Min Seop felt a lump in his throat as he saw Seo Ha coming out of the villa. It hurt terribly.

“Mr. Min Seop.”

“I’m sorry for the late hour. It’s cold, so let’s talk in the car for a moment.”

“Okay…”

Seo Ha obediently got into Min Seop’s car.

Min Seop sat in the driver’s seat. Only the soft sound of the radio filled the car.

Seo Ha spoke first.

“Um, thank you for everything. I’m leaving the kindergarten. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to say goodbye properly, but I’m glad I can thank you like this.”

“Ms. Seo Ha, are you going somewhere else?”

“Yes. It’s difficult to stay here.”

“If it’s hard to find a kindergarten job in Yangpyeong, how about working at our sports center?”

Seo Ha looked up at Min Seop’s words.

Min Seop continued, grasping at straws.

“It’ll be easier than the kindergarten. Although Min Joon will have to go to a different kindergarten, you can work around his pickup and drop-off times, and I can pay you more than the kindergarten.”

“Mr. Min Seop.”

“Yes, Ms. Seo Ha.”

“I appreciate the thought, but I’ll have to decline.”

“Won’t you at least consider it?”

“I came out today because I wanted to thank you properly. You’ve been so good to Min Joon and me, but I feel like I’ve only been a burden.”

Min Seop’s gaze trembled violently.

He wanted to hold onto Seo Ha, who was saying goodbye as if she were leaving for a distant place.

He wanted to cling to her, begging her not to go, just to stay by his side.

But Min Seop only gripped his clothes tightly with both hands.

“I hope you’ll always be healthy and find someone good.”

Seo Ha spoke calmly, then opened the car door and got out. Min Seop hurriedly followed her out of the car and called out to stop her.

“Seo Ha!”

Seo Ha turned to look at Min Seop.

Her deeply sunken eyes were felt even in the darkness. Eyes that crossed between apology and gratitude.

But eyes that held not a single grain of affection for him.

Min Seop resented his crumbling heart that couldn’t hold up. If only, just once, he could have gained even a strand of her heart, what would it have been like?

Min Seop approached Seo Ha.

He stared intently at Seo Ha’s clear eyes, as if engraving them in his heart.

It was a love too precious to approach.

“Is that man still in your heart, Seo Ha?”

Min Seop’s hand unconsciously almost touched Seo Ha’s cheek.

Seo Ha’s pupils trembled. She couldn’t deny it.

There had never been a time when Tae Kyung wasn’t in her heart.

Just as Seo Ha was about to open her mouth, a strong headlight beam shone on both of them.

Screech.

A black sedan came to a stop with a loud noise.

Seo Ha squinted, shielding her eyes from the headlights with her arm.

A familiar car.

The figure getting out of the car was the very man they both knew so well.

“This is why I can’t leave my spot even for a moment.”

“Elder brother Tae Kyung.”

Seo Ha saw Tae Kyung approaching her and Min Seop with a bitter smile. Tae Kyung’s furrowed brow showed he was holding back quite a bit.

Unlike Tae Kyung, Min Seop’s face was expressionless.

“Why did you leave an opening?”

“Were you lurking around like a rat?”

“Elder brother!”

There was a murderous intent in Tae Kyung’s eyes as he looked at Min Seop.

The male instinct to protect his territory was palpable. Min Seop sneered.

“For someone so high and mighty, is this how you handle things?”

“Mr. Min Seop! Please stop and go back now. I’m begging you. And the answer to your question from earlier is ‘yes’.”

Seo Ha grabbed Min Seop’s arm and spoke. Min Seop looked back and forth between Seo Ha’s hand and face, then let out a long sigh.

“I understand. But Ms. Seo Ha, I won’t give up on my feelings.”

Min Seop gently, slowly removed Seo Ha’s hand from his arm. He shuddered at the softness and warmth he felt from her hand, but he had to let go.

Min Seop returned to his car. As soon as Min Seop’s car moved, Tae Kyung snatched Seo Ha’s hand.

“You’re still the same. Why are you so unnecessarily pretty?”

Tae Kyung smiled weakly.

Six years ago, it was the same.

[This is the timeline separator]

The moment Tae Kyung first saw Seo Ha studying in the library with her junior Hyo Jae, he froze.

He never thought the cliché and unrealistic story of love at first sight would become his own story.

He was the young Tae Kyung in his twenties who coaxed Hyo Jae to get acquainted with Seo Ha and made constant efforts to run into her.

It was a dazzlingly bright day.

Hearing that Hyo Jae and Seo Ha had gone to the library, he rushed there.

But as he was going around the back of the library, he stopped in his tracks when he saw Seo Ha standing with a male student.

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop. He was just waiting to have a chance to talk to Seo Ha alone.

But the male student’s words that reached his ears ignited Tae Kyung’s possessiveness.

“Um, Senior Seo Ha. No, Seo Ha! I like you!”

“Uh… What?”

“I want to be more than just a cute little brother to you. I want to be a man.”

Tae Kyung was overwhelmed with jealousy watching him confess unintentionally.

‘How dare you set your eyes on my woman?’

Even as he thought this, he felt pathetic that he hadn’t even confessed yet.

Anxiety washed over him.

‘Surely, Seo Ha wouldn’t fall for such a young brat?’

He wanted to go and crush that guy right away.

But he held back, afraid that Seo Ha might be shocked by such behavior.

He still wanted to show only his good side.

“Um, I’m sorry. I don’t think I can accept your feelings.”

