“I’ve met quite a few people from the Blue House, you know? On the outside, they all seem like saints, but inside, they’re just raising a couple of sly snakes each. And among them, Baek Saeon is the most cunning of all.”

“...!”

Knowing his true line of work, Heeju flinched. She nervously bit her lower lip and averted her gaze.

“That guy’s eyes, seriously, they’re something else. Who else stares at a woman who’s standing in for the actual bride with *that* kind of look?”

Han Joon scratched his head in frustration.

Men like that are selfish. They’re one-sided and only think about themselves, which means they’ll inevitably leave scars in their wake.

His gaze, now tangled with complicated emotions, shifted toward Heeju, who looked so clear and beautiful.

He knew that she had collected a wide range of videos of Baek Saeon, but to think it wasn’t out of admiration as a fan, but because he was her husband?

“I might get divorced.”

“What?”

“That’s why I’m asking for your help. Please, let me work here. I didn’t even have a proper wedding, and I don’t have any pictures. If I can at least get some footage from the briefings, I’ll have something to prove we were together.”

Heeju bowed deeply.

“Ah…”

Han Joon felt the urge to light up a cigarette he’d recently quit.

Judging from how uncertain she seemed about their marriage, it was clear Baek Saeon hadn’t given her any room to breathe. Internally, Han Joon cursed Baek relentlessly.

When did that guy ever have time to glare at strangers with murderous intent?

Sly—his demeanor reminded Han Joon of a venomous snake.

Being too detached as a person really isn’t ideal.

This was trouble.

***

The National Assembly Climate Change Forum.  

 

The symposium, marking its 15th anniversary, spanned three days.  

The event brought together lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties, as well as representatives from government, industry, academia, research, and civil society to discuss energy policies.  

On the second day, Heeju headed toward the briefing venue.  

She scanned the bustling crowd, searching for Baek Saeon.  

At the entrance, various groups were holding protests, waving placards and chanting slogans.  

“...!”  

Her eyes suddenly met those of Hong In-ah, who was covering the protesters. Heeju instinctively turned on her heel and walked away awkwardly, her movements stiff and jerky.  

Every time she faced her sister, she felt like an actual mistress. Her heart pounded painfully.  

"This is insane…"  

She was both the lawful wife and, in a twisted sense, the substitute.  

The thought of her inadequacy gnawed at her, leaving her feeling downcast.  

---  

“How may I help you?”  

A government official at a mobile barricade checked Heeju’s identification.  

When she showed her employee badge from the Public Affairs Office, the man unfastened the belt barrier and stepped aside to let her pass.  

Walking across the green carpet, she passed pamphlets advertising various events: legislative forums, policy seminars, action campaigns, and the Green Climate Awards.  

Without so much as glancing at them, she proceeded directly to the waiting room marked *Public Affairs Office.*  

Peeking inside, she saw Baek Saeon flipping through a script while wearing thin-rimmed glasses.  

“...!”  

Her gaze glued itself to him like adhesive.  

Even as someone who had watched him closely for a long time, seeing him in glasses was an extremely rare occurrence.  

She held her breath and stayed silent.  

The glasses, with their thin frames, complemented his sharp nose, cleanly tucked ears, and angular jawline. They accentuated his intensity and intellect.  

Clad in a crisp suit, he methodically marked up the script, exuding an air of meticulous precision.  

“Oh, aren’t you the interpreter?”  

Someone suddenly recognized her—a male colleague she had once gone hiking with.  

Ah…! 

Snapping back to her senses, Heeju quickly bowed her head.  

“What brings you here? How are you doing? I heard you were discharged early…”  

Despite the mention of an interpreter, Baek Saeon didn’t lift his gaze from the script. But then, all at once, he snapped his head up.  

“...!”  

Spotting Heeju, who stood frozen and blinking, he abruptly rose from his seat. Deep wrinkles furrowed his brow.  

“After you were taken to the hospital that day, I was so worried! But the spokesperson didn’t share any details, and visiting was prohibited. I was seriously—”  

“What brings Interpreter Hong Heeju here?”  

Cutting off the employee mid-sentence, Saeon approached with a stern expression.  

Without a word, Heeju handed him a document she had been holding.  

Baek Saeon accepted it, scrutinizing her with a chilly gaze. The document bore the signature of Director Han Joon.  

As Saeon’s eyes flicked over the contents, his jaw tightened visibly. Heeju lowered her gaze in a hurry.  

