CHAPTER FOUR THE MORNING-AFTER PILL

Sitting in Luke's car, Hana stared out the window, lost in thought as the silence stretched between them. Eventually, as the car rounded a corner, she broke the silence. "Can you stop here?" she asked quietly. Luke nodded and pulled over to the side of the road, curious about her sudden request. "Can you buy it for me?" Hana pointed to the pharmacy at the intersection, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "The...plan B pills..." Luke looked at the money she offered him, his brow furrowing in concern. Despite her stubborn refusal to accept his earlier offer of financial compensation, he couldn't bring himself to take her money for this. Without a word, he exited the car and headed into the pharmacy. Inside, Luke's presence caused a stir among the shop clerks, who quickly noticed his striking appearance. But Luke paid them no mind as he approached the counter, feeling slightly self-conscious about his unfamiliarity with the task. "Excuse me, do you have...Plan B pills?" Luke asked, his voice betraying a hint of discomfort. The clerk's gaze lingered on Luke for a moment longer than necessary before snapping out of her daze. "Uh, yeah, we have them," she replied hastily, rushing to retrieve the requested medication. After completing the purchase, Luke couldn't help but overhear the gossiping clerks as he exited the pharmacy. Their comments about him stung, and he couldn't shake the feeling of being judged unfairly. Outside, he glanced at the pill case in his hand before deciding to make another purchase—a bottle of water from the nearby supermarket. As he handed it to Hana upon returning to the car, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at their situation. "Thank you," Hana murmured, taking the pill and water from him. As she swallowed the bitter pill, Luke couldn't ignore the bitter expression on her face, which told a story to anyone who looked well enough. "Mr. Green, are you happy now that you've witnessed me taking the medicine?" she asked, her tone laced with disappointment. Luke opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, he started the car in silence and drove to the address Hana had mentioned earlier, his mind consumed by thoughts of the events that had transpired between them. The drive was tense, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. Hana stared out of the window, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. How was she to explain herself to Gary, her fiance? She couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at her heart. She had betrayed her principles and the knowledge that she had been violated in the most intimate of ways made her want to throw up. Beside her, Luke's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched with frustration. He wanted to reach out to Hana to offer her some semblance of comfort and support, but he knew he was the last person she wanted to hear from. As Hana sat in the passenger seat of Luke's sleek sports car, her mind buzzed with unanswered questions. The silence between them was palpable, broken only by the soft hum of the engine as they navigated through the city's bustling streets. She stole a glance at Luke, her eyes lingering on his chiseled features and the air of confidence that seemed to surround him like a shield. There was something undeniably enigmatic about him, something that intrigued her despite her best efforts to remain aloof. As they reached a red light, Hana couldn't contain her curiosity. "Luke," she began tentatively, "Can I ask you something?"Luke glanced at her, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Of course, Hana. What's on your mind?"Hana hesitated, unsure of how to broach the subject delicately. "Well, I couldn't help but notice that you seem...different from the person I thought you were," she admitted, carefully yet probing. While he was in the pharmacy, she looked him up. Luke's smile widened slightly, but his eyes showed a hint of sadness. "Different in what way?" Hana hesitated, searching for the right words. "I mean, you carry yourself with such confidence and poise," she explained, "and there's a certain air of...mystery about you. I can't shake the feeling that there's more to you than meets the eye." Luke's expression softened a faint hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "You're perceptive, Hana," he acknowledged. "There is indeed more to me than meets the eye." His cryptic response piqued Hana's curiosity. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice tinged with intrigue. Luke took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. "Hana, I believe you should know something about me by now," he said, his gaze unwavering. "But There's something you should know about me and my family." Hana's heart skipped a beat as she waited for him to continue. From the beginning, she sensed that there was a hidden depth to Luke, something beneath the surface that he kept carefully concealed from the world. "My family is...well, we're not your typical family," Luke began slowly, choosing his words carefully. "We come from a long line of overachievers, each more ambitious and successful than the last."Hana furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of his "What do you mean by overachievers?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Luke hesitated as if debating how much to reveal. "My family is...wealthy and ambitious," he admitted finally, his voice tinged with resignation. "Very wealthy and very ambitious." Hana's eyes widened in surprise at his revelation. She had suspected that Luke came from a privileged background, but she had never imagined that his family's wealth would be that immense. "I see," Hana said, her mind racing with questions. "It must have been a thrill to have anything you want at your fingertips." Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Yes and no, but to be clear, Hana, I'm the family's black sheep," he admitted, his voice tinged with bitterness. "While the rest of my family thrives in the spotlight, I've always preferred to keep a low profile. I never wanted to be defined by my family's wealth or reputation." Hana's heart went out to Luke as she listened to his confession. She could sense the weight of expectation that he carried, the burden of living up to the legacy of his family name. "I understand," she murmured, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on his arm. "You don't have to be defined by your family's wealth or reputation, Luke. You're your person, and that's what matters most." Luke turned to look at her, his eyes reflecting gratitude and relief. "Thank you, Hana," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Thank you for seeing me for who I am, not just as a member of the Green family." As they continued their journey through the city, Hana felt a newfound closeness with Luke. She realized that beneath his confident exterior and enigmatic demeanor, he was just a man searching for acceptance and understanding.