Chapter 15: Yoon Sera

Two days later, Taesan moved into his new apartment. It was a place he'd just bought, a fresh start for him. Dohyun, on the other hand, had become incredibly quiet since his father's sudden death—an event none of us had expected. Taesan's new place was just a 15-minute drive from mine, but the distance felt longer given how everything had changed. He and Dohyun had filed a case, seeking justice. The case fell under the jurisdiction of Chief Investigator Kim Jihoon, with senior detectives Seok Hanbin and Seok Hana—who happened to be twin siblings—taking the lead at the Seoul Gangnam Police Station ans The prosecutor Park Jeonghan. Taesan was a close to Kim Jihoon. He was the son of Kim Jongkook whom I had met once at a restaurant, but back then, Taesan had hidden from me about him that time, Jongkook nim was actually his company's manager. But Taesan had only mentioned that they were neighbors.

Life had become a whirlwind for me. After my classes, I had to rush to The Velvet Fork restaurant for my cooking lessons—two months of intensive training. Zixuan, my friend, was a great help, but still, it was a lot. On top of that, I had a new responsibility: spending time with Mrs. Yeo Suji, Dohyun's mother. She was grieving deeply, not only because she had lost her husband but also because of his betrayal during his lifetime. Her heart was heavy with pain, and I tried my best to be there for her.

One afternoon, during a break at the university, I found a quiet corner on the balcony and sipped my coffee alone. That's when I saw someone approach—not just anyone, but Jeon Eunyeong. Seeing her up close, she was even more stunning than I had imagined. She walked right up to me and, without any hesitation, said, "Yoon Sera, right?"

"Yes," I replied, trying to hide my surprise.

"I'm Jeon Eunyeong. Taesan's ex-girlfriend."

My heart sank a little. So, this was the famous ex. I nodded slightly, unsure of what to say next. But she continued, "I saw a video of you and Taesan, where you two were holding hands in front of everyone. Are you two dating?"

I hurriedly shook my head. "No, no. We're just good friends. That situation was... different."

She leaned in, her expression turning serious. "Because Taesan was playing the overprotective knight in front of his evil mom."

I frowned, feeling a sting at her words. "You shouldn't talk about someone's mother like that."

She offered a quick apology. "Sorry. That was out of line. But I need a favor from you. Since you two aren't dating, can you help me get him back? I still have feelings for him."

"Huh?" I blinked, not sure if I had heard her right.

"Please, just help me," she pleaded, her eyes filled with desperation. "You said you're just friends, right? Taesan used to love me so much. I made a mistake and broke his heart, but I regret it now. Please, help me make things right with him."

She grasped my hand like I was her last hope. I hesitated, imagining how angry Taesan might get if he found out. "He might be upset with me."

"No, he won't even notice. Just bring him to the café near here after your class. When I show up, you can slip away, okay?"

"I don't think it's a good idea…"

"Please, help me. I know deep down he still loves me."

Her insistence left me with no room to argue, and for a moment, I considered that maybe she was right—maybe Taesan still had feelings for her. I reluctantly nodded, and she thanked me profusely before exchanging numbers with me. As soon as she left, Taesan appeared with a drink in his hand. The way he opened the can, so effortlessly cool, made my heart race. He was impossibly handsome, especially with his glasses, but even more so with contact lenses that highlighted his red lips.

I couldn't help but stare, lost in my thoughts. Then he noticed me watching him. He walked over and said with a soft smile, "Do you want a drink? I can get one for you."

I quickly showed him my coffee cup, and he nodded. I gathered my courage and asked, "Taesan, do you have time after class today?"

"Why?"

"I thought... maybe I could treat you to a cold coffee."

He raised an eyebrow, amused. "You said you'd treat me when you got your first part-time paycheck. What's the occasion now?"

"I just... I just want to."

He shrugged. "Okay then. But don't you have your cooking class?"

"I can be a little late. Don't worry."

He agreed, but then suddenly, he stepped closer, his gaze intense. With a gentle touch, he wiped the corner of my lips with his cold finger, whispering, "Kiddo..." My heart skipped a beat as I closed my eyes, trying to steady my racing thoughts. But in my mind, I knew—I couldn't fall for him. Not when his ex was counting on me to help her win him back.

I led Taesan to the small café near our university, the one Jeon Eunyeong had mentioned. My mind was a tangled mess, filled with doubts and questions. I wondered if I was doing the right thing, but I tried to push those thoughts away as we walked in.

The café was cozy and quiet, the perfect place to talk. We found a small table near the window, where the afternoon sun filtered in, casting a warm glow. We sat down, and I tried to keep my expression casual, even though my heart was racing.

