“I…”

Sewon’s urgent voice stopped Minjae. He had been turning away, but he paused and looked back at her.

“With me…”

Sewon struggled to force the words out of her throat.

“Will you go out with me?”

“……”

It was purely impulsive.

Minjae’s expression shifted subtly. As he narrowed his eyes, as though trying to make sense of what he had just heard, Sewon hastily added,

“I’ll—I’ll pay you.”

It was madness.

She knew she should never say something like that. But she had no excuse to make him stay. It felt as though she could reach out all she wanted and still never grasp him.

Without resorting to this, Sewon had no idea how to keep him by her side.

“You’ll pay me?”

“How… much do you need?”

“…How much can you give me?”

“As much as you want. I can… do that.”

Her voice shook violently, as though a drill were boring into her throat. He lifted his head and met her gaze. Unable to bear looking at his face, Sewon lowered her gaze.

Would he refuse? Of course he would.

Feeling her hands tighten involuntarily, she squeezed her eyes shut.

She bitterly regretted what she had blurted out on impulse. If she could, she would turn back time and glue her mouth shut. Anyone who heard that would think she was completely out of her mind, wouldn’t they? They would slap her and run away.

Sewon was still berating herself, her head drooping like a bean sprout.

Suddenly, she heard a faint snort. Startled, she lifted her head.

The moment their eyes met, the man standing silently before her let out a short laugh and murmured,

“As if you know how much I’d ask for.”

At Minjae’s muttered words, Sewon’s eyes darted about, unsure where to look. She began blinking more and more rapidly.

“All right.”

That was why his calm reply—which almost sounded like a willing acceptance—could only catch her by surprise.

“Huh?”

“I said yes. Let’s go out.”

Sewon froze, her mouth hanging open like a fool as though someone had hit her on the back of the head with a sledgehammer.

Reality seemed to recede, leaving her with a surreal, dreamlike feeling.