Worried that the woman behind her might hit her again, she sat tense until the end of the performance.
Perhaps because it was a frightening memory from her childhood.
It felt like it happened just yesterday, and her heart ached all over again.
Despite being in a completely different situation and a much higher caliber of performance and venue, Se-hee was still hesitant.
After much deliberation, Se-hee clenched her fists.
Not just Hyo-jun, but also all the dark memories of the past – she decided to let them go.
Resolutely, Se-hee decided to attend the circus performance.
If there were someone like that woman again, this time she would boldly turn around and give them a piece of her mind.
Tit for tat.
Of course, given the caliber of passengers on the Dekona, it was unlikely there would be anyone like that.
With a determined resolve, Se-hee walked to the performance venue.
As it was a show for children, she saw many happy kids sitting with their parents.
Lucky children.
Se-hee envied them immensely, having loving parents and enjoying such fun times.
She thought to herself that when she had her own child, she would definitely take them to such performances and tucked away her feelings of envy.
Since there were no assigned seats, Se-hee comfortably chose a spot where many seats were empty.
With five minutes to the start, the host began the opening remarks.
But then, a man suddenly plopped down right next to Se-hee.
“Are you here to watch the performance?”
His question was very polite, but the way he eyed Se-hee was unsettlingly creepy.
Despite many empty seats nearby, the man chose to sit right next to Se-hee, making his intentions blatantly clear.
Se-hee didn’t respond and moved to an adjacent seat with a blank expression, trying to avoid him.
But the man stood up and followed her, sitting down right next to her again.
“Isn’t it better to watch together since you’re alone?”
The man asked in a husky voice, his intentions seemingly unscrupulous.
“I’m sorry, but I…”
Before Se-hee could finish her cold response,
“Se-hee, have you been waiting long?”
Sung-jae suddenly appeared.
“This seat is mine, what are you doing?”
Sung-jae looked down menacingly at the man who was gazing creepily at Se-hee.
Startled, the man looked up at Sung-jae.
This East Asian man who appeared suddenly had a different build altogether.
Even standing still, the bulging muscles on his forearms were noticeable.
The man, stopping his gaze there, quickly stood up, mumbled an apology, and scurried away.
“Are you okay, Se-hee? Even the best cruise line can’t screen the character of every passenger, it seems.”
Sung-jae sat down next to Se-hee with a concerned expression.
“Thank you.”
If it weren’t for Sung-jae, another bad memory might have been added to her circus experience.
Healing and overcoming past memories clearly wasn’t easy.
She realized she had reacted too passively, only prepared for a slap on the back, not thinking about other possibilities.
Now, Se-hee wasn’t the little girl from back then; different situations were bound to arise.
“Don’t mention it.”
Sung-jae replied warmly.
“But are you alone? Where’s Jung-yeon?”
Se-hee naturally inquired about Jung-yeon, knowing they were always together like needle and thread.
“Ah, Jung-yeon doesn’t like circus shows. She says it’s too nerve-wracking with all the death-defying acts. And just to clear the air, we are like family, so please think of us as nothing more than siblings.”
Sung-jae clarified his relationship with Jung-yeon to Se-hee.
Se-hee smiled slightly, listening to Sung-jae’s serious explanation.
“The show is starting. Wow, I really wanted to see this. And here we are, watching it together. Just the two of us.”
Sung-jae’s eyes softened.
He hadn’t expected to meet Se-hee here, of all places.
To Sung-jae, this felt like an inevitable destiny.
Moreover, appearing to rescue Se-hee from a difficult situation made him feel like an unintended knight in shining armor.
He thought his likability must have soared a hundredfold, and the gloom from yesterday’s incident seemed to vanish, replaced by happiness.
As the engaging performance of the clowns began, leading to a series of breathtaking acts, Sung-jae didn’t miss Se-hee’s adorable reactions of tension and surprise.
‘I guess it’s too soon to hold her hand.’
Sung-jae restrained his emerging desire, deciding to enjoy the moment of their exclusive date.
Plus, the face of a certain troubling individual kept intruding on his thoughts.
The performance continued fantastically, and the first half concluded with flower petals showering down from the sky.
Moved, Se-hee clasped her hands tightly, gazing up at the falling petals.
‘Is this what it would look like if an angel descended to earth?’
Sung-jae gazed at Se-hee, lost in thought.
From the very first time we met, there was something distinct about the way he approached.
He was a person of clear purity, his bright smile easily revealing a pure heart through just a few conversations.
That’s probably why I fell for him so deeply.
“It’s amazing. What did you think, Sung-jae?”
Se-hee asked, her face full of awe and emotion.
“Me? I… It’s indescribable.”
Sung-jae stuttered, momentarily flustered.
In truth, he hadn’t really watched the performance.
“There’s a magic show in the second part. You’ll stay for that, right?”
Sung-jae wanted to spend more time with Se-hee.
“The second part? Oh, I didn’t realize there was a second part. I only checked the circus performance schedule before coming in.”
Se-hee had been so preoccupied with her past memories that she hadn’t noticed the details about the second part of the show.
“This time, a world-renowned magician is performing, a famous Korean magician.”
Sung-jae shared this information, knowing it would pique Se-hee’s interest.
“Ah, that magician! Wow, Evans really is on another level.”
“Even I’m impressed. You’re going to watch, right?”
Sung-jae asked tentatively.
“Of course!”
“Then wait here for a moment. I’ll get us some drinks. If any weird guys show up, just shout out loud, ‘Help me, knight in shining armor.’ Then I’ll appear out of nowhere.”
Sung-jae joked as he stood up from his seat.
Se-hee burst into laughter.
To Sung-jae, this moment with Se-hee, smiling at him, felt like a dream.
After leaving the theater, Sung-jae hurriedly made a dinner reservation.
The highlight of a date is always dinner.
He planned to engage in more serious conversation during that time.
Fortunately securing a good spot, Sung-jae returned to Se-hee, humming happily with drinks in hand.
“Everything okay?”
Sung-jae asked, handing her a drink.
“Yes. Sung. Jae.”
Se-hee emphasized each syllable of his name.
“Ah… I’m a bit disappointed. I was hoping you’d call me ‘knight in shining armor’ at least once.”
Sung-jae spoke half-jokingly, half-seriously.
As they talked, the second part of the show, the magic show, began.
The magician, mysterious from the start, presented a captivating performance different from the first part.
Fireworks launched by the magician burst into colorful flames in the air like a fountain.
In Sung-jae’s heart, a fountain of warm emotions erupted similarly.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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