Monday morning with early classes.

Yoo In opened her eyes before the alarm went off. She groggily got up and checked her phone, seeing she had about 30 minutes to spare.

Feeling tired despite just waking up, she lazily lay back down.

As she blearily scrolled through the alarms that had accumulated overnight, she suddenly thought she saw long fingers holding her phone and startled.

In that moment, the rectangular object slipped from her loosened grip, smacking Yoo In’s cheek before falling off the bed.

“Ow!”

The sharp pain instantly cleared her groggy mind. She sat up clutching her face and checked in the vanity mirror – sure enough, her delicate skin was flushed red.

Groaning, Yoo In plopped down on the stool and glared resentfully at her phone lying face-down on the beige rug beneath the bed.

If not for that, she wouldn’t have to see that strange man again, like some one-time event.

Always taking the same routes, eating the same meals every day, Yoo In disliked deviating from the familiar. To her, the presence of an unfamiliar man was like a wild animal suddenly leaping in front of a car cruising down a straight highway.

A surprising, confusing variable that hadn’t been accounted for.

“…”

Though reluctant, she had gone along with what he wanted because she felt grateful after all.

He had taken care of her drunk self and returned her phone safely.

But when she heard nonsense like “Nam Yoo In is special” in too fancy a place to just receive her phone, she forgot any need to stay seated or feelings of gratitude.

Whatever his intentions, she needed to escape from him trying to encroach on her.

“…He’s really strange.”

Having only met for a day and knowing nothing but his name and neighborhood, Yoo In couldn’t comprehend how someone could say “special” to a complete stranger.

Moreover, Yoo In knew absolutely nothing about him.

Just that he had striking good looks anyone would turn to look at, and wore clothes and a watch that looked expensive at a glance. And that his body temperature felt cool when their hands briefly touched as he returned the phone.

This was no different from a complete stranger she’d brushed past on the street.

And yet, why did that man leave such a vivid, lingering impression?

Enough to dazedly ruminate on him first thing in the morning.

Sighing repeatedly as she ran her fingers through her hair, Yoo In finally gave up and jumped to her feet.

Enough. Time to get ready for school.

****

After rushing to get ready more hastily than usual, Yoo In arrived at school and focused intently on her 3-hour major class.

As she diligently took notes and listened to the professor’s drowsy voice without room for other thoughts, the morning’s unpleasantness gradually faded.

By the time class ended, her mood had improved considerably, and she headed to the cafeteria with light steps to meet her waiting friends.

For some reason, Ji Han was sitting alone in their usual spot.

“Oh, where’s Jae Hee?”

“Getting belated congratulations she couldn’t receive over the weekend.”

Ji Han answered with a slight smile in response to the question that served as a greeting.

He naturally took Yoo In’s bag and offered the seat beside him, but Yoo In didn’t sit right away and asked:

“Then I’ll go buy coffee. Do you want anything else?”

“You sit. I’ll go get it.”

“No, the person standing should go.”

Ji Han finally pulled down the standing Yoo In’s arm to make her sit, then grabbed his card and stood up.

“What do you want to drink?”

“Um…just an Americano.”

“Anything else?”

“Not really.”

“Okay, wait here.”

Ji Han gently patted Yoo In’s head and turned towards the counter with a bright smile.

Watching his tall, retreating back, Yoo In thought that the saying “kindness can be a disease” must have been coined to describe Yoon Ji Han.

But that kind and gentle Yoon Ji Han could sometimes be incredibly persistent and stubborn, like last weekend.

Not content with leaving countless missed calls and messages at a terrorizing level, Ji Han somehow got her number as soon as she recovered her phone and called immediately, shouting as soon as she picked up.

Where was she, why wasn’t she answering, he was worried.

Knowing that telling the truth about the weekend’s events would lead to more than just annoyance, Yoo In ended up telling a white lie.

Omitting the story of meeting the suspicious man, she just said she lost her phone at the club but found it again.

“What are you thinking about?”

Snapping out of her daze staring outside, Yoo In turned to see Ji Han had already returned, setting down a tray with a thud as he took his seat.

“Nothing. What’s with the sandwich and cake?”

“You have afternoon classes too. It’s for lunch.”

His pale hand placed a dainty plate and a steaming mug in front of Yoo In one by one.

“They said this cake just came in today, try it. It’s supposed to be delicious.”

As he pushed another plate towards her, Ji Han was holding a tempting strawberry shortcake.

