Chapter 3

“Damn it… this is driving me crazy.”

Just as Hana lowered her head and muttered to herself, the polished toe of a black dress shoe entered her field of vision.

The shoe—one she assumed would pass by—stopped in front of her table.

Hana thought the man was a waiter. At least, until he called her name.

“Kang Hana?”

Hana and Jeonghan’s gazes lifted at the same time to the man who was clearly dressed up to impress.

He was a stranger.

“Yes…? And you are…?”

Before answering, the man glanced sideways at Jeonghan, as if wary of him.

“I’m Jung Junho. The man you’re supposed to be meeting today.”

Hana’s large eyes blinked twice in rapid succession.

*A blind date…?*

*A blind date…?!*

Her eyes widened dramatically as she leaned forward.

“Ahem. J-Jung… Junho?”

Junho carefully repeated his name, syllable by syllable.

Hana had zero information about him, but she could already guess what had happened.

*I’ve been set up.*

She’d come out humming happily, thinking she’d spend a lovely day with Ara—only to walk straight into a blind date.

“So that’s what this was.”

Jeonghan spoke as if everything now made sense.

Hana shook her head unconsciously. She’d unintentionally lied to him.

Her desperate eyes pleaded silently.

*Please don’t go.*

But despite her earnest look, Jeonghan stood up without hesitation and yielded his seat to Junho.

“Then enjoy yourselves, junior.”

He even offered well-wishes.

Hana’s gaze never left him as he moved away.

Jeonghan didn’t go far—just to the table directly behind hers, sitting back-to-back with them.

If he leaned against the sofa, he’d be able to hear every word Hana and Junho exchanged.

*You’re not even going far… but more importantly, how do I get out of this?*

Hana stared resentfully at her silent phone. When she’d arrived at the hotel earlier, she’d received a message from her sister, Jua.

> —Let’s meet at the hotel café. Ara says she’s curious about it.

She’d believed it without question.

She’d thought, *Our Ara really is clever, just like her aunt—she even knows about hotel cafés.*

How smart could a five-year-old really be? Why had she taken that at face value?

Whenever it came to her niece, her brain melted into marshmallow fluff. That was the problem.

Grinding her teeth as she realized her sister had tricked her, Hana was interrupted by Junho.

“Shall we order drinks?”

She couldn’t be rude to someone smiling so innocently. Forcing the corners of her lips upward, Hana gave an awkward smile.

“I’ll have coffee.”

Junho recoiled as if she’d said something outrageous.

“Coffee? That’s not good for you.”

“……”

“You should have orange juice. They squeeze fresh fruit here—it’s pretty good. I don’t know if I should say this, but I come on blind dates here often, so I know what’s good.”

His cheerful expression completely crushed any will she had to protest with *I don’t like sweet things* or *I’ll order what I want.*

She wanted to be polite, but she was already exhausted.

“Let’s order, then.”

Junho raised his hand and called the waiter, ordering two glasses of orange juice without consulting her. Then he flashed a grin that said, *Did I do well?*

Her affection for him dropped straight through the floor.

From behind her, she heard a quiet snort of laughter.

Hana pressed her fingers against her temples, groaning silently.

—

An hour passed.

Hana felt like her ears were about to bleed.

Junho’s throat was made of steel. He’d talked nonstop for a full hour without his voice even cracking.

Most of what he said was self-praise. He went on and on, spraying saliva as he enthusiastically explained just how amazing he was.

Hana’s mind grew foggy.

His words turned into floating chunks of sound, drifting around the café before wrapping tightly around her torso. It felt like sleep paralysis—being crushed under an avalanche of bragging.

She’d never met anyone who talked more than a lawyer.

“Say the word.”

A low, lazy voice murmured behind her.

“Ask me to save you.”

Hana snapped back to awareness.

“Want me to?”

“…Please stay out of it.”

She lowered her head slightly and whispered through clenched teeth.

“Your parents are pressuring you to get married?”

Hana frowned and covered her mouth with her fist.

“Don’t tell me you investigated me?”

Junho, completely absorbed in his own story, didn’t notice her secret conversation.

“I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Then how do you know?”

