When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 7

He leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. “Ah,” he exhaled softly, finally breaking eye contact, as if deciding I wasn’t all that interesting after all. “Yeah. I kind of did.”

Kind of?

My fingers curled into my lap.

"Didn’t expect it’s someone related to you.”

Harin giggled, pleased by his response. “What a small world, huh?”

I barely heard her.

The rest of the dinner blurred into background noise.

Laughter. Clinking glasses. Conversations I couldn’t bring myself to focus on.

But I felt everything.

I felt Harin’s hand resting on Han Wool’s arm, the way she leaned into him like they belonged together. I felt the weight of Aunt Joo Won’s gaze on me, like she is confused.

And most of all, I felt Han Wool’s presence—so close yet impossibly far.

I barely touched my food.

I barely breathed.

“Ye Na, eat some more.” Han Wool's mom's voice pulled me from my daze. “I had the chef prepare a special menu tonight. It’d be a shame if you left hungry.”

I forced a polite smile. “I’m fine.”

Harin pouted dramatically. “Unnie, you’re always like this. You don’t eat properly, no wonder you’re so thin.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

She didn’t care about my health. She just wanted to make a show of being the perfect, concerned cousin.

Han Wool, who had been sipping his wine, let out a small chuckle. “That’s ironic, coming from you.”

Harin gasped. “Oppa! Are you calling me thin?”

His lips curled into a teasing smirk. “I’m saying you act like you eat a lot when you probably take two bites and call it a meal.”

The table chuckled, and Harin swatted his arm playfully.

They looked so comfortable with each other.

So familiar.

As if they belonged in each other’s world.

I gripped my fork so tightly my knuckles turned white.

Aunt Joo Won turned her attention back to Han Wool’s parents. “I heard the wedding date is set?”

His mother beamed. “Yes. We’ve settled on a date three months from now. Everything is already in motion.”

Harin giggled. “Of course! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event. Everything has to be perfect.”

Han Wool didn’t react.

He simply took another sip of his drink, his expression unreadable.

I watched him carefully.

Something felt… off.

He wasn’t opposed to the marriage, but he wasn’t particularly invested in it either.

Why?

If he had moved on so easily, shouldn’t he be excited? Shouldn’t he be happy?

A strange feeling crept up my spine.

Something about all of this was wrong.

And I was going to find out what.

The room was suffocating.