Chapter 425: Dealing With It.
Unfortunately for Ni-Na, her plan of evading In-Ha was brought to nought when she arrived the tarmac and saw In-Ha waiting by the aircraft which Dan-Han had surprisingly told her would be taking her back.
She had expected to take a commercial flight back since Dan-Han would be taking the private they had arrived in, but she had been very surprised when he told her there was a plane waiting for her.
Who knew this was it.
She paused on her heels as she stared at In-Ha who was also staring at her. Her hand tightened around the handle of her suitcase as she stood transfixed. This was unexpected.
He looked just as he did when she met him last night, but a little more dishelleved. His hair was in a fine mess, like he had ran his hand through it a few times, and a few strands pushed over his forehead, touching his eyebrow.
Ni-Na mentally kicked herself in the head. What was she doing?
She had not spent the whole of her night crafting out ways of avoiding him just to end up hitching a ride home and sharing an enclosed space with him, when she still couldn’t stop herself from seeing the way she has always done.
.....
Lee Ni-Na, get a grip. She chided herself.
‘This is nothing. You can do it.’ She heard a voice say in her head – a voice which she badly wanted to believe, but a part of her was firmly gripping the reality that she might not be able to.
This was In-Ha, the man she had secretly being in love since she used her first tampon.
‘But he doesn’t know that.’ The voice in her head said once again, and as much as she hated the reality of those words, she had to admit it was true.
In-Ha had no idea about her secret pining for him, and that damned yearning was what led to what happened between them.
She had tried to excuse her foolish act as the consequence of alcohol indulgence, but Ni-Na knew better.
Her actions were the result of her childhood fantasy which she had nursed for so long.
“You’re not leaving, are you?” She raised her head up when she heard his voice coming from above her. She had been so lost in her thought she didn’t know when he had crossed the space between them and stopped in front of her.
She hardened her gaze as she looked at him. “Why would I want to leave?” She steely asked before pushing past him, all the while ensuring she made no physical contact with him.
In-Ha sighed as he turned around and peered at her back as she walked away. He pushed his hand through his already disheveled hair, and sighed again.
His eyes keenly observed Ni-Na who was doing everything but stare at him. This was the first time they were within each other’s space and she wasn’t bickering with him, rather she was avoiding him, and it was because of his foolishness.
He cussed himself over and over again.
He still didn’t know how he had messed up in such a way. Never had he expected something as crazy as him sleeping with Ni-Na would ever happen, and to think he was her first?
Christ! How did that happen?!
“Ni-Na, you have to talk to me, please.” He begged, not being able to tolerate her silence anymore. He had cut short his trip, which he had intially embarked on to put some distance between him and Eun-sun, but who knew he’d do something stupid in the process?
This was far worse than harboring feelings for his best friend’s woman. Dan-Han would kill him for this, and Ni-Na... God! she must hate him.
“Ni-Na, please.”
He nervously bit his lip when she raised her gaze to him. “I am talking to you, am I not?” She said in the most casual note she had ever spoken to him, but he could hear the coldness in her voice.
“You know what I’m talking about. I made a mistake, and I’m sorry for what I did, but we...we have to talk about it.”
Ni-Na didn’t know why, but the mention of mistake from In-Ha’s lips made something in her heart twist, and her stomach churn. How stupid could he be?
She knew it was a mistake to him, and she was certain he regretted it with all his heart, but she didn’t want to hear it.
She didn’t want to hear him say the one moment she had been dreaming about for so long turned out to be a regrettable mistake for him. Though it hadn’t happened the way she wanted it, or had imagined it in the last eleven years, but it was hurtful.
It was hurtful when he said it that way, and when he looked at her the way he was doing right now. With shame and regret.
Ni-Na pushed her lips as wide as she could and gave whatever smile she could offer.
“It’s fine, In-Ha. We’re both adults, and like I said we were both drunk, and we know both know people make stupid decisions and act foolishly under the influence of alcohol. I badly wanted to drink and act reckless, and I guess I got what I want. So it’s fine.” She said with a finely controlled voice, which had In-Ha staring at her as he wondered if she truly meant what she said.
“It might be fine with you, but it isn’t with me. I feel terrible.”
“Well that makes two of us, but you don’t see me whining about it, do you? I’m not forcing to take responsibility for anything.”
“I’d feel better if you ask me to.” He blurted out, making Ni-Na silently stare at him, and her stomach twisting once more. Of course, he’d want that.
Her face hardened despite her attempt to hide it away. “And how would you want to take responsibility for it, Mr Kang In-Ha? Marry me? Marriage will be absurd as I’m not pregnant, and I won’t be. If that’s what you’re scared about. I’ve been on pills since I started developing way before my mates did.” She said, putting that out there, just incase he was bothered about not using protection. Which she really had not expected since he had been so eager to drill away in her.
She inwardly scoffed when she saw the slight look of relieve that swept through his face, before it disappeared.
“But I have to do something. Just tell me anything.” He begged in earnest.
“I’m sorry but I don’t have anything for you. I won’t date you either if that’s what you want me to say. I’d rather date a pig or die single than date the infamous Mr Kang. It’s sad I’ve been added to the endless list of girls who had been sampled by you, but I won’t be your excuse for resolving whatever feelings you still have for my sister in-law, or have you date me out of guilt. So no, In-Ha, I don’t want anything you have to offer, neither do I want to dwell on it.”
“Ni-Na please.” In-Ha didn’t know what to say or do. He was feeling frustrated, and her calmness about it was making him feel worse.
“Kang In-Ha, deal with this as an adult, and stop. At least I am.” She calmly told him, but heaven knows she wasn’t dealing with it at all.
This was painful as hell, but she’d rather hurt in her heart than give In-Ha the satisfaction he wanted.
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