DID SHE JUST CATCH ME OFF GUARD?

Seo Joon loved quiet mornings.And this was supposed to be one of those mornings.

He had woken up early, sipped his black coffee while watching the untouched snow on the slopes through the large glass windows of his villa, and then got ready for another day on his snowboard.

Dressed in a black ski jacket, dark gloves, and a high-quality helmet—of course, he never settled for anything less—his gear was neatly arranged, every strap and buckle perfectly adjusted. He was prepared to spend another day in peaceful solitude, gliding down the white trails without a single unnecessary distraction.

But then, she appeared.

"Excuse me, can I ask you something?"

Seo Joon looked up from where he was standing beside his snowboard.

A girl stood before him.

Tall, slender, with striking blue eyes and tousled honey-colored hair peeking out from under her white ski cap. She didn't look like a complete beginner, but she also didn't seem like she was here just for the sport.

She wore a black ski jacket with red details, form-fitting ski pants, and white gloves—simple, yet elegant. Confident, but not overbearing.

Seo Joon gazed at her, his expression unreadable. "Depends on what you're asking."

She smiled, completely unfazed by his cold tone.

"Well, you see…" She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head slightly. "I don't have my snowboard today, but I'd really love to take a ride. So I was wondering—how should I put this—can I borrow you?"

Seo Joon blinked.

"…Excuse me?"

She pointed at his snowboard. "I meant… can you take me for a ride?"

He stared at her in silence for a few seconds, trying to determine whether she was joking.

"You know…" she continued, "you look like someone who knows what they're doing. And I love adventures."

Seo Joon shook his head. "So you just walked up to the first guy you saw and asked him to take you for a ride?"

"Not the first," she said with a playful grin. "The first one who looked interesting."

Seo Joon rolled his eyes.

This was probably the strangest thing that had ever happened to him on the slopes.

Yet, instead of rejecting her outright, for some reason, he simply said, "Do you even know how to hold on?"

Her grin widened. "Of course! Just tell me when to jump on."

Seo Joon sighed. Why was he agreeing to this?

"Fine. Hold on tight. If you fall, it's not my responsibility."

"Deal!"

And before he could even reconsider, she stepped closer, wrapped her arms around his neck, and—wrapped her legs around his waist.

Seo Joon froze.

What.

"Alright, let's go!" she said cheerfully.

He blinked. "Are you serious?"

"Well, I did say I'd hold on tight!"

Seo Joon closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and decided to just get it over with.

He launched off down the slope, maintaining his balance as she laughed.

Not just laughed—she screamed with laughter.

"This is amazing! Faster, faster!"

"If we go any faster, we'll crash into a tree."

"Then just avoid the tree! You're so serious!"

Seo Joon gritted his teeth. Why did I agree to this?!

A few minutes later – End of the slope

As soon as they stopped, Seo Joon raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you done with your experiment?"

She jumped off him, still laughing. "You know what? I think I'll hire you full-time."

He crossed his arms. "I don't work for free."

"Nothing is free, but you know what's the best part?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure you'll tell me."

She winked. "Now I have the best story to tell people—that I got a ride from a serious, handsome Korean guy who looks like he walked out of a K-drama."

Seo Joon was speechless.

She laughed again. "Since you were so kind, I owe you a drink. Hot chocolate?"

He stared at her for a few seconds, then simply shook his head.

"No, thanks. I already have enough chaos in my life."

He turned and walked toward another trail, ignoring the knowing smile on her face.

He knew—absolutely knew—that this wouldn't be the last time he saw her.

That Evening

Seo Joon was certain it had been a random encounter—a hyperactive foreigner looking for a thrill, nothing more. People came and went at places like this.

But, of course, he was wrong.

That evening, after several hours on the slopes, he decided to visit one of the luxury cafés at the resort.

The place was elegant, with warm wooden interiors, a fireplace in the corner, and the scent of freshly baked croissants. People sat at tables, sipping wine or hot chocolate, laughing, and unwinding after a long day.

Seo Joon wasn't here to socialize.

He only wanted one thing—black coffee.

Sitting by the window, he enjoyed the silence and the view of the mountain, his hands wrapped around the warm cup.

And just as he thought this would be a peaceful evening…

"Hey! There you are!"

Seo Joon flinched.

Before he could even process what was happening, she appeared out of nowhere and—without hesitation—sat across from him.

That bright smile, messy honey-colored hair, and the red ski jacket now replaced with a stylish beige sweater that fit her too well.

She looked…

Seo Joon swallowed.

Beautiful.

Which, of course, only annoyed him more.

"You," he said slowly, staring at her.

"Me!" she responded cheerfully, as if they had known each other forever.

"…Why are you here?"

"Why are you here?" she countered, raising an eyebrow.

"This is my table."

"And now it's mine too," she said casually, reaching for his coffee and taking a sip.

Seo Joon stared in shock. "Did you just—steal my coffee?"

