The next day.

Ah Rin stepped out of the front door to go out. Just then, the cell phone in her hand vibrated.

“Oh, Ji Yun.”

[Heading out now?]

“Yeah, I was just about to leave.”

According to the plan, Ah Rin was supposed to take a flight to Jeju Island today. However, something came up with her family yesterday.

She called her younger sibling and father Mr. Choi. She couldn’t hear either of their voices. Her cell phone never rang even after a day passed.

So she asked Yu Hyun for understanding. That she might need to stay in Seoul a bit longer…

Ah Rin moved to the bus stop in front of her studio apartment while talking on the phone with Ji Yun.

[You’re going to stop by the bookstore first, right?]

“Ah, yeah. That’s the plan.”

[Don’t stay out too late and go home early. I’ll also go home early today.]

A smile escaped Ah Rin at the sight of Ji Yun controlling her like an elder sister.

“Yeah. I will. But when did you leave? I was going to make breakfast for you. You must be tired. We talked late into the night yesterday.”

[Ah, sorry. I had somewhere I needed to go early today. I left two hours earlier than usual.]

“Two whole hours?”

[Yeah, so I’m a bit tired.]

“Is something up?”

[…What?]

It was then that Ah Rin found it a bit strange that Ji Yun seemed flustered by her question.

[Ah, well. Actually… Sigh. I’m at KK right now.]

This time, it was Ah Rin who was flustered.

“You mean KK?”

Choi Sung Han, who harassed her at Yoo Jung’s wedding, was the son of Chairman Choi of KK Food Group.

But for Ji Yun to be there?

Ah Rin suddenly felt scared, wondering if it was because of her.

“Is it because of me by any chance?”

[Actually…]

Ji Yun confessed honestly.

[Yes. It’s because of you, Ah Rin. But don’t worry. It’s not bad news for us. It would be bad for them if the contract is broken.]

“Breaking the contract? What does that even mean?”

[There’s no way we can just let it slide after what he did to you.]

“Who are you even talking about?”

[Who else could it be? Well, I didn’t like it from the start, but I genuinely welcome this decision.]

“…Is it Jae Hyuk?”

She felt a bit flustered. Jae Hyuk was a man who clearly separated public and private matters. His current actions were incomprehensible based on what she knew of him.

‘Breaking a contract over personal feelings… He doesn’t seem like the man I knew.’

Leaving the bewildered Ah Rin, Ji Yun continued.

[Yeah. That’s right. Actually, it’s not the PR team’s job, but how could I just sit still after hearing he did such a thing to you? I came with the support team to kick his shins or something.]

“…Ji Yun.”

Emotions surged. Ah Rin suppressed the rising feelings in her heart.

[So don’t worry about running into him anymore. He kept flinching and screaming in his sleep yesterday too. I’ll make it so that Choi Sung Han can never appear in front of you again, so don’t worry and have fun today. Ah, did you talk to oppa?]

“Yeah. Thank you.”

[Choi Ah Rin, from now on, you’re banned from saying ‘thank you’.]

“But if I’m thankful, what can I do?”

[You say it too often. When you say thank you even for things that can be brushed off between us, it feels like you’re drawing a line somehow.]

“I don’t mean it that way.”

[Yeah. I know. But still, don’t do it.]

“…Okay. But I want to say thank you this time. If it weren’t for you, Ji Yun, I would have gone back to Jeju Island with an uncomfortable feeling.”

Memoria was the busiest during the peak season of July and August when people came to Jeju Island for vacation. Although she took a day off for Yoo Jung’s wedding, she couldn’t take several days off.

Ji Yun felt sorry and contacted Yu Hyun on behalf of Ah Rin who couldn’t speak up. She told Yu Hyun everything that happened to Ah Rin yesterday.

[I should be the one apologizing. If I had been there, you wouldn’t have gone through such a thing. It’s practically the same as letting you experience that by leaving you alone.]

Ji Yun’s voice filled with guilt flowed through the speaker.

“Ji Yun, it’s not your fault either.”

Ah Rin didn’t think that way at all.

No, come to think of it, it wasn’t her fault or Ji Yun’s fault.

It was the fault of the man who did such a thing.

Ah Rin hoped Ji Yun wouldn’t feel guilty.

“I mean it. Don’t say that.”

After a short silence, Ji Yun tried to brighten her voice.

[Okay. I got it. Ah, right. Call me if anything happens. I’ll pick up no matter what this time. You don’t know how angry oppa got after I hung up with you.]

“Yu Hyun oppa got angry?”

[Yeah, that oppa is only pretending to be nice in front of you. A total fox. He’s totally different in front of me.]

Yu Hyun was always a person who smiled warmly with a kind voice. He never got angry at her even when she made any mistakes.

That didn’t mean Ji Yun and Yu Hyun had a bad relationship. Rather, the two were siblings with a strong bond.

Although Yu Hyun and Ji Yun bickered whenever they met, those who observed closely knew. That the two cared for each other more than anyone else.

Ah Rin was the same.

Perhaps it was because she knew their relationship so well.

She couldn’t help but smile at Ji Yun’s words.

[Yeah. I got properly scolded by oppa. Asking what I was doing instead of protecting you. Sigh. As if I was playing around. Anyways, I’ve told you many times that being kind is limited to Choi Ah Rin. When it comes to you, he doesn’t even see his younger sibling.]

Ji Yun’s voice rose as if she felt a bit wronged while talking.

[Ah, I should go in now. I’ll go home early and wait, so I’ll see you after work. Let’s eat what we couldn’t yesterday.]

“…Okay.”

After ending the call, Ah Rin lifted her head and saw the bus she was going to take arriving.

