**Chapter Thirteen: A Promise of Loyalty**

Hana stood in front of her almirah, staring blankly at the rows of clothes before her. Her fingers trailed lightly over the fabric of the dresses and blouses, but she couldn’t seem to make a decision. It was her first morning as a married woman, and she wanted to choose something special. Something that felt appropriate for this new chapter of her life. But no matter how many times she scanned her options, nothing felt right.

She sighed softly, her hands falling to her sides as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. A million thoughts raced through her mind—about the wedding, about Namjoon, about what the future held for them. Everything still felt so new, so uncertain. She had hoped that marriage would bring some sense of clarity, but instead, it had only brought more questions.

As she stood there, lost in thought, she felt a presence behind her. Namjoon. She hadn’t heard him approach, but she sensed him there, his quiet, composed energy filling the space around her. He didn’t say anything at first, just watched her silently. The weight of his gaze made her heart race, and she fought the urge to fidget under his scrutiny.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Namjoon stepped forward. Without a word, he reached into her wardrobe and pulled out a dress. It was one of her favorites—a simple, elegant dress in a soft shade of blush pink. The fabric was light and flowing, perfect for a day spent at home or running small errands. Hana blinked, surprised by his choice. She hadn’t expected him to care about something as trivial as what she wore.

Namjoon handed her the dress, his eyes briefly meeting hers. There was something different about the way he looked at her today, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. His gaze wasn’t as distant as it usually was. In fact, it was almost... tender.

“Wear this,” he said quietly, his deep voice breaking the silence. His tone was calm, but there was a weight to his words that made Hana’s breath catch in her throat.

She took the dress from him, her fingers brushing against his as she did. Her heart skipped a beat at the contact. She looked up at him, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something, but the words didn’t come. Instead, she simply nodded, her voice caught somewhere in her throat.

Just as she was about to turn away to change, she felt his arms wrap gently around her waist. The movement was slow, deliberate, as though he was giving her time to pull away if she wanted to. But she didn’t. She froze, her breath hitching as the warmth of his body pressed against hers. His arms weren’t tight, but they were secure, grounding her in the moment.

Hana’s eyes widened in surprise, her heart racing as she tried to process what was happening. Namjoon had never initiated physical contact like this before. In fact, up until now, he had been careful to maintain a certain distance between them. But now, here he was, holding her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She didn’t know what to make of it. What had changed? Why was he suddenly so close, so... affectionate?

Before she could voice her confusion, Namjoon spoke, his voice low and quiet, but filled with a seriousness that made her pay attention.

“I know I’m not the husband you probably imagined,” he began, his words slow and deliberate. “I’m not the type of man who is overly expressive or talkative. I tend to keep to myself, and I know that can come off as cold or distant.”

Hana’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected him to acknowledge that, let alone bring it up on his own.

“But,” he continued, his grip on her waist tightening ever so slightly, “I want you to know that I’m going to try. I may not always know how to show it, but I’m going to try to be a good husband to you.”

Hana’s heart swelled at his words, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. It wasn’t the most romantic declaration, but coming from Namjoon, it meant so much. She knew how difficult it must have been for him to say those things, to open up even a little bit.

“I promise to be loyal to you,” he added, his voice soft but firm. “You don’t ever have to worry about that.”

Hana felt her cheeks heat up at the proximity and the sincerity in his words. The idea of loyalty was such a simple concept, but coming from him, it carried so much weight. She wasn’t sure what had changed, or why he was suddenly opening up to her, but she didn’t want to question it too much. She wanted to believe him, to trust that this was the beginning of something better between them.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. Hana stood there, enveloped in his arms, her heart racing and her mind spinning. She could feel the steady beat of his heart against her back, the warmth of his breath on her neck. It was overwhelming, in the best way possible.

Eventually, she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “I believe you,” she said, her words simple but genuine. She did believe him. She wanted to believe that he would try, that they could make this marriage work.

Namjoon didn’t respond, but his arms tightened around her for just a second, as if silently acknowledging her words. Then, slowly, he let go, stepping back and allowing her the space to turn around and face him.

Hana turned to look at him, her eyes searching his face for any sign of what he was thinking. His expression was still guarded, but there was a softness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. It was subtle, but it was enough to give her hope.

“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn’t sure if she was thanking him for the dress, for his promise, or for simply trying. Maybe it was all of it.

Namjoon gave her a small nod, his gaze briefly flicking to the dress in her hands. “You should get ready,” he said, his tone returning to its usual calm and collected state. “We have some errands to run today.”

Hana nodded, turning back toward the almirah and clutching the dress a little tighter. She could feel the heat in her cheeks, the lingering warmth from where his arms had been around her. She wasn’t used to this kind of closeness with him, but she couldn’t deny that she liked it. Maybe it was the first step toward something more.

As she changed into the dress, her thoughts raced. What had changed in Namjoon? Why was he suddenly trying? She didn’t want to question it too much, afraid that if she did, the fragile progress they had made would crumble. For now, she would let things happen naturally, just as they were. She didn’t need answers right away. She was content with the small steps they were taking.

When Hana finished getting ready, she stepped out of the bedroom to find Namjoon waiting for her near the door. He was already dressed, his usual stoic expression in place, but there was something different about the way he looked at her as she approached. His eyes scanned her from head to toe, and for a brief moment, she thought she saw a flicker of approval in his gaze.

“You look nice,” he said, his voice flat but sincere.

Hana blushed again, feeling her heart skip a beat at the unexpected compliment. “Thank you,” she replied, her voice soft.

Namjoon nodded, then reached for his coat. “Let’s go,” he said, holding the door open for her.

As they stepped out into the crisp morning air, Hana couldn’t help but smile to herself. Things weren’t perfect, and they still had a long way to go, but this—whatever this was—felt like a step in the right direction.

She wasn’t sure what had changed in Namjoon, but she wasn’t going to question it. Not yet. Instead, she would let things unfold naturally, one day at a time.

And maybe, just maybe, they would find their way to each other after all.