When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 1

Ha-ya followed my gaze and grinned. "You know, if you weren’t so busy rejecting every guy who breathes near you, maybe you could be one of those couples over there."

I scoffed. "Not interested."

Seok Kyung smirked. "Not even in, like, a tiny bit of romance?"

I shrugged, playing with my glass. "I have enough stress in my life. I don’t need the headache of dating."

Woo Joon chuckled. "Harsh. But fair."

Just then, a group of people near the bonfire started cheering loudly. Someone had brought out a guitar, and a guy with a deep, husky voice started singing along with the waves.

Ha-ya's eyes lit up. "Oh my God, let’s go!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to flirt again?"

"Shut up and just come with me," she whined, dragging me toward the fire.

As we sat down, the warmth of the flames wrapped around us, the soft strumming of the guitar blending with the night. I found myself relaxing, listening to the music, watching as my friends laughed and chatted with the strangers around us.

The bonfire crackled, sending flickering golden embers into the night sky. A group had gathered around, some sitting on logs, others sprawled on the sand. The salty breeze carried the deep, husky melody of a guy strumming his guitar, his voice rich and smooth as he sang a familiar song. The crowd clapped in rhythm, some swaying, others singing along. The entire atmosphere buzzed with warmth and energy, a stark contrast to the usual sterile, cold hospital walls we were used to.

I sat cross-legged on the sand, my arms resting on my knees as I listened. The music was intoxicating—not in the way alcohol was, but in the way it made you feel alive, like every note was seeping into your skin, making you forget everything else.

Ha-ya, predictably, had managed to secure a prime spot right next to the guitarist, giggling as she playfully nudged him. Woo Joon was tapping his hands against his thighs in beat with the song, while Seok Kyung hummed along softly, a small smile on her lips.

Then, the song picked up pace, and suddenly, someone yelled, “Let’s go!” and the next thing I knew, everyone was clapping and cheering. People got up, dancing barefoot in the sand, arms thrown around each other, laughing and spinning like they had no care in the world.

I felt a nudge.

“Come on, Ye Na!” Ha-ya grinned, holding out her hand.

I shook my head, laughing. “No way.”

But before I could protest further, Woo Joon smirked. “Too late.”

And just like that, they pulled me up.

At first, I was stiff, awkwardly swaying as Ha-ya and Seok Kyung twirled around like they were in a rom-com montage. But then, something in me loosened. Maybe it was the music, or the sound of the waves crashing nearby, or the way everyone around us looked so blissfully happy.

I found myself smiling.

And then, laughing.

I spun with them, letting the energy of the night carry me away. The sand was soft beneath my feet, my skirt flowing with my movements. Seok Kyung grabbed both my hands, and we twirled dramatically, stumbling over our own feet as we burst into uncontrollable giggles. Ha-ya clapped her hands, swaying with the beat, while Woo Joon did a ridiculously bad attempt at breakdancing, making everyone double over in laughter.

The guitarist played faster, people clapped louder, and for the first time in years, I felt light.

I wasn’t just a resident. I wasn’t just the girl burdened by her past, weighed down by expectations.