5: Chapter 5 Busan Morning

The snow from last night had continued until now, turning all of Busan into a world of silver and white.

In the penthouse suite of the Busan Lotte Hotel, the warm glow of the lights spilled down, shattering the room's silence.

The sound of waves drifted in from afar through the glass, a low and gentle whisper that did nothing to dispel the panic in Son Ye-jin's heart.

She was already awake.

The moment her consciousness cleared, Son Ye-jin felt a wave of daze; her head still throbbed slightly, followed by a lingering soreness throughout her body.

Last night, that man had been like a bull.

Mmm... she even missed it a little.

Huh?

She snapped her eyes open as realization dawned on her. Her gaze swept across the luxurious yet completely unfamiliar room layout, and her heart suddenly constricted.

Memories of last night came rushing back, crashing into her mind.

Drinking alone in the bar to drown her sorrows, that pink cocktail someone had spiked, her stumbling plea for help while lightheaded, and the man now standing by the window with his back to her, looking out at the sea.

And then, her own loss of control, and those scenes that felt shameful even to think about now.

Looking at his back, Son Ye-jin wondered whether she should sneak away or continue to pretend to be asleep.

She quietly sat up, tugging at the duvet. The sensation of silk against her skin made her even more mortified.

She instinctively pulled the duvet tighter, her gaze fixed on the man's back.

He wore a black cashmere shirt with sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms, revealing wrists with iron-like lines. His back was as straight as a javelin.

Yet, this silhouette exuded a cold hardness that warned others to keep their distance.

Liu Zijun.

She remembered the name; in her hazy state last night, she had kept asking him what he was called.

She also remembered him saying he was from Huaxia.

But she was Son Ye-jin.

She was a household-name actress in The Peninsula, an existence akin to the "white moonlight" in the hearts of countless viewers in 2012—a public figure walking under the spotlight whose every move could be captured by paparazzi.

With such an identity, how could she have had such an absurd one-night stand with a strange man from Huaxia?

Son Ye-jin's fingers trembled slightly as she looked down at her clothes.

It was one of his oversized white shirts, which she had insisted on putting on in her delirium last night.

The material was excellent, yet it still couldn't hide those suggestive marks.

She bit her lip, a wave of intense annoyance and regret rising in her heart, along with—surprisingly—a tiny hint of nostalgia.

She was annoyed at her own carelessness for drinking alone in a strange bar and letting someone take advantage of her.

She also somewhat regretted making such out-of-control moves under the influence of the drug and her own emotions.

If the media found out about this, it would likely cause an uproar in her acting career, and the reputation and image she had built up over the years would surely crumble in an instant.

Yet, she also missed this younger man's embrace a little.

She quietly lifted the duvet, planning to grab her own clothes.

If possible, she intended to sneak away.

"Awake?"

Liu Zijun's voice suddenly rang out.

He didn't turn around, still gazing at the sea outside the window, his tone as flat as if he were discussing something trivial.

Son Ye-jin was startled by the voice. Her body froze instantly, and she reflexively replied, "Mhm..."

Her voice carried the raspiness of someone who had just woken up, along with an undeniable awkwardness.

Only then did Liu Zijun turn around, his gaze falling on her. The white shirt she was wearing made her look even more alluring.

This made her quickly dive back under the covers.

But there was no hint of scrutiny or flirtation in the man's eyes now; he just looked at her as if she were an ordinary stranger.

"How do you feel? The drug should have mostly worn off by now."

His eyes were clear, devoid of any desire. This slightly eased Son Ye-jin's embarrassment, but it also sparked a vague, inexplicable mix of emotions.

She thought that after what had happened, he would at least have some kind of different attitude.

Like pursuing her, or something else.

But he was so nonchalant, as if last night had been nothing more than an inconsequential dream.

This made her feel a little resentful.

"I..."

Son Ye-jin opened her mouth but didn't know what to say, eventually just lowering her head.

"Thank you for last night."

After all, he had saved her last night. She didn't dare imagine the consequences if those people had taken her away.

So, she thanked him for saving her, and also for not taking advantage of her situation to do anything even more excessive.

