Chapter 7.2

Chapter 7.2

Min-gyu strode forward and pulled Yeon-ha into his embrace. Her expression turned bewildered as his arms tightened around her, nearly taking her breath away. Reflexively, she twisted her body, and he eased his grip, their eyes meeting in the small room.

Their gazes were quietly locked.

‘Oh.’

Her heart skipped a beat as she met his intense stare. His hand, which had been resting on her slender waist, leisurely traced up her back and gently grasped the nape of her exposed and pale neck. There was something in his eyes, a fleeting glimmer as he looked at her. While Yeon-ha remained dazed, his large hand applied delicate pressure to her neck.

His impassive face, devoid of any hint of a smile, gradually drew closer. She felt his warm breath brush her lips, causing her to close her eyes instinctively.

“…!”

A loud ringing broke the moment, jolting Yeon-ha awake. She flinched, her eyes snapping open to see Min-gyu, his face twisted in irritation as he cursed under his breath.

“Who’s calling at this hour? Damn, such a nuisance.” He spat out the words in frustration, but the persistent ringing made him click his tongue before heading to the living room. Left alone,

Yeon-ha felt a wave of embarrassment. ‘I should go wash up.’ She thought, her face still flushed from the interrupted moment.

“Finish your breakfast.”

Min-gyu set the table with side dishes from the fridge and served rice, but he didn’t touch a bite, heading straight for the door instead. Yeon-ha, who had assumed they would eat together, hurriedly followed him.

“You’re not eating?”

“I’ll eat there.”

He flashed a smile, explaining that eating at home would make him late. Yeon-ha watched him as he put on his shoes. Today, he was dressed as usual: in a plain black short-sleeve shirt and equally black work pants.

Min-gyu’s wardrobe was mostly filled with identical shirts. His few jackets were almost all in neutral tones, chosen more for practicality than style. Yet, he always wore them clean and well-fitted, and his good physique made everything look good on him.

She imagined he’d look quite dashing in a suit, like the businessmen they’d glimpsed at the barbecue restaurant. He just didn’t seem to care much about fashion. As she took in his slightly worn sneakers, Yeon-ha hesitated before asking.

“You’re going to work, right?”

Min-gyu straightened up and raised an eyebrow.

“Of course. You think I’m going out to mess around?”

“…”

Yeon-ha froze for a moment, then her face hardened. What kind of joke is that…? She was so taken aback that she almost let out a curse, something she never did. Was he enjoying this? Min-gyu, with a smirk, reached out and gently smoothed the frown on her pale forehead. Yeon-ha shook her head and stepped back.

Min-gyu, feigning to soothe a child, called her name softly. “Yeon-ha.”

“Oppa will go make lots of money. You just relax at home.”

“We’re the same age. Why are you calling yourself oppa?” She complained.

“You’ll always be younger to me.”

“What?”

“If you don’t want to call me oppa, change your name to Yeon-sang (older). It’s not my fault your name is Yeon-ha (younger).”

‘What the–’ Yeon-ha, perplexed by his unusual behavior today, decided to stop arguing. Her eyes flashed with annoyance, but Min-gyu’s face was still bright with a smile. To others, it might not look like a broad grin, but having spent so much time with him, she knew he was in a particularly good mood. She didn’t know why, but her voice softened without her realizing it.

“Just go. You said you’re late.”

“Yeah, I’m going.”

He added a reminder to eat breakfast, and she nodded. Just as she thought he was about to leave, Min-gyu remained standing there. She looked up, expecting him to say something else, but he just kept staring at her. A scene flashed through her mind.

‘Surely he’s not expecting a hug like earlier.’

No, that couldn’t be it. Even thinking about it made her feel embarrassed, and her gaze wavered uncertainly.

“I’m leaving.”

Min-gyu finally turned to go, and Yeon-ha, acting on impulse, called out, “Be careful.”

He stopped abruptly. For a moment, he stood frozen, then slowly turned back toward her. His expression was different from before, more intense and bewildered. Did I say something wrong? Yeon-ha wondered, feeling a mix of tension and confusion at his unfamiliar reaction.

It was Min-gyu who broke the silence.

“You’re making it really hard to leave.”

With a crooked smile that looked like a mix between a grin and a grimace, he appeared even more intimidating. Without saying anything more, he walked out. The front door clicked shut behind him, and shortly after, she heard the heavy creak of the metal gate opening.

Yeon-ha felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her.