The Temperature Difference with Him (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15
It grew noisy beyond the door.
When Ji An stepped outside, the living room was bustling and the front door stood wide open.
Dan Woo was nowhere to be seen, and Tae Yoon, standing in the kitchen, gave her a small smile as he watched her glance around.
Noticing Ji An’s puzzled look, Tae Yoon spoke up.
“Weren’t you cold? I’d planned to come by even late at night, but the snow made it difficult.”
“I stayed warm thanks to the mat. The fireplace was nice too. Dan Woo took care of everything so I wasn’t cold at all.”
“On nights like this, two are definitely better than one alone.”
Tae Yoon rephrased what would’ve sounded like Dan Woo’s stubbornness—replacing the boiler with a new one—into something gentler.
“While it was broken, we’re switching it out for a new one. Better make sure this never happens again.”
“I see.”
Ji An’s gaze naturally drifted upstairs.
Last night, her resolve had settled firmly in one direction. Now that things had come to this, she was even ready to move out entirely.
It wasn’t just because of what Woo Dan Woo had said.
Nor was it a sudden shift brought on by unexpected isolation.
Plenty remained unresolved between her and Ha Jun, but she intended to handle it all properly.
Turning her eyes toward the yard, sunlight glinted off the snow, making her squint.
The deep blue sky, the white yard, and the damp gray wall looked different from yesterday.
Drawn by the view, she stepped outside—only to realize too late her feet were cold from wet slippers.
Upstairs, in the bedroom.
Dan Woo’s hand slowly stilled as he fastened his cufflinks.
At Ji An’s touch, small snowmen began lining up neatly atop the low wall, growing in number one by one.
“He really loves snow, huh?”
The gray wall beneath a blue sky.
The distant ocean rolling in like gentle waves.
The snow-drenched yard, dazzling bright, and Ji An smiling with her eyes scrunched shut.
All filled Dan Woo’s eyes like a single, seamless scene.
Realizing his own expression, Dan Woo let out an awkward grunt and scratched his temple.
This unfamiliar feeling was troubling.
Despite his best efforts to suppress it, his emotions had grown denser and seemed to find their own path.
Even the excuse of Jeju now felt ridiculous.
Pulling his gray coat halfway around, Dan Woo slipped his arms into the sleeves.
He strode toward the gate, lengthening his steps as he stepped into the yard.
“Hey,”
He paused at Ji An’s voice but pretended to be busy, checking his watch by tugging at his cuff.
After a brief moment, Dan Woo turned back toward her.
But as soon as he saw her face, a smile escaped—unlike the firmly locked resolve in his heart.
“Have a good trip.”
Ji An offered him a farewell.
Standing atop the white snow, she waved both hands hidden in her long sleeves.
Today marked the first time he’d seen Ji An off as she stayed behind while he left the house.
Suppressing the turmoil inside, Dan Woo replied softly.
“I will. …You have a good day too.”
Turning his back, Dan Woo soon stepped out the gate and got into the driver’s seat of his sedan.
Standing on tiptoes to peer over the wall at his car, Ji An murmured,
“A sedan? That’s P Company’s model.”
Moments later, Tae Yoon’s SUV and another car departed together from the stone-walled house.
The house emptied once again, leaving Ji An alone.
“Ah! Aaah! The weather’s so nice!”
Her voice echoed back as a lingering whisper across the spacious yard.
The living room, where the mattress had been, was restored to its original state.
While replacing the boiler, Dan Woo and Tae Yoon had put everything back in its proper place.
“Sebyeol Oreum? Maybe visit the night market after watching the sunset.”
Muttering her itinerary to no one, Ji An roughly estimated the time.
After placing her slippers—soaked from playing in the snow—somewhere sunny, she crossed the yard.
Not long after, a red compact car pulled away from the wall, leaving the house even quieter.
✦✦✦
Once they entered the wide road, Tae Yoon’s SUV took the lead ahead of Dan Woo’s sedan.
