I 08

Chapter 08

Flustered, Chayun froze on the spot. She even forgot how to breathe for a moment.

*Why is Gyobeom here, on the weekend, at this hour, at our café?*

“Hong Chayun.”

Even though he called her name, Chayun’s thought circuits were so tangled that she couldn’t respond right away.

Then Gyobeom let out a soft chuckle and slowly walked toward her.

*Click, click.* After a few rhythmic steps of his dress shoes, he was already standing in front of Chayun.

A cool scent rushed in, filling her lungs.

Only then did she come to her senses, widening her eyes and leaning her head back.

Gyobeom’s face, wearing a lazy smile, was far too close.

“Uh, uh…”

“How strange. Did you hear news of my death this time? Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

His large, long fingers slowly rose and lightly tapped Chayun’s frozen nose.

“Snap out of it.”

A great ripple spread from that small contact, shaking her.

Chayun unconsciously stepped back a few paces. The smile on Gyobeom’s lips gradually faded.

“You’re still.”

He stepped forward.

“You’ve got a real talent for driving people crazy.”

Their bodies, now closer than before, brushed lightly against each other.

Chayun tried to step back again, but he caught her by the shoulders.

“Why, why are you doing this?”

“One more step back and you’ll break the cups.”

As he said, if she’d taken just one more step back, she might have bumped into the display case where the cups were kept.

“…Thank you.”

At her words, Gyobeom very slowly released her shoulders.

But he didn’t step back. As a result, they were still standing at a precarious distance, their bodies almost touching.

“Um… could you please step back a little?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Excuse me? Why, why…”

“Because you won’t look me in the eyes. You’re even deliberately avoiding calling me.”

Stung, Chayun bowed her head even lower.

“Wh-when did I ever do that?”

“When you’re guilty, you always stammer, Hong Chayun.”

The fingers that had been on her shoulder now gently cupped her chin and lifted it.

*Huh*—Chayun’s breath caught, her chest rising.

At that, Gyobeom’s eyes darkened heavily.

“Call me ‘Senior.’ Like you used to.”

“…Fine. So let go.”

“Say it.”

*I’m not saying it because I’m scared—I’m saying it to get it over with. It’s nothing.*

She parted her lips, but it took a while longer for her voice to come out.

Gyobeom waited patiently, staring intently at Chayun’s red lips.

“…Senior.”

At her faint voice, the corners of his mouth lifted.

“You say it well.”

“Now please step back.”

“All right.”

Gyobeom stepped back about half a step. But it was still close.

“How, how about sitting at a table?”

“Sure.”

As if he’d been waiting for the suggestion, Gyobeom promptly answered and walked over to the nearest table, sitting down.

“What are you doing? Sit across from me.”

His leisurely attitude, as if he’d planned this from the start, subtly annoyed her—but Chayun had no choice but to obey.

What could she do? The one with power is the one who’s strong.

If she upset Gyobeom, the fallout might land on her grandmother. Yes, that’s why she was sitting down. Not because she wanted to see him.

“Why are you here?”

“Because I wanted to come.”

The answer was so simple and immediate that Chayun’s expression turned incredulous.

“Is the business running well?”

“More or less.”

“It’s not too hard?”

“Is there anything in this world that isn’t hard?”

“No one’s making it hard for you?”

*Again?* Chayun looked up sharply and stared at his face.

“Why did you say ‘again’ just now…”

“Seems like there isn’t. Then that’s fine.”

Gyobeom turned his head and swept his gaze around the café interior.

His profile made it clear that no matter what Chayun said, he wasn’t going to give any answers.

Chayun’s lips pouted involuntarily.

*What is this, really?*

Then she let out a faint sigh.

Gyobeom was always like this. He’d disappear and suddenly reappear, and of course, he never explained anything clearly.

This is why the one who loves more is the weaker one.

She paused. Chayun shook her head vigorously.

*Loves more? Who? That’s all in the past now. It was just a fleeting crush when I was young and foolish.*

Snap out of it, snap out of it. She tapped her own cheek with her fingers.

Gyobeom’s gaze had already returned to her.

He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head slightly.

“It’s really hard to figure you out.”

“Wh-what is?”

“What exactly goes on in that tiny head of yours.”

“That’s…!”

*That’s what I should be asking!* I’m the one who wants to know.

What on earth is Senior thinking?

Why is he acting like this all of a sudden after years of ignoring me?

But Chayun closed her mouth. Even if she asked, he wouldn’t answer, and she’d just end up feeling foolish again.

“Ask.”

“…What?”

“Anything. You look like you have a lot of questions.”

