Chapter 8 (Part 5)

As soon as they got in the car, she questioned him,  

“Are you really going to put me in a difficult position like that?”  

“What’s the big deal?”  

Amazed, she shook her head. Waiting for Hye-yoon to return from the restroom, she decided to make things clear.  

“Romantic gestures at work are a no-go. I won’t overlook it anymore.”  

“What? Overlook?”  

He started laughing.  

“Why?”  

“Did you watch a historical drama yesterday? Saying you won’t overlook it, you should cut back on those. Haha.”  

Feeling awkward, she brushed her hair back. He found her irresistibly cute.  

Had Hye-yoon not gotten in the car immediately, he couldn’t predict what affectionate gesture he might have made.  

After work, for some reason, his office was already empty.  

He had gone to the lobby early to prepare a cake and bouquet. He was engrossed in strategizing with the security guard.  

“What are you doing here?”  

In-ah approached them quietly from behind.  

Startled, he and the guard looked like they’d seen a ghost.  

He quickly hid the bouquet and cake behind his back,  

“Why did you come out so quickly?”  

She peeked behind him with a relaxed expression and laughed.  

“Why, are you going to say someone lost their cake and bouquet and hasn’t come to claim them?”  

He and the guard exchanged a glance.  

“Oh? How did you know?”  

Flustered, he asked the guard with a resentful look,  

“Did you tell her?”  

“Me?”  

“Didn’t you tell her when you gave her the umbrella last time?”

“No. I never said you told me to give it, Team Leader.”

The guard insisted on his innocence.  

Unable to hold back her laughter, she burst out laughing. He found her so endearing.

***  

Carrying the bouquet he had given her, she arrived at the officetel with him following closely with the cake.

Just as she stepped off the elevator, she suddenly stopped.  

“Mom!”  

Her mother, standing in front of her apartment, looked surprised, glancing between her and him.  

“You should have called. Have you been waiting long?”  

“No, not really.”  

Even as her mother answered, she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Noticing this, she quickly introduced him,  

“Mom, this is our company’s Team Leader Lee Jinwon.”  

After exchanging bows, her mother asked,  

“But why are you coming home with the Team Leader?”  

“Oh, his place is right next door…”  

She stopped mid-sentence, as if something occurred to her, then glanced at him before continuing,  

“We’re dating. You know, my boyfriend from college, Jinwon oppa.”

“Nice to meet you.”  

He bowed deeply, greeting her mother earnestly.  

“Alright. Put the side dishes in the fridge quickly. I should get going.”

“Already? Stay a bit longer. Why are you leaving so soon?”  

Her mother hurriedly headed toward the elevator,  

“I forgot something. I have to go now. Bye.”  

She gave him a subtle signal and followed her mother.

“I’ll hail a taxi for you. Let’s go together!”  

***  

A few days later, In-ah visited her parents’ home after work.  

Her father’s call had prompted the visit.  

“I can’t understand why she’s like this. She says she’s not sick, but she’s been lying down like this for days.”

“You didn’t fight, did you?”  

“No. Your mom never misses a day at the restaurant, but she’s been absent for two days now.”

“That’s serious.”  

“About seven years ago, I think. It’s the first time since then. She’s like this.”

Around seven years ago, her mother had been bedridden for nearly a month for unknown reasons. She vaguely remembered it. Around the time she broke up with Jinwon, her mother was so ill that she couldn’t fully indulge in her heartbreak.

With a worried expression, In-ah entered the room where her mother was lying.

“Are you sick?”  

Her mother shook her head silently.  

“Then why are you like this? Did you eat anything? I’ll make some porridge. Stay here.”

As she stood to leave, her mother grabbed her hand.

“In-ah.”  

“Yeah, I’m listening.”  

“Can’t you not meet Jinwon again?”  

She was speechless. She hadn’t expected to hear such words from her mother.  

“I don’t want to see you hurt and broken again.”  

She held her mother’s hand with both of hers.  

“I know what you’re worried about. But I really like oppa. It’s been hard not being together.”

Her mother looked at her with infinitely sad eyes. She wanted to reassure her.  

“The things you’re worried about won’t happen. So don’t worry.”  

She stood to make porridge.  

