CHAPTER 7
Blink. Blink.
Her long eyelashes moved slowly up and down.
What gradually came into view was the empty space beside her.
“……”
Hee-jo slowly reached out her hand.
The sheet was already cold.
‘I knew this would happen.’
What had she even been expecting, Yoon Hee-jo?
Letting out a self-mocking thought, she closed her eyes again.
It was over.
Between her and Beom Kwon-yeol… it was truly over now.
An older brother’s friend who stood in for her brother.
A friend’s younger sister he had to look after in place of that friend.
That relationship had completely shattered.
‘Still… I don’t regret it.’
Never.
Hee-jo took a deep breath.
Kwon-yeol’s scent faintly lingered in the air.
‘I just hope it wasn’t such a bad memory for Kwon-yeol oppa too.’
Unlike her, last night might have been dull and boring for him.
Thinking that made her feel a little sorry.
But what could she do? It wasn’t like she could have practiced beforehand.
The thought that she might have done those strange, embarrassing things last night with someone other than Kwon-yeol filled her with strong rejection.
‘I don’t want to get married. I don’t even want to meet anyone else.’
But if Kwon-yeol were to marry while she remained single, Madam Jin Seo-ryeong would never feel at ease and would continue to keep watch over her.
So first, Hee-jo planned to go down to Gyeongnam with her mentor, Han Young-sook.
Han Young-sook, who intended to stay in Seoul only until this year before returning to her hometown next year to continue the tradition of traditional knotting, wanted Hee-jo to accompany her.
For Hee-jo, it was a truly grateful offer.
She needed something to focus on—to forget Kwon-yeol by distancing herself from him.
‘She said that the year after next, I might even travel abroad to give lectures.’
That was why she had found the courage to ask Kwon-yeol for a single night as a gift.
Because they would never meet again.
“……Haah.”
Letting out a sigh, Hee-jo opened her eyes again.
Now that she had tasted “happiness,” it was time to return completely to the “ordinary.”
Just as she thought that and tried to get up—
“Ugh…!”
A groan escaped her before she collapsed back onto the bed.
Her whole body ached as if she had been beaten.
Especially her waist and inner thighs—she couldn’t move at all.
Considering the night she had spent with Kwon-yeol, it wasn’t surprising.
It was her first time realizing that there could be so many different ways for two people to be together.
‘Is oppa okay?’
Unlike her, who had only been led by his touch, Kwon-yeol had lifted her repeatedly and moved around—it must have been harder for him.
Of course, he was known for his stamina, but still…
Then Hee-jo shook her head.
Now, he and she were complete strangers.
There was no need, no reason for her to worry.
And he wouldn’t want that either.
Forgetting Kwon-yeol would take time, but at least outwardly, she had to pretend.
That way, everyone would be comfortable.
After taking a deep breath, Hee-jo grabbed the headboard and slowly pushed herself up.
Barely managing to stand, she headed to the bathroom.
Wash up, then go out and eat breakfast.
‘Bean sprout soup would be good.’
The hangover she had briefly forgotten began to creep back.
‘Still, that’s a relief. Kwon-yeol oppa isn’t the type to get hangovers.’
Just as she was about to wash her hair, she paused.
“……What am I even doing right now?”
It felt ridiculous how she kept thinking about him.
Shaking her head firmly as if to rid herself of him—
‘Let’s wash up. And forget. Starting today, I’ll live a new life.’
A life without Beom Kwon-yeol.
Ssshhh—
A strong stream of water poured over her head.
She lathered up and scrubbed herself thoroughly,
ignoring the lingering warmth and weight of him etched into her body.
—
Beep—click.
The suite door opened.
Placing the shopping bag he was carrying on the table, Kwon-yeol headed straight to the bedroom.
The bed was empty, but he could hear sounds from the bathroom.
She’s washing up.
Without realizing it, he felt relieved—then immediately frowned at himself.
For some reason, the image of Hee-jo from yesterday, staring into the distance with an expressionless face, kept coming back to him.
That was why he had felt restless on his way here.
What if Yoon Hee-jo isn’t here…
What if she had contacted that idiot she went on a blind date with yesterday—
Even though he knew there was no way she would, after spending the entire night with him.
