Plop. Plop.

Rain poured down as if it had a plan from the morning. Min Hae Yeon, who was making a quick snack in the kitchen, greeted Cha Do Ha with a bright smile that didn’t match the weather outside when he came out after washing up.

“Do Ha, good morning.”

“What are you making from early in the morning, it’s hard work.”

Do Ha approached Hae Yeon from behind and gave her a back hug. The familiar herbal scent wafted strongly from him who had just finished showering, making Hae Yeon feel at ease.

“Is it because of the party yesterday? Ah, it’s alright.”

Hae Yeon waved her hand and just turned her head to the side, smiling brightly. In fact, she was tired from wearing uncomfortable clothes all day, but even that disappeared as soon as she saw Do Ha.

“I slept deeply so I’m not tired at all.”

“Still, there’s no need to do this. It’s not like skipping one meal in the morning will kill you.”

Huh? Before Hae Yeon could say anything, Do Ha released his arms around her waist, turned her body around to face him, and snatched the cooking utensil from her hand while making eye contact. Hae Yeon gave a rippling eye smile.

“Will a person die from skipping one meal? But since it’s already made, we should eat it.”

Hae Yeon, who didn’t give in to Do Ha’s stubbornness, sneakily took back the cooking utensil and Do Ha had it snatched away without being able to use any strength. When she playfully smiled and acted mischievous, how could he win against her?

“Hae Yeon. That was cheating just now.”

“Was it? I’m sorry.”

Hae Yeon feigned innocence. Seeing her actions that showed no intention of giving up on cooking, Do Ha eventually gave up on dissuading her.

“Alright, I got it. I’ll give up.”

“Really?”

Hae Yeon brightly smiled and tightly hugged Do Ha’s waist, burying her cheek in his chest. As if she had a mission that she must eat.

Good. Hae Yeon muttered with her lips and suddenly thought of something, detaching her cheek.

“Do Ha.”

The gaze she raised was utterly lovely.

“Yes?”

“The payday is coming up soon, shall we have a drink that day?”

It felt like just yesterday that she got a job at Dali Coffee, but the first payday was already approaching. Although there were still many problems ahead of the two, she wanted to repay Do Ha and those who helped her on that day.

“Not a meal?”

“Yes, drinks. Let’s invite Joo Ah too. I want to invite lady Do Hee as well, but she’s in America so it can’t be helped.”

Do Hee, who had briefly come to Korea for Gil Myung Je Dang’s 60th anniversary, left overseas again the next day. She was so busy. Hae Yeon was quite regretful that she couldn’t properly see her face before sending her off again.

I should call the lady to check if she’s doing well. Promising to meet Do Hee next time, Hae Yeon decided to take care of the people around her first for now. While Hae Yeon was thinking that, Do Ha touched the bridge of her nose with his finger and chuckled lowly.

“Tell me in advance on that day. I’ll definitely leave work early no matter what.”

“Okay.”

When Hae Yeon nestled in his arms like a baby bird in its mother’s embrace, Do Ha looked down at her endlessly.

“……”

“……”

When they just gazed at each other without saying anything, Hae Yeon looked up at Do Ha with a puzzled expression, blinking her eyes. In the end, Hae Yeon asked what she was curious about.

“Do Ha, what is it?”

When she asked with a slightly dumbfounded gaze, the answer that came back was unexpected.

“…Just, because I like it.”

The way he spoke in a slightly quiet voice sounded childlike, and when Hae Yeon slightly furrowed her eyebrows, a gentle laughter was heard. Hae Yeon laughed brightly as if she would make a “hehe” sound.

Leaning against Do Ha’s embrace again, it was still raining outside the window.

* * *

Yoon Ho was sitting askew, leaning against a deep gray fabric sofa. Rain was visible through the gap between the drawn curtains, and it seemed like it would last all day. A pile of documents was clutched in his hand that was hanging down as if drooping.

Unlike usual, Yoon Ho, who was in his personal studio apartment, had no expression. His face, which had lost its trademark smile, was so cold that it was difficult to approach, resembling his home.

It clearly had all the furniture and necessary items, but the inside looked excessively monotonous and empty, with Yoon Ho being the only living thing in it.

How many minutes had it been already? Doing nothing, no, unable to do anything and just neglecting time, the sound of the second hand became loud.

Ding dong-.

With the sound, Yoon Ho tightly closed his eyes.

“Looks like they’re finally here.”

The quiet silence that only had the sound of rain also ended with the sudden doorbell sound. Yoon Ho, who had crumblingly raised his collapsed body, walked to the front door and opened it.

“How long has it been since you’ve come to my house?”

When he opened the door with a face that had his signature smile attached, who knows when, the entrance felt cramped due to the huge figure blocking the view. The voice of the man blocking the entrance was quite low.

“Don’t say nonsense, Lee Yoon Ho.”

“That’s a disappointing thing to say, Cha Do Ha.”

Even at Do Ha’s sharp gaze, Yoon Ho just shrugged his shoulders once. As he entered the house, Yoon Ho pointed to the table.

“I set it up however I wanted.”

On the marble table, there were beer, wine, fruits, cheese, and other snacks, but contrary to Yoon Ho’s words, they were all to Do Ha’s taste.

Thud!

