Chapter 4

“I happened to overhear the writer and PD talking.”

Min-joo looked at him suspiciously for a moment before eventually nodding.

“I’m fine. It was just a minor fender bender.”

He looked at her for a moment before adding in a low voice,

“Even if a traffic accident is minor, it’s better to get checked out at a hospital at least once.”

His tone was calm, but the concern in his eyes made Min-joo’s heart flutter.

Somehow, it felt genuine.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Before he could say anything else, Min-joo hurriedly picked up her pace.

As she climbed the uphill path, putting strength into each step, the sound of his footsteps beside her kept bothering her.

Even though he wasn’t saying a word, she strangely found herself short of breath.

A few minutes passed that felt like hours, and the accommodation building that had seemed so far away finally came into view.

Whether it was because of the heavy suitcase or because walking beside him had drained her energy, all she wanted was to close the door behind her and lie down.

“Well, go on in.”

Just as Min-joo was about to turn around, his low voice stopped her.

“Ms. Seo Min-joo.”

Her steps instinctively stopped at the sound of her name coming from his lips for the first time in ten years.

Her heart sank at the familiar low voice, soft yet deep—the voice she had once wanted so desperately to hear.

She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment to steady her trembling breath.

When she opened them again, her eyes met the camera directly in front of her.

Realizing that her startled expression had probably been captured in full, Min-joo bit the inside of her cheek.

She composed her expression and slowly turned around.

As though he had been waiting for her, Kwon Seok-jun met her gaze, raised one corner of his mouth, and spoke in a low voice.

“Have a good date.”

Beep.

The door to the accommodation closed behind her.

The moment she dropped the suitcase she had been carrying, all the strength drained from her body.

Afraid that she would collapse right there in the entryway if she let her guard down even a little, Min-joo gathered the last of her strength and headed toward the bed.

The moment her knees touched the mattress, she sank onto it.

Only half a day had passed, yet she felt as though she had used up ten days’ worth of energy all at once.

Fortunately, every contestant had been given a private room, so she didn’t have to worry about anyone else watching her.

Of course, there were cameras installed throughout the room.

“Ha…”

Min-joo naturally sat with her back toward the camera and let out a short sigh.

His final words before she entered the accommodation kept replaying in her mind.

Have a good date.

She couldn’t tell whether he had been mocking her, teasing her, or genuinely wishing her well.

Why did he care whether she went on a date or not?

Why had he suddenly appeared and shaken up emotions she had carefully sealed away?

She had been doing so well at forgetting him.

No, she had almost forgotten him…

The Kwon Seok-jun she had encountered after ten years was much calmer than the man in her memories.

That made him feel even more unfamiliar.

And even more uncomfortable.

Her fingertips trembled slightly.

She had only heard him say her name once.

So why was her heart beating so wildly?

Get a grip, Seo Min-joo.

Do you really want to let that man control you again?

Once was enough.

Until she came here, she had only thought of it as something she would casually try because her parents wanted her to.

But after seeing him again, everything had changed.

She was angry at how calmly he treated her with that expressionless face.

More than anything, her pride was hurt.

Because while the wound he had left behind still hadn’t healed, to him, she seemed to be…

nothing.

That was what she found hardest to bear.

So she made up her mind.

She would show him, unmistakably, how happy she was.

I’m doing just fine without you.

Do you really think you’re the only man in the world?

Kwon Seok-jun, I’ll make you realize just how incredible a woman you let go of.

She wanted him to regret it.

Desperately.

To do that, she couldn’t behave as she normally did.

Like the other contestants who had appeared on the program, she had to actively ask men out on dates and make an effort to show off her charms.

She would leave the program as part of a couple with a good man.

So her parents would stop worrying.

So her younger sister wouldn’t have to worry about her anymore.

And most of all, so Kwon Seok-jun would regret his decision bitterly.

“Yes, Seo Min-joo. Let’s show him.”

As though casting a spell over herself, Min-joo muttered the words and firmly pressed her lips together.

Then she stood up and began organizing the suitcase that had been left by itself in the entryway.

In the afternoon, as the sunlight began to slant gently, Min-joo waited for her date at the entrance to the resort’s walking trail.

The hem of her sky-blue dress fluttered lightly in the breeze.

The hair she had retied several times while looking in the mirror still felt awkward, but today, she had to look pretty.

No.

She wanted to look pretty.

Then she heard footsteps behind her.

