WAK 15

Chapter 15

Jung-han arrived at the underground parking lot, got into his car, and started the engine.

Thinking about Hyun-soo, whom he had just run into, made him feel annoyed. He felt like he knew exactly why Hyun-soo had come to his house.

He changed gears with a stern face and drove off.

On the way out of the parking lot toward the apartment main gate, he saw Hyun-soo walking while looking at his phone.

Jung-han quickly withdrew his gaze and passed by his half-brother.

When he reached the main gate, he saw someone unexpected and slowed down.

> “……Kang-han?”

At first, he thought he was mistaken because she looked different than usual, but it was definitely Han-ah.

He stopped the car next to her and rolled down the passenger window.

Han-ah quickly got out of the taxi and tried to enter the apartment that Hyun-soo had told her about. But a security guard blocked her way.

“Who are you here to see?”

“Ah, I’m here to meet someone.”

She had just contacted Hyun-soo before getting out of the taxi, and he told her to enter the apartment because he was on his way out.

“Which building and unit are you visiting?”

She couldn’t answer. Hyun-soo hadn’t told her that far.

She looked troubled as she took out her phone.

Just as she was about to call Hyun-soo, a car came and stopped beside her.

> “Kang-han.”

Han-ah bent down in surprise. Through the passenger window, she saw Jung-han sitting in the driver’s seat.

After avoiding him for several days, they met so easily by chance? Her eyes momentarily wandered, unsure where to look.

> “How are you here…….”

> “I should be asking you that.”

Jung-han’s face was relaxed. Unlike him, she looked a little awkward.

> “What are you doing here?”

> “Meeting someone.”

> “Who?”

> “Well……”

Han-ah didn’t know how to explain it. Explaining everything from the department store incident would take too long.

From afar, Hyun-soo saw Han-ah and Jung-han. He stopped walking and glanced back and forth between them.

Han-ah, talking with Jung-han, looked up and noticed Hyun-soo. She waved to him.

Jung-han’s gaze shifted back to Hyun-soo. He frowned.

> “The ‘someone’ you’re meeting is that guy?”

> “Yes.”

Han-ah quickly moved toward Hyun-soo, leaving Jung-han behind.

Hyun-soo, observing Jung-han and Han-ah, also quickened his pace toward them.

He closely watched his older brother’s expression. Seeing his frown, he smirked. Jung-han had always subtly looked down on his half-brothers.

Hyun-soo wanted to take everything from his brother. Whatever his brother cared about, he wanted it too—and wanted to destroy it, whether it was people or companies.

> “Hello.”

She bowed slightly as she greeted him.

> “Yes, hello.”

Hyun-soo smiled in a way that women usually liked.

> “Sorry to make you come all the way here.”

> “It’s okay. ……Here.”

Han-ah quickly took an envelope out of her handbag and handed it to him.

Hyun-soo looked surprised.

> “You really brought this?”

She frowned slightly and tilted her head. He laughed brightly.

> “Haha. That’s a bit too much.”

Even though he was the one who originally asked for it.

> “It was just ice cream.”

The memory of how serious he had been over ice cream seemed gone.

> “Let’s call it even with a meal.”

Unexpectedly, Han-ah pushed the envelope closer.

> “No. I don’t think that’s enough. Please take it.”

Polite but firm, Hyun-soo took the envelope.

> “I apologize for the trouble back then.”

After saying her last words, she turned and left without hesitation.

Hyun-soo watched her disappear and muttered to himself.

> “She’s a master at drawing the line, or what.”

Han-ah returned to Jung-han and greeted him.

> “I’m leaving, senior.”

> “How do you two know each other?”

Still affected by the dream, Han-ah felt uncomfortable facing Jung-han. She wanted to leave quickly.

> “Do I have to tell?”

He stared at her face for a long moment. She smiled awkwardly but kept avoiding his eyes.

> “No.”

Han-ah nodded to Jung-han, said her final greeting, and quickly hailed a taxi down the slope, as if he might chase her.