As if he didn’t care what Yoon Ho said, Do Ha scattered the items from his jacket’s inner pocket onto the table as if throwing them. Several photos spread across the table.

In the papers, there were photos that seemed to be taken from unspecified black boxes or CCTVs. Most of them were photos of Yoon Ho and Hae Yeon together, just the two of them.

“How much did you tell her.”

Do Ha, who glared as if he would devour the person in front of him, gritted out in a low voice. In contrast, Yoon Ho’s eyes curved up. Because he knew that what Do Ha was doing now wasn’t imagining the vulgar things his friend and wife might have done.

“About the car accident that happened last year and what happened after that.”

Yoon Ho leisurely answered while filling an empty glass with beer. Hearing those words, many emotions flashed across Do Ha’s face for a moment.

The humiliation of being caught by Hae Yeon, the despair that she knew about the accident, and lastly, relief.

There was no way she could have known. Yoon Ho, who had stolen a glance at Do Ha’s rich facial expression changes that were rarely seen even for a very brief moment, passed a beer glass with an indifferent expression.

“Stop meeting Hae Yeon from now on.”

Do Ha, who didn’t accept the beer glass Yoon Ho handed him, gave a low warning. Yoon Ho, who had his drink rejected, defiantly raised the glass and wet his throat.

“The new employee ceremony at Dali Coffee.”

Yoon Ho, who was drinking the beer refreshingly, paused for a moment at Do Ha’s words.

“You intervened, Lee Yoon Ho.”

Yoon Ho put down the glass. He wiped his lips, put a piece of cheese in his mouth, and smiled brightly.

“Well, I just provided a little help.”

How did he find out? Even though he was hit right on the mark, Yoon Ho calmly answered and didn’t deny his involvement. There was no point in trying to hide it anyway since Do Ha would have investigated everything before coming.

In fact, Do Ha ordered an investigation into Jeon Hee Joo and Lee Ji Na, whom he had met at the art gallery, and with a doubtful heart, he also conducted a re-investigation into the new employee ceremony. Finally, he discovered the artificial circumstances surrounding the new employee’s resignation and an even greater truth.

“Lee Su Rin.”

When that name was finally mentioned, Yoon Ho put down the fork he had been twirling the piece of cheese with. The chilling gazes dully intertwined, and soon Yoon Ho responded indifferently.

“That’s something. To think Lee Su Rin would come out of your mouth.”

“……”

As Yoon Ho said, Do Ha had consciously or unconsciously refrained from mentioning Su Rin until now. The reason Do Ha could be so generous was because Su Rin hadn’t crossed a major line, and most importantly, she hadn’t directly approached Hae Yeon.

However, after discovering the circumstances revealed while investigating the new employee ceremony, he couldn’t tolerate it any longer.

Behind the new employee ceremony, which he thought was Chairman Yoon’s doing because he disliked Hae Yeon’s existence, was none other than Lee Su Rin. Thinking about it, his clenched fist was so tight that his wrist ached.

“If you don’t want me to explain each and every detail, focus.”

It meant to stop talking nonsense anymore. The inner thought that he wouldn’t tolerate anyone who hurt Hae Yeon even by a hair’s breadth was clearly revealed.

“Well, yeah. It’s Lee Su Rin. The person lurking around Hae Yeon.”

“If you know well, guard your own family properly from now on. I’ll take care of Hae Yeon-.”

“Cha Do Ha.”

Yoon Ho looked at Do Ha, who seemed somewhat impatient, with a more serious face than ever.

Impatience. Even Yoon Ho himself thought it was an adjective that didn’t suit Do Ha at all, but right now, it was the word that could accurately describe him more than anything else.

Cha Do Ha, who maintained his composure even in front of Chairman Yoon whom he hated to no end, helplessly crumbled in front of the person named Min Hae Yeon. In other words, it also meant that he couldn’t think rationally when it came to Min Hae Yeon.

The space between Yoon Ho’s eyebrows narrowed in an instant.

“The one who approached me first was Hae Yeon. She said she lost her memories from a year ago.”

“!”

Do Ha’s clenched fist was filled with so much force that the veins protruded distinctly. Yoon Ho glanced at that hand and continued his words.

“She asked me. About what memories she had lost.”

“If you heard that, you should have told me-!”

Do Ha, who was shouting in an uncharacteristically agitated voice, scattered at Yoon Ho’s next words that followed.

“I met with Dr. Moon.”

It felt like someone poured cold water on his head. Knowing what Yoon Ho’s words just now meant, Do Ha gathered his rationality.

“You right now.”

“You asked me first. About how much I told Hae Yeon.”

“Lee Yoon Ho.”

Even at Do Ha’s voice that instantly made the air in the studio apartment chilly, Yoon Ho didn’t back down.

“If you ask that question again now, I think I’ll give you an even more additional answer.”

Even after Yoon Ho finished speaking, Do Ha didn’t say anything. He just put more force into his hand where his nails dug in. After a brief silence, Do Ha, who remained silent until the end, left Yoon Ho’s studio apartment.

Click.

Hearing the sound of the door locking, Yoon Ho leaned his body against the sofa again.

“It’s not something that can be hidden forever.”

Yoon Ho himself didn’t know if the words he muttered as if lamenting were directed at Do Ha or Hae Yeon.