Sure! Here's the continuation of the story:
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The next day, Taeyang woke up earlier than usual, his body moving almost on autopilot. The thought of Jiwon lingering in his mind somehow motivated him to prepare faster than usual. After a quick breakfast, he grabbed his coat and briefcase, glancing briefly at the quiet dining table. Without Jiwon around, even the house seemed to have lost its usual vibrance.
As he drove to work, his thoughts were scattered. The Gangnam project still occupied his mind, but so did Jiwon. Why does her absence affect me this much? he wondered, shaking his head.
Meanwhile, at her small apartment, Jiwon was preparing for another busy day at college. Her books and laptop were neatly packed into her bag. Yet, while brushing her hair, she caught herself staring at her reflection, her thoughts drifting back to Taeyang. She laughed softly to herself. "He's probably busy with work. Why am I thinking about him again?" she muttered, shaking her head.
That afternoon, after completing his meeting, Taeyang sat in his car, scrolling through his phone. His finger hovered over Jiwon's name again. Before he could overthink it, he sent a short message.
Taeyang: "Finished with class?"
The reply came almost immediately.
Jiwon: "Wow, Boss! You're checking on me? Yep, I just finished. Why?"
Taeyang smirked at her cheeky response.
Taeyang: "Just making sure you're not skipping meals again."
Jiwon: "Who's the boss here, you or me? Don't worry, I'm eating lunch now."
Although their exchange was short, Taeyang felt a strange sense of relief. The tension in his shoulders eased a little.
By the time he returned home that evening, he was surprised to find the lights on. His heart skipped slightly as he opened the door, and there she was—Jiwon, sitting cross-legged on the living room floor with her laptop open, surrounded by books.
"You're back early," Taeyang said, trying to sound indifferent as he stepped inside.
Jiwon looked up with a grin. "Yeah, I figured this house was too quiet without me, so here I am!"
Taeyang rolled his eyes, though he couldn't hide the faint smile tugging at his lips. "I see. You're already making yourself at home, huh?"
"Of course! You can't get rid of me that easily," Jiwon replied cheekily, typing something on her laptop. "But seriously, I needed a quiet place to study, and this house seemed like a good option."
Taeyang glanced at her makeshift study station, noticing how her presence seemed to fill the house with warmth again. "Do you need anything? Coffee? Snacks?" he offered, surprising even himself with the suggestion.
Jiwon raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Wow, look at you being considerate! Coffee would be nice, though."
Taeyang disappeared into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with a steaming cup of coffee. He placed it on the table beside her, then sat on the couch, pretending to check his phone while stealing glances at her.
As the night deepened, the house fell into a comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of Jiwon typing and the occasional hum from Taeyang. For the first time in a while, Taeyang felt at ease, and it wasn't because of the quiet. It was because of her.
But as he watched her focused expression, a question lingered in his mind: What exactly does she mean to me?
And unbeknownst to him, Jiwon was battling similar thoughts. While scribbling notes in her notebook, she caught herself sneaking glances at Taeyang, who was pretending to be engrossed in his phone. A small smile formed on her lips as she thought, Why does being here feel so… right?
The next day, Jiwon decided to walk to campus since it was nearby. The crisp morning air felt refreshing, and she hummed a little tune as she strolled along the quiet streets. After finishing her classes in the afternoon, she made her way to a nearby café to grab some coffee and unwind.
As she sipped her drink and scrolled through her phone, her eyes wandered to the street outside. Across the road, she noticed two suspicious-looking men exchanging a small package. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she kept watching them intently. Then, it clicked.
"Drug dealers!" Jiwon suddenly shouted, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. She dramatically grabbed her phone and held it up as if she was recording. "I have a detective friend! You guys could get arrested!"
The two men froze in their tracks, their heads whipping toward her. Their eyes narrowed in anger as they realized they'd been spotted. One of them pointed at her. "Hey, that girl knows too much!"
The other man clenched his fists. "Let's take care of her right now!"
Realizing she had unintentionally stirred a hornet's nest, Jiwon's eyes widened. "Uh-oh." She grabbed her bag and bolted out of the café.
"Catch her!" one of the men shouted as they sprinted after her, followed by a small group of their associates.
Jiwon dashed through the crowded streets, dodging pedestrians and carts, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced behind her and saw the group gaining on her. "Oh no, this is bad!" she muttered to herself.
At that exact moment, Taeyang was sitting in his car, waiting at a red light. His attention was caught by a familiar figure sprinting down the sidewalk, flailing her arms and yelling. "Jiwon?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Then he saw the group of angry men chasing after her. His jaw dropped. "That kid again!"
Without hesitation, Taeyang rolled down his window and yelled, "Jiwon! Over here!"
Jiwon's head whipped around, and relief flooded her face. She veered toward the car, flung the door open, and dove into the passenger seat. "Drive! Drive now!" she yelled, panting heavily.
Taeyang didn't need to be told twice. He hit the gas, speeding away from the scene. Once they were safely out of reach, he turned to her, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief. "Are you out of your mind?! What just happened?"
Jiwon, still catching her breath, waved her hands dramatically. "I just saw them making a suspicious deal! So I called them drug dealers, and… well, they didn't like that."
Taeyang facepalmed so hard it made a loud smack. "Who do you think you are? Superwoman? Or maybe Sherlock Holmes?"
Jiwon huffed, crossing her arms. "I was just trying to help the community! And besides, they did look suspicious."
Taeyang groaned, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "If they had caught you back there, do you think they would have forgiven your 'good intentions'? Are you naive or just plain stupid?"
Jiwon opened her mouth to argue but decided against it. "Well… maybe I was a little impulsive," she admitted quietly, looking down.
Taeyang glanced at her and sighed. "If something like this happens again, call the police. Or me. Don't ever act recklessly like that again, understand?"
Jiwon nodded slowly. But then, a small smile crept onto her face as she tried to lighten the mood. "But I was pretty cool shouting at them, right? Did you see their faces? They were so scared!"
Taeyang gave her an incredulous look. "Cool? That was the dumbest thing I've ever seen."
Jiwon chuckled, even though she knew Taeyang was right. "But you came to save me, so I'm safe now. Thanks, Boss."
Taeyang shook his head, though he couldn't hide the faint smile tugging at his lips. "You're impossible… always making me worry."
And deep down, he realized that while Jiwon often got herself into trouble, he couldn't imagine his life being this lively without her.