[Where are you?]

Yeon Woo paused, her mind struggling to work quickly.

If she said she was outside, he would surely insist on coming to pick her up.

“Ah. So, where I am is, um…”

She decided to buy time by saying anything that came to mind, stretching out her words as she turned onto a path leading to another building.

[Are you planning to leave me hanging all night?]

“No! No, haha, where I am is…”

[Are you drunk?]

Repeating the same thing over and over again, it made sense for him to suspect that.

But she couldn’t find a proper place to hide. Yeon Woo was in a dilemma.

“Not drunk, just… Ahh!”

Startled by a motorcycle whizzing past her, Yeon Woo let out a scream.

‘He didn’t hear that, did he?’

She covered her mouth too late, still holding out hope. Then, she spotted an empty bench in front of a quiet playground.

“Attorney Kwon, um, how about we meet tomorrow? What do you think?”

[Why?]

“It’s late today.”

Yeon Woo quickly sat down on the bench, folding her knees and curling up as much as possible.

[It’s late, but you seem to be outside. Staying out overnight? Then I really need to see you now.]

So frustrating! Even if she openly says to meet tomorrow, why won’t this stubborn man back off?

Just as Yeon Woo was about to assert herself again,

“Hey, honey. Done with your shower?”

Someone she thought was alone!

The voice of a man on a nearby bench talking on the phone carried clearly into Yeon Woo’s phone.

[What? Honey?]

His voice dropped coldly, a sense of something going wrong. Yeon Woo’s heart sank.

[It’s a man’s voice.]

“No! No, Attorney Kwon, he’s not my ‘honey’! It’s not me.”

[You’re with a man, it seems.]

“I’m behind building 101, at the playground! I came because I wanted to see you.”

[Playground, you say.]

Why are three people having this conversation?

She needed to move from here. Yeon Woo stood up hastily from the bench to find another spot.

“Attorney Kwon, actually, what I mean is…”

No response from him. She looked at her phone; it was still on the call.

“Hello? Attorney Kwon?”

[Yes.]

His voice was weak, and she could hear fast footsteps. It felt as if he was running too.

Not a good feeling. Yeon Woo glanced around, moving as best as she could.

“I’m at the playground, indeed.”

“Gasp!”

Before she could get far, his deep voice precisely found her. This time, not through the phone but right behind her.

Without a chance to turn around, the familiar scent enveloped her back.

“…”

The package Yeon Woo was holding dropped to the ground.

His broad but comforting embrace wrapped around her back. He let out a soft sigh as his head rested on her shoulder.

“Here you were.”

A pleasant heaviness flowed from where they touched. He seemed to have run, catching his breath on Yeon Woo’s shoulder for a while.

“I’m sorry.”

Then, unexpectedly, he uttered those words calmly.

“Huh? What for, Attorney Kwon?”

“Just… everything. I’m sorry.”
The moment Jun Hwi saw Yeon Woo, a flood of his unfiltered emotions poured out.

It was already hard enough to see her face once. Now that he had finally met her, he didn’t want to waste precious time talking about Cha Han Bin.

Jun Hwi, ignoring Yeon Woo’s puzzled reaction, started another conversation.

“But can you stop running away now, and let me catch you?”

His whisper, barely grazing her ear, sent shivers down her spine.

“Attorney Kwon…”

As Yeon Woo tried to turn around, he hugged her tighter, burying his head deeper into her shoulder.

“Do you think I’m the only one going crazy wanting to touch, to hold…? I’m asking you.”

The hot sincerity of a man usually indifferent and cold stirred Yeon Woo’s heart and body.

Her head was buzzing. There was an ache in her chest.

Now, she couldn’t think of fleeing or escaping from his genuine feelings.

Yeon Woo gently stroked the back of the large man clinging to her like a child.

His breath quivered with each stroke of her hand down his arm.

“No.”

“…”

“It’s not just you, Attorney Kwon. I feel the same.”

Instead of a reply, a warm and soft touch landed on Yeon Woo’s left cheek.

It was a kiss so sweet it took her breath away.

It was dark, and he was behind her, which was a relief. Her face must have been as red as it could be.

The kisses he kept planting on her became more frequent, lingering longer each time.

His head, bent down, came closer to her mouth, her lips. He was about to turn her face towards him.

No, that can’t happen!

“Um, stop! Just a moment, please.”

His lips, blocked by Yeon Woo’s palm, halted.

Seizing the moment, Yeon Woo slipped out of his embrace and stepped back a few paces, pulling the hood of her t-shirt over her head.

“Don’t come any closer!”

Of course, Jun Hwi easily ignored that. He extended his leg and drew her back into his chest.

Yeon Woo regretted forgetting about his intimidating leg length.

“Aren’t you cold dressed like that? It’s still chilly at night.”