Ah Rin got on the bus, put her cell phone in her bag, and looked out the window.

‘Oppa and Ji Yun always fight like that even though they like each other. In a way, I’m envious. They really seem like a family.’

It was then as she was having various thoughts. The cell phone in her bag vibrated.

“Heh.”

She laughed upon seeing the name on the screen.

Speak of the devil.

−Ah Rin, contact me if you’re not busy.

This time, it was Yu Hyun contacting her.

Ah Rin called as soon as she received the message. Yu Hyun’s gentle and kind voice came through the speaker.

[Ah Rin.]

“Oppa.”

[Did you sleep well?]

“Yeah. Oppa. It was okay because Ji Yun was with me. Thanks for worrying.”

A short conversation followed after that.

“Is something up?”

[Ah, Ah Rin. I have a favor to ask, but can you do it for me if it’s okay?]

“A favor?”

[Yeah. I’m sorry to ask on your rare day off.]

Yu Hyun was always the one granting her favors.

‘Come to think of it, oppa has never asked me for a favor.’

Usually, Ah Rin was willing to do anything he asked.

“What’s there to be sorry about? I’m rather happy that oppa has a favor to ask me.”

Hearing Ah Rin’s bright voice, Yu Hyun spoke in a much lighter tone.

[Thank you, it’s just that can you buy me some cannelés?]

“Cannelés?”

[Yeah. We talked about expanding our dessert menu before, remember?]

Ah Rin recalled the conversation with Yu Hyun as she listened to him.

“Ah, we did. But from where?”

[Well.]

“Why?”

Yu Hyun’s voice got smaller again. After a short silence, he hesitated before opening his mouth.

[In the basement of VN Department Store’s main branch…]

“VN?”

[Yeah. There’s a place called Molang-je on basement level 1.]

“…Ah.”

Honestly, Ah Rin couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

VN Department Store. It was an affiliate of VAN Group.

It was a place related to Jae Hyuk, who she couldn’t call an ex-husband or a husband.

Of course, going there didn’t mean she would meet Jae Hyuk, but somehow she didn’t feel like going to a place associated with VAN Group.

[Yeah. Sorry. It seems they only have it there.]

Hearing Yu Hyun’s voice filled with guilt and apology, Ah Rin came to her senses.

‘If oppa rarely asks for favors and is saying this, it must be something he really needs.’

Ah Rin tried to sound okay and spoke in a bright voice.

“Ey, what did you think I would say? How many should I buy?”

[…Ah Rin. Are you sure it’s okay?]

“Of course. Honestly, there’s nothing to be okay or not okay about.”

[Ah Rin.]

“How many should I buy? 10?”

[Yeah. About that much.]

“Got it. Don’t worry oppa and just wait. I’ll buy it before I go.”

[…Thank you.]

“I’m the one who’s more thankful. Oppa. You know this is the first time you asked me for a favor?”

[Really?]

“Yeah. I’m the one always asking you. And you grant them.”

[….]

“Ask me for favors often from now on. It feels good to grant favors too.”

[…Ah Rin.]

Somehow, it sounded like Yu Hyun’s voice was choked up to Ah Rin’s ears.

[Thank you.]

After a while, Yu Hyun spoke in a very small voice as if whispering.

[Timeline Separator] [I was wondering what it would be. I thought you were going to ask for something really difficult.]

Ah Rin tried to sound bright as if it was no big deal, but Yu Hyun knew.

That she wasn’t saying it because she was truly okay with it.

It’s not that he didn’t hesitate. He agonized several times before calling her.

After meeting Jae Hyuk last time, Yu Hyun didn’t want Ah Rin to get involved with that man.

But, as luck would have it, the brand he really wanted to reference for dessert development was located in VN Department Store.

Of course, he could have bought it himself when he went to Seoul or asked Ji Yun to do it.

However, he received a contact that Ji Yun wouldn’t be able to come to Jeju Island this weekend due to another schedule.

The fastest way to get the items was to ask Ah Rin for a favor.

Yu Hyun had to choose one side. And the choice was his own greed.

‘Selfish bastard.’

He knew Ah Rin would have a hard time. Moreover, there was no way she would refuse his request with his apologetic voice.

‘I’m sorry, Ah Rin.’

Yu Hyun hated his own greed for not telling Ah Rin it was okay.

Ah Rin said he was the best person, but in reality, he was a man with a pitch-black inside.

He was just pretending to be a good man only in front of her, and was just a man who was busy hiding the boiling beastly instincts that rose up when he saw Ah Rin.

[Ask me for favors often from now on. It feels good to grant favors too.]

“…Ah Rin.”

He never wanted Ah Rin to find out about his ugly side.

Until the end.

Yu Hyun felt apologetic towards Ah Rin and gratitude swirled in his heart.

Something hot surged up in his heart.

“…Thank you.”

[Timeline Separator]

After ending the call, Ah Rin blankly stared out the window. And time passed quickly.

−The next stop is VN Department Store. Passengers getting off, please exit after the bus comes to a complete stop.

The bus ran without any traffic jams and arrived in Apgujeong.

As soon as Ah Rin got off, she sighed shortly while looking at the tall department store building. Just then, the cell phone in her hand rang.

−I’m sorry. Ah Rin. Thank you. I’ll make you the most delicious cannelés in the world.

It was a message from Yu Hyun.

“Oppa must be quite bothered by it.”

Imagining Yu Hyun’s large shoulders drooping like a big dog, a chuckle escaped. Her stuffy heart felt a bit better.

Ah Rin put her cell phone back in her bag and entered the main entrance of the department store.

At that time, she couldn’t even imagine.

The person she would meet there…