Mio found herself clutching Jae-su's hand as she stood up, feeling a sharp pain radiate from her ankle. Grimacing, it was clear to him that something was wrong.
"Let's sit over there," he suggested, still holding her hand and leading her to a seat when a man grabbed his shoulder.
"Hey! You knocked over my luggage and didn't even apologize?"
The man, the owner of the large suitcase that had toppled to the ground before Mio, accused angrily. Jae-su brushed the man's hand away and responded with a firm voice.
"Is your luggage more important than the person who fell?"
Stepping in front of Mio protectively, Jae-su confronted the man while keeping her hand in his.
"Your luggage didn't fall by itself. She tripped over it because you left it standing in the middle of the way. Are you going to compensate me if it's damaged?"
"Let's take a look if it's damaged," Jae-su said, calmly squatting down to inspect the suitcase. He rotated it, inspecting the wheels, before looking up at the man with a piercing glare.
"It looks perfectly fine to me."
"Well, it's just a figure of speech..." the man's tone softened slightly as Jae-su pointed out the suitcase's sturdy condition.
"Suitcases don't break from falling once. You're the one at fault for leaving it in the middle of the path instead of near a pillar or wall," Jae-su continued, his voice rising.
The tension grew as Un-su and Gyeo-ul came running over.
"Hyung, let it go."
"Let it go? He hasn't even apologized!" Jae-su, now fully riled up, ignored Un-su's plea. The man, sensing the growing attention of passersby, muttered under his breath.
"Looks like we're both at fault. Let's just move on."
"Move on? I said apologize!" Jae-su demanded, but the man walked away, pulling his suitcase through the crowd.
"Where do you think you're going?" Jae-su shouted, attempting to follow the man, but Un-su held him back.
***
"Are all the suitcases retrieved?" Gyeo-ul asked as everyone regrouped.
"No, wait… is it your ankle?" Jae-su kneeled before Mio, gently moving her foot as she winced in pain.
"You probably twisted it when you fell. It'd be better to get an ankle brace from a pharmacy. I'll find one when we leave the airport," he suggested, his tone suddenly kind and caring—completely unfamiliar to Mio.
Feeling uncomfortable with his sudden kindness, Mio quickly stood up.
"I don't need that. I can walk."
Her abrupt response made Jae-su frown as he stood.
"You'll only make it worse."
"I said I can walk," Mio retorted, determined to avoid accepting his help. She took a few pained steps, driven by sheer stubbornness. **I won't accept help from Kang Jae-su!** She refused to rely on him, even if it hurt.
Her defiance pushed her to take five more steps before she turned back to face him.
"See? I'm fine!"
He sighed, his frustration evident.
"If you say so," he muttered, walking back to join his family. As he glanced back, he saw her hobbling, clearly in pain, before sitting back down.
***
"Wow! This place is amazing!" Gyeo-ul exclaimed as they arrived at their accommodation, a charming house with a garden. The white garden furniture stood out, giving the place a peaceful ambiance. Beyond the garden, they could see the main two-story house and a smaller, separate building.
Gyeo-ul darted inside, admiring the spacious layout. The first floor had a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom. Upstairs, two more rooms faced each other across a small hallway.
"This place is so pretty! I miss our Joon!" Gyeo-ul sighed, touching the curtains that framed the windows.
As everyone gathered in the living room, Suri started assigning rooms.
"I'll take the first-floor bedroom. Jae-su and Un-su can take the second-floor rooms, and Cheon-su will take the smaller building."
With their rooms assigned, everyone began moving their suitcases. Jae-su and Un-su carried theirs up the stairs, while Mio took a deep breath, gripping the railing as she ascended slowly, one step at a time.
***
Mio placed her backpack on the table and sat on a nearby chair. Jae-su had already left after dropping his suitcase in their shared room. From across the hall, she could hear Gyeo-ul and Un-su chatting.
She tried to ignore the thoughts that raced through her mind. **Gyeo-ul gets to share a room with Un-su… what if something happens between them?**
Despite herself, Mio felt uneasy. She knew they weren't a real couple, but the thought of them sharing a space made her nervous.
**What if…?**
Her imagination got the better of her, and she stood up abruptly, determined to check on them. Just as she was about to leave the room, Jae-su appeared in the doorway, holding a small ice pack.
"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice casual.
"Uh… just looking around. This place is really nice," she lied.
"Sit down first," he said, grabbing her arm and guiding her back to the bed.
"What are you doing?" she protested.
"Just stay still."
Ignoring her resistance, he gently placed the cold pack on her injured ankle.
"Ouch! It's cold!"
"It'll help. Trust me," he said calmly, his tone much softer than usual.
**Is this what he's like at work? Is this why everyone says he's so kind?** Mio thought to herself, finally sitting still as he wrapped the ice pack around her ankle. Just then, Gyeo-ul passed by the open door, spotting them.
Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth in surprise before walking away, a mischievous smile on her face. **What's with that expression?** Mio wondered.
"All done," Jae-su said, snapping her attention back to him. He had secured the ice pack around her ankle and stood up.
"Stay put for a while. If it's uncomfortable, you can lie down."
"L-lie down? No, I'm fine sitting like this," she said hastily, straightening her back awkwardly. He chuckled at her stubbornness.
"I'll be downstairs if you need anything," he said before leaving the room.
Once he was gone, she let out a long sigh, flopping back onto the bed.
"Why is he being so… considerate? It's not like I asked for help," she muttered to herself, staring up at the ceiling.
As she replayed the moments in her mind, her thoughts drifted back to the way he had looked at her—his soft smile, the way his eyes crinkled slightly, and the unexpected warmth in his voice.
"Wait… did I just think he looked… handsome?" she gasped, immediately sitting up.
"No way! That's not it. He's just being polite because he helped me! That's all!" she insisted to herself, waving her hands as if trying to erase the memory.
***
"Unni, what was that earlier?" Gyeo-ul teased as they walked toward the parking lot for dinner.
"What do you mean?" Mio asked, puzzled.
"You and Jae-su oppa… the vibe between you two was kinda…"
"What? No! He was just helping me with my ankle!" Mio exclaimed.
"Are you sure? It looked like something's going on…"
"Choi Gyeo-ul! I told you, nothing's going on. Besides, the person I like is—"