Jung-han couldn’t take his eyes off the taxi until it disappeared.

Finally, turning toward Hyun-soo, Jung-han’s gaze was cold.

Hyun-soo shrugged proudly.

> “Ryu Jung-han, like a dog chasing a chicken, watching the girl go.”

He muttered under his breath and walked home with his hands in his pockets.

—

That night, Jung-han was eating alone in his suite.

He slowly ate the steak from room service while staring intently at his quiet phone.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Han-ah was avoiding him. When they ran into each other in Hannam-dong, she hadn’t looked him in the eyes.

He pushed away the nearly untouched plate and got up.

He opened his laptop on the desk and looked at the documents sent by Director Choi.

Five minutes passed, then ten.

His eyes scanned the papers, but his mind went completely blank.

He leaned back in his chair, frustrated with his inability to focus, but his eyes were irresistibly drawn to the distant phone.

> “Right, I need to get something from Kang-han.”

He tossed his pen and went to pick up the phone.

The signal kept ringing for a long time.

Finally, she picked up.

> [Yes, this is Kang-han.]

> “I just remembered something.”

> [What is it?]

> “My clothes.”

He suddenly remembered she had taken his suit jacket.

> [Which clothes?]

> “The ones you were going to wash.”

> [Ah…….]

Han-ah hesitated, recalling she had left his clothes in a self-service laundry.

> “I need them now.”

> [Right now?]

He checked the time. It was still before 9, so he hoped she could come.

> “Can you bring them? It’s urgent.”

She hesitated, then finally agreed. He felt a little relieved.

—

At the self-service locker, Han-ah paid the extra fee and unlocked it.

She hesitated, touching her forehead with one hand. Her mind was tangled.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the metal door.

Jung-han’s suit jacket hung neatly in plastic.

Seeing the jacket without his scent made her feel a bit sad.

She brought the clothes close to her nose. Naturally, only the dry-cleaning scent remained.

Thinking back, sleeping on his clothes felt warm. And the kiss in her dream had been thrilling.

The adult-themed dream confused Han-ah.

Her chest tingled as she remembered it, a subtle but undeniable sensation running through her body.

> “Ah, I know what I want with Ryu Jung-han.”

She wanted romantic intimacy with him, not with anyone else.

Han-ah didn’t know how to control her flustered feelings.

> “Kang-han, are you a hopeless romantic……”

She hung the suit over her arm and leaned against the cold locker.

Jung-han wanted a clear, serious relationship—no marriage, a child, and endless responsibility.

She wanted a passionate relationship.

Han-ah opened a childhood photo of Jung-han on her phone.

Seeing his bright smile, she felt irritated even though he was a child.

> ‘Hey, kid. Why did you suddenly appear in my life and confuse me?’

The Jung-han in the photo didn’t answer.

Probably no one could answer her question fully. Maybe even Jung-han hadn’t expected this situation.

> ‘What should I do…….’

She didn’t feel ready to face him immediately. She feared that if she did, she might end up asking for a child impulsively.

—

In Jung-han’s suite, he still hadn’t heard from Han-ah. His phone was silent.

He finally called her.

After a long ringing, she picked up.

> [Hello.]

Her voice sounded weak. Jung-han tensed without realizing it.

> “Where are you?”

> [Ah……senior, sorry.]

She apologized awkwardly.

> “Why?”

> [I don’t think I can give you the clothes today.]

> “Something happened?”

He frowned deeply, disappointed she couldn’t come.

> [I’m too tired. I’m going home.]

> “Where are you now?”

> [I came to get the clothes.]

> “Should I come?”

He got ready to leave.

> [No, let’s meet next time.]

Her refusal disappointed him, but he had no choice.

> “Okay. Then go home and rest.”

> [Wasn’t it urgent?]

> “It’s fine. Go in.”

He hung up and leaned back in his chair. His heart was in turmoil, filled with frustration beyond words.