Chapter 26.1

Chapter 26.1

With hurried hands, Yeon-ha snapped the lid back onto the ice cream container and scrambled to her feet. She felt the need to clean up, to at least clear some of the mess. As she bent down to pick up a jelly wrapper near her feet, a large hand reached down and grabbed it before she could.

“Seriously, you’re not a kid, you know.”

The tone of his words—though sounding somewhat scolding—held a faint trace of playfulness.

“Just sit down.”

Min-gyu’s rough hand gently nudged her back into the chair. Yeon-ha, now seated, watched him silently as he moved with effortless precision. Her face flushed anew every time he picked up another item she’d eaten and placed it into a bag.

Did I really eat that much?

Her thoughts darted chaotically as she unconsciously rehearsed excuses for the question she assumed he’d ask. But try as she might, she couldn’t think of anything convincing. Anyone could see it—she had overdone it.

Even the box of macarons, which had been left at quite a distance, was carefully collected and placed into the bag. Straightening his back, Min-gyu’s gaze fell on her, causing Yeon-ha to flinch slightly and hunch her shoulders.

“I really must be clueless, huh?”

His words, spoken as he slowly raked a hand through his hair, hit her like a weight dropping in her chest. The unexpectedness of it left her blinking, speechless. Before she could process it, Min-gyu had stepped closer, picking up the half-eaten tub of ice cream and shoving it into the bag with little ceremony.

“I’ve always known you like ice cream,” he continued, his voice unhurried, “but I only ever thought to make sure you ate your meals. I didn’t even consider this.”

Yeon-ha’s lips twitched, trying to form a response. No way… She sat there, listening as he casually added that they should go out for dessert more often. The comment made her stomach churn, though she couldn’t tell if it was from eating too much or from the growing urge to escape this situation. She had been bracing herself for questions—questions about why she was eating so much, when she’d bought all this, or what had suddenly come over her—but Min-gyu didn’t say anything of the sort.

“And yet…”

He crouched slightly, leveling his gaze with hers. The sudden proximity stole her breath, and Yeon-ha instinctively inhaled sharply. His dark, unreadable eyes left her no room to flee. His deep voice resonated in the quiet space, low and steady, carrying a weight that made her chest tighten.

“This kind of thing never really fills you up,” Min-gyu said quietly, his words landing with surprising weight.

Yeon-ha lowered her gaze, unsettled. The remark was simple but struck a nerve, leaving her feeling exposed. Her disheveled clothes seemed to mirror the disarray in her mind.

Noticing a smear of ice cream near her lips, Min-gyu leaned in.

“…!”

She froze as his warm fingers gently cupped her chin, brushing away the mess with slow, deliberate care. The casual gesture left her flustered, her eyes flickering with unease.

When she finally looked up, their gazes locked. For a brief moment, the air between them felt charged, as though something more might happen.

But Min-gyu simply smirked. “Sorry. My hands are dirty.”

Straightening up, he stepped back, leaving her staring up at him. “Let’s head inside,” he said lightly, gathering the bags and heading for the door. Yeon-ha followed silently, her thoughts trailing behind him.

As she watched his broad back, it struck her that they had only ever kissed when things became physical—never in quiet moments like this.

—

While Min-gyu showered, Yeon-ha wandered outside, trying to shake off her unease. Her stomach felt too full, and she couldn’t sit still. If she was honest, it wasn’t just the food bothering her—it was him.

She couldn’t tell what he really thought about catching her mid-binge, but his lack of judgment only made her more self-conscious. If he hadn’t shown up, she might have finished everything or eaten until she felt sick.

I should’ve just skipped the store.