Chapter 42

Splash, splash, Haji’s footsteps quickened following the sound of splashing water.

“Where are you going?”

If it weren’t for Seojin grabbing her, she would have jumped right in.

“I’m going into the water.”

“No.”

“Why?”

They came to a swimming pool, and now she’s told not to go in?

Haji tried to pull her hand out of Seojin’s grip.

“We’ve come all this way; I can’t not go in.”

Laonhilljo Resort’s hot spa and swimming pool are said to relieve body fatigue and bring good energy with natural water drawn from underground.

“Sunbae, don’t come in. You said you didn’t want to come, so why did you follow me here and bother me?”

“What? A bother…?”

Ha, Seojin let out a small laugh, looking incredulous. As if hearing such a thing for the first time in his life.

“Isn’t that true? I told you it was okay not to come since you didn’t want to.”

“How could I not follow when you said you’d go out wearing a swimsuit the size of a palm?”

“A palm? My body is several times bigger than a palm.”

Haji opened her hand, glaring at Seojin as if she couldn’t believe him.

The two had returned from an early morning hike and were resting at their accommodation, unable to resist their fatigue.

The reason Haji, who had been taking a nap, suddenly opened her eyes was because of the resort’s swimming pool. It was a must-visit tourist spot with rave reviews, and even Lee Hyeseong had insisted on visiting.

“And right now, I’m the only one all wrapped up like this!”

“It’s fine.”

“What’s fine? How is it fine? And that’s not something you should say, Sunbae. You’re the one who wrapped me up in a bath towel.”

Haji grabbed the knotted end of the towel as if frustrated.

“No, you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Not here.”

“If not here, then where?”

What a strange person.

Anyone would think she was wearing some revealing bikini. Seojin seemed to be acting like a boyfriend monitoring his girlfriend.

But her swimsuit was a yellow monokini, not too flashy compared to others.

“I’m drawing more attention walking around like this.”

Haji boldly untied the towel knot. She handed the towel, now separated from her body, to Seojin and took a step back.

“Come in if you want, or don’t.”

I’m going in.

“Ahn Haji.”

“What, Ki Seojin?”

Stop being so serious. Over something like this.

Haji snorted, and Seojin let out a small sigh.

“Alright, then.”

When he backed down more easily than expected, Haji glanced back.

“Huh….”

“Why?”

Seojin, who had casually taken off his top, gestured with his eyes at Haji.

Go in if you dare.

She hadn’t expected the man, who wasn’t even in a swimsuit, to go shirtless. Momentarily flustered, Haji frowned.

“Sunbae, you can’t.”

“Why?”

“You’re injured, aren’t you? The wound on your back hasn’t healed yet.”

Haji shook her head as she looked at the injury he got because of her.

“I put on a waterproof bandage.”

“Waterproof…?”

When did you prepare something like that?

She was taken aback by his thorough preparation. The person who acted like he didn’t want to come had put on a waterproof bandage behind the scenes.

“There are always unforeseen circumstances.”

“Ha ha. Is that so?”

You fought with me about not wanting to come, yet you thought this far ahead.

Haji shrugged her shoulders and dipped her foot into the spa first.

“Ki Seojin!”

At that moment, an unfamiliar voice made Seojin turn around.

***

Though Haji had entered the spa as planned, she couldn’t relax as expected. It was all because of the man who kept her by his side, making her unable to move.

And also because of the unfamiliar man looking at her with curious eyes.

“What are you looking at?”

At Seojin’s cold voice, Nick frowned as if he couldn’t believe it. His brazen attitude was typical of someone who came for leisure, leaving only work instructions behind.

Moreover, his wary posture, as if ready to pounce if Nick dared to glance at the woman beside him, was almost comical.

“You two work together?”

“You don’t need to worry about it.”

“Okay.”

Nick was dumbfounded by his friend and boss Seojin’s attitude.

“You’re really speaking harshly, huh? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Nope.”

“Haha? Does Matthew know about this?”

That you’re this crazy?

Seojin raised an eyebrow. It meant Matthew already knew.

“Why are you here?”

“I came all the way to Jeju and hadn’t seen you yet. So I came to see you.”

Of course, if I’d known you were obsessed with a woman, I wouldn’t have.

“You’ve seen me now, right?”

“Not for work-related stuff. As a friend.”

“Now that you’ve seen me, you can go.”

“This crazy….”

He’s crazy to the end.

The way he nervously covered the woman’s shoulders with a towel, as if afraid they’d be exposed, was laughable.

“Your name is Haji, right?”

“Yes, I’m Ahn Haji.”

“I’m Nick. I studied abroad with Seojin and came back to Korea together.”

Unlike earlier, when he had reluctantly given only his name because of Seojin, Nick introduced himself more kindly.

And he continued, smirking at Seojin watching him.

“I’m genuinely curious, how did you meet this crazy guy?”

