In truth, he wasn’t unaware. He knew she had feelings for him. Such a childlike woman, rather than hiding her feelings, seemed to showcase them one by one. Even if those feelings were of embarrassment. Hence, he was both anxious and greatly anticipated the approaching day.

He felt confident, albeit slightly arrogant.

“Excuse me, Ji Ho.”

“Hm?”

“Can I ask you one favor?”

“Yes, tell me.”

And then, in the space between his relief and inattention, a delicate voice interrupted. Ji Ho casually looked down at Hye Yoon.

“No matter what I say tomorrow… I hope you won’t feel bad.”

“…”

With the end of her sentence, her red lips tightly pursed. Ji Ho clearly perceived her minute anxiety. And soon after, his lips began to stiffen.

“Even if you don’t like what’s in your heart, I hope you just… accept it.”

“Ah…”

“I really thought a lot about it. I think this is right.”

Whether it was due to her firm resolution, her slight nods seemed quite substantial. A deep sigh escaped the lips that just a moment ago had admired her.

Crunch, crunch. The arrogant confidence he held in his heart began to leak. And then, in an ever-so-familiar voice trying to quench that arrogance, she spoke.

Often, he used to mirror her words back to her, never expecting it would come back like this.

“Answer me. Say you will.”

“…I will.”

Later that afternoon, during the shoot, Ji Ho made two mistakes. Creak. Creak. The sound of breaking expectations echoed in his ears for a long time.

Saturday, with the year’s first blockbuster film approaching 10 million viewers, Ji Ho, the film’s lead, was the star of a regional promotional event. This combination alone would have garnered attention, but the lead being Ji Ho made it even more sensational.

Unlike tomorrow’s event where all the main actors will appear, today was solely Ji Ho’s surprise appearance. Throughout the day, words like An Ji Ho, Busan, and promotional event trended on popular SNS.

And on the thankful journey back, filled with warm hospitality, Ji Ho read a newly arrived message in the car.
[Ji Ho, I’m in the car. Take your time. (8:21 PM)]

“……”

What’s with this single line? It felt somewhat ominous.

Hye Yoon had been sitting in the driver’s seat listening to music for 20 minutes. Browsing through new releases on an online bookstore, she chuckled at the adorable messages from her friends working at the cafe.

[Miss Boss, we miss you. When will you come?] [Maybe because they haven’t seen you, even the cafe’s plants look wilted.] [Heard from the fitness instructor that you’re moving to Busan? Just joking. They said you’re going to sell squids there.]

“Ah, Kim Woo Jun…”

She chuckled, shaking her head. Her small thumbs joyfully danced across the phone screen.

Knock-knock

At the crisp knock, Hye Yoon hurriedly rolled down her window. Slowly revealing the dark night and the faint light that illuminated Ji Ho’s well-groomed face. Although this was not their first meeting, the gleam reflecting off Ji Ho’s entire face was mesmerizing.

Every time she saw him, she was left breathless, so she couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Wow…”

Her genuine feelings burst out.

“Hm? Why?”

“You look… really handsome.”

“Heh, are you praising me in advance because you think I might say something unpleasant?”

“No, I really mean it…”

“Thank you.”

The playful glint in his eyes made Hye Yoon’s heart race.

Thunk

Then Ji Ho opened the driver’s door and gestured with his head.

“Why?”

“Get out. I’ll drive.”

“I can do it. I really am good at driving.”

“Yeah. I know.”

With big eyes filled with faint confidence, she looked adorable. While he did indulge her spunkiness for a while, that was as far as he was willing to go.

“…Jang Hye Yoon, hurry up.”

Under the deeper voice tinted by the night, Hye Yoon quickly nodded. The mere pronunciation of her full name made her heart thud. Thud. She pressed her lips together, hoping the sound wouldn’t escape.

Awkwardly, Hye Yoon made her way around the car to the passenger side. As Ji Ho adjusted the seemingly high seat for himself, she repeated in her mind, ‘I can do this.’

Throughout the drive, they casually shared details of their day. Meaningless questions met with distant answers. Neither were truly present, so much so that neither heard the soft music playing.

After about 20 minutes, the drive halted in front of a park. It would have been bustling on a Saturday evening, but beyond the windshield, the vast park was mostly empty, save for a few people taking a stroll.

In the car filled with the soft hum of music, words no longer filled the space. They just watched the tranquil park dominated by the night.

The thick silence broke when one shifted their gaze. Ji Ho quietly looked at Hye Yoon. Feeling the warmth on her left cheek, Hye Yoon slowly met his eyes.

“Let’s do it now. I’m ready to listen.”

His voice and smile seemed bathed in moonlight, soft and tender.

“… It’s not just about being ready.”

“Oh… did I also need to be ready to get hurt?”

Yet, that tenderness soon bore a crack. Despite being someone who seldom showed emotions, the word ‘anxiety’ was clearly written across Ji Ho’s face. Only then could Hye Yoon completely relax.

“Heh. I should have come prepared to answer.”

“Hm?”

A clear laugh spread over her innocent face.