After soothing her insides with the hot soup and picking up the soju bottle again, Hyunseo held out her glass. Had it been needless worry when she’d said she couldn’t drink more after the first glass? 

Hyungja, who’d been about to stop her, silently poured out the remaining alcohol and spoke.

“So, what’s good about that guy? Is he handsome?”

“Yes.”

“Tall too? Rich?”

“Yeeess.”

“So that’s why you fell for him?”

“I wanted to hold him.”

“Hm?”

“I saw him struggling. When I thought he was just perfect, I actually liked him less. I wanted to comfort him. I kept worrying about him, my heart kept going to him. Whether I could see him or not.”

“This is serious. When you pity someone, there’s no hope.”

“Ma’am.”

“Yes.”

“My heart feels so empty—can I just sleep here tonight?”

If she was alone, she wouldn’t be able to bear it. Maybe she’d even call him using being drunk as an excuse.

Scared of that, Hyunseo said she didn’t want to go home, and Hyungja quietly swallowed a sigh.

When she soon nodded saying to do that, Hyunseo smiled with her eyes crinkling even more. Her form emptying the glass looked quite convincing now.

“I guess this is why people drink.”

“Right. It’s called alcohol so you’ll smoothly spill everything.”

“Should we drink another bottle?”

“Will you be okay?”

“You said you’d let me sleep over. Besides, tomorrow’s the weekend, so.”

Though she didn’t approve, Hyungja stopped Hyunseo from saying she’d get it herself and stood up without hesitation.

She opened the soju bottle she’d brought and filled the glasses. Watching Hyunseo quickly empty it and make a “pop” sound, Hyungja couldn’t help but smile. 

Bothered by her cheeks that had gotten even redder than before, she offered water, which Hyunseo also gulped down well.

The phone vibrated right then. Hyunseo took it out with difficulty and placed it face down on the table.

“Not answering?”

“…Yes.”

“Why, is it that guy?”

“…”

The vibration that seemed to have stopped soon rang again, but Hyunseo still didn’t answer. Not that she was calm about it either. Even while getting drunk, she was tense and didn’t know what to do. 

Hyungja clicked her tongue.

“Answer it. Why aren’t you answering when you’re dying to?”

“…I can’t.”

“Don’t be scared for no reason. When you get down to it, everyone’s life is pretty much the same.”

“No.”

“Hyunseo.”

“The Executive Director is different. He’s too different from me so it won’t work, if I just sort out my feelings, then…”

Hyunseo couldn’t finish her words. Tears had already welled up in both her eyes.

Making her endurance until now meaningless, tears burst out just from seeing his name.

Hyungja, newly realizing Hyunseo’s feelings had been quite deep, deliberately pretended not to notice and poured alcohol. Hyunseo, who’d hurriedly wiped her eyes, smiled brightly.

She silently tilted her glass. During that time, the vibration kept ringing. Even after switching it to silent mode completely, Hyunseo kept glancing at her phone. Her body, unable to handle the rising intoxication, tilted toward the table.

Blink, blink. With eyes that slowly closed and opened, Hyunseo stared at her phone. Her nose stung.

She squeezed both eyes shut. Thinking maybe it would get better if she didn’t look. Suddenly, sleep poured over her incoherently.

And then.

“Do Hyunseo.”

How much time had passed? 

A familiar face slowly entered her completely hazy, flickering vision. Dark eyebrows, smooth eyes, a prominent nose bridge, red lips. It took more time to properly recognize him.

“Are you alright?”

“…Huh?”

“Can you get up?”

“…Why are you here, this doesn’t make sense. Ah…”

Hyunseo, who’d been hurriedly raising her upper body, grabbed her head. She must have fallen quite deeply asleep in that short time because her entire head throbbed. 

Her eyes met Hyungja’s, who was cleaning anchovies at the next table.

“Nothing to be surprised about. I called him.”

“Ma’am.”

“What could I do when he insisted on seeing you? You need to say what needs to be said and resolve what needs resolving.”

“Haa…”

“If you’re up, hurry and go. I’m so sleepy my eyes are closing.”

She’d tried to say she didn’t want to. That she wouldn’t go, didn’t you clearly say you’d let me sleep over? Even so.

Hyunseo couldn’t say anything. The moment she saw Gyeom standing blankly in front of her, her heart had already completely crumbled. 

She couldn’t believe it. That he’d suddenly appeared again like this just because she’d been thinking she wanted to see him—it was just impossible.

“Should I carry you on my back if you can’t get up?”

“…I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“Really. I can stand up by myself…”

Hyunseo, who’d been boldly raising her body, suddenly lost her balance and swayed. Gyeom wrapped his arm around her waist without delay. 

At his face that had gotten close enough for their breaths to touch, she was once again at a loss for words.

“That’s why I said to get on my back.”

Gyeom, who’d quietly scolded her, put strength into the arm holding her. She could never push him away, carefully leading her outside. At her appearance following without a word of complaint, Hyungja secretly sighed.

In Hyunseo’s eyes as she obediently got into the passenger seat of the car he’d opened, she saw Hyungja following out with her belongings. 

Hyungja, who’d handed Hyunseo’s things to Gyeom, smiled slightly through the window saying to go carefully.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“Wait.”

Hyungja, who’d stopped Gyeom as he bowed and turned around, glanced at Hyunseo and lowered her voice.

“She’s like a daughter to me. Don’t make her cry—she’s someone who wouldn’t have enough even if she only laughed for the rest of her life.”

Gyeom, who’d been listening with a serious expression, greeted her again along with words that he’d keep it in mind. 

Hyunseo, who couldn’t take her eyes off him as he went around the hood to the driver’s seat, belatedly looked at Hyungja.

When she waved, Hyungja stood watching the car that quickly grew distant for a long while.

