Once Love Begins - Chapter 20. Part 4

Chapter 20. Part 4

His words echoed in my head and my heart began to race faster than it had when I first saw him waiting outside the school. I tightened my seatbelt and turned my eyes out the window, trying to calm myself.

“…Do you still wear it?” he suddenly asked, breaking the silence that had settled in the car. His voice was gentle but curious as he glanced over at me while the car idled at a red light.

“Wear what?”

I asked, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. The warmth in the car seemed to intensify.

“You know, the little chick pajamas,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Oh… no, I don’t wear them anymore,” I lied, my face growing even hotter.

*I wore it last night.*

“They suited you. You were so cute in them,” he added, his tone soft but with a playful smile.

I tried to ignore the way my heart skipped a beat at his words, but the memory of those pajamas and how comfortable I felt in them made me smile despite myself.

I looked at him, catching the hint of disappointment on his face before I quickly turned my head to hide the growing warmth in my cheeks.

“Should I buy you a new pair?” he teased, his voice light.

“N-no, thank you! Why would you buy me pajamas? And can we please stop talking about it?”

I stammered, feeling even more embarrassed. I made a mental note to throw out the pajamas as soon as I got home. He had noticed how red my face had become, and I wished I could disappear.

“Alright, I’ll drop it,” he said, still laughing.

His laughter, deep and warm, filled the car. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, and for a moment, I froze. He looked… genuinely happy. His smile was so bright, so radiant, that it was hard to believe this was the same Cha Kang-jae I had known.

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt my face grow even warmer than before.

“Thank you… for the flowers,” I said quietly, trying to shift the conversation.

“Do you like flowers?” he asked, a gentle smile still lingering on his lips.

“…Yes, I do,” I admitted, clutching the bouquet a little tighter.

An awkward silence settled between us again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was just… different.

I looked at his hands holding the wheel. The veins on the back of his hands were visible, almost mesmerizing. Every time his hand moved, the veins moved and changed shape, and for a moment I found myself wanting to reach out and touch them.

“Uh… tteokbokki?” I answered, a bit flustered.

I hadn’t eaten tteokbokki in a long time because of its red color – it reminded me too much of the past. But recently, when I made it at home with Hana and Jae-ho, I realized that I could handle it again. Since then, I have eaten it at least twice a week, relieved that the memories no longer suffocated me.

“Tteokbokki? Should we go get some, then?” he offered casually.

“Sure,” I nodded.

“Where should we go?” he asked, turning the car in the direction I indicated.

“Weren’t we supposed to have a proper meal? Is tteokbokki okay with you?” I asked, concerned.

“Yeah, I like tteokbokki too,” he said with a smile.

*That’s a lie,*

I thought to myself. I had never seen him eat tteokbokki. When we were younger, I remember eating it with his sister Kang-hee, but he had never touched the food. Still, I let it pass, wondering if things had changed for him, too.

He had always said he didn’t like street food, but I decided not to mention it. When I gave him directions to the tteokbokki place I had recently discovered, he just nodded without complaining. I had planned to come here with Hana and Jae-ho, so I felt a slight pang of guilt like I was betraying my friends by going without them.

But that feeling didn’t last long, especially under the warm spring sun. I couldn’t help but smile as we drove along.

“Is that it?” he asked.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, that’s the place,” I confirmed, noticing the long line of people in front of the shop.

“Is that all part of the line?” he asked, sounding a bit surprised.

“It’s a famous spot,” I explained.

“…Have you been here before? With someone?” he asked, his tone light but curious.

“No, this is my first time,” I replied honestly.

A small but genuine smile appeared on his face and for a moment my heart skipped a beat.

*Why is he smiling like that?*

I thought, my chest tightening unexpectedly.

“Let’s get out,” he said, unbuckling his seatbelt.

Feeling a bit flustered, I nodded and followed him out of the car.

I stood with him at the end of the line and watched the people in front of us waiting for their turn. Suddenly, I wondered if it was a mistake to suggest tteokbokki. Was it fair to make him wait in line for street food when he was so busy?

“Maybe we should go somewhere else,” I suggested hesitantly.

“Why? You said you like tteokbokki,” he replied, looking at me.

“…It might take a while,” I said, feeling guilty for keeping him here.

“That’s fine. I’m here with you. It could take longer, and I wouldn’t mind,” he said calmly.

His words made my heart skip, and I could only nod in response.

After waiting nearly an hour, we finally got inside and ordered. Watching him in his suit, delicately handling the metal chopsticks on the table, felt surreal. He seemed completely out of place like he didn’t belong in this bustling, casual tteokbokki shop. I noticed a few people glance at him before quickly looking away. His presence naturally drew attention, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“Isn’t this uncomfortable for you?” I asked, watching him as he effortlessly ate the tteokbokki.

“What is?” he asked, looking genuinely confused.