“……Kwon-yeol oppa?”
The moment she placed the clothes on the bed, her soft voice was heard.
When he saw her coming out of the bathroom—
Kwon-yeol’s eyes tightened.
His breathing lowered, his blood ran faster.
Her wide, light-brown eyes were filled entirely with him.
Why did that bring him such relief?
Even as he thought it was ridiculous, he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“How… how are you here?”
The relief was brief.
Seeing how she couldn’t hide her surprise, his mood twisted slightly.
“Where should I be?”
At his words, Hee-jo realized this was his space and lowered her head.
“I’m sorry. I was out of it and got confused—”
Whoosh.
“Lift your head.”
Kwon-yeol grabbed her chin and raised it.
“Don’t bow your head carelessly.”
Not to me. Not to anyone.
Silence fell between them.
That quietness, like snow, soon began to carry the same strange, heated tension as last night.
Through the loosely tied white robe on her bare body, her pale skin was visible.
Unlike yesterday, faint red marks were scattered across it.
The moment he saw them—
Kwon-yeol’s gaze burned.
He knew well how sweet the breath escaping from her slightly parted lips was.
“……”
But stepping back slightly, he reached out and tightened the knot of her robe.
“O-oppa…”
“Get ready and come out.”
Turning away, Kwon-yeol left the bedroom and closed the door.
Click.
As soon as the faint sound disappeared, Hee-jo let out the breath she had been holding.
“Haah…”
She covered her flushed cheeks with both hands.
‘I thought… we were going to do it again like yesterday.’
—
After drying her hair and changing into the clothes Kwon-yeol had prepared, she came out to find bean sprout soup and side dishes on the table.
“I bought it from a nearby place. They said it’s good for hangovers.”
At her frozen, wide-eyed expression—like a startled rabbit—Kwon-yeol tilted his head slightly.
“Why? You want something else?”
“N-no.”
She quickly shook her head and sat down.
“I was just thinking I should eat bean sprout soup. So it’s surprising.”
“That works out.”
Saying it casually, he placed utensils in front of her.
“Aren’t you eating, oppa?”
“I already ate.”
Then why did he come back?
She was curious, but under his steady gaze, her face felt like it would turn red, so she quickly lowered her head and started eating.
As the warm soup slid down her throat, a small sigh escaped her.
Ah… this is why people eat hangover soup.
Forgetting his presence for a moment, she began to eat earnestly, savoring the experience for the first time.
It almost felt like people drank just to enjoy this afterward.
“……”
Watching her, a faint smile appeared on Kwon-yeol’s lips.
Like a squirrel storing food.
Her small lips moving as she chewed—he couldn’t look away.
She eats well.
They had always had dinner together on her birthdays, but he had never seen her eat like this.
Maybe it was because this was a more comfortable setting than the upscale restaurants they usually went to.
Or maybe…
Because the distance between them had closed a little.
Tap. Tap.
At the sound of him tapping the table, Hee-jo stopped chewing and looked at him.
“Why… are you looking at me like that?”
“How am I looking?”
It felt like… very…
“……Strangely.”
She couldn’t bring herself to say that he was looking at her fondly.
At her answer, Kwon-yeol let out a breath of disbelief.
“What about you isn’t strange?”
You kept saying everything was strange yesterday too.
Swallowing the words he couldn’t say, he placed more side dishes onto her rice.
“Keep eating. Slowly, chew well.”
Careless, yet kind—especially toward her.
Before, his special treatment had made her happy.
But not today.
Today… it felt empty. A little sad.
While she was relieved that his attitude hadn’t changed at all, she couldn’t shake the hollow feeling in her chest.
‘Kwon-yeol oppa is so composed.’
Maybe, to him, it really meant nothing.
Yes… it must have been nothing more than a trivial, boring moment.
“……”
Something hot rose deep within Hee-jo.
Maybe because she had already done something so reckless—
A bold impulse pushed her forward.
“I… haven’t received my gift yet.”
Stubbornness flared up.
She was leaving soon anyway.
“What gift.”
She wanted to shake him—even just a little.
At least leave behind even the faintest trace of herself.
So that he would think of her, even once, when she was gone.
“You said three times.”
