“I know who you are.”

Min Ho studied the woman’s face, trying to place her. He’s sure he hasn’t seen her before. That face, he would have remembered. He gripped her hand and slowly pulled his arm free.

“Of course you do,” he said smugly and stepped away from the door. He could leave now but something’s stopping him from doing so. He wanted to know who this stranger was, and why she brought him there. “Now what do you really want?” He asked again.

The woman kept her unwavering eyes on his. “I didn’t lie about helping you out. You really were in the streets making a scene. My friend and I led you to my car and he helped me bring you up here. I’m not rich like you so I don't have money for a fancy hotel. But I do know your friends.”

His brows creased. “My friends?”

She crossed her arms. “I was with them at Reveille when Park Min Woo got the phone call that his suits found you. He told them to bring you there. I left the club after that, but then I saw you outside, looking like a drunken fool,” she emphasized the last words as if she were reprimanding him. “So I decided to help you out. You were yelling at me to go away, thinking I was one of Min Woo’s people. So I figured you ran away from them because you didn’t want to be brought to your friends so… I brought you here instead,” she told him firmly. “That’s the truth.”

She didn’t sound like she was lying. He suddenly felt a little embarrassed about her finding him in that state. Walking back to the bed, he pinched the bridge of his nose and sat down. He was trying to act all cool awhile ago but the alcohol was still in his system, and his head was slightly throbbing. He looked up at the woman and sighed. He still didn’t know why he was there, but for now, he believed her.

“Thanks,” he said, his voice more gentle.

She looked around the room and her eyes rested on the slippers by the bedside table. Min Ho noticed she was barefoot. He watched as she took the slippers and put them on before walking to the door. “Wait here,” she said and left the room.

While she was gone, Min Ho went straight to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. He was a mess. He reeked of alcohol and vomit, and his eyes were puffy. Shaking his head, he thought about how he must have looked when he was in the streets like some lowlife. How unbecoming. Min Ho couldn’t recall the last time he was this drunk.

Then again, he remembered being at the bridge, and wanting so much to stop feeling the pain. He had stashed some alcohol in his car, and before he knew it, he finished a half-full bottle of whiskey, feeling more numb. He then took out another bottle from inside. When Min Woo’s people found him, he was already out of it. But he still had a vague idea of how they forced him to climb into their car.

But he didn’t want his friends to see him in that state. No matter how close they were, they were esteemed businessmen now. He couldn’t afford to be the only immature one there. The one who couldn’t even hold his liquor, and who cried for his parents like some child. Even if he didn’t want anything to do with his company, he was still a Lee. His pride wouldn’t allow it.

He heard the door open from outside, and figured the girl was back. He wiped his face with a towel and stepped out of the bathroom. She was holding two paper cups.

“It’s coffee from the vending machine downstairs. It might taste awful but maybe the heat can help you sober up,” she said and handed him one. “You’re welcome to leave of course, but maybe you should rest for a bit before you go,” she said, examining his face. She winced visibly. “I know you said naps have an amazing effect on you but you don’t look too good right now.”

Min Ho felt too aware of her gaze and looked down. He knew he looked awful.

“I’m sorry about offering you money,” he said softly as he accepted the cup. “I didn’t know you were a friend of my friends.”

She shook her head. “We’re not really friends. We just met tonight. Ahn Jae Hyun brought me to the your private room.”

Min Ho let out a dry laugh, imagining how his friend probably lured her into their room with one of his cheesy lines. “Sorry about those guys. They can’t resist a pretty face.”

She smirked. “And you can?”

He eyed her and controlled a smile. “I’d like to think I’m better at trying.”

She leaned back against the wall and blew on her coffee in silence. Min Ho took that chance to study her again. She wasn’t a regular in Reveille. Jae Hyun would have spotted her long ago if she was.

“I’m going to be honest about something else, if you don’t mind,” she said tentatively, breaking the silence.

Min Ho took a sip from his cup and didn’t answer. He just kept looking at her and leaned back – a  subtle signal for her to go ahead and talk.

“Kim Woo Bin went ballistic about you being at the bridge. And he said something along the lines of you possibly…” she hesitated, biting her lower lip, “…jumping off?”

Min Ho was only half-surprised to hear that. He had made a passing joke about jumping off the bridge where his parents died when they were much, much younger – back when his parents’ death was still fresh. Woo Bin didn’t think it was funny at all and took it to heart. It seems he never forgot.

Min Ho pursed his lips and took a deep breath. “I better rethink my choice of friends. Not only are they uncontrollable around women, they seem to have loose lips, too.”

“If it helps, they sounded really worried,” she said.

He imagined how Woo Bin might have reacted. He was moved and disappointed at the same time. “They should know better than to think I would really jump off that bridge,” he paused and looked down at his coffee cup. “I just… needed to be there for a bit.”

They quietly sipped on their coffee. Min Ho never imagined this was how he would end this day: with a stranger in a motel, hungover and drinking what is possibly the cheapest coffee he’s ever had in his life. It felt strange, but for some reason, he wasn’t complaining. This was probably the worst days he's had in a while, and his life was generally awful. So it was comforting talking to someone.

He stole another glance at her but he was surprised when at the same time, she looked up from her cup and met his gaze. He looked away instantly.

“I don’t suppose you would want to tell someone you just met why you needed to be at that bridge,” she told him, oblivious to how he was feeling mortified with himself at shying away like some teenage boy. “But since I’m already being honest,” she continued, “I’ll take a chance and ask. Why were you even there?”

Min Ho consciously looked up at her this time and saw the curiosity written all over her face. He smiled. “Well, it’s not really a secret. Everybody knows my parents died. That happened ten years ago, on this very day. My Father…” his smile faded, replaced by a pained expression, “…lost control of the car at that bridge. I wasn’t even in the country when it happened.”

