Though she was dying for a drink, Si Hyun couldn’t bear to go to Soo Yeon’s shop. Soo Yeon would probably be more upset than she was if she found out.

So, Si Hyun drank whiskey alone at a bar near her home. Normally, she would have had soju, but she didn’t want to look pitiful even on such a day.

Actually drinking whiskey made it even more bitter. Even on a day like this, she was living so poorly that she couldn’t even afford expensive alcohol. Why did she live like that? For what, exactly…

Having drained more than half of the whiskey, Si Hyun’s steps returning home were relatively light. That was pretty good for a woman whose fiancé had cheated. Thanks to the alcohol, her mind was foggy, and she didn’t feel too bad.

When you’re drunk, you can’t think deeply about complicated things. Not even about a cheating fiancé.

Maybe she was afraid to look at her feelings head on. What if the answer was different from what she had thought…

Seeing the large shadow standing idly in front of the studio building, Si Hyun stopped.

Tae Ha, who had his hands in his pockets, saw Si Hyun, sighed lightly, and approached her.

“Have you been drinking?”
“A little. Why are you out here?”
“Just getting some air.”
Watching Tae Ha’s back as he headed towards the elevator, she suddenly thought. Maybe he was worried about her coming home late and was waiting for her.

With her back to Tae Ha, who was about to press the elevator button, Si Hyun suddenly asked.

“You knew, didn’t you?”
At her question without a subject, Tae Ha visibly flinched. Seeing him trying to read her expression in confusion, Si Hyun was certain.

“What?”
“You don’t have to pretend you don’t know.”
Si Hyun gave a bitter smile.

“You knew, that my fiancé was cheating.”
Instead of answering, Tae Ha let out a long sigh. Si Hyun asked him.

“How did you find out?”
“I happened to see them. Together.”
“What were they doing where?”
Tae Ha answered a bit gruffly.

“Isn’t it enough to know he was cheating? Why do you need to know that too?”
“Shall I guess?”
Si Hyun, as if she’d turned into a detective, pointed her index finger and glared.

“They were probably having dinner at an expensive, nice place. The date was probably, last Friday evening.”
“……!”

Tae Ha looked at Si Hyun in surprise.

That day, they had originally planned to have dinner with Woo Jin. But then, Woo Jin suddenly had to work late and broke their dinner plans, apologizing and instead bought them Tteokbokki.

Tae Ha, he threw the entire Tteokbokki into the trash.

“[Tell me something else you want, besides Tteokbokki. I’ll buy you anything you want.]”
At that time, he thought that Tae Ha had gone crazy, but as he was drinking alone earlier and slowly thought about it, it occurred to him. Maybe Tae Ha had known all along.

“[So this is why you’re being treated like Tteokbokki by your future spouse!]”
Perhaps Woo Jin, seeing another woman having an expensive meal, was not just blurted out in anger. He had tried to overanalyze it, but it seemed to fit perfectly. From the way Tae Ha was looking at him as if he had seen a ghost.

“I’m right, aren’t I?”
Si Hyun laughed out loud and lightly patted Tae Ha’s back, as if to commend him.

“Thanks, Yoon Tae Ha. If I had unknowingly enjoyed that Tteokbokki, I would have been really annoyed by now.”
Now that he thought about it, all of Tae Ha’s actions that day made sense. He even appreciated that Tae Ha had gotten angry on his behalf, since he was clueless.

“You must have been really frustrated, you. Knowing everything but not being able to say it as it is.”
Tae Ha carefully examined Si Hyun’s expression.

“Aren’t you angry?”
“Why should I be angry at you? There’s someone else who did wrong.”
“But I knew and didn’t say anything.”
“It’s not that you didn’t, you couldn’t because you were afraid I’d get hurt. You even tried to tell me, but I didn’t listen.”
When he went to report the results of the funnel analysis yesterday, Tae Ha had said it. He had something personal to talk about, so they should go out and talk.

He hadn’t been able to hear it in the end because they had gotten into an argument in the middle, but now that he thought about it, it seemed like he knew. What he was trying to say.

“You’re on my side. Why would I be angry with you, my ally.”
Wiping away the tears that were spilling over with the back of his hand, Si Hyun smiled.

She was relieved to have an ally in this situation. If this had happened a month ago, it would have been daunting, but isn’t the situation much better now? Tae Ha is by my side now, and so is Aunt Su Yeon.

Just thinking about that was comforting, and the tears that hadn’t come out in front of Woo Jin earlier kept threatening to spill over.

“…….”
Trying to hold back her tears, Si Hyun forced herself to look up at the void.

“It was nice to feel that excitement again after a long time. So I was a bit taken aback. How can you say you’re not at all excited about me in such a way?”
While she laughed and spoke, Tae Ha silently stayed by her side. Suddenly curious, Si Hyun looked at Tae Ha.

“Hey, Tae Ha. You’ve dated before, right?”
Tae Ha didn’t answer. Taking his silence as affirmation, Si Hyun asked again.

“It’s always like that in the beginning, isn’t it? You’re crazy about the other person, think they’re so beautiful… does that last for years?”
When he didn’t respond again, Si Hyun sighed and pressed the elevator button. He must not want to talk.

As she stepped onto the arriving elevator, she heard an answer from behind her.

“…She was just as beautiful to me, even after several years.”
Si Hyun turned around to look at him.

“She was pretty in a school uniform, and even with an employee badge hanging around her neck.”
Tae Ha, with his hands shoved in his pockets, spoke while still standing outside the elevator.

“And even when she walked around late at night, reeking of alcohol, she was so beautiful I could die.”
She was so surprised that it felt like she had sobered up instantly.

“…….”
Tae Ha was looking straight at Si Hyun until the elevator doors closed.

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