I couldn’t help but stare as he continued eating. His movements were so precise as if he were dining on a gourmet dish rather than a simple street food. He didn’t spill a single drop of sauce, eating with the same elegance as if it were a steak dinner. It was oddly mesmerizing.

“People keep staring at you,” I said, trying to explain my discomfort.

“…Does that bother you?” he asked, his tone serious, as if ready to get up and leave if I said yes.

“No, I mean, aren’t you uncomfortable?” I quickly corrected it.

He turned his head slowly, looking at the people around us as if to assess the situation.

“If you’re okay, then I’m okay,” he replied, emphasizing the word *oppa* in a way that made my cheeks flush with warmth.

I lowered my head and concentrated on my plate. The sight of him in his suit, bent over the small, low table, eating tteokbokki, was so out of place that I had to stifle a laugh. I knew he noticed, but I kept my eyes on the food in embarrassment. This was supposed to be the best tteokbokki in town, something I’d been craving for so long, but now I could barely taste it.

“This is good,” he remarked, breaking the silence.

“R-right? It’s supposed to be famous,”

I mumbled, feeling a little self-conscious as I picked at my food. The whole situation felt unreal – sitting here with him, eating tteokbokki like this.

When we walked out after eating, he kept mentioning how good the tteokbokki was, but I could barely remember what it tasted like. I just nodded absentmindedly, still feeling out of sorts.

“Yeonwoo?”

A voice called out, and I paused, unsure of who it was. Before I could react, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.

“Oh, Hyung-woo, right? Here for tteokbokki?” he asked.

“Yes,” the guy replied, clearly recognizing him as well. He was a junior I had spoken with briefly during class, though we weren’t particularly close. It looked like he had come with some friends to enjoy the famous tteokbokki.

“Tteokbokki’s good, isn’t it?” my companion said, maintaining the small talk.

“Yeah, this is my second time here, but there are way more people this time. I’ve been waiting for about an hour,” Hyung-woo replied, sounding a bit exasperated by the long wait.

I wasn’t sure how to continue the conversation, I felt uncomfortable, so I just looked at him in silence, hoping this would end soon.

“But, who’s this?” Hyung-woo suddenly asked, his gaze flicking between us.

Hyung-woo asked who he was, even though it was clear he already knew. The rumors had been spreading for a while. I bit my lip, feeling the awkwardness of the situation.

“He’s… my husband,” I replied, my voice soft but clear.

“Oh! I see,”

Hyung-woo stammered, clearly flustered, as if realizing he had overstepped. I forced a smile in response.

“Enjoy your tteokbokki,” I said, hoping to end the encounter quickly.

“Will do. See you at school,” he replied, still looking a bit sheepish.

As we walked away, I felt the grip on my shoulder tighten slightly. He pulled me closer and there was an unmistakable lightness in his tone as he said,

“Let’s go.”

There was something about his mood that seemed… happy.

*Was the tteokbokki really that good?*

I wondered. Maybe he loved it as much as he claimed.

The thought made me laugh inwardly until I suddenly realized the absurdity of it.

*Why am I thinking about coming back here with him?*

I froze for a moment, my face growing serious as the weight of my thoughts settled in.

Even after getting into the car and arriving back at my place, my thoughts were a tangled mess, refusing to settle.

“Go on inside,” he said gently, and I hugged the yellow bouquet tighter, looking up at him.

“…Are you going back to work?”

I asked, surprising myself with the question. I didn’t know why I even asked – it wasn’t necessary, and yet the words had slipped out before I could stop them. I felt my eyes widen in embarrassment.

“No, I need to check on Kiwi at home,” he replied casually.

“Oh… how’s Kiwi doing?” I hadn’t seen the dog since I moved out.

“She’s grown a lot. Do you want to see her?” he asked, his voice light.

“I can bring her over next time, or if you want, you can come by the house and see her now.”

“N-no, next time,” I replied quickly, almost agreeing to go over without thinking.

I wasn’t sure why the thought of seeing Kiwi—or maybe being near him in that old, familiar setting—made me hesitate.

“Really?” he asked softly, a hint of surprise in his tone.

“Yeah,” I replied, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, feeling his gaze linger on the gesture.

“Go on inside,” he urged again, his voice gentle.

I hesitated, and he noticed.

“Goodnight,” he added, his eyes watching me closely.

I couldn’t bring myself to respond. Instead, I blurted out,

“Hey, um…”

“Yeah?” he asked, his brows lifting slightly.

“If you’re not too busy… would you like to walk with me for a bit? I ate a lot, and my stomach feels a little… unsettled,” I rambled, feeling embarrassed to stop him.

“Not busy at all. I’ve got plenty of time,” he replied, and before I could say anything else, he gently took the bouquet from my hands and put it back in the car. Then, with a determined stride, he closed the car door and walked over to me.

*There it is again,*

I thought as my heart skipped a beat, reacting to his presence.