Chapter 7
Byeol set down the bag of cat food and canned treats, frowning. Woo-hyun didn’t look surprised in the slightest.
Thinking back to how he’d threatened to sue her for damages the night before only made her more irritated.
“So, you came.”
Why is he acting so calm?
Yesterday he’d practically robbed her of her personal information.
Today it felt like he was invading her privacy.
Still, since she was technically the one at fault, she couldn’t exactly complain.
“I came to feed them.”
“You’re diligent. Were you out at dawn that day to feed them too?”
Glancing sharply at the perfect target who seemed to be enjoying teasing her, Byeol ripped open the bag of cat food.
“Seriously… you really know how to hold a grudge. Mr. Seo Woo-hyun, how old are you?”
“Thirty-three. There are eighty-year-old men who hold grudges too. My grandfather, for one.”
“Right, right. Think whatever you want. I was the one who was wrong anyway. I’ll apologize. Happy now? Come on, everyone! Breakfast!”
Only then did the cats, who had been hiding while watching the situation unfold, dash toward her and line up in front of her.
Seeing the fluffy little cats huddled together immediately lifted her mood, and she smiled.
Watching her scoop food into their bowls, Woo-hyun wore an expression of genuine curiosity.
“How long are you planning to keep these cats?”
“I’m not keeping them. They settled here on their own. Wild animals naturally gather in places people don’t frequent. I’m sure there are plenty more besides these.”
“Hmm… Construction starts in a few months. We’ll have no choice but to drive them away then. What’s your plan?”
“Oh… right.”
She shook her head helplessly.
“I’ve never really thought about it. I guess I’ll have to start thinking today.”
After gently stroking the head of a tabby cat nearest to her, Byeol pulled over a folding chair beside the sofa where Woo-hyun sat.
The day after rain always brought clear skies.
At an hour when the sea blended seamlessly into the horizon, she gathered her knees together and sat down.
“What brings you here this early? It seems a little too early for an inspection.”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I went for a run. Do you come feed them at this time every day?”
“Not usually… I couldn’t come last night. These little guys wait for me. If they’re late getting fed, they get anxious. So I have to come at least twice a day.”
As if understanding her feelings, the tabby that had finished eating first rubbed against her legs before curling up beside her.
Watching Woo-hyun drink bottled water, Byeol shot him a sideways glance before taking out a canned coffee.
In truth…
The cats were only an excuse.
She hadn’t been able to sleep all night, so she’d come out to feed them.
She just hadn’t expected the first person she’d run into to be the very man responsible for keeping her awake.
Neither of them had much to say.
An awkward silence settled between them.
Byeol quietly sipped her canned coffee.
Sweet milk coffee always left behind a salty aftertaste.
Salt disguised as sweetness.
Relationships between people weren’t much different.
Instant things all ended up tasting the same.
Sugar and salt were only separated by the smallest difference.
Thanks to this man, she’d learned that lesson all over again.
We’d already said goodbye.
He could’ve just pretended not to know me.
It’s not like the world would’ve ended.
Sneaking glances at Woo-hyun with only her eyes moving, she found him gazing contentedly at the distant sea in his workout clothes.
“You seem to like it.”
“Like what?”
“This place.”
“It’s nicer than I expected.”
“I think this spot has the best view.”
“Then why didn’t you move higher up? Views only get better the higher you go.”
Move it higher?
With that thing?
“The sofa was way too heavy. My friend and I barely managed to carry it here. We almost died.”
Following the direction of her finger, Woo-hyun looked down at the sofa he was sitting on.
Then he nodded with a faint smile.
“It would’ve been heavy for two women.”
“I never said my friend was a woman.”
“You said your friend.”
“So? Can’t a guy and a girl be friends?”
An uncomfortable silence settled between them.
Byeol watched several faint lines appear between his brows.
“I… don’t have a girlfriend.”
…Why are you suddenly saying that so seriously?
And I wasn’t even curious.
Muttering, “Who asked?” under her breath, she smiled awkwardly and nodded.
“I see.”
A few days after discovering their blind date had been mixed up…
After she’d submitted her resignation…
One of the senior reporters from the business desk approached her.
The question was blunt.
And full of improper curiosity.
“What’s your relationship with Seo Woo-hyun? You two didn’t look like strangers that day. Are you close? Dating?”
Until that question, she’d never even imagined he was that Seo Woo-hyun.
Even after hearing it, she’d stood frozen for quite a while.
That day…
The day her career effectively ended…
She sat alone in a café and searched his name online.
Everything that had happened had completely shattered her composure.
The sluggish public computer in the café contained far more information about Seo Woo-hyun than she’d expected.
After remembering whose son he was…
She’d felt rather uneasy.
But what stayed with her longest wasn’t the articles.
It was the fact that…
He looked much better in person than in photographs.
