Episode2
“It’s true. Even if that guy stripped completely naked right in front of me, I wouldn’t feel a thing. Just imagining doing anything dirty with him gives me the creeps, okay? That’s how much he’s not a man to me. And he never will be.”
That was when I snapped harder than usual, hoping to shut down any more questions like that forever.
“So you’ve imagined doing that kind of stuff with me, huh?”
“…!”
“And it creeped you out.”
I whipped around in shock, and there stood Do-kyung.
His face was stiff, head tilted sideways in a somehow defiant way.
Oh no, of all things, he heard that?
In the awkward atmosphere, Hyun-ji, caught in the middle, kept glancing between Do-kyung and Hana.
It was Hana who broke the uncomfortable silence first.
“I was just saying it like that. I have a boyfriend, so why would I imagine doing that with you? No, just in case you misunderstand— even if I didn’t have a boyfriend, I’d absolutely never do it.”
Hana emphasized it over and over, wildly shaking her index finger.
Feeling the tension, Hyun-ji quietly stood up.
“Suddenly I’m craving caffeine. I’ll go make some coffee, so you two talk.”
The one who started the fire just slipped away.
Do-kyung scanned Hana up and down with a displeased look, then plopped down right next to her.
“Did you really have to say it that harshly?”
A long sigh escaped Hana’s lips.
“You don’t know, but if I don’t say it that strongly, people keep asking. You think this is the first or second time I’ve dealt with this? How do even people who know I have a boyfriend act like that?”
She shook her head, still not understanding it herself.
After a moment of silence, Do-kyung slowly spoke.
“Has your boyfriend contacted you?”
“What contact?”
Out of nowhere, he brought up Jin-sang.
His eyes held Hana’s for quite a while.
In the quiet space that felt like time had stopped, Do-kyung’s voice flowed in.
“You unilaterally canceled plans yesterday. Normally, the person who cancels is the one who suggests the next date, right?”
Hana froze for a moment.
She’d thought the same thing, but there hadn’t been a single message all afternoon.
If she answered honestly, Do-kyung would obviously say something weird again, so Hana chose to lie.
“We’re meeting this weekend. But why are you curious about that?”
“Because we need to schedule the site visit.”
Hana’s brow furrowed at the absurd reason.
“When have I ever ditched work for my dating life?”
Whenever schedules overlapped with dates, she’d always chosen work.
Part of why things soured with Jin-sang was probably because she was buried in broadcasting work day and night.
Do-kyung upset her mood but kept a calm expression.
“Then are you free tonight?”
“Yeah, I am!”
“We’re leaving at seven, so get ready in advance.”
He left those words and stood up, disappearing out the door.
“What the hell is his problem?”
She wasn’t sure if she was being overly sensitive, but Do-kyung’s attitude made no sense.
She was getting genuinely angry.
“Ugh, I really don’t like this.”
Hana muttered complaints he couldn’t hear, then looked down at her still-silent phone.
After acting like that yesterday, how is there not even one message today?
Normally, she’d contact him first without complaining.
But now that she suspected they were in a rut, even that felt hard.
No way. It can’t be.
Hana’s eyes, which had been quiet, shook with unease.
“Cha Do-kyung, let’s go.”
As soon as the agreed time arrived, Hana opened the editing room door.
“Yeah, just a sec. Sit over there.”
Do-kyung, focused on editing, gestured toward the sofa with his chin.
But Hana sat in the chair right next to him instead.
Thanks to that, the two ended up side by side in the narrow editing room, staring at the monitor together.
On screen was a solo interview of a couple venting frustrations about each other.
The female participant’s sigh-filled voice stuck right in their ears.
[Of course he treats me well. My friends are all jealous. But… it’s not what I actually want. So to everyone else, I probably look weird. When I’m with him, I always end up looking like the bad guy. Now I even want to date someone else.]
In contrast, the man was still actively clinging despite her openly saying she was tired of him.
Hana stared at the paused screen for a moment before speaking.
“Even to you, it seems like that female participant won’t change her mind again, right?”
“Yeah. She said it herself.”
Right, I know. But still…
For some reason, Hana wanted to take the male participant’s side.
“But they’ve been dating for three years?”
“What’s the length of time got to do with it? And if she’s saying she wants to date someone else, doesn’t that mean her heart’s already gone?”
“…”
Honestly, Hana thought the same as Do-kyung, but his decisiveness made her feel oddly hurt.
Especially because the couple on screen somehow resembled her and Jin-sang.
She let out a cautious sigh when Do-kyung suddenly cut in.
“Is that guy doing that to you?”
His intuition was sharp.
At the question that seemed to see right through her, Hana swallowed dryly.
“No? Our situation is completely different. We like each other, but we’re both busy and can’t meet often, so we just fight because we’re upset.”
Why am I lying like this in front of Cha Do-kyung?
She even felt a wave of self-loathing.
“Good if that’s not the case. Shall we head out?”
“Yeah, sure. Let’s go.”
It was welcome news, so Hana jumped up from her seat.
But the wheeled chair moved on its own, causing her body to wobble.
Losing balance, Hana reflexively screamed.
“Kyaa!”
She thought she’d fall flat.
“What are you doing.”
Do-kyung’s firm arm wrapped around Hana’s waist.
Because of that, their bodies pressed together embarrassingly close.
Before her startled heart could calm, an unfamiliar sensation hit her.
Flustered, Hana pushed him away hard.
“What are you doing…”
At her intense reaction, Do-kyung’s face turned displeased.
He’d helped so she wouldn’t get hurt, only to get scolded—it was understandable.
Fearing he’d say something prickly again, Hana turned around.
“I’ll wait outside, so come out.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Hana quickly left the editing room and slammed the door shut.
Right after, a mutter escaped her lips.
“Why did he grab me like that…”
It felt a bit uncomfortable because they were too close.
Her face inexplicably burned.
“Doing something he doesn’t usually do…”
She tried fanning her heated face with her hand, but it didn’t help at all.
Overwhelmed by the strange feeling, Hana’s hand moved faster and faster.
The place Do-kyung took Hana was a restaurant in Songridan-gil.
It was one she’d bookmarked after seeing it on SNS, planning to go with Jin-sang.
Do-kyung bringing her here was surprising, but thinking back, it had happened quite a few times.
Their tastes overlapped, which was probably why they’d stayed friends this long.
“Reservation under Cha Do-kyung.”
“This way, please.”
Hana followed the staff with Do-kyung.
The restaurant’s walls, exuding a cozy vibe, were lined with artistic paintings.
The space, softly wrapped in warm lighting, felt almost like an art gallery.
Especially the beautiful view of Seokchon Lake outside the window—it was like a painting.
Hana’s mood lifted instantly, as if her earlier slump had never happened.
“Right this way.”
“Thank you.”
As soon as she sat, Hana looked around the elegant interior.
It was far more luxurious and sophisticated than the photos online.
The pictures hadn’t captured even half the atmosphere.
It’s so pretty here. If I frame a shot with this background, it’d be so atmospheric.
She was eyeing spots that would photograph well when suddenly—her eyes widened in realization.
