Chapter 9 (Part 5)

Seven years ago.  

Jinwon entered a café in a wheelchair. After looking around, he headed to a corner seat.  

He clumsily transferred from the wheelchair to a chair and asked a staff member to remove the wheelchair so In-ah wouldn’t see it.  

Then, as if she were sitting across from him, he began his practice.  

He tried lifting a coffee cup with a nonchalant expression, placing his elbow on the table, then lowering it.  

He lifted his leg with his hand to awkwardly change his posture, took out a mirror to practice expressions.  

“I just lost interest. What am I supposed to do with something that’s gone cold?”  

He even practiced his lines.  

“…Lost interest. …They cold.”  

He kept mumbling as if chanting, then exhaled deeply with a tense face.  

That’s when he saw her entering the café.  

“…Let’s end it here.”  

“…”

When Jinwon finally uttered the first line he had rehearsed dozens of times, he couldn’t look directly at In-ah, afraid she might notice his trembling pupils.  

She stared at him blankly without responding.  

“……Is it because of that notebook you saw last time? Is that why you’re doing this now?”

Jinwon was caught off guard by her unexpected words and didn’t know how to react.  

“……Is it because I’m pregnant? You’re breaking up with me?”

He hadn’t anticipated that she would think he misunderstood because of the maternity notebook.  

His hands trembled slightly, and he clenched his fists to hide it.  

His reaction seemed to shock her even more. Her face, filled with pain and sadness, quickly turned cold.  

“Then what about the baby? Are you telling me to handle it on my own?”

“I’m sorry.”

He couldn’t say anything beyond that. His mind was filled with the thought that letting her go was the best decision.  

Watching tears fill her reddened eyes, his heart broke.  

He wanted to tell her he was wrong, that everything he just said was a lie, and wipe away her tears. He wanted to hold her in his arms and cry with her.  

But she stood up abruptly, clenching her fists.  

“Fine, let’s do that. Let’s pretend the pregnancy never happened. Is that what you want?”

Is this the end? Will I never see my love again?  

He lowered his head hurriedly, afraid she would see his falling tears.  

Feeling betrayed, she turned and left the café without looking back.  

Still with his head down, he began to sob uncontrollably.  

Trying not to make a sound, he stifled his cries in his throat, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.  

“Are you okay? Here’s a tissue…”  

A café staff member, unable to watch any longer, placed a tissue in front of him.  

Unable to hold back any longer, he burst into tears, not caring about the glances from others in the café.  

***  

To Jinwon, that moment felt like a distant memory.  

“I kept wondering if you’d come back into the café. What if you saw me crying?”  

Watching him murmur calmly, tears welled up in In-ah’s eyes.  

He gave her a faint smile.  

“Even then, I hoped you’d come back. That you’d tell me you wouldn’t leave.”  

Her tears couldn’t hold back any longer and flowed down her cheeks.  

She realized she wasn’t the only one who had been in pain for the past seven years.  

He gently wiped her tears with his hand and smiled.  

“I was the one who said we should break up. Isn’t that funny?”  

She shook her head vigorously, tears hanging from her eyes.  

“No! It’s not funny at all. I’m sorry, oppa. I misunderstood. No, I misunderstood that you misunderstood. Is that right?”  

She shifted her eyes, looking confused.  

Seeing her, he burst into laughter.  

“Oh, In-ah, you really are… hahaha.”  

“Hey, don’t laugh~”  

She wiped her tears with her hand, looking at him resentfully.  

Then she suddenly held her breath.  

He had gently cupped her cheeks.  

With eyes wide like a startled rabbit, she met his gaze.  

His charming eyes, curved into a crescent, slowly approached. She couldn’t breathe.  

And then, seeing his eyes gently closing, she closed hers too.  

It was like a signal.  

The breath of Jinwon, whom she had missed for seven years, poured into her.  

Filled with his breath, happiness spread through her body.  

In that moment, their clocks rewound to seven years ago.  

To the nights spent in the university lab, working overnight, exploring each other’s lips countless times.  

His cheeks were wet. Whether it was tears of joy or happiness, it didn’t matter.  

Then, annoyingly, the phone rang.  

He ignored it, focusing solely on her.  

But as it continued ringing, she slowly pushed him away.  

“You should answer it.”  

“It’s fine. I don’t need to.”  

He wrapped an arm around her waist, signaling a new beginning.  

She quickly grabbed his arm and repeated,  

“It’s ringing continuously, answer it. What if it’s urgent?”  

Finally, he checked the phone. It was his mom.  

Glancing at her, he answered.  

• Why aren’t you answering? I’m at your place now.  

“What?”  

• You left the marinated crabs. I brought them, so open the door.  

“What?”  

Startled, he ended the call and met In-ah’s equally shocked gaze.  

“My mom’s here.”  

Too shocked, she couldn’t even scream, her mouth agape.  

He calmly reassured her.  

“It’s fine. You can introduce yourself this time.”

“No, I can’t. Absolutely not!”  

“What? Absolutely not?”  

She had no time to explain his confusion.  

“I’m leaving. I’m going!”  

She hurried to the entrance, trying to put on her shoes.  

The doorbell rang loudly, and her face turned pale.  

“I don’t know anymore. What do I do, oppa?”  

Clutching her shoes, she ran around the house in panic.  

“Isn’t there anywhere to hide?”  

