Flashback
That morning, Angel had been getting ready since dawn. Without revealing her plans to Hae-Li, who was preparing to leave for campus, she intended to pick up both of their parents at the airport.
Before stepping out of the house, Angel called Uncle Han Seo Ri and asked him to come watch over their home while she was gone. After making sure everything was in order, Angel immediately drove her black car through the city streets.
But bad luck couldn't be avoided. In the middle of the trip, on a deserted shortcut surrounded by thick trees, her car's engine suddenly died completely.
With an irritated huff, Angel hit the brakes and stopped her vehicle at the side of the road. She tried contacting several close friends for help, but her phone screen displayed only the words:
"No Service."
"I should've taken the main road," Angel muttered, regretting her decision.
She finally got out of the car and walked to the trunk to retrieve the toolbox. Just as she was rummaging through its contents, her ears caught the steady sound of approaching footsteps from behind.
Her self-preservation instincts immediately kicked in. Angel assumed the person was a robber taking advantage of the deserted road. She quickly spun around, snatched a folding umbrella from inside the trunk, and raised it high in the air to strike.
Before the umbrella could come down, her grip loosened in surprise. It fell squarely onto the toe of her own shoe.
Standing before her was a tall man in a casual cream-colored coat. He looked at her with clear eyes and a faint smile that suddenly stopped Angel's heart for several seconds.
"Can I help you with something?" the man asked kindly. He bent down gracefully, picked up Angel's fallen umbrella, and handed it back to her.
Angel studied the man's face from his hair down to his sharply defined jaw. "Do ... I know you?" she asked, racking her brain as she tried to remember.
The man chuckled softly. "Looks like you're still the same as you were back then. You haven't changed a bit. Still forgetful and feisty, huh?"
Angel tilted her head and looked at him more closely. Suddenly, memories from her days in a white-and-gray school uniform came rushing back. "Wait! Cha-Eun-Woo? Oh my God, is it really you?!" Angel cried, suddenly flustered as both her cheeks grew hot.
"Long time no see, Angel. How have you been?"
"Not good, but not bad either," Angel stammered, trying to hide her nerves. "You haven't changed at all, either. You're still as handsome as ever."
Cha-Eun-Woo gave a faint smile and glanced toward the hood of Angel's car, which was releasing a thin stream of steam. "Looks like you're in a hurry. Is something wrong with your car?"
"Yes, I have to pick up Dad and Mom at the airport. If I'm counting right, their plane should've landed by now," Angel said anxiously, glancing at the watch on her wrist.
Without hesitation, Eun Woo reached into his coat pocket and extended his car keys toward Angel. "Then use my car for now. I'll take care of yours here."
Angel pressed her lips together and folded her arms across her chest, eyeing the man uncertainly. "Are you sure? Aren't you afraid to just hand your car over to a stranger?"
Eun Woo took one step closer, narrowing the distance between them. He lowered his face until it was level with Angel's gaze and stared intently into her eyes.
"Really? Do we honestly look like two strangers to you?"
The corners of Angel's lips lifted slightly. She couldn't resist the man's charm. "All right, I'm leaving now."