Dan Woo kept his eyes fixed straight ahead on the freshly plowed road.
Tae Yoon had stopped the car in a quiet spot near the sea.
He never took his boss’s instructions lightly—whether it was “catch him at all costs” or “take him somewhere quiet.”
A dry, breathy snort escaped Dan Woo’s lips.
“That guy’s dead serious about work.”
He stepped out of the car and pressed the smart key; the sedan’s doors clicked shut.
Turning to Dan Woo, Tae Yoon began explaining.
“This used to be a cafe that closed down. The second floor is a residence. It’s pretty deserted. At first, I considered buying this place.”
“How the hell did you find this spot?”
“I got a ridiculous text out of the blue. Said the boiler broke down, they lit the fireplace, and found a bag inside—filled with gold bars.”
“You actually believed that?”
“The guy called right away claiming it was his.”
Tae Yoon pushed open the glass door and waited for Dan Woo to enter.
The man standing behind the counter separating the kitchen from the main area eyed Tae Yoon’s empty hands with suspicion.
It was Nam Sang Cheol, the former owner of the stone-walled house.
“Where’s the bag?”
Sang Cheol’s face hardened instantly, realizing something had gone wrong.
He turned to Tae Yoon, his voice faltering as he added in a feeble attempt to explain.
“I didn’t mean it belonged to me—I just remembered getting that call. I thought he’d call me again. You understand, right?”
Dan Woo, standing with his hands in his suit pockets, gave him a chilling look.
His voice twisted with unmistakable bias—clearly taking someone’s side.
“Yeah. If you’re human, you should live decently.”
Sang Cheol turned to Dan Woo.
“What the hell are you people trying to pull?”
“What does it look like to you?”
“Since when did we meet that you’re talking down to me like that? If you don’t believe me, let’s go straight to the police station.”
Dan Woo’s voice turned icy as he curtly called his name.
“Nam Sang Cheol?”
Advancing toward Sang Cheol, Dan Woo’s eyes showed no mercy.
Trying to mask his fear, Sang Cheol forced a sharp tone and shoved Dan Woo’s shoulder.
Ignoring the push, Dan Woo kept pressing forward.
“Perfect. Now I’ll settle what you’ve done—for a few lousy bucks.”
“What are you even saying?”
While spewing curses through his teeth, Sang Cheol scanned for a chance to escape. He shoved Dan Woo again—just for a split-second opening to run.
“You damn bastards! What the hell do you think you’re doing? Hand over the stuff!”
In an instant, Dan Woo subdued him and pinned him against the wall, gripping his throat.
He said nothing, only tightening his grip.
As veins bulged on Dan Woo’s hands, Sang Cheol’s face turned blue and his eyes reddened.
When Dan Woo finally released him, Sang Cheol coughed violently as if choking to death.
Grabbing his chin, Dan Woo gave him a sinister smile.
“Three. We’ll start again. One. Two.”
“What, you—”
“Three.”
Still gripping Sang Cheol’s throat, Dan Woo stared blankly ahead at the opposite wall.
“Guhh…”
At that moment, Sang Cheol realized he might actually die—and just as suddenly, the pressure eased.
Understanding escape was impossible, his defiance crumbled into desperate pleading.
“Please, spare my life.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you.”
Tae Yoon stepped toward Sang Cheol.
Waiting for him to lift Sang Cheol up, Dan Woo sat down in a chair and brushed off his hands.
All of Sang Cheol’s earlier arrogance vanished; now he watched Dan Woo warily.
“I hate messy situations. You should’ve handled this yourself when the police called you multiple times.”
“Please, spare me.”
“Go straight to the police station the moment you leave here. And apologize first to the woman you scammed.”
“What?”
Sang Cheol’s brow furrowed.
A woman?
Could it be that woman who’d booked through the reservation site a few weeks ago?
If this whole mess stemmed from that…
He’d been procrastinating on updating his online listing when a month-long stay reservation came through.
Seeing it was a solo guest, he’d immediately called to explain—but as soon as he heard the woman’s voice, smooth lies slipped out as if rehearsed.
