When the door closed behind Daeun and Jun-ha, a strange silence settled over the apartment. Ji-ah stood in the living room for a moment, unsure why it suddenly felt… different. Alone.
Her gaze flicked toward the man sitting casually on the couch. Hyun-min. The silence between them felt heavier than it should, as if they were strangers forced into the same space.
She turned toward her bedroom, intending to retreat, when his voice came suddenly.
"How was your visit?"
Ji-ah paused mid-step, her hand resting lightly on the doorframe.
"Yeah… it was good," she replied, glancing over her shoulder.
Hyun-min nodded slightly, but his eyes didn't leave her. "And your check-up? What did the doctor say about your memory recovery?"
There was a beat of hesitation before she answered. "The check-up went fine. But… the doctors still aren't sure when— or if— my memory will come back."
His gaze softened just a fraction. "I see."
She resumed her way to her room, but again, his voice stopped her.
"Did you have lunch? If not, we could eat together."
Ji-ah blinked at him, tempted to refuse, but something in his tone—warm yet casual—made her nod instead. "Alright."
Hyun-min disappeared to freshen up, and Ji-ah moved into the kitchen. She settled on ramen and a few side dishes, simple enough for two. By the time he returned, sleeves rolled up and hair slightly damp, the table was set.
They sat opposite each other. Hyun-min dug in without ceremony, but Ji-ah only picked at her food, her appetite long gone after eating with Daeun earlier.
"Is something wrong?" he asked between bites.
"No, I'm eating," she said quickly.
"Mm," he hummed, unconvinced. "You know, you can stay here as long as you need .as your place isn't livable yet."
"Thanks," Ji-ah murmured. She hesitated before adding, "Actually… since I don't remember anything, can we just… be friends instead of a couple?"
Hyun-min set his chopsticks down for a moment, his expression unreadable. "We could be friends. But—didn't Daeun tell you we're not actually a couple? I was just testing you just to know whether you remember or not...when I said you'd already visited my place… in the car that day."
Ji-ah's eyes widened. "She never mentioned that."
"There was a rumor about us online," he explained calmly. "Company's and director's idea. It was all for drama publicity."
Ji-ah forced a small smile. "Maybe she was too busy taking care of me to explain."
He let it slide, resuming his meal. A moment later, he noticed she still hadn't eaten much. "You're really not hungry, are you, Jisoo?"
She gave an awkward smile. "I already ate with Daeun earlier. I didn't want to refuse you, though."
Hyun-min chuckled.
"Oh, so you can laugh?" she teased lightly. "I thought you were always about maintaining your cool image."
"I'm human too," he said with a faint smile. "I can laugh… and cry."
They continued exchanging small remarks, the awkwardness easing slightly, until Ji-ah excused herself to rest. Hyun-min retreated to his own room.
Not long after, the door opened and Daeun's voice filled the apartment.
"I'll just leave the groceries here," she said, setting the bags on the table. "You can put them in the fridge, right?"
"Yeah, I can. Thanks for your big help," Jun-ha replied.
"You're not welcome," Daeun shot back with mock annoyance. "Consider yourself lucky this time." Without waiting for his answer, she headed straight toward Ji-ah's room.
---
Daeun gently pushed the door open and peeked inside. Ji-ah was sitting cross-legged on her bed, her back resting against the headboard, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips. She looked so at peace that for a moment, Daeun wondered if she was interrupting a sweet daydream.
"Hey," Daeun said, stepping in and closing the door behind her. "You look suspiciously happy"
Ji-ah's smile widened. "I just… realized something. You know those rumors about ji-soo and Hyun-min? The ones the whole internet is obsessed with?"
Daeun arched an eyebrow and walked over to sit beside her. "Yeah?"
"They're not real," Ji-ah said, her voice bubbling with a strange mix of relief and excitement. "It was just a marketing stunt the company pulled to boost the drama's ratings. They were never actually a couple."
Daeun tilted her head, a sly smirk forming. "Uh-huh… And why exactly are you this happy about it? Don't tell me it's because Jisoo and Hyun-min aren't a thing ?"
Ji-ah's cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, but the smile on her face gave her away completely.
---
Hyun-min watched the door click shut behind Dae-un, the soft sound echoing in the quiet room.
A faint smile tugged at his lips, though his chest felt heavier than he expected.
She looked tired… he thought, glancing back at Ji-ah. And yet, even now, she tries to keep everything bottled up. She doesn't realize she doesn't have to do that anymore—not with me.
He wanted to reach out, to tell her plainly that she wasn't alone here, but the words caught in his throat. One wrong sentence and she'll pull away again. I can't risk that.
Ji-ah sat there, fingers absentmindedly brushing against the blanket on her lap.
Her heart was still unsettled from the earlier conversation, but she forced her face to remain neutral. Why does he always look at me like that? Like he's seeing something I'm not even sure exists anymore.
She didn't want to admit it, but his quiet presence was starting to chip away at the walls she had so carefully built. This world isn't mine… yet somehow, she feels like she belongs in it.
Their eyes met for a brief moment—long enough for unspoken words to hang between them, yet short enough for both to pretend nothing had passed at all.
---
Jun-ha stood a few paces back, silent as ever, but his eyes didn't miss a thing. Kang Hyun-min's tone, usually sharp and commanding, had softened—just slightly—when speaking to Ji-ah. That subtle change didn't unsettle Jun-ha… it intrigued him.
He's different around her… softer, almost lighter.
Jun-ha's loyalty to Hyun-min was absolute, and part of that loyalty meant protecting him—from the public, from scandals, and sometimes from the weight he carried alone. But watching the girl sitting there so calmly, almost as if she'd always belonged in this world, Jun-ha couldn't help but feel a quiet respect for her.
There was something about Ji-ah—something genuine. Not the polished charm of the people in Hyun-min's circle, but a warmth that seemed untouched by the pretenses of their industry. She didn't have to try to stand out… she just did.
And deep down, Jun-ha found himself thinking that maybe, just maybe, her presence was good for Hyun-min.
---
To be continued
[End of chapter 11]