In that moment, Yoo In’s body tensed at the strong sense of déjà vu.

The confusingly overlapping image was yesterday’s memory.

It looked similar to what had been served on the table in that luxuriously decorated private room, and the deep, low voice saying it was really delicious and to try it.

Huh. What a coincidence.

As Yoo In gripped the bear-shaped fork tightly, glaring at the strawberry without moving, Ji Han tilted his head curiously and asked:

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like strawberries?”

“…No, that’s not it.”

Yoo In brushed Ji Han off and returned the fork in her hand to him.

“You eat it. And I’m not hungry.”

At her curt, brusque voice, Ji Han’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Yoo In.

Despite his prolonged gaze, Yoo In was oblivious, preoccupied with trying to banish the strange man who had reappeared in her mind.

Watching her shake her head and sigh deeply, the corners of Ji Han’s mouth slowly turned down and pressed tightly together.

With a face that seemed clouded over, Ji Han spoke in a casual tone:

“You really don’t want to eat? Your class ends late.”

“It’s fine.”

Yoo In answered halfheartedly, fixing her gaze on the still-hot coffee.

Unable to take his eyes off her, Ji Han continued his questions:

“Did you get home alright on Saturday? Did you take a taxi alone?”

“Yeah. I told you on the phone yesterday.”

“Is your phone okay? Not cracked anywhere?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

“The person who found it wasn’t weird? I heard there are a lot of people who demand rewards.”

“…Well. They didn’t say much.”

“You should have contacted me first. I would have gone with you.”

“Why bother. I got it back fine.”

The thin straw being slowly stirred in the mug sped up as the uncomfortable topic continued.

Why did Yoon Ji Han have so many questions today? Why was the coffee still so hot?

As she struggled to suppress the rising anxiety and unease, a calm, settled voice called to her.

“Nam Yoo In.”

“Yeah?”

“Did something happen to you yesterday?”

At the abrupt question, Yoo In finally looked to the side, dropping her straw, and met Ji Han’s gaze – his kind smile gone, replaced with a worried look.

Ah, was it that obvious? She felt caught. Unconsciously avoiding his pale eyes, Yoo In tried to act nonchalant:

“Why so suddenly? Nothing happened.”

“Nothing happened with the person who returned your phone?”

“…No? I just got my phone and left right away.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Nodding, Yoo In’s eyes wandered before suddenly grabbing the sandwich on the bear-eared plate.

Though she truly wasn’t hungry, she had to do something to escape Ji Han’s sudden suspicions.

Yoo In chewed the lettuce like coarse sand, not even tasting what flavor it was.

Watching her, Ji Han’s delicate eyes narrowed as he was about to add another word when Jae Hee appeared with a large shopping bag.

“Hey guys! I’m here!”

Thanks to Jae Hee’s loud entrance, Ji Han’s suspicions as well as the conversation were abruptly cut off like a severed bridge.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Yoo In immediately put down the unappetizing sandwich and greeted Jae Hee with a bright smile.

Hoping the perceptive Ji Han would quickly forget about her affairs.

****

On a bright spring afternoon with sunlight pouring in.

It was just past lunchtime, when office workers would normally be drowsy and lethargic.

However, the man with his back to the brilliant sunlight sat with impeccable posture, far from laziness, staring at his monitor as if to bore holes through it.

From the outside, it may have looked like he was passionately working as usual, but in reality, the document page on screen had remained in the same place, his hand on the mouse unmoved.

Knock knock−.

The knocking sound reverberated through the thick wooden door, but Ki Yeon did not respond.

The man who entered without waiting for an answer seemed used to this situation. He placed a file on Ki Yeon’s desk and said:

“Director, here are the documents you requested this morning.”

“…”

As if he hadn’t heard anything, Ki Yeon remained motionless, and in fact, he wasn’t paying attention to the man’s words.

It had been a week, maybe two weeks since he saw that girl.

He was so busy he could barely remember how much time had passed, but strangely, those large, innocent eyes looking at him wouldn’t leave his mind.

And they kept popping up at random moments.

Suddenly during meetings, briefly while receiving reports, abruptly in the middle of appointments.

He wanted to see that girl again, her pretty face slightly frowning in discomfort, which seemed to be becoming more beautified in his memory, different from Nam Yoo Jin.

Why did he want to see her? Why? No matter how much he thought about it, he didn’t know the reason himself.

