Seeing Jun Hwi, usually so cool and indifferent, with such an expression felt like a rare spectacle. Yeon Woo couldn’t help but burst into a chuckle.

“What’s so funny?”

Jun Hwi, who had been glancing sideways, quietly bristled.

Was it normal to find a man five years her senior, big and grown, so adorable?

Yeon Woo, unable to suppress her smile, moved a bit closer to Jun Hwi.

“Wasn’t it a bit too much to sit separately on the benches?”

She offered him the takeout coffee she had brought, chattering away.

Yeon Woo, holding her iced latte, hugged her knees and sipped through the straw.

“Do you come here often?”

“When I want a walk or need some healing.”

Their conversation flowed comfortably, with even the occasional silences feeling soft, like the spring breeze between them.

“Oh, Attorney Kwon. I’ve made up my mind.”

Yeon Woo suddenly continued, as if remembering something.

“About Cha Han Bin. This time, I’m going to give him a proper telling-off.”

Her tone was resolute, even clenching her fist as she spoke. It seemed like she had made a firm decision.

Her tiny fist looked like it would only make a ‘pop’ sound rather than hurt anyone.

Jun Hwi almost smiled but had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep it down.

“How are you going to scold him?”

“First, I’ll go to him unexpectedly, and then I’ll give him a piece of my mind.”

But he had already done that.

“And I’ll hit him with the fact that I have all the evidence and threaten to sue him!”

That too, he had done.

“And maybe I’ll shout, ‘Cha Han Bin, I can’t stand the sight of you! Get out of my sight!’”

“……Ah.”

Jun Hwi felt he should tell her he had already taken care of it for her.

Listening to Yeon Woo’s ambitious plan, he waited for the right moment to interrupt.

“But the more I think about it, I feel so foolish and… upset. I just watched and did nothing while being betrayed.”

Yeon Woo’s shoulders slumped as she sighed deeply.

“Stop blaming yourself. It’s the fault of the person who deceived you on purpose.”

“I have to be alert from now on. This is my issue, and I can handle it alone.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. I need to tie up loose ends with that trash myself to feel completely free from it.”

Jun Hwi silently massaged his forehead.

Maybe his decision to step in on behalf of Yeon Woo was too hasty?

Having experienced firsthand how capable and smart Kim Yeon Woo was, when did he start treating her merely as someone to be protected?

It seemed he had missed something crucial.

Upon reflection, Jun Hwi realized he had only focused on capturing the elusive Yeon Woo, without making efforts to respect and understand her.

His journey here was marked by presumption and arrogance, where understanding others’ positions was meaningless. He never had a reason to consider such things.

That is, until Kim Yeon Woo became an exception. Hence, emotions are a challenging realm for him.

Or perhaps, this difficult woman is the exception itself.
Would Yeon Woo be disappointed to hear that Jun Hwi had already cornered Cha Han Bin enough?

He changed his mind. Jun Hwi decided not to mention his intervention.

“And I almost got you involved, Attorney Kwon. That’s what’s been bothering me the most.”

In the absence of Jun Hwi’s response, Yeon Woo’s small and full lips moved again.

“Trust me. I’ll go and give him what’s coming to him, including your part!”

What would have been mere bravado from someone else sounded as gentle as a spring breeze from her.

Yeon Woo, bravely telling the self-sufficient Jun Hwi to rely on her, was a first.

Jun Hwi silently smiled and nodded.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“If he sues, you’ll defend me, right? You promised before.”

“A lawyer? You seemed so confident earlier.”

“You never know with people.”

Watching Yeon Woo, Jun Hwi extended his arm and removed her sunglasses in a swift motion.

…In truth, he wanted to completely consume her right there, from head to toe.

To wrap his arms around her small frame and keep her close all night, endlessly.

He was holding back all sorts of improper thoughts just by looking into her innocent eyes.

“Goodness!”

Yeon Woo, suddenly exposed to the brightness, looked around and locked eyes with Jun Hwi.

His gaze was deep and lingering. Yeon Woo’s cheeks blushed furiously.

“Your lawyer’s fee.”

It was a light response, unusual for him.

Yeon Woo, though surprised, burst into laughter.

Something suddenly fell onto her cap.

Large raindrops began to fall on her nose.

“Is it suddenly going to rain like this?”

“Let’s go down.”

Jun Hwi pressed down on Yeon Woo’s hat and was the first to stand up, extending his hand.

“Follow me closely. We’ll need to run.”

Yeon Woo naturally grasped Jun Hwi’s hand and ran with him down the path.

The increasingly heavy rain drummed irregularly against the car window.

The car waited at a traffic signal. Jun Hwi’s warm hand overlapped Yeon Woo’s as she quietly watched the rain-soaked roadside trees.

“Where are we going?”

Feeling his warmth, Yeon Woo asked, looking at his profile.