Class started at ten in the morning. On the way there, as always, a text came from Hyunwoo. 

[Where are you? I saved us seats.] 

After what happened yesterday, he really had a thick skin. Hye-yeon got off the subway and stepped straight onto the escalator. She pretended not to see the message, slipped her phone into her pocket without replying. 

Honestly, when she thought about yesterday, she wanted to act like she didn’t even know Hyunwoo. They said you could tell ten things from one, and judging by the way he had acted last night, it didn’t seem like it was the first or second time he’d done something like that. 

But still…

'Let’s say I cut him off.'

To be fair, Hyunwoo being a senior had its advantages. He was an information hub. Through upperclassmen, he’d promised tips on how to get good grades and even old exam questions. 

Not just that. Forget the major classes. Even their general electives overlapped almost entirely. First-year electives were full of group projects, and hadn’t she already ended up in about three groups with him? On top of that, the project theme was 'communication’. If they said they couldn’t do it because the team fought, their grade would obviously suffer. 

Which meant— 

Hye-yeon thought of a very realistic alternative.

"One semester. Just endure one semester."

Even if she had to grind herself down to nothing, that was fine. 

As long as she could beat Tae Eun-seong this semester. 

Standing in front of the lecture hall, Hye-yeon nodded with resolute eyes. Emotional wounds were emotional wounds, and grades were grades. Emotional wounds couldn’t be seen, but grades could. 

Now that she’d sensed the danger of letting her feelings for Eun-seong derail her life, she decided to rein them in for this semester. 

The method was simple.

'Win an overwhelming victory in the midterms a few weeks from now.'

With that resolve, Hye-yeon opened the lecture hall door and strode in proudly, lifting her chin with half-lidded eyes. In the corner of the room, a guy already seated in a jacket curled his lips into a smile.

"Oh, Hye-yeon. Over here.”

His face, acting like nothing had happened, was irritating, but she couldn’t exactly avoid looking at him. Fine. From now on, Choi Hyunwoo would be a squid. 

A squid mixed in with stir-fried anchovies. 

Something the factory failed to filter out, so it ended up in the dish. If you ate it, it all tasted the same anyway. Sure, they had a history of being close, so he wasn’t exactly the same as the other anchovies, but even if he looked different, he wasn’t special.

"You came early."

When Hye-yeon greeted him flatly, Hyunwoo gave an awkward smile.

"Uh… yeah.”

"……”

"I was worried about you, so I came early. I wanted to know if you got home okay. I called, but you didn’t pick up."

Hyunwoo scratched the back of his head sheepishly. It sounded like he was probing her. Hye-yeon quickly grasped the intent behind the question and answered calmly.

"You know me. When I drink, I just go home and sleep.”

"Yeah, but still. You really don’t remember?"

This was one of those questions where there was an answer, even if you didn’t like it. 

What did he want her to forget, and what did he want her to remember? Was he asking her to explain, saying she had a boyfriend? Or was he talking about leaving with Tae Eun-seong? 

Hye-yeon set her bag down on the desk and pulled out her tablet, glancing sideways without thinking. When their eyes met, Hyunwoo awkwardly fiddled with his neck.

"No, I just wondered if something happened."

So it was about her leaving with Tae Eun-seong.

'I really want to throw this tablet at him.'

Hye-yeon bit her lip and held back. 

Honestly, slapping him would be one thing, but hitting him with a tablet would be aggravated assault. She wasn’t about to throw away a life she’d struggled so hard to keep on the straight and narrow over some lousy squid. 

Steadying herself, Hye-yeon lifted her head and spoke evenly.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about. I drank too much yesterday, so my memory’s fuzzy. When I woke up, I was at home, so I guess I just went back and slept.”

"Oh, right?"

At that, Choi Hyunwoo’s expression visibly brightened. Hearing that nothing happened with Tae Eun-seong seemed to give him hope.

I thought we were friends. 

But you were looking at me as a woman. 

Blaming her own naive heart, Hye-yeon smiled bitterly inside. Hyunwoo watched her expression, then rummaged through his bag and held something out.

"I brought a hangover cure."

The packaging said it was for women, and it was damp with condensation. It looked like he’d gone out of his way to stop by a convenience store that morning.

'Maybe you should’ve tried being a decent human first.'

That was the final verdict on a friendship she’d thought she’d built up meaningfully, piece by piece. 

Hye-yeon stared at the deep pink bottle of hangover medicine, then took it without much thought. She twisted the cap open and swallowed it in one go. An unusually bitter taste spread through her mouth.

* * * 

Maybe because she’d drunk so much the night before, the morning class felt longer than expected. In the middle of it, the hangover hit, and a wave of drowsiness washed over her. Had she dozed off for about five seconds?

Her throat kept burning, her mouth dry, so she bought a bottle of water from the vending machine and headed to the bathroom. 

She still had afternoon classes, so she splashed cold water on her eyelids to wake herself up and had just come out when—

"Want to go eat dak-galbi?"

Hyunwoo, waiting in front of the women’s restroom, lifted his head and asked.

"There’s a place we haven’t been to. It just opened."

Standing there crookedly, he showed her the restaurant like he’d planned it all along. Since they always ate lunch together, it felt awkward to refuse.

The things he’d said about whether she’d slept with someone came to mind, but if she was going to pretend nothing had happened, she couldn’t act differently than before.

"Okay."

If she dragged it out for a few days, wouldn’t she get used to it, even if it was uncomfortable? This was just a relationship maintained out of necessity. It would be the same once she entered society. You couldn’t quit a job just because you didn’t like a coworker, and you couldn’t just quit school either. 

