Chapter 10: Broken Connection

Chapter 10: Broken Connection

The upscale restaurant became tense when a powerful unfamiliar voice started speaking.

"Kim Jenny, didn't you say you were going for a manicure with your best friend? Who is this man?"

The voice contained both disbelief and frustration which made nearby patrons turn their heads. People started turning their heads while rumors spread rapidly when the young man approached. His well-defined facial features showed barely controlled fury while his intense stare focused on Kim Jenny for an answer.

Feng Lao.

The arrival of Feng Lao disrupted the friendly atmosphere that Urek Han and Jenny had shared before. Urek Han sat with a smirk on his face until he straightened his posture to study the new arrival. He recognized right away that this person was not someone she knew casually.

Kim Jenny's body stiffened as she clenched her dress with her hands. A brief expression of guilt appeared on her face before she concealed it with an exaggerated sigh. "Feng Lao, why are you always like this?" Her voice revealed annoyance but she seemed uncertain about something.

Feng Lao paid no attention to her tone as his jaw muscles clenched. Urek received a brief glance from Feng Lao who assessed him with both doubt and unspoken hostility. Then, without waiting for a response, he continued, "I've been calling you, but you ignored me. You have been calling me but I ignored your calls until I discovered you here with him.

His words created a heavy atmosphere in the room. Urek kept his expression blank while tapping his fingers on the table.

Kim Jenny clicked her tongue. "So what? Do you need to have notice of my location everywhere I go?"

Feng Lao's expression darkened. "That's not what I meant, and you know it." His voice dropped slightly, frustration slipping into something deeper. "Jenny… I've been chasing you for half a year. And every time, you brush me off like I don't exist."

A flicker of unease passed through Jenny's expression, but she quickly masked it with indifference. "I never asked you to chase me."

Urek smirked slightly at her response, watching the exchange like an observer at a chess match. He had no personal investment in Feng Lao's heartbreak, but he couldn't deny it was… interesting.

Feng Lao clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palm. His pride, his emotions—everything was unraveling in front of everyone.

Urek finally spoke, his voice smooth but firm. "Let me introduce myself." He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp yet casual. "Urek Han."

Feng Lao's eyes flicked toward him again, uncertainty flashing across his face. He hesitated before reluctantly shaking Urek's extended hand. His grip was tight, as if trying to assert dominance, but Urek remained unfazed.

For a moment, neither spoke. The tension between them thickened. Then Feng Lao exhaled sharply. "You're the one from the livestream, aren't you?"

A lazy smirk tugged at Urek's lips. "So you've heard of me."

Feng Lao scoffed. "Hard not to. You made quite the scene yesterday."

Jenny's expression shifted slightly, but she remained silent, her gaze bouncing between the two men.

Feng Lao, however, wasn't finished. "So… you and Jenny?" His voice held a restrained emotion, as if he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer.

Urek didn't respond immediately. Instead, he let the question linger, watching the emotions flicker across Feng Lao's face. Finally, he said, "That depends on her, doesn't it?"

Kim Jenny stiffened slightly at his words.

Feng Lao clenched his jaw. "I've been chasing Jenny for half a year," he admitted, his voice quieter, tinged with bitterness. "I thought… if I just worked harder, she'd notice me."

Urek tilted his head, observing him closely. "And?"

Feng Lao let out a bitter chuckle. "Nothing. No matter what I do, I'm just… there. Waiting."

Urek crossed his arms, a knowing glint in his eye. "Sounds exhausting."

Feng Lao let out a sharp exhale, rubbing the back of his neck. "You think I don't know that?" He hesitated, then added, almost as if speaking to himself, "But I thought persistence would pay off. I thought if I proved myself, she'd…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

Urek hummed in thought, his gaze steady. Then, with an almost casual finality, he said, "Look, those who abandon us… they just become motivation for us to improve. If she doesn't want you, then let her go. Work on yourself. Strive to make her regret ever overlooking you."

