, he did this. So, on a whim, I whispered in a small, soft voice:

“Baby.”

“...”

His eyes deepened. Seeing him smirk, I guessed he wasn’t as far gone as last time. Well, we had washed together, and he’d come once too.

“Want to hear about when I was little?”

Blame it on the alcohol if you want. I just wanted to keep talking for no reason at all. Our lips brushed every time I spoke, but neither of us pulled away.

“Mm, tell me.”

Deliberately bringing his lips closer, he spoke. Memories the imprint hadn’t conveyed. And my childhood that he would likely never know unless I said it myself. A formless past I vaguely wanted to unload swelled up to the base of my throat.

“When I was nine years old...”

The story I began that way went on for quite a while. It was rambling and not very interesting, but he never interrupted me once. He simply soothed me from time to time and listened calmly. I poured out my past endlessly, and then, at some point, drifted right off to sleep.