Min-joo slowly turned around.

Han Sang-ho was approaching with a bright smile.

“Have you been waiting long?”

At his cheerful voice, Min-joo naturally smiled as well.

“No. I just got here.”

Han Sang-ho stopped in front of her and met her eyes.

“When I was walking over, I was surprised when I saw you standing here.”

“Why?”

“Because it looks like we’re wearing matching outfits.”

Only then did Min-joo take a closer look at what he was wearing.

A sky-blue shirt like hers and white cotton pants.

The colors matched surprisingly well, making them genuinely look like a couple.

When he had introduced himself wearing a suit, he had given off a mature, sophisticated air, but seeing him dressed casually like this made him look unmistakably like someone her age.

“You’re right. I guess we’re on the same wavelength.”

“Looks like we’re off to a good start. Shall we go?”

Sang-ho pointed down the path, and Min-joo nodded.

The two walked toward a café inside the resort, chatting amiably along the way.

The café was a cozy space with a view of the sea through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The gentle aroma of coffee filled the air, accompanied by soft jazz music.

The two sat facing each other on the terrace, where cameras had already been set up.

They ordered refreshing iced coffees and looked up at the same time.

Their eyes met.

They both burst out laughing at once.

The cameraman and staff watched the two of them with puzzled expressions.

Han Sang-ho smiled and asked,

“Why did you laugh?”

“Just because. What about you, Sang-ho?”

“I’m happy.”

Min-joo was momentarily speechless.

She had assumed he had simply laughed naturally, just as she had, but his answer was completely unexpected.

“I didn’t think you would choose me based on your first impression.”

“Neither did I.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, may I ask why you chose me?”

In truth, Min-joo had been so shocked by Kwon Seok-jun’s unexpected appearance that she hadn’t even had the chance to properly look at the other male contestants.

Then she remembered Han Sang-ho, whose eyes had met hers during the introductions.

She had simply been drawn to his smile, which made her feel at ease unlike someone else’s.

“I liked the way you smiled, Sang-ho.”

“You liked the way I smile?”

Sang-ho laughed as though he found her answer unexpected.

“If smiling comes naturally to you, that means you probably smile often. When I see someone like that, it somehow puts me in a good mood too.”

“That’s true, but…”

Sang-ho paused to choose his words before smiling gently.

“Strangely, whenever I look at you, I feel like the corners of my mouth rise more often than usual without me even realizing it.”

“I’m not very interesting, though.”

When Min-joo laughed awkwardly, Sang-ho shrugged.

“Then that’s an even bigger problem.”

“Why?”

“If you’re not interesting, but you still make me smile… that means you must really be charming.”

Min-joo chuckled.

His tone was lighthearted, but she could feel the sincerity behind his smile.

And strangely enough, it didn’t make her uncomfortable.

Originally, she had responded enthusiastically to the conversation because she wanted to show Kwon Seok-jun that she was doing just fine.

But the more she talked with Sang-ho, the more she realized that he really seemed like a good person.

She had a good feeling about this.

Could it really be time to forget the past and move forward?

She knew it was too soon to make such a judgment, but the fluttering feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time made her think about all sorts of things.

When the vibration pager on the table went off, Sang-ho quickly stood up and went to get their coffees.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“I should be thanking you. You bought them.”

When they entered the café, Sang-ho’s phone had happened to ring.

He apologized and said he would pay before stepping outside briefly to take the call.

While he was gone, Min-joo quietly went to the counter and paid the bill.

In fact, she had intended to pay from the beginning.

She was grateful that he had chosen her, and more than anything, she was secretly thankful that he had saved her from being embarrassed in front of Kwon Seok-jun.

Talking with Sang-ho was fun.

He had a good sense of humor and knew how to lighten the mood with just the right jokes, while also showing consideration by listening attentively to what she said.

Most of all, their sense of humor matched so well that she laughed for a long time without even remembering that the cameras were filming them.

They were given a short break while the staff replaced the recording tape.

Min-joo took a sip of her iced coffee.

The heat that had built up inside her seemed to cool down a little.

As she set her coffee down, she casually looked out the window.

Two people were walking slowly along the trail beneath the sunset.

One was Na Seon-young, wearing a red dress that revealed the elegant lines of her figure.

And the man walking beside her had a familiar back…

Who is that?

Min-joo narrowed her eyes.

Then, the moment she recognized the man, her face hardened.