WAK 21

Chapter 21

Another day passed.

The meeting with Jeonghan the previous day had ended on a rather uneventful note.

They had dinner together, had some tea, and then parted ways to return to their respective homes.

Apparently, he had thought it wasn’t quite the right moment for a decisive move like a kiss.

Even so, they had spent a fairly pleasant time together.

When morning came, the same day repeated itself like a hamster running on a wheel.

Getting up at the appointed time, going to work without being late, having coffee, and then throwing herself into her work as though she were being chased—this was Hana’s routine.

And Jeonghan was beginning to seep into that ordinary life of hers.

At eleven o’clock, just as expected, Jeonghan called.

It was obviously another call asking her to have lunch with him.

Hana answered the phone with a small, amused smile.

“Hello.”

[“Lunch…”]

“Lunch is going to be a little difficult. I have to go to court in a little while.”

She answered before he could even finish speaking.

[“You’re busy.”]

He sounded disappointed.

“Then do you want to meet tonight instead?”

[“That won’t work.”]

“Why? Do you have something to do?”

[“I suddenly have to go on an urgent business trip.”]

“Where?”

[“Hong Kong.”]

“You’re leaving today?”

[“I have to leave the office around three.”]

Then they wouldn’t be able to see each other for a few days.

[“I’m planning to arrive back in Korea Sunday night. Want to see me for a little while then?”]

“Yes. Sure. Call me.”

[“It’s a little disappointing that I have to leave without seeing you.”]

At his words, she let out a breathy little laugh and smiled faintly.

“It’s only a few days.”

[“Still.”]

“Have a safe trip.”

[“Make sure you eat well. If you want to win our bet, you’ll need the stamina.”]

“Oh, all right. I understand.”

[“Hehe.”]

After ending the call, Hana rested her chin in her hand and gave a little laugh. For quite some time, she stared down at the disconnected phone in her hand.

Noise had been coming from outside since early morning.

Still half-asleep, Hana waved her hand around. She found her phone beneath her pillow, barely opening her eyes to the size of a pinhole as she checked the time.

It was only six in the morning.

What a cruel way to start a Sunday.

Hana pulled the blanket over her head, hoping to sleep even a little longer, but it was useless. In the end, she gave up on sleeping and reluctantly climbed out of bed.

The noise was even louder when she went into the living room. She took a bottle of sparkling water from the refrigerator and stepped onto the balcony, where she discovered a moving truck with a ladder extending toward the neighboring apartment.

Are they moving?

She opened the sparkling water and took a sip before returning to the living room and stretching.

Perhaps because the apartment next door was so close, she could clearly hear the moving workers talking as well. She stood there blankly for a moment before heading toward the small spare room rather than her bedroom.

When she opened the door, the first thing she saw was Jeonghan’s suit jacket.

“Good grief!”

His clothes seemed to have inherited something from their owner, because every time she saw them, they had a strange talent for startling her.

Hana took out a pair of black sports leggings and a white T-shirt, put them on, and then pulled on a baseball cap. After putting on thick socks and lightweight running shoes, she left the apartment and saw the busy scene next door.

Once outside, Hana lightly warmed up and began jogging slowly toward the Han River.

After finishing her workout, Hana stopped by a bookstore. She spent some time browsing to see if there were any new releases, then had a cup of freshly roasted coffee at a neighborhood café.

After enjoying a leisurely morning, she returned home to find the hallway quiet.

Hana glanced at the neighboring apartment, whose door stood wide open and completely empty, then entered her own home.

After taking a shower, she brought a stack of documents she had taken from the office and settled down in the living room.

About ten minutes after she started working, she suddenly felt hungry.

She put some bread she had bought on her way home onto a plate.

She picked up a buttery croissant and was just about to take a bite when she heard people’s voices outside again.

Hana put down the bread and approached the front door. She opened it and cautiously poked her head out.

“Are you moving in now?”

“Yes.”

“You left earlier this morning, and you’re already moving in?”

“Today is one of those days considered especially auspicious for moving, so there are a lot of people moving today.”

“Oh, I see.”

She closed the door and went back inside.

The noise was even worse than it had been in the morning.

Unable to concentrate, Hana considered whether she should just go to a café and work there instead.

But going out again seemed bothersome and inconvenient.

Hana pushed her documents aside and opened The Art of Seduction, which was lying beneath the low table.

She lay face-down on the floor in front of the sofa. Resting her chin on her hands, she began reading with a serious expression, furrowing her brow.

After reading a few pages, she started feeling sleepy.

Apparently, she had exercised too intensely that morning.

