Ki Yeon pushed away the second gift, blatantly ignoring Yoo In’s insistent refusals saying it was enough.

And he persistently asked only this question.

“So. Do you like the bracelet?”

He was so persistent that his friends would pale in comparison.

It seemed like they had never miscommunicated to this extent before, but today felt particularly severe. From tying a ribbon around her neck to suddenly buying and presenting a new phone.

Unlike her rested body, her tormented mind was utterly exhausted.

“Is it that bad?”

“It’s not that it’s bad……”

Ki Yeon was already putting on the vest he had taken off earlier and buttoning it up. The well-balanced, broad shoulders and chest looked stylish in the perfectly fitted clothes.

With his tall stature, sharp face that seemed indifferent, and model-like physique, the man was truly perfect in appearance.

Enough to be placed in any part of the movie he said he was investing in.

However, his personality seemed to be a bit problematic. There was a difference from what elder sister had said, but based on what she had seen so far, that’s how it appeared.

Even the thing in Ki Yeon’s hand right now was like that.

“Are you going to wear that and leave?”

“Yeah. Why?”

The man who had finished putting on his vest was now pulling out a necktie that had been stuffed in a corner and putting it around his neck.

Wondering why he was putting that on when he said he was leaving work, the thought that had only been in her mind must have shown on her face because Ki Yeon smiled mischievously.

“Answer me, Nam Yoo In.”

Seeing his smiling expression, it didn’t seem like he would listen even if she tried to stop him. Yes, what couldn’t a person who said he enjoyed tormenting her do?

Yoo In took her eyes off what was once a ribbon and fiddled with what was hanging on her wrist.

“It’s just that receiving something so expensive is a bit… I really didn’t think you’d actually give it to me. I thought you were just joking while drunk.”

“Why would I make such a useless joke?”

Ki Yeon approached, his footsteps echoing, and tidied up the place by putting the phone box that Yoo In had pushed away into a shopping bag.

He briefly frowned at Yoo In’s broken phone, then threw it in noisily as well before gesturing for Yoo In to get up.

“And why do you care if it’s expensive when I say it’s fine? What does it matter if it’s expensive?”

“How expensive is it?”

Ki Yeon, holding Yoo In’s bag and belongings, stopped briefly with Yoo In at the office door.

“Yoo In.”

The man calling her name was quite serious. Yoo In quietly looked up at him.

“What I want to hear isn’t how much it costs or if it’s expensive.”

“……”

“I was hoping to see you smile while choosing that. It’s disappointing and somewhat frustrating to not see that and only hear you ask how much it costs.”

Honestly, it stung.

It was true that she hadn’t considered his feelings as he chose it for her. She thought he didn’t have such expectations since he put it on so casually, but unexpectedly, he seemed to have a sensitive side.

Was it her imagination that his usually stoic face looked hurt and dejected?

Her trembling hand almost reached out to touch his stiff cheek, overcoming reason.

“Thank you, it’s nice, I like it. Which one will you choose?”

Looking up at him as he seemed tired of waiting and offered her answer choices, Yoo In hesitated for a moment before smiling slightly and saying,

“I like it.”

His relaxed eyes opened slightly wider.

Hoping to ease his hurt feelings, Yoo In said once more.

“I like it. I’ll wear it well.”

Then Ki Yeon smiled brightly and widely. Showing dimples she wanted to touch.

It was a relief that his mood seemed to have improved. If only she had said it earlier, even if just in words, Yoo In regretted a little. Just a tiny bit.

As the two of them opened the office door and came out, someone called Secretary Kim suddenly appeared and greeted them loudly, telling them to enter carefully, startling Yoo In once again.

Ki Yeon just clicked his tongue in displeasure at his secretary’s greeting, without responding.

When they took the elevator down, unlike when they came in, there were no other employees riding with them since it was past quitting time, making it much more comfortable.

That’s when she remembered why she had come here in the first place, having completely forgotten.

“By the way, did you resolve the issue well?”

Ki Yeon glanced sideways and smiled faintly.

“You ask quickly.”

“…I was suddenly dragged here and felt confused too.”

She muttered complaints, explaining that she had her own circumstances.

Then there was a snickering sound, and something heavy landed on top of Yoo In’s head with a thud.

“Thanks to someone worrying so much about me.”

It was strange how his teasing words, accompanied by playful taps, didn’t feel unpleasant at all.

Finding it strange and peculiar, Yoo In glanced up at Ki Yeon instead of answering.

Ki Yeon saw this and grinned again for some reason. Yoo In thought this man was strange too, but didn’t say it out loud because his smile was pretty.

“What should we eat?”

As soon as they got in the car, Ki Yeon asked what she wanted to eat.

Saying he would buy her something delicious since he had troubled her, he told her to just say what she wanted. When she timidly said “Then, tteokbokki”, the man frowned as if he had heard the worst curse in his life.

Then the restaurant he took her to on his own was a dazzling high-end Korean restaurant.

Seeing the dishes piled up enough to break the table legs, Yoo In couldn’t help but speak up in disgust.

“If you were going to do this, why did you ask what I wanted to eat?”

“Why did you say you wanted to eat something strange? Don’t go around eating things like that outside.”

“Tteokbokki? Why is that strange? You’re the first director I’ve heard say something like that, really.”

When she gave him a dumbfounded look for saying something she had never heard before, Ki Yeon looked even more incredulous.

She wondered if they were living in different worlds, but considering the places Ki Yeon usually frequented, his behavior, and the things he wore, such a reaction might not be unreasonable.

