She blinked slowly.
Does he still remember me? Or... am I just imagining it all?
Meanwhile Kim Taehyung lay on his bed, one arm tucked behind his head, the other holding his phone above his face. The screen glowed directly on his face.
He hovered over a name.
Sooyaa.
His thumb lingered over the call button.
"Should I call?" he murmured to himself, staring at her name like it held all the answers. "But… what would I even say?"
He sighed, pressing the back button. Then went back to her contact. Then closed it again.
Opened it. Closed it.
It had been like this for ten minutes.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them and pressed her name once more.
Dial.
...Then cancel.
He groaned and threw the phone lightly on the pillow beside him. "What am i doing.....huuhh sleep Taehyung just sleep."
Next morning Kang Hye-jin adjusted the strap of her handbag and slowed down as she passed the small pastry shop just beside the office. The sweet aroma of freshly baked bread and cream drew her in.
She stepped inside and scanned the neatly arranged display.
"Do I take this one... or that one? Ugh, everything looks so delicious," she muttered under her breath, biting her lip while eyeing a strawberry cream tart.
Just then...
A familiar voice, warm and teasing, whispered in her ear from behind.
"Good morning…"
Hye-jin froze mid-reach.
Her eyes widened slightly, slowly turned her head to the side.
As Kang Hye-jin finally reached for her choice, a warm breath tickled her ear and a low, familiar voice whispered,
"Good morning..."
Startled, she turned around.
"Yeonjun?" she said, blinking.
He gave a lazy grin.
"Morning pastry's not bad."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Are you stalking me?"
Yeonjun tilted his head playfully.
"Do you think I'd need to?"
"Ugh, whatever." Hye-jin rolled her eyes, then glanced back at the display.
"So, you're also here to buy pastries?"
"Maybe," he said, stepping beside her. "Let's take this one."
She looked at the pastry he pointed to and smiled.
"Oh wow, yes this one's really good. You've got good taste."
Yeonjun turned to her, and in a voice just low enough to barely hear, he said,
"Yeah... I have good taste."
The cashier smiled and said, "Your bill is 5,000 Won."
Just as Kang Hye-jin reached into her purse to pull out her card, a sleek platinum card slid across the counter.
She blinked and looked up. "You didn't need to pay," she said, her tone a mix of surprise and annoyance.
Yeonjun offered a soft smile. "But I wanted to."
Hye-jin didn't argue. She simply took the pastry bag from the counter. "Thanks," she mumbled and turned, walking out of the shop without looking back.
Yeonjun stood there for a moment, watching the glass door slowly close behind her. Then, almost under his breath, he whispered, "Bye…"
Just then, his phone buzzed.
He pulled it out and answered, "Yes, Taehyung?"
Taehyung's voice came through calmly, "Did you find anything?"
Yeonjun glanced toward the CCTV on the side wall. the staff member was still rewinding the footage. "I'm there only. They're pulling up the security feed now. Just waiting for it to load."
"Alright," Taehyung said. "Let me know the moment you see something. Even the smallest detail might help."
Yeonjun nodded slightly, eyes still on the screen. "Yeah... I will."
He hung up and slipped the phone back into his coat. The staff member called him over.
Then, a voice called from behind the counter. "Sir!"
Yeonjun turned back, brows raised. "Yes? Did
you get something?"
The staff member says with a low tone "CCTV footage."
END OF CHAPTER.