Fools & Secrets ✔️

Tres

The Daughter

Chapter 3

This is awkward. So awkward. She could've run outside when she had the chance earlier—why did she let her stupidity take over and sit down for a meal instead? Now, she had to endure the awkward silence between them, and it didn't help that Lisa kept recalling the foolish things she said and did last night. Had she really been deprived for that long? I mean, she had been single her whole life, so no wonder she was desperate! What the hell, Lisa?!

She took a quick glance at the guy in front of her. He was drinking his coffee and reading a medical book, which had surprised her earlier. The quick glance she intended turned into a prolonged stare. She didn't even realize her brows had knitted together, or that she'd propped her elbow on the table, resting her chin in her hand to get a better view.

When he took his third sip of coffee, Lisa's gaze dropped to his mouth. The memory of last night slammed into her, making her nearly fall off her chair. Lisa, you idiot—why on earth did you kiss him?! Now that memory will haunt her forever, thanks to her dumbassery.

As if sensing her inner turmoil, Mingyu looked up from his book, his eyes meeting hers with a casual, almost curious expression. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice calm, but to Lisa, it might as well have been, "Are you stupid?"

A wave of embarrassment washed over her, and she could practically feel her inner self shrinking into a corner, hiding from the world. She forced an awkward laugh, the sound unnatural even to her own ears, and shifted in her seat, trying to compose herself. "Y-yeah, hangovers suck," she blurted out, her voice cracking slightly at the end.

He simply nodded, his expression unreadable, as if waiting for her to continue. The silence that followed made her stomach churn with anxiety. Desperate to fill the void, Lisa reached for her glass and took a large, shaky sip, the cool liquid doing little to calm her nerves. Clearing her throat, she decided to confront the elephant in the room.

"About what I said earlier... I'm sorry. I get overwhelmed easily, and my impulsive thoughts tend to take over before I can stop them." Her voice was quieter now, more vulnerable.

Mingyu tilted his head slightly, still watching her with that same unreadable gaze. It was as if he was trying to decipher something in her expression, something she wasn't even sure she understood herself.

"And I also tend to blame others because... well, that's what I keep doing to myself. I'm just tired of always being the one who criticizes herself."

He raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Is this a pity party?"

Lisa's eyes widened, and she shook her head vigorously. "Oh my gosh, no! I was just explaining my side. I don't usually act like that—I mean, who would, right? I'm not smart, and I look mediocre. I'm just..."

"You're fine," he interrupted, his tone unexpectedly sincere.

Lisa blinked, taken aback by the softness in his voice. "You don't have to lie to make me feel better," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid of the response.

"I'm not," Mingyu said, his gaze steady. "You're enough just the way you are."

The words caught her completely off guard, and she could feel her cheeks burning as she looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, twisting the fabric nervously as she searched for something to say. She hadn't expected kindness, especially not from him.

"I'm also sorry for kissing you, by the way," she finally managed, her voice trembling slightly. "It was embarrassing. Don't worry, I won't ever do it again."