CHAPTER 60…………………………..
With the VIP reception concluded, the first day’s schedule in Italy came to an end.
Rejecting Chief Kim’s offer to escort him back to the hotel, Ihan instead moved to another destination for his personal plans.
The sedan carrying him slipped out onto a quiet road on the outskirts of Rome.
It was only around sunset that they arrived at their destination.
After greeting the driver, Ihan got out of the car.
As soon as he took a step forward, a small villeta surrounded by white stone walls came into view.
The rose vines climbing up the wall looked exactly as he remembered them.
Through a slightly open window, white curtains swayed gently in the breeze.
The woman who spotted Ihan through the fluttering curtains widened her eyes in surprise and quickly turned away.
Moments later, the oak door that blocked the entrance to the garden opened.
As soon as the woman stepped out and saw Ihan, her face lit up with delight.
“Sandro.”
She pulled Ihan into her arms for a tight embrace.
After lightly kissing his cheek, she greeted him with eyes glistening with tears.
[How long has it been?]
She asked in Italian, carefully studying his face.
Ihan smiled softly and replied in the same language.
[It really has been too long.]
[I missed you.]
[Me too.]
The two, reunited after so long, exchanged a tender gaze.
When the woman laughed and tugged on his arm insistently, Ihan followed her into the house.
That evening, Haru was having drinks with Dain, just the two of them.
It had been ages since they’d shared a drink together — both had been too busy with work since getting their jobs.
Even though Dain had called her out on short notice, Haru had gladly agreed.
Part of the reason was that she didn’t want to go back to Ihan’s empty house.
Eating dinner alone and sleeping alone in that huge house last night — it had felt unbearably lonely.
She had always lived alone since moving to Seoul, yet somehow, being alone in his home felt different.
She realized she had grown used to sharing the space with him without even noticing.
The house felt foreign without him there.
“You know what’s still crazy to me?” Dain said, munching on a pretzel. “That you and President Tae are actually dating.”
“Is he good to you?”
A teasing smile played on Dain’s lips.
Haru was about to nod calmly, but curiosity got the better of her.
“Hey… remember those rumors you told me about before?”
“Rumors?”
“Yeah, the ones about Ihan.”
That he was a womanizer, that he dated women casually — Dain had once told her those rumors followed him everywhere.
They had lingered in Haru’s mind ever since, though she’d been too embarrassed to ask him about them directly.
“Ah, those rumors!”
Dain laughed as the memory came back to her.
After taking a gulp of beer, she went on, “Didn’t I tell you? They turned out to be false. All of them — just rumors.”
Haru’s eyes widened at the unexpected answer.
Dain continued explaining.
“It bugged me too, so I straight-up asked him about it. Turns out, he started those rumors himself.”
“What? Why would he do that?”
Haru blinked in disbelief.
They weren’t flattering rumors — quite the opposite. Why would he spread such things about himself?
“Apparently, he said those things during blind dates — to get out of them faster.”
Dain popped another pretzel into her mouth.
“Unbelievable, right? I was floored when I heard. And to think I actually believed them…”
Now that Haru knew the truth, her feelings were strange and complicated.
During their contract relationship, there had been countless moments that could be mistaken for a real romance.
Each time, she had brushed it off, telling herself that he was just experienced with women — that was all.
She had warned herself not to get attached, that once the contract ended, she had to walk away cleanly.
She had tried to convince herself, to stay disciplined.
He had told her himself that he had no real dating experience — but she hadn’t believed him.
And yet…
“I was surprised,” Dain said. “He seems pretty serious about you.”
Haru’s chest grew warm and fluttery.
The hope she’d been trying to suppress began to swell like cotton candy.
She had thought he was merely following her request — to make it feel like a real relationship.
But maybe… just maybe…
“Remember when that dating rumor came out the other day? I’ve never seen him so furious before.”
It could only mean one thing — he truly cared.
The more Dain listed the signs, the more tangled Haru’s thoughts became.
Dain, of course, didn’t know their relationship was based on a contract.
But Haru did — and she knew she shouldn’t be shaken like this.
Still, her heart grew confused.
The more she tried to suppress her hopes, the stronger they surged — so she gulped down her beer in frustration.
“Whoa, Haru! Slow down — no one’s stealing it from you!”
Haru slammed her empty glass onto the table.
As soon as it hit, Ihan’s face flashed through her mind.
A hot ache welled up from deep in her chest.
“…I miss him.”
“What?”
Dain blinked, not quite hearing her.
But Haru finally muttered the words Ihan had waited so long to hear.
She knew exactly what answer he’d wanted — and yet she’d kept silent.
Until now.
It took some effort for Haru to shake off Dain, who insisted they go to her place for another round, unaware that Haru had moved.
It was late at night when she finally returned home.
She entered the familiar passcode on the door lock and stepped inside.
The motion light flicked on in the pitch-dark hallway.
Seeing the empty living room sent a chill down her spine. She stepped further in.
Then—
“You’re home now?”
The sudden voice made her freeze mid-step.
Startled, she shook her head hard.
Her feet, unsteady from alcohol, shuffled uncertainly on the floor.
“That’s impossible…”
She muttered to herself, exhaling a shaky laugh.
Hearing Ihan’s voice — when he was supposed to be in Italy — was absurd.
But as she took another few steps, a tall figure blocked her path.
She slowly lifted her head.
“Wow… I must be seeing things now,” she mumbled, blinking sluggishly.
Maybe she’d drunk so much she was hallucinating.
“I kept saying I missed you, and now I really see you — Mr. Tae Ihan himself.”
Listening to her drunken mumble, Ihan finally spoke.
“Did you miss me?”
Haru’s eyes widened.
She rubbed them with the back of her hand, staring again to make sure.
“What—say something! Is this a dream?”
He wasn’t supposed to be back until tomorrow morning.
So there was no way he could actually be standing in front of her right now.
“It’s not a dream. I came early… because I missed you too.”
“…”
“I took an early flight — to see you.”
Her drunken haze cleared in an instant.
Only then did she realize — this wasn’t an illusion. It was really him.
“No way…”
Haru clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide.
Seeing that, Ihan let out a quiet laugh.
“Why hide that mouth? Do you know how long I’ve wanted to kiss it again?”
He gently moved her hands aside and bent down.
As his familiar warmth touched her lips, Haru’s wide eyes fluttered shut.
