“Hey!”

Minsueun’s face, almost exploding with embarrassment, turned crimson.

“Well, I can’t say anything about being interested because you liked him, but… I saw an ignorant woman who insulted and humiliated in front of the woman the man she liked, despite being married. Hey!”

“Hey!”

“So don’t misunderstand. You’ve dragged this on for too long. I’ll take my leave now; Jaehyuk must be waiting. Let’s see each other next time with a smile.”

Arin left the restroom, leaving Minsueun, who was trembling with a clenched fist, in her wake. Behind her, the furious woman’s enraged scream resounded.

“Sigh.”

Arin sighed just as Jaehyuk approached her.

“Why are you here?”

‘I said I would go inside earlier…’

Arin was surprised to see Jaehyuk standing in front of the restroom. Jaehyuk kept his lips sealed and cast a chilling gaze toward the women’s restroom.

“You didn’t go in?”

Jaehyuk quickly averted his gaze from the restroom at Arin’s words and looked at her.

“I was going in together.”

“…Ah.”

“You took a long time. Is something wrong?”

Arin was left speechless by Jaehyuk’s direct gaze.

‘Did he hear?’

Although it was far from the noisy main hall, where loud voices would certainly be heard even from outside, the restroom was in a quiet place, making it possible for even soft voices to reach him.

As that thought occurred, her face turned hot.

“Many people are waiting.”

Jaehyuk extended his hand transparently with an expressionless face.

Arin stared down at Jaehyuk’s outstretched hand.

“Let’s go.”

Without taking her hand, he grabbed hers first. Arin looked down at the held hand, not able to pull away or hold it firmly.

‘You could have just given a fist bump, why hold hands?’

But for some reason, she didn’t want to let go of Jaehyuk’s hand now.

Jaehyuk matched his pace with Arin’s hesitant steps, and an awkward silence settled between them.

“You did well.”

It was Jaehyuk who broke the silence. Arin stopped walking at his words and looked at him.

“Well done. If someone insults or humiliates you where I’m not around, do the same.”

“…”

“Don’t worry about what comes next. You can say whatever you want.”

Arin stood still as if hit on the back of her head. Facing Jaehyuk’s expression of ‘You did well,’ her heart swelled.

‘Arin, Choi Arin!’

She didn’t acknowledge it, and she couldn’t. The sturdy fortress of Choi Arin was rapidly crumbling.

Her heart was becoming strange and completely shaken by him.

Jaehyuk went to greet someone, leaving Arin alone in front of a table with finger foods.

Surrounded by people, Arin gazed at Jaehyuk, who was smiling leisurely.

At that moment, a voice next to her brought her out of her daze.

“Miss Arin, could you spare some time for me?”
When Arin turned her head, she met Haeyeon, standing with a dark expression.

“I have something to say about Yoo Hyun.”

Arin had nothing to say about Yoo Hyun to Haeyeon. Somehow, she felt like she knew what Haeyeon was going to say.

‘I don’t want to interfere in matters between a man and a woman, whether the director asks about me or wants to talk about the director and Yoo Hyun.’

“I’m sorry, but if it’s about Yoo Hyun oppa, I think I shouldn’t hear more.”

“Arin.”

Arin turned away from Haeyeon’s earnest gaze.

“I don’t have anything to say about myself, and I don’t want to hear about the director and Yoo Hyun either.”

“…”

Arin’s knowledge about Haeyeon didn’t come from Yoo Hyun. She learned about them being lovers through Cheol Yong. She also found out about Haeyeon betraying Yoo Hyun through someone else.

Arin thought that stories tend to become exaggerated and sensationalized as they pass through people. So, she didn’t entirely believe everything Cheol Yong told her.

However,

‘At least, it’s true that the director left without saying anything to Yoo Hyun.’

“Arin, please.”

Arin turned away again from Haeyeon’s tearful eyes.

“I understand the director’s feelings, but I don’t think talking to me about Yoo Hyun oppa and the director is appropriate. I’m sorry.”

A short silence followed. Suddenly, Haeyeon grabbed Arin’s hand. Startled, Arin turned her head towards Haeyeon.

“Please…”

The hands clasped were trembling.

“Please, Arin. It’s for Yoo Hyun. No, it’s for me. So, please help me.”

Arin couldn’t understand Haeyeon’s actions. Still, she couldn’t completely reject her.

The desperation felt from Haeyeon’s quivering shoulders reminded Arin of her past self. Unable to turn away from Haeyeon anymore, Arin, reluctantly, decided to accept Haeyeon’s conversation.

“Wait.”

“…”

“I’ll listen for a moment.”

“Thank you.”

Before following Haeyeon, Arin glanced at where Jaehyuk was.

‘It’s a bit awkward to go and talk now…’

Arin needed to tell Jaehyuk that she had to leave for a moment. However, Jaehyuk was in the midst of a conversation, surrounded by people, making it difficult to say anything.

After a short hesitation, Arin decided that she would be back soon and left without saying anything.

‘If it’s just for a moment, it should be fine.’