Fate || PART 2 of 'Good Luck, Babe!' (Bbangsaz)

5. Morning Jog

H A N N I

"Where do you think you're going?" Guwon's voice cut through the morning air, trying—and failing—to sound intimidating.

"Just because I'm pregnant with your child doesn’t mean I’ll give up my morning walks. So please, fuck off. I was in a good mood today," I sighed, not bothering to hide my frustration as I moved past him.

"And I expect you to move into the guest room by tonight," I added, grabbing my headphones from the table.

"What? That’s ridiculous. This is my room too," He complained, his voice rising in indignation.

"I'm not comfortable being in the same room as you, even if it's only at night. I can’t trust you," I replied, shooting a cold glare in his direction.

"Oh wow, are you going to hold that against me forever? You consented to it, and you're my wife, so it doesn’t count," he huffed, his words dripping with arrogance.

"I consented? Even if I was drunk, I wouldn’t have. You took advantage of me, and you know that. But I'm kind enough to have a child with you," I shot back, my voice steady but full of disgust. "And I’m only your wife legally. There is nothing between us. This is for business."

I could see the anger bubbling under his skin, but I was too exhausted to care. I walked out of the bedroom, grabbing my water bottle from the kitchen counter as I passed by.

"You’re such a fucking slut. Do you have another man you sleep with? Is that why you're acting like this?" His voice followed me, loud and venomous, and I could feel my blood boil.

"Call me such names again, and I’ll make sure you're kicked out onto the streets," I replied, not turning to face him. My tone was cold, controlled. I wasn’t about to waste any more energy on this child of a man.

"Kick me out onto the streets? Do you even know who I am?" He laughed, his voice dripping with disbelief.

I turned around. "I know exactly who you are: a narcissistic man who can't get over himself, has no manners, and is so incredibly shitty at everything that he has to beg a woman to touch him. We’ve been married for 2 years, and only a few months ago did you manage to get your disgusting hands on me when I was caught off guard."

His mouth hung open, words seemingly escaping him for once. I flashed him a sarcastic smile, then turned and left the penthouse.

It's so draining being around a man like him.

___

I walked to the nearby park, letting the morning air fill my lungs as I tried to clear my head.

The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft, golden light over the trees. I jogged along the path, the rhythm of my footsteps steady as I attempted to lose myself in the simple, repetitive motion.

But as I rounded a bend, I nearly ran into someone coming from the opposite direction.

Minji.

Again.

Why do I keep bumping into her?

She was jogging too, her hair tied into a neat ponytail that bounced with every step.

She was wearing a half-tee crop shirt, her toned biceps and abs exposed, her athletic build on full display. I could feel my face heat up, a wave of fluster washing over me.

"Minji?" I called out, slightly breathless—not from the run.

Minji stopped, her eyes widening for a brief moment before she cleared her throat, her expression quickly returning to something more neutral.

"Hi, again," she replied, her tone almost robotic. Lately, she’d been acting like she didn’t know me, which left me confused. But then again, did we really know each other anymore?

"Hey," I responded awkwardly, trying not to let my eyes drift to her exposed waist.

Minji glanced around the park, her profile catching the sunlight just right. God, I’m so hopeless.

"How are your cramps now?" she asked, her tone professional, but her beauty was enough to give anyone a heart attack.

"Uh—better," I stammered.

I could feel her eyes on me, and when I glanced back, I saw her grab a towel from her bag. She wiped her forehead, but it felt like she was doing it on purpose, just to mess with me. Or maybe I was reading too much into it.

"Good to know," Minji nodded, her voice soft but firm. "You should be exercising, but don’t overdo it. Don’t push yourself too hard; it could hurt the baby."

I nodded, feeling like a student in front of a strict teacher.

Minji looked away from me, her hand slipping into her pocket to retrieve her phone. She glanced at the time, her eyes narrowing just slightly before she tucked it away again.

"I’ll get going now," she sighed, but something in her voice told me she didn’t want to leave—like there was so much more she could say, but neither of us knew where to start.

Even after all these years, the feelings remained, buried deep but never fully gone.

Seeing her again was like waking up a part of myself I’d tried to suppress, and now, those emotions were rushing back, overwhelming me.

"Wait—Minji," I called after her, my voice trembling, betraying my nerves. She stopped, turning back to face me slowly, her posture stiff.

"Are you, uh—are you free today?" I asked, biting my lip. I couldn’t believe I was asking this, but the words had already left my mouth before I could stop them.

Minji’s gaze dropped to the ground, her brow furrowing in thought. She seemed to be weighing something, something unspoken between us.

"I am," she sighed, her voice low, almost reluctant, like she wasn’t sure if saying yes was the right choice.

I swallowed hard, my fingers instinctively tightening around the water bottle in my hand. The air between us felt thick, heavy with unsaid words and unresolved feelings.

"Do you want to grab lunch or something? I mean, if you’re up for it. It’s been a while, since—yeah," I added quickly, trying to make it sound casual even though my heart was racing.

Minji shifted her weight, her eyes darting away from mine. She seemed to scan the park, as if looking for something to focus on other than me.

"Please?" I asked again, feeling more vulnerable than I wanted to admit.

"It has been a while, but—I don’t know," Minji replied softly, though her voice had a tightness to it.

She glanced at me, saw the disappointment on my face, and sighed. "But it’s just lunch, so, yeah, sure."

I nodded, relieved but still feeling the tension between us, like an invisible thread pulled too tight, ready to snap at any moment.

"Do you still use your old number?" I hesitated. "I feel like having contact is necessary now that we live nearby and, uh—you’re stuck with me until my doctor’s back."

Minji nodded, giving me a small, hesitant smile, though her eyes never quite met mine. "I do. Contact me when you figure out where you want to have lunch."

I couldn’t help but notice how distant she seemed, like there was still a wall between us that I couldn’t break through. But at least it was a start.

I watched her walk away, her figure disappearing into the crowd, leaving me standing there with my thoughts. Even after all this time, she still had the power to make me feel like the ground beneath my feet was shifting.

___

A/N: Writing two books with entirely different genres simultaneously is messing with me so bad.