"I'll have a cold coffee, please," I told the server, keeping my voice steady.

"Same for me," Taesan added, glancing at me curiously as if sensing something was off. He was relaxed, leaning back in his chair, but his eyes were sharp.

I tried to keep up the small talk, forcing a smile while my thoughts kept wandering to what might happen next. And then, right on cue, the door to the café swung open, and she walked in—Jeon Eunyeong. I watched her spot us and make her way over, her expression determined.

The moment Taesan saw her, his face changed. His usual calm demeanor vanished, replaced by something darker—anger, confusion, hurt. His jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed as if he was trying to make sense of what was happening.

Before he could say anything, I quickly stood up, faking a smile. "Ah, I just got a message from my teacher. They need me back in class right away. I'm so sorry, but I have to go. You two… catch up, okay? She's my close friend. You guys are friends too, right in highschool?"

"Yes. We were really close. If you have an emergency you can go, Sera. I will spend some time here. I thought I would be alone. Now I found someone to talk to." Eunyeong said, I meant acted.

I barely glanced back as I made my way out of the café, feeling a knot form in my stomach. The cool air outside hit my face, and I let out a shaky breath, hoping I had done the right thing. But before I could take another step, I felt a strong grip on my wrist.

I turned around, startled, and there was Taesan, standing right behind me, his face filled with a raw intensity I had never seen before, his eyes boring into mine, and he spoke, his voice low but seething with emotion.

"Don't joke with my life or emotions again," he said, his words biting. "I didn't expect this from you, Sera. You agreed to what she wanted, but you never thought about how I'd feel. You never thought about how I'd react."

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, to explain that I had only wanted to help, but he didn't give me the chance. He let go of my hand abruptly, turning away from me, his shoulders tense with frustration.

Without waiting for my reply, he walked away, leaving me standing there in the fading sunlight, my heart pounding and my mind reeling. The weight of his words crashed down on me, and I realized how deeply I had hurt him. As his figure disappeared down the street, I could feel the sting of unshed tears burning in my eyes, wondering if I had just made a mistake I couldn't take back.

My mind was in turmoil; I couldn't focus on my cooking class. My thoughts kept drifting back to Taesan. I had never seen him react like that before—his expression so hurt, his eyes filled with pain because of what I had done. I desperately wanted to apologize, to explain myself.

By the time I finished class, it was already 8 PM. Outside, the sky had opened up, pouring down a relentless rain. I didn't have an umbrella, and the streets were eerily empty. As I started walking through the rain, cold droplets soaked through my clothes. The buses had stopped running, leaving me no choice but to keep moving forward.

Suddenly, a shiver ran down my spine—I felt like someone was following me. I turned around quickly, scanning the dark streets, but saw no one. Trying to brush off the feeling, I picked up my pace, but that unsettling sensation returned. My heart began to race; this time, I was sure someone was behind me. Then, I heard footsteps, and they were getting closer.

Panic seized me. I broke into a run, not knowing where I was heading, just trying to escape. My shoes slipped off in the rain, and I stumbled onto a deserted road. But the sound of hurried footsteps didn't stop. Out of nowhere, a sharp object whizzed past me, grazing my elbow. A burning pain flared up as blood trickled down, but fear kept me going. I just wanted to get away, to find safety.

And then, suddenly, I crashed into something solid. A person. I looked up and through the rain-soaked blur, I saw Taesan. He was holding an umbrella, his eyes wide with fear and concern. One of his hands gripped my back protectively, while I clung to him desperately, the tears finally breaking free. He didn't ask any questions; he just held me tightly. His grip was warm, steadying my trembling form.

The umbrella slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground, forgotten. With gentle care, he pressed his hand against my bleeding elbow, trying to stop the blood. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around the wound, his hands steady despite the cold.

Without a word, he led me to his nearby apartment. As we reached the door, a chill crept up my spine again, and I caught sight of a shadow behind us. Barely above a whisper, I muttered, "Shadow."

Taesan stiffened, instantly alert. He turned around and bolted after the figure, leaving me by the door. The shadowy figure ran, but there was nowhere left to go. Trapped against a high wall, the figure stopped, breathing heavily. Taesan's voice cut through the rain, sharp and demanding, "Who are you?"

The figure slowly turned, pulling back the hood and removing the mask. It was a girl—no older than a teenager. Taesan's eyes widened, confusion mixing with the determination on his face. He asked again, more gently this time, "Who are you?"

The girl's voice trembled as she answered, "Ryu Jin's daughter... Ryu Jihyo."