‘What kind of lie are you telling?’

‘If I tell you, it won’t be a lie anymore, will it?’

Nakwon laughs out loud at Bo Mi’s question.

‘If you knew what kind of person I am, you might run away, Bo Mi.’

‘I don’t care what kind of person you were in the past, Won. You don’t know about my past either.’

They deliberately avoid asking about the parts they don’t want to talk about.

For Bo Mi, who wanted to forget her memories in Seoul, that was rather comforting.

‘I might suddenly disappear one day.’

‘I’ll hold onto you so you can’t go.’

At Bo Mi’s words, his cheeks turned red like the evening glow. The sun was already setting.

‘You’re interested in me. So let’s start as friends first.’

A man who lives helping the elders and working at the workshop in Nakwon Village. Though he was a man with nothing that would make Hwang Min Jun angry if he knew, Bo Mi liked Nakwon.

She would feel her heart flutter watching him lift his t-shirt to wipe sweat while helping with village work.

Now she wanted to approach the most beautiful and heart-stirring man she had ever met.

‘I want to get closer to you, Won. Let’s be friends. Us.’

Won looked at Bo Mi’s face, then covered his mouth and turned his head.

‘No matter how I think about it, I don’t think I can be friends with you, Bo Mi.’

Tears almost welled up at the man’s words, who had been putting up walls despite Bo Mi’s passionate advances.

‘Even if I return to my past self.’

‘Hah…’

Am I that undesirable? Bo Mi let out a sigh.

‘Ah… This is embarrassing. It’s my first time confessing to a man.’

The words asking to just forget everything dangled on the tip of her lips.

Bo Mi pressed the back of her hand against her flushed cheeks. As the wind blew, the willow branches rustled loudly above her head. Won’s fingers brushed away the hair stuck to Bo Mi’s cheek, tucking it behind her ear. Startled by the heat felt where his fingers had touched, Bo Mi blinked her large eyes.

I really do like this person…

‘Even if I go back, I would see you as a woman, Bo Mi.’

The red glow of the sunset envelops him perfectly, shimmering. Bo Mi felt like crying at the sight of Nakwon, who looked like he might disappear at any moment.

Just as she reached out to grab him, he faded away like dust burning in the sunset. Only a single willow leaf remained in her palm, mocking Bo Mi.

‘Won…’

Don’t leave me behind like this again…

As darkness fell around Bo Mi, she staggered in despair.

Afraid of being alone again, she huddled, wrapping her arms around herself.

‘I’ve come to get you.’

Hearing the familiar voice in her ear, she turned her head to see Won standing there.

‘Won!’

You came back to me after all. I didn’t believe a word that you were dead!

Bo Mi ran to Won and clung to him desperately. His strong arms naturally wrapped around her waist. As Bo Mi closed her eyes, she felt a warm sensation on her lips. Determined not to let go, she tightened her arms and was drawn deeper into his heat.

The person I love.

‘Won.’

She called his name while looking into his dark eyes.

‘Director Han Bo Mi.’

Won’s voice deepened gravely as his expression turned cold.

‘Who is that man?’

Bo Mi was startled and looked at his face. Though he resembled Won, the man wearing a white shirt, tie, and expensive suit was not Won.

What am I doing right now…

‘Team Leader.’

Bo Mi took a step back in shock.

Beep beep beep. With a loud noise, the ground beneath her feet crumbled away.

“Ahh!”

Bo Mi flailed her arms and jumped up from her seat.

The relentless phone alarm was ringing. Bo Mi reached out and picked up her phone. The phone was familiar, but this space was unfamiliar.

“Uh… My clothes…”

Bo Mi was shocked to see her attire when she lifted the blanket. To be sitting on an unfamiliar bed wearing only underwear…

What in the world?

Beep beep beep. As the second alarm she had set started ringing, Bo Mi touched her phone in a daze.

It was still early dawn. Three more alarms were set to go off at 10-minute intervals after this.

She always set an early alarm to prepare breakfast, but it felt like today was the first time she had actually woken up properly.

Bo Mi rubbed her face after turning off all the alarms.

At yesterday’s drinking party…

As if her head was throbbing, Bo Mi squinted one eye and looked down at her phone screen.

Oh my god! What is this?

“Ugh…”

[31 missed calls from Ha Su Young] [3 missed calls from Kim Mi Rae] [100 missed calls from Unknown]

Bo Mi sighed looking at the list of missed calls.

There were messages from Su Young and Mi Rae lined up in her inbox.

[Bo Mi, are you okay? You don’t seem to have your phone, but I’ll take care of your bag. Call me.] [Bo Mi. Mi Rae says you didn’t come home, where did you go? You’re in a safe place, right? I gave your bag to Mi Rae. Call when you wake up.]

They must have been very worried. How did I even get here yesterday?

[I’m going to wait until 10 AM and then go to the police. Please contact me.]

At the mention of going to the police, Bo Mi hurriedly sent a reply message.

[I’m awake. Sorry for making you worry. I’m perfectly fine and I’ll call once I figure out the situation.]

Su Young must have read it right away as the read receipt appeared, and Bo Mi felt relieved.