“You’re not going to answer anyway.”

Gyobeom quietly watched Chayun as she muttered under her breath, then reached out his long arm and pulled her chair toward him.

Chayun, dragged over so effortlessly, looked dumbfounded.

“I will.”

“Wh-what exactly…”

“Whatever it is. I’ll give you what you want.”

Gyobeom casually draped his thick, sturdy arm over the back of Chayun’s chair.

As a result, she found herself trapped as if in his embrace.

“Say it.”

“…Why are you here?”

“I told you. Because I wanted to come.”

“Did you come to say thank you?”

Gyobeom’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Thank you?”

“For coming to the funeral, or something like that. If that’s it, you could just tell me through Grandmother.”

“Why would I be grateful? You’re part of Hyeonhamwon’s family, so attending the funeral is only natural.”

Chayun laughed bitterly to herself. But she had nothing to say in return—because it was true.

If she and her grandmother hadn’t been part of Chairman Gu’s household, they might have ended up on the streets.

“Because I missed you.”

Chayun didn’t understand his words right away.

“Excuse me? What did you say?”

“I came because I missed you.”

The faint flutter of her heart lasted only a moment before questions began to rise like clouds.

“Why do you look so incredulous?”

“Because I am incredulous.”

“About what?”

“About you suddenly acting like this after six years of pretending I didn’t exist.”

At that, Gyobeom fell silent for a moment, gazing at some point on the edge of the table, lost in thought.

*…Why does even that look have to be so handsome?*

Taking advantage of the moment when Gyobeom wasn’t looking at her, Chayun sneaked glances at him.

His side profile, with his eyes lowered, was just like a painting.

Why was his nose so high? So tall and smooth—it looked like you could fold a piece of paper in half along it.

Why was his skin so flawless? He was a grown man in every other way, but his skin was like a young boy’s—impossible to find a single pore.

Why were his lips so red and full? Even his Adam’s apple was so impossibly sexy.

*Just how much does he work out?*

It was easy to tell that his entire body, hidden beneath his suit, was solid enough to be called a weapon.

—

*”He came out of the training center after working out, and my goodness… I’d never seen a body like that in my life. Even with all those fit men there, the only one I could see was our Managing Director. How can human flesh be so firm and well-defined? Not even a needle could get through. You could throw a rock at him and it’d bounce right off.”*

—

Suddenly recalling her grandmother’s words, Chayun covered her cheeks with her palms.

*Really, why am I remembering that now?*

“Did you get a good look?”

“Wh-what?”

“I was a little worried. Your gaze looked like it was about to bore through my face and body.”

Her face instantly turned crimson.

“M-my, my, my gaze—what about my gaze…!”

“I’m usually not easily wounded by most things. But your gaze just now was incomparable to anything I’ve ever seen.”

Slowly turning his head, Gyobeom grinned and said:

“It looked dangerous.”

Her jaw dropped.

“D-dangerous…?”

“Like you were about to devour me.”

At that, Chayun shot up from her seat, turned around, and headed for the counter.

She couldn’t let him see her face—it felt like it was about to explode.

“Th-that’s not it! And please leave now—I have plans.”

“What plans? You just made that up, didn’t you?”

“It’s true, I swear!”

“Seems like it. You’re not stammering.”

*Scrape.* The sound of a chair being pushed back came from behind. Gyobeom must have stood up.

*Thud. Thud.* He was approaching. She could tell by the intensifying scent of his cologne.

“So please leave now. It’s almost time for…”

A low voice descended by her ear.

“Who’s coming?”

Chayun’s entire body broke out in goosebumps. Her shoulders flinched involuntarily, and she bit her lip.

She felt strange. Was it because Gyobeom’s breath kept touching her ear?

“If I tell you why I suddenly came here like this… will you tell me too?”

“…If you… just step back a little…”

“Then you’ll run away again.”

A large hand grabbed her slender arm and turned her around.

Standing face to face, their heights were markedly different.

In Gyobeom’s eyes as he looked down at her, an unreadable emotion was simmering intensely.

*Why on earth is this man doing this?*

*Why now…*

Chayun’s lips went dry. Her throat burned, and she involuntarily swallowed.

Then Gyobeom’s Adam’s apple bobbed heavily.

Their gazes became entangled. Time seemed to flow impossibly slowly.

Gyobeom raised his hand, about to cup Chayun’s cheek—

*Ding.* The sound of the door opening.

“Chayun.”

His hand stopped midair.

Chayun’s eyes widened as she turned her head—and saw Suho looking at them with a surprised expression.

“The prior engagement… was Min Suho?”