BRUUPPL
A deep, unmistakable sound cut him off…the low, echoing churn of her stomach, rolling like distant thunder.
He blinked and turned to her slowly. Seri closed her eyes and leaned her head against the window, refusing to acknowledge the obvious.
"Was that the car? Or you?" he asked, struggling not to laugh.
Her eyes stayed closed. "Ignore it." Her voice was flat, but the faint color on her cheeks betrayed her.
"Are you hungry? We can stop somewhere, grab a bite?" he offered, glancing her way again.
"It's just my body reacting. Post-battle mode. Happens after you kick ass." Her tone was steady, like it was simply a matter of fact.
Junho bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling.
BRUUUUPPL. This time, the growl was louder, almost theatrical. Seri's jaw tightened as she stared straight ahead. "They're fighting. My stomach and my pride. Let them argue. I won't pick a side."
That was it for him. Laughter broke through, first sharp, then rolling into something full and unrestrained.
Next to him, Seri stayed stiff, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the road. She didn't stop him. Somewhere under her own silence, a faint warmth stirred.
Down a quiet walkway by the Han River, steam curled from a small tteokbokki stall under the dim yellow light. The river breeze was cool, carrying the soft slosh of water behind them. Seri sat on the bench, hood still up, hair slightly windblown. Junho sat beside her, elbows resting on the table.
She took her first bite…hot, chewy, and spiced perfectly. Her eyes widened instantly. "Oh my God… that's so good." She turned to him as if accusing him of hiding it, then quickly took another bite, faster than the first. "This is so delicious. Are you always coming here?"
He leaned back slightly, his shoulder brushing hers. "This is my first time."
Her chopsticks paused mid-air. She set the rice cake down, reached for her drink, and took a slow, deliberate sip. "I see… Well, of course. There's no way someone like you would come to a place like this." She nodded to herself as if settling the matter.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" he asked with a half-smile.
"You're the suit-and-silent-type. Probably eats food that costs more than my rent."
He laughed softly, shaking his head. Then his eyes dropped to the half-eaten tteokbokki. "Actually… I saw this place last week."
Her brows lifted slightly.
"I didn't eat here. But I thought… maybe I'd bring you someday." His voice was calm, but his eyes didn't hide the honesty in the thought.
She looked at him for a long moment, no teasing in her expression, only stillness.
"I mean…because you're crazy about this kind of food. That's all," he added quickly. "It's not like I planned anything dramatic."
A faint smile tugged at her lips before she looked away and took another bite. "Well… I guess I just found my new dinner spot."
The space between them felt warmer now. Around them, the chatter of other customers filled the air. At the next table, two teenage girls scrolled through their phones, their voices just loud enough to carry.
"Wah, daebak! That actor… he's really having an affair?!" one gasped.
"This time it looks real. Look… photos, and there's even a witness," the other said, shoving her friend's arm.
Junho's chopsticks froze mid-air. His jaw tensed. He didn't need to check. Hanna. She did it.
Seri noticed the change in him immediately. "Something wrong?"
"Someone I know might've just lit a match," he said quietly.
She studied him for a second but didn't press. Somewhere deep down, she knew this peaceful dinner wouldn't last. Tomorrow was going to be messy.
The tteokbokki wrappers were long tossed, the meal done. Seri and Kang Junho stood side by side at the edge of the river. City lights shimmered on the surface of the water, the only sounds a soft breeze and the distant hum of traffic.
Seri hugged her arms, not from cold but out of habit, her gaze locked on the dark current. Junho stood a step beside her with his hands in his coat pockets, glancing sideways at her as if deciding whether to speak or let the quiet hold.
"I think you'll often be in the chasing game," she said softly, her tone more caution than tease.
Junho turned his head slightly toward her.
"You need to take care of yourself," she added, eyes still ahead. "Don't go near any geng who ask to meet. Not even if they offer tea."
A small scoff escaped his nose as he set his drink aside. "And check under my bumper too, huh?"
She gave him a short glance and a shrug, unfazed, a small smile flickering briefly before fading.