“Is there someone else you like?”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

The male student’s face turned ashen with despair.

He turned away with his head down and disappeared somewhere. Seo Ha let out a small sigh as she watched his retreating figure.

“Who’s that person you like?”

“Oh my!”

Seo Ha almost fell down in surprise at Tae Kyung’s sudden approach.

Tae Kyung quickly embraced her, preventing her from falling.

“You, you startled me!”

“I’m sorry if I scared you. Won’t you answer my question?”

“What do you mean?”

Seo Ha stuttered with her face turning bright red.

How much had Tae Kyung heard? Why was her heart pounding so hard when she hadn’t done anything wrong?

Moreover, she was becoming dizzy because of Tae Kyung’s arm around her waist.

‘Heart, don’t act up.’

Despite her desperate plea, her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her body.

“Who is it?”

“Why, why does it matter to you?”

“It matters.”

Tae Kyung said in a low voice, furrowing his brow. Seo Ha looked at Tae Kyung’s eyes, flickering with fire, feeling very tense.

“I wish it were me.”

“What?”

“Ah, I didn’t mean to confess like this. It’s all because of that damn guy.”

Tae Kyung grumbled, seemingly displeased.

Seo Ha was dumbfounded, not sure what she had just heard.

“Answer me. Who is it?”

“Well, that…”

Seo Ha’s face turned even redder. It meant many things. She felt embarrassed as if she had been caught that Tae Kyung had somehow sneaked into her heart, and she was also excited that Tae Kyung felt the same way.

“Can’t you let me go?”

“Depending on your answer.”

“What?”

“Answer me. Who is it?”

Tae Kyung showed no intention of releasing his arm around Seo Ha’s waist.

As Seo Ha squirmed in embarrassment, Tae Kyung tightened his arm even more.

“Ouch, elder brother.”

“If you don’t answer by the count of three, I’ll assume it’s me. One.”

“E-elder brother!”

“Two.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Three.”

As soon as he counted three, Tae Kyung looked at Seo Ha with a grin. With an expression that didn’t know what to do with Seo Ha filling his eyes. He whispered in her ear in a pleasant low voice.

“I like you.”

“Gasp.”

“So, be mine.”

Tae Kyung looked at Seo Ha, whose pupils were shaking, with eyes full of love. Anyone could see he was a man in love.

“If you don’t like it, avoid it.”

Tae Kyung’s lips came down right onto Seo Ha’s lips. Seo Ha couldn’t avoid it. Instead, she just closed her eyes.

Confirming Seo Ha’s permission, Tae Kyung whispered, stretching the corners of his mouth into a long smile.

“From today, day one.”

Tae Kyung swallowed Seo Ha’s sweet breath again with a satisfied expression.

[This is the timeline separator]

Recalling the events from six years ago, Tae Kyung felt irritated for no reason.

It felt like he was the only one yearning. It’s always the fool Han Tae Kyung chasing after Kim Seo Ha.

Seo Ha tensed for a moment but tried to act nonchalant. She twisted her wrist out of Tae Kyung’s grasp.

“What do you mean ‘yes’? What was the question?”

“You don’t need to know, elder brother.”

Seo Ha tried to hide her body in the darkness as if her feelings had been exposed.

However, Tae Kyung wouldn’t allow that.

She turned her body out of embarrassment, but soon Tae Kyung wrapped his arm around her waist this time.

“Did Kwak Min Seop confess to you or something?”

“W-what are you talking about?”

“So, did you accept?”

Seo Ha flared up at Tae Kyung’s misunderstanding. It was because of her resentment and sadness towards Tae Kyung who didn’t understand her feelings.

“Who said I accepted?”

“Then, what was the question Kwak Min Seop asked? Was it like that guy from before, asking if you had someone you liked?”

“What guy from before?”

“Come on, don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Seo Ha kept her mouth shut, not knowing what to say.

Seo Ha knew too. That it was about the day Tae Kyung confessed to her. But she played dumb.

“I wish the person you like was me. Who’s the person you like? Answer me in three counts. Three.”

“Elder brother!”

“Two.”

“…”

“One. Would you accept if I confessed?”

Tae Kyung had already shown his feelings to her more than enough. He was already the one filling her heart. He was someone who wouldn’t be pushed away even if she tried to push him away.

Tae Kyung whispered low in Seo Ha’s ear. Like that day. And differently from that day.

“I love you.”

“…”

Tae Kyung buried his face in Seo Ha’s nape.

It was her scent that he had missed. Something he couldn’t forget even if he wanted to.

“You always make me confess without any mood. Six years ago. Now too. I’m the only one getting worked up.”

“…”

Seo Ha couldn’t say anything in response to Tae Kyung’s words. Tae Kyung turned Seo Ha around.

“So, be mine.”

Tae Kyung grinned just like that day. Tae Kyung only had to move forward now.

Towards her.

Tae Kyung’s lips gently landed on Seo Ha’s lips.

Her lips were sweet and caused an endless thirst.

The kiss with her awakened one by one the sensations that had been hidden away. It found every trace of Kim Seo Ha engraved within him without leaving any behind.

Seo Ha couldn’t push Tae Kyung away either. She could no longer deny or refuse that she wanted Tae Kyung.

It was frustrating that she couldn’t hate him at all even though he should have been someone to endlessly hate.

Why was this man still so sweet?

He endlessly desired and craved her.

Having barely separated his lips, he whispered in Seo Ha’s ear just like before.

“From today, day one again. I won’t let go this time.”