As she was about to open the door, she turned back,  

“But Mom, how did you remember oppa’s name?”

“Oh? Oh.”

“Don’t worry. Your daughter is stronger than you think. Didn’t you know?”  

She smiled brightly at her mother before leaving the room. Her mother sighed deeply.  

***  

‘Ding dong. Ding dong.’  

The loud doorbell woke her up on a weekend morning.  

Half-asleep, she checked the monitor to see Jinwon standing there.  

“What brings you here in the morning?”  

“It’s the weekend. Let’s go out.”  

“Now?”  

“Yeah, now. Come out and play with me!”  

She looked at his excited figure on the monitor, puzzled.  

“What’s with this guy?”  

She followed him, watching his almost airborne steps.  

At the crosswalk, his energetic steps halted at the red light. She stopped next to him.  

She stared at his profile curiously, not realizing the light had changed.  

Then, he grabbed her hand and started running across the street.  

Caught off guard, she let him lead her across.  

Once across, they both caught their breath.  

“Why did we run?”  

Still catching his breath, he smiled like a scene from a youth movie,  

“I wanted to get there quickly. Let’s go.”  

Still holding her hand, he started walking again. She looked at their joined hands.  

Then at his profile, which was full of a happy smile.  

She couldn’t help but smile too.  

“Is there anything you want to do with me?”  

His sudden question made her hesitate.  

“Not sure.”  

As if waiting for that answer, he said,  

“Then let’s start with what I wanted to do.”  

“Okay. So where are we going?”

At In-ah’s question, Jinwon smiled brightly at her.  

“Nowhere.”

“What?”  

“We’re just walking, holding hands. That’s what I wanted to do.”

She burst into laughter at his unexpected words.  

“Why not suggest matching couple shirts too?”  

“Should we?”  

“You’re crazy.”  

She looked appalled, and he quickly tried to calm her.  

“Just kidding. But I can’t compromise on this.”

As he finished speaking, he pulled something from his pocket.  

A deep ocean blue square case opened wide in front of her eyes. It was a couple ring.  

Staring wide-eyed, she muttered,  

“You’re crazy.”  

“We never got to do this before.”

She met his earnest gaze. Her heart softened, and she couldn’t refuse this either.

Reluctantly, she held out her hand. Delighted, he quickly slipped the ring onto her finger.  

But her expression soured a bit.  

“It doesn’t fit.”  

“What? It shouldn’t. I got the size measured.”

Suspiciously, she looked up at him.  

“Whose finger did you measure?”  

“Of course, yours.”  

“Mine? Really?”  

She had never given him her finger size. His next words cleared up the mystery.  

“Seven years ago, while you were asleep.”  

“What?”  

His absurd statement left her jaw hanging open. She rolled up her sleeves and clenched her lips.  

“Let’s start with a smack. It’ll clear things up.”

Before he could escape, her palm landed on his back.  

“Ouch!”  

He started running away from her hand. She chased him closely, continuing to target his back.

“Ouch, it stings! Sorry, sorry! It’s my fault for not measuring again. I admit it!”  

At his admission, she finally stopped swinging her palm and sat on a bench.  

Sitting beside her, he reached back to rub his still-stinging back.  

Watching him, she giggled. Lost in thought, she murmured,  

“When Mom scolds, she hits the back like that. I was always so jealous when she smacked my sister and In-woo.”

“Why?”  

He quietly watched her face. She continued, looking into the distance.

“Mom never hit my back. She showed no difference when giving love, but there was a difference when scolding.”  

Looking sadly into his eyes, she said,  

“Mom never scolded me.”  

“That’s because you were good.”  

His comforting words made her smile bitterly.  

‘Smack!’  

“Ow!”  

Suddenly hit on the back, she glared at him. He stood up and quickly spoke as he moved away.

“If you wanted to be hit so badly, you should’ve said so.”

She jumped up, waving her hand threateningly at him.

“Come here. Aren’t you coming?”  

He circled around her, not getting too close. Frustrated, she huffed.  

“Everyone at work should know what kind of man you are.”  

Despite her anger, he was delighted by her expression.  

It felt like a moment perfectly back to the past.  

The moment when he loved her, and she loved him.