“No wonder you don’t gain weight if you eat things like that.”

Ki Yeon’s words sounded like something elders would say during holidays, and Yoo In’s answer about it being a family trait didn’t seem necessary.

He just didn’t like her saying she wanted to eat tteokbokki. Yoo In lightly pouted and crunched on some salad.

The Korean set meal with its numerous dishes, which seemed to chide Yoo In for mentioning such an unreasonable menu, was incredibly delicious.

When Yoo In ate more than expected, Ki Yeon smiled contentedly as if she had completely forgotten about tteokbokki.

After finishing the satisfying meal, Ki Yeon chose a slightly longer route to Yoo In’s house instead of the quickest path.

“Am I the man you’ve been dreaming of?”

For some reason, Ki Yeon had turned on low music in the car that was smoothly stretching out on the road.

A cheerful and refreshing pop song that didn’t match at all with his luxury sedan and tightly fitted suit was playing.

“I mean the ideal type you subconsciously picture.”

Yoo In listened quietly to the lyrics and smiled slightly as she lowered the window.

The air rushing in with the fast speed smelled clean and fresh. She rested her chin on her arm stretched out on the window sill.

She felt drowsy from eating delicious food and having a full stomach, and the wind was cool. The song playing at just the right volume was cheerful.

Then, there was a chuckling sound from beside her.

“Why are you laughing?”

“You look happy.”

The man saying this wore the most splendid smile. His pitch-black eyes that had been gazing ahead briefly met Yoo In’s.

Yoo In’s flushed cheeks rose in a smile as their eyes met for a short moment.

“Yes, I’m happy.”

It’s not much, really. The IL&S building she had avoided out of tedium was like that, and so was the sudden presence of someone, and the unexpected gift.

It was laughable how little it was, considering how much she had dreaded and avoided it.

Saying she liked it wasn’t difficult either. It came out more easily than expected.

She heard a very soft “Me too,” but Yoo In pretended not to hear, burying her face deeper into her arm resting on the window.

The damp night breeze coming through the open window, his hair swaying gently in that breeze, the lock shining brilliantly on his wrist as it shook from his laughter.

Somehow, she had a strong feeling that this would remain in her memory for a long time.

****

The next day, Yoo In stopped by a mobile phone store near her house early in the morning to activate the new device Ki Yeon had bought her, then boarded the subway heading to school.

As she checked the messages that had piled up since yesterday, there were missed calls and messages from Ji Han. And a few messages from Ki Yeon as well.

Short sentences saying he was waiting for her reply, sent the night before forgetting that Yoo In’s phone was broken, and again in the morning.

Seeing that automatically brought a smile to her face.

Her hesitant thumb typed a simple message and sent it to Ki Yeon.

As if what she had sent to him wasn’t just a message, even though they were passing through a dark underground tunnel, Yoo In felt as if warm sunlight was seeping in through the open window behind her, making her fidget in her seat.

Ki Yeon must have been busy from the morning as there was no reply, and Yoo In also left a brief message for Ji Han before getting off at the platform.

Then, while climbing the stairs mixed in with the crowd, she received a call from Ki Yeon.

−Yoo In.

His languid and pleasant voice tickled her eardrum. Yoo In smiled silently and answered, “Yes.”

−You switched to the new device, right?

“Yes. I just activated it and now I’m on my way to school.”

−The bracelet.

“The bracelet? It’s on my arm just as you put it on yesterday.”

Yoo In looked down at the jingling lock to confirm.

Judging by how he asked right away, he must have been curious if she had kept the gift he gave her all night.

This man has a subtly childish and immature side.

−Don’t think about anything else and make sure to wear it.

What else is there to think about regarding the bracelet?

She had no intention of taking it off anyway. Whether it was Ki Yeon’s good taste or if their preferences were similar, she didn’t know, but she really liked the bracelet.

Looking at the silver chain that had become the only accessory she wore, she dragged out her “Yes” in response.

“You seem busy from the morning.”

−I have time to talk for a moment. But what should I do?

“What is it?”

−I won’t be able to pick you up for a while.

The lively mood that had been pleasantly swaying at the thought of seeing him soon subsided at his words about being too busy to meet for a while. Her steps that had been swept along with the crowd also slowed down bit by bit.

Blinking her eyes, Yoo In tried her best to keep her voice nonchalant.

“Ah, I don’t mind. If you’re busy, work hard.”

The man who would have immediately noticed it was a lie if she had been in front of him didn’t show it like yesterday, but he seemed disappointed by her pretense of being fine. He was silent.

But Yoo In, who had said it was okay with her mouth, wasn’t much different. The energy drained from her eyelids that had briefly lit up, and the bag on her shoulder suddenly felt heavy.

In the silence where they were both just holding their breath, Ki Yeon spoke first.

−If I have time at night, I’ll come see you even if it’s just for 5 minutes. Keep your phone with you. Understood?

Swallowing the “It’s fine” she was about to say as usual, she muttered for him not to push himself, and Ki Yeon laughed briefly.

After that short call on her way to school, Yoo In’s phone remained quiet until her afternoon classes ended.

She was staring intently at her new device that had been too quiet all day as she was about to leave the classroom.

“Yoo In.”

Raising her head at the call, she saw Ji Han leaning against the double doors.

Seeing his even more haggard appearance after just one night, Yoo In’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh? Ji Han. Without any notice… Why does your face look like that?”

“Let’s talk.”

He grabbed her right hand with the bracelet firmly.

Ji Han’s hands, which were always warm, felt too hot today.