[Chapter 03] - Along Came Our Love

 Chapter 3 - 

Sunday morning found Mina in high spirits. She left her rented room with a bright, confident smile and hopped on the bus bound for La Sara Condo.

Her pulse quickened at the thought of Thara Oki—Mr. High-and-Mighty himself—on his knees, begging her to clean his place.

“I’ll make sure he gets a taste of the humiliation I got from him,” she muttered, a small grin tugging at her lips.

In the lobby, she pressed the bell for apartment 1002 instead of picking up the key pass from the concierge. The automatic doors slid open, and she stepped inside.

As the elevator ascended—first floor, second, third, tenth—her heart thudded louder with every ding. She walked down the quiet corridor until she reached the door marked 1002. Her finger hovered above the doorbell, then hesitated.

“I can do this,” she whispered under her breath. “I’ll get my revenge.”

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the bell.

The door opened, and Thara appeared—wearing a mask.

Mina blinked. Is he sick? Or pretending?

He stepped aside to let her in, muffling a cough behind the mask.

“Are you okay?” she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

Thara nodded, cleared his throat, and moved toward the fridge. “Do you want some water?”

Before she could answer, he grabbed a bottle for himself, sat down on the couch, and gestured toward the seat across from him. “Sit down.”

“Thanks for coming, Miss Lee.”

“Just call me Mina,” she said, folding her arms. “So? What is it?”

Thara hesitated, his gaze flickering for a moment. “Can you… keep cleaning my place?”

Mina’s eyebrows shot up. “Why? From your reaction last time, I thought you didn’t want me to.”

He swallowed, forcing a polite smile. “I’m very satisfied with your work. I’d like you to continue—if you can.”

“But I don’t want to,” Mina said bluntly, rising from her seat. “Find someone else.”

“I’ll give you a bonus.”

She stopped mid-step, glancing over her shoulder.

Just a little more. Beg me, and maybe I’ll consider it, she thought, suppressing a smirk.

“It’s not about the money,” she said aloud.

Thara leaned forward slightly. “Then what do you want? I’m willing to listen to your conditions.” A pause. “Except working at Merra Mall.”

Another cough escaped him, rough and strained.

Mina sighed, her irritation melting into concern. She walked closer and leaned down, pressing the back of her hand against his forehead. It felt normal.

“You don’t have a fever,” she said softly. “So why do you keep coughing?”

His mask hid most of his face, but his eyes—those sharp, cold eyes she remembered—were different now. Under the soft wash of morning light, they looked… gentle. Almost vulnerable.

For a moment, she was caught in them.

Their gazes locked, and the air seemed to still. His lashes fluttered once, twice, as if he were struggling to stay focused. Then, without warning, he reached out and pulled her toward him.

“Wha—”

His arm slid around her back, his chin resting lightly against her shoulder. She froze, heart pounding wildly against her ribs.

“What’s happening?” she breathed.

“Please…” His voice was low, almost desperate.

“What? Let go of me!” She pushed at his chest, but his grip only tightened.

“Please… clean my room now.”

And then—he collapsed.

“Hey! Mr. Oki, can you hear me?” Mina called, trying to hold him up. His weight slumped against her shoulder, his head heavy. She eased him back onto the couch and bent over him, her hands trembling slightly.

“Should I call an ambulance?” she muttered, scratching her head in panic.

She pulled down his mask and leaned closer, listening to his breathing—steady, normal.

“Unbelievable,” she whispered.

When she straightened up, her eyes swept across the room—and nearly popped out of her head.

The place was a disaster. Papers on the floor, dishes in the sink, laundry half-folded on the chair.

“Seriously? Isn’t he supposed to be a clean freak? How did it get this messy in just a few days?”

She sighed, grabbed a few things off the floor, and before she knew it, she was cleaning again.

“You better thank me when you wake up,” she muttered, shaking her head—but her lips curved into a reluctant smile.

Two hours later, Mina sat on the couch, sipping water. Thara still slept—calm, peaceful. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. From a distance he’d been handsome; up close she could see the finer details: the plane of his face, the high nose, the thin red lips, the long eyelashes. He could easily pass for a model.

The apartment felt even quieter, the only sound his steady breathing. Mina had never felt so alone in the same room with a man like this. Then the memory of his hands wrapping around her waist returned—his touch, his warmth, that weak, whispered please in her ear. A chill slid down her spine and she hugged herself.

I shouldn’t have let my guard down, she scolded inwardly, tugging a corner of her mouth into a wry twist. He didn’t have to pull her close like that. Did he actually faint, or was it an excuse to hold her?

Her doubt lingered until Thara’s eyelids fluttered. She turned away quickly, swallowing the last drop of water.

“You’re still here?” he asked, sitting up and looking at her.

“Are you okay? Don’t you need a doctor?” Mina asked.

He glanced around the room as if that mattered more than her question. “Did you clean the place?”

She nodded. He noticed everything fast.

He breathed out. “Thank you. I’m fine now.”

“Are you sure? What happened?” she pressed.

“Can I have some water?” he asked instead.

Mina rose and handed him a bottle. He took a drink, cleared his throat, and said, “I can’t breathe when things are messy… I hate dust.” His voice was lower than usual; he stole a quick look at her.

She stared back. “Your place wasn’t that bad. I cleaned it a couple days ago. If it bothers you so much, you can clean it yourself.”

“No, I can’t.” His tone went sharp, his expression serious. “I avoid anything that makes me sweat. I hate sweating.”

“Ugh… you’re hopeless.” Mina rolled her eyes, but the edge of her voice softened.

“I know. That’s why I need you,” he said.

She had planned to make him beg a little more, but something genuine in his helplessness stopped her. She found she couldn’t say no.

“Fine. But there’s a condition,” she announced.

“What is it?” His concern was immediate. “I’ll accept anything—just not working at Merra.”

Mina clicked her tongue. “My hours. I can only come in the evenings. I have a daytime job now—so Tuesdays and Thursdays in the evening, and Saturdays during the day. That work for you?”

Thara frowned as if weighing it, then nodded. “Okay. Deal.”

“Good. I’m heading off then.” She stood and turned toward the door.

He followed to the threshold. “Thanks for today. I’ll tell Mr. Bin to include it in your paycheck.”

Mina stepped out feeling more drained than after any cleaning shift. She could have walked away—just as he had done to her—but instead she had stayed and helped him.

“Mina, you’re such a silly girl,” she muttered under her breath. “Why am I so kind?”

Outside, she looked up at his sky-high building and frowned.
“Just wait, cold-hearted clean freak. I’ll find my chance to get my revenge.”