The next morning, sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows of the HMM Corporation building. Cha Hayeon stepped into the sleek lobby, dressed elegantly yet simply, her appearance striking despite her deliberately toned-down look. Today marked her first official day as a regular office employee.
She had picked her outfit with more care than she'd admit, hoping to leave a good impression—on someone specific. Pretending to be bubbly and sweet was exhausting, but necessary. Her usual commanding demeanor had no place here—not yet.
When she entered the open workspace, her eyes instinctively scanned the room. And there he was.
Nam Jihoon.
Sitting at his desk, focused on his screen, looking every bit as calm and gentle as she remembered him.
"So...you were here all along."
The words echoed in her head like a sigh of fate. A month had passed since that unforgettable encounter—an encounter she hadn't been able to forget for even a day.
---
One Month Ago
It was a cloudy afternoon when Hayeon stepped out of the airport terminal, dragging her sleek black suitcase behind her. She glanced around and blinked in confusion.
No one was there.
She sighed.
"Right... it's my fault. I didn't tell anyone I was arriving today."
Reaching for her phone in her coat pocket, she was about to call a cab when—suddenly—a child rushed past her side. The child brushed against her lightly, enough to jolt her hand. Her phone slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the pavement.
The screen shattered.
"Oh God..." she muttered under her breath.
"Child, walk carefully! It's dangerous to run here!" she called after him, frowning.
But as her gaze followed the boy, her breath caught.
A car.
Speeding toward him from the exit lane.
Without a second thought, Hayeon ran. Her heels clicked furiously against the pavement. At the last second, just as the car screeched and the child froze, she threw her arms around him and yanked him back.
The car missed them by inches.
She protected him in her arms, absorbing the impact as they tumbled to the side. Pain shot through her leg where she had scraped her knee badly, but she didn't let go of him.
A few seconds later, still catching her breath, she whispered, "Are you okay?"
The boy nodded, wide-eyed. "Yes… but are you okay? I'm so sorry…"
Before she could respond, a deep voice called out from behind.
"kim haneol!"
She turned to see a tall man running toward them.
And then she saw him properly.
A gentle face. Dark brown eyes that showed concern before anything else. Tall, effortlessly handsome, dressed casually yet refined.
She stared.
Just stared.
Her heart skipped more than one beat.
The boy—Haneul—ran into his arms. The man quickly checked him, brushing his fingers through the boy's hair and inspecting him for injuries.
"I'm fine, Uncle," Haneul whispered, "But… that noona got hurt because she saved me."
Jihoon's gaze slowly moved to her.
He walked over, his eyes narrowing slightly at the blood on her leg. "Excuse me, are you alright?"
Hayeon blinked, coming back to her senses. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
"You're bleeding."
"It's nothing," she said quickly, brushing her hair behind her ear, suddenly self-conscious under his gaze.
"At least let me treat the wound," he said gently. "I have a first aid kit in my car. If you don't want to go to the hospital, I'll take care of it here."
His calm insistence left her no room to argue.
She followed him.
---
Inside his car, Jihoon carefully opened the first aid box and knelt in front of her, tending to her scraped knee. His touch was gentle, precise, and respectful. Hayeon watched his face as he worked—his lashes, the way his brows knit slightly when he concentrated.
"You're very gentle," she murmured, mostly to herself.
He looked up and smiled faintly.
She wanted the moment to last. Craved to know more about this man.
"Oh no…" she said suddenly, feigning worry. "My phone's broken. How am I supposed to call a cab now?"
Haneul, still in the back seat, perked up. "Uncle, can you drop noona home? She saved my life!"
Jihoon hesitated for a second, then nodded. "It's the least I can do. Please allow me to drop you off."
She smiled. "Sure. Thank you."
"But I'll drop Haneul off first, if that's okay."
"Of course," she said, secretly glad. More time with him…
---
After dropping Haneul home, Jihoon started driving toward her address. The car ride was comfortable, their conversation slowly blooming.
"I was studying in Japan," she told him. "Just came back today."
"Oh? What were you studying?"
"Business, and a little bit of international law. But that's not all I did. I also spent a lot of time racing cars… and practicing shooting."
He blinked. "Shooting?"
She chuckled. "Target shooting. At a range. I'm not that dangerous."
He laughed, the sound warm and low. "You're… kind of fascinating."
That made her heart flutter.
Before long, Jihoon cleared his throat. "Would you like to have dinner with me? I feel bad—today's been hectic because of us. Let me treat you."
Her heart skipped again.
"I'd love to."
---
They went to a cozy, traditional Korean restaurant known for its hotpot and spicy jjukkumi. As they waited for the food, they shared stories, asked about each other's likes and dreams, and talked like old friends.
Hayeon found herself smiling more than she had in months.
When the food came, it only added to the warmth. They laughed over how spicy the dish was, shared side dishes, and bickered lightly about who could handle more gochujang.
As they neared the end of their meal, she hesitated, then asked, "Do you have a girlfriend? Or… are you married?"
Jihoon nearly choked on his drink.
She panicked. "I mean—I was just curious! You're so handsome, I thought you'd definitely—"
"No, no," he said quickly, his ears turning red. "I don't have a girlfriend. I'm… waiting for the right person."
She bit her lip to stop smiling too much. "That's a good answer."
---
He dropped her home that night.
"Thank you for everything today," she said softly, lingering outside the car.
"No, thank you. I should be apologizing. You went through all that because of me and my nephew."
"It wasn't your fault. And honestly… I enjoyed today."
He smiled. "Me too."
She walked into her home on cloud nine.
Later, after washing up, she rushed to message him. Maybe I can ask if he wants to meet again…
But as she picked up her phone—her heart sank.
The screen was still shattered.
And… she never asked for his number.
"No no no no no… why didn't I ask?!"
She flopped onto her bed, burying her face into a pillow, groaning.
"Ughhhh… how will I ever see him again?"
---
To be continued...