{KOREAN-ENGLISH}
Joon So Min froze.
She hadn't realized she left the sketchbook out,that sketchbook. Her eyes widened in embarrassment.
He was holding it.
She didn't want him to see it... not now... not ever.
"How did you—?" she asked nervously, moving toward him.
"The man in this drawing... it's not me?" Lee Seo Jun raised a brow, his tone unreadable.
"No!" she blurted quickly, turning her face away.
"Then who is it, So Min?" he stepped forward, gently grabbing her arms to make her face him.
"It's you, okay? It's always been you," she admitted, cheeks burning. "I just didn't want you to see them and think I'm... desperate."
Lee Seo Jun laughed, his earlier jealousy melting away. That was all he needed to hear.
"I get it," he said with a grin. "After all, no one else could look this devilishly good."
So Min rolled her eyes at his narcissism.
"You're insufferable," she muttered, turning away. "Your food's getting cold."
She picked up the bowls and handed his to him.
"It smells amazing," he said, taking a bite of the noodles with a satisfied hum. "Perfect, just like you."
So Min let out a small laugh.
"I like your hair now," he added, "but I kinda miss it longer."
So Min shot him a glare. "Stop teasing me."
But then her voice changed.
"Seo Jun."
He looked up, instantly sensing the shift in her tone.
"What about... An Nari?"
He paused, then spoke firmly. "She won't be a problem. You dropped the charges against her father, and he'll still face punishment for the things he did with Kang Seung. But they're finished."
So Min nodded slowly, though her face showed concern.
"Don't pity them, So Min," he said. "They tried to destroy you."
Silence lingered. Lee Seo Jun could tell she still had compassion,perhaps too much of it.
"Min Jun told me you're working on your own fashion line?"
So Min blinked, surprised. She hadn't told him that.
"It's still early," she replied cautiously.
"Well, I'll be the proudest boyfriend when your brand takes over the market," he said, eyes gleaming with pride.
So Min laughed softly. The word "boyfriend" clung to her heart, warming it.
Yes, they were back.
⸻
Joon So Min sat alone in a small convenience store, a grey sweater clinging to her, a sandwich in hand and her mood low. She chewed in silence, sipping on a juice box as her phone lit up.
Lee Seo Jun calling.
She stared at it, unsure, hesitating.
The call ended before she could decide.
Sighing, she stood and began packing up only
for the skies to burst open above her.
Rain poured. Hard.
She paused by the glass door, frustration mounting.
It had been a long, draining day. Drama at Seo Jun's house, emotional whiplash from her own thoughts, and now the rain?
Then she looked up.
Her heart stopped.
There, standing in the middle of the downpour, was Lee Seo Jun.
His suit was soaked, hair wet, eyes locked on hers. He didn't move. He just stood there.
People stared at him, whispering, confused why a man would stand so calmly in the pouring rain.
So Min didn't wait.
She ran out, water drenching her in seconds.
"What are you doing here?!" she shouted, her voice almost drowned out by the rain.
"I'm here for you!" he shouted back.
"The rain...let's go!" she said, and they both sprinted through the rain, just like that unforgettable night in the past.
Déjà vu hit them both.
So Min's mind flashed to their first real moment together,under the rain, when it all started.
They finally reached his car, breathless and dripping. Inside, the air felt warmer, but only barely.
"Why would you stand in the rain like that, Seo Jun?" she scolded, brushing water from her eyes. "You'll get sick!"
He smiled. "You're soaked too."
She rolled her eyes. "That's not the point."
He suddenly turned to her, face serious.
"So Min," he said quietly.
She met his eyes.
"I'm getting married tomorrow."
Her breath caught. Her smile was tight. "Good for you. Came to invite me personally?"
"Yes," he said at first,then quickly corrected himself at her glare. "No...I mean, not like that. I'm not really marrying her."
She frowned. "What?"
He pulled out his phone and showed her audio clips, screenshots, and messages. Conversations between Kang Seung and Mr. An. Evidence of their plot.
"They were behind the online attacks. The leaks. The breakup. Everything."
So Min's mouth fell open in shock.
"I'm exposing everything tomorrow at the wedding," he added. "They wanted to marry into the family, divorce me, and take the company."
She looked at him, speechless. "And what do you need me for, then?"
Seo Jun's eyes softened.
"I need my girlfriend back. Not a contract girlfriend. Not a fake label. Just you, So Min. Only you."
Her heart skipped.
He held her gaze. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
Silence stretched. He looked nervous for the first time.
"If..." she paused.
"If?" he asked.
"If you promise to eat Jokbal with me," she smirked.
He blinked, confused. "Jokbal?"
"Pig's feet."
He blinked again,then laughed. "I'll eat the whole farm if that's what it takes."
She giggled, and just like that, her heart let him back in.
⸻
Later that evening, So Min sat on her couch in a clean sweater, eating another sandwich.
"Dae and Mom went to Namsangol to visit Grandma," she said casually.
"Hm," Seo Jun responded, lounging beside her.
"When are they back?" he asked.
"Tomorrow. Maybe the next day."
"Great. I'm staying over."
She gave him a dry look. "You're not even asking?"
"I'm informing you," he smirked.
She rolled her eyes. "Let's just watch a movie."
"Want me to rent out the whole cinema?" he teased.
"No! Just sit still. We're watching something here."
Seo Jun settled back, a rare smile tugging at his lips.
He had her back.
And for tonight, that was all that mattered.