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2. The Heart Races

Starla felt a different breeze as the door opened, indicating that Luna had arrived. Despite this, Starla remained focused on her book, her body slumped on the bed. The footsteps outside grew closer, and Luna appeared at the doorway. Starla briefly lifted her gaze, observing Luna with a mix of surprise and irritation. Nonetheless, she remained calm, allowing Luna to initiate the conversation. Luna looked at her challengingly, signaling that she was ready to debate. Starla smiled slightly, knowing that this encounter would lead to an interesting conversation.

Luna looked at Starla with a mix of annoyance and surprise. “Why couldn’t I reach your phone?”

As expected, after seeing several unanswered calls from Luna, Starla was certain that Luna would scold her upon arriving at the hotel. Starla anticipated that Luna would inquire why her calls went unanswered or make a remark about her absence. When Luna finally arrived, Starla could see the frustration on her face, just as she had predicted. Starla simply smiled and accepted her fate, ready to listen to Luna’s scolding as she had anticipated earlier.

“Seriously, you’re just getting back now, Luna? Geez, I swear, how much energy do you have?” Starla retorted, glaring at Luna.

Luna huffed in frustration. “I asked you first, Star. Answer my question instead of throwing another one back!”

Starla paused her reading briefly, setting the book aside and offering a casual smile to Luna. “Battery died.”

“No wonder I couldn’t reach you, I thought you were lost,” Luna remarked, placing her shopping items in the corner of the room.

“Almost lost, actually, because I got lost earlier,” Starla explained, recalling how lucky she was to have met Ha-neul in her confusion.

“How did that happen? And how did you manage to get back here?” she asked, sitting down beside Starla with curiosity.

“Well, because I forgot the way! Thankfully, a kind soul happened to help me get back,” Starla replied with a smile, remembering Ha-neul’s handsome face.

“Who escorted you? A woman or...” Luna was about to finish her sentence, but Starla smiled first, recalling that moment. Luna immediately realized that the person who escorted her friend and made Starla smile must have been a guy.

“Oh, I know now, I guessed from your face that the one who escorted you must be a guy, right? You’re smiling so much, he must be good-looking!” Luna teased Starla about the guy who made her smile.

Starla dodged with a smile. She knew Luna was quite adept at reading her facial expressions. Although she tried to deny it, Starla couldn’t avoid the fact that Ha-neul indeed had significant appeal. His friendly demeanor and gaze made him hard to ignore.

Ha-neul was a tall, slender Korean man. He had fair skin, complemented by his neat black hair and captivating brown eyes. His face was pleasant, with a warm smile that made him look friendly. Ha-neul always appeared tidy and stylish in his casual clothes.

Starla couldn’t deny that Ha-neul had a strong visual appeal. Although she didn’t want to admit it to Luna, Ha-neul clearly exuded a charisma that was hard to ignore. Every movement and expression of his indicated that Ha-neul was a charming figure, making it difficult not to notice him. Whenever Starla thought of Ha-neul, she couldn’t help but smile. Ha-neul not only helped her get home but also left an unforgettable impression on her.

“What’s with you!” Starla hissed, trying to deflect Luna’s question. Starla shook her head, facing Luna who continued to tease her.

“Besides, why would you let him escort you if not for other intentions?” Luna teased, attempting to make Starla confess. Luna seemed relentless.

“Well ... because he’s the only one who understands English? Just so you know, I tried asking others, but most didn’t understand. Then he suddenly approached me with his fluent English, and you think I’d refuse?” Starla sighed, trying to explain. She felt a bit cornered. “If I had refused, you wouldn’t have seen me here now.”

Luna just shook her head, nudging Starla’s shoulder playfully. “Really? He’s handsome, though?”

“Handsome,” Starla blurted out spontaneously, then quickly covered her mouth realizing what she had just said.

“See, I knew it! You have a crush on him, don’t you? Or was it love at first sight?” Luna teased even harder, enjoying Starla’s annoyed reaction.

“No, no, no! Oh, just leave me alone; you’re disrupting my reading! Why don’t you go take a shower, Luna? You smell!”

Luna only laughed more at Starla’s reaction. She playfully nudged her friend’s shoulder before getting up. “Aw, Starla, falling for someone within hours of arriving in Seoul.”

As Luna exited the room, Starla felt her face heat up. She couldn’t deny that Ha-neul was attractive. Ha-neul, a stranger with a kind heart, had helped Starla out of trouble in unfamiliar streets. Not only handsome, Ha-neul also proved to have a pleasant personality.

Starla immersed herself back into her book, trying to ignore Luna’s words. However, in the quiet of her room, her thoughts kept drifting to Ha-neul. She reevaluated their interaction and realized how deeply Ha-neul had left an impression on her.

A few minutes later, Starla closed her book. She glanced out the window, thinking of the sudden encounter with Ha-neul amidst the complexities of Seoul at night. “I was a bit dazzled when I saw him. But that doesn’t mean I have a crush, right?!”

Starla felt slightly disturbed by the lingering thoughts in her head. She shook her head, trying to dispel the strange feeling, and refocused on her book. However, suddenly, a notification interrupted the silence in her room. A message popped up on Starla’s charging phone. Quickly, she picked up her phone and opened the message. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sender: Ha-neul.

Upon seeing her phone screen, Starla was surprised. She hadn’t expected the message to be from Ha-neul. Her heart raced wildly. Ha-neul inquired about Starla’s well-being and expressed his hope to meet again sometime. Starla sat upright on the bed, trying to process this surprise. Earlier, Ha-neul had seemed so attentive and friendly, making Starla feel comfortable amidst her confusion. Now, the message from Ha-neul left Starla feeling a mix of happiness and nervousness. Starla was puzzled, how could a man she had just met make her heart race even just seeing his name on the phone screen?

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