Jinli ran the memories of their kiss over and over in her head. She had a surge of hope but she suppressed it. It would be dumb to let her feelings run away from her. The car ride had lapsed back to the silence but it was a pensive one, with both of their minds obviously on what had happened previously. They went into the house quietly and he had waited for her to go in to take a shower. Now, she was lying in bed, trying to think.

            She heard him come out and thought about making a reference to his joke before but stayed still. If she had said something, it may just strain the moment. So Jinli kept quiet. The bed shifted and she could smell him. There was a yearning for his arms to go around her but of course, that was just an empty hope.

            If he hadn’t rejected her twice before, she would try to make an effort. Jinli wanted to hit herself. What was so important about that she was always trying to initiate it? But she knew that it was more than that. It was about making their marriage intimate and helping them survive and function somehow. She didn’t know what made Daehyun so good-natured today but his actions only made her heart flutter.

            She turned slowly so that she was facing him and was surprised to see that Daehyun was facing her too. His eyes were closed and she studied his features from the dim light that came in through the window. He looked peaceful and she resisted the urge to touch the soft lips that she had kissed.

            “Go to sleep,” his words shocked her; she had thought he was asleep. But for some reason, he didn’t have the venom he did during their honeymoon.

            Jinli wanted to push it. She wanted to be comfortable around him so she spoke. “How’d you know I was staring?”

            He opened one eye. “I could sense your gaze. I know I’m handsome but you can always stare in the morning.”

            She smiled a little. He was joking with her. Could this really be the beginnings of a successful relationship? “If I stare in the morning, then I’d definitely be caught. Then that would be embarrassing.”

            Daehyun laughed a little and poked her. “Well you were caught anyway.”

            Jinli wanted nothing more than to touch him right now but she restrained herself. She didn’t want to push him too over. Instead she started to turn so that she was facing the ceiling instead. “Go sleep. You need to wake up early for a meeting tomorrow.”

            He sounded surprised. “How did you know?”

            “I hope you don’t mind, but I made it a point to get your schedule that way I can remind you if anything.” There was a silence and she hastily tried to amend her sentence. “But I don’t want to interfere. So if you don’t like it, I won’t do it. I don’t want to seem so demanding and policing.”     

            “It’s alright. I appreciate it. Good night.” That was it and her heart fell. Somehow she had felt that they had taken another step back.

***

            His mother came to see him that day. Daehyun looked up and saw her slip into his office. He tensed, afraid that she would come for the one reason he didn’t want her to. “Mother,” he stood and bowed, greeting her.

            She gestured for him to sit and stared at him for a long time. He saw the concern in her eyes and she shook her head. “You haven’t been eating.”

            He flushed. His mother always focused on his eating habits. But he sensed that there was something more to this so he waited. She placed a bag on his desk and he smiled a little. The complimentary soup, as if she would ever forget. “I think you know why I’m here.”

            He nodded and she took a deep breath. “We spoke about this multiple times but I just wanted to make sure that the message cuts across. Jinli is a good girl.”

            “I know.” He made his tone flat because he didn’t want to let his anger show. He was exhausted, tired of the same lecture from different people. “She’s perfect and I’m supposed to treat her better. I’m trying.” He was. Last night had been a far stretch.

            His mom, who had been leaning forward, sat back and nodded. “I know you’re a good boy. I want her to know it too. I want you to be able to show her that you are a good man, a husband to be proud of. I don’t ask much from the two of you, but please do try to make each other happy.”

            “We went out to dinner last night,” he informed her.

            His mother smiled and her entire demeanor relaxed. “Well, that’s quite nice, and on her first day too.” She stood and hastily made for the door. “I know you’re busy, so I’ll be going now.”

            Daehyun nodded and escorted her down to the car. As he walked up the stairs back to his office, he bumped into a grave looking Yongguk. “Hyung?”

            Yongguk looked at him. “Our stocks keep falling. Even though we just bought out Mr. Cho’s company, we can’t manage to get a handle on the entire business.”

            “Don’t worry. We’re acquiring the new company that wanted to make deals. I’m sure the revenues from there would be sufficient enough to boost our own values.”

            But the thought was still worrying him as he stepped into his room. They had recently acquired so many new businesses, how could their shares be falling? He sensed something was off about the numbers but shook his head. It could just be the faltering economy, and the entertainment industry wasn’t doing as well as predicted.

            His eyes fell onto a folded piece of paper in his drawer and he took it out. His mouth flattened when he saw the familiar handwriting. Daehyun crumpled the paper and threw it out. He straightened his tie and forced himself to think of what to do with Jinli when he went home.

***

            In an attempt to maintain the mood, Jinli had gotten back early and made a large dinner. She had asked his mother what Daehyun liked and had made the nine dishes that he always requested when he went home. She wiped her brow and smiled a little whimsically. Her husband was quite a big eater. She tried to reconcile the playful, almost boyish parts of him that she was starting to discover with the cold-hearted man she had to deal with for the beginning of their marriage and decided that she preferred this side.

            She glanced at the clock. He should be back. There was a knock on the door and she forced herself to stay calm as she went to open it. dropped. It wasn’t Daehyun at the door but Taewoon. “What are you doing here?”

            He looked above her head and looked almost shy. “Uh, I had a problem and nobody was willing to help. I was hoping I could employ your artful eye?”

            Jinli glanced past him and thought of Daehyun and what he would think but dismissed it. It was no big deal. “Come in. I made dinner and Daehyun should be home soon so you are free to join us.”

            He shuffled and backed away. “Ah, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

            She waved her hands. “It’s nothing. Besides, we’re just doing business, it’s not a big deal.” She stepped aside and he walked in tentatively. “The living room is to your right,” she instructed as she followed him in.