The summer heat pressed against the windows of Hae-won's apartment like a living thing, draping the rooms in languid suffocation. After the whirlwind of court hearings and school dramas, Ji‑hoon and Hae‑won had agreed to lay low—no public appearances, no grocery runs in broad daylight, no more dramatic confrontations. In reality, though, peace seemed as distant as the horizon.
They spent the morning cleaning: steaming laundry, scrubbing counters, and refilling the fridge with quiet domesticity. The simple rhythm was almost soothing, until Hae‑won's phone buzzed with another hate-filled text. She tossed it aside. "I thought we agreed—no looking."
Ji‑hoon narrowed his eyes. "They'll stop when people lose interest."
She sighed. "Rumors don't die so easily."
He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Then we'll bury them."
1:00 PM – The Rooftop Garden
To break the monotony, Ji‑hoon had arranged a surprise: he converted the small rooftop terrace into a private garden. Potted herbs lined the railing, and a secondhand umbrella shaded a rickety table set with strawberries, macarons, and her favorite iced matcha lattes.
Hae‑won's eyes widened. "You did all this?"
He shrugged, a half‑smile playing at his lips. "Borrowed a few gardening tips online. Thought you could use a place to breathe."
She sank into the plastic chair, running her fingers through the tiny leaves of basil. "It's... perfect."
For a moment, they simply sat together—her head resting on his shoulder, the city's distant din muted by the plants' quiet life. It was a rare calm in a storm that never seemed to ebb.
3:30 PM – An Unwelcome Visitor
The tranquility shattered when the door burst open. Ji‑hoon's bodyguard, Yun‑seok, charged in, phone in hand. "We've got a problem."
Hae‑won stood, heart stuttering. "What now?"
Yun‑seok showed them a screenshot: the school gossip app was ablaze with a new scandal. Someone had dug up Ji‑hoon's childhood—photos of him as a child prodigy at a piano recital, and rumor-laced captions about "the secret pressures of being perfect." And under it all, another thread—"Hae‑won's Secret: How Far Will She Go to Stay in the Limelight?"
Ji‑hoon's jaw clenched. "They're trying to turn this into a spectacle."
Hae‑won's eyes filled. "I can't keep doing this. I feel like I'm drowning again."
He put an arm around her. "You won't drown. Not while I'm here."
Yun‑seok cleared his throat. "Miss Shin—someone's waiting downstairs."
4:00 PM – The Hallway Confrontation
They found, in the hallway, a slender girl with platinum-blonde hair and cool gray eyes: Seo Min‑ji, a star student and daughter of one of Ji‑hoon's father's business rivals. She held a sleek tablet, her posture impeccable.
"Ji‑hoon," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Long time no see."
He stiffened. "What do you want?"
Min‑ji tapped the tablet. "My father thinks your little romance could be useful. A distraction from… other matters."
Hae‑won recoiled as Min‑ji's gaze slid over her uniform, her expression unreadable. "I don't want anything to do with this."
"Love is never just love," Min‑ji said softly. "It's a transaction. And you, Shin Hae‑won, are the commodity."
Ji‑hoon's fist tightened. "Stay away from her."
She laughed—cool, melodic, cruel. "Or what? You'll bully me like you do your classmates?"
Before he could respond, the school secretary stepped out. "Miss Seo, you're not permitted here."
Min‑ji's eyes glittered. "This isn't over." She turned on her heel and disappeared into the stairwell.
5:30 PM – Back in the Apartment
Hae‑won sank onto the couch, shoulders slumped. "Why won't they stop?"
Ji‑hoon paced. "Because you're worth more to them alive in the headlines than forgotten. But I'll end this."
She shook her head. "I'm tired of being their puppet."
He stopped and faced her. "Then let's cut the strings."
Suddenly, Yun‑seok appeared in the doorway. "Mr. Kang—there's someone here to see you."
Hae‑won looked up. "Who now?"
6:00 PM – A Face from the Past
The man standing in the living room was tall, with silver-streaked hair and piercing brown eyes. Detective Park Soo-hyun, the police officer who had handled her father's arrest. His presence felt like stepping into a courtroom again.