She just had to stop thinking of him as a friend. 

Then she wouldn’t get hurt. 

Thinking calmly, Hye-yeon walked out of the building. Outside, the wind was unusually strong. 

Even though it was midday, the sky was gloomy, like it was about to rain.

"I don’t have an umbrella."

As they walked down the outdoor stairs leading to the main gate, Hyunwoo asked from behind.

"Should I go buy one at the convenience store?"

He jerked his chin toward the back, toward the convenience store near the reference library. She’d often stopped by there during lunch to grab something quick. It was small, so it didn’t have much variety.

"It might not even rain. Why bother? Convenience store umbrellas are expensive. And they break easily."

She’d once bought one in a hurry. The five-thousand-won umbrella had snapped in the wind just seconds after opening it. She’d still used it because she was in a rush, but still.

With her usual bored expression, Hye-yeon stepped out through the main gate. In front of the university gate were students and staff out for lunch, along with the occasional local or tourist.

"Where’s the dak-galbi place?”

"Thaaat way, down the alley."

Hyunwoo shoved one hand into his jacket pocket and pointed with his chin as he trudged along.

Thinking it wasn’t as far as she’d expected, Hye-yeon turned into the alley. Just then, a man coming out of the first floor of a new building met her gaze. 

A group of female students passed by her side.

"Wow, look at him. He’s really tall."

He stood out at a glance.

"But he totally looks like an engineering major. What is that hair, pfft."

The girls giggled and threw glances his way. Hye-yeon’s gaze stopped there, too. Black T-shirt, green checkered shirt, Converse sneakers. Tae Eun-seong, exactly the same as yesterday.

"Tch."

The moment Hyunwoo saw him, he clicked his tongue out of reflex.

"Who does he think he is, Steve Jobs? That’s why people say engineering majors can’t dress."

Hye-yeon found herself genuinely curious.

"That… counts as dressing badly?"

In high school, they’d worn uniforms every day, so she’d never really thought much about it. Now that she looked, Eun-seong had broad shoulders, the kind that made clothes sit well on him, almost like a mannequin. 

And when she’d touched his body last night, it had been solid as stone. He’d probably been pretty muscular too.

Honestly, as long as he didn’t wear some weird character T-shirt, wouldn’t he look fine? 

…At that thought, Hye-yeon shook her head sharply, brushing away the stray ideas. 

Then she spotted Eun-seong coming out in front of the very building she was heading toward and hurried over to greet him.

"Eun-seong! Where are you going?"

Startled, Eun-seong hid the bag of packaged porridge behind his back and replied,

"…Nowhere."

She’d actually been wondering how to text him today anyway. 

She’d even thought of several possible contests. An arcade, karaoke, running, speed eating, things like that. But unlike Hye-yeon, who felt a little buoyant at the chance encounter, Eun-seong’s gaze remained calm.

"Where are you two going?”

"Lunch."

Hye-yeon pointed upward toward the dak-galbi place.

"They say it’s really good.”

"The two of you?”

"Yeah."

And then came an odd silence.

Come to think of it, from Eun-seong’s perspective, it might seem ridiculous. After what had happened yesterday, how spineless did she look, saying she was going to have lunch alone with him? 

Even worse would be if Eun-seong said something like, "After what happened yesterday, you’re eating lunch with that guy?" That would be a disaster.

'But I can’t exactly say this is a strategic choice to beat you.'

She’d told Hyunwoo she didn’t remember anything. If that lie was exposed, she’d just look pathetic. The girl who’d heard all that and still went to class with him like nothing happened.

'I don’t want to be like this either.'

Hye-yeon put on a small, awkward smile.

"Sounds like you already have lunch plans.”

"……”

"Then enjoy your meal. I’ll see you tomorrow in our major class."

She wanted to wrap things up before Eun-seong could say anything unnecessary and end this uncomfortable three-way encounter. 

Hye-yeon curved her eyes into an awkward smile and tried to slip past Eun-seong toward the building. But Eun-seong stepped in front of the entrance and grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Wait."

A man who always looked like he lacked for nothing. 

A man who would respond when spoken to, but if someone drifted away, he’d just let it happen. She never thought he’d be the type to grab someone like this. 

Flustered, Hye-yeon stopped and looked up at him. Hyunwoo, who had been grinning and heading up the steps, stiffened and turned back.

"Hurry up, Jung Hye-yeon."

Ignoring Hyunwoo, Eun-seong asked, 

“Why didn’t you reply to my text?”

"Huh?"

For a moment, it felt like the man’s eyes, hidden behind his shaggy hair and glasses, shone sharply. Maybe it was because the building interior was cool, but a chill ran through her, raising goosebumps along her arms. 

She suddenly remembered Eun-seong’s profile being blocked that morning. Feeling guilty, Hye-yeon’s gaze slid down along his collar like a sinner’s.

"You… sent a text."

Their eyes met at her fingertips as he was pulling her down toward him. 

She was still clutching her phone tightly, so claiming she hadn’t seen the message was a ridiculous excuse. He was smart enough that trying to talk her way around it would be pointless. In times like this,

'It’s better to tell the truth.'

Hye-yeon turned fully toward him, lowering her brows faintly.

"Sorry. I think I blocked you by mistake."

A small crack appeared in Eun-seong’s barely readable expression.

"Blocked… what?"

He tilted his head, looking like he’d never heard anything like that in his life. He probably thought he’d misheard.

"Pfft."

From a few steps above, Hyunwoo let out a small snort of laughter. Eun-seong frowned, acting as if he hadn’t heard it at all.

"You did what to me?"

With him asking