He hadn’t answered her calls—or even Tae Yoon’s—since that day, so maybe this outcome was inevitable.
“I’m—I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it on purpose.”
“Enough excuses. If you did something wrong, fix it right away.”
Dan Woo’s voice hardened into unyielding resolve.
“Depending on how you handle this, I’ll decide whether or not to hire a lawyer. I intend to claim compensation many times over for the damage I’ve suffered. But if you go straight to the police station, I’ll settle for just your apology. Think carefully.”
“I’ll go to the police station right away. Do I just need to compensate her?”
“You catch on fast.”
Tae Yoon gave Sang Cheol a pitying look.
Seriously, why’d you have to pick a fight with someone scary like him? As always, the cleanup would fall to him next.
That night.
Even with Dan Woo’s late return, the house was empty.
Warmth had returned to the once-chilled rooms, and Ji An’s sneakers were missing from the front door.
Turning on the yard light, he spotted traces of her.
Seeing the row of small snowmen perched atop the wall, he tilted his head slightly.
“Family?”
Two snowmen of different sizes leaned close together, flanked by two similarly sized ones side by side.
“Lovers?”
Shifting his gaze, he saw five snowmen lined up tightly next to each other.
“That’s a family. Hope they live well.”
Holding a chilled glass of mulled wine, Dan Woo headed upstairs after getting ready for bed—just as the sound of a car engine reached his ears.
Ji An must have come back.
✦✦✦
In the parking lot of Happy Officetel,
Ha Jun parked his car and ran a hand over his weary face.
It was his first proper return home in a long while, ever since taking on Vice President Jung Won Do’s case.
Though a long, intense courtroom battle lay ahead, he’d already drafted a favorable scenario.
Inside the elevator, Ha Jun glanced at the man he’d crossed paths with in the underground garage.
The man pressed ‘9’ and then looked at Ha Jun, eyes silently urging him to press his floor.
Ha Jun ignored him, fixing his eyes on the red numbers climbing higher.
‘Who is that guy?’
Happy Officetel had four units per floor.
He lived in 901, Ji An in 902, a newlywed couple in 903, and a woman resided in 904.
Probably just visiting someone else, then.
Though the man wore designer shoes and a well-tailored suit, Ha Jun felt uneasy around him.
Perhaps it was that gut instinct—knowing exactly the type who’d commit utterly absurd acts and then act completely unfazed.
When the elevator stopped at the 9th floor, Ha Jun stepped out a beat later.
The man glanced briefly at Ha Jun as he halted in front of 901, then stopped himself at 902.
Ha Jun turned sharply toward him, his eyes turning cold.
What’s this guy up to?
The man smirked faintly, unlocked the door, and vanished from Ha Jun’s sight.
Ha Jun muttered under his breath.
“Kim Ji An!”
Ha Jun usually let personal matters blur when focused on work.
But time had passed—over two weeks, in fact.
He’d occasionally waited for Ji An’s call, expecting her to laugh gently and ask to reconcile.
He’d hoped to hear her innocent voice reassuring him that she understood—knowing he’d gotten tangled up in a morally questionable case.
But this? This was unacceptable!
The absurdity hit him so hard he burst out laughing in disbelief.
Ha Jun quickened his pace.
His hand touched 902’s door lock faster than ever before.
0827.
As Ha Jun grasped the handle, the lock emitted an unpleasant beep—rejecting him coldly.
Male lead is a Divorced Husband
She said to him: “Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change it!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Most Commented This Week
The Villain Has Gone Mad For Me (Completed Main Story)
I’m The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Became the Assassin Family’s Foster Daughter (Completed Main Story)
The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story)
Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete)
At the End of Ruin, There You Are (56 Chapters Left to Complete)
She’s a Villainess but her Husband is Handsome (Completed Main Story)
People Aren’t Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete)
My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story)
Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior (9 Chapters Left to Complete)
Regret With All Your Might (Completed Main Story)