"Hye-na, your shoelace is undone."
Yoon Hye-na, mid-bite, trembled.
Silently setting down her chopsticks, she ducked under the table.
With someone tying his laces, Lee Jin-woo was in high spirits.
So, the meal took an hour, and he downed two big bowls of soup rice.
Eh~
Maybe it was the new body, but even simple Korean food tasted amazing.
When in Rome, right?
Fully embracing his new identity, Lee Jin-woo pondered what to do next.
"Jin… Jin-woo, I washed the dishes and put them away."
"If… if there's nothing else, I need to get to work."
From resistance to compliance, Yoon Hye-na wasn't sure what happened.
Somehow, she'd grown used to this dynamic.
Whenever her mom took Chang-woo to kindergarten, she'd end up here—cooking, cleaning, tying shoelaces.
"Alright, go. Be careful." Lee Jin-woo gave a casual bow, sitting back down.
Yoon Hye-na walked away, heavy-hearted, wondering if her brain was broken.
At the door, he called her back.
"First drawer in the shoe cabinet. There's something for you."
Opening it, she found a bulging envelope.
Peeking inside, she saw a stack of 10,000-won bills.
"Use it to buy good food. You're too frail—how'll you feed Chang-woo? As a mom, take care of yourself first."
With a complex look, she took the money and left.
It'd ease the household budget.
Plus, she did need supplements.
Supporting one person versus two was a big difference.
Thinking back, he wasn't bad to her.
He often sent high-end ingredients, was polite to her mom, and loved making Chang-woo laugh.
In his arms, Chang-woo giggled like an angel.
Except for that—his demands, standards, positions…
No, the frequency!
Anyway, he was far better than the men she'd chosen before.
Laughing bitterly, she glanced at the closed door. "So, how bad was your taste back then?"
Even this guy was better.
Yoon Hye-na, you were blind.
Blind as a bat…
"Huff, huff, huff…"
Finishing his daily workout, Lee Jin-woo slung a towel over his shoulder, heading for a shower.
He mulled over his future and plans for Yoon Hye-na.
Having her quit her job to be his full-time secretary wasn't a bad idea.
Ding-dong…
Peering through the peephole, he saw a familiar figure.
"Ugh, her again." Sighing, he opened the door and headed to the bathroom.
"Jin-woo, were you working out? Or hiding a woman here?"
"Yup, heard the bell, thought the wife was back. She just jumped out the window."
"…This is the 12th floor. You think I'm an idiot?"
"Ye~ smida."
His cheeky tone made Kim Ji-yeon laugh and fume.
This guy's skin was getting thicker.
Where was that shy, sweet kid?
"Jin-woo, wash up good in there. Make sure you're clean~"
Her suggestive tone left him exasperated under the shower.
Did she really think he was a harmless lamb who wouldn't touch her?
In the room, Kim Ji-yeon surveyed the simple, spotless space.
Her expression softened with approval. This wasn't her first visit—no one could fake this level of cleanliness every time.
He was a tidy good boy. Today, she'd reward him properly!
Setting a lunchbox on the tiny counter, she rummaged through a drawer, muttering, "Where is it? Where?"
"Aha, found it." Shedding her coat, her curves stood out in a tight skirt.
Tying an apron over her chest, she started making kimchi dumplings.
If she remembered right, they were his favorite.
The kimchi from her family's maid was unmatched.
Dumplings with it would be insanely good.
Shutting off the shower, Lee Jin-woo nearly stepped out.
Then he remembered—someone was outside. Not cool to stroll out like this.
But his clothes were soaked, unwearable.
"Ugh, women are such a hassle." Grumbling, he dried his hair, scanning the room.
Grabbing another towel, he knotted two together diagonally, wrapping them around his waist.
Hm~ not bad. Tying the other end, he had a handmade, breezy, tight-fit triangle brief.
Click.
Hearing the door, Kim Ji-yeon turned with a smile, but the sight choked her words.
She ducked her head, frantically kneading dough, her eyes dazed.
"Hm?" No teasing quip? Lee Jin-woo wasn't used to this.
Glancing over, he caught her sneaky peek.
Their eyes met, and she panicked, turning away like a kid caught cheating.
Her dough morphed into odd shapes under her flustered hands.
She'd probably forgotten why she was here.
"What're you doing?" Drying his hair, he tossed the towel onto the sofa.
At the bed, he grabbed clean clothes from a simple rack.
With his back to her, he untied the towel.
Such solid muscles—can't tell under clothes… wow, so toned…
Isn't he embarrassed? Changing in front of me…
Wait, he's turned away. I'm the one peeking… aish, what's wrong with me?!
Frustrated, she scratched her head, forgetting the flour on her hands.
Her glossy brown hair turned into a clumpy mess.
"Ah!!"
"Were you like this at your in-laws'?" Seeing her flour-coated chaos, Lee Jin-woo scoffed. "No wonder they didn't like you."
"Yah, Lee Jin-woo! Do I usually do this? You think I'm a maid?"
Stomping, she pointed at the dough, fuming.
"Quiet, or the downstairs folks will complain."
Rolling his eyes, she resumed her task.
"Go wash up. I'll handle this."
"What's this, kimchi?"
"Your favorite, kimchi dumplings. Our maid's kimchi—you can't buy this stuff."
(End of Chapter)