In a daze, she flung open the bathroom door. He barely managed to catch her and led her to the room.

All the while, he kept reassuring her.

“She’ll leave soon. She just came to give the marinated crabs.”  

Too flustered to respond properly, she waved her hands and pushed him out of the room.  

Simultaneously, she dashed to the bed. She slipped into the narrow gap between the bed and the wall, lying flat.  

His mom placed the crab soy sauce on the table, not forgetting to remind him.

“This will spoil quickly. Eat it soon or put it in the freezer. But…”

She suddenly looked around and asked,  

“Do you have a woman here?”  

“What?”  

Startled, he let out a sound akin to a scream.  

“I smell women’s perfume.”  

“That can’t be.”  

Unsure how to respond, he managed a single sentence.  

“You should meet women and date. How long will you live alone like this? Are you just going to leave Shin-hye like that?”  

“Why are you bringing up Shin-hye?”  

Unconsciously, he glanced toward the room. Unaware of his thoughts, his mom tapped his shoulder, seemingly frustrated.  

“Do you think she’ll wait for you forever? You’re mistaken.”  

Listening from the room, she pouted while lying flat on the floor.  

His mom was a mountain she had to overcome. How could she get through it? Just thinking about it made her sigh.

Sigh.  

Startled by her own loud sigh, she covered her mouth.  

“What was that sound?”  

His mom in the living room seemed to have heard something faint.  

He heard it too but nervously licked his lips.  

“Didn’t you hear it?”  

“It’s too late.”  

“So, are you telling me to leave? Without even offering me tea?”  

The tense moment dragged on.  

Hiding, the tension she held onto was slowly loosening. Along with a long yawn.

Finally sending his mom off, he wiped his cold sweat and rushed to the room.  

There, on the floor beside the bed, she had fallen asleep, clutching her shoes.  

“In-ah, In-ah…”  

He softly called her, then fell silent. Leaning on the bed, he quietly watched her sleeping face.  

Then he gently reached out.  

His fingertips touched her eyebrow. Following its curve, his fingers moved slowly.  

Then he softly brushed her lashes. Still unsatisfied, his fingers traced down her nose, pausing at her lips.  

As if burned, he recoiled, and his senses screamed in protest.  

‘Are you just teasing? Are you going to stop after just touching?’

But he resolutely turned away. He couldn’t let her sleep on the floor.  

He tried various angles to lift her.  

Then, leaning awkwardly on the bed, he attempted to pick her up.  

One hand slid under her neck, the other under her knees.  

Suddenly, she stirred, causing him to lose balance.  

“Oh no!”  

Despite his efforts, he toppled onto her.  

Fortunately, he caught himself against the wall, avoiding a major collision, but she was startled awake.  

His flailing hand had knocked her forehead.  

Rubbing her forehead, she slowly opened her sleep-laden eyes.  

Blinking, she found him in an odd position above her.  

“Huh?”  

“You’re awake? We’re in my room. Mom left.”  

Still groggy, she nodded slowly.  

“Oh, right. This is your room.”  

Murmuring in a sleepy voice, she climbed onto the bed and settled in.  

The problem was she was hugging him.  

As a result, he froze, staring at the ceiling, unable to move.  

But the only one who could free him, she, was sound asleep.  

He glanced at her, finally releasing the breath he’d held.  

When she opened her eyes, sunlight was streaming through the window.  

Lying in bed, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling, she seemed momentarily lost.  

Then she flinched, hearing an unfamiliar breath.  

Slowly turning her head, she cautiously looked to the side.  

There lay an angel, who had fallen asleep before returning to heaven.  

His features, like those painted by a world-renowned artist, and his wavy hair lightly covering his forehead, made Jinwon look angelic.  

If she hadn’t covered her mouth, she might have screamed.  

While her mouth froze in shock, her eyes busily scanned him.  

His long legs, slightly exposed abs due to his raised shirt, and his muscular chest barely contained by buttons made her dizzy.  

Her eyes, busy exploring him, finally reached his closed eyelids.  

His eyelids slowly lifted, revealing deep brown eyes.  

The final touch to the masterpiece, his gaze shattered her remaining sanity.  

At this critical moment, she unconsciously swallowed.  

His lips curved into a soft smile.  

“Why are you swallowing?”  

Startled, she quickly looked away.  

“I have to swallow, or should I spit?”  

Her hurried response made him chuckle. Reaching out, he gently cradled her head.  

“Did you sleep well?”  

With lips tightly sealed, she nodded vigorously.  

“What’s with your lips?”  

“Huh? My lips? What’s wrong with them?”  

Suppressing laughter, he asked curiously,  

“Why are you being so mean?”  

As he leaned closer, she quickly slid off the bed.  

“Where are you going?”  

His casual question caught her off guard, and she fidgeted with her clothes.  

“I’m going home.”  

“But why aren’t you asking?”  

“Asking what?”  

Instead of answering, he smirked, intrigued.  

Impatient, she asked again,  

“What should I ask?”  

“Well, about what happened last night?”  

While he spoke nonchalantly, her face turned crimson.  

“Nothing happened. Nothing could have happened. Because I don’t remember.”  

Speaking rapidly as if rapping, she flung open the door and left.  

“Have breakfast before you go.”  

“No, I have to go. I really have to.”  

“Where to? It’s the weekend.”