Chapter 5: Heartbeats and Hopes

...Woo-seok sat in his car, his mind swirling with thoughts of Song Yun. As he drove home, the watch on his wrist began to vibrate, signaling his rapidly increasing heart rate. He glanced at it, trying to calm himself, but the image of Song Yun and Nam Ju together lingered in his mind, making his heart race even faster. His breath hitched as he recalled how Nam Ju had so casually asked Song Yun to go home with him. The thought of Song Yun being with someone else made his chest tighten in a way that was far too familiar. Woo-seok knew he needed to focus, but the overwhelming feelings he had for Song Yun made it difficult to think clearly....

...Arriving home, Woo-seok couldn’t shake the thoughts of Song Yun. He paced around his apartment, replaying the events over and over. It wasn’t until a few hours later that he forced himself to go to the office to catch up on the pending work that had piled up during his absence. He worked mechanically, his thoughts never straying too far from Song Yun....

...Later that evening, on his way back home, Woo-seok’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Song Yun walking home from her hanbok rehearsal. Without thinking, he rolled down the window and shouted, "Song Yun! Ahh!!" He waved his hand excitedly from the car, feeling the blush creep up his cheeks....

...He quickly parked the car by the side of the road and got out. "Song Yun, are you coming from hanbok practice? Would you like to have a coffee with me? Or maybe I could drop you at home?" His voice was gentle, his eyes hopeful....

...Song Yun looked up at him, and to his surprise, her eyes were teary. She didn’t say anything, just looked at him with sadness in her gaze and then began to walk away, ignoring his offer....

...Worried, Woo-seok's heart sank. He couldn’t stand seeing her like this. He followed her, his voice soft and concerned, "Why are you sad? Just tell me, I’ll do whatever you want. Lean on me, what's wrong? Please, don’t cry like that."...

...His persistent kindness finally broke through her defenses. She stopped and turned toward him, tears streaming down her cheeks. Then, in a moment of raw vulnerability, Song Yun cried aloud, her sobs echoing in the quiet night. Woo-seok, panicking slightly, pulled her gently into his embrace, wrapping his long jacket around her to shield her from the world. He carefully led her to his car, helping her inside....

..."What’s wrong?" he asked softly once they were seated, his voice laced with concern....

..."My dad... his physical condition isn’t right. He’s the only one I have. I don’t understand how I’ll arrange the money for his treatment. I don’t even have my mom... she passed away when I was born," Song Yun explained through her tears....

...Woo-seok's heart ached for her. Seeing her in such distress tugged at something deep within him. He looked at her with puppy eyes, his voice soothing as he said, "Don’t worry about the money... don’t worry. I’m here, okay? You can consider me your best friend, okay?"...

...Moved by his words and the warmth of his presence, Song Yun leaned forward and hugged him tightly. Woo-seok held her gently, feeling a wave of protectiveness wash over him. In that moment, he knew he would do anything to see her smile again....

...Thanks to Woo-seok's help, Song Yun’s father underwent a successful bypass surgery at a five-star hospital. When he was finally well enough to come home, Song Yun shared with him how she had met Woo-seok, explaining that he was the brother of her friend, and how he had been so considerate and generous to cover the medical expenses....

...Her father, touched by Woo-seok’s kindness, patted Woo-seok on the head and said, "Thank you so much, my dear. May you live long and have a happy life."...

...Woo-seok felt a warmth spread through him at the affectionate gesture. It was something he had never experienced from his own parents, and it made the moment all the more special to him. His icy exterior seemed to melt away, replaced by a deep sense of gratitude and affection....

...Later, as Song Yun’s father rested, she turned to Woo-seok and said, "Thank you, truly."...

...Woo-seok smiled, his heart fluttering at her words. "If you don’t mind, if you’re free, can we go for an outing? Anywhere you like."...

...Song Yun thought for a moment, then nodded, "Good idea. I’ll let you know."...

..."How about tomorrow?" Woo-seok asked, almost eagerly. "Let me know if you’re free or not, okay?"...

...With a shy smile, Song Yun agreed. Woo-seok, feeling lighter than he had in a long time, got into his car and drove to a store, where he bought gifts for Song Yun’s father and a cute teddy bear for her. The thought of making her smile again filled his heart with hope and excitement....

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