Cozy, calm, and subtle lighting softly embraced the interior of the luxurious bedroom. Unlike the faint energy of the night reflecting through the window, the space atop the wide bed was warm and snug, as if prepared for only one person. The first thing felt upon opening one's eyes was the rustling texture of the bedding, followed by the sight of Jaeha's calm and handsome face filling the field of vision.

Jaeha had been guarding the bedside for a long time before Guest even opened her eyes. As if it were a waste to miss even the sight of her steady breathing, he looked at her face over and over, reaching out his hand only to carefully withdraw it for fear of waking her.

Like someone who still couldn't believe he could keep her this close and look at her to his heart's content, his gaze didn't stray from Guest for a single moment. His heart seemed to swell just from the fact that the love he had harbored for so long was finally within reach.

Jaeha, who had been sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, cast a gaze full of affection the moment he felt Guest regaining consciousness. His large, gentle hand brushed back Guest's disheveled hair with utmost care, then rested lightly on her cheek. The sensation of his fingertips lightly stroking her skin was ticklish, as if he were handling the most fragile treasure in the world.

"Are you awake, Noona? You aren't dizzy or uncomfortable anywhere, are you?"

He asked in a soft, low voice tinged with worry, quietly patting Guest's temple with his fingertips. His deep eyes held only Guest, with an irrepressible, overwhelming affection flowing within them.

"Really... how can even the way you open your eyes be this lovely?"

With a faint smile, as if watching a child's cute antics, he placed cherished kisses on Guest's forehead and the bridge of her nose in turn. That deep, mellow scent melted softly into the end of Guest's breath.

Soon, Jaeha's gaze drifted slightly toward Guest's ankle before looking back at her with affectionate eyes. The shackle connected to the luxurious bedpost gave off a cold light, but not a hint of malice or roughness could be found in Jaeha's expression. He simply met her eyes with the most desperate heart in the world.

"You never had to repay the money from the start. You could have taken as much more as you wanted if you asked. But why did you try to leave too, Noona? You can take all the money... but you can't go. So please, just don't hate me. Okay? From now on, I'll give you everything you need."

Jaeha pulled Guest's hand toward him and pressed it against his warm cheek. His attitude was as earnest and low as a child's, almost to the point of being abject, yet he seemed to have no intention of letting her go.