Her chest tightened, and she dropped her gaze. "I really forgot. I'll be careful next time."
The silence thickened, stretching between them. Then his voice came softer, rougher. "…I shouldn't have snapped. I just—" He cut himself off, jaw tightening as if swallowing words too heavy to let out.
Hana's heart pounded. She wanted to ask just what?, but the look in his eyes rooted her in place. It wasn't anger anymore—it was something deeper, something dangerous, something that both scared her and thrilled her. "It's alright," she whispered.
A faint smile tugged at his mouth as his gaze drifted toward the perfume shelves. "You like my old collection?"
"Old?" Her eyes widened. "These are old?"
"Yeah." He gave a light shrug. "I don't live here anymore, so I don't use them either."
Hana blinked, her thoughts spinning. Not live here anymore? Kai Seok always had this kind of money? Then why Damyang-gun, why Sexy Aunty? The questions crowded her chest. There's so much I don't know.
His eyes snapped back to hers, sharp, probing. "What are you thinking about?"
She faltered, avoiding his gaze. "…You—you have your own apartment?"
"Of course." His smirk was casual, practiced. "I'm almost twenty-five. That's five years older than you."
Her head shot up. "No, not five—just four," she blurted, a nervous laugh tumbling out too quickly.
He chuckled at her defensiveness, the sound low and teasing. "Really? Guess I'm just too old now. I'm even older than Jihoon."
Her lips pressed into a stubborn pout. "It doesn't matter."
"It does matter." He slid his hands into his pockets and leaned closer, his voice playful but edged with something else. "You should start calling me 'older brother.'"
Her eyes snapped to his, heat flashing across her cheeks. "You're not my older brother."
His laugh came easy, unbothered. "I know I'm not, Hana. I was teasing. Why do you look so serious?"
Flustered, Hana spun toward the door. "I'm going to meet Mom," she muttered, storming out before he could say another word.
Left standing in the quiet, Kai blinked after her. Was she… angry?