Chapter 1

　　A question had followed Saebom throughout her childhood. Who will I marry? Who will be the person standing by my side? Having lost her parents at a young age and been raised by her grandmother, she had always longed to build a family of her own. It was then that she had begun to dream of the person she would spend her life with, her heart filled with a quiet, hopeful excitement.

　　Clutching a dainty bouquet, Saebom took a small, deep breath. The whisper-soft rustle of the wedding dress against her skin was an exquisite pleasure. She gave the attendant a nod, and the woman pulled the ivory silk curtains open.

　　“Wow…”

　　Beautiful. Saebom gazed at her reflection in the full-length mirror, her eyes wide with enchantment. She finally understood why even women with no interest in marriage still yearned to wear a wedding dress at least once. As she listened to the attendant’s explanation, her gaze drifted down to the delicate beadwork on the neckline, and a satisfied smile touched her lips.

　　But it didn’t last. Turning her head, she shot a look of mild exasperation at Jihun, who was lounging on the waiting room sofa.

　　“What is it now?”

　　The bubble of excitement around her popped as he huffed in displeasure. He sat with his legs crossed, staring at her so intently that his handsome face was scrunched into a frown. What is he going to nitpick this time?

　　She decided to strike first.

　　“Don’t say a word. I’m choosing this dress. This is the one I like.”

　　She was determined not to be swayed by him this time. Bracing herself, she waited for his verdict.

　　Sure enough, he stroked his chin and slowly rose from his seat.

　　“It’s pretty,” he conceded, “but it doesn’t quite flatter your figure. And the design is a little too simple.”

　　He approached her and scanned the A-line dress from top to bottom, his brow furrowed.

　　“Besides, you have such a lovely shoulder line, Saebom. It’s better to show off your collarbones. Don’t you think this looks a bit stuffy?”

　　He glanced disapprovingly at the sheer lace that covered her up to her neck, his displeasure obvious.

　　Saebom sighed softly, watching him meticulously inspect her outfit like a designer critiquing a piece before a show. It felt like she’d brought a picky mother-in-law dress shopping. His hand stroked her arm gently as he leaned in close, his voice a low whisper in her ear.

　　“Instead of this one, how about you try on that dress over there?”

　　He gestured with his eyes toward a mermaid-style, off-the-shoulder gown hanging in the back of the fitting room. There he goes again. Exhausted by his endless suggestions, Saebom’s face fell.

　　“I’ve already tried on at least ten dresses. I’m getting tired.”

　　Even with the staff’s help, getting in and out of the gowns was an ordeal. At this point, she couldn’t even remember which ones she’d worn. She pouted, grumbling that she felt like a dress-up doll, but he remained unmoved.

　　“You’re not actually planning on making me try on every single dress in this shop, are you?”

　　He only smiled at her question, a meaningful glint in his eyes. Startled, Saebom flinched as he gently nudged her back toward the fitting room.

　　“Hurry up and change. I’ll be waiting.”

　　“Oh, honestly…”

　　“Just one more,” he coaxed, his voice impossibly gentle. “Hm?”

　　He cupped her cheek, his smile as warm as the spring sun, and her foolish heart began to pound. He knew exactly how to wear down her defenses. Defeated by his smiling eyes, Saebom sighed and headed back into the fitting room, silently cursing her inability to resist his charm.

* * *

　　“See? I knew this would happen,” Saebom whined, staring out at the gridlocked traffic from the passenger seat.

　　They had a wedding consultation at a hotel scheduled for five o’clock, but the car was at a complete standstill. She shot a petulant glare at Jihun, who was behind the wheel.

　　“We’re going to be late because of you. And this traffic is awful.”

　　They had left the bridal shop thirty minutes behind schedule, making their tardiness inevitable. Anxious, Saebom fiddled with her fingernails and gazed out the window, regretting that she hadn’t been firmer when he’d asked her to try on “just one more dress.”

　　“What was I supposed to do?” Jihun shrugged, feigning innocence. “They all looked incredible on you. I felt I had to see all of them to know which one was truly the best.”

　　“Haah…”

　　He leaned over and gave the speechless Saebom a light kiss.

　　“I just want the dress to be as perfect as you are,” he added, his gaze utterly sincere.

　　Her lips parted. She stared, dumbfounded, at the faint smile playing on his lips. This wasn’t the first time. During their last visit to a bridal shop, she had planned on trying on three or four gowns, but he had insisted she model all dozen dresses in the store. It was a stark contrast to how he’d chosen his own tuxedo in a matter of minutes. He was proactive, alright—far too proactive.

　　He seemed more passionate about choosing her dress than she was.

　　She let out a sigh that ruffled her bangs.

　　“I don’t care anymore. I’m just going to pick any of the ones I tried on today.”

　　“Any of them?”

　　The tenderness in his eyes vanished, replaced by a sharp glint. He furrowed his brow.

　　“How can you wear just ‘any’ dress to our once-in-a-lifetime wedding?”

