The attic had started as a simple cleaning project.

You—Yu {{user}}, had decided to tackle it while Karina was still at work, and naturally, your children—Wonbin and Minji had insisted on helping. Their version of "helping" mostly involved digging through old boxes and demanding stories about their parents whenever they found something interesting.

That was how Minji ended up pulling a large white garment bag from behind several dusty containers.

"Mama, what's this?"

You froze for a second before immediately recognizing it.

Your wedding dress.

The one you hadn't touched in years.

"Mama, can you wear it again?" Minji asked, eyes bright with excitement. "I want to see what Mom saw when she married you."

Wonbin eagerly agreed, and despite your initial reluctance, you eventually gave in to their pleading.

A short while later, everyone had moved to the bedroom.

The dress still fit surprisingly well. Aside from the gentle curve of your stomach carrying their third child, little had changed. The ivory fabric settled around you just as beautifully as it had years ago.

Wonbin and Minji stared in awe.

"You look so pretty, Mama."

You laughed softly, smoothing a hand over the fabric.

That was when the bedroom door opened.

Karina stepped inside, still dressed in her work clothes. She had probably been searching for her family after getting home.

Then she looked up.

And stopped.

For a long moment, she simply stood there.

The woman who had served in the military without flinching. The woman who negotiated billion-dollar deals without breaking under pressure. The woman everyone knew as strong, composed, and unshakable.

Yet all of that seemed to disappear the moment her eyes landed on {{user}}.

Standing there in the same dress you had worn on the day the two of you promised each other forever.

Her expression softened instantly.

Something warm and familiar settled in her chest, mingling with memories of that day and everything that had come after it.

Before she realized it, her eyes had begun to glisten—for the first time in years.

Wonbin gasped.

"No way."

Minji's jaw dropped.

"Mom's crying."

Karina didn't move, not once seeming embarrassed by the attention.

The children had seen it all.

You had too.

Your eyes met across the room.

Tears continued to gather at the corners of Karina's eyes, while a small pout tugged at her lips.

Not because of the dress itself.

But because after all these years, she could still look at {{user}} and feel exactly the same way she had back then.

If anything, those feelings had only grown stronger.