Feng Lao's breath hitched slightly. The words struck deep, almost as if they had unlocked something inside him. He stared at Urek for a moment, processing, then slowly, a flicker of realization dawned in his eyes.

He straightened his posture. "You're right," he muttered. "I'll focus on myself. Earn more money. Get stronger."

From the side, Kim Jenny frowned. "Hey, are you two having some kind of bonding moment over me?"

Urek smirked at her, tilting his head. "What, feeling left out?"

Jenny huffed, crossing her arms. "As if."

But there was something unsettled in her expression.

Urek's smirk widened slightly, but then, his expression cooled. The air around him shifted as his next words erased the playful tone entirely.

"Jenny," he said smoothly, but with an unmistakable edge, "I don't care about your past. But I feel like you don't respect me much… and you don't respect yourself either."

Kim Jenny's lips parted slightly, caught off guard. "What do you—"

Urek reached for the painting she had given him—the one she had supposedly spent all night making. Without hesitation, he lifted it.

Then, right in front of her, he tore it in half.

The sound of ripping canvas cut through the air like a blade.

Jenny's eyes widened in shock. "Urek, you—!"

But it was too late. The pieces fluttered to the ground like fallen leaves.

Urek let them drop without a second glance. His gaze, however, remained locked on her, cool and unwavering.

"You can still use the card from yesterday," he said, voice calm yet distant. "But until you sort out your personal relationships… it's best if we don't meet again."

Kim Jenny stood frozen, staring at the shredded painting at her feet.

She didn't speak. She didn't move.

And just like that, Urek Han turned and walked away.

Urek Han walked the dimly lit streets alone, the cool night air brushing against his skin. His footsteps were steady, his expression unreadable, but inside, his mind was replaying the scene with Kim Jenny. The torn painting. Her shocked expression. The hesitation in her eyes.

His lips curled slightly.

She didn't expect that.

Jenny was used to being pursued, admired, placed on a pedestal where men bent over backward to win her favor. But Urek wasn't interested in playing that game. If anything, he was more curious about how she'd react to losing control for once.

His fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of his pocket as he thought back to the words he had said to her.

"Jenny, I don't care about your past, but I feel you don't respect me much… and you don't respect yourself either."

The moment he had said it, he saw something shift in her eyes. A crack in that polished, confident demeanor of hers. But whether she understood the meaning behind his words… that remained to be seen.

He exhaled deeply, his breath visible in the cold air.

Women are… truly unpredictable.

His gaze drifted toward the sky. The city lights drowned out the stars, but he didn't need them to guide him. His steps knew their destination.

Home.

Tonight wasn't about Kim Jenny.

It was about what he had learned from the encounter.

Urek Han pushed open the door to his shared apartment, the faint creak of the hinges barely registering in his ears. The place was dimly lit, his roommates either asleep or preoccupied elsewhere. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click, and leaned against it for a brief moment, exhaling slowly.

His mind was still caught in the aftershock of what had happened tonight. Not just the confrontation, but the realization it had sparked.

I can't indulge women too much.

He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers grazing his scalp as he processed the thought.

If he let them, they'd take advantage of him. Not necessarily out of malice—no, women like Kim Jenny were simply used to men bending over backward for them. It was a natural habit, a learned expectation.

But Urek had no intention of being another name on her list of admirers.

He smirked slightly to himself, tossing his jacket onto his chair as he strode toward his desk. His phone buzzed just as he sat down, the glow of the screen illuminating his sharp features. He picked it up, expecting yet another message from Jenny—or perhaps even Feng Lao, still licking his wounds.

But the name on the screen made his eyebrows lift slightly.

Lu Jisu…?💞

His smirk deepened as he tapped the notification, opening the app. A live stream flickered onto his screen, the familiar figure of Kim Jisu appearing in perfect clarity.

Oh? So, the school flower is streaming tonight?

Urek leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers against the armrest. The tension from earlier began to fade, replaced by a new kind of amusement.

Maybe tonight wasn't a loss after all.