Chapter 37

Uncle smiled warmly. “Miss Seo, I hope my nephew hasn’t troubled you.”

Yuna returned his smile with graceful composure. “Not at all, Mr. Park. Please don’t worry. If anything, I should apologize for appearing so suddenly.”

Auntie chuckled softly. “You’re too polite. We’re happy to have you here. But if I may ask…” She leaned in, eyes curious. “How do you know our Haemin?”

Yuna’s gaze drifted toward me, lingering for a second too long before she answered with that calm, perfect smile. “Through a few occasions, actually. We crossed paths by chance, and over time I got to know him better. He’s bright, polite, and carries himself well.”

Heat crept into my face under her stare. My chest tightened. Yuna’s lips curved faintly, as if amused by my discomfort, before she added smoothly, “Eventually, I came to think of him as someone precious… like a younger brother I could look after.”

Auntie’s expression lit up. “Ah, so that’s how it is. I’m relieved. He’s a good boy, but he can be a little careless. Having someone like you nearby is a blessing.”

Uncle nodded approvingly. “Indeed. Thank you, Miss Seo, for watching out for him.”

Yuna inclined her head with elegance, her eyes flicking back to me like a quiet reminder. “It’s nothing troublesome. He deserves to have someone care for him properly.”

Auntie and Uncle exchanged a glance before Auntie tugged lightly on his arm. “Well then, we’ll give you two some time. Come, dear.”

Uncle smiled. “Yes, we’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything.”

Before leaving, Auntie gave me a gentle push forward, her voice warm. “Go on, Haemin. Don’t be so stiff.”

I nodded weakly, but the smile she left me with only made the knot in my stomach tighten.

The moment their footsteps faded, the air shifted.

Yuna’s gentle mask disappeared in an instant, her polite smile vanishing like it had never been there.

Her eyes fixed on me—calm, but heavy with a cold weight that made my skin crawl. Silence stretched, sharp and suffocating.

“Yu… Yuna…” My voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “What are you doing here?”

Her expression didn’t change. With that same chilling composure, she motioned toward the seat opposite her. “Sit.”

My legs resisted, stiff as stone, but I obeyed. Lowering myself into the chair felt like walking into a trap. My hands trembled slightly in my lap, impossible to steady.

The room bent toward her presence. Conversations hushed, a few customers stealing glances in our direction. It wasn’t only her beauty that drew them in—it was the aura she carried, elegant yet terrifying. Yuna ignored it all, her unblinking eyes locked on me.

I swallowed hard, forcing words out. “Yuna… you didn’t need to come here. I was going to return to Seoul this afternoon anyway.”

Instead of answering, she gave me a faint smile. Too faint. The kind that didn’t warm—it burned.

“Did you sleep well, Haemin?”

The question sounded ordinary, but the weight behind it twisted my stomach into knots.

My throat dried. I tried to answer, but nothing came.

Her smile sharpened. “You don’t realize how much I’m holding back right now.” Her voice dropped, soft but merciless. “If I wanted to, I could drag you across this room and beat you senseless—and everyone would watch. Should I make a scene, Haemin?”

My heart stopped. The blood drained from my face. “N-No… please don’t,” I whispered quickly, panic spilling out of me.

She let the silence stretch, watching me squirm, before finally sitting straighter, her composure snapping back into place like nothing happened.

“Go upstairs and pack your things,” she ordered coldly. “You’re coming back to Seoul with me. Now.”

My chest squeezed. “But… I already promised Auntie and Uncle I’d return this afternoon—”

Her gaze sharpened, icy and merciless. “Do you want me to repeat myself?”

I froze. Resistance crumbled instantly. “…Okay,” I muttered.

Pushing myself up from the chair, I walked toward the stairs, each step heavier than the last. I packed my things quickly, then came down again. Uncle and Auntie were waiting near the counter, smiling kindly as if nothing was wrong.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice barely steady. “Something urgent came up in Seoul. I need to return earlier than planned. Please tell Jiwon I’m sorry I couldn’t wait, and… send him my regards.”

