Chapter 01
“Professor…”
So-eun looked up at Hyun-jun with trembling eyes.
The lecture hall was now empty, all the students had left. Hyun-jun had waited for this moment, immediately cornering So-eun.
Their distance was uncomfortably close, making her unsure of what to do.
“Professor, huh.”
Hyun-jun tilted his head slightly, his voice slow and deliberate.
“So-eun, how much longer will you call me that?”
She instinctively stepped back but quickly stopped when she felt the hard edge of a desk behind her.
Hyun-jun’s towering figure blocked her path completely.
“Then… what should I call you…?”
“There’s a better word you could use when we’re alone. Don’t you think?”
A better word…?
Hyun-jun slowly raised his hand and cupped So-eun’s chin.
Ah.
Her eyes widened as he gently lifted her face toward him. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, but she bit her lip, trying to hide her nervousness.
Meanwhile, Hyun-jun’s gaze remained steady, unwavering.
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“N-no… It’s not a problem… but we’re at school. No matter how alone we are, using that word here still feels unfamiliar. It doesn’t come naturally to me.”
“You don’t call me that at home either, so what’s the difference? You’re not a kid anymore.”
“But you used to call me a kid…!”
So-eun’s voice rose slightly in frustration.
“And yet, who was the one acting all confident, claiming to be a full-grown adult who knew everything?”
Hyun-jun narrowed his eyes and stepped even closer.
His relaxed gaze, slightly parted lips, and the angle of his head—it all looked as if he was about to kiss her.
“T-that’s…”
Just before their lips could meet, So-eun lowered her eyes, unable to meet his.
“Answer me properly. Are you sure you know everything?”
He gave her a moment, but when she didn’t respond, he let out a quiet sigh.
“There’s a whole world beyond what we’ve done.”
How frustrating.
When will this girl finally understand?
When will she become a true wife to him at night?
Hyun-jun’s eyes darkened as he gazed at her.
His hand, which had been holding her chin, slowly moved downward.
His fingers traced along her collarbone, gently drawing circles before sliding lower in a teasing touch.
His slow, deliberate movements sent shivers down So-eun’s spine. Her breath trembled.
“This is your homework. Think about how I should treat you tonight.”
He leaned in and whispered in her ear.
“I hope you’re looking forward to it.”
See you at home.
Then, he walked out of the lecture hall with steady steps, seamlessly returning to his role as the serious business professor.
Left alone in the empty room, So-eun placed a hand on her chest, feeling her still-racing heartbeat.
Six months ago.
“Oh wow, look at the time.”
So-eun checked her phone—it was already 7 p.m.
After finishing her classes, she dropped by the library to work on her assignment. But then, she stumbled upon a novel she liked.
The old book smelled of aged paper, a scent that made her feel nostalgic.
It reminded her of the times she secretly read books in her late grandfather’s study.
So-eun became so immersed in reading that she didn’t even notice her glasses slipping down her nose.
A gentle summer breeze drifted through the slightly open library window, making her skirt sway lightly.
Everything about today felt good.
The touch of the breeze on her skin, the joy of finding a good book, even the way her skirt brushed against her legs—it all made her inexplicably happy.
Realizing she wouldn’t be able to finish the book in one sitting, she decided to check it out.
With her backpack now heavier with both the novel and unfinished assignments, she made her way home.
“I’ll do my assignment after dinner.”
She was 23.
A senior in college. It was time to focus on assignments and job applications.
The cool evening air wrapped around her as she walked toward her apartment complex.
Her eyes wandered to the luxurious mansion next to the apartment buildings.
It was an enormous estate, like something out of a fairytale.
That place—her in-laws’ home.
A grand mansion surrounded by mountains, isolated from the rest of the world.
Inside its tall fences lay a beautiful garden, filled with blooming flowers all year round.
In May, late spring, lilacs were in full bloom, filling the air with their sweet scent.
A fountain stood at the center, where clear water flowed down from the mountain stream.
Statues and elegant art pieces decorated the outer courtyard, adding to the estate’s refined atmosphere.
At the heart of it all was the main house, glowing with warm lights.
Her in-laws and their family were probably gathered for dinner.
“I’ve been married for three years, yet I only visit on holidays to say hello…”
It was never easy to visit alone.
Her husband wasn’t in Korea.
Right after their wedding, he had left for America, saying he had to focus on becoming a professor.
He never called. Never contacted her.
So-eun’s gaze shifted to the dark, unlit guesthouse in the corner of the estate.
Her husband’s private residence.
The only space in the mansion that belonged solely to him.
No one else was allowed to enter.
For three years, that place had remained empty, never once lit.
Every day, on her way home, she would glance at the estate.
It wasn’t that she was attached to the place.
But still, she looked.
Sometimes, she caught a glimpse of small silhouettes moving in the courtyard.
She never saw the guesthouse lights turn on, though. Not even once.
With a small sigh, she turned away and entered her apartment.
After their wedding, her husband had arranged for her to live in this luxury apartment next to his family’s estate.
She had insisted she was fine without it, but he had simply told her to live comfortably and disappeared.
As a result, she spent her university years not knowing whether she was truly married or just a student living alone.
“Three years… Am I a married woman? Or just a single student who had a wedding once?”
Not that she minded.
Living alone was peaceful.
Beep, beep, beep—click.
She punched in her door code and stepped inside.
Her stomach rumbled.
She was starving after a long day of classes and studying.
The housekeeper probably left her some food in the fridge.
But before she ate, she needed to clean up.
Her cousins had come over unannounced the day before and left a mess.
“Ugh… I knew I was right to tell the housekeeper to come tomorrow instead.”
They always barged in, saying it wasn’t fair for So-eun to live in such a nice place while they didn’t.
No matter how many times she changed the door code, they found a way in.
They treated her house like a playground, eating, drinking, and making a mess.
So-eun sighed.
“Well… My uncle and aunt did raise me after Grandpa passed away…”
Resigned, she rolled up her sleeves and started cleaning.
As she reached between the couch cushions to grab some crumbs—
Beep—click.
The door unlocked.
Footsteps echoed through the entryway.
So-eun froze.
Her cousins?
No, they didn’t use a key card.
Fear crept up her spine.
Who…?
Then, a deep voice cut through the silence.
“Why is this place such a mess?”
Gasp.
That voice…
So-eun turned toward the entrance, her hand still stuck between the couch cushions.
She must’ve looked ridiculous.
But that didn’t matter.
Standing there, after three years of silence, was her husband.
The man who had vanished after their wedding.
Jeon Hyun-jun.
He was back.
