I Thought You Said You Didn't Like Me

An Zhi was a little afraid of Su Han the first time she saw him.

The man's brows were sharp, his features rugged,

and an old black T-shirt outlined his broad, solid chest.

An Zhi swallowed and obediently called, "Uncle Su."

Su Han found the An family's kid a little annoying.

The girl was fussy and a handful. She wanted low-fat milk, carried sunscreen spray everywhere, needed one-on-one tutoring for her homework...

And she followed him around all day, chattering nonstop.

Su Han wished he could turn back time and punch some sense into his past self from two weeks ago.

On Christmas Eve, An Zhi brought a thermos of hot soup to Su Han, who was on duty.

"The An family's kid likes you," a colleague said.

Outside the duty room, An Zhi's heart pounded as she waited anxiously for Su Han's answer.

"I don't like kids," he replied, his voice flat.

In the biting winter wind,

An Zhi pulled out a mint, unwrapped it, and let its cool flavor spread across her tongue.

She gently crunched the mint,

hid her face in her scarf, and turned to leave.

When An's older brother asked if his daughter could stay at Su Han's place, Su Han had wanted to refuse.

He was a rough sort who lived as carelessly as he pleased. Having a young girl around would be a real inconvenience.

But when the girl went off to university in the south without a word,

he looked at the natural cotton sanitary pads and hand warmers he'd just bought her and suddenly felt a little unaccustomed to her absence...

Reading guide:

* Only each other's, both physically and emotionally. Eight-year age gap.

Theme: To be decided.