The paralegal’s gaze fell. She could feel a dry lump in , and she swallowed it down hard. She heard Namjoo exhaling a deep breath, but she dared not look up.

“Let’s just go home,” Namjoo decided to speak.

Hayoung’s eyes travelled to the digital clock on the car dashboard.

23:50.

Ten minutes and her birthday would be over.

All thanks to Hanbin who had to ruin everything.

Before the paralegal could even utter a response, her stomach made grumbling noises, and she immediately turned red in embarrassment. “S-sorry,” she muttered, still refusing to look at Namjoo.

Namjoo couldn’t help but laugh, her eyes twinkling in amusement at the same time. “You’re hungry. I think the restaurant you booked all the way in Busan is already closed. Should we get some food somewhere near?”

Hayoung finally found the courage to look at Namjoo. “The restaurant isn’t closed yet.”

“Really?” Namjoo looked at Hayoung skeptically. “It’s going to be midnight soon, though. The restaurant’s 24/7?”

Hayoung glanced at the clock once more.

23:56

“Y-yeah, it’s 24/7.”

“Are you sure you’re still able to drive in this condition? I’ll clean your wound first.”

“I can still drive,” Hayoung insisted. “The first aid kit is in the glove compartment.”

23:58

The doctor opened the glove compartment and took out the first aid kit box. She picked out the items she needed and when she looked at Hayoung, she found the paralegal to be staring at the digital clock.

“Hayoung?”

00:00

Hayoung became despondent, and shut down her entire surroundings. She only snapped back to reality when she felt Namjoo placing a plaster over the cut on the side of her head.

“Happy belated birthday,” Namjoo said with a warm smile.

The paralegal looked at Namjoo in surprise.

“I noticed that you’ve been looking at the clock very often. And you insisted on meeting me on Saturday even though I said I end work late. Your birthday ended,” Namjoo took a quick glance at the clock- 00:02, “two minutes ago, didn’t it?”

“Y-yeah.”

“I guess my observations aren’t too bad,” Namjoo chuckled. “I’m sorry I didn’t buy you anything. You should have told me it was your birthday.”

Hayoung didn’t know how to respond to Namjoo. “Will you really be okay if I drive to Busan?”

“Will anyone else chase after us?”

Hayoung shook her head. “He just wanted to provoke me.”

“He?”

“An unsatisfied client,” Hayoung lied.

“I see,” Namjoo responded. She looked at the condition of the car. “It’ll be a long journey though. And the car…”

Hayoung internally sighed. Namjoo was right. “Sorry, I’ll just drive you back home.”

Namjoo didn’t have the heart to disappoint Hayoung further. “Do you want to stay the night at my house?”

Hayoung shook her head. Bomi would kill her if she finds out Hayoung has been hanging out with Namjoo, even putting her younger cousin’s life at risk earlier. “Your cousin…”

“Ah right, Bomi unnie. She’s going to ask why you’re hurt and why you’re with me.”

“Do you want to come to my house and overnight instead?”

Hayoung’s sudden invitation did not only caught Namjoo off guard, but also herself.

“S-sorry I didn’t-”

But what came out of Namjoo's mouth surprised Hayoung more.

"Sure.”

“Your house is pretty big,” Namjoo remarked as she stepped into the paralegal’s house. The faint smell of disinfectant stung the doctor’s nose, and she didn’t exactly like how the house exudes a sense of austerity, and emptiness.

“Do you want to take a shower?” Hayoung asked. “I can lend you my clothes.”

“That would be lovely, thank you.”

Hayoung returned the smile and led Namjoo to the master bedroom. “You can bathe in the toilet in here, there’s a fresh towel in the toilet too, you can use it. I’ll put the clothes on the bed for you to wear. The guestroom is beside this room, you’re okay with sleeping in there right?”

“I’m fine with that, Hayoung,” Namjoo smiled. “What are you going to do then?”

“I’ll just prepare some quick food for us to eat.”

Namjoo merely gave a nod in response, before heading towards the bathroom.

After dinner, Hayoung brought Namjoo to her backyard. There was nothing to show, but the moon shining brilliantly, and the stars twinkling in the black skies made up for it. The paralegal took out a cigarette, and brought it to , but Namjoo grabbed and placed it in the pocket of her pyjamas. “Smoking isn’t good for your health.”

“We all live to die. I want mine to come faster,” Hayoung stated, her voice lowering to a whisper.

“Same name but different attitude towards life,” Namjoo commented, shaking her head.

“What are you talking about?”

“My late girlfriend,” Namjoo responded with a smile. “Yeri will scold you if you say such things to her.”

“What illness does she have?”

“Bone cancer,” Namjoo sighed, “Though I’ve informed you of her illness, I want you to treat her normally. She doesn’t like getting any special treatment.”

“How much longer will she live?”

“Do you really want to know?”

“No.”

“I figured,” Namjoo stated. She then ruffled Hayoung’s hair. “My Hayoungie needs a lot of love.”

Hayoung was startled that such words carelessly rolled off the doctor’s tongue. She was even more shocked that Namjoo just referred her as ‘my Hayoungie’. No one else calls her that except her brother.

“Do I remind you so much of your late girlfriend?” Hayoung asked. She assumed that Namjoo had probably imagined she was the latter’s late girlfriend.

“No,” Namjoo chuckled. “I don’t call my late girlfriend Hayoungie. It’s just that you’re someone that awakes one’s motherly instincts.”

Did I just get mother-zoned. That .

“Don’t be silly. There’s no such things as mother-zoned,” Namjoo laughed.

Hayoung felt embarrassed. She must have unconsciously verbalized her thoughts.

Namjoo sighed. “Honestly, you puzzle me. An enigma. And you still haven’t answered my question that I asked in the car. But I guess I sort of have an idea who you really are.”

Hayoung gulped. “Y-you do?”

Namjoo stepped closer to Hayoung. “It isn’t that hard. I just don’t want to pry. But after the whole car chasing, I can’t ignore it anymore. I have to acknowledge it.” She cupped Hayoung’s cheeks. “We all have reasons why we do certain things. I’m not going to judge you for the things you do. So don’t worry about it,” she ended with a warm smile.

Hayoung placed her hands