Auntie’s expression softened. “Of course, Haemin. Don’t worry, I’ll tell him.”

Uncle waved me off with a chuckle. “Go, go. Take care of your business first. You can visit again soon.”

Yuna stood then, rising gracefully. She gave a polite bow toward them, her voice smooth. “Thank you for your hospitality.”

Without another word, she turned and walked toward the exit.

I followed quietly behind her, the weight in my chest pressing down heavier with each step.

___________

I trailed after Yuna in silence, the sharp click of her heels against the pavement cutting through the quiet morning like a countdown. The Maserati sat waiting at the curb, sleek and predatory under the daylight. My chest sank deeper with every step until we reached the car.

“Get in,” she said.

I obeyed. The leather seat was cool against my back, but it did nothing to ease the heat rising in my chest. Yuna slipped into the driver’s seat beside me, shutting the door with a solid thud that felt like a lock snapping shut.

But she didn’t start the car.

The silence between us thickened, heavy and suffocating. I could feel her attention on me, though she hadn’t turned her head. My hands rested stiffly on my lap, fingers twitching without purpose.

“Yuna,” I said carefully, my voice low. “About yesterday… I didn’t mean—”

The rest stuck in my throat.

Her hand shot out, fast as a whip, seizing my chin and forcing my head toward her. My breath caught as her nails pressed into my skin.

“You’re sorry?” Her voice was soft, almost gentle, but her grip was merciless. “Do you think your sorry means anything to me?”

I tried to pull back, but she tightened, her thumb digging into the side of my jaw until it hurt to breathe. Panic clawed at my chest.

“Y-Yuna, please…”

Her other hand slammed onto my thigh, gripping hard enough to bruise. The shock of pain jolted through me.

“Don’t move.” Her nails dug deeper into my skin. “I’ll carve the truth out of you if I have to.”

I bit back a cry, my body trembling. The car felt smaller, darker, as if her wrath filled every corner. Humiliation burned in my throat.

“I—I’m sorry… I’ll do whatever you want. Just… let me go…” My voice cracked, weak, pathetic even to my own ears.

Her lips curved into a cold smile. Slowly, she released my chin, though her grip on my thigh lingered like a threat. “Don’t say a word now,” she whispered. “Because when we’re back home, I’ll make sure you spill every single thing. And you will, Haemin.”

She pulled her hand back at last, leaving behind the sting of her touch. My jaw throbbed. My leg pulsed with pain. I sat frozen, barely holding myself together.

Yuna started the car, the engine growling to life. Just when I thought I could breathe, the Maserati jolted to a stop.

Another car slid in front of us, blocking the road.

Yuna’s eyes narrowed, her hands tightening on the wheel. “What the hell—”

Then the door of the other car opened.

And she stepped out.

Sera.

The morning light caught her as she closed the door behind her, moving with the same calm authority as ever. Every step she took toward us was steady, deliberate—like the street itself bent to her pace.

Her presence alone shifted the air.

My blood ran cold. No no. Not her. Not now.

Beside me, Yuna stiffened. For the first time, I saw something break in her perfect composure. Her voice came low, edged with confusion. “…Why is she here?”

My head snapped toward her. Yuna wasn’t just angry—she was unsettled. 

She knew Sera?

The realization tore through me like cold water.

What did it mean? How could they possibly—

Sera’s eyes locked on the car, sharp and unyielding, cutting straight through the windshield. That calm, imperious gaze wasn’t for Yuna alone. It was for me, too.

My chest heaved, caught between two storms I couldn’t escape.

Yuna on one side. Sera on the other.

The weight of both of them pressed down until I couldn’t breathe, until every path forward looked like a dead end.

And in that moment, one thought rose, bitter and desperate, filling every corner of my mind.

Oh my..

Just kill me already.