Even though, in the end, she was the one who lost control.

Liu Zijun walked to the bedside, picked up the clothes draped over the back of the chair, and tossed them to her.

"Your clothes shouldn't be dirty; put them on first. The room bill will be settled automatically. I've ordered breakfast, which will be delivered shortly. Just eat and then leave. I have things to do, so I have to go now."

His words remained blunt and efficient, as if he were handling a simple, everyday matter.

Son Ye-jin took her clothes. As her fingertips touched the cool fabric, the annoyance in her heart surged again.

She looked up at Liu Zijun and hesitated for a long time before asking, "About last night... could you..."

She wanted to say "could you act like it never happened," but as the words reached her lips, she found them exceptionally difficult to utter.

As if seeing through her thoughts, Liu Zijun nodded and said calmly, "I have no interest in making a fuss about this. You're Son Ye-jin; I just looked you up on my phone, and you're a famous star in this country. Don't worry, I understand."

These words hit exactly what Son Ye-jin was thinking. She breathed a sigh of relief, yet felt strangely empty inside.

She looked at Liu Zijun; his face was well-defined, and his eyes were cold and hard.

He was clearly a younger man in his twenties, yet his gaze just now was filled with the weariness of someone who had weathered many storms.

He was a very strange man from Huaxia.

"Then, contact...?"

Son Ye-jin asked instinctively, but then felt it was inappropriate and ultimately didn't finish the sentence.

Liu Zijun shook his head.

"Let's forget about contact info. You don't need to be afraid; I won't go around talking. Just treat last night as a dream. I have very important matters to attend to, so I really must go."

He paused and added another line.

"Though I suspect we probably won't meet again in the future."

Under the covers, Son Ye-jin's hand tightly gripped the hem of the man's white shirt. Suddenly, her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Is he really just going to pull up his pants and run after sleeping with me?

She didn't snap out of it until the sound of Liu Zijun closing the door rang out.

"Ah—! I'm going crazy!"

Looking at the white shirt she was wearing and her own nearly perfect figure, she couldn't help but bury her head in a pillow and scream.

Does this man not know noona's charm?

Leaving so decisively! And saying we probably won't meet again.

Doesn't he know that noona's home is also in Seoul?

This absurd encounter was like the sudden snow in Busan—it came too quickly, but in the end, it was just an interlude in their lives.

Choi Soo-myung's burial ceremony was held at a cemetery on the outskirts of Busan. The scene was even more solemn than yesterday's condolence call.

White snow covered every inch of the cemetery. Icicles hung from the bare branches, and the cold wind whipped snowflakes against faces with a stinging pain.

Liu Zijun didn't walk to the front row; he just stood in the distance, watching from afar.

Mr. and Mrs. Cui Minho were still immersed in grief. Kim Hye-sun was being supported by others, barely able to walk, her mouth still whispering Choi Soo-myung's name.

Beside them stood Choi Sulli, still in the same black winter outfit. Her short hair was slightly disheveled by the wind, but she didn't cry.

She just stared fixedly as the tombstone was slowly lowered, her eyes so hollow it was heartbreaking.

For this girl, who was only in her teens, the family situation was complicated.

For her, having lost Choi Soo-myung who had always looked after her, the road ahead—if there was no one to protect her—would only lead her step by step into the abyss, just like in her past life.

Liu Zijun's fist quietly clenched, his gaze lingering on Choi Sulli for a long time.

Seeing the man who had stood up for Choi Soo-myung and Park Soyeon last night appear again, Choi Sulli couldn't help but steal a few more glances.

After meeting Liu Zijun's eyes, she quickly looked away, like a startled little rabbit.

"Soo-myung, I'm heading to Seoul now, to the heart of this little Peninsula's great vortex. Don't worry, I will protect Jin-ri for you."

He whispered a few words toward the tombstone from afar, then turned and left before the burial ceremony ended and the crowd had dispersed.

He didn't go forward to say goodbye, nor did he disturb the members of the Cui Family again.

He knew that Choi Soo-myung being here was enough; there would be plenty of opportunities to visit him in the future.