Moments later, she reappeared, a faint frown creasing her forehead. She glanced at the neatly folded Navy uniform in her hands.

“I can’t believe he forgot his uniform,” she muttered, almost to herself. “What’s he going to do now?”

Then she looked at me, hesitant.

“Grace… I hate to ask, but could you take this to him? Before his superior notices? He could get in trouble.”

My answer came out instantly.

“Of course I will.”

In that moment, all the pain of her words, all the tension—it faded into the background. All I could think about was him. I didn’t want him to face trouble because of something so small.

She tilted her head slightly. “But what about your classes? Aren’t you supposed to be at the university?”

I gave her a faint smile, my tone soft.

“Missing one day won’t ruin my grades. Don’t worry about it.”

For the first time that day, she smiled back—genuinely.

“I’ll get it packed for you,” she said, heading toward Woo-young’s room once more. A minute later, she returned with a bag holding his uniform. She slipped my sketchbook inside my bag, handing everything over with careful hands.

I thanked her quickly and left the apartment, heading straight for the bus station.

The ride to Incheon passed in a quiet blur. Outside, the sky was heavy with gray clouds, but the air was still oddly warm. I pressed my headphones in and let the music fill my head, anything to drown out the words Mrs. Han had left echoing in my mind.

Of course, just my luck—right as I stepped off the bus, the rain started. Not a drizzle, but sheets of water pouring from the sky.

I tilted my head back, letting the cold drops sting my face. A crooked, almost sarcastic smile tugged at my lips.

“Perfect,” I muttered under my breath.

With a small laugh that was more bitter than amused, I whispered to myself, “At least I didn’t pile on a ton of makeup. Otherwise, I’d be out here looking like cheap clothes bleeding in the wash.”

I grabbed a cab for the rest of the trip. A few minutes later, the driver pulled over a little distance from the naval base and turned to me apologetically.

“I can’t go any closer. You’ll have to walk from here.”

I glanced out the window—the rain was relentless, pounding the ground in waves.

“Guess I really am about to look like a stray puppy,” I muttered with a small scowl, handing him the fare.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, grabbed Woo-young’s uniform in the other hand, and stepped into the storm. At first, I tried hurrying, thinking maybe I could avoid getting completely drenched. But it didn’t take long to realize I was wasting my energy. My hair was soaked through in seconds, my dress clinging to my body like a second skin.

“Damn it,” I whispered, feeling frustration bubble up.

I slowed my pace and just… let it happen. Let the sky pour rain over me.

The naval base finally came into view—tall fences lined with barbed wire, watchtowers looming above like silent sentinels.

I stopped at the checkpoint, the road cut off by a massive steel barrier that gleamed slick with rain. Next to it sat a small glass booth, the kind that looked more like a fish tank than a shelter. Through the fogged-up window, I could make out a young soldier slouched in his chair, half-bored, half-alert.

I stepped closer, my shoes squelching against the wet pavement. The moment he noticed me, he straightened abruptly, standing with that stiff, military precision.

“How can I help you, miss?” he asked, his tone polite but distant—formal, like he’d rehearsed it a hundred times.

The rain was pouring harder now, sliding down my hair and dripping from the hem of my dress, yet he didn’t even think to open the door or offer me the slightest bit of cover. The booth had these tiny openings in the glass, just enough for him to hear me while I stood there, drenched and shivering like an idiot.

“My fiancé, Lieutenant Han Woo-young, is stationed here,” I said, lifting the bag in my hand a little. My voice came out steadier than I felt. “He was supposed to have arrived about two hours ago, but he forgot his uniform at home… so I came to bring it to him.”

The soldier gave me a slow, deliberate once-over—from my drenched hair down to my soaked dress. He was young, probably around my age, wearing a crisp navy-blue uniform with a cap that looked almost like a French beret.

“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said firmly. “I can’t let you onto the base. Visitors aren’t allowed without prior clearance, and today isn’t an official visiting day for active-duty personnel.”

The chill finally began to sink into my bones now that I wasn’t moving. My teeth almost chattered.

“He’s not here for mandatory service—this is his actual post,” I said, a hint of irritation slipping into my voice.

But the soldier didn’t budge. His tone stayed flat.

“Even so, he still can’t have visitors today.”

I stared at him, feeling a spark of annoyance.

“I’m not here to visit. I told you—he forgot his uniform. I just need to get it to him.” I tried softening my tone, hoping he’d understand.

But his expression remained blank.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”

I exhaled slowly, trying to keep my patience.

“Then at least give it to him yourself.” I lifted the bag so he could see it.

His gaze didn’t waver.

“That’s not part of my duties,” he said plainly.

I drew in a deep breath, fighting to stay calm.

“It won’t take long. You both work in the same place. If you don’t want to go out in the rain, fine. But you can at least call him and have him come get it himself. Or is that phone sitting in front of you just for decoration?”

My voice came out sharper than I intended, but I couldn’t help it.

His brows lifted slightly, clearly not expecting me to snap. But his answer didn’t change.

“The base has strict rules. I’m not allowed to break them unless it’s an emergency.”

I shook the bag in front of him, my voice rising once more.

“You don’t think this counts as an emergency? Are you going to take responsibility if his superior punishes him for showing up without his uniform?”

The soldier rolled his eyes, his patience clearly thinning.

“His superior isn’t going to wait two hours just to punish him.”

I blinked at him, stunned by how dismissive he sounded.

“How can you even say that?”

He didn’t even flinch. He had that look of someone who could repeat the same answer a thousand times without feeling anything.

I lifted the bag again, refusing to back down.

“If you’re not going to take it, then let me in. I won’t stay long.”

But before he could respond, the sound of an approaching car engine cut through the rain.

I turned my head to the left. A sleek black Mercedes G-Class SUV rolled toward us, the rain bouncing off its polished surface.

The soldier immediately straightened, pressing a button inside the booth. The heavy metal barrier began to rise slowly. Then he snapped to attention and delivered a crisp salute—clearly, whoever was in that SUV was someone important.

But the vehicle didn’t drive past the gate. Instead, it stopped. Right in front of us.

The black window lowered in one smooth motion.

And there he was.

A man with a face so striking it didn’t seem real. Like someone carved straight out of a dream—or maybe a dangerous fairy tale. Even in my miserable, soaked state, I couldn’t help staring.

His hair was jet black, the strands falling just to the nape of his neck. Part of his fringe was brushed back, while the rest framed his sharp, almost unreal features. His eyes—deep brown and piercing. His nose—perfectly sculpted. And his lips… they looked like something forbidden, like forbidden fruit straight out of paradise.

In that moment, I forgot the rain. Forgot the soldier. Forgot everything.