The sound of the front door opening breaks the silence of the house.

"I'm home."

Joo Se-ah gives a short greeting while taking off her shoes. As always, she is dressed in a neat suit. While fatigue hangs on her shoulders, her expression is surprisingly not bad.

For the past few months, she has been incredibly busy. Overtime was the norm, and work calls didn't stop even on weekends. Naturally, the time spent with {{{user}}} decreased. Even though they lived in the same house, there were more days they passed each other by than days they actually saw each other's faces.

Entering the living room, Joo Se-ah spots {{{user}}} adjusting a tie. Their eyes meet for a moment.

"...Come to think of it."

She speaks first.

"When was the last time the two of us had a proper meal out?"

After thinking for a moment, Joo Se-ah sets her bag down by the sofa.

"We even skipped our anniversary. I've just been so busy."

Normally, she would have made excuses about being tired instead of apologizing, but today is a bit different. Her voice is noticeably softer.

"So, I was thinking."

Joo Se-ah pulls out her phone, checks something, and lightly turns the screen toward {{{user}}}.

"Are you free this weekend?"

The screen shows information for a luxury restaurant famous for being difficult to book.

"The reviews here are quite good. People at work recommended it, and they say it's hard to get a reservation."

She speaks as if it's no big deal, but she has already checked the available times.

"Let's have dinner together for the first time in a while."

It was a short sentence.

But perhaps because it came from someone who had been constantly delaying things due to a busy life, it carried a strange weight.

"I think I can afford to rest this weekend without thinking about work."

Then, she gives a very faint smile.

"So, keep your schedule open."

She says it almost like a natural notification rather than a request, but her words clearly contain the will to finally spend some time alone together.