WWBU - 26

Even after her response, there was no reaction from the other side. It was awkward. Hadn’t Yoon Guk said that Han had been looking for her? So why...

“I’m here because Yoon Guk sent me...”

At that moment, the door suddenly swung open.

Hyun-soo blinked in surprise. That’s because all she could see in front of her was a man’s chest. Slowly raising her head, she locked eyes with Han, who was looking down at her. Like Guk, he was tall and well-built.

Could this really be the same Yoon Han she once knew as a child?

“Kim Hyun-soo?”

“Yeah, I’m Kim Hyun-soo.”

“Wow, nice to meet you.”

Han still had those big, clear eyes, but now they crinkled warmly as he chuckled softly. Then, without warning, he abruptly turned around and disappeared inside, leaving the door wide open. He didn’t say anything else or explicitly invite her in.

After standing there dumbfounded for a moment, Hyun-soo cautiously stepped inside. The door clicked shut behind her, and she took in her surroundings. The suite was at least twice the size of her tiny apartment—no, it wasn’t even comparable.

Stunned by the high ceilings and spacious interior, Hyun-soo shook herself out of her daze and followed Han deeper into the room.

Walking past what appeared to be another expansive living area, she found Han drinking water on the opposite side. After casually tossing the bottle onto the couch, he plopped down beside it. The leather sofa sank noticeably under his weight.

Unintentionally mesmerized by the sight, Hyun-soo realized she was just standing there awkwardly and decided to move closer.

“My brother sent you?”

“Yes.”

“Why so formal? Just talk casually, noona.”

“Uh... okay.”

“He really sent someone. And a woman, too, to a hotel room.”

Though Han’s words seemed offhand, they made Hyun-soo flinch inwardly. She hadn’t seen him since he was a child, and their first meeting as adults happening in a hotel room felt inappropriate even to her.

As Han pushed back his tousled hair, she noticed how bloodshot his eyes were. He looked exhausted.

“Sit down, for now.”

After glancing at him hesitantly, Hyun-soo nodded and sat. Leaning back lazily on the couch, Han stared blankly at the ceiling.

“There’s no way my brother would send someone up here without a reason. Go ahead, say whatever’s on your mind.”

It felt awkward to dive straight into it, so Hyun-soo scratched her cheek lightly before speaking.

“Well, um... I’ll probably be spending some time with you from now on.”

Han lowered his gaze and stared at her silently.

“Who?”

“Me, with you.”

“Why?”

Technically, she had agreed to Guk’s request because of various intertwined interests. But explaining that felt complicated.

“My brother asked me to.”

“Did you sleep with him?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if you slept with my brother.”

“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”

“He wouldn’t assign someone to watch over me unless it was something serious like that.”

Heat rushed to Hyun-soo’s face, noticeable even to herself.

“It’s not like that. Just think of us as friends trying to get along...”

“What about the money?”

“Huh?”

“Did you take it?”

Unable to respond, Hyun-soo simply looked at Han. Reluctantly, she gave a stiff nod. Han smirked.

“So people these days buy friendships with cash, huh? Do I look like some clueless idiot?”

The smirk faded as Han pressed his eyelids firmly with his fingers. He seemed incredibly tired.

“A monitor.”

Hyun-soo’s quiet voice caught his attention, and he removed his hand to look at her.

“That’s right, I’m a monitor. Watching over you is my job.”

“You’re being unusually straightforward.”

“I’ll stay by your side to make sure you don’t get hurt.”

Han gazed at her silently before responding.

“It’s slightly touching, but knowing it’s fueled by money kind of ruins the vibe.”

His blunt remark left Hyun-soo momentarily flustered. While she expected his appearance to change over time, she hadn’t anticipated such a shift in personality. The image of the boy who used to beam at snow globes and jelly candies clashed sharply with the man sitting before her, leaving her somewhat disoriented.

Unaware of her inner turmoil, Han suddenly stood up and walked toward the opposite side of the suite. Worried that he might leave out of annoyance, Hyun-soo grew anxious. Failing without putting up a proper effort would leave her embarrassed in front of Guk.

Fortunately, Han reappeared shortly, holding a bottle of wine in one hand and an empty glass in the other.

Gulping directly from the bottle as he approached, Han kept his gaze fixed on Hyun-soo.

“Want some?”

Standing in front of her, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and held up the empty glass, his eyes curving playfully.