"Well, you didn't look like you were going to drink it anytime soon."

He took a deep breath. "You can't just sit at people's tables and drink their coffee."

"Why not?"

"Because… because it's not normal!"

She shrugged. "Depends on how you look at things."

Seo Joon shut his eyes for a second, trying to stay calm.

Then, he looked at her again.

"What's your name?" he asked, suspicious.

"Lena," she answered with a grin. "And you?"

"Seo Joon."

"Seo Joon… Nice name!" she said enthusiastically. "You have such a serious face for someone with such a cute name."

Seo Joon just stared at her. This girl was unbelievable.

"How old are you?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Twenty-two."

Seo Joon choked on his coffee.

Coughing, he struggled to catch his breath while Lena watched him in amusement.

"Wow," she said, leaning on the table. "That reaction tells me you're older than I thought."

He finally managed to inhale.

"Twenty-two?!"

"Yeah, why?"

Seo Joon ran a hand over his face. "You're practically a child."

Lena scoffed. "Excuse me, grandpa, I didn't know I needed a senior citizen card to talk to you."

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

What did I do to deserve this?

When he opened them again, Lena was still smiling.

"What?" he asked, exhausted.

"Nothing," she said. "I just think I'm going to have a lot of fun while you're here."

The evening was passing by, and Seo Joon started to feel like he was trapped in some kind of bizarre movie.

After Lena drank his coffee—and after he barely survived the shock of realizing that she was actually twenty-two (which made him feel as old as a dinosaur)—their conversation continued in an animated tone. Lena was like the wind—unpredictable, witty, and his complete opposite in every way.

After teasing him a few more times about being "old" and "out of shape," Jihoon realized that, if nothing else, he could no longer ignore her playful nature.

"Okay, okay," he finally said, calmly, watching as Lena tried to snatch the last piece of cake from the table. "It's time for me to go. It's late."

"You're leaving?" Lena raised her eyebrows, holding the piece of cake in her hand as if she was preparing to save it for later.

"Yes," he said, feeling like he needed to leave before completely losing his patience. "So, this was… an interesting conversation, but I really need to get some sleep."

Lena immediately shook her head. "You can't go yet! I haven't even told you how I did on my high school exams!"

"I'm a little too old for those kinds of stories, you know?"

"Well, I wouldn't say so. Who cares that you're almost 40—there's always time for fun!"

Seo Joon imagined how old and exhausted he must sound, and Lena obviously sensed it because she immediately started laughing.

"Careful not to collapse from stress," she teased, and Seo Joon had the distinct feeling that he had finally figured her out—she was absolutely determined to throw him off balance.

"Actually, if I don't leave now, I'll wake up the whole hotel with my snoring," he said calmly.

"Pfff," Lena scoffed. "So what? You'll snore like a bear! Who cares?"

Seo Joon shook his head and got up from the table. "Look, I think I should just—"

But before he could finish his sentence, Lena jumped up from her chair and blocked his path.

"You think I'm just going to let you leave?! No way! If you leave now, I'll never talk to you again!"

Seo Joon looked at her and then thought that maybe he shouldn't act like a completely typical Korean businessman with no sense of humor or fun.

"Then what do you want?" he asked, raising his hands in surrender, as if giving in. "Do you really think I'll stay because of your… high school story?"

"Well, of course," she said, redirecting his attention back to the table. "Just stay for another 10 minutes. 10 minutes of your precious time…"

"Isn't it your precious time too? I mean, you took my hiking trail, drank my coffee, stole my cake…"

Lena threw her hands up in the air. "Well, of course! But… one last question! Have you ever had a hot cocktail in your life?"

"A hot cocktail? What's that supposed to be?"

"Yes! It's like a cocktail, but… in a hot version. A true miracle! And it warms you up, as a bonus!"

"Oh… thanks?"

Lena was already halfway to the bar, ordered two cocktails, and brought them back to the table. "Here! Try it! To your health, Mr. Serious Korean!"

Seo Joon looked at the drink. "Actually… this isn't bad."

But at that moment, Lena just smiled, clearly proud of her 'plan.'

"Well, looks like you stayed longer than you thought, huh?"

Seo Joon thought that everything had turned slightly chaotic. This vacation wasn't at all what he had planned. It was just more of her energy and laughter than he thought he could handle.

"So… the hot cocktail was a trick, and you just stole a few more minutes of my time?"

"Well, I admit… I confused you a little. But, you see, you're a great guy, and that's what really matters. You like it here, and I might even have to escort you to your room if you don't know where you're going!"

Seo Joon looked at her face, which was both innocent and full of mischief. It was obvious—she wasn't going to stop. Somehow, she had entered his world.

"Okay, now I really feel like I'll never get any peace," he said, shrugging. "You talk enough for three lifetimes!"

"Well, yeah! That's life, my dear Korean! When you relax, everything goes much easier!"