Junho's fingers tapped lightly against his can of Coke. "So… you already knew, didn't you? About my ability."
She didn't turn. Her eyes stayed on the water, blinking slowly.
"It's strange," he said with a quiet sigh. "Ever since you showed up, things have been different."
Her head tilted slightly, acknowledging his shift in tone.
"I couldn't read you. Not even once. It was like standing in front of a wall I didn't know existed. And somehow, I kept circling it, hoping to find a door."
A half-laugh left him, tinged with both bitterness and wonder.
"You walked into my life and everything got complicated. And yet… you're the only part that makes sense."
Finally, she turned her head slightly. Her expression was calm, but her eyes softened. She said nothing. Junho faced her fully, the silver light from the city touching her features. She didn't flinch, didn't blink, just waited.
"Who are you really?" His voice was low but firm. "Why are you here? Why protect me? Why keep pulling me back…"
He stopped. The words caught in his throat. His gaze traced her stillness, the calm on her lips, the slight movement of her bangs in the breeze. So quiet, yet he had seen her crush a man in seconds.
"…And why do you keep making me feel like this?"
She stayed silent. Something flickered in her gaze, a ripple under still water. In her heart, she thought, I was on a mission to use you, Mr. Kang… Please don't fall for me.
He didn't press her, though the silence screamed.
"I didn't keep this power because I wanted to help people," he continued, voice low. "I kept it because I was afraid. Afraid they'd treat me like a monster. Afraid they'd use me… twist it." His voice cracked. "I told myself it was safer to hide it. To use it only when needed. Quietly. For my own sake. To stay useful. In control. Unseen."
His eyes found hers again. "…But then you came."
"I've never met anyone like that. It's like you cursed me… or maybe not a curse. Maybe a spell. Some inconvenient kind of care. Or worse… a little too close to love."
"You have to stop with that nonsense, Mr. Kang," she cut in quickly, forcing a small laugh as she looked away. "You don't feel anything. You're just annoyed. Maybe I've messed up your days so much, you can't get me out of your head. That's not emotion, that's irritation."
She brushed invisible dust from her hoodie. "That's me. The chaos in your perfect little schedule." She stepped to leave, but he caught her wrist gently.
"Please," he said, his voice low, each word measured, "don't take another step back from me. Not this time."
Her heart pounded, a steady drum she couldn't silence. Slowly, she turned to look at him, meeting the weight of his gaze head-on.
"I can't take off these glasses to read you," he said, voice heavy. "And without that, I don't know what you truly feel. If you think I'm a creepy guy… or just someone dangerous… just tell me. Then maybe I can stop looking for you."
She looked down at his hand around hers, then back up. "I never thought you were different." Silence pressed between them before he slowly released her.
"I think you're just like any other man still breathing in this world," she said softly. "There's nothing wrong with you." Her words carried a weight she had been holding for too long.
"Your power isn't a curse. It's not your fault. It's part of you. "
His throat tightened.
"I wasn't afraid of you," she continued, "not when I've already stared down the ugliest parts of this world. Greed. Betrayal. People who smile while stabbing you in the back. People who trade lives like coins. That's fear. But you? You just read memories."
Her tone was neutral, but her eyes warmed. "Honestly… I think you're kind of amazing, Mr. Kang."
Junho froze. She hadn't said it like a compliment, but like truth. For the first time in years, Kang Junho felt seen. His heart stirred, not in chaos but in something dangerously close to warmth.
"But let's keep this between us," she said carefully. "Strictly professional. Director and employee. That's all."
The words hit harder than she could've guessed. He had let something slip back then, something he didn't really mean to say, but now. He heard her draw that same line again. This time, it wasn't just a line. It felt like a wall slamming shut.
Junho's jaw tightened. The faint warmth in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a sharpness that hadn't been there a second ago.
He offered softly, "Let me take you home."
"No need. I could use the walk after stuffing myself with all that tteokbokki," she said with a faint smirk. "Walking helps digestion."
She walked away, his eyes following her until she vanished into the streetlight's glow.
Director and employee? Is that really all I am to you?