The night finally passed as the restless hearts of Eun-soo and Jin-woo settled into a brief, uneasy sleep.
In her penthouse at Gleam Tower, Eun-soo woke up and changed into a sleek, dark grey gym set with a white shrug, her hair tied back for her morning workout.
As the elevator passed the 35th floor, her heartbeat quickened in anticipation, but the doors opened only to reveal the cleaning staff; she let out a silent sigh of disappointment and continued down to the gym.
While exercising, her eyes constantly scanned the room for a familiar tall figure or a bright-eyed boy, but finding the gym empty of them, a wave of gloom washed over her.
"Why am I like this?" she whispered to herself, frustrated. "I know I shouldn't be falling for Mr. Jin-woo, yet I chose this specific outfit just hoping he would see me."
She completed her workout with a heavy heart and returned to her floor to get ready for the kindergarten.
While applying her makeup, she noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes from the lack of sleep and carefully applied concealer to hide the evidence of her restless night.
Feeling unwell from the exhaustion, she skipped breakfast entirely and headed out to start her day.
On the other side of the city, Hajun got ready at the Lotte Hotel, while Jin-woo dressed in a crisp black shirt, his movements slow from his own sleepless night.
His mother, Young-sook, had ordered a spread for them in the room; though Jin-woo had no appetite, she insisted he eat, and he soon felt his strength returning with the meal.
Uncle and nephew eventually arrived at the kindergarten gate, where Eun-soo was already waiting to greet her students, looking elegant in a white blouse and an olive-toned skirt.
"Good morning, Teacher!" Hajun chirped, running toward her.
"Good morning, Hajun," she replied with a warm smile, her eyes darting instinctively to the man walking behind him.
Jin-woo approached and handed her Hajun's bag. "Good morning, Teacher Eun-soo."
He looked at her closely, noticing that despite her makeup, her eyes lacked their usual sparkle and her face seemed slightly pale from fatigue.
He didn't say anything then, simply nodding before heading back to his car, but as he started the engine, he found himself making an abrupt U-turn toward a nearby cafe.
A short while later, back at the kindergarten, Eun-soo was watching the children draw family portraits when a soft knock sounded at the classroom door.
She was surprised to see Jin-woo standing in the hallway, bathed in the morning sunlight and holding a paper bag.
She stepped out, whispering to the assistant teacher that she would be right back. "Mr. Jin-woo? Is something wrong with Hajun?"
"No," Jin-woo replied, his gaze lingering on her. "I noticed this morning that you looked quite sleep-deprived."
Eun-soo felt a jolt of shock. "Me? Do I look that bad? I thought I covered it well with makeup."
Looking at her worried expression and the way she pointed at herself, Jin-woo's heart skipped a beat. "No," he said subconsciously. "You look beautiful."
A sudden, heavy silence fell between them as both processed his words, their faces flushing in the quiet hallway.
To break the tension, Jin-woo quickly lifted the bag. "I was feeling tired too, so I went to get a sandwich and coffee. I thought of you and decided to pick up an extra set. Please, take it."
Eun-soo hesitated, shaking her head. "Oh, no, thank you, I'm fine—"
"Please take it," he insisted gently. "I've already eaten mine, and it would be a waste otherwise."
"Then... why don't we go to the playground for a moment? I can eat there," Eun-soo suggested, surprised by her own boldness.
They sat together on a wooden bench, and as she opened the package, Jin-woo reached into his pocket and handed her a clean handkerchief.
"Put this on your lap so you don't ruin your dress," he said, and before she could decline, he had already draped it over her skirt.
Eun-soo whispered a "Thank you" and began to eat, while Jin-woo found himself entranced by the way she moved.
Seeing a small crumb of bread near her lip, he reached out instinctively—the way he always did for Hajun—and brushed it away with his thumb.
Eun-soo froze, her eyes widening as she looked at him with a piece of sandwich still in her mouth, looking both startled and adorable.
"Sorry," Jin-woo stammered, pulling his hand back as if burned. "It's a habit I have with Hajun. Here, take this other handkerchief."
He pulled a second, identical one from his pocket and handed it to her.
Eun-soo took it silently, her mind racing. How many handkerchiefs does this man carry? she wondered, though she found the gesture incredibly sweet.
She finished her coffee, the warmth of the drink finally soothing her exhaustion. "Thank you for the food, Mr. Jin-woo. I feel much better now. I'll return your handkerchiefs later."
"No need," he said, standing up. "I have many, and they are all new and unused. Keep them."
As they parted ways—she to her classroom and he to his car—the air between them felt different than it had that morning.
Once inside his car, Jin-woo leaned forward and softly banged his head against the steering wheel. "Why did I do that? She has a boyfriend... what must she think of me now?"
Meanwhile, Eun-soo walked back to the children, her fingers grazing the spot on her lip where he had touched her.
"How can he be this good to me?" she thought, her face turning pink. "Doesn't he know how dangerous these small things are for a girl's heart?"