24
At that moment, I did not immediately respond to Toop but locked eyes with him, feeling something unfamiliar.
I hesitated, unsure how to proceed.
Still, he did not seem the least bit irritated, which made me feel like I had the time to gradually adapt to this fresh start between us.
Before we eventually got out of bed, I had to lie there, letting him hug me for a while.
Honestly, I wanted to return his morning kiss, but whenever Toop came on strong, I found myself unsure how to react.
Even though he had been diligently doing it for a week now and I came to the set with him today, I still could not muster the courage.
Instead, I found myself snuggling into his embrace because he had this comforting, pleasant scent lately.
A scent just like now.
“Mr. Toop,”
I murmured as I stirred awake, opening my eyes on the reclining chair set by the river in a quiet area of the filming location, far from the rest of the crew.
Nearby, one of his staff sat, ensuring I was not left completely alone.
His presence made me jump a little.
Yesterday, he had his team watch over me again since his manager could not stay around all the time.
Even though I said it felt excessive, today I thought it was nice to have them around.
Before Toop had me sit in some peaceful spot, I stumbled upon this serene riverside area.
This river frequently appeared on TV, often used as a filming location for boat scenes in dramas.
Today, however, there was no one here but me, surrounded by a setup of tents and comfort.
Toop had allowed me to be this far out, provided two staff members stayed nearby without interfering.
“Did I startle you?”
He asked as I sat up from the recliner, no longer lying down.
I nodded.
“You came so quietly.”
“You were asleep. How would you know if I was quiet?”
I stammered, glancing at his teasing expression, even though his face looked calm.
“I didn’t hear anything, so I figured you came quietly.
Doesn’t that make sense?”
“It does.
You’re not wrong.”
“Are you trying to rile me up?”
His demeanor was oddly aggravating, but he did not seem the least bit annoyed.
“I just wanted to tease you a bit, that’s all.
Not to make you upset.
Relax a little, okay?
Otherwise, our baby might end up cranky.
Come on, smile a bit.”
“You did.”
“Well, if I hadn’t done my part, you wouldn’t have a baby in there, would you?”
“Mr. Toop/”
He claimed he was not trying to irritate me, yet how could he say something like that?
“Alright, Anshan, no more teasing. Here, have some fresh orange juice to cheer up.”
He spoke while opening a wicker basket that I did not know where he got from.
Inside, apart from the orange juice, there seemed to be other things as well.
“Go on, drink.
I had it freshly squeezed just for you.”
“By whom?”
“By-”
Toop glanced away briefly before pulling the small table between us, the one I had been using to hold a book.
He began taking out items from the wicker basket, arranging them on the table, I was puzzled.
“By the shop I ordered this lunch. You can take your pick.”
He spoke casually while his hands busily arranged six or seven dishes on the table.
“You ordered these?”
He paused for a moment before nodding.
“From one of my favorite spots.”
His response only deepened my confusion.
“Here’s the thing, Anshan. I wanted to share something about your husband—you know, me. I have a go-to place I love. And I wanted to share that with you over lunch.”
His tone grew a little firmer, but despite his sharp voice and undeniably handsome face, his ears turned slightly red.
Even I, often teased for being clueless, started to catch on.
“Oh~”
“What oh now?”
I stifled a grin.
“Oh~ I get it now.”
Although Toop looked like he wanted to spar with words, his usually stern expression softened into a smile.
“You’re actually pretty easy to read, huh?”
“If you know that, then try to keep your spirits up more often.”
“I am in a good mood. Or do you see it differently?”
Toop did not respond as he set a plate of food in front of me, simply locking eyes with me instead. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
“By the way, is this one of your absolute favorite restaurants?”
This time, it was his turn to furrow his brow before nodding after a brief pause.
“Yes.”
“Noted. Now I know that apart from loving salads, you also have a favorite restaurant.”
I smiled at him before using my fork to try one of the dishes in front of me.
“This one’s delicious.”
“You- know I like salads?”
I raised my hand to cover my mouth as I chewed on a perfectly cut piece of chicken, nodding in response.
“I didn’t know per se. I guessed from your expression the first time you ate a salad I made. You seemed to really like it.”
You could say I imagined that he liked it.
After all, every time I prepared a salad, Toop would always finish it without leaving a crumb.
Seeing him eat silently yet thoroughly would make me smile to myself every time.
“Yes, I like salads.
But I used to be wary of them.
What about you?”
“Huh?”
I nearly choked on a piece of lettuce, distracted by listening to Toop talk about himself.
“I asked, what about you?
What do you like to eat?”
“You- want to know?”
“Does ‘wanting to know’ and ‘caring’ feel like the same thing?”
I nearly blurted out my confusion but managed to hold it back.
It led to an exchange between us as we shared our likes and dislikes while enjoying lunch.
“Next time, let’s dine at the restaurant. That way, you can pick what you want to eat.”
I nodded.
“I’ll try to find time to go.”
“When I say let’s eat at the restaurant, isn’t it obvious you’re coming with me?”
“But…”
It was fine.
I understood.
Still, deep down, I worried about making things difficult for him, so I nearly declined his invitation, despite seeing how he was enjoying his food.
“In that case, I’ll wait to go with you.”
“That’s how it should be.”
Toop shrugged with a teasing air that made me feel a twinge of irritation.
