The air was chilly. Under the dim glow of the streetlights, Yuna walked slowly, her mind clouded with thoughts. The events of the day had left her with a pounding headache.
Personal assistant…
Today, Hwan had officially tied her to him.
"From now on, you're my personal assistant."
That moment had been replaying in Yuna's mind over and over.
He hadn't even asked her.
Then again, would it have mattered? When Hwan wanted something, it happened.
Beside her, Minji frowned and nudged her arm.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Yuna flinched. "Huh?"
Minji studied her carefully. "You've been talking to yourself for a while now, you know that?"
Yuna paused. Had she really?
Minji crossed her arms. "So, what happened today? Everyone's saying the boss changed, and suddenly you're his assistant. I wasn't at work today, so spill it. What's going on?"
Yuna let out a deep sigh. "It's a long story."
Minji raised a brow. "Don't tell me the new boss is… Hwan."
Yuna stayed silent.
Minji's eyes widened. "Wait—so he kidnapped you, then bought the café, and now he's made you his assistant? Am I the only one who thinks this is a bit too much? Or… is there more to it?"
Yuna lowered her head. "I don't know."
Minji examined her face, then smirked slightly.
"Hwan or Eunwoo?"
Yuna turned to her immediately. "What?"
Minji shrugged. "Which one? I think they both like you."
Yuna blinked in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"
Minji chuckled. "Yuna, are you seriously unaware? Hwan wants to keep you close, and Eunwoo… well, he's always watching you."
"I mean, come on—Hwan literally bought the café just to be near you. That's pretty romantic, don't you think?"
Yuna didn't know what to say.
"It's not exactly like that… Or maybe… Never mind. My head is a mess right now. Can we talk about this later?"
Minji stepped back. "Alright, whatever you want. See you tomorrow then."
Yuna simply nodded with a small smile.
As Minji walked away, Yuna took a deep breath. She needed to clear her mind. But just then—
"Yuna?"
She knew that voice.
Her heart skipped a beat.
When she turned around, Eunwoo was standing there.
There was a faint look of concern on his face. For a few seconds, he just stared at her.
Then, in a low voice, he asked,
"Are you okay?"
Yuna wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat.
Eunwoo gazed into her eyes as if… he was trying to figure her out.
Yuna slowly nodded. "I'm fine."
Then, unexpectedly, Eunwoo asked,
"Want to grab a drink?"
Yuna blinked. "Right now?"
Eunwoo gave a small smile. "Yeah. I could use a distraction too."
She hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.
A Nightclub – Under the Dim Lights
A few minutes later, they stepped into a lively nightclub. The soft music and dim lighting made the atmosphere feel mysterious.
But Eunwoo didn't want to be recognized here.
He pulled his hood over his head and put on a dark mask. People around them were too busy having fun to notice him.
Yuna sat at the bar, lightly touching her glass as she sighed.
"This place is nice," she muttered.
Eunwoo sat across from her, never taking his eyes off her.
"Hwan isn't bothering you anymore, right?"
Yuna hesitated for a second before speaking.
"Well… it's actually worse now. I mean, look—"
She exhaled sharply and said,
"Hwan is my boss now."
Eunwoo's face immediately darkened.
"What?"
Yuna forced a small smile. "He bought the café… and made me his personal assistant."
Eunwoo frowned. "Against your will?"
Yuna shook her head slightly. "I don't know if I'd call it 'against my will' but… he didn't exactly give me a choice."
Eunwoo's jaw tightened, his fists clenching unconsciously.
"So now, you have to work for him?"
Yuna avoided his gaze. "I guess…"
Eunwoo didn't say anything, but his expression said enough.
As the conversation continued, Yuna unknowingly drank more than she should have.
Her glass kept getting refilled, and she didn't stop.
At some point, her vision blurred. She swayed slightly on her seat.
Eunwoo noticed immediately.
"Yuna, that's enough."
But Yuna just giggled softly. "I'm… fine," she slurred, nearly falling over.
Eunwoo caught her before she could. "Alright, we're leaving."
Yuna barely nodded, her eyes struggling to stay open. She could hardly stand.
With a deep breath, Eunwoo helped her outside.
Yuna's Apartment – The Silence of the Night
Half an hour later, the taxi stopped in front of Yuna's apartment.
Eunwoo paid the driver and turned to Yuna, who was still half-conscious.
"Yuna, where's your key?"
Yuna mumbled, barely lifting her head. In a faint voice, she murmured, "In my bag…"
Eunwoo searched through her bag, found the key, and unlocked the door.
Then, without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms.
He carried her inside, quietly shutting the door behind him. The apartment was silent.
Walking into the living room, he carefully set her down on the couch. She was completely relaxed from the alcohol.
He took off her jacket, brushing away the strands of hair that had fallen over her face.
Just then, Yuna whispered something.
"Eunwoo…"