W. 5pm
23
“Probably… I’ll ignore the traffic and come.”
At Namjoon's words, Yeoju blinked for a moment.
"yes?"
Only then did Namjoon pull out his phone. He turned on the screen, and a single call log was clearly visible. Along with seven missed calls... He didn't bother to hide it.
“I was talking to Seokjin outside earlier.”
“.....”
"The atmosphere in the store was getting a little strange. I was trying to explain when the lady grabbed my wrist..."
“...So?”
“I just hung up the phone and ran in.”
Namjoon trailed off, glancing toward the store door. He spoke calmly, but it was clear his choice was impulsive.
“By now, you’ve probably figured it out a long time ago.”
“Even if I tell you that nothing is wrong?”
“I won’t believe it.”
A moment of silence.
“Rather, I feel more reassured after seeing it with my own eyes.”
Yeoju immediately understood what he meant. She felt like she had a vague idea of what kind of person Seokjin was. Hearing that, Yeoju wasn't surprised. Instead, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, as if she'd remembered what she'd said to Namjoon earlier.
“…Then that’s good.”
Namjoon looked at her.
"I said I couldn't remember your face. I wasn't lying."
Only then did Namjoon really smile.
“Please wait a moment.”
Before Namjoon could even finish speaking—
Ding.
The small bell hanging above the store door rang briefly and urgently. It was a beat faster than usual. Yeoju and Namjoon's gazes simultaneously turned to the entrance. The door opened, and a person entered along with the cold night air. He seemed to be breathing slightly hard, his shoulders heaving slightly, his coat hem unkempt. The interval between his shoes hitting the floor was irregular. It was Seokjin. His eyes scanned the store, clearly searching for Yeoju. Only when he spotted her standing at the register did he take a deep breath. But his expression remained unchanged.
“Hey lady”
A low, cracking voice called her name. It was a breath before a question of "Are you okay?" As soon as Seokjin entered, he gently held her shoulders, checking her condition with trembling pupils. At that moment, Namjoon quietly took a step back, gave her a knowing smile, and then immediately left the flower shop. Inside, traces of unfinished dirt and broken flowerpots remained, and Seokjin's gaze didn't miss them. His eyes hardened for a moment, then returned to her. He looked her up and down once more before lowering his voice slightly.
“What happened? Are you hurt?”
“Yes. Namjoon came right in.”
Only then did Seokjin's shoulders drop ever so slightly. It wasn't so much that the tension had eased, but rather that he no longer had to hold on. The woman watched Seokjin, then with a playful expression, she pulled him away, placed her hands on his hips, and then, with a squinty look on her face, spoke to him with a nonchalant expression.
“But.”
"huh"
“What are you doing here?”
“....I thought of you?”
"Weren't you worried the moment you arrived? Do you only worry when you think of me?"
Seokjin hesitated for a moment at the sight of the woman's expression, which seemed to indicate that she already knew everything, and then spoke honestly.
24
"…Sorry."
Seokjin's voice was a tone lower than usual. His words trailed off slightly. Before speaking, he checked the woman's face once more.
“I asked Namjoon to tell me how your day goes and if anything happens when you’re alone.”
Even as he spoke, Seokjin continued to watch Yeoju's reaction. He wondered if her expression had hardened, if her eyebrows had raised. At work, he hadn't even bothered to pay attention to people's reactions. For him, who had never experienced such a situation and such emotions before, this conversation felt less like an explanation and more like a request for permission. When had he ever been so flustered by anyone?
“There was no guarantee that something like this wouldn’t happen again today… and again…”
“Even before I met Seokjin, when I was running a flower shop, this kind of thing never happened.”
"I know you're disappointed, but... I'll keep doing this. We're not strangers... but it's still kind of special."
The woman didn't answer right away. Instead, she stared at Seokjin. The longer the gaze lasted, the more his shoulders stiffened. While waiting, Seokjin wondered if he'd said anything without a filter. The woman stared at him. He'd said everything, but the verdict hadn't yet been reached.