I suddenly remembered something as we finished more than half of the food on the table.
“Mr. Toop.”
“What is it?”
“You’re here eating lunch with me, but what about the crew?”
Would anyone not wonder where he had gone?
Over the past few days at the set, I had noticed that although Toop came across as a gentleman and aristocratic on screen, during breaks, he had often shared laughs and meals with the team.
Some days, he even called his manager to bring snacks for everyone.
But now he had ordered food to eat with me, as if we were on a picnic.
“They’re eating their food, and I’m here eating separately with you.
Simple as that.”
“And if…”
“If you’re about to ask whether anyone’s suspicious or what happens if someone comes by, my answer is: why should I care?”
“Mr. Toop…”
I called his name softly, my gaze meeting his with a waver.
It was not a feeling of joy, even though I was here as someone close to him.
We had never explicitly shown what we were to each other.
Toop sighed, setting down his utensils before locking eyes with me.
“That’s my answer to you.
But the manager already has a separate explanation for the team.
As for anyone who might wander here, don’t worry.
I didn’t assign my staff to simply keep an eye on you, Anshan.
They’re also here to ensure privacy for both you and me.”
“You should’ve said that in the first place.”
“Well, how was I supposed to know you’d make that face?”
“What face are you talking about?”
By now, I could feel my own face tightening, my brows furrowed as I stared at him, still teasing me endlessly.
“Well…”
Toop trailed off before leaning forward slightly.
“A face that’s gotten a bit rounder.
And your cheeks—they seem fuller than before.”
“Huh?”
He broke into a smile.
“I’ve been taking good care of you, haven’t I?”
“You’re just—”
How did we go from talking about privacy to this?
But now that he had pointed it out, maybe my face had gotten rounder.
My cheeks were definitely fuller than before, probably because even though I only ate small portions at a time, I snacked all day long.
“And how was today?”
“What do you mean?”
Toop’s gaze drifted briefly to my stomach.
“The baby- And you.
How were you both while I was filming?”
“I think the baby’s fine,”
“As for me, I’m good.
I had books and other things to keep me occupied.”
“Were you bored?”
His question made my heart flutter, a warm feeling spreading through me.
It felt as though he cared for me, as if he was gradually becoming more attentive with each passing day.
I shook my head lightly, smiling.
“No, it was fun.
How about you?
Were you tired from filming?
Did you feel dizzy?”
“Tired, sure, but that’s normal.
Not so much dizziness this time.”
I nodded, smiling as we continued our little exchange.
“Maybe it’s because you and the baby were here.”
“What did you just say?”
“I-I mean, it’s good that you and the baby are doing well.
Let’s eat.”
“I’m full already.
You should eat.”
Toop, who had been encouraging me to eat moments earlier, suddenly fell silent, staring at the food in front of him.
“That’s odd.”
“What?”
“I- I think I’m not hungry anymore either.”
The expression on his face was puzzled.
As for me, indulging once again in the notion that we were somehow connected, I tried to stifle a grin.
Besides his tears falling easily whenever I looked upset or we argued, I had also started noticing something else.
If I enjoyed eating a dish, he seemed to eat the dish a lot too.
But when there was a dish I could not stomach, not only would Toop avoid it, but sometimes he would even gag.
Lately, it seemed like his symptoms were improving slightly.
Today, as I accompanied Toop to the set, I wandered back to my usual spot while he was close to finishing the final scene for the afternoon.
We had agreed to visit the doctor at the hospital in the evening.
From my observations, his symptoms seemed to be gradually diminishing, but oddly, it felt like I was the one taking on the brunt of them instead.
Earlier, when Toop joined me during a break, I took the chance to ask if I could return to waiting by the riverside as before, instead of sitting in the car.
The cool and soothing breeze by the water helped me relax, and he did not object.
Even though I walked there alone, I could see his staff following at a distance as always.
“Well, at least they’re keeping their distance.”
I would not say I had gotten used to it, but since I could not stop them from following, I figured I might as well let them do their job.
However, whether it was luck or something else entirely, as I strolled toward the spot, I unexpectedly crossed paths with her again—Pearl, the woman with whom I had previously had an incident.
“Unlucky to run into someone like you.”
“Sorry?”
I had not even said a word to her, yet there she stood, a few meters away, making such a remark.
Before I could respond, her phone rang.
“Yes, I’m here,”
she said, I turned to walk away, hoping to avoid further confrontation.
“I’ve been here for a bit, but I thought I’d stop by P’Toop’s set first. Okay, okay, no more than thirty minutes. Don’t bother picking me up—I’ll head to our set myself.”
But before I could, she ended the call, and we found ourselves face to face.
“Hmph.”
She did not let the moment pass without making a point.
Lifting her chin in a haughty gesture, she glared at me so forcefully that I instinctively recoiled.
Though I caught a snippet about her intention to stop by Toop’s set, I knew he barely had a moment to spare today.
Even if she decided to linger, it would amount to nothing.
I decided not to engage and began to walk away.
“Don’t think I’ll let you win-!
Ah- Ahh!”
“You!”
She let out a loud yelp, but I could not quite make out how she managed it, but as I took a few steps and turned to look, the actress, much-discussed by the crew at Toop’s set had fallen hard on her backside on the concrete floor.
At her feet lay a banana peel, conveniently lying.