My Girlfriend’s Fortune: 3,141,592,653,589

TL: Aniea

Hoo-

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Kim Eun-ha let out a deep sigh. The conversation she had just had with Kang Woo-ju flashed through her mind.

- Eun-ha ssi, your expression seems dark.

- That’s a lie too, isn’t it?

- It’s because I’m worried about you.

Beep-!

Startled by her own thoughts, Kim Eun-ha inadvertently bowed her head, accidentally pressing the horn in the process.

Though it wasn’t loud enough to cause a commotion, the sharp noise echoed through the otherwise quiet parking lot, enough to make her flinch.

Frantically looking around, she let out a sigh of relief only after confirming there was no one nearby to witness her slip-up.

“Haa… what the hell am I even doing?”

Her already strained mind felt even more fatigued, the throbbing at her temples growing worse. Realizing she was too tired to drive just yet, she reclined her seat slightly and leaned back.

As she closed her eyes, attempting to relax and meditate for a moment, her phone vibrated suddenly as if waiting for this exact moment.

“...Hmm?”

Annoyed by the impeccably bad timing, Kim Eun-ha picked up her phone with a frustrated expression. Her irritation was replaced with slight confusion as she glanced at the name displayed on the screen.

The confusion lasted only briefly. Without hesitation, she answered the call.

“Woo-ju ssi?”

- Eun-ha ssi, where are you right now?

"In the parking lot. I was just about to leave… Do you need something else?”

- You.

“???”

Kim Eun-ha blinked in confusion, unable to make sense of what he just said. Trying to gather her thoughts, she asked again, her voice slightly unsure.

"What did you say? I couldn't hear you clearly."

- I said I need you, Eun-ha ssi.

What is he talking about?

She knew he was probably joking, yet her cheeks burned uncontrollably. Feeling grateful that he wasn’t standing in front of her, she muttered back.

“...You need be more clear. Are you short on seats? Do you need more staff? Or is there some problem with the theater?”

- I told you what I need.

“...I’m not in the mood to entertain your jokes right now, Woo-ju ssi.”

- I’m not joking.

“......!?”

Startled by the voice that came not from the phone but from right beside her, Kim Eun-ha shot up straight.

Turning her head, her eyes met Kang Woo-ju’s, who was standing outside the passenger-side window, looking straight at her.

“...Wh-what the heck!”

Thump-thump-thump-!

Her heart pounded furiously, whether it was from being startled or for another reason, she couldn’t tell. She had to work hard to calm herself down.

Knock-knock-

Still watching her, Kang Woo-ju tapped lightly on the passenger-side window with his fingers. He gestured toward the door lock, signaling her to unlock it.

“.......”

Click-

With a reluctant expression, Kim Eun-ha pressed the button to unlock the door. As soon as the lock released, Kang Woo-ju opened the door and casually climbed into the passenger seat.

Once seated, he scratched his cheek awkwardly before speaking.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you'd be so surprised."

“Why are you here? What about your team dinner?”

“I got permission from the director to leave early.”

"But why...."

“Maybe because I’ve been filming all day? I feel pretty tired today. If I stayed there, I might’ve dozed off on the spot, so I left.”

“.......”

Kang Woo-ju responded slyly.

Though Kim Eun-ha knew it wasn’t the real reason, she didn’t bother pointing it out. Deep down, she felt a little guilty and didn’t want to call him out on it.

After all, the fact that he had come all the way here for her was undeniable. Putting aside the impracticality of it, she couldn’t deny that it didn’t feel all that bad.

“You haven’t had dinner yet, have you? I brought some food from there. These days, theaters are practically at restaurant level.”

“.......”

He opened the bag he was holding and began pulling out various kinds of food, showing them one by one, wearing an innocent, childlike expression.

Of course, that too was an act.

Kang Woo-ju was trying his best to ease the awkward atmosphere, relying on pre-planned gestures and lines he’d prepared in advance.

Obvious, unlike his usual self.

Though his acting was transparent...

“...Do you even have waffles?”

“Of course! What kind would you like? Blueberry? Cream cheese? Or maybe Belgian dark chocolate? Oh, there’s also classic.”

“Are you here to sell waffles or something?”

“Haha…”

“Geez… I’ll take the classic.”

“Got it. Here you go.”

