Chapter 2.3

Early in the morning, Hae-soo, who had been deeply asleep, suddenly opened her eyes wide. 

“…….” 

A pristine white window frame with a grid pattern, not a single flaw to be found, and sunlight pouring through it. Around it, somewhat exotic wallpaper and decorations. 

Hae-soo slowly blinked her eyes, carefully scanning everything within her field of vision. 

And how much time had passed like that? 

Her eyelashes, which had been fluttering lightly, soon drooped down in despair. 

“Ha……. It’s not a dream.”

Hae-soo’s slender fingers brushed over her face, which had become rough overnight. Each time, a sigh filled with despair continuously escaped through her red lips. 

She couldn’t even remember when she had fallen asleep. After the unbelievable reunion with In-wook, she had stayed alone in the living room for a long while before finally grabbing her suitcase and heading up to the second floor. 

Just the thought of having to live under the same roof as him for the time being made her hair stand on end and something deep in her core feel as if it were boiling with frustration. 

But there was nothing she could do. If she were to leave this house in a desperate attempt to make things easier for herself, she would be betraying her friendship with In-ah. 

There was no need to blindly believe In-wook’s words without verifying the facts, but she couldn’t outright deny them either. 

Who was Baek In-wook, after all? He was the esteemed CEO of Taeseon Department Store, a man who carried all sorts of wild rumors like a tagline. 

The rumors that followed him were mostly related to time. 

They said he was so busy that even the time for eating, sleeping, and even using the bathroom was scheduled; they said that, aside from sleeping hours, he devoted his entire day to work, to the point of choosing romantic partners from among his nearby secretaries, and so on. 

When you pieced together these exaggerated rumors, they ultimately painted a picture of a person so busy that he split his time not just by minutes, but down to the second. 

“Would someone like that waste their time lying just to keep someone like me here……?” 

Hae-soo muttered softly to herself. As her thoughts reached that point, even the last shred of resolve she had left completely vanished. 

Out of habit, she tried calling In-ah, but only the cruel ringtone played on. After listening to it a few more times, she gave up. 

After carelessly setting down her phone, she must have collapsed onto the bed and passed out. 

“It doesn’t feel like I just slept for an hour or two…… Did I sleep through an entire day?” 

Hae-soo let out a deep sigh. She knew she had accumulated fatigue from the long, arduous journey, but she hadn’t realized it was to this extent. 

Feeling as though she had wasted time for no reason, she rubbed her forehead once. Then, a sudden thought struck her, and she fumbled to grab her phone. 

On the dark screen, missed calls were displayed. It was In-ah. It seemed she had noticed the calls Hae-soo had made the previous day and contacted her belatedly. 

Instinctively, Hae-soo moved to call her back, but her gaze suddenly shifted to the top of the screen. 

“It must be the middle of the night in Seoul.” 

It was early morning by local time. So, just like the day before, it would be far too late at night in Seoul to have a conversation. 

“I’ll try again in the afternoon.” 

After a brief moment of deliberation, Hae-soo reached her conclusion and groggily got up from her spot. The first place she headed to was the window across from her bed. 

She flung open the closed window. Instantly, cool air rushed through her nostrils. 

“Wow, so refreshing.” 

As if she had never been downcast, Hae-soo stretched out with a satisfied exclamation. Just glancing out the window made her feel as though all her stray thoughts had been swept away. 

The clear weather, not at all inferior to the day before, and the welcoming embrace of vast nature. 

All of it, just like yesterday, was overwhelmingly perfect today as well. 

She found herself captivated by the fantastical scenery for quite some time. Thanks to that, the lingering drowsiness completely dissipated, and her mind felt as refreshed as the weather. That’s when it happened. 

A voice, far too familiar, suddenly seized her attention. 

“You’re awake?” 

It was a voice she knew well. Even without checking, she could tell who it belonged to. Yet, despite herself, her instinct—heedless of her will—turned her head toward the source of the sound. 

“…….” 

“…….” 

Her eyes met In-wook’s instantly. Perhaps on his way out, he stood in front of the fence surrounding the house, looking up at her with the warm sunlight at his back. 

