Please, Confess to Me

Chapter 32 : Hanni, I like you

At the first fork in the road, Hanni and Minji parted ways. When they reached the second fork, Minji looked at Jay and said, "I'm going right."

"Then I'll take the left," Jay replied, trying to keep the mood cooperative.

"Alright." Minji nodded coldly, not bothering to say goodbye as she walked away.

"Hey!" Jay called out suddenly. When Minji turned back, he hesitated before asking, "If I find Hanni before you..."

"That's impossible," Minji interrupted, her impatience bubbling over. She took a few angry steps toward Jay, "Mr. Park, I'm married to Hanni. You'd better stop entertaining such foolish thoughts."

"The angrier you get, the more you reveal your fear," Jay chuckled. "You forced Hanni to marry you. In all honesty, you're worried that she's only good to you because she needs to repay you, right?"

"That has nothing to do with you." Minji shot back, her words like a dagger to the heart. She turned on her heel and walked away.

"I know it has nothing to do with me," Jay muttered to himself, puzzled by his own behavior. For some reason, he felt compelled to provoke Minji whenever the topic arose.

On the other side, Hanni had separated from the others and was wandering aimlessly around town. The temperature difference between day and night in the south was quite significant. During the day, it was sunny and hot enough to warrant a light coat, but once the sun set, the temperature dropped rapidly.

Dressed in a coat for the evening, Hanni wrapped Minji's scarf around her neck. It felt slightly warm against her skin, but she couldn't bear to take it off. Instead, she loosened it just a bit, finding comfort in the familiar scent that reminded her of her wife.

Hanni had always struggled with her sense of direction, fully aware that she would likely get lost if left to navigate on her own. Even before they entered the town, she had resolved to wander aimlessly, hoping that Minji would find her eventually.

The town's buildings featured white walls and blue tiles, with their eaves adorned by vines and flowers. Occasional barks echoed from the alleys. Hanni found this stroll to be surprisingly pleasant.

"Young lady, would you like to try some?" The auntie selling spicy noodles approached with a warm smile.

"Yes, please," Hanni replied, feeling her stomach rumble after the long walk.

"Are you from out of town?" The auntie asked as she expertly prepared Hanni's noodles.

"Yes."

"Traveling?"

"No, I'm here to visit some friends," Hanni answered, glancing around the vibrant market.

"Here you go." The auntie placed the steaming bowl of noodles in front of Hanni. "Give it a try and let me know what you think."

Hanni took a bite with her chopsticks and smiled brightly. "It's very delicious!"

"What do you think, will my business thrive?" The auntie asked, a hopeful glimmer in her eyes.

"You just opened?" Hanni asked.

"Yes," the auntie replied with a smile. "Our Mayor is planning to develop the town's tourism. A lot of people have returned to start businesses, and I wanted to try my hand at opening a snack bar."

"Well, you won't have any trouble! Your place is sure to become popular," Hanni encouraged.

"By the way, have you seen the sign near the town gate?" The auntie asked.

"I have."

"What do you think? Do you believe tourists would come here for something like that?" The auntie's concern for the town's development was evident.