When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 24

He chuckled, but there was a softness in his eyes. "That would’ve been fair."

I hesitated, then exhaled before opening the passenger door and slipping inside.

The car smelled like him—fresh, clean, and something unmistakably Han Wool.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The only sound was the faint hum of the engine and the distant chirping of crickets.

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye.

His hands were gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles slightly pale.

"Are you nervous?" I asked.

He let out a breathy laugh. "Terrified."

I frowned. "Of what?"

He turned to look at me, his expression unreadable. "That you’ll never forgive me."

Something in my chest cracked.

I looked away, staring out of the windshield. "I don’t know if I can yet."

"I know."

"But…" I bit my lip, hesitating. "I want to."

Han Wool exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "That’s enough for me."

A beat of silence.

Then, in a softer voice, he asked, "Can I take you somewhere?"

I turned back to him, raising an eyebrow. "Where?"

"My house," he said. "No one’s there."

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you sure no one is watching?"

He nodded firmly. "No one is watching."
_________

The car was silent.

Unbearably silent.

I shifted in my seat, my fingers playing with the hem of my hoodie as I stared out of the window. The occasional streetlight passed by, casting fleeting glows on the dashboard, but it did nothing to ease the awkwardness pressing down on us like a thick fog.

Han Wool cleared his throat, his hands gripping the steering wheel as if it was the only thing anchoring him.

I stole a glance at him.

The tension in his shoulders. The way he kept flicking his gaze toward me but immediately looking away whenever I caught him.

He is nervous.

I shouldn’t have found that adorable.

But I did.

"Uh…" Han Wool finally spoke, his voice a little too forced, like he was trying way too hard to sound casual. "Should I… play some music?"

I blinked at him. "Oh—uh—sure?"

Why did I sound nervous now?

Han Wool nodded, his lips pressing together as he tapped on the screen of his car’s music system.

The moment the song started playing, the atmosphere in the car shifted.

"Baby, I'm preying on you tonight—"

I snapped my head toward him.

Han Wool’s eyes widened. "Oh."

Oh?

"Hunt you down, eat you alive—"

Oh my god.

I immediately turned away, my face burning.