When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 7

Harin’s eyes landed on me, and for a brief second, I saw it.

The smirk hidden behind her perfect smile.

She walked up to me, hands reaching for mine as if we were long-lost sisters. “Oh, Ye Na!” she gasped, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “You look… amazing!”

A pause.

A tiny tilt of her head.

“Though… I was expecting something more delicate.”

I didn’t react. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

She squeezed my hands and leaned in.

“You should be happy, you know?” she whispered. “You get to watch the most important moment of my life up close.”

I forced a smile. “How lucky of me.”

She giggled, pulling back, her eyes glimmering with amusement.

“Shall we go?” my uncle finally spoke, voice firm. “We shouldn’t keep Han Wool’s family waiting.”

And just like that, the conversation was over.

We stepped outside, where the sleek black car was already waiting.

The driver opened the door, and Harin slid in first, her presence filling the space effortlessly. I followed, settling into the cold leather seat beside her.

As the car pulled away, the city lights blurred past the window, but my mind was elsewhere.

I was heading straight to his house.

To his family.

And worst of all… to the man who didn’t even remember me.

The car ride was suffocating.

Harin sat beside me, her voice a soft melody of adoration as she talked about Han Wool non-stop.

"Ah, Ye Na, you should’ve seen him last week," she gushed, her hands delicately adjusting the folds of her dress. "He took me to this beautiful restaurant. So exclusive that you need reservations months in advance! But of course, with Han Wool’s connections, we got in effortlessly."

I stared out the window, gripping my dress tightly. The city lights blurred as we passed them, my mind trying to shut out her voice.

"And you know what?" she continued, giggling. "He even picked out a dress for me! Isn’t he just the sweetest?"

I forced a small hum in response, unwilling to give her the reaction she was fishing for.

Harin pouted playfully. "You’re so quiet, Ye Na. Are you nervous? It’s understandable. After all, you’re finally meeting my fiancé’s family."

Her fiancé.

I clenched my jaw, my nails digging into the fabric of my dress. The words felt like knives in my skin, cutting deeper with every mention.

"My parents adore him," she went on, twirling a loose strand of hair. "I mean, how could they not? He’s everything a woman could want—handsome, successful, and so attentive. Sometimes, I feel like the luckiest person alive."

I turned slightly, giving her a sidelong glance. Her smile was syrupy sweet, but her eyes held that familiar glint—one that screamed victory.

"Isn’t it funny, though?" she mused suddenly, tilting her head. "The world is so small. Who would have thought you and I would end up living under the same roof again?"