Even though she knew it was sunlight illuminating him, for a moment, she was struck by the illusion of a halo shining around him. It couldn’t be helped. He wore the same captivating smile as the day before. 

As she stared at him in a daze, the events of yesterday, which she had briefly forgotten, flashed through her mind like a panorama. 

“I kept thinking about you, all the time.” 

“I was burning up day and night like a madman, lured by ridiculous words about welcoming me into your wild dreams. That’s how it was for me.” 

“I’m not going to say you have to take responsibility for my life just because we spent one night together.” 

“Instead, while I’m staying here, don’t think about running away. Stay in front of me. That’s the punishment I’m giving you.” 

Hae-soo’s cheeks flushed bright red in an instant. As embarrassment washed over her, she instinctively slapped her burning cheeks hard. 

She put so much force into it that her senses snapped back to reality at once. Then, In-wook’s face, which she had been staring at all this time, filled her vision once again. 

He tilted his head slightly, as if he couldn’t quite comprehend her sudden action. 

That was all it took for Hae-soo to feel as though her innermost thoughts had been completely exposed. Overwhelmed by shame, she didn’t know what to do with herself and ended up collapsing below the windowsill. 

Facing him felt unbearably embarrassing. She simply needed a place to hide. But then…… 

“Haha.” 

Baek In-wook’s laughter rang out clearly from beyond the window. Hae-soo’s face turned an incomparably deeper shade of red than before. 

“Ha…….”

A sigh escaped Hae-soo’s lips. She was frustrated with herself for continuously acting so clumsily. 

Yet, she couldn’t seem to pull herself together. Ever since that wretched night, she turned into a complete fool whenever she saw Baek In-wook. 

Even now, In-wook’s laughter kept coming through from beyond the window without pause, making it utterly impossible for her to view the situation rationally. 

“Do-Don’t laugh!!” 

Hae-soo shouted sharply. For a brief moment, it seemed as though In-wook’s laughter subsided. But soon, his voice seamlessly filled the empty space. 

“Make sure to eat breakfast. There should be something simple in the kitchen to tide you over. If it’s okay with you, let’s go grocery shopping together tomorrow.” 

His tone was as cynical as ever. Yet, why did it sound so kind to her? Was it because of the subtle laughter woven into his cynical words? 

Strangely, it felt as though someone was looking out for her. And with such tender care, at that. 

So, forgetting that she had hidden under the window of her own volition like a fool, she poked her head out slightly. 

“…….” 

“…….” 

She peeked out with just her eyes, looking toward the spot where In-wook had been standing moments before. She thought their eyes would meet right away, but contrary to her expectation, the spot was empty. 

Instinctively, she leaned her head out a bit more and saw him walking out beyond the fence. It seemed he was heading toward the sedan parked in front. 

For some odd reason, she felt deflated. She couldn’t even tell herself what she had been expecting. She had mustered the courage to look out, only to see nothing but his back, and for a fleeting moment, that felt a little disappointing. 

“……He said we’d go grocery shopping together, but he’s just leaving without even waiting for a reply.” 

She muttered softly to herself. Even as the words left her mouth of her own accord, she quickly shook her head, wondering what on earth she was thinking. 

At that moment, just as he was about to get into the car, In-wook turned around as if by some miracle and looked in Hae-soo’s direction. 

There was no way he could have heard her quiet whisper, yet she clamped her mouth shut tightly, feeling like a thief caught red-handed for no reason. 

Did he find that amusing? 

He let out a small chuckle before speaking in a slightly louder voice. 

“I bought the baguette you like. So don’t skip breakfast—eat at least that.” 

“…….” 

“I don’t have any plans tomorrow morning, so let’s go to a nearby restaurant for breakfast.” 

At the end of his words, he let out another short laugh. Then, without lingering, he got into the car. 

The car, once started, quickly left the house behind. Only after the back of the car, growing smaller in the distance, completely disappeared did Hae-soo blink rapidly. 

It didn’t seem to be just her imagination. The thought that she was receiving tender care from him felt more certain. 

Even though it was just a realization, her lips, which had been pursed, curved into a smile. 

Of course, she herself was completely unaware of this change.