The moon hung low in the night sky, casting a silvery glow over the small apartment that Jihyo and Sujae had rented after their whirlwind wedding. It was their first night together as husband and wife, a moment they had both dreamt of for years. The air was thick with the scent of fresh flowers and the remnants of the wedding celebration that had spilled into their new life.

Jihyo stood by the window, her fingers tracing the delicate lace of her wedding gown before she let it fall to the floor in a soft whisper. She turned to find Sujae, who was setting up their modest living room, a faint smile playing on his lips. He had always been the one to find joy in the little things, and tonight was no different.

But as they both settled onto the couch, the initial sweetness of their union began to fade, replaced by an uncomfortable tension. Jihyo noticed the way Sujae's gaze drifted toward the clock on the wall, counting down the minutes as if they were seconds away from an impending storm.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly, a hint of concern threading through her voice.

Sujae hesitated. “I’m fine, just... thinking about everything. You know how it is.”

Jihyo nodded, but deep down, she felt the cracks beginning to form in their once perfect love story. The whispers of doubt from her parents had lingered, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Sujae was still grappling with the mistrust that had shadowed them even after their marriage.

That night, as they lay in bed, the distance between them felt like a vast ocean. Jihyo turned to Sujae, who was staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. “What’s bothering you? I can feel it.”

Sujae sighed, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s just... I don’t want to be the reason you’re unhappy. Your parents—”

“Sujae, please,” Jihyo interrupted, her heart aching at the uncertainty in his tone. “They’ll come around. They just need time.”

In that moment, the doorbell rang, echoing through the silence like a harbinger of trouble. Jihyo felt her stomach churn. It was late, and unexpected visitors were rarely a good sign.

“Stay here,” Sujae said, his protective instincts kicking in as he got up from the bed.

Jihyo watched him leave the room, her mind racing. Who could it be? As Sujae opened the door, a figure cloaked in darkness stepped into the light. It was a girl from their college, Minji, who had been a mutual friend but had always held a peculiar fascination with Sujae.

“Minji? What are you doing here?” Sujae asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

“I came to see you both,” she replied, her eyes darting between them, filled with a mixture of mischief and something Jihyo couldn’t quite place. “I thought maybe you could use a friend to celebrate your new life together.”

Jihyo felt a pang of jealousy rise within her, but she forced a smile. “It’s late, Minji. We were just about to—”

“I know, I know. But I brought something!” Minji interrupted again, pulling out a small box with a flourish. “It’s a gift for you both. Just a little something to help you start your new journey.”

Sujae looked at Jihyo, clearly uncertain. “Maybe we can do this another time?”

“Oh come on, Sujae! It’s just a little fun!” Minji said, her voice bright and insistent.

As she opened the box, Jihyo felt the air grow thick with tension. Inside was a set of matching keychains, but with a twist—each one had a small engraved message. Jihyo’s read, “Forever Yours,” while Sujae’s read, “Always Mine.”

The implication hung in the air, and Jihyo couldn’t ignore the undercurrent of possessiveness that seeped through Minji’s words. She felt a surge of protectiveness for her marriage, and the night that had begun with promise now felt like a fragile thread, poised to unravel.

“Thank you, Minji, but maybe we should—” Jihyo started again, her voice steady, but Minji held up a hand.

“Just give it a chance. You can’t always be so serious, Jihyo. Life is too short!”

As Minji’s laughter echoed through their living room, Jihyo exchanged a glance with Sujae, and in that moment, they both felt the weight of their unspoken fears. The door to their new life had just creaked open, but the shadows behind it were growing long.

Suddenly, the phone rang, slicing through the tension. Jihyo’s heart dropped as she saw her mother’s name flash on the screen. For a brief moment, she hesitated, but then she took a deep breath and answered.

“Hello, Mom.”

“Jihyo,” her mother’s voice was sharp, cutting through the celebratory atmosphere. “We need to talk. It’s important.”

Jihyo glanced at Sujae, who looked as though he was bracing himself for impact.

“Alright, I’m listening,” she said, her heart pounding in her chest.

And as the night unfolded, both Jihyo and Sujae knew that their journey had only just begun, and the challenges ahead would test not just their love, but the very foundation of their marriage.

With Minji still hovering in the background, and her mother’s voice looming on the other end of the line, the couple faced an uncertain future, where love would be both their greatest strength and their most profound vulnerability.