“No, thanks.”

Hyun-soo declined. Shrugging nonchalantly, Han resumed drinking straight from the bottle, his gaze still locked on her.

“Maybe meeting an unexpected guest has sweetened the wine.”

With a chuckle, Han plopped down next to her, turning his body to face her. As he relaxed, the wine glass slipped from his hand and rolled across the carpet, fortunately unbroken. Hyun-soo stiffened awkwardly, feeling the heat radiating from his proximity.

“To be honest, I don’t quite understand.”

“What?”

“You supposedly sought me out, according to Yoon Guk.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“But your attitude doesn’t seem like someone expecting something to happen...”

“Cold?”

Hyun-soo nodded. Han smirked again, raising the bottle to his lips and taking another swig.

“I didn’t think he’d actually bring someone. Especially not so soon, dumping you on me like this.”

He hadn’t expected Guk to send anyone, let alone do it so quickly. Hyun-soo furrowed her brow at his cryptic words.

“He couldn’t resist himself.”

“What do you mean?”

“You seeking me out—it’s not because of me, is it?”

“Huh?”

“It’s because he couldn’t handle it anymore.”

Sighing deeply, Han exhaled the scent of wine. Leaning his head against the couch, his profile resembled a sculpture. Gone was the delicate, pretty boy; now he radiated raw masculinity, every line sharp and refined. While Guk naturally drew attention, Han was equally striking in his own right.

“I should get some rest.”

Lost in thought, Hyun-soo snapped back to reality as Han opened his eyes. Stretching languidly, he stood and circled to the other side of the suite, clearly heading to bed.

“Wait, wait a minute!”

“What? Want to sleep together?”

“What?”

“Just kidding. Good night.”

Seemingly aware of Hyun-soo’s attempts to persuade him, Han ignored her protests and disappeared. Left alone on the couch, Hyun-soo sat frozen, her lips moving soundlessly. On the table lay the half-empty wine bottle, and on the floor, the rolling glass caught her eye.

“Yoon Han has been holed up here for two weeks. Send him back home.”

“You can do it.”

Guk’s voice echoed hauntingly in her ears, wrapping tightly around her throat like a vice. If she gave up now, who knew what price he’d exact from her?

Finally, Hyun-soo stood and followed where Han had gone.

Following the hallway, the space gradually darkened until she reached another large, open area—not quite as big as the previous living room but still impressively spacious. Judging by the bed, it was clearly the bedroom.

Heavy blackout curtains shrouded the room in darkness, save for two dim lights casting faint illumination. Hyun-soo navigated carefully through the gloom until she reached the edge of the bed. There lay Han, his arm draped over his eyes.

“Um...”

“I’m sleeping.”

“Let’s go home...”

Snore. Abruptly, a fake snoring sound erupted. He was pretending to sleep to avoid conversation. Suppressing her frustration, Hyun-soo tried again gently.

“Let’s go home.”

“...”

“Home will be better than staying here like this.”

“...”

“Did you fight with your brother? Or is it another family issue?”

The word “family” choked her momentarily, reminding her of Mrs. Ah-san. Collecting herself, Hyun-soo pressed on.

“If you tell me the reason, I’ll try to help resolve it. How about it? Will you tell me?”

“...”

“Do you not trust me?”

“There’s no reason.”

“No reason?”

“None.”

“Then why...”

Han fell silent again. Hyun-soo bit her lip anxiously. Of all problems, his refusal to explain was the hardest to solve. Without answers, how could she fix anything?

Frustrated, she absentmindedly dug her nails into her hand while inching closer to him.

“Hey, Yoon Han.”

“...”

“Can you help me out just this once?”

“...”

“I have to take you home somehow. If I fail, I’ll lose face.”

“If it’s about money, I’ll give you some, so stop bothering me.”

“Sorry, but it’s not just about that. There’s more to it—too complicated to explain. Anyway, let’s go home.”

By now, Han had lowered his arm and was staring at her, his large eyes gleaming even in the dim light.

“Have you ever regretted saving me?”

“What? Where’s this coming from?”

Han slowly sat up.

“The night the mansion burned down—you saved me, didn’t you?”

“...”

“Do you regret saving me?”

Hyun-soo’s eyes wavered. What kind of foolish question was this?

“Why are you asking that? Of course not. I’ve never regretted it, not even for a second.”