And she’d been incredibly relieved that she’d run away without looking back.
“I said… I don’t have a girlfriend.”
His face suddenly appeared directly in front of her, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Startled, Byeol blinked before smiling awkwardly.
“Then… should I introduce you to someone?”
She’d thought she’d understood exactly what he wanted to hear.
Instead, he let out a disbelieving laugh, placed a hand on his knee, and stood up.
“I don’t need friends. More importantly, it’s almost breakfast time. Know any good restaurants nearby? A real one—not one of those fake tourist spots.”
Woo-hyun stared at the pink helmet Byeol was holding, feeling a chill creep over him.
“So…”
“…You’re telling me to wear this?”
His finger trembled as he pointed at the helmet.
Light pink.
With mint-green stars painted on it.
It was so horrifying he could barely bring himself to touch it.
“Hurry up and put it on. How are you going to ride a scooter without a helmet? Even if it’s just a scooter, you still have to obey traffic laws.”
“…Can’t I just pay the fine?”
“No. Your life is more important than that. Cars speed through here all the time. Hurry up. Didn’t you say we were going to eat?”
She shook the helmet at him again.
The pink monstrosity swayed before his eyes.
Looking utterly horrified, Woo-hyun took a step back.
“I absolutely refuse. I’ll call one of my people instead. Give me the address.”
“You’re seriously such a hassle. It’s not even seven in the morning yet. You’re going to wake up your poor employee just because of this?”
“That’s my problem.”
“Fine then. Don’t wear it if you don’t want to. Go back to your hotel. Have the breakfast buffet. You’re rich enough.”
Smiling brightly, she opened the scooter’s storage compartment to put the helmet away.
Before she could—
Woo-hyun grabbed her wrist.
“Do you really have to be this stubborn?”
“You’re the stubborn one.”
“How far is it?”
“About five minutes.”
“In the downtown area?”
“No. Near the resort you’re staying at.”
“I didn’t see any restaurants nearby.”
“There’s actually no signboard. Oh, right—remember the friend I mentioned? It’s her mother’s place. She’s an amazing cook. It’s different from my mom’s food, so I go there pretty often.”
“…”
“I’m not forcing you. I just don’t like making a big fuss. This place is small.”
A friend.
The same friend who had helped carry that impossibly heavy sofa.
A male friend.
A guy…
Why does that bother me?
In the end, remembering his subordinates who had drunk themselves senseless the previous night, Woo-hyun snatched the bright pink helmet from her.
Seeing his irritated expression, Byeol narrowed her eyes.
“You should’ve done that from the start.”
“You have a license?”
“I don’t have a driver’s license, but I do have a motorcycle license. Eight years now.”
He took one deep breath, like a soldier heading into battle.
Expensive suits.
Leather shoes.
Waking up two hours earlier than everyone else just to style his hair.
Sometimes wearing watches worth as much as a house.
Motorcycles simply didn’t fit a man like him.
In fact…
He had never once considered riding one.
Nor had he ever been in such a desperate hurry that he’d willingly let the wind ruin his carefully styled hair.
Running around frantically like his pants were on fire…
That was work for his employees.
He always appeared only for the climax.
So yes…
This was another first.
Another one caused by this woman.
“If you’re not confident, we can still call someone.”
“Don’t worry. Eight years without a single accident.”
“Forget confidence. Just ride safely. No cutting corners. Understood?”
“Yes, yes. Got it.”
Only then did he put on the helmet and climb onto the scooter behind her.
As soon as she twisted the throttle, his large body lurched backward.
Startled by the unexpectedly quick acceleration, Woo-hyun instinctively tightened his arms around her waist.
The speed was only fifty kilometers per hour.
But it felt closer to one hundred.
Her long hair streamed out from beneath the helmet, brushing against his face in the wind.
He refused to imagine how ridiculous he must look wearing a pink helmet.
The thought alone was humiliating enough.
Afraid someone he knew might recognize him, he clung tightly to her back.
The scent of cocoa drifting from her hair made his head spin.
Contrary to her warning, not a single car passed them along the quiet coastal road.
Under the dazzling blue sky and warm morning sunlight, her scent grew stronger.
“If you treat me to a good breakfast today, I’ll go easy on you. The emotional damages claim was a bit much. Okay?”
“We’ll see.”
“You mean you will?”
Unable to hear clearly over the wind, she shouted.
Woo-hyun leaned close to her helmet and yelled loudly.
“We’ll! See!”
“Wow! You’re so mean!”
The wind wrapped around him.
Even her grumbling somehow made his heart feel lighter.
Resting his chin on her small shoulder, he tightened his arms around her slim waist.
Just like I remembered.
Exactly this much.
The corners of his mouth curved upward.
“If the food’s bad…”
“…I’ll be adding a surcharge.”
“And an extra penalty for annoying me.”
