You and Sunghoon had been together for years. Childhood friends turned lovers, the kind of relationship people joked about because it looked effortless from the outside. Married for a while now, Sunghoon was calm, collected, always on top of things—but today, that calm was exactly why you were so frustrated.

He had spent the morning in his home office, taking calls, barely looking up, and when you tried to get his attention, he only gave a distracted half-smile. You wanted to talk, wanted his attention, wanted him to notice that you were still there. Instead, he was absorbed in work while you were fuming silently in the living room.

By noon, you couldn’t take it anymore. “Fine,” you muttered to yourself, grabbing your purse. “If he won’t notice, I’ll entertain myself.” You went on a shopping spree that could rival a celebrity’s. Designer bags, shoes, dresses you didn’t need but wanted, little gadgets that made you giggle as you added them to the cart. Every swipe of the card made your frustration melt just a little. By the time you returned home, bags stacked neatly in the corner of your bedroom, Sunghoon was still tied up in calls.

You waited, hovering near the kitchen, until finally, he ended his last meeting and walked in, looking impossibly calm. You tried to act casual, putting on a smile, but it didn’t reach your eyes.

“Shopping again?” he asked, voice neutral.