When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 7

I finally spoke, my voice quieter than I intended. "Yeah… funny."

She sighed dreamily. "Anyway, I hope you behave tonight. First impressions are everything, you know? Han Wool’s family values grace and elegance."

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to swallow the bitter taste of resentment.

The car came to a slow stop.

"We’re here," Harin announced cheerfully. She reached over, adjusting my hair as if she actually cared. "Try to smile, Ye Na. You wouldn’t want them to think you’re uncomfortable, right?"

I didn’t answer. I simply pushed the door open, stepping into the night air, steeling myself for what was to come.

As I stepped out of the car, a soft gust of wind brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. The estate before me was grand—no, extravagant. A towering mansion with warm lights glowing from within, its tall glass windows reflecting the night sky. Even from outside, I could hear the faint murmur of conversations, the clinking of glasses, the kind of quiet elegance that only the wealthy carried.

Harin, ever the star of the evening, adjusted her ivory dress and stepped forward confidently, her heels clicking softly against the marble pathway. "Come on, Ye Na. Don't just stand there," she called, turning back with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

I inhaled deeply, forcing my feet to move.

The entrance doors were opened by a butler, who gave a polite nod as we walked in. The interior was even more breathtaking. A chandelier hung high above, its crystals shimmering, casting intricate reflections along the walls. The scent of expensive cologne and fresh flowers filled the air.

But something felt off.

I scanned the room, my gaze landing on two figures standing at the center of the grand living room. A tall, elegant woman in a pale blue dress with delicate pearl earrings, her warm smile radiating grace. Beside her stood a man—broad-shouldered, with silver streaks in his hair, exuding an air of quiet authority.

I felt my stomach drop.

These were not the people I expected.

Han Wool's mother? But… that was impossible.

He told me his mother had died.

Yet here she was, standing in front of me, alive and well, smiling as if nothing was out of place.

And his father? This man wasn’t the same father I had seen before.

I barely had time to process when Aunty Joo Won stepped forward, her usual composed and commanding presence effortlessly filling the room.

“Ye Na, come here,” she said, waving us forward with a smooth motion. “I’d like to introduce you properly.”

I forced my feet to move, my mind still reeling.

“This is my niece, Ye Na,” Aunty Joo Won said with a rare softness in her voice. “She is Harin’s cousin, my brother’s daughter.”

The woman—Han Wool’s ‘mother’—let out a delighted gasp.

“Oh, my! She is so pretty!” she exclaimed, stepping closer, her hands clasped together. “What a lovely young lady.”

I blinked, taken aback. This was not the reception I expected.

Harin, standing beside me, stiffened.

She smiled, but I could feel the tension rolling off her. “Yes, she is,” Harin agreed, her voice laced with a sugary sweetness. “Ye Na is quite special.”