Prologue: Let's Start by Dating

"Today, we're going to make a hat box."

Eun-jae lifted the round box and its lid from the table, a radiant smile lighting her face.

"The hat box was popularized by the British florist Jane Packer. It takes its name from the hat-storage cases that inspired the design. A block of floral foam sits inside the round box, and you insert the flowers one by one — it's a type of centerpiece."

Three months had already passed since Eun-jae opened her flower shop, HERMOSO, in Songdo, Incheon. Word of its tasteful interior had spread, but that was not the only reason people came.

The whole world knew about the incident. She herself remembered none of it. They came because of Eun-jae — the elegant, lovely prodigy who had gone from genius pianist to a pianist of tragedy.

"Let me start by introducing the flowers. This apricot bloom is a Victoria's Secret rose. It looks a little different from the roses you already know, doesn't it?"

"What about this one?" a student asked, lifting a gerbera from the table.

"That's a Piccolini gerbera. Gerbera stems drink a lot of water, so it's best to cut them straight across. For firmer stems like roses, you'll want a diagonal cut. But first we need to do the conditioning..."

The apricot rose in her small hand looked remarkably like her — fresh, tender, and full of life.

"You'll want to cut the stems to slightly different lengths, depending on the flower. When they're arranged, that variation in height gives the piece dimension — and a sense of rhythm, too."

She snipped a stem with her floral shears and tucked it into the foam inside the box. As she taught, her face looked happier than it ever had — as if every unhappy memory of the past had been forgotten.

"Today's class was so much fun. See you next week!"

"Get home safely."

Once the last student had gone, silence settled over Eun-jae's little space.

She was tidying the table when her gaze drifted to the window. The final session of the one-day class had ended, and darkness had already gathered outside. With the night so black, the shop's interior lay reflected in the large picture window.

Eun-jae gazed quietly at her own reflection in the glass.

A stranger in an apron stared back at her. Fragments of the past flickered through her mind. Most of her memories had been erased — as if someone had deliberately wiped them away.

"I should finish up and go."

Still staring blankly at herself, Eun-jae shook her head and let out a small sigh. As she went on clearing the table, her eyes fell on a bouquet.

It was an order that had come in during the day. The customer had already paid in full, and yet it was well past seven with no word at all.

"When is this person even coming?"

She needed to get home soon. Why hadn't they shown up? She'd wait just thirty more minutes, then call — and that was the moment she reached to untie her apron.

The door chime rang, and the door swung open.

"Welco—"

She turned toward the door to greet the customer, then her words died in her throat as she saw the man walking in.

He strode across the shop without hesitation and came to a stop in front of her. Eun-jae's gaze followed him as he approached.

"I'm here to pick up the bouquet I ordered."

Was it because the shop was small, or because the man himself was so large? The moment he stepped into her space, the room felt instantly full. And through the scent of the flowers, a musk came rushing at her — a scent that felt almost familiar, and yet not familiar at all.

The fragrance sank deep into her lungs, and bewilderment spread across Eun-jae's face.

"This one mine?"

The man smiled with his eyes as he picked up the bouquet from the table.

Why is this man here? Why is he smiling at me?

Faced with his sudden appearance, Eun-jae tried to sort through the tangle in her mind. She still could not remember who he was — and yet she knew.

Cha Mu-yeol. CEO of Chayeong Department Store — and Go Eun-jae's ex-husband.

Unlike Eun-jae, who stood frozen in confusion, he regarded her with an easy composure. His gaze held fast to hers, and in it a great many emotions were gathered.

"Been about half a year, hasn't it."

He murmured the words in a low, tender voice.

"It's been far too long."

Dressed in a white shirt and beige slacks, he looked thoroughly at ease. The last image she had of him — in a suit — superimposed itself over the man standing before her. As her lips parted, searching for something to say, his gentle voice reached her.

"I've been thinking it over for months. I just can't let it go."

"I believe I already made my feelings quite clear."

At her firm reply, Mu-yeol's brow furrowed slightly.

Overnight, she had lost her memories, and she had asked him for a divorce — because she could not live with a stranger. Mu-yeol had tried relentlessly to change her mind, but she had remained unyielding to the end.

"I know. That's why I came to start over — with you, Go Eun-jae."

Mu-yeol glanced down at the bouquet in his hand, then held it out toward her. Eun-jae looked from the flowers to him and took a wary step back. Even so, his resolute gaze stayed fixed on her.

"We had an arranged marriage, so we never got to do the ordinary thing — dating. I'm sure you don't remember, of course."

She remembered none of it. Not that she had been married to him. Not that it had been arranged. Looking at the man who still felt like nothing but a burden, Eun-jae bit her lip, uneasy.

"It doesn't matter if you can't remember. I'll fill you up with new memories anyway."

Affection filled Mu-yeol's eyes as he looked at her.

"Eun-jae."

At the sound of her name in his voice, a ripple passed through her still heart. She looked at him, her face faintly restless.

The man who had been her first love — and her ex-husband — was asking her to date him.

It was about six months after she had divorced Cha Mu-yeol.