Chapter 22
The moment I turned around, my whole body froze.
Standing there was Hwang Sera.
She wasn't wearing anything flashy—just a beige coat over a simple white shirt and fitted jeans. But somehow, the way she carried herself made even such simple clothes look like they belonged on a magazine cover. She had that effortless elegance, that aura of a woman who knew exactly who she was. Mature, confident, and undeniably beautiful.
"…It really is you," she said, her tone calm but slightly amused.
"Uh… hey," I replied, scratching my cheek awkwardly.
A small smile curved her lips, her gaze sharp yet playful. "You know, if we keep running into each other like this, I might start believing it's fate."
I let out an awkward laugh, unsure of what to say to that. "Yeah… haha… um, what are you doing here?"
"Just bought a few things," she said lightly. "And you?"
"Oh, I… came to buy a phone."
Her brows lifted slightly, a flicker of guilt flashing across her face. "A phone?"
"Yeah," I nodded.
She looked almost stunned, her expression tightening for a moment before she said softly, "I… see. You know, last time I visited you at the hospital, I was planning to buy you a new phone. But when I saw you already had the latest model on your bedside table, I assumed you didn't need one anymore. So I just gave you back your sim card instead."
I forced a small smile, panicking slightly inside. "Ah… that one? It wasn't mine. It was my cousin's—I just borrowed it. So… yeah, I ended up buying my own today."
Her eyes widened a bit more, and I could see the guilt growing. "I should've asked. It was careless of me. I feel even worse now."
"No, no, no. Please," I said quickly, raising my hands slightly. "You don't have to feel guilty about that. Really. It's fine. I don't mind at all."
Seeing my flustered reaction, Sera's lips curved into a small, amused smile.
"You're still so tense whenever I talk to you," she teased lightly. "Anyway… are you heading inside?" She gestured toward the café entrance behind me.
"Yeah," I admitted, nodding. "I was just about to grab a drink. Thirsty."
"Me too," she said. After a pause, she added casually, "since we ran into each other, why don't we go somewhere else for a drink?"
My eyes widened. "Ah… I…"
The panic must have been obvious in my voice. "I can't stay out too long. I, um… really need to get home soon."
Inside, my heart was pounding. If Yuna found out I was walking around with another woman, it would be the end of me.
Sera tilted her head slightly, curious at my reaction. Her calm eyes lingered on me for a moment, but she didn't seem offended. "I won't take too much of your time," she said softly. "Just keep me company for a while. It's boring to drink alone."
I was about to open my mouth to refuse again.
And then, she gave a quiet, almost amused chuckle. "It's not like you have a wife waiting for you at home, right?"
Her words hit way too close to home. My stomach twisted.
If only she knew.
Before I could think of another excuse, she extended her hand slightly toward me, her movements composed and unhurried. "Come on. Let's go."
I tried to come up with another excuse, but then I noticed it.
People were looking at us.
Men, women—passersby in the mall were glancing in our direction, their gazes inevitably drawn to Sera's striking presence.
If I rejected her here, it might embarrass her in front of everyone… I'd feel awful.
My hand twitched slightly.
"…Okay," I said quietly.
Her faint smile returned as she lowered her hand and began walking beside me.
I followed, my heart thudding nervously. It's fine, I told myself. It's just a drink. Nothing more.
But deep inside, all I could hope for was that no one I knew would see me with her.
_________
The restaurant Sera had brought me to looked far too luxurious. The marble floors gleamed under the warm lights, and the tables were neatly arranged with crystal glasses and polished silverware. Who would have thought there would be a restaurant this grand inside such a huge mall?
As soon as we stepped in, a well-dressed worker greeted Sera with a polite bow and immediately guided us to a table near the window.
"Right this way, ma'am," the worker said, handing us the menus once we sat down.
After that, the waiter took our order and quietly left. Sera glanced at me with that same calm expression she always seemed to have. "Thanks for accompanying me today," she said gently, as if she hadn't practically forced me to come along.
I gave her a small, polite smile. "No problem at all, Miss Sera."
Her brow raised slightly. "Miss?"
I scratched the back of my neck nervously. "Ah… I just thought it would be inappropriate for me to call you noona. Especially since… well, you seem to have a pretty high status. Last time you had your assistant with you, so… I just assumed."
Sera's lips curved into a faint, amused smile. "You don't need to mind my status," she said calmly.
Before I could reply, she looked at me a little more closely, her expression softening. "By the way," she added, her voice warm, "you look handsome today."
I felt my face heat up instantly. "Ah… thanks…" I mumbled awkwardly.
Her gaze stayed on me for a moment longer, her smile never faltering.
I quickly tried to change the topic. "Um… are you not working today? You seemed really busy last time we met."
She shook her head slightly. "Today I had some free time, so I decided to take a walk and do some shopping."
"Oh, I see."
Then, without warning, she leaned forward slightly. "So, Haemin… tell me about yourself."
I blinked in surprise. "H-huh? Why are you asking that?"
Her warm smile stayed. "Just curious. It's a casual conversation. I'd like to know more about you."
I hesitated but eventually started talking. I told her briefly about my background—how my parents had passed away when I was young, how I grew up with my aunt's family, and how I ended up coming to Seoul for university.
As I spoke, a thought crossed my mind. Maybe I should tell her I'm married… so she won't get the wrong idea and keep me here too long.
Just as I was about to mention it, Sera spoke first.
"I see," she said with a faint smile. "Seems like the information I received about you was all accurate."
I froze mid-sentence. "W-what do you mean by that?"
Still calm, she looked me in the eye. "After the accident… when you were still unconscious in the hospital… I asked my people to run a background check on you."
My eyes widened in shock. "Wait—you what?"