She sent a message to Mi Rae saying she would be home soon. Wherever this was, if it was in Seoul, she would find her way home somehow.

She pressed play on the voice messages piled up in the missed call list from Unknown.

“Gasp!”

Bo Mi was startled and dropped the phone when she heard Yeon Ga Jin’s voice.

−Han Bo Mi. Where the hell are you? Hey… You’re not sleeping on the street, are you?

−Did you go home? I heard you were drunk. Damn… Why is a girl like you being so reckless with her body.

−Hey, answer the phone.

−When are you going to wake up?

−Ah… shit.

Bo Mi got goosebumps at the voice coming through the phone speaker.

This oppa is really persistent. He called 100 times?

Bo Mi hung up and got up.

She was relieved to find her clothes hanging in front of the wardrobe and picked them up.

Why are the buttons on this blouse so hard to fasten?

The white-toned room with red accents looked like a hotel room. White wallpaper, white marble-mixed floor, a white bed with white-gray sheets crumpled in the shape Bo Mi had left, were all visible.

Above the bed headboard hung a modern art masterpiece painting in black with red dots. A red cushion sat on the white-gray sofa that matched the bed’s tone, giving a sense of unity.

How did I end up here?

Bo Mi walked over to the large glass window and stepped out onto the terrace. It was so high that it felt like all of Seoul could be seen below. Her legs wobbled involuntarily and she stepped back.

In the distance, the edge of the sky was turning red as dawn was about to break.

“This doesn’t seem to be a hotel…”

Bo Mi returned to the room and slightly opened the door. Walking down the long empty corridor, she saw a monochrome-decorated living room and kitchen. To the left was a staircase leading to a loft structure. The high open ceiling gave a sense of liberation.

Where on earth is this place? What happened last night?

Only the memory of meeting Nakwon was clear. The time spent whispering love to Nakwon was surely a hallucination created by alcohol or Bo Mi’s dream.

If it wasn’t a dream…

Bo Mi frowned and squinted her eyes.

The soft and hot sensation that had touched her lips. Bo Mi pressed her finger gently against her lips.

No way? That can’t be! She tried to deny it, but her swollen, puffy lips were reality.

She shook her head as if trying to forget the memories flooding back like a kaleidoscope.

This can’t be! Did I… with the Team Leader?

‘Bo Mi.’

He would never call me in such an affectionate voice…

Do Jae Kyung’s handsome features with Nakwon’s face came closer and closer. Bo Mi also wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. As their lips overlapped, heated breath filled her mouth. And then…

“Ahh!”

Bo Mi covered her own mouth, suppressing the scream that was about to burst out.

I shouldn’t think about it. It’s something I can’t remember. It needs to be something that never happened.

Bo Mi was messing up her hair when she suddenly raised her head at the faint sound of water.

Someone is here.

They must be the owner of this hotel-like house, and Bo Mi was probably the uninvited guest.

And she had a feeling she knew who the owner was, but she didn’t want to face them.

She didn’t know what to say or how to say it if she encountered last night’s kissing partner in reality.

‘I’ve come to get you.’

It wasn’t Nakwon who had saved Bo Mi when she nearly ran into Yeon Ga Jin, but Team Leader Do Jae Kyung.

Ugh. I want to die.

I’m so embarrassed. So humiliated. Embarrassed. Ah… What should I do now?

Han Bo Mi. This is a retreat. Let’s run away!

You don’t run into him often at work anyway!

Bo Mi could think of nothing but avoiding this situation.

Han Bo Mi. If you drink again, you’re Summer’s younger sister.

Bo Mi tiptoed quietly.

It’s okay. If I run to the entrance like this… Bo Mi turned her gaze to look for the door.

Slam!

“Eek!”

The bathroom door opened and Bo Mi, who had been standing in front of it, sat down in surprise.

“You’re awake?”

Jae Kyung bent down to meet Bo Mi’s gaze.

Flustered, Bo Mi moved back while sitting.

No. Too close.

The faint scent of body shampoo stung her nose. Her eyes fell on the thick chest muscles visible through the open robe. She unconsciously swallowed at the sight of the smooth yet firm chest muscles that looked so touchable. Wet hair fell over Jae Kyung’s straight forehead.

“Team… Team Leader. How did I end up here?”

Bo Mi barely managed to speak while avoiding Jae Kyung’s gaze.

I have to say I don’t remember. I have to pretend I don’t know.

“You don’t remember?”

Bo Mi nodded.

“That I proposed and you agreed to date me?”

“That’s a lie! I didn’t hear anything like that!”

“So you do remember.”

She clearly remembered the passionate kiss in the car. And after that?

“Not everything…”

It felt like there were more things she should remember…

Bo Mi tried hard to stack up the jumbled layers of memories.

It was also suspicious that she had woken up in that large bed in a state close to just underwear.

Did I really sleep alone?

“Team Leader.”

“Yes, Bo Mi.”

Jae Kyung replied happily.

‘Why don’t you call me Bo Mi?’

She wanted to slap herself for saying those words when she mistook him for Nakwon.

No. That wasn’t what she needed to confirm right now.

“Team Leader and I…”

Bo Mi looked at Jae Kyung with a tense expression, swallowing.

“Did we sleep together?”