BTNF 13🔐

Chapter 13 …

“What… do you mean?”

Uju barely managed to move her stiff neck as if paralyzed, asking the question. Then, fearing the answer that might come, she bit the inside of her cheek hard.

Had she made a mistake that day?

Something she didn’t remember…

“You insisted on riding alone.”

Unexpectedly, that was the answer she received.

Uju, frozen like ice, widened her eyes in shock at his words.

“What?”

Haebum looked at her quietly from the shadows, as if he had nothing more to say.

She repeated, cautiously, doubting her own ears:

“You… I insisted on going alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t lie.”

“That’s why the others got a taxi for you. If you don’t believe me, you can call and ask now.”

He gestured toward her phone placed beside the keyboard.

With an expression that looked entirely honest, leaving no room for doubt, Uju’s face slowly turned red.

Her clean, straightforward attitude made her feel a deep sense of embarrassment.

What kind of illusion had she been under all this time?

Haebum, smiling faintly as if amused by her flushed face, readjusted his posture to sit properly.

“Shall we work then? We need to finish for the day.”

If she had known this would happen, she thought, she should have just checked tomorrow.

Uju glanced at Haebum’s side profile, bathed in the monitor’s light, with deep shadows adding to his sharp features.

Sometimes it was hard to believe that such a handsome, capable man was her friend.

It had been the same back in school, and even now.

“Don’t you care about rumors? Someone’s bound to misunderstand if they see us like this.”

Haebum, eyes fixed on the monitor, replied calmly:

“What’s there to be afraid of?”

“Huh?”

“Nothing happened.”

Of course, nothing had happened yet. But she was scared that he might unintentionally cause trouble for her…

Still, she didn’t voice it, thinking it might just burden him.

Suddenly, she sensed someone behind her.

Turning instinctively, Uju stood up, startled.

“Oh? Somi. Why are you back?”

Somi seemed equally surprised and froze in place.

Her eyes flickered between Uju and Haebum, seated side by side in the dark, before she hesitated and finally spoke.

“…It’s raining outside.”

Uju noticed her hair was slightly damp.

Somi, looking flustered, bowed slightly to Haebum, who responded with a small nod.

“Is it raining hard?”

“Just a little, but it looks like it’ll get heavier, so I came to get an umbrella.”

“Good thinking. Come to think of it, it was forecasted to rain tonight. Thanks to you, I’ll take an umbrella too.”

“Okay… then.”

After quickly grabbing her umbrella, Somi cast a final glance at them, still looking confused, then bowed and left.

“See you tomorrow.”

Her hurried departure looked almost like she was running away.

“….”

The subtle tension between Uju and Haebum lingered in the empty office.

Although there was a reason they were seated together, and nothing inappropriate was happening, Uju couldn’t help but feel a heat rising, as if their private moment had been exposed.

This wouldn’t do.

She thought of just telling him tomorrow that she’d handle things alone, but before she could speak, the click of the mouse sounded.

“Let’s do it tomorrow too.”

Turning around, she saw Haebum closing all the documents he had opened and looking at her casually.

“I’m hungry.”

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A pot of tteokbokki, bright and appetizing, was bubbling vigorously.

“So this place still exists.”

It was the instant tteokbokki shop she had often visited with Haebum during school days.

More precisely, she had dragged him there, knowing he wasn’t particularly fond of snack foods.

Even if other friends complained, Haebum would always come along without a word if Uju wanted to eat there.

“Even if the world changes, some things don’t, huh?”

“You remember everything I say.”

“It was memorable enough.”

Haebum’s slightly teasing reply made Uju smile faintly as she stirred the cooking tteokbokki with a ladle.

He looked around the cozy interior, preserved as it had been in their memories, and pulled a soda from the fridge.

He remembered that she always drank it with her tteokbokki.

“By the way, Ji Haebum.”

As the rice cakes and ramen noodles were nearly cooked, Uju spoke, curious.

“Why me?”

“For what?”

“For the business trip.”

Haebum raised an eyebrow while pouring the soda, as if questioning her.

“Who else would be suitable if not you?”

“But the manager and Section Chief Gu…”

“Are they responsible for setting up the Malaysia factory?”

Uju fell silent. They were indeed in charge, but the hands-on work was definitely her responsibility.

Seemingly reading her thoughts, Haebum placed the filled cup of soda in front of her.

“Don’t worry, it wasn’t decided out of favoritism.”

“I wasn’t worried.”

Uju felt a bit annoyed at how calm he remained while her own tone rose in excitement.

“Is tteokbokki enough? I wanted to buy something more delicious.”

“This is perfect for me.”

Without hesitation, she thought of this place. Whenever stressed, she needed this spicy-sweet instant tteokbokki to get energy.

“I still come here sometimes with Hajeong. Jiseung likes it too.”

“So you wanted to come with me too?”

“…Eat. It’s ready.”

Placing the ladle down with a tap, Uju grabbed the ramen noodles first, then added the rice cakes and fish cakes. The rising steam and the spicy-sweet aroma made her salivate.

“Eat slowly. You’ll burn your mouth otherwise.”

“Am I a kid? Don’t underestimate my 30 years of instant tteokbokki experience.”

Hah. She could handle a little heat.

Huff. Exhaling, she took her first bite. Already, refreshing sweat was beading on her forehead.

Once a week, tteokbokki gave her the strength to keep going. She felt proud of her excellent choice.

“By the way, Uju.”

Haebum, quietly observing her as she ate, pushed the pickled radish closer and spoke.

“I know you half-lost your memory that day…”

Uju, cheeks puffed with tteokbokki, met his gaze.

Haebum’s expression was unreadable.

The simple act of locking eyes made her heart skip a beat.

“Ah, right! I don’t really remember much after karaoke that day?”

Haebum raised a brow.

“I really don’t know what I was thinking, drinking like that. Nothing like it had happened before.”

“Jiseung said you had one soju-and-beer mix.”

“That’s my limit.”

After answering, he stared at Uju, who smiled awkwardly, then rested his chin on his hand lazily.

“So, you lost memory only after karaoke?”

“Yeah.”

Uju nodded quickly.

She had many questions, but this wasn’t the time to ask them while eating tteokbokki.

Besides, she wasn’t even sure those hazy memories were real.

Better to ask when she was confident.

“That day.”

As Haebum’s lips parted, Uju swallowed hard.

No matter what he said, she wouldn’t panic or be surprised.

Haebum, eyes thoughtful, looked at her tense posture and spoke slowly:

“We kissed.”