170. What on Earth Are You Thinking?
170. What on Earth Are You Thinking?
***
Vrrrm.
The low hum of the engine.
Watching Eunha drive with such ease, Serin suddenly found herself thinking that this moment felt really comfortable.
As befitting a car worth billions of won, it delivered an incredibly stable ride, and the sight of the beautiful woman driving it drew her gaze like a work of art in itself.
The car was already stunning, but the person behind the wheel was even more beautiful.
It felt like they created a synergy together.
Even if someone took a rough photo of this scene without any special technique, it could probably serve as the main cover of a fashion magazine. Eunha had that kind of presence.
'Is this what they call the composure of the upper class?'
The thought crossed my mind unbidden—Eunha driving a hypercar simply radiated a different aura.
They say position makes the person, and to me, cars seemed to have something similar going on.
"...Serin?"
When Eunha suddenly called me and glanced over, I felt a little embarrassed, wondering if I'd been staring too openly.
"Yes? What is it?"
"You can sleep if you'd like. I'll wake you when we arrive."
Eunha's calm voice saying she could sleep sounded so gentle that Serin almost nodded without thinking.
I quickly shook my head.
Sitting right next to the driver and falling asleep—no matter how she looked at it, that felt like bad manners.
On top of that, I'd already failed to keep my appointment time with Eunha. If I fell asleep beside the driver too, I'd really come across as utterly inconsiderate.
I didn't have much driving experience myself, but from what I did know, having someone sleep next to you was definitely unpleasant.
'What am I, her boss or something?'
At the very least, she figured she should be a conversation partner while Eunha drove.
"I'm fine. And how could I possibly sleep?"
"You really can sleep. Aren't you a little tired right now, Serin?"
When Eunha asked with a faint smile, I unconsciously touched the corners of my eyes.
She'd thought it wasn't noticeable in the mirror.
"Was it that obvious to you?"
"A little...? And seeing that you overslept, you must have had things to deal with overnight, or some reason you couldn't sleep. I truly don't mind if you sleep."
Eunha spoke in a calm tone, pointing out things Serin hadn't expected and showing consideration.
Serin's gaze drifted back to her without meaning to.
Long black hair falling past her shoulders, a beauty with a cool impression.
But the warm, affectionate personality inside seemed like her hidden charm.
And on top of that, Eunha was close to perfect in every way—wealth, status, everything.
Whoever ended up with her someday, she was a woman through and through.
Swoosh.
Eunha lightly turned the wheel, and the car smoothly changed direction onto a side road.
Watching her drive with such composure, Serin found herself speaking without thinking.
"Actually, last night I had a nightmare... if you can call it that. I didn't sleep well."
"...A nightmare?"
"Yes. Well, going into specifics is a little awkward, but... after tossing and turning in the early morning, I couldn't fall back asleep. I was awake from then on. All sorts of thoughts came to mind... Ah, I'm not saying this as an excuse for oversleeping. I really am sorry about being late today."
As I spoke, I realized it sounded like I was making excuses for oversleeping, so I added that.
"..."
Eunha, on the contrary, visibly furrowed her brow.
Her face, with her lips pursed slightly as if something didn't sit right with her, came into view, and for a moment I wondered if I'd done something wrong.
'Did I say something that would bother her?'
She thought for a moment but couldn't find anything. Yet Eunha's pursed lips made it look like she had something to say.
I quietly waited for Eunha to speak.
Vrrrm.
The car had entered a relatively quiet road, moving along with only the soft engine hum, when Eunha suddenly turned her head and met Serin's eyes.
"Serin... I'm truly fine. I'd like you to stop saying you're sorry from now on. There's really no need for you to apologize that much. And Serin—have I ever blamed you today?"
She spoke with a firm tone full of intent, and the sight, so different from her usual self, made me stare at her blankly.
"...No. You haven't."
When Serin answered in a daze, Eunha spoke again with the same firm voice.
"Right? I have no intention of blaming you, and I never even considered it. So. There's no reason for you to apologize like that, and no need at all."