As if he had been waiting for her answer, Kang Woo-ju quickly pulled out a waffle. He even carefully unwrapped the packaging and handed it to her with the utmost care.

It felt as though even if she had asked for something that couldn’t be found at a movie theater, he would have somehow pulled it out of that bag like it was no big deal.

Shaking her head at his antics, Kim Eun-ha quietly accepted the waffle he handed over.

The moment she took it, warmth radiated from the handle, making it clear he had rushed to deliver it to her while it was still hot.

“Eat it before it gets cold.”

“...Thanks. I’ll enjoy it.”

Nham-

She took a bite, and even though it was just a classic waffle without any special toppings, its sweet aroma and pleasant texture lingered in the air around her.

“If you get thirsty, drink this.”

“......?”

“It’s a cappuccino.”

It wasn’t as if she didn’t recognize what it was.

What she was curious about was how he had guessed she would choose waffles and even brought the perfect drink to pair with it.

A cappuccino, made with espresso and milk, complemented waffles remarkably well.

Sure, it was a common pairing, but she had never once drunk it in front of Kang Woo-ju before.

Sensing her unspoken question, Kang Woo-ju turned his gaze slightly toward the window and spoke casually.

“You drink espresso often, and I once saw you drink milk with a sandwich. So, I figured cappuccino would be a safe choice. Did I guess wrong?”

“...No, you got it right.”

"That's a relief!"

Hehe-

When Kim Eun-ha accepted the cappuccino, Kang Woo-ju scratched his head like a sheepish puppy, his face lighting up with a silly grin.

Was that smile part of his act?

Or was it genuine?

She had no idea.

“.......”

Nham-

Unable to think of anything to say, Kim Eun-ha simply took another bite of her waffle.

She chewed quietly for a while, and whenever her mouth felt dry, she sipped her cappuccino.

A moment ago, she hadn’t thought she could eat anything at all, but strangely enough, the food went down easily, almost too easily.

It wasn’t just the food, though. The lethargy and fatigue that had been weighing down her body seemed to melt away as if they had never been there in the first place.

‘...No, it’s not just because of the food, is it?’

Swish-

Kim Eun-ha turned her gaze slightly toward the passenger seat. And just like that, her eyes met Kang Woo-ju’s, who had apparently been watching her the entire time.

“...Why are you staring at me like that while I’m eating?”

“Because you’re cute.”

“W-What!?”

“Sometimes, when I watch you eat, you remind me of a hamster. You nibble and puff up your cheeks, and it’s just… it’s healing to watch.”

“Y-you’re comparing me to a pet!?”

She understood it was just a metaphor, but for some reason, she felt embarrassed. Hastily, she wrapped the remaining waffle back in its packaging and placed it on her lap.

“Why aren’t you eating it? There’s still more.”

“...How am I supposed to keep eating after hearing something like that?”

“That’s too bad. It was adorable.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“Stop saying I’m cute. Seriously.”

“Why not?”

“.......”

Without answering, Kim Eun-ha simply shook her head. If she continued this conversation any further, she felt like she’d end up even more tangled up with him.

Seeing this, Kang Woo-ju didn’t push it any further. Instead, he leaned slightly toward her.

"W-w-what are you d-doing...!?"

“Hold still for a second.”

Tap-

In that moment, something soft brushed against her lips. Startled, Kim Eun-ha opened her eyes wide, and Kang Woo-ju’s mischievous smile came into clearer focus in her view.

Swish-

He moved his extended finger to the side, gently wiping across Kim Eun-ha’s lips. As he pulled his hand back, white foam clung to his finger.

“Were you expecting something else, by any chance?”

“.......”

It was the exact same line she had used on him at the department store, now turned back on her. She pressed her lips together tightly and glared at Kang Woo-ju.

With a nonchalant shrug, he brought the foam on his finger to his mouth without hesitation.

Startled, Kim Eun-ha reached out to stop him, but Kang Woo-ju was quicker.

“How can I not call you cute when you act like this?”

Pfft-

With his grin growing wider, Kang Woo-ju rubbed the foam onto his lips like it was lip gloss.

The moisture on his lips glistened under the light. Watching him, Kim Eun-ha seemed momentarily mesmerized, her words stuck in her throat.

“Why would you put that on your lips?!”

“Ah, I did it without thinking.”

