Without realizing it, I blurted out my inner thoughts. Jaehyuk looked at her as if finding that cute.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m bragging about money.”

Since there was no room for rebuttal, it was even more annoying. Simultaneously, feeling irritated in this situation was also strange.

‘It doesn’t make sense, but am I feeling a bit more comfortable with him?’

Arin thought that the wounds toward Jaehyuk were scars that couldn’t be erased. For Arin, Jaehyuk had been a central figure in moments so painful that she was willing to throw everything away.

And now, the Jaehyuk in front of her was a reality.

Arin couldn’t stop this unreasonable imagination that was stirring up her mind.

She looked at Jaehyuk’s slumping shoulders as he responded to her answer.

‘He’s someone who clearly distinguishes work and personal matters. Was he always like this, or has he changed?’

Recently, Arin found Jaehyuk confusing and bewildering.

‘So I can’t refuse him more.’

If he had proposed this a month ago, she would have rejected him outright, but now, she hesitated.

He added like making a final argument.

“Don’t worry about anything else. I’ve already booked the flights and hotels. Oh, of course, I booked separate rooms, so don’t worry. If you want to go sightseeing, I’ll arrange a guide for you. And, if you’re okay with it, we have no plans for the weekend, so we can spend it together.”

Like an onion revealing a new layer every time it’s peeled, he broke down his known biases and preconceptions.

Maybe because of that, she felt more shaken, and her heart moved even more.

He, who used to always be relaxed, was now displaying signs of impatience. Impatience and confusion were things unknown to the pre-Jaehyuk Arin.

So perhaps that’s why she felt good about it. Arin found pleasure every time she witnessed Jaehyuk’s changed demeanor.

‘I feel like a pervert. Why am I getting so lenient? Is there really something wrong with me?’

In the midst of various thoughts, she eventually burst into laughter.

“Haha.”

“…Arin?”

He looked at her in surprise.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I’m not making fun of you.”

Arin waved her hand and smiled brightly. Jaehyuk stared at her as if he were enchanted.

“I’ll go with you.”

“Really?”

“Yes. But, Jaehyuk, you work hard, and I’ll enjoy sightseeing. Let’s have a meal together on the weekend.”
It felt like something in my heart abruptly snapped, and I sensed a feeling as if a tightly locked gate was opening.

Friday.

Jaehyuk went to work. Arin, who had finished getting ready, left home to head to Attorney Yoon’s office.

The trial Attorney Yoon was handling was getting prolonged, causing frequent rescheduling of appointments due to conflicting consultation times.

They wanted the lawsuit to progress as quickly as possible. In response to Attorney Yoon mentioning there was no trial today, Arin hurriedly made her way to the office.

She arrived at the bus stop and checked the time. It seemed she could barely make it on time for her appointment.

‘It was a small favor from my brother. Well, then…’

This morning, before going to work, Jaehyuk gave her the car keys, saying he didn’t use it, so she should drive it.

The key holder had the emblem of a car company popular among young women. It was a cute-looking car in line with current trends. It was easy to tell it wasn’t a car purchased by a man. Hence, she declined. Such favors still felt a bit burdensome.

‘Besides, I like this time for thinking.’

She enjoyed her time using public transportation. Taking public transport allowed her to remain absent-minded until reaching her destination. So, she liked this time.

‘I couldn’t sleep, and my head is spinning.’

The proposition to go on a business trip to the U.S. with Jaehyuk had disturbed her sleep the previous night.

‘It’s not a trip, but I can’t calm down because I’m excited.’

Even though she had been on a school trip during her student days, she had never traveled at ease.

Even while living on Jeju Island, she had never walked the Jeju Olle Trail. It wasn’t a matter of distance.

‘It was just that I didn’t have the leisure.’

Her life had always been intense. Living a strenuous life, she never had the mental space to leisurely do something.

But even now, looking back, she wasn’t in a situation where she could afford to have leisure.

Why did she suddenly gain leisure in everything? Even Arin herself couldn’t understand.

When the bus stopped, Arin stood up. At the same time as she picked up her ringing phone and prepared to get off the bus, at the moment her foot touched the ground, a black motorcycle passed right in front of her.

Her heart pounded.

“Are you okay? Hold my hand.”

A girl standing behind her reached out her hand. Arin, who had just gotten off the bus, couldn’t move and stood there blankly.

Her startled heart lost its pace, and it pounded like crazy. The sound of her heart echoed in her ears, and her mind turned blank.