Unexpected Absence 

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, gentle glow into the room. A-ri stirred in her sleep, her dreams reluctantly giving way to consciousness. It was a Sunday, and without any prior plans, she had allowed herself the luxury of sleeping in.

With a languid stretch, A-ri threw back the covers and sat up, her hair tousled from sleep. She glanced at the clock and realized that it was much later than her usual wake-up time. Her body felt wonderfully rested, and she couldn't help but smile as she went about her morning routine.

However, as she stood up and prepared to start her day, a reminder of yesterday's adventure came rushing back. The slight throbbing in her sprained ankle served as a constant, albeit gentle, reminder of their hiking misadventure. Still, A-ri was determined not to let it dampen her spirits on this lazy Sunday morning.

A-ri made her way to the bathroom, carefully navigating her steps to avoid putting too much weight on her injured ankle. She splashed her face with cool water, feeling the refreshing droplets wake her up fully. She took her time getting ready, enjoying the leisurely pace of a lazy Sunday morning. It was a rare opportunity for her to relax and unwind.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, her gaze wandered to the dining table, where a pleasant surprise awaited her. There, neatly wrapped in a package, was breakfast, and a note lay tucked beneath the plate. Curiosity piqued, A-ri picked up the note and unfolded it.

The words on the paper explained everything. Eun-tae had been called into his office urgently, an unexpected development that required his immediate attention. A-ri's heart sank a little at the thought of spending the day without him, but she understood that work sometimes demanded one's presence, even on a weekend.

With a sigh, A-ri sat down at the dining table, unwrapping her breakfast and taking a bite. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, and she savored each mouthful. Her thoughts drifted to Eun-tae and the unexpected urgency that had pulled him away from their leisurely Sunday morning.

As she chewed, she couldn't help but wonder what had transpired at Eun-tae's office to warrant such an abrupt summons. Questions tugged at her mind like an insistent itch. Was it a work emergency? Had something gone wrong? But for now, she would enjoy her morning meal and patiently await his return, whenever that might be.

Meanwhile, Eun-tae sat at his desk in the office, staring at the computer screen but not seeing the numbers and graphs that populated it. He had never been called into the office due to urgent matters before, and the novelty of the situation left him feeling somewhat restless. In truth, he had chosen to come in today to clear his mind more than anything else. The events of the past day had left him in a state of emotional turmoil, and he needed the distraction of work to regain his composure.

As he tapped his fingers on the keyboard, Eun-tae couldn't help but replay the passionate kiss he and A-ri had shared, their desires simmering just beneath the surface. He knew he had run away from their shared bedroom this morning, a cowardly act to escape the magnetic pull between them. He hoped that A-ri wouldn't be upset with him for his sudden departure. The memory of their kiss lingered in his thoughts, a potent reminder of the intensity of their feelings for each other.

The events of the previous night had left him in a state of heightened desire that showed no signs of abating. Even after a night's sleep, his thoughts were still consumed by images of A-ri, her tempting presence just a door away from where he had stood last night. It was as if an invisible force was pulling him towards her, urging him to cross that threshold and surrender to his desires.

To counter this overpowering urge, Eun-tae had thought that immersing himself in work might help distract him. But now, as he sat in his office, he couldn't help but feel like he had taken the coward's way out by running away from A-ri. He hoped that she wouldn't be upset with him, that she had found a way to navigate the awkwardness that had settled between them.

As he tried to focus on the work before him, Eun-tae couldn't shake the feeling that he had abandoned A-ri when she might have needed him the most. He was torn between his desire for her and his fear of how their newfound intimacy might change their relationship. It was a dilemma he wasn't sure how to resolve, but one thing was clear – he couldn't keep running away forever.

A-ri sat in the cosy living room of her mansion, a plate of snacks in front of her as she chatted with Na-yeon, her best friend and confidante. Na-yeon had come over for a visit, and A-ri couldn't help but feel grateful for her company. After all, Na-yeon had been the one who had insisted on tagging along for A-ri's date with Eun-tae, even if it had ended with her sneaking away early.

As they nibbled on the snacks, A-ri couldn't help but notice the mischievous glint in Na-yeon's eyes. She knew her friend too well; Na-yeon was itching to get all the juicy details of yesterday's date straight from the source.

