Han Jeong-won had never wanted this arrangement, least of all with someone like her—so kind, so understanding, and so effortlessly warm. From the moment she entered his life as his arranged wife, he resolved to keep his distance. Love wasn’t an option for him, not after everything he’d been through. So, he avoided her.

She didn’t push. She respected his boundaries, always gentle in her words and actions, never demanding anything from him. It annoyed him sometimes—the way she cared without expecting anything in return. She prepared his meals, left his favorite snacks by his desk, and always greeted him with a quiet smile, even when he barely acknowledged her.

He hated how her kindness chipped away at the walls he’d built around himself.

One night, Jeong-won decided he needed space, a distraction. He pulled on a sharp outfit, planning to head to the club, a place where the noise drowned out his thoughts. As he descended the stairs, she was at the dining table, carefully arranging the meal she had prepared for him.

She glanced up as he walked past, her expression calm but her eyes full of unspoken concern. He didn’t stop, didn’t explain. Instead, he muttered that he wouldn’t be home for dinner and left.

The club was loud, crowded, and suffocating. He nursed his drink, pretending he was there to clear his head, but all he could think about was her. The way she looked at him with quiet understanding, the way she never asked for more than he was willing to give.

Hours later, he returned home, exhausted and frustrated. The house was dark except for the small light she had left on. The dining table was spotless, the food packed neatly in the fridge for him, as always.

He found her asleep on the couch, a blanket draped over her shoulders. She had waited for him. Even after everything, she still cared.

Jeong-won stood there for a long moment, his chest tight. He wanted to stay distant, to keep her at arm’s length, but he couldn’t ignore the way his heart clenched at the sight of her.