His cheeky attitude made Kim Eun-ha’s voice instinctively rise in frustration.

“Will you stop lying?!”

“Does it look like I’m lying?”

“Then are you saying you’re not?”

“Come on, can’t you let this one slide?”

"...Stop copying me."

“Is that an order? Or a request?”

“It’s an order.”

Sigh-

At her firm response, Kang Woo-ju shrugged his shoulders as if he had no choice, remaining quiet for the moment. However, the smirk hooked on his lips showed no signs of going away.

“Seriously, you’re like a little kid.”

“Well, you’re the one getting worked up over a bit of foam on your lips.”

"Get out."

“...I’m sorry!”

Hearing her stern voice, Kang Woo-ju immediately bowed his head in mock submission. His ability to know just where the line was and stop short of crossing it made him even more infuriating.

“Why exactly did you come here, anyway?”

Now half-frustrated, half-annoyed, Kim Eun-ha pouted and demanded an answer. His reply was absolutely absurd.

“I already told you earlier.”

“What did you tell me?”

“That I need you, Eun-ha ssi.”

“That’s why I said, be specific…!”

Kim Eun-ha stopped mid-sentence. Kang Woo-ju’s eyes had grown serious, eerily so. It reminded her of watching [Kang Joo-heon] in a drama.

“As I’ve said before, I don’t mean anything else. What I need is simply the person named ‘Kim Eun-ha’.”

“...What do you want from me?”

“I spoke with Kim Young-ho sunbae earlier. I couldn’t find you in the theater no matter where I looked, so I thought to check with him. He said you’d gone home.”

“......?”

When Kim Eun-ha tilted her head, confused by the context, Kang Woo-ju smiled softly and continued.

“He mentioned that for the first broadcast, you should watch it with the person most important to you. He said he’d be watching at home with his whole family.”

“.......”

For a brief moment, Kim Eun-ha’s pupils trembled. Her sharp mind quickly pieced together the meaning behind Kang Woo-ju’s words.

In other words, wasn’t he implying that he wanted to watch the first broadcast with the person he cared about the most? And that person was...

“Would you mind accompanying me to visit someone at the hospital?”

“.......”

Kang Woo-ju’s father was still unconscious after his surgery.

The operation had been successful, but as is often the case with brain surgeries, it could take anywhere from a week to several months for consciousness to return.

Now that his blood pressure had stabilized, family members were allowed to visit, so Kim Ji-hye had stayed glued to Kang Nam-woo’s side even though he remained unresponsive.

“Though it’s a bit late, luckily the hospital is nearby. If we leave now, we might still make it in time to catch the last part of the broadcast together.”

“You could just go by yourself.”

“No.”

Kang Woo-ju shook his head firmly. He didn’t avoid Kim Eun-ha’s sharp gaze; instead, he met it head-on with an incredibly serious expression.

“If I went to see him alone, I’d definitely get scolded with something like, ‘Didn’t I tell you to come after the drama finishes airing!?’ That’s why I absolutely need you, Eun-ha ssi.”

“Get out of the car.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that!”

In an instant, Kang Woo-ju switched to a playful attitude, twisting his body and pretending to act cute in a way that didn’t suit him at all. Watching this, Kim Eun-ha let out an exasperated laugh, as if she couldn’t believe him.

“...Honestly.”

“Thank you! I’ll do my best!”

“You know this is all a debt, right?”

“Of course. Add as much interest as you want and collect it all later.”

“Just don’t regret it later.”

Clatter-

Kim Eun-ha straightened her seat and buckled her seatbelt. Naturally, Kang Woo-ju took the waffle resting on her lap as if it was the most natural thing to do.

“Ah-”

Then, he unwrapped the packaging again and held the waffle up to her lips.

Caught off guard by the unexpected gesture, Kim Eun-ha hesitated for a moment. But when the waffle lightly tapped against her lips, as if knocking, she couldn’t help but accept it in the end.

“How is it? Tastes good?”

“...It’s not bad.”

“You’re not being honest.”

Really? Who’s calling who dishonest here?

Kim Eun-ha held back the retort sitting on the tip of her tongue and simply let it slide.

Vroom-!

With everything set, she shifted the gear. As she pressed the accelerator, her trusty car roared to life, speeding forward with a powerful growl.