When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 18

He exhaled sharply and shook his head. “Unbelievable.”

I grinned sheepishly. “At least it was a good performance, right?”

Han Wool let out a long sigh, looking exhausted. He didn’t even say anything else. Instead, he just put the car in drive and started pulling away from the hospital.

I slumped back into the seat, relieved.

Crisis averted.

Even if my dignity was now lying somewhere in the hospital parking lot.
_______

Soon, we pulled up in front of a residential building. I glanced around, confused. “Where is this?”

Han Wool sighed. “We’re picking up my friend.”

“Oh.”

I sat back, watching as he pulled out his phone and texted someone. A few seconds later, The car rolls into the pickup spot, and before Han Wool can even put it in park, the back door swings open.

I blinked.

“Yo!” A voice booms, followed by a blur of movement as a guy jumps into the backseat with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. “Took you long enough, man!”

Han Wool snorts. “Took me long enough? You’re the one who called and said, ‘Give me five minutes,’ then disappeared for thirty.”

His friend, grinning like he’s been caught red-handed, leans forward between the seats. “Technical difficulties.” He finally looks at me, his eyes widening in curiosity. “Oh, wait—who’s this?”

Before I can speak, Han Wool lazily waves a hand. “Ye Na.”

His friend raises a brow. “Just Ye Na?”

Han Wool exhales dramatically. “My fiancée’s cousin.”

Something about the way he says it makes my eye twitch, but before I can react, the guy leans even closer.

A  wide grin spreads across his face. "I’m Min Hyun, by the way. But you can just call me Hyun—everyone does."

I blink. "Just Hyun?"

Han Wool lets out a long, suffering sigh, shaking his head. "Great. Another one."

The car moves steadily down the road, the low hum of the engine filling the space between us. The atmosphere should be awkward, but it isn’t—not with Min Hyun in the backseat.

The guy doesn’t know how to not talk.

“So then—” he continues, voice animated, “—Eun Jae just face-plants into his own cake. I mean, fully collapses. Frosting everywhere. His mom was screaming, his dad was just standing there, and we—” He wheezes, slapping his knee. “—we were dying And guess what?”

Han Wool glances at him through the rearview mirror, amused. “What?”

Min Hyun wipes an imaginary tear. “Dude wakes up mid-fall and just keeps eating like nothing happened.”

Han Wool bursts out laughing, shaking his head. “That man is an actual menace.”

“He really is.”

I sit there, listening as they go on and on about their friend group—Eun Jae, Ji Hoon, some guy nicknamed ‘Kangaroo’ because apparently, he jumps fences like it’s an Olympic sport. I don’t add much, just watch Han Wool through the corner of my eye.

He looks different like this. Relaxed. Laughing. His golden retriever energy is in full force when he’s with his friend—loud, playful, grinning so wide his dimples show.

But then Min Hyun suddenly turns his attention to me.

“So, Ye Na,” he says, tilting his head. “I heard you’re Harin’s cousin?”

I nod. “Yep.”

He hums. “You got a boyfriend?”

I blink. “What?”

Han Wool groans. “Bro, please.”

Min Hyun holds his hands up. “What? It’s a normal question.” He leans forward, peering at me with curiosity. “Come on, I gotta know. A girl like you—”

“I don’t have a boyfriend,” I say flatly.

Han Wool exhales sharply. “Min Hyun, leave her alone.”

Min Hyun squints at him. “Why do you sound so… defensive?”

“I’m not defensive.”

“You totally are.” Min Hyun smirks. “Already taking responsibility for your little sister?”

I choke on air.

Han Wool slams the brakes.

The car jolts to a stop so abruptly I almost hit my forehead against the dashboard.

“What the—” Min Hyun grabs onto the headrest, wide-eyed. “Dude, what happened?”

Han Wool doesn’t answer.

His fingers are tight around the steering wheel, knuckles turning pale. Slowly, he turns to look at me.

Our eyes meet.

I don’t breathe.

His throat bobs. Then, as if forcing the words out, he mutters, “Yeah… sister. That makes sense.”

I stare at him.

Min Hyun is still frozen, confused as hell. “Wait—what?”

I don’t respond. Because suddenly, everything clicks.

Han Wool wants me to think of him as a brother.

Like that’s his way of drawing a line.

Like he’s trying to shove me into a box labeled Off Limits and pretend I belong there.

I feel my chest tighten.

Min Hyun just whistles, completely missing the tension. “Damn. I mean, technically, yeah, with the whole family through marriage thing, that does make sense.”

I unclench my fists, inhaling sharply. “We’re almost the same age.”

Han Wool doesn’t react, but Min Hyun raises an eyebrow. “Huh?”

“I said,” I repeat, turning to face him, “Han Wool and I are almost the same age, just one year gap. So that doesn’t make me his little sister, does it?”

Min Hyun blinks, then smirks. “Alright, fair point. Then, what’s your age?”

“Twenty-four.”

He hums. “Oh, I see.” Then, without missing a beat, he adds, “But even if that’s the case, you’re like his sister.”

My jaw tightens.

“I heard you and Harin are super close,” Min Hyun continues casually. “Like, almost real sisters.”

I glance at Han Wool. He’s still staring straight ahead, not saying a word. His hands grip the steering wheel just a little too tightly.

I exhale, whatever that bitch said. forcing a smile. “Yeah. Almost.”

Min Hyun grins. “See? So technically, my argument still stands.”

Technically, I want to throw him out of the moving car.

I turn back to the window, biting my lip.

Sister.
Sister.
Sister.

The word rings in my head, heavy and suffocating. I peek at Han Wool again. He hasn’t looked at me once since he restarted the car.

The air feels colder than before.

I cross my arms, leaning back. If this is how he wants to handle things, fine. But I am not his sister.

And soon enough, he’ll realize that too.