“I could hear it even without trying.”

As if she’d believe that.

“That’s impossible.”

“Guess you’re not buying it.”

Hana whipped around and glared at Jeonghan.

Junho, who’d been mid-brag, finally stopped talking.

The silence was so sudden it felt like the world itself had gone quiet.

“What’s wrong, Hana?”

Junho asked, puzzled.

“It’s nothing.”

She forced a smile, chanting *manners, manners, manners* in her head.

She wanted nothing more than to storm out, but she couldn’t embarrass her sister.

“Please, go on.”

Junho beamed.

“Where was I?”

As if she’d know.

Her eyes darted sideways.

“Um… I’m not sure.”

“Oh right! I was telling you about how I ranked first in shooting practice in the army.”

It had reached *that* already?

“I’d love to show you sometime. I’m an incredible shot—never miss. Everyone told me to reenlist and make a career out of it, haha.”

If only he *had* stayed in the army. Then she wouldn’t be sitting here right now.

“But of course I couldn’t. I have even greater talents. You’ve probably heard—I’m exceptional. Haha, honestly.”

How much longer did she have to endure this?

“I’ve finished my coffee, so I’m going to head out. Enjoy.”

Jeonghan shifted and stood up behind her.

“Wait!”

Hana shouted reflexively.

Junho stopped talking again.

She turned toward Jeonghan with desperate eyes.

*You’re not really leaving me here, are you?*

As if sensing her plea, Jeonghan walked over and stopped in front of her.

Unexpectedly, he held out his hand.

“Shall we go?”

Junho looked back and forth between them, utterly confused.

Jeonghan ignored him completely.

“I think I’ve waited long enough.”

Hana immediately understood and grabbed her handbag and Ara’s gifts.

“Hana? What are you doing?”

“I’ll excuse myself.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m sorry, Jung Junho. You’re not my type.”

“What—what did you say?”

Junho’s face crumpled. He looked genuinely stunned.

“I hope you meet someone nice next time.”

“How rude! What is this supposed to be?”

“I can tolerate a lot, but I can’t stand men who talk too much. I have a *consultation*, so I’ll be going.”

At the word *consultation*, Jeonghan’s brow twitched slightly.

Hana jumped up and grabbed his arm.

“W-wait!”

Junho reached out in panic, but grasped nothing but air.

“Kang Hana!”

Hana didn’t look back as she hurried toward the exit with Jeonghan—until—

“Ah! It’s hot!”

Scalding pain spread across her chest, abdomen, and thighs.

“Hana! Are you okay?”

Jeonghan’s voice rang out.

She hunched over, pulling the front of her dress away from her skin.

“I-I’m fine.”

She wasn’t fine at all. Her burned skin throbbed violently.

Staff rushed over to contain the situation. Even Junho approached, startled.

Hana just wanted to escape.

“Please let me through.”

“Ma’am, you need treatment first. We’ll compensate you fully—”

“No, it’s okay. It was my fault.”

She tried to push past them.

“I’m not suing. So please, move.”

That was when someone grabbed her wrist.

Jeonghan.

“Call a doctor to Room 2405.”

The crowd parted instantly.

Holding her wrist, he strode out of the café. Hana followed, wide-eyed. Strangely, she barely felt the pain anymore.

Before she knew it, they were alone in an elevator… then inside his room… and suddenly she was standing in the middle of a bathroom holding a hanger with a fluffy bathrobe.

From outside the door, Jeonghan’s deep voice spoke.

“Wash up and change into the robe.”

Her underwear was soaked—she felt gross beyond words.

She stared at herself in the mirror. The near-white ivory dress was stained horribly, and the pain she’d momentarily forgotten surged back.

She couldn’t go out like this—but bathing in the room of the man who’d asked her to have his child wasn’t exactly an option either.

Paralyzed by indecision, she heard a knock.

*Knock, knock.*

She jumped.

“Still not done?”

Why did his voice sound so low and intimate?

Hana pressed her palm to her forehead, on the verge of tears.

“I’ll wait.”

*Don’t wait. Please don’t.*

Her heavy sigh sank straight to the floor.