Not even knowing the night wind was cold, Hyungja, who’d been facing it endlessly, slightly curled up the corners of her mouth. She roughly wiped her raw eyes.

She’d intended to give him a piece of her mind for calling so much. At first, with truly just that feeling, Hyungja had pressed the call button on behalf of sleeping Hyunseo, but seeing Gyeom rushing into the restaurant, she was certain. 

That telling him the location had been the right thing to do.

He looked like someone who could sufficiently hold onto Hyunseo, who was getting scared and trying to back away.

She hadn’t lived her years for nothing, it seemed. Hyungja’s eyes could see it all clearly. Both their identical hearts.

She thought. It probably wasn’t a problem that could be resolved by you sorting it out alone, Hyunseo. So.

“Yeah, right. He’s d*mn good-looking. Enough to be scared of.”

Muttering alone while looking at the business card she’d received from Gyeom earlier, Hyungja soon moved her steps inside the restaurant. 

Hyungja stood a little longer looking at the dark outside where Hyunseo was already gone, with needless worry.

Meanwhile.

“Why didn’t you answer the phone?”

In the car that had been uncomfortably quiet, the first person to speak was Gyeom. Hyunseo, whose shoulders flinched, carefully answered.

“I didn’t know.”

“Because you were drinking?”

“…Yes.”

“I see. I can tell by looking.”

Though it was his usual calm tone, Hyunseo wasn’t unaware. That Gyeom was very displeased.

She almost turned to look but stopped. Just sitting in the seat next to him was all she could barely manage. Hyunseo just stared blankly at the pitch-black window outside, slumped down. His low voice was heard again.

“I don’t like not being able to reach you.”

“…”

“Be careful next time. Do you know how many times I called?”

“Um, I drank a lot though.”

“I know.”

“I don’t think I can today. I’m sorry.”

Gyeom, who seemed to hesitate a bit, made a “huh” sighing sound. His voice became even rougher.

“I didn’t contact you because of that.”

“…Then, why.”

“Because I was worried. About what happened during the day.”

Hyunseo bit her lips tightly. When the woman’s face she’d forgotten for a moment came to mind, her mood sank uncontrollably.

Whether from intoxication or what, she felt like she could burst into tears right away.

She held it in and looked out the window. Gyeom, who’d glanced at Hyunseo who had nothing to say either way, gently turned the steering wheel. 

The moment the direction changed, the intoxication she’d been suppressing surged up. Hyunseo’s brow slowly narrowed.

“Director Seong Sujeong planned it on her own. I’m not doing that marriage.”

She didn’t answer. No, her stomach was churning so she couldn’t open her mouth. Her head felt like it would split.

It was also Gyeom who couldn’t endure the lengthening silence. Actually, he’d been worried. She wasn’t home, wasn’t answering the phone. 

Thinking she might be with that Han Juhyung guy or whatever, he’d rushed over like a crazy person, but he didn’t particularly say it out loud. With his brow deeply furrowed, he continued speaking.

“You’re not sleeping, right? If you’re listening, please answer.”

“…”

“Like I said, you don’t need to worry. I know the rumors are rampant in the company, but I’ll handle it…”

“…let me out.”

“What?”

“I’m going to throw up, quickly…”

Gyeom turned to Hyunseo. Only now noticing her serious expression, he hurriedly stopped the car.

“Urk!”

Hyunseo, who’d gotten out almost running, rushed inside the road and bent at the waist. Even though her stomach had been churning like crazy until just now, only dry heaves came out. 

Still, as she kept trying, a large hand touched her back. Was it because of the kind touch gently patting her? Suddenly tears filled both her eyes.

“You should have eaten before drinking.”

“Urk…”

“Don’t worry about how it looks and do it. It’s okay.”

Even with the patting that got slightly stronger, nothing particularly came out. She, who’d been spitting out only the saliva pooled in her mouth, suddenly raised her gaze. She saw the hand carefully gathering her troublesome hair.

“Careful.”

Right after, her legs trembled. Gyeom firmly caught her as she was about to collapse forward. 

He took her, who said that was enough now, to a nearby bench and sat her down, then lowered himself to check on her.

“How are you? Should I buy you something to drink?”

Her hazy vision cleared. He wiped away the tears that had flowed down with his hand. While watching him wipe the saliva on her mouth without hesitation, her heart pounded the entire time. Inside her throat was seriously hot.

Gyeom stood up. He told her to wait a moment as he’d be right back and turned around, but Hyunseo grabbed his collar. Understanding it meant not to go, he soon sat down next to her.

“Do Hyunseo.”

“…”

“Does your stomach hurt a lot? Is that why you’re crying?”

His large hand caressed her eyes. The touch sweeping and cupping her cheek was very warm.

“Or is it because the bag I gave you wasn’t good?”

“…Why did you give it to me?”

“Just because I wanted to. Is that not allowed?”

Once at the word “just,” and again at his expression, treating it lightly. Her heart sinking repeatedly hurt, so she furrowed her brow.

When she closed her eyes and lowered her head, a shoulder touched her head like it had been waiting.

It was comfortable. Very much so. Her still-churning stomach and throbbing head were separate from her feelings.

Taking advantage of the overflowing comfort, she gently lifted her eyelids.

The late-night street. She took in the cars and people passing by in no small number without emotion, then looked at her hand. Her hand, held tightly by him without her knowing.

She’d tried to stop. She’d resolved that was right, that she should. But, she didn’t know.

Could she push him away with willpower alone? This person? Just how greedy was she being? How far would she go?

There was no guarantee. Even if he sorted things out with that woman, she couldn’t dare be in that position.

It seemed certain yet was ambiguous. She repeated to herself inwardly. That it was all full of unknowns.

After repeating it several times, she closed her eyes. Her spinning vision changed to complete darkness.