“Oh,” she averted her gaze. “I—I’m sorry.” She looked genuinely apologetic for bringing it up.

He exhaled. “Don’t be. That was a long time ago,” he assured her. “The reason I was at that bridge was because I wanted to see what they last saw, and maybe feel what they last felt before they were gone,” he paused, looking sullen. “Maybe then, I’d feel less guilty about being alive.”

She creased her brows. “Why would you feel guilty? It’s not your fault they’re dead.”

“It may not be my fault, but they died because of who they are. Of who we are. And as long as I’m… me, I think I’ll never be able to get rid of that guilt.”

“But it was an accident, right?”

Min Ho sensed her confusion at his words and realized that he said too much. He smiled faintly. “Yeah. I guess it was.”

They were silent again. Those quiet pauses were always so loaded. But he didn't really know what more to say. So instead, he busied himself by finishing his coffee. He smiled as he looked down at the empty cup. It wasn’t really that bad.

“Are you always this open and unguarded around strangers? I didn’t peg you for an over-sharer,” she smiled back.

He let out a chuckle. “Believe it or not, I’ve always found it easier to talk to people I don’t know,” he replied. “No expectations, no lectures. And even if they judge me, I don’t care because I don’t know them. And the best part is, we’ll never have to see each other again. So I wouldn’t have to endure the embarrassment of meeting them and remembering that I shared my feelings like a wimp,” he grinned. “It’s bad for my image.”

She nodded. “So you’d rather talk to me, a complete stranger, than your actual friends?”

“You don’t know those guys like I do. If I so much as mention the word ‘feelings’, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Well then it’s a good thing I was the one who found you vomiting in the streets. You don’t have to worry about me judging you since you’ll never see me again,” she smirked. “But I did judge you, just to be clear.” She scrunched up her nose in mock disgust.

“Right,” he replied, looking at her curiously. The thought that he might never see her again made him wonder who she was again. “And I’m guessing you’re the complete opposite? Here I am, baring my soul and you haven’t even told me your name yet.”

She shrugged. “What’s the point? You said it yourself, we’re not seeing each other again after this night,” she took another sip of her coffee. Seconds of silence passed, and she squirmed slightly. Min Ho knew it was because he hasn’t stopped staring at her. She cleared to diffuse the tension.

“Besides, I don’t really like to talk about myself,” she said.

“People who say that harbor a lot of secrets,” he narrowed his eyes, as if trying to pierce through her. “They don’t talk about themselves for fear that they might accidentally spill one.”

She cocked her brows. “By that logic, are you saying you don’t have secrets?”

“I do,” he replied curtly. “But they’re mostly secrets because I have to protect my family. Given the choice – which I don’t have – I wouldn’t hide anything from anyone.”

“I wouldn’t say that if I were you. Information is weakness,” she said, lifting her chin. “The more people know about you, the more they can use it against you.”

He laughed, filling the room. “Then I shouldn’t have told you so much about myself. You might use it against me.”

“Yeah,” she said softly. “You shouldn’t have.”

An awkward silence followed, with her staring down at her feet and Min Ho staring at her. She was intriguing for sure. He met a lot of women who played coy and mysterious, but he saw right through them. A part of him believes this woman was no different, and this was just a ploy to get him to want her. But he met a lot of women before. Even though she looked curious, her own walls were real. If she really wanted to seduce him, she’d be more forward by now. She was trying to sound confident, but she was self-conscious, constantly tugging her dress down and hiding her face.

“You know, my friend was wrong about you,” she said out of the blue.

Min Ho snapped out of his trance and raised his brows. “Friend?”

“Yeah. She works at Wang Gwan as an accountant. She told me a few things about you, but meeting you now, I think she was wrong.”

“Don’t be so sure,” he countered. “I turn into a different person when I’m at the office. I hate my job. That place is like hell to me.”

“Son Ah Young.”

Min Ho stiffened and jerked his face back to look at her in surprise. “What did you say?”

She didn’t respond right away and Min Ho noticed how her expression suddenly hardened. “Son Ah Young. My friend who works for you.”

He was silent for a while before he looked away and cleared his throat. “Ahh, I’m sorry. I don’t really know my employees’ names other than my secretary’s.” Son Ah Young. That name brought out painful memories.

At that moment, the door burst open and a man frantically came in. “PARK SHIN—“ he stopped when he saw Min Ho stand up. “Oh. You’re awake,” he said, panting.

He frowned. “Do I know you?”

“Where is—

“Shi Yoon-ah,” she said before he could even finish his question. He turned to his right and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh God, you’re okay,” he walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders, examining her whole body. “Why weren’t you answering your phone?”

“Mian, I was just—”

“Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt whatever this is but… I still don’t know who any of you are.” Min Ho crossed his arms, feeling slightly annoyed at the interruption.

She cleared . “This is my boyfriend. He came to pick me up,” she said coldly. The man beside her looked surprised. “You can go home on your own right?” She asked Min Ho.

His gaze alternated from her to the man beside him. Boyfriend? “Y-yeah. I guess,” he mumbled.

“Good. We’ll go ahead. Don’t worry about the room, it’s paid for. Stay as long as you like,” she said before taking the man’s hand and leaving the room.

Min Ho just stood there, feeling odd. He thought their conversation was going along just fine before her boyfriend barged into the room. He was about to take a seat again when the door burst open again. She's back. The woman didn’t even look at him and bent down to pick something up from the floor. Her shoes.

She gave him a parting glance and walked to the door.

“Wait a minute.”

She slowly turned back