Future Me and My Love

Lee stood frozen on the balcony of the grand hotel, her mother's voice still ringing in her ears.

"Joon is a good man. He's successful, reliable, and he's always liked you. This marriage will secure our family's legacy."

Lee had agreed.

She had nodded, smiled, played the perfect daughter.

And yet—when she looked at the ring on her finger, she felt nothing.

She inhaled sharply, trying to ignore the twisting feeling in her chest.

"You're making the right choice, Lee."

Then why did it feel like she was making the biggest mistake of her life?

Gen's Distance

Gen had stopped chasing.

She still worked at the hotel, fulfilling her contract like a professional. But she no longer sought out Lee. No more teasing, no more casual flirting—no more anything.

She was just the chef.

And somehow, that hurt Lee more than anything.

At first, she had been relieved. This was what she wanted—wasn't it?

But every time she saw Gen, laughing with the staff, talking with Nam, living as if Lee never mattered…

She hated it.

The Misunderstanding

One evening, Lee decided to visit the restaurant in the hotel, where she knew Gen would be working.

She had told herself it was just to check on things. To make sure everything was running smoothly.

But when she arrived, she froze.

Gen was standing near the kitchen entrance, smiling at Nam.

Then—Nam pulled Gen into a hug.

Lee's heart stopped.

Her mind screamed at her to be rational, to not overreact—but something inside her snapped.

Before she even realized what she was doing, she was marching toward them.

And then—SLAP!

The sharp sound echoed in the air.

Gen's head turned slightly to the side, her cheek burning red.

Silence fell over the restaurant.

Nam's eyes widened. "Lee, what the hell?!"

Gen slowly looked back at Lee, her expression unreadable.

Lee was breathing heavily, her hand still tingling from the impact. She didn't even know why she had done it.

But seeing Gen with Nam had made her feel something she didn't understand.

Gen exhaled and wiped her cheek. "You know, if you wanted my attention, Dr. Lee, you could've just called my name."

Her tone was light, but her eyes were sharp.

Lee hated that Gen could still joke after everything.

"You—" Lee clenched her fists. "You move on fast."

Gen's face darkened. "Excuse me?"

"You said you liked me. And now, what? Two weeks later, you're already—"

"Oh, for f***'s sake, Lee!" Nam snapped. "I hugged Gen because she was feeling like s*** after everything that happened! You have no right to walk in here and act like this!"

Lee's breath caught.

Gen studied her, then sighed. "Nam, leave us alone for a minute."

Nam hesitated but then nodded and walked away.

Gen turned to Lee. "So? What is this about?"

Lee didn't know.

All she knew was that she felt furious.

Furious that Gen had stopped chasing her.

Furious that Gen looked fine without her.

Furious that she didn't understand why this hurt so much.

She had chosen this.

Hadn't she?

Gen let out a humorless laugh. "I get it now."

Lee stiffened. "What?"

Gen leaned in slightly, voice low. "You're jealous."

Lee's stomach twisted. "Don't be ridiculous."

Gen tilted her head, studying her. "Then why did you slap me, hmm?"

Lee had no answer.

And for the first time, she realized—

Maybe she didn't want one.