“The Director is being utterly reckless.”  

His harsh voice grated through the air.  

“I’m sorry, but I’ll find another interpreter.”  

Without hesitation, he turned to an employee nearby. “Check if there’s a sign language interpreter available immediately.”  

As the employee dashed out, Heeju inhaled unevenly, her eyes flashing with determination.  

“Why that expression?”  

“...”  

“Even when you’re just standing there, you’re distracting. If you’re sitting near me, flailing your hands in your current state, I won’t be able to read a single word.”  

He pressed his temple with one hand, script in the other. When Heeju remained unmoved, his face twisted further in frustration.  

“Hong Heeju, don’t be stubborn.”  

Still, Heeju seemed to have expected his reaction. She pulled out another document, this one signed by the head of public affairs.  

“...!”  

Seeing it, Saeon let out an exasperated sigh.  

“I didn’t think you’d go this far.”  

His tone was bitter, but it almost sounded like praise. Heeju couldn’t help but smile.  

Baek Saeon clamped his mouth shut. His furrowed brows and downward gaze somehow reminded her of last night.  

With a sharp motion, he removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.  

Heeju took a step back, assuming it was a silent signal for her to leave. But before she could retreat, he grabbed her arm.  

“Where are you going? I’m going to kiss you.”  

“...!”  

He lowered his head and pressed his lips firmly to hers.  

“Mm…!”  

The man who was usually so cold burned like fire the moment they touched.  

Consumed by him, Heeju flailed helplessly. His tongue slipped between her lips, tangling deeply with hers before withdrawing slowly.  

He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, as if he wanted to devour her whole. His rough, deliberate movements left her breathless.  

“I don’t have much time before the briefing. Can you handle it?”  

He steadied her by the shoulders, meeting her eyes. Staring into her flushed face, he sighed in surrender.  

Time was indeed pressing.  

Even so, Heeju nodded resolutely. If she could capture even this one fleeting moment, she had no regrets.  

For her, this was the beginning of the end.  

She had poured all of her years into this single opportunity.

***

The outdoor stage draped in blue. 

"I didn’t expect to enter at the same time..."  

Baek Saeon firmly held onto Heeju’s arm as they ascended the platform together.  

The moment her foot touched the stage, her heartbeat was already pounding at its peak.  

“Today, we will proceed with the briefing alongside a sign language interpreter from the Blue House.”  

The composed voice resonated across the space.  

The journalists and attendees, filling the venue to its brim, immediately turned their attention to Heeju.  

Feeling the weight of countless curious eyes, her mouth went dry.  

Among the crowd, her sister, Hong In-ah, sat with her expression frozen in place.  

Sweat threatened to pool in Heeju’s palms, but she resolved not to avoid anyone’s gaze now that she was standing here.  

"Is this a dream..." 

Was she really standing beside Baek Saeon, interpreting his words in sign language? The thought sent a surge of emotion through her.  

Then, their eyes met.  

Without words, something was unmistakably clear between them.  

Heeju moved her hands as if orchestrating a symphony, perfectly in sync with his voice as he began.  

“Despite challenges such as war, the climate crisis, and pandemics, the Asia-Pacific nations must act more boldly in the face of climate change...”  

His calm, measured tone carried across the venue, and Heeju’s hands moved fluidly.  

Although she had practiced sign language nearly her entire life, this moment felt as fresh and exhilarating as her first time.  

Standing beside him, echoing the same words, filled a deep void in her chest with a sense of completion.  

“And now is the time for our citizens to contribute to green recovery. By leveraging our renewable energy, climate technology, and resource circularity...”  

She followed his words with ease, more naturally than she had during practice.  

No, it didn’t feel like she was struggling to keep up at all—it felt comfortable.  

"Is he speaking slower than usual?" 

Everyone knew Baek Saeon’s reputation for his sharp and forceful speaking style, but today his words felt gentler, almost deliberate.  

"It’s like... he’s matching his pace to mine."  

Even if it was an illusion, she didn’t mind.  

The sweetness of the moment overwhelmed her, and she forgot the audience’s eyes entirely, focusing solely on his voice.  

The world around her faded to white, and only Baek Saeon’s voice echoed loudly in her mind.  

It left a trail like a guiding path, becoming her beacon and her everything.  

But perhaps that was the problem.  

She noticed too late the journalists leaping to their feet, shouting questions, and the security guards rushing to the stage in a flurry of urgency.