She didn't flinch at all. "I just wanted to know who you were. I'm sorry if it was inappropriate. But for people in my position, I always have to be careful."
I sat there awkwardly, unsure how to respond. "Isn't that… a bit much? To look into someone without their permission?"
"I know," she said softly, her tone still calm. "But that's the reality of my life. I can't be careless with the people I meet."
Hearing her words, I felt a strange familiarity. The way she carried herself, how composed and firm she was… She really did give off a vibe similar to Yuna.
Almost without thinking, I asked, "Are you… from a political family or something?"
Sera only gave a small, knowing smile. "Maybe."
That single word made my chest tighten.
Does she already know that I'm married… and that it's to Yuna?
Panic started creeping in.
But then Sera, noticing my discomfort, leaned back slightly. "You don't have to worry about who I am. I have no hidden agenda in inviting you today. Besides, from the background check, I know you live alone in Seoul… and that you're single too. So why not? It's just a drink. Nothing to hold you back."
I felt my body relax slightly.
Thank God… She doesn't know.
Relief washed over me. Good thing I hadn't mentioned that I was already married earlier. If I had, she might've gotten curious and found out everything
_________
A few minutes later, our drinks finally arrived—Sera had ordered a cup of coffee, while I chose something simpler, just lemon tea. The server placed the drinks in front of us, gave a short bow, and then disappeared without a word.
Sera reached for her glass delicately and took a small sip before placing it back down. Her eyes gently scanned my face before she leaned forward slightly with a soft smile.
"So… how's your economics course going?" she asked, her voice smooth and pleasant. "Still surviving all those theories and numbers?"
I chuckled, wrapping my hands around my cold glass. "Barely," I said with a grin. "It's a lot, honestly. But I like it. I enjoy learning how things work behind the scenes—like how money flows, how policy affects people's lives."
She nodded thoughtfully. "That does sound like something you'd be good at. You seem… steady. Like someone who pays attention to the little things."
I smiled, but looked down for a moment. "I try my best."
"I see," she said with a small smile.
She leaned slightly toward the table. "Are you struggling at all? University life can be tough, especially without family around."
Her voice carried a warm concern, and I blinked, a little surprised by the question.
"I'm managing," I said honestly. "There are days I feel lost, but… it's not unbearable."
Sera nodded slowly, her eyes still on me. "And do you eat well? Living alone can make it hard to take care of yourself."
I blinked at her concern before letting out a small laugh. "I try. I know I'm supposed to eat properly, but sometimes I just get lazy and order something simple."
Sera's lips curved slightly. "You should eat well. Studying takes a lot of energy. If you don't take care of yourself, you'll get sick."
Her words made me chuckle to myself. It sounded exactly like something a mom would say to her son.
She noticed my small laugh. "What's funny?"
I shook my head lightly. "Nothing. It's just… thanks for asking. Other than my aunt and her family, no one really asks about how I'm doing."
For a second, her eyes softened even more, like she was about to say something but chose not to.
I thought about Yuna briefly. She almost never asked about my well-being. But I didn't really hold it against her. She had her own way of caring, and not everyone was perfect.
Wanting to shift the conversation, I asked, "What about you? How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm twenty-nine," she replied calmly.
"Same age as my wife…" I almost slipped but stopped myself just in time. "Same age as some people I know."
I cleared my throat. "Did you also study economics?"
She smiled faintly. "No. I studied business management. I went abroad when I was twenty."
I raised my brows. "Abroad? Where?"
"Switzerland. Geneva, specifically. I was there for almost five years."
"Wow… that's impressive. Was it tough being alone there?"
Her smile didn't fade, but her voice softened a bit. "It was hard at first. My parents… they didn't really check on me. I was expected to handle everything myself. I had to learn how to survive on my own."
I looked at her closely. She didn't say much, but somehow… I could see everything in her eyes.
She must not be close with her parents, I thought. Born into some powerful family, left to fend for herself, raised to become something important. She's like Yuna…
Both of them were strong, capable, mature beyond their years. But maybe that maturity wasn't something they chose—it was something forced on them. They had to grow up early. They had to build walls. Because no one protected them.
She looked composed on the outside, but deep down… maybe she'd been hurting for a long time.
She kept talking, but after a few moments, Sera seemed to realize she had said too much about her past. She let out a soft chuckle and smiled, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Sorry, Haemin. You had to sit there and listen to someone mumbling about her boring past."
"It's okay," I said gently. "Sometimes, just saying it out loud helps… doesn't it?"
But… I think you did well," I continued. "Becoming someone who carries herself the way you do now, that takes real strength. It's not easy to keep going when people expect more and more from you.
Sera blinked once, visibly taken aback.
"I mean it," I continued. "It's okay if you feel tired sometimes. You've done more than enough just surviving all that pressure."
She stared at me in silence for a few seconds, then slowly smiled—this time, warmer than before.
"Thank you, Haemin," she said quietly.
For a moment, we just sat there in a comfortable silence.
I reached for my phone to check the time and nearly choked when I saw the screen. 7:15 p.m.
Oh no
I shot up from my seat. "Ah—I need to go now."
Sera blinked. "Already? Why so sudden?"
"I just—really need to go. I'm sorry," I said quickly, already reaching for my bag.
She remained seated, watching me calmly. "Before you go."
I froze halfway from standing and looked at her.
"What time does your class usually end?"
I hesitated. "Five p.m. Why?"
She tilted her head a little, smiling softly. "No reason. Just curious."
Then, she looked away and said with that same graceful calm, "See you again, Haemin."
I nodded without thinking. "Yeah, see ya," I blurted and rushed toward the exit.
As I hurried out of the restaurant and rushed straight toward the mall's main entrance, my thoughts were spinning in a tangled mess.
See her again? No… that probably won't happen.
I walked faster.
Right?