When the Clock Strikes|Pi Han Ul x Reader|

(S02) Chapter 43

After breakfast, Han Wool stood up and stretched, his hoodie riding up just slightly over his waist, revealing a glimpse of his warm skin. He moved to the sink to rinse off the plates, humming something under his breath—probably another IU song—and then wiped his hands on a towel as he turned to me.

“I’m going to run out for some groceries,” he said casually, grabbing his phone from the counter. “You should lie down for a bit. You haven’t exactly been gentle on your nerves lately.”

I tilted my head, crossing my arms. “I’m coming with you.”

He blinked. “You just cried through an hour-long call, slept for an entire day before that, and emotionally rebuilt your entire life overnight. You need to rest.”

“I said I’m coming,” I grinned, already moving toward the bedroom to change. “I’m not tired anymore. I saw them. They’re safe. I feel like I can breathe again.”

He followed me halfway down the hall, laughing softly. “So you’re just going to follow me everywhere now?”

“Yes,” I called from behind the door. “Everywhere. Grocery stores, boring errands, underground wars, emotional trauma—wherever you go, I’m tagging along.”

When I stepped out again, I caught the way he looked at me.

Not like I was fragile. Not like I was someone he needed to protect or fix.

He looked at me like I was his.

“You’re trouble,” he muttered fondly.

“And you love it.”

He opened the door for me like a gentleman, even though we were just walking into the sunlight. The air outside was still cool, crisp with early spring. I looped my arm through his as we started down the quiet road.

There weren’t many people around. The streets were calm. Birds hopped along the sidewalks. Everything felt… almost normal.

I held onto Han Wool’s arm a little tighter, leaning my head toward his shoulder as we walked. Every step felt light. It was one of those rare mornings where the world seemed to have paused just to give us a break.

“Remember back in high school,” I said suddenly, glancing up at him, “when you caught me on the rooftop?”

He slowly nods.

I smiled as I said. “I’d skipped class and was hiding up there, and you showed up like some kind of hall monitor sent by God.”

Han Wool laughed, full and bright. “You mean that time you almost fell trying to avoid me?”

I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t almost fall.”

“You tripped over your own foot.”

I groaned. “The point is… when I looked at you, you were so scary. You had that stupid smirk, you know? Like the school belonged to you.”

He puffed out his chest a little, grinning. "Well, technically it belonged to me".

I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly saw last week. “Anyway—my point was, I kept getting in your way. Again and again. And every single time, I’d think, Oh my God, not him again. Why always him?”

He smirked. “Maybe the universe was trying to warn you.”

“Warn me?”

He turned to me with a teasing glint. “Yeah. Like, brace yourself, Ye Na, this one’s gonna ruin you in the best way possible.”

I laughed, nudging him with my elbow. “You’re unbelievable.”

“But admit it,” he said, his tone softening, “doesn’t it kind of make sense now? All those weird little run-ins? That ridiculous rooftop? Maybe it was destiny.”