"Detective?" Ji‑hoon said warily.
He nodded. "I've been investigating online threats against Miss Shin. They're escalating—someone's arranging physical surveillance."
Hae‑won's blood ran cold. "Surveillance?"
The detective unspooled photos: Hae‑wo n leaving her old house at night; Ji‑hoon's car parked outside her apartment. "These were taken by a private investigator. It's not school gossip anymore. It's criminal."
Ji‑hoon stepped forward. "Who's behind this?"
Detective Park shook his head. "Too early to tell. But I recommend you both stay in tonight—no outings, no groceries. I'll arrange for a patrol nearby."
7:00 PM – Tension and Laughter
Dinner that night was takeout—ramen delivered under the watchful eyes of a parked patrol car. Ji‑hoon and Hae‑won sat on the floor, bowls steaming between them. For a while, neither spoke.
Then Hae‑won sighed. "I hate feeling like a criminal in my own home."
He offered her a noodle with chopsticks. "Here."
She took it, and their lips met mid-bite—accidental, then laughing. Suddenly, she felt lighter. A spark of normalcy in the chaos.
He grinned. "You always make me laugh, you know that?"
She smiled back. "I can't help it."
8:30 PM – Movie Night Reloaded
Deciding that one movie night hadn't been enough, they settled in front of the TV once more. This time, a goofy action-comedy—cars crashing, heroes clashing, absurd one-liners. Ji‑hoon tossed popcorn at Hae‑won; she retaliated with a handful of cheese puffs.
They fell into easy banter:
"That's the worst stunt ever."
"Yeah, right up there with your driving skills."
"Hey!"
The absurdity of it all—the ridiculous explosions, the cheesy dialogue—felt like a lifeline.
10:00 PM – The Breaking Point
Just as the hero delivered his final quip, there was a bang at the door. Hard knocks, urgent.
Ji‑hoon froze. "Detective Park said no visitors."
More knocks—bang, bang, bang.
Hae‑won's heart pounded. "They found us."
Ji‑hoon rose, moving silently to the door. Through the peephole he saw a figure in dark clothes. He drew back, then unlocked the door a crack.
A voice hissed through: "Open up. Police!"
Ji‑hoon's eyes narrowed. "I'm not letting them in."
The figure stabbed the door frame with a crowbar. "Open this door, Ji‑hoon Kang!"
Panic gripped Hae‑won. "They're not police."
Ji‑hoon tightened his grip on her hand. "Stay back."
He slid the deadbolt shut. On the other side, fists pounded.
Hae‑wo n pressed herself against Ji‑hoon's side. "What do we do?"
He whispered in her ear: "Trust me."
10:15 PM – Fight or Flight
Yun‑seok's voice crackled on Ji‑hoon's phone: "They're trying to break in—officers are on their way."
Ji‑hoon pulled Hae‑wo n toward the bedroom. "Get under the bed."
She crawled in, heart hammering, as Ji‑hoon locked the door and grabbed a heavy lamp. He braced himself.
The crowbar crashed through wood. Splinters flew. Hae‑wo n stifled a scream.
Then, sirens—wailing, urgent—approached. The intruders cursed, then fled.
Ji‑hoon opened the door, breath ragged. Police burst in, guns drawn.
Detective Park was among them. "Are you both unharmed?"
Hae‑wo n crawled out, pale but nodding. "Yes."
11:00 PM – Aftermath and Embrace
Back on the couch, they were wrapped in blankets, cups of hot tea in trembling hands. The apartment was still—safe again.
Hae‑wo n leaned into Ji‑hoon. "I hate that this happened."
He stroked her hair. "I hate that anyone would do this to you."
Tears tracked down her cheeks. She looked up at him. "But... we survived."
He cupped her cheek. "And we'll keep surviving. Together."
She closed her eyes, resting her forehead against his.
And in the flicker of TV light and the quiet rumble of the city beyond, they found strength in each other—chaos behind them, but love forging a path forward.