When Eunha finished and turned her head back to the road, Serin was dumbfounded.
'She was bothered by me apologizing?'
Eunha had brushed it off as nothing, so I'd meant it as a sign that I was dwelling on my own mistake. I hadn't expected Eunha to dislike that.
"It bothered you that I apologized?"
When Serin asked in disbelief, Eunha gave a small nod.
"Yes. Honestly, it bothered me quite a bit. You apologized several times over something truly trivial, so it felt like you'd committed some great wrong against me. I'm really fine... And since we're on the subject, let me add this. I'd like it if you didn't easily apologize or show that kind of attitude to anyone else."
"...Okay."
Even as I answered blankly, I wondered what exactly Eunha thought of me.
Eunha wasn't just saying it was fine—she was telling her not to do it. That thought came to her unbidden.
And when I heard directly that Eunha didn't like the fact that I'd apologized, I laughed for no reason.
"Pfft..."
She really did pay attention to things I'd never expected. And realizing that someone was thinking of me—that definitely wasn't a bad feeling.
"Serin. Why are you laughing?"
At Eunha's questioning look, as if something was strange, Serin naturally spoke.
"Just thinking you're cuter than I expected."
"..."
Eunha blinked, turned to look at me, and the moment our eyes met, she immediately turned back to the road.
The way she pursed her lips as if embarrassed felt like a reversal of her usual image.
'Her fans should see this.'
The thought came unbidden—she really was cute right now.
Watching her from right beside her, Serin marveled anew at how someone could be this pure.
By any measure, she was a successful person. Despite her name and wealth, she seemed so transparent inside.
Like pristine white winter snow, untouched by the world.
On the surface, she was a beauty with a cold impression, but inside she paid attention to even the smallest details. Naturally, that made her look lovely.
Serin watched Eunha, who now drove in silence with occasional sidelong glances, then called out to her casually.
"Ah, and Eunha."
"...Yes."
"I'm not usually the type to apologize to other people."
To be precise, it would be more accurate to say she didn't give other people that much room, or that she never gave them even a trivial opening. But what did it matter.
"...?"
Looking at Eunha, who glanced at me wordlessly, I spoke slowly.
"So it's because it's you that I said it several times. Even if you brush it off like it's nothing, I don't think I should brush it off like it's nothing. Otherwise, it might feel like I'm treating you too casually."
So I spoke in a way that showed I was being considerate of her too.
Only after I said it did I realize anew how powerful atmosphere could be.
Words I normally couldn't bring myself to say came out naturally when someone else showed kindness first, so I could show kindness in return.
In a way, it was a selfish desire to have others reveal their feelings first. But after living for years in Black Ark, my personality had hardened like this and wouldn't easily change.
"Treating me casually..."
Eunha quietly repeated my last words. For some reason, she smiled faintly and glanced over.
"I wouldn't mind if you did."
She met my eyes and said something incomprehensible as if it were nothing, and the moment I heard it, my mood turned strange.
'...'
A peculiar feeling that was hard to describe.
It felt too odd to just let pass, so she opened her mouth.
"Eunha...? Do you realize how weird that just sounded?"
So she pointed it out. That it sounded really weird.
"Hm? What part is weird, Serin?"
Now clearly in a good mood, Eunha smiled and asked as if it were nothing.
"That's... uh..."
Even as she opened her mouth, her thoughts wouldn't connect clearly.
It just felt like her words were completely blocked.
'Am I the weird one...?'
So the thought crossed my mind blankly.
Because Eunha, driving right now, looked completely composed.
As if she sensed nothing strange in what she'd just said.
No. The situation just felt too oddly tangled for me to say anything to Eunha, so in the end I could only mumble my way through it.
"So... you want to get closer to me, right?"
"Yes. Of course. Serin... what exactly are you thinking?"
When Eunha tilted her head and asked as if something was strange, I shook my head as if it were nothing.
"...I wasn't thinking anything either."
"Really?"
When Serin looked at her with an odd expression, Eunha burst out laughing.