Riri finally arrived. She stepped out of the taxi, carrying a tote bag filled with her laptop and some important documents. Her eyes immediately landed on the tall iron gate standing majestically in front of her. She froze.
She didn't expect that a neighborhood like this still existed in City A—houses that looked like palaces. Towering iron gates, surrounded by dense, tall pine trees made the building inside nearly invisible from the outside. Privacy was clearly a top priority.
Even though Riri knew Serena came from a well-off family, she still didn't expect her best friend to be this rich—owning a spacious and luxurious mansion in an elite part of the city.
"When will I ever own a house this big?"
she murmured softly.
She stood there for a few minutes, admiring the grandeur of the house. Riri didn't know that the house actually belonged to Ren, not Serena. After taking in the view, she pressed the doorbell attached to the wall beside the gate.
No response.
She frowned. Maybe Serena didn't hear it? As she reached out to press the bell again, the gate suddenly opened automatically. Riri looked around, a bit hesitant, before stepping inside.
From a distance, she could finally see the house in full view. For the second time, Riri was left speechless.
"I'm seriously jealous…"
she screamed in her heart.
The mansion stood tall with a modern design. Most of its facade was covered in gleaming glass. The visible interior looked minimalist yet warm—everything was perfectly arranged.
"No wonder the gates and trees are so high! A house like this without any cover would be public property,"
Riri muttered, almost in awe.
As soon as her feet touched the front porch, the main door opened and Serena appeared with a smile.
"Hey, Ri. Sorry I couldn't keep my promise this morning,"
Serena greeted with a regretful tone.
"It's fine," Riri replied casually, her eyes still roaming around, admiring the interior. "Your house…"
"Serena…"
Riri's sentence was cut short when a deep, slightly hoarse voice called out Serena's name from behind. She instinctively turned around. A tall man with a charming smile approached and gently took Serena's hand in his.
"Ren," Serena whispered softly.
Riri's eyes widened. She didn't expect to meet a man this handsome—premium level good looks. Like a K-drama lead, but better, and real. Seeing how he held Serena's hand and looked at her so lovingly, Riri could tell they were a couple.
And she was happy for her. Serena deserved someone tall and incredibly good-looking like this. They were a perfect match.
"Eh…?"
Riri suddenly muttered as she looked at the two of them.
Her eyes landed on Serena's face—slightly flushed. Then down to her lips—red and a bit swollen. She turned to look at Ren. His lips looked the same.
In that instant, Riri covered her mouth, holding back a scream. She finally realized why no one answered the bell earlier. They were... probably making out. Her arrival had clearly interrupted something. Riri instantly felt awkward.
"Ren, this is Riri, my editor. Riri, this is Ren, my boyfriend,"
Serena introduced them.
"Ren Shield,"
Ren said, extending his hand.
"Riri,"
Riri replied with a bright smile, trying her best to hide her discomfort.
After the introductions, Ren led them to the dining room. Riri was a bit confused.
"Why the dining room? Isn't there a working room in a house this big?"
she wondered silently.
"Serena hasn't had breakfast yet. She needs to eat before she starts working,"
Ren said, as if reading her mind.
"Oh? Ah! Yes, yes… of course, eating is important,"
Riri stammered, suddenly feeling nervous.
"Join us,"
Serena offered as she sat beside Ren.
"Ah... Sure!"
Riri replied quickly. Even though she had already eaten, the delicious food on the table was impossible to resist.
---
For the first time, Riri felt like a third wheel. Watching Serena and Ren eat breakfast was like witnessing a live drama scene unfold before her eyes.
Their visuals were top-tier. The man was incredibly attentive, always picking out Serena's favorite dishes and gazing at her with love. Riri almost cried.
"When will I have a boyfriend like this?"
she thought, looking down.
Then, her eyes caught something—a red mark on Serena's neck. Too red, too fresh. She turned to look at Ren. Everything made sense.
"Oh my God… I ruined their hot moment," she screamed inwardly. "They should've just ignored me. I can pretend to be a background character, I swear I don't mind!"
"Ri, are you okay?" Serena asked suddenly.
"Huh?" Riri snapped out of her thoughts. She had been too busy blaming herself in her mind. "Ah! Yes, yes… I'm fine," she replied quickly.
"You sure?"
Serena asked again, still unconvinced.
"Of course!"
Riri said with a convincing smile.
"You two can work in the functional room," Ren said calmly.
Serena smiled and nodded. After breakfast, they went to the functional room and got to work. Serena immediately opened her laptop and began editing her novel draft, while Riri sat across from her, also diving into her own tasks.
Ren, who briefly watched Serena working so seriously, could only shake his head slightly. In silence, he thought about how sexy she looked when she was focused. He quickly retreated to his own office—afraid he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her otherwise.
---
Four hours later, Serena finally finished her work.
"Finally! All done!!"
she exclaimed joyfully, sitting on the carpet and stretching her legs.
"Don't you get tired writing a novel like that?" Riri asked, laughing at Serena's adorable behavior.
"You have no idea what it feels like to write from the heart, only to edit the whole thing again. It's… completely different!"
Serena sighed deeply.
Riri chuckled and glanced at a small table nearby. It was filled with neatly arranged snacks. She knew this had to be Ren's doing—making sure Serena didn't have to go back and forth to the kitchen.
Riri grabbed a slice of cake she had been eyeing since earlier.
"Serena…"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something… kind of personal?"
Riri asked while taking a bite of the cake.
"Sure."
"How long have you been dating Ren?"
Serena blinked. "Hmm... a few months, maybe? I forgot exactly."
"So, how did you two meet? Was it love at first sight? Or did you hate each other at first?"
Riri was getting more and more excited. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. She had always been fascinated by Serena's love life.
Serena took a deep breath. She had expected this.
"Ri…" she called gently.
"Yeah?"
"Stop reading so many romance novels."
Riri froze, confused. But then, realizing what Serena meant, she puffed out her cheeks in protest.
Serena just chuckled softly at her reaction.
Sometimes, real life is more beautiful than fiction—but also far more complicated.
---