"I thought so. It's not like I don't know Seokjin well."
"uh?"
“I knew a long time ago that you weren’t the type of person to quit just because I told you to.”
“.....”
“And Namjoon told me everything. He caught me earlier~”
The female lead's voice, as she made excuses to avoid getting scolded by Seokjin, was calmer than expected. No, was she starting to playfully express herself...?
“And… I don’t mind being watched by Seokjin either. It’s just that he doesn’t come around for so long that I almost forgot his face.”
"You're fearless. You say things so easily."
“Huh? Absolutely not... I was taken aback at first. But well... because it’s Seokjin.”
“.....”
“Oh, and I don’t mind keeping tabs on you… but don’t bother using people. Just keep in touch often, even on the phone. Namjoon, you’re already busy, so don’t make him do this.”
"....okay."
Seokjin blinked briefly at those words. It was an unexpected suggestion. It wasn't a reprimand or a line.Let's adjust togetherI didn't expect this to come out. The female lead, having finished speaking, shrugged slightly. But unlike her gesture, her gaze was utterly serious. Looking into those eyes, Seokjin could feel it clearly. This person wasn't trying to control the situation,That you are trying to deal with relationships.
He remained silent for a moment. It wasn't so much that he was overwhelmed with thoughts, but rather that too many emotions were flooding in at once. The person he'd thought of as someone he needed to protect was now standing next to him, offering him a choice. Yeoju lowered her gaze for a moment, as if she'd said everything, then suddenly slowly opened her arms.
“And… I was a little scared earlier.”
“Where does it hurt?”
“Uh, no, I’m fine now… Ah, my body is shaking a little?”
The heroine's fingertips trembled slightly in the air. Perhaps sensing it herself, she added.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to hug me quickly?”
Instead of answering, Seokjin took a step closer. And then, cautiously, no, without hesitation, he pulled Yeoju into his arms. One arm wrapped around her back, pulling her in naturally. The other rested on her shoulder, then slowly lowered it to rest on the center of her back, ensuring no unnecessary strain. Yeoju spoke in a low voice, perhaps hoping Seokjin would hear.
“I missed you.”
25
Seokjin, who had finished closing the flower shop, walked Yeoju all the way to her house. As he left the shop and turned into the alley, his pace naturally stayed half a beat ahead of hers. It was more of a position to check for danger than to keep pace. Every time the streetlights faded, his gaze shifted, and whenever he heard footsteps behind him, his shoulders unconsciously stiffened a little.
The alley was quiet. Closed shop shutters lined the street, and the only sound was the occasional rustle of banners fluttering in the breeze. Normally, I'd pass by without a second thought, but today, Seokjin didn't ignore even the slightest noise. Yeoju glanced up at Seokjin's profile and chuckled. It was the face of someone whose day had been particularly long.
"You're being overprotective today... I'm really fine. The house is right here. I'll go upstairs, shower, and go straight to bed."
Though his tone was lighthearted, Seokjin didn't laugh. Instead, he stopped walking and turned toward Yeoju, narrowing the distance just a little. Under the streetlight, he slowly scanned her face. He checked if her eyes had sunk in yet. He checked if her shoulders were tense. He checked if her fingertips were tense. He shifted his gaze as if checking, and only then did he speak in a low voice.
"I know. But the worst part is when I say I'm okay. Just understand if I'm being sensitive today."
The heroine didn't respond immediately. She tried to add another joke, but then closed her mouth. Instead, she nodded slightly. Arriving at the house, she stood before the front door and took a step back.
“Okay, but don’t worry too much.”
“....”
“Take care on your way home. Text me when you get home.”
Seokjin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. It was a nod, a nod of understanding. He watched Yeoju open the front door and step inside. The door closed, and Seokjin turned and walked out of the alley. Yeoju watched him leave from the building's hallway, unsure of what was about to happen...