Seeing Yoo In staring at the blank screen with a bewildered face, the two people who had been carefully observing her asked simultaneously.

“Why? Is the director angry? What did he say?”

“Is that person coming here now?”

Yoo In rubbed her cheek with a hand that still conveyed her dazedness as she answered.

“Yeah. He didn’t say he was coming, but he told me to wait. But why does he seem angry?”

“Angry? Why? Didn’t you tell him we were meeting?”

While referring to themselves as ‘we’, Jae Hee’s cat-like large eyes glanced at Ji Han, but Ji Han silently took the white hand that was still rubbing her cheek and lowered it.

“No. I did tell him.”

“Really? Or, did you two really fight earlier and come here?”

“We don’t fight though?”

Yoo In slightly furrowed her brows as if to say ‘what nonsense is that’, and redefined the scope of ‘we’. To Jae Hee who asked again what it was then, she puffed up her cheeks to indicate she didn’t know either and was frustrated.

Then, feeling a tapping on the back of her hand, she lifted her head and a glass of water with ice was suddenly thrust out.

“Drink.”

“Mm. Thanks.”

Like rain falling on parched ground, the crisp cold liquid quenched her thirst, and her hazy, sleeping mind gradually awakened.

Ji Han naturally took the empty glass after she finished drinking and lightly touched Yoo In’s shoulder as a signal to get up, then let go.

“Your boyfriend seems to be coming, so let’s go now. Han Jae Hee, make sure you have your bag.”

Feeling quite sorry for suddenly calling them out, Yoo In tried to pay the bill herself but had it taken by Ji Han. As they came out, Daehakro, which had just ended the semester, was deeply immersed in a desolate darkness holding humid air.

Yoo In frowned as she took in a deep breath of the air currents tinged with a fishy moisture. The effects of alcohol had long since faded, and the atmosphere that felt like rain was coming was one of the things Yoo In disliked.

“Ah~ If I’d known Yoon Ji Han was paying, I would’ve ordered something more expensive. What a shame.”

“How are you going to do business when you like freebies so much?”

“Why do business at a loss? Don’t worry too much, I only like freebies from you~”

The three of them walked down the night streets, chattering like carefree high school students, and automatically gathered at the ice cream corner when they entered a nearby convenience store.

Dark chocolate, mint chocolate, and fruit flavors. As they sat on plastic chairs under the parasol, eagerly biting into their chosen hard ice creams according to their tastes, Yoo In’s phone rang, signaling the end of the three friends’ meeting.

“Yes, Director.”

-Clean up and come out to the main road.

“Are you here already?”

-I have my hazard lights on, so you should see me easily. Come quickly.

The urgency in Ki Yeon’s tone was palpable.

It didn’t seem like he was angry, but there was a strangely sharp edge. Even in that brief moment of trying to gauge his mood, an impatient urging came through.

-Should I come get you?

“I’ll be right there.”

-Come quickly.

What is it? Did something not go well? The suspicion about his state that had persisted since earlier now pricked at her nerves like sharp thorns.

For now, it seemed she’d have to go see him quickly to ease her mind.

“Hey guys, I’m going first.”

As Yoo In stood up, there was a scraping sound of the light chair against the asphalt. The two friends who had been on either side of her also got up.

“Is the director coming to pick you up? Okay, okay. Go talk things out well. Make up well too. Got it?”

“Make up? I said we didn’t fight.”

“Alright, alright. Hurry and go.”

Waving goodbye to Jae Hee who was pushing her back and Ji Han who was calmly watching her with his hands in his pockets, Yoo In ran towards the main road where he was, her heart pounding with anxious tension.

The warm breeze laden with moisture brushed her cheeks and flowed through her hair, scattering behind her back.

Fragments of the lingering feelings she couldn’t quite hide were scattered in every place she passed. The urgency to see him quickly, the anxiety to glimpse his thoughts, even the temperature of emotions that kept rising.

Though it wasn’t a very long distance, she emerged from the alley panting due to her increasingly overwhelming breaths.

At last, a tall, elegant man came into Yoo In’s view.

“……”

Yoo In couldn’t approach carelessly as if meeting him under the gently shining sunlight, and stopped at a distance to catch her breath.

One step, two steps. As she got closer, her heart still beat fiercely even with calm footsteps.

Just before calling out to him, a pungent and spicy scent suddenly entered her nostrils amidst the calm air currents.

A wisp of white smoke seemed to be visible between the fingers on the opposite side that had been hidden from view.

“Director.”

At the quietly ringing voice, the wrinkled eyes that had been focused on the phone screen slowly opened and met Yoo In’s gaze.

Indescribable emotions swirled in his dark eyes that resembled the deep night. The tangled, complex strands seemed about to overflow.

After maintaining eye contact for a while without speaking, the man casually flicked away the stick emitting gray smoke and firmly stepped on it to extinguish it.

Then indifferently, or perhaps calmly, he spread his arms.

“Come here.”

For some reason she couldn’t understand, the sudden thought of wanting to comfort him arose. As Yoo In slowly approached and burrowed into his open embrace, Ki Yeon firmly bound her as if blocking her escape route.

Ki Yeon, who kissed the top of Yoo In’s head several times as she wrapped her arms around his firm waist and stood motionless without even breathing, whispered in a low voice.

“Why did you drink so much?”

“…I didn’t drink that much.”

