Inside, everything was prepped in the kitchen. Her house was very neat, but not the kind of OCD cleanliness that Jiwon possessed. It was warm, with soft pink tones throughout, and the kind of understated luxury that whispered wealth rather than shouted it. It smelled faintly of citrus and fresh linen. Jiwon let his eyes wander across what he could see, trying not to look too impressed.

He placed his hands in his pockets and leaned slightly against the doorway.

“You’ve just moved, but your house already looks very complete.” – Jiwon

Hae-in walked ahead of him toward the kitchen island, adjusting a vase of peonies slightly, not because it was off-center—just out of habit.

“You’re right. I’m quite diligent. I’d already sorted everything out before I moved in, including the furniture.” – Hae-in

She looked back over her shoulder with a smirk, as if expecting him to underestimate her.

Jiwon stepped in further and let his fingers brush against the edge of a velvet armchair as he passed.

“The decor looks pretty well. Are you an interior designer?” – Jiwon

Hae-in let out a soft laugh, pulling open a drawer to grab a pair of matching aprons.

“Close, I’m an artist. I have a knack for it, right?” – Hae-in

She tossed one of the aprons toward him without looking. He caught it midair and stared at it like it had insulted him.

“An artist? Do you make enough money to buy a house like this?” – Jiwon

He raised an eyebrow,

only half-joking, as he folded the apron in his hands instead of putting it on.

“Yes. I have an exhibition coming up, would you like a ticket?” – Hae-in

She walked past him to the fridge and took out a tray of neatly portioned ingredients, her back completely turned to his skepticism.

“Why not?” – Jiwon

He draped the apron over his shoulder like a towel and wandered closer to a large painting by the staircase.

“Do you like art?” – Hae-in

Her voice was light, but her glance sharp, like she was questioning him.

“Well, you could say that, I invest in artists sometimes.” – Jiwon

He tilted his head, studying the brushstrokes of one of the abstract pieces. There was an aggression in the color layering that made something shift in his chest, a sudden uncalled-for feeling.

“Look around. Those paintings on the wall are all mine.” – Hae-in

She set the ingredients on the counter with a gentle clink and tied her hair up in an elegant twisted ponytail.

“Maybe I should buy a painting, do you sell?” – Jiwon

He turned to her with a sly smile, the kind that looked polite but rarely meant it.

“Yep. You can go to the exhibition and check them out.” – Hae-in

She reached for a mixing bowl and handed it to him, silently assigning him the role of helper.

Jiwon got right into it and finally put on the apron without any complaining.