Inhee leant against the wall of the lift as it climbed to the top of the building and snuck another look at Nari, sleeping in her pram, not quite believing that she was really going to do this. But Songju had promised her that Jongin was okay with it. He would be away on a business trip for the next week at least, so she’d have plenty of time to settle in and find her feet before she had to think about him. Or that kiss.

What had he been thinking? Perhaps the same as her—nothing. Perhaps the touch of their lips had banished all rational thought and left him as confused as she was.

At least all the paperwork and everything in the officialdom was ticking along nicely. It was just a case of getting the right legal papers in order, and making sure that Dahee had the medical help—both physical and mental—that she needed to get and stay well. There had been no talk of prosecution for abandonment—only concern for Dahee and Nari’s welfare.

A stack of half-opened parcels littered the hallway, making the apartment look less bachelor sophisticated and more like a second hand sale. Songju must have beaten her here and picked up all the internet shopping that Inhee had done while she was in the hospital with Nari. They had some work ahead of them to get the apartment baby-ready—that was clear.

She peeked into the living room and was tempted to shiver at the abundance of black leather, smoked glass and chrome. Everything in the room shone, and Inhee wondered if Jongin was quite mad for letting them all stay here. One thing was for sure, even with Nari on her best behaviour it wasn’t going to be easy keeping the place looking this show-home perfect.

“Songju?” Inhee called out as she stood in the living room with Nari in her arms, her eyes drawn to the glass walls with a view over the river. “Are you here?”

A voice sounded from the end of the hallway.

“In here,” she shouted. “I’m just doing battle with the cot.”

Inhee followed the sound of Songju’s swearing and found herself in a luxurious bedroom. Between the doorway and the enormous pillow-topped bed Songju’s head was just visible between the bars of a half-built cot.

“Are you winning?” Inhee asked with a laugh.

“Depends on who’s keeping score,” came the reply, along with another string of expletives.

Inhee covered Nari’s ears and tutted.

“Sorry, Nari,” Songju said, finally dropping the screwdriver and climbing out from the pile of flat-packed pieces. “How are we doing?” she asked as she crossed the room to give Nari a squeeze and Inhee a hug.

“She’s fine,” Inhee told her. “Clean bill of health. Thanks so much for getting started with this.” She waved a hand towards the cot.

“Don’t be daft. It’s nothing. Now, are you going to put the baby down and give me a hand?”

“Let me just grab her carrycot and I’ll see if she’ll go down.”

As Inhee walked back into the hallway she jumped against the wall at the sight of a man’s dark shadow up ahead of her.

“Jongin…?” she said, holding Nari a little tighter to her.

As Jongin took a step forward his face came into the light and she could see the shock and surprise written across his features.

“Inhee, what the hell—?”

”Songju!”

She wasn’t sure which of them had shouted first, but as it became apparent that Jongin had no idea she was going to be there Inhee felt the flames of embarrassment up her cheeks, colouring her skin. Oh, Songju had some explaining to do.

Songju at least had the good grace to look sheepish when she emerged into the hallway.

“What the hell is she doing here?”

Inhee’s gaze snapped back to Jongin at the anger in his voice and she felt herself physically recoil. She was as surprised to see there as he was to find them both in the flat—Songju had promised her he would be out of town for at least a week yet—but the venom in his voice was unexpected and more than a little offensive.

“Jongin!” Songju admonished. “Don’t talk about Inhee like that. I promise you, I can explain. You’re not meant to be here.”

“It’s my house, Songju. Where else would I be?”

“Well, India, for a s