I had nowhere else to go. It was pouring and I was walking aimlessly about. Eyes were on me, puzzled as to why I was allowing myself to be drenched in the rain. Yet, I could not bother about their judgement. I felt free, finally.

         Hailing a cab, I informed the driver of Mr. Oh’s address. I wanted to face him first. I wanted him to be the first person witnessing me as who I truly am, Bae Hyejin, without any entanglement with the Bae family or Gloria. I was finally living for myself and I was happy. As I arrived, I keyed in his password and was greeted by the same view I loved – plum blossoms. I smiled at the sight, genuinely glad.

         Despite having the password to his apartment, I knocked on the door, notifying him of my presence. After all, I was not at his apartment for work purposes. He would not have expected me. The door swung open and I was faced with Mr. Oh in his home clothes, rubbing his eyes. My heart fluttered at the sight. He must have just woken up from his nap.

         “Why are you all soaked?” Mr. Oh frowned upon noticing that I was drenched from top to bottom. I watched as he circled his fingers around my wrist, pulling me into his house. I remained silent as he took a towel and dried my hair.

         “Hyejin,” he called out, peering into my eyes tenderly. “Are you okay?”

         I stared at him wordlessly and nodded. Mr. Oh heaved a sigh of relief at my response. “That’s good,” he told me. Fetching some clothes for me, he nudged me. “Change into these.”

         I held onto his clothes, taking in the same whiff of a smell that reminded me of him. Biting my bottom lip, I glanced at him. “Why don’t you ask me what happened?” I asked.

         “You’ll tell me if you want to,” Mr. Oh justified. “It must be a sensitive topic for you to be drenched like this. I don’t want to probe into it more than I should.”

         It felt heartwarming to hear Mr. Oh being this understanding and thoughtful. Who would have thought the block of ice I first met in the office would have this side of him? My heart palpitated as I gazed at the man before me. I allowed my eyes to trace over his strong features. I could not help but to fall for him deeper.

         “I like you,” I blurted mindlessly, lips parted breathlessly.

         I scrutinized Mr. Oh’s look of surprise. He was evidently flustered by my sudden confession. Suddenly, I was afraid. I was fearful of his answer and I did not want to hear it. Before he could utter something, I hugged him. I clutched onto him so tightly I could hear his heartbeat.

         “Don’t reject me yet, please,” I mumbled in the warm embrace.

         Mr. Oh chuckled, no longer stiff. Patting me on my back, he teased, “how do you know I was going to reject you?”

         I peeled myself from his embrace, frowning. “What do you mean?” I pursed my lips, huffing.

         Mr. Oh placed his hand on my forehead, scrutinizing my face. “Are you having a fever? Your cheeks are scarlet red,” he pointed out.

         I widened my eyes and touched my heated cheeks. “I’ll go change my clothes,” I told him before scurrying to the bathroom in embarrassment.

         After drying myself out in the bathroom, Mr. Oh and I cuddled on his bed. I used to have qualms about our business trip to Tokyo, Japan, fearful it would ruin my relationship with Mr. Oh and I. But now, I feel all the more grateful for it. Because of the trip, I felt closer to him. Mr. Oh opened up to me and portrayed emotions other than coldness. I was extremely contented and I could not ask for more.

         Nonetheless, I was upset about the other thought. I knew more about Mr. Oh, yet Mr. Oh knew nothing about me. He still had no idea I was part of the Bae family and he still had no idea I entered Oh Couture with a motive. Fear gyrated in me at the thought of how he would react upon finding out my secrets.

         Would it be better if I confess all of those before he learns of it himself?

         Nudging Mr. Oh who was snug beside me, I parted my lips and spoke. “I—”

         “Hyejin, what genre do you watch?” Mr. Oh asked me, fingers on his controller. He scanned the list of movies on his television screen, focused. “I don’t really watch movies, so I don’t have a preference.”

         I bit my bottom lip at the sight of Mr. Oh being comfortable and intim