Episode 3
“Cha Do-kyung. But filming isn’t allowed here. Writer Seo checked last time and…….”
“I know. We’re here to eat.”
Do-kyung cut Hana off mid-sentence with a dry voice.
Hana tilted her head even more, clearly puzzled.
“Then you booked this place just to have dinner with me?”
Before she could finish, Do-kyung frowned as if he’d heard something unbearable.
“The person I was supposed to meet had something come up. It’s the same hotel you took me to with your boyfriend.”
“Huh? Wait. You have a girlfriend now?”
Who comes to a romantic restaurant like this with another guy?
He’d never shown interest in women before—had he finally met someone he liked?
She was about to demand he tell her who it was when, right on cue, appetizing dishes arrived at the table.
Hana waited politely until the server left, then immediately pressed Do-kyung.
“Tell me quick. Who is she?”
“What.”
“The woman you’re seeing. Who is it? Come on, who?”
At Hana’s prodding, Do-kyung tilted his head crookedly.
“Yu Ha-na. Do you like me?”
“Want to die?”
Ah, I almost swore.
Too stunned to hide her scowl, Do-kyung answered indifferently.
“If that’s not it, then stay out of my private life.”
But just as Hana was about to ask again, refusing to give up,
Do-kyung suddenly moved to the seat beside her instead of answering.
“What are you doing?”
“Just look straight ahead.”
Then he leaned in close to her ear and whispered softly.
“What?”
The memory of what happened in the editing room earlier flashed through her mind, making her uncomfortable.
She was about to push him away and tell him to back off when—
“Congratulations from the bottom of my heart on our baby’s 100th day with oppa.”
“……!”
A voice all too familiar rang out from behind her.
Hana’s body froze solid.
‘Huh?’
She wanted to believe she’d misheard, but it didn’t end there.
“Jin-sang oppa, what’s this?”
The woman kindly called him by his pet name.
Despite Do-kyung’s warning, Hana’s head turned reflexively.
There was a back of a head she knew all too well.
‘Ah. So he really had another woman?’
She’d already known he wasn’t the same as before.
But witnessing it in person made her blood boil.
“You said last time you wanted this ring as a couple ring.”
“You remembered something I said in passing, Yeon-seo?”
“Of course—anything my princess says.”
Even the back of Jin-sang’s head radiated happiness.
Her own boyfriend felt like a complete stranger.
“How did I end up with such an amazing guy?”
“I was lonely studying nonstop until I got a job, but meeting my baby lately feels like I’m being rewarded for everything. I’m so happy these days…….”
Thwack!
Unable to listen anymore, Hana shot up from her seat.
Then she swung her bag and struck the back of Jin-sang’s head.
“You crazy bastard with a hole for a mouth.”
Hana’s sharp shout silenced the entire restaurant.
Jin-sang’s eyes soon blazed with anger.
“Are you insane?”
Not a single word of apology—his attitude nearly brought tears to Hana’s eyes.
“What are you doing here? You said you were busy, yet you’re celebrating 100 days with that woman?”
“Did you stalk me again?”
“Stalk? Have you lost your mind?”
It was so absurd she let out a hollow laugh.
A woman’s voice cut through the silence.
“Who are you to treat my oppa like that?”
The woman apparently hadn’t grasped the situation—or perhaps Jin-sang had given her plenty of reason to trust him.
“He’s my boyfriend, so I’ll treat him however I want. Was he your oppa?”
“……Pardon?”
The woman frowned.
“Hey.”
Sensing danger, Jin-sang tried to stop Hana while watching her reaction.
Unable to stand the sight, Hana yelled.
“Girl, he’s two-timing.”
“Please just stop!”
She couldn’t bear watching Jin-sang act all high and mighty anymore.
Giving up on talking, Hana grabbed her water glass and splashed it straight into Jin-sang’s face.
“Oh my!”
“Kyaa!”
Gasps echoed from around them.
“Ha, fuck.”
Jin-sang wiped the water from his face and muttered a low curse.
“If you wanted another woman, you should’ve just said let’s break up.”
“Hey!”
Jin-sang shouted, but Hana didn’t care.
“Or was it because of the money you borrowed from me?”
“I told you to stop!”
There was so much she wanted to say, but the absurdity of it all only brought hollow laughter.
She wanted to curse him out properly, yet tears kept choking her throat.
Her body trembled uncontrollably.
She wanted to say something, anything, but it all felt futile.
Standing there silently crying, Do-kyung spoke up beside her.
“Hana-ya. Let’s go.”
Thankfully, Do-kyung supported her and led her out of the restaurant.
The moment Jin-sang disappeared from view,
“Hic.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
The end of a relationship—long if you call it long, short if you call it short—looked like this.
She even felt self-loathing.
As soon as they escaped the noisy restaurant,
“Haa.”
Her legs gave out, and Hana collapsed right in front of the entrance.
“You okay?”
“Sorry. You couldn’t even eat properly because of me.”
“Who’s worrying about whom right now? Take your time. I’ll wait.”
His low voice drew closer, and Hana slowly lifted her head.
Her vision blurred.
“You brought me here on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Guess his tail was too long and got stepped on.”
Do-kyung offered quiet comfort along with his hand.
Hana stared at the large hand extended toward her, then slowly placed hers in it.
He pulled her up with gentle strength.
“Drink?”
“Yeah.”
When Hana nodded, Do-kyung immediately started walking.
Her eyes drifted to their still-linked hands.
‘What’s this?’
They’d known each other for years, but as friends, this kind of thing wasn’t allowed.
Yet today… that big, warm hand strangely felt like comfort.
Hana didn’t pull away and quietly followed behind him.
Do-kyung’s car pulled into the underground parking garage of the apartment where he lived alone.
Hana looked around and asked in a puzzled voice.
“We’re drinking here?”
“Yeah. On a day like today, drinking outside would just mean extra trouble for me.”
She’d been to the parking garage many times, but never up to his place.
Even close friends didn’t go to each other’s homes alone.
“Get out.”
“Huh? Oh.”
It felt a little awkward, but acting conscious of it seemed even stranger.
In the elevator heading to his place, Hana swallowed dryly several times.
Soon they arrived at the 21st floor Do-kyung had pressed.
With a ding, the doors opened to reveal his front door.
“Come in.”
“Okay.”
Hana stepped through the door he held open.
The moment she looked inside, her mouth fell open.
“What the—? Why is your place so nice?”
The spacious living room alone was impressive, and the view beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows was breathtaking.
She’d assumed he lived like her, same circumstances as when they were kids—so suddenly Do-kyung felt like a different person.
“You live here alone?”
“Yeah.”
“There’s room for several more people.”
She’d said it without much thought.
“Then move in.”
Do-kyung threw it back so casually that she shook her head in disbelief.
“Just give me a drink.”
She answered flatly, but truthfully, everything piling up made her feel a bit strange.
Still, relying on Do-kyung like this hurt her pride.
Trying to ignore the subtle emotion, Do-kyung approached.
When Hana saw the whiskey he brought, her eyes widened.
“You were rich?”
“What nonsense.”
“This is expensive liquor.”
Do-kyung casually set the bottle on the table.
“Expensive stuff gives less hangover and lets you get drunk cleanly.”
“So you brought expensive liquor thinking of me? I’m touched.”
When Hana asked with sparkling eyes, Do-kyung nodded slightly.
“Yeah. So you can get drunk prettily.”
That single remark shattered the budding warmth.
Unaware of the look on Hana’s face, Do-kyung filled a glass with whiskey.
