Hearing Sunjin’s words, Na Eun tightly gripped the beer can she was holding with both hands.

She was surprised by the unexpected expression and stammered. How could that be…

“Convenient…”

“Honestly, do we not know your personality? If someone confesses to you seriously, you’d cut them off cleanly for the sake of their feelings. No matter how special the current situation is, your behavior has been crossing the line.”

If they didn’t know, that would be one thing, but continuing to approach her this way despite knowing was unlike the Sunjin she knew.

Sunjin was precious to Na Eun as a friend, and if she had to choose between Seo Hee Won and Na Eun, her choice would undoubtedly be her friend.

However, that was why she thought she needed to give advice as a friend this time.

Sunjin spoke coldly.

“Everyone here knows Seo Hee Won was trash. So honestly, him clinging to you now is a bit pathetic, but that doesn’t mean your actions are right either. Do you know that what you’re doing now is unlike you?”

“…”

Na Eun lowered her head to avoid her friend’s gaze.

Her friends don’t know exactly what happened between her and Seo Hee Won.

Yet if they’re saying such things just from observing from the side, they would be furious if they knew the truth.

Na Eun made an awkward excuse.

“I just wanted to get along well like before.”

“That’s your greed. You don’t want to date, but you don’t want to grow distant either.”

There’s no way you couldn’t have thought that it would hurt the other person. Sunjin continued with a serious face.

“It’s because of Han Jae Kyung.”

“…”

“After that bastard, you’re scared of liking anyone.”

A chilling silence filled the room.

Seung Joo avoided her gaze while sipping beer, and Na Eun, who became dazed due to Sunjin hitting a point she herself didn’t know, quietly put down the can she was holding.

Sunjin objectively pointed out her friend’s state to the flustered Na Eun in a gentle tone.

“No matter who you meet, you keep having trouble breathing, your body trembles, so it’s hard. But you said it wasn’t like that with Seo Hee Won. Why do you think that is?”

“That’s because Seo Hee Won is…”

“Safe.”

Na Eun, who was stammering and trying to make an awkward excuse, closed her mouth at Sunjin’s following words.

She suddenly raised her head to look up at Sunjin sitting on the bed, and Sunjin calmly said to Na Eun.

“Among all the men around you, he’s the safest option. Seo Hee Won.”

His personal safety is guaranteed, and his identity is none other than a hero.

He’s on the same side as her friends.

Unless the heavens create a bizarre twist, there’s no way Seo Hee Won of all people would harm or betray her out of malice.

Moreover, since the relationship wasn’t built on affection and expectations, there would be no disappointment either.

“From the beginning, the first impression was the worst, so no matter what that bastard does, there’s no way you’ll get hurt.”

Someone you disliked from the start doing something you hate wouldn’t hurt you. It would only intensify the disgust.

Moreover, her kind nature that dislikes hurting others actually made her see Seo Hee Won as a more suitable person.

“You thought that no matter what you do, Seo Hee Won wouldn’t get hurt. That bastard was trash from the beginning, meets any woman, and doesn’t know sincerity, so even if you cling to him and act up a bit, he wouldn’t misunderstand or get his hopes up and end up hurt.”

“…”

“Seo Hee Won was easy for you. So you didn’t have to worry about getting hurt, or worry about hurting him. It was comfortable for you because Seo Hee Won wouldn’t crumble no matter what you did, right?”

‘Kiss me.’

‘Don’t leave me.’

Na Eun bit her lip, recalling the time she clung to Seo Hee Won crying that night.

What have I been doing? All this time.

“Na Eun, I’m really on your side.”

Sunjin spoke as if comforting her dejected friend who couldn’t utter a word.

“Even if you literally play with Seo Hee Won and dump him, I’m on your side. I won’t say anything to you.”

“That’s right. Thinking about that bastard’s past, it’s deserved even if you do that. It’s all his karma.”

Seung Joo, who had been listening from the side, quickly added.

It seemed to be to comfort the discouraged Na Eun. Sunjin slowly rummaged through the pile of snacks in front of her and said.

“But I’m telling you because it seems you can’t view this situation objectively. Regardless of what kind of a jerk Seo Hee Won was in the past, right now… you’re the one being an asshole.”

“…”

“Just be aware of it.”

Sunjin smiled awkwardly at her friend who couldn’t answer.

It wasn’t pleasant to be in the position of giving harsh advice either.

Na Eun was lost in thought for a moment with her head down, then carefully opened her mouth.

“…Actually, not long ago, I told Seo Hee Won we should date.”

“What?”

“Crazy.”

Sunjin asked back in surprise, and a curse slipped out of Seung Joo’s mouth.

Na Eun, who had fully expected her friends’ reactions, closed her eyes tightly, prepared to bear the criticism.

“So? What did that bastard say?”

“…He said he’ll keep being close to me like before, so don’t say things like that.”

And he asked her to be a little less cruel.