“Now that I look at you, you tell quite a lot of lies, Nam Yoo In.”

“But it’s true.”

“Then let me change the question. Why did you drink until you got drunk?”

There was concern within his gentle tone. Even though she knew everything, she wanted to hear confirmation, and wanted to use the alcohol as an excuse.

“Were you worried?”

“Yeah. And angry too.”

“Why?”

“I don’t like others seeing you drunk.”

Yoo In couldn’t hide her momentary bewilderment at his honest sentiment.

A small laugh burst out from beneath her throat that had been rippling with astonishment.

It was a somewhat childish reason that didn’t seem to fit the man who appeared perfect and solid. Unaware of how he came across, Ki Yeon was quite serious.

“Why are you laughing? I’m being serious. Nam Yoo In. Have you forgotten where we first met?”

“How could I forget? It was the most shocking event of my life.”

“Same for me. But it seems you want to show that event often. Seeing how you drink until you’re completely drunk like this.”

The man who was smoothly unraveling his twisted words seemed to be in a bad mood even as he said them, tightening his arms around Yoo In even more.

“Ah, I can’t breathe! I really can’t breathe!”

“Are you going to do this again in the future?”

“Really, I can’t breathe. Really!”

When she hit his forearm with her fist, the arms that had been coiled tightly like a snake loosened ever so slightly.

Still feeling stifled and squirming, a low voice entered Yoo In’s ear, languidly ringing like a warning light.

“Going around defenseless, trying to enchant someone else.”

“There’s no one to enchant except you, Director.”

At that, Ki Yeon, who had rested his chin on Yoo In’s hair, let out an incredulous chuckle.

“Ah. So meeting at that club back then was planned?”

“That wasn’t, but… anyway, that’s how it turned out in the end.”

Huh. An exasperated breath scattered against the back of her ear. Ki Yeon seemed to find Yoo In’s rather brazen response amusing, but there also appeared to be some displeasure.

“I’ve been thoroughly played by Nam Yoo In.”

“That’s not quite right. Actually, I didn’t really do anything. You were the one who took my phone first and all that.”

“Did you drink some kind of public speaking contest winner’s medicine instead of alcohol? This isn’t the innocent Nam Yoo In who didn’t know anything that I knew.”

“…I don’t know.”

Yoo In, who had answered sulkily, smiled softly as she leaned against the warmth where his heartbeat could be heard.

The doubts, worries, and resentments she had harbored before coming to him were completely burned away in his embrace, leaving only dark ashy traces. Being together finally put her at ease.

Wishing they could stay like this forever, she leaned in a little more.

As if sensing her desire, Ki Yeon’s lips left soft, light kisses densely on her crown and temple.

“Your friends. They all left?”

“Yes. We ate ice cream at the convenience store and parted ways.”

“Dinner.”

“…Um.”

She couldn’t remember properly eating anything. She seemed to have nibbled on some snacks that her friends had ordered, and chewed on something Jae Hee had put in her mouth, but it was hazy.

Seeing her hesitate, Ki Yeon’s firm chest that Yoo In was leaning on heaved as he sighed.

Then his large hands reached out and stroked her pale, thin skin as if pressing it.

“Our Yoo In is an expert at turning my insides upside down.”

What could this mean now? She looked up at Ki Yeon with curiosity and questions in her eyes.

The man stared intently for a long time at the pure light pooled in her clear eyes, then smiled slightly enigmatically and opened the passenger door.

“Let’s go get something to eat.”

Due to the late hour, they went into a franchise sandwich shop for a quick bite, then walked through the apartment complex, surrounded only by the tranquility that conveyed the mood of the late night.

Ki Yeon was masking his emotions with an expressionless face, not letting her know what he was thinking, while Yoo In occasionally glanced at the man who was putting on a composed air.

When they reached the common entrance without any particular conversation and Yoo In stood there awkwardly, Ki Yeon let go of her hand and gently stroked her straight eyebrows along their grain with his cool fingertips.

“Stop teasing me now.”

“…Me?”

“Yes. You.”

She couldn’t remember doing any such thing. If anything, it was him who was melting her heart.

Yoo In gently tugged on the sleeve of the man who was now caressing the corner of her lips, and fidgeted with the back of his large-knuckled hand in her own.

Strangely, today she was left with a great sense of regret, making it difficult to turn away like this.

Was it because she had looked forward to today so much? She had wanted to relieve the pressure and tension from taking exams, laugh comfortably together, eat something delicious, chat about trivial things, and gaze at each other to her heart’s content. Not just sandwiches.

She wanted to feel his undivided affection and experience the fullness of their hearts and sincerity being exchanged. Their crumpled expectations lay fallen and wrinkled at their feet.

“Take care on your way back.”

Yoo In lowered her eyes and slowly released their intertwined fingers. If she held on any longer, she felt she might cause trouble by asking him not to go.

Looking down at the clean, black toe of his shoe, Yoo In lifted her gaze when the neatly shod foot showed no sign of moving even after several seconds had passed.

“……”

The face she met was enigmatic. It felt both cold and as if a handful of hot passion had been poured over it, giving off conflicting auras simultaneously.

Like blazing fire and frigid ice at the same time. At that intense presence, his slightly parted red lips trembled, and his pitch-black pupils quickly darted towards them.

And in a fleeting moment, as hot breath rushed in as if to devour her, a soft, tender sensation pressed against Yoo In’s lips.

“Mmph!”