After letting out a long yawn, she pushed the book away and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.

The longer she blankly gazed upward, the sleepier she became.

She had gotten up at six and felt as though she had been busy all day, so why was she so bored?

“Has he eaten…?”

Jeonghan came to mind, the man who asked about food every other day.

He had probably gone on the business trip with his aide, so there was no reason to worry about whether he was getting proper meals.

And yet, strangely enough, the first thing she wondered was whether he was eating well.

“Am I getting old, too?”

People said unnecessary worries increased with age, but she wasn’t old enough to be hearing something like that yet.

She stretched out all four limbs.

Then she reached over, grabbed the phone from the sofa, and opened the photo album.

As she flipped through Jeonghan’s childhood pictures one by one, a smile naturally appeared on her face.

“He really is cute.”

Brrrrr, brrrrr.

Whatever was happening next door, the noise had crossed the limits of what she could tolerate.

Perhaps because she was lying on the floor, she could feel the vibrations coming from next door directly through the floor.

She could even hear the sound of a drill, as though someone were hammering something into the wall.

In the end, unable to endure it any longer, she prepared to go out for the second time that day.

As she was choosing a pair of sneakers from the shoe cabinet, her older sister, Jua, called.

“Hello.”

[“What are you doing?”]

“I’m about to go out.”

[“Do you have plans?”]

“No. I think they’re moving into the apartment next door. It’s so noisy that I’m escaping.”

[“Want to come to our place?”]

It was a tempting offer.

“Is your husband not there?”

[“He went on a business trip.”]

“Your husband too?”

Hana asked without thinking.

And once again, Jeonghan came to mind.

Where in Hong Kong is Jeonghan right now? He said he was coming back today, so he’ll probably get to the airport before it gets too late, right? Then should I leave my sister’s place before dinner?

[“Who else went on a business trip?”]

“What do you mean?”

[“You said, ‘Your husband too?’”]

Hana, who had been thinking about Jeonghan, suddenly froze.

“Did I say that?”

[“Who am I talking to right now?”]

“…No, it’s nothing. Should I bring some tasty snacks when I come? What does Ara like these days?”

Hana hurriedly changed the subject.

[“Our Ara always likes ice cream.”]

“Chocolate flavor?”

[“Just not the kind with mint.”]

But that’s the best flavor. Why do Ara and my sister hate it?

Hana smacked her lips in disappointment and said she understood.

After locking up her apartment, Hana left and passed the neighboring apartment, which was still bustling with the move.

While waiting for the elevator, she watched the floor numbers change. As soon as the doors opened, she was about to step inside, but someone was getting off, so she quickly moved aside.

A man wearing a baseball cap pulled low over his head and a mask stepped out of the elevator.

When he saw her, he lowered his head and immediately walked down the hallway.

Hana instinctively turned to look after him.

His silhouette seemed familiar somehow, but she couldn’t remember where she had seen him.

“Is he the person who moved in next door…?”

She murmured this after seeing him talking with the moving workers.

Come to think of it, he looked similar to the man she’d seen standing in front of the neighboring apartment late at night a few days ago.

Could he be the same person?

Hana tilted her head, puzzled, but when the elevator doors began to close, she quickly pushed the thought aside and walked on.

When Hana arrived carrying a huge tub of ice cream, Ara jumped up and down with delight.

“Auntie, you’re the best!”

Hana happily smiled, intoxicated by the affection of her niece, who gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Is this why people spend money?

“You bought so much.”

“I kept picking out different tasty things. Sis, I’m hungry.”

“You haven’t eaten anything?”

All she had eaten all day was the coffee and bread she had after jogging.

“I did eat, but I’m hungry again.”

“Should I order something? Let’s have something light.”

“Tteokbokki!”

“If we eat tteokbokki now, it’ll be awkward to have dinner later.”

“I have to leave before dinner.”

She planned to go home before it got too late in case Jeonghan contacted her.

“Why? Do you have plans?”

“No.”

Like a thief caught red-handed, Hana’s answer came unusually quickly.

“Suspicious.”

Jua narrowed her eyes and scrutinized her younger sister.

“Anyway, tteokbokki. Hurry.”

“Okay.”

While Jua ordered tteokbokki and fried snacks through a delivery app, Hana played with Ara.

“Do you hear that vibrating sound? Kang Hana, I think your phone is ringing.”

At Jua’s words, Hana lowered her gaze to the phone she had placed beside her.

The moment she saw the name ‘Senior Ryu Jeonghan’ displayed on the screen, her heart began pounding violently.