CHAPTER 46…………………………
The office was empty, lit only by the fluorescent lights.
When she stepped outside, Miju was still sitting at her desk, working.
“Ms. Miju, you haven’t left yet?”
“No. I’m going to organize tomorrow’s meeting materials before I go. Are you heading out now, Director?”
Hana smiled and nodded.
“You should head home before it gets too late, too.”
“Yes, I will. Get home safely.”
After exchanging brief goodbyes with Miju, Hana walked down the hallway toward the elevator.
As she stood in front of the elevator and pressed the button, her phone rang again.
This time, it was Nayeon.
Hana answered with a pleased expression.
“Hello?”
— Hey! Where are you?
Nayeon’s bright, cheerful voice rang through the phone.
“I’m about to leave work.”
— With Jung Geon-woo?
Hana chuckled softly.
“No. He’s having dinner with the vice chairman today.”
— Oh, nice. I’m near your company right now.
“Really?”
— Let’s grab dinner together. You were going to eat alone anyway, right?
“Should we?”
— Wait in front of the lobby. I’ll be there in three minutes.
“Okay.”
Hana hung up and got into the elevator.
In the spacious lobby, groups of employees were gathering as they left work. Hana leaned her head slightly out through the glass doors and looked toward the road.
The sun had completely set, and yellow streetlights were beginning to flicker on one by one.
A moment later, a black car slowly stopped in front of the lobby. The window slid down, revealing a familiar face.
“Hey! Get in!”
Nayeon shouted playfully, waving her hand. Hana smirked and opened the passenger door.
“Where did you go?”
“Yeah, I had a meeting nearby.”
The car blended slowly into the lights of the city.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Hmm… what should we eat?”
Neither of them had any particular menu in mind. Only the quiet music drifting through the car filled the space like an answer.
“How about chicken? It’s been a while.”
“Chicken?”
“Yeah. You like chicken. And we’ve got beer—it’s perfect.”
“At your place?”
“Yeah. I still have some beer I bought last time.”
And just like that, their dinner menu was decided. The car smoothly headed toward Nayeon’s house.
They even placed the chicken order on the way, which made them feel a bit more at ease.
Before long, the car stopped in a familiar alley.
Hana unbuckled her seatbelt out of habit and opened the door. She had come here many times before, so her steps felt natural.
“Come in.”
Nayeon smiled as she opened the front door.
The inside of the house felt cozy, as always. Cushions were scattered across the sofa, and green plants flourished near the window.
Somewhere in the room, the faint scent of a familiar candle drifted through the air.
Hana took off her outerwear and hung it casually before sinking deeply into the sofa.
“Want some comfortable clothes?”
“No, it’s fine. I won’t stay long anyway.”
Nayeon nodded and disappeared into her room, soon returning in a comfortable T-shirt. She plopped down next to Hana in a natural, familiar motion.
Not long after, the doorbell rang. The chicken had arrived. Nayeon immediately ran to the door.
“You’re drinking beer, right?”
“Yeah.”
Click— the sound of a beer can opening rang cheerfully. Foam slightly overflowed, cool against their fingertips.
“Cheers—”
The two cans clinked together with a clear sound.
“Beer after work really is the best.”
Nayeon said with a satisfied face. Hana smiled and nodded in agreement.
“Seriously. It melts the whole day away.”
They tore into the chicken while drinking beer. The smell of fried food, laughter, and the sound of the TV blended into a comfortable atmosphere.
It was the relaxed mood that only long-time friends could create.
While chatting about various things, Nayeon suddenly glanced at Hana and asked,
“Hey… something going on between you and Jung Geon-woo?”
Hana set down the beer can she had been holding.
“…Huh? What do you mean?”
“I got a call from Jung Geon-woo a few days ago.”
Hana tried to act indifferent, but her surprised heart skipped a beat.
“A call?”
“Yeah. But the whole conversation was about you.”
Nayeon slightly lifted the corner of her lips and narrowed her eyes.
“He never used to do that. And his tone was different too. While talking about you, he kept smiling and stuff. The whole vibe was completely different.”
Hana’s face suddenly flushed hot. She lowered her head slightly and absentmindedly traced the beer can with her fingers.
“What did he ask?”
“He asked what you like. What food you like, what colors you like, what flowers you like. He even asked what kind of scents you like.”
Nayeon laughed as if it were ridiculous.
“It was like an interview. I almost wondered if it was really Jung Geon-woo.”
Hana forced a smile. She had already heard that Geon-woo had called Nayeon to ask about her preferences.
“I told him everything I knew… but it’s really strange. Jung Geon-woo isn’t the kind of person who shows that much interest in others.”
“Really…?”
“Maybe he suddenly developed some interest that wasn’t there before…”
Nayeon muttered as she picked up another piece of chicken. Hana smiled awkwardly and took a sip of her beer.
“What’s with you just smiling awkwardly like that?”
“…W-what?”
“Be honest. Something happened between you two, didn’t it?”
Nayeon looked at Hana suspiciously.
“Nothing happened… nothing.”
“Really?”
“R-really. What could possibly happen between me and him?”
That Geon-woo had confessed. That he said he liked her. That he was trying.
But she couldn’t tell Nayeon that.
Not yet.
Nayeon tilted her head for a moment, then chuckled.
“Well, if you say so.”
With that, the conversation naturally drifted to another topic.
They went back to eating chicken and turned on the TV, playing some meaningless variety show. Nayeon burst into laughter along with the laughter on the screen, while Hana quietly watched her before leaning her head back against the sofa.
Empty beer cans lined up on the table.
Outside, the sound of wind brushing against the window could be heard, and time inside the room flowed slowly under the warm lights.
A moment that felt comfortable even without words.
For now, it simply felt like everything was okay just the way it was.
Saturday morning.
Hana woke up before her alarm even rang. It was much earlier than her usual weekday work time, even though it was the weekend.
Normally she would sleep in and enjoy coffee at a relaxed pace, but today was different.
Today was the day she had promised to go to the sea with Geon-woo.
“Why did I say I’d go…?”
Standing in front of the mirror, Hana stopped midway through fixing her hair with a curling iron and asked herself.
Going somewhere alone with Geon-woo—especially for something like a trip—was the first time since their marriage.
Her fingertips trembled slightly. It was because of nervousness.
“Will it be okay?”
Hana applied lip balm and looked into her own eyes in the mirror. Her pounding heart had turned into anxiety, caught in her throat.
But the promise had already been made. It was too late to refuse now.
Knock, knock, knock—
A knocking sound came from the door.
“Hana.”
It was Geon-woo.
Hana quickly grabbed her bag and stepped out of the room. When she opened the door, Geon-woo was standing right in front of it.
He was wearing a gray hoodie, jeans, and sneakers.
It wasn’t the neat, rigid look he usually had when going to the office. Yet strangely, it felt even more unfamiliar. He looked comfortable, but somehow more distant.
“All ready?”
Geon-woo asked.
“Yes, I’m ready.”
“Let’s go.”
The two of them walked out of the house side by side.
Geon-woo went down first and opened the car door. Hana carefully got into the passenger seat. When the engine started, a gentle vibration rose through her feet.
The car quietly set off.
Morning sunlight spread through the window. The city was still quiet, as if it hadn’t fully woken up yet.
There was none of the usual rush of the commute, nor the sound of honking horns.