He hadn’t expected this, but Ki Seojin was now clearly a madman, unable to get enough of this woman.

What kind of man wraps a towel around his partner’s shoulders in a spa, afraid they might be exposed?

“Sunbae and I….”

“Sunbae?”

“Oh, we were high school seniors and juniors. I’m friends with his sister.”

“He has a sister?”

Nick looked at Seojin as if hearing this for the first time. He seemed unaware of Seojin’s family relations.

“Yes.”

“This guy, I’ve known him for six years, and he never mentioned his family.”

Nick told Haji about Seojin’s attitude, as if tattling.

He thought Seojin was incredibly indifferent, but seeing him act like this with a woman was surprising.

“Haha, Sunbae does seem that way.”

Haji brushed off Seojin’s hand that kept pulling her closer and took a sip of water. Being in a hot place with Seojin clinging to her made it feel twice as warm.

“I really thought this guy was a eunuch, but it seems not…?”

“Pfft!”

Water spewed from Haji’s mouth.

“S-sorry.”

Flustered, Haji stammered, wiping her mouth. And as she reached out to Nick, who was splashed by the water from her mouth.

Splash, the spa’s hot spring water hit Nick’s face. Like a slap of water.

“Ah! What are you doing?”

“To wipe it off.”

“Ha? Seriously? Are you really crazy?”

Nick wiped the water from his face, glaring at Seojin. Haji, feeling at a loss, looked around nervously, fearing they might fight.

“It’s okay. We won’t fight.”

As if understanding her feelings, Seojin wrapped his arm around Haji’s shoulder, pulling her into his embrace. Even though he wouldn’t do anything about her not knowing what to do in his arms.

Nick clicked his tongue at Seojin, watching Haji, who was now moving only her fingers with a flushed face in Seojin’s arms.

As if he had anticipated Haji’s reaction, Seojin looked satisfied.

“I wanted you to meet a girl, but I didn’t expect you to become such a lunatic.”

“At least you know now.”

Seeing him acknowledge it so easily, it seemed he was well aware of his behavior.

He thought Seojin was obsessed with studying, but to think he’d be this way in a relationship, too.

Considering his obsession with studying, he felt sorry for Haji.

Thinking this, Nick soon withdrew his gaze from Haji. Although he was the one who got splashed with water, it didn’t seem like she particularly disliked wiping Seojin’s face.

***

The night sea gently lapped with small waves.

There was a place connected to the sea within the resort where one could directly view the ocean.

It was a restaurant known to be hard to book even a year in advance. Haji, having dinner at a table with a direct view of the sea, put down her fork.

“Are you done?”

“I’m full.”

Haji patted her full stomach.

Feeling good after a delicious meal, Haji smiled gently at Seojin.

“You’re not planning to fatten me up and eat me, are you?”

“That’s a good idea.”

Haji laughed at Seojin’s playful response.

“I’m sad to think we’ll be going back to Seoul tomorrow.”

“Want to stay longer?”

“I’d love to, but Sehee must be struggling.”

Thinking about Sehee working hard in her absence, she shook her head.

“And Woobae too.”

“He has nothing but stamina, so you don’t need to worry.”

Haji, taking Seojin’s sincerity as a joke, smiled brightly and took in the view of the sea.

Then she suddenly remembered the conversation Nick had with Seojin before leaving. He mentioned the tight schedule and issues with work.

“Thank you for staying with me even though you’re busy with work.”

“You’re more important than work.”

“… That’s nice to hear.”

Tap, Seojin’s finger touched Haji’s fingertip.

“Haji.”

Haji, who had been looking at the table, slowly lifted her gaze to meet Seojin’s eyes.

“You deserve to be loved. I’m not better than you, and you’re not lacking compared to others.”

“….”

He poked right at her inner thoughts. The inferiority complex that always lay deep in her heart.

“You aren’t lacking compared to Seonghee either. You’ve worked just as hard.”

“Why mention Seonghee all of a sudden…?”

“Because even when you didn’t have a place to live, you didn’t contact Seonghee, and it must have been for that reason.”

Haji’s eyelids trembled slightly. Because her innermost thoughts had been exposed.

Her inferiority complex, which she thought no one knew about if she pretended it wasn’t there. Seonghee was always a good friend, but she envied her confidence and the wealthy family she was born into.

Sometimes, it made her painfully aware of her own situation, without parents or money.

She was angry and frustrated with herself for having such thoughts about a friend, repeatedly telling herself she shouldn’t be like that.

So she built her own wall, not allowing anyone to cross it. She was afraid that if they got closer, the devil-like feelings inside her might genuinely show.

She was scared of herself.

She hated her own ugly feelings.

If others found out about this side of her, she would truly be alone.

She believed that if she hid and ignored it, no one would ever know.

Why?

But why.

“How do you know, Sunbae?”