As he was floundering, recalling Nam Yoo In, an irritating voice broke through Ki Yeon’s consciousness.

“Also, PD Park from KRS called again today. It seems to be about Nam Yoo Jin’s drama appearance.”

“I told you to inform them it’s not possible.”

“Yes. I told them, but they insist on speaking with you directly-”

Haa.

A cold sigh cut off the man’s words.

Ki Yeon only turned his head slightly, his face devoid of emotion, but his voice was quite sharp.

“So what do you want me to do? You want me to take the call myself and tell them it’s not possible?”

Ki Yeon disliked going back on decisions he had made, but today his bad mood emanated an overwhelming pressure that stifled the other person.

The chill that arose from him filled the room, but the man calmly lowered his eyes and spoke as if this were a common occurrence:

“I apologize.”

“If you’re done talking, leave.”

The angry, thorny gaze returned to the monitor, and the man bowed slightly, about to turn and leave.

However, Ki Yeon suddenly stopped him.

“Wait.”

“Yes, Director.”

“That girl, you know.”

“Pardon? Who are you referring to?”

When the word “girl” came out of Ki Yeon’s mouth, the solid poker face of Ki Yeon’s secretary, Jin Seok, began to crack.

Calmly ignoring Jin Seok’s slight bewilderment at hearing an unfamiliar term from his boss’s lips, Ki Yeon continued:

“Nam Yoo Jin’s sister.”

“Ah, yes.”

Watching Jin Seok’s lukewarm reaction, Ki Yeon hesitated uncharacteristically.

He had clearly agreed when her soft voice said they should never meet again. They were indeed unrelated.

What point of contact could there be between Nam Yoo In, the family member of a contracted actor, and himself?

If they hadn’t met in that hallway, they would have remained strangers until Nam Yoo Jin’s contract ended and she left the agency, or even until Nam Yoo Jin retired as an actress.

“She’s a student at Sun Hyun University, right?”

“Yes. Korean Language and Literature major, in her 4th year now, I heard.”

Ki Yeon remained silent for a moment.

He still didn’t know the nature of his desire to see her. Like the frozen document on his monitor screen, it remained unsolved for days.

If he saw her again, if he saw that snow-white face once more, would he understand this frustration?

As only the sound of tapping on the desk continued in a steady rhythm, Jin Seok, who had been standing quietly, asked:

“Is something the matter?”

“Do I have any free time in my schedule this week?”

Jin Seok’s calm eyes looking at Ki Yeon filled with question, then settled again as he answered:

“The day after tomorrow evening is open.”

“The day after tomorrow? Isn’t that the day of the all-hands meeting?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Besides that day. Is there a day I can clear from the afternoon?”

“Not this week.”

Ki Yeon’s brow furrowed slightly.

Since joining the company, he had never complained no matter how packed his schedule was. Rather, he had an unusual workaholic tendency to seek out more work.

For the first time, all those countless hours of relentlessly throwing himself into work felt suffocating.

All because of one small, pale girl.

“Director, perhaps.”

“…”

“Is this about Nam Yoo Jin’s sister?”

The tapping index finger suddenly stopped.

A sharp gaze that could pierce through fell on Jin Seok.

“Secretary Lee.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t try to pry into my personal life.”

“I apologize. However…if it’s about Nam Yoo Jin’s sister, I think you should reconsider.”

“…”

Jin Seok had said something similar when he saw Ki Yeon carrying the unconscious Yoo In out of the bar.

At that time, it was truly just help given without personal feelings, so he brushed it off as insignificant. But now was different.

He was quite irritated by his secretary’s attitude, jumping to conclusions without Ki Yeon even mentioning Nam Yoo In’s name, and warning him not to do something before he had even tried.

“Stop worrying and just do your job properly.”

It meant he would not tolerate any further interference.

Jin Seok hesitated for a moment before acknowledging and leaving the office.

In the quiet office once more, Ki Yeon briefly skimmed the documents Jin Seok had left before quickly tossing them onto the pile of papers.

His scattered thoughts remained jumbled and unsettled.

He knew Nam Yoo Jin’s personality better than Jin Seok did. Of course, he also knew that Nam Yoo Jin cared deeply for her younger sister.

Was it so strange to just want to see her face once? It’s not like he was going to do anything.

What could he possibly do to a mere college student?

Ki Yeon simmered with frustration, not even knowing why he was so agitated.