Na Eun still vividly remembered Hee Won’s pleading eyes as he said those words.

“…See.”

While Seung Joo was only surprised, Sunjin looked at Na Eun as if she had expected it.

Sunjin, whose eyes met Na Eun’s as she raised her head, unable to understand the meaning, muttered quietly.

“How convenient.”

“…”

There was no subject, but Na Eun’s face turned paler and paler as she heard Sunjin’s words.

The remote village with the open sea in front and mountains all around required a long walk from the lodging to the market to go grocery shopping.

Thinking that it was fortunate to have a small market within walking distance, Na Eun slowly put the items Soo Hyun had told her to buy one by one into the shopping basket.

Although not much time had passed since starting to live at the pension, the mother and daughter were getting quite used to rural life.

It was around the time when she checked all the last items on the list of things to buy that she had written down on her phone and was coming out of the market after paying.

Tap. Someone snapped their fingers in front of her to make their presence known.

Na Eun wasn’t surprised because she could tell who it was without even turning around.

Slowly turning her head to look, as expected, Seo Hee Won was looking down at her with a smile.

“What. You’re not even surprised.”

“I knew you’d come.”

Hee Won said with a grin, and Na Eun replied dryly.

Hee Won took the grocery bags from her hand as if it was natural. Na Eun let him without resistance.

“I’ll have to scold Kwon Seung Joo and Lee Sun Jin. Casually revealing the team leader’s schedule to a civilian.”

Even as he said that, Hee Won didn’t seem angry at all.

Na Eun silently watched Hee Won, who took the bags she had handed over as if it was obvious and walked ahead towards the pension where she was staying.

She gazed for a moment at his back, which would be wrapped tightly in bandages hidden under his thick outer clothing.

They said it was a major surgery. Even with a superhuman’s healing ability, he had to be prepared to die.

Seung Joo and Sun Jin said that it was only to that extent because it was Seo Hee Won, and if it had been them, they would have had to lie down for 2 weeks without moving.

She already knew from her friends that he would come to Jeju Island for full recovery once he could move after the surgery was over.

She was surprised that someone who was in the intensive care unit just yesterday could walk around so fine, and at the same time, she realized anew that he was a superhuman.

At the same time, she doubted if he was really the person in the black military uniform who was covered in blood and roaming the airport in the news she had seen not long ago.

“Are you okay?”

When Na Eun asked as they walked side by side, Hee Won naturally matched her pace and answered nonchalantly.

“I’m originally quite sturdy.”

“…Still, I heard you need to rest.”

“That’s why I’m resting now.”

“Coming all the way here to carry my groceries is resting?”

Quick-witted, he immediately noticed that her tone was sharp.

He stopped walking for a moment, turned to her, and asked.

“Are you angry?”

“…”

“I’m sorry for breaking the promise not to get hurt.”

He apologized readily, but spoke in a calm voice.

“But it’s been a while since we’ve talked so leisurely like this. This time is quite precious to me, so can you save being angry for later?”

“…Why are you so humble only to me?”

“Why are you asking when you know the reason?”

She knew he had been very busy.

Apart from being injured, his haggard complexion was proof of that.

Na Eun was angry at Seo Hee Won, who should be lying on the soft bed in the lodging to recuperate, but instead came to find her as soon as he arrived in Jeju Island to carry her bags.

And she hated how he acted as if this trivial conversation was more precious than anything to him.

She stared at Hee Won wordlessly for a moment, then took the lead and set off first.

After walking for a while on the winding mountain road, an open beach with a view of the sea appeared.

Just a little further in from there was the pension where she was staying.

When they came down the mountain road, Hee Won’s car that he had driven was parked at the end of it, but Na Eun shook her head, saying she wanted to walk.

Hee Won naturally chose to abandon the car and walk beside her.

“It’s a bit cold. Should I take off my jacket for you?”

As they entered the road with a view of the sea, the wind became quite strong.

The January weather heralded the peak of winter with its biting cold.

Although his tone was playful, Na Eun coldly refused his sincere question without looking at him.

“No need.”

“Then I’ll bring your padding. The one you left in my car last time is still there.”

He spoke casually, not minding her cold tone at all.

Even though he was quick-witted and knew she was different from usual, he didn’t seem to care much.

Fortunately, they had only walked a short distance from the car, so Hee Won quickly walked away.

She watched Hee Won’s back in the distance as he opened the back door of the car and took out her black padding.

It was absurd that he had brought it all the way from Seoul.

It seemed as if he always kept it with him in case it was needed.

…The fact that he paid attention to such things despite being injured and transported made a strange resentment suddenly well up.

Soon, he arrived quickly in front of her with the padding.

Na Eun ignored it and quietly held something out to him.

He, who had been smiling until just before, stiffened his expression upon seeing the object on her hand.

“…We don’t need it anymore. I’m returning it.”

It was the earring-shaped communication device that had connected their daily lives.