　　“Because I’ve tried on so many that I can’t even remember them all!”

　　Of course, every dress had been dazzling, but the sheer number meant none had left a distinct impression. She doubted even a professional model did this many fittings for a photoshoot.

　　As Saebom leaned her head against the window, complaining of fatigue, Jihun offered a compromise.

　　“Alright. Then let’s just visit three more shops and decide after that.”

　　“What? Th-three more?”

　　“I heard there are some famous shops in Cheongdam-dong and Apgujeong. We’ll just go to those and…”

　　“No! Wait a minute, Jihun.”

　　“Actually, on second thought,” he mused, cutting her off, “if we’re going to all this trouble, why don’t we just have one custom-made?”

　　Saebom’s jaw went slack at his serious expression. A flicker of amusement danced on his lips as he waited for her agreement.

* * *

　　“I’ve arranged the seating as you requested. Since some of your guests have nut allergies, the appetizer has been replaced. And this is the wine list for each table, if you’d please take a look.”

　　A delicate jasmine fragrance filled the warm, cozy consultation room. Saebom stared at the wine list the consultant handed her and blinked slowly. The soft classical music, combined with the lingering fatigue from her dress-fitting marathon, made her head feel heavy with sleep.

　　I can’t fall asleep. She silently swallowed a yawn and pinched her thigh hard under the table.

　　Jihun, having already reviewed the list, turned to her.

　　“I like it. What about you, Saebom?”

　　“Huh? Oh… I-I like it, too!” Saebom nodded with a start, her eyes still hazy.

　　Knowing nothing about wine, it was the only response she could muster, but thankfully, neither of them seemed to notice.

　　“That’s a relief,” the consultant said, smiling. “Then we’ll conclude stage one and move on to stage two.”

　　She handed them a paper outlining the order of the ceremony.

　　“I’ve rearranged the reception as the groom suggested. First, you’ll both change into your reception attire, and when you enter the wedding hall…”

　　Saebom tried to listen, but she was fighting a losing battle against the overwhelming sleepiness. Her eyelids felt impossibly heavy. This is torture. Eventually, her head drooped, and she drifted into a deep sleep.

　　“Um, ma’am…?”

　　It wasn’t long before Saebom, who had been nodding off, lifted her head with a jolt. She came to her senses to find both the consultant and Jihun staring directly at her.

　　Oops. Her eyes flew open in alarm.

　　“Y-yes?”

　　“I was asking for your thoughts on the wedding cake design,” the consultant said, a polite smile in her voice. “If you’re tired, we can take a short break.”

　　Haha. Mortified, Saebom wiped her lips and chanced a glance at Jihun. He was watching her with the strangest expression.

* * *

　　“I’ll see you at our next meeting, then. Please get home safely.”

　　The four-hour consultation was finally over. Saebom bid the consultant farewell at the wedding hall entrance and hurried to catch up to Jihun, who was already walking away. He always held her hand and matched his pace to hers, so his sudden distance was bewildering. Is he mad that I dozed off? Did I seem insincere about something we’re supposed to be doing together?

　　She followed him out of the hotel, her face taut with tension as she swallowed nervously. As she expected, the moment they were in the car, he got straight to the point.

　　“Am I the only one who’s serious about this marriage?”

　　His voice was laced with hurt.

　　Saebom’s head whipped around.

　　“N-no, that’s not true! I’m happy! I’m so happy to be marrying you, Jihun.”

　　“Then how could you fall asleep during our consultation?”

　　“That’s…”

　　“I was there asking questions, thinking everything through, trying to make it perfect, and you were just sleeping next to me.”

　　She bit her lip. He wasn’t wrong. While he and the consultant had been deep in discussion, she had been nodding off. Head bowed, she mumbled an excuse.

　　“I was just so exhausted from trying on all those dresses…”

　　Feeling his disgruntled gaze on her, she trailed off. Her explanation hadn’t erased the hurt from his face.

　　“It just seems like you’re not as invested in this marriage as I am,” he said quietly, starting the car.

　　He was still sulking.

　　This is bad. Saebom watched him stare silently at the road ahead, her stomach twisting with worry. The tense silence stretched all the way to their new home. Stepping through the front door into the chilly atmosphere, Saebom took in the newly renovated space.

　　“Wow, it’s beautiful…”

　　It felt a little empty without all the furniture, but she loved every single detail. After admiring the warm, sophisticated living room, she turned to find Jihun inspecting the island kitchen with its chic teal accents.

　　“Jihun,” she began, approaching him cautiously. “Are you… very angry?”

　　He didn’t answer.

　　“I’m sorry,” she tried again. “I think I’ve just been running on empty, with work and all the wedding planning. I promise, it will never happen again. Pinky promise.”

　　She held up her little finger, but he didn’t even glance at it.

　　Crestfallen, she wrapped her arms around his waist and tilted her head back to look up at him.

　　“You’re not going to forgive me?”