"So," Na-yeon began, her tone casual but her curiosity palpable. "How did your date with Eun-tae go? I hope you're not leaving out any interesting bits."

A-ri chuckled, knowing that she couldn't keep the details of her date a secret for long.

"Well," she began. "It started great. We went to the art exhibit like you told us, and we had a nice time appreciating the artwork."

"Just appreciating art between you two? That doesn't sound too bad. What else did you guys do?" Na-yeon raised an eyebrow.

A-ri hesitated for a moment, then decided to be honest.

"Following your plan, we went for a hike after the exhibit," she admitted. "But... my ankle got sprained during the hike, so we had to cut it short."

"A sprained ankle? How did that happen?" Na-yeon leaned in, her interest piqued.

A mischievous twinkle appeared in A-ri's eyes as she decided to indulge her friend.

"Well," she began with a sly grin. "It happened while we were turning back from hiking. I slipped and lost my balance on the trail. Eun-tae swooped in and carried me back to the car."

"Oh, how very knight-in-shining armour of him! And how did that make you feel, A-ri?" Na-yeon couldn't hide her teasing grin.

"It was...unexpected, but it made me feel safe and...well, a little flustered, to be honest," A-ri's cheeks tinged with a light blush as she continued.

"Flustered, you say? Interesting. Please, do tell me more," Na-yeon leaned closer, her curiosity piqued.

"Well, we'll get to that. But first, about the hike... no, there wasn't much of a romantic adventure there," A-ri chuckled, appreciating her friend's enthusiasm.

"Oh, what a disappointment! But don't leave me hanging. What happened when you got back home? Did anything interesting occur there?" Na-yeon couldn't help but tease.

A-ri took a deep breath, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks.

"Well," she began hesitantly, "we... shared our first kiss."

Na-yeon's eyes widened in delight.

"A kiss! Finally, some romance!" Na-yeon's eyes practically sparkled with excitement as she leaned closer to A-ri.

Her teasing questions and probing inquiries continued unabated, turning their conversation into a playful interrogation. A-ri couldn't help but be entertained by her friend's unrelenting curiosity.

"Spill all the details, A-ri," Na-yeon urged eagerly. "How did it happen? Was it magical? Did he make the first move?"

Each question was accompanied by an anticipatory gleam in Na-yeon's eyes.

A-ri chuckled, realizing that there was no escaping her friend's inquisitiveness. Besides, she had plenty to share about the unforgettable day that had brought her closer to Eun-tae in more ways than one. So, she began to recount the passionate moment shared between her and Eun-tae, leaving no detail untouched.

As their conversation continued, they reached the main door. However, Na-yeon couldn't resist seizing one more opportunity to probe into A-ri's romantic escapade. Her voice dripped with playful curiosity as she posed her final question.

"So, did you two go all the way last night?"

"No, no, nothing like that happened," blushing even deeper, A-ri shook her head vigorously.

Na-yeon raised an eyebrow at A-ri's vehement denial.

"No? Really?" She seemed genuinely surprised. "But after such a romantic setup yesterday, I thought for sure you two would take things to the next level."

A-ri couldn't help but laugh at her friend's reaction.

"Believe it or not, we didn't," she replied, her blush starting to recede. "In fact, we slept in separate rooms last night."

Na-yeon's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Separate rooms?" She sounded almost scandalized. "But... why?"

"We both thought it might be a good idea, you know, to take things slow," A-ri shrugged, a shy smile playing on her lips.

"Well, I guess that's one way to keep the suspense alive. But you do realize that you'll have to make up for it, right?" Na-yeon playfully nudged A-ri with her elbow.

A-ri blushed even deeper but didn't offer a verbal response, just a shy smile that spoke volumes.

Before their conversation could delve any further into that topic, the door handle began to turn unexpectedly. Startled, A-ri and Na-yeon turned to see Eun-tae standing there, keys in hand, as he had unlocked the door. It appeared that he had returned home earlier than expected, and none of them had been aware of his arrival. The three of them stood frozen in an awkward silence, surprised by the sudden encounter.