Dajeong quietly observed his profile as he drove, amidst the scenery of red maple trees whizzing past the window. His eyes, filled with a possessive and jealous look, seemed to be straight out of a drama. Was she now the female lead receiving boundless love from Jae-ho, like that actress, Oh Chaewon?

She felt immeasurably happy yet suddenly scared. She understood the peculiar feeling of Cinderella in her glass slippers.

“Um… I’ll… consider your opinion. If my friend comes, I’ll find him another place nearby…”

Just then, Jae-ho released her hand and picked up her phone lying on her thigh. He effortlessly entered his number into her phone while driving and pressed call.

“It’s my number.”

She had effortlessly obtained the personal number of Jae-ho, something she had never dared to dream of. She thought of several friends who would faint from excitement knowing this.

“I’ll be staring at my phone while you’re with your friend.”

“Why?”

“Why do you ask?”

Jae-ho shook his head and laughed dismissively as they arrived at the pension and parked smoothly. He lightly tapped Dajeong’s cheek, a gesture that seemed affectionate yet also impatient, making her widen her eyes in surprise.

“The woman I like is with another man. What other reason do I need?”

“…”

“Anyway, don’t make me the only one suffering.”

“When did I ever…”

“I’ll wait. Always.”

“…”

“I hope I’m on your mind.”

Kyungjoon arrived in the late afternoon.

When the call came at the market, Dajeong actually wanted to tell him not to come. Hearing the excitement in Kyungjoon’s voice, she gazed at the man’s broad back.

…He might not like it.

The man, who had been meticulously examining the dried bracken’s color and smell, finally decided to buy it and stood up, opening his wallet. Just as she was about to tell Kyungjoon not to come, he said,

[I just passed the tollgate. I’ll be there in thirty minutes.] Then he informed her that he would stay overnight. Dajeong couldn’t find the words to dissuade him, and he mistook her silence for agreement, believing she would definitely let him stay.

This attitude irked her slightly. Even though she wouldn’t have minded if he slept in her bed under normal circumstances, strangely, she now felt uncomfortable with the idea. Dajeong bit her lip, feeling uneasy about her own reaction that jutted out like a jagged pebble. She looked up at the man who had instigated this change in her heart, who was grumbling while paying.

“We’re just friends, really.”

While she responded innocently to his blatant jealousy, deep inside, she hoped Kyungjoon would just turn around and leave.

However, contrary to Dajeong’s wishes, Kyungjoon eventually arrived at the pension. He got out of the car with a smile, admiring the scenery.

“Wow. The sea here looks good even the second time.”

Dajeong responded without a smile.

“What about Kyungmi’s car?”

“She’s using your car.”

“That’s absurd. You could have just taken mine.”

Kyungjoon laughed brightly, admitting that he hadn’t thought of that. Dajeong laughed weakly in response, looking at her friend who had rushed over out of concern. She tried to smooth out her jagged emotions.

Kyungjoon, as usual, came over and affectionately patted Dajeong’s head, asking if she slept well, had any nightmares, or felt cold, wrapping his arm around her shoulder gently.

What was usually an insignificant routine now felt concerning. Jae-ho’s words, labeling Kyungjoon as a man, echoed in her ears. Kyungjoon’s friendly touch suddenly felt burdensome.

“Let’s go inside.”

Kyungjoon took out the luggage and shopping bags, grabbing Dajeong’s wrist. She reflexively pulled her hand back, her eyes inadvertently glancing towards the 2nd-floor terrace of room 101.

Kyungjoon continued without paying much attention to her reaction.

“You haven’t eaten properly since you came here. I’ll grill some meat for you today. Look forward to it.”

“Did you bring meat?”

“Yeah, pork and Korean beef. Let’s barbecue.”

“Do you know how to light a fire?”

Dajeong’s fingertips trembled slightly as she spoke. The thought of lively, dancing flames scared her. Ever since her brother died in a fire, flames had become a source of fear for her.

Kyungjoon was not unaware of this.

“I’ll do it. And it’s charcoal, not fire. It’ll be okay.”

Fire wasn’t a constant concern for Dajeong, but it was a direct fear of death. During difficult times, she would suffer from nightmares of being trapped in flames for days.

“We need to face our fears gradually, Dajeong. It’s okay. I can handle charcoal. I’ll be right there.”

Kyungjoon looked intently at Dajeong’s trembling eyes and moved as if to embrace her. However, she stepped back.

“Alright. You do it. That’s what men are supposed to do.”

Kyungjoon’s expression shifted subtly before returning to normal.

“Have you been seeing me as a man lately? It’s thrilling.”

Before she could retort, he grabbed her hand and opened the front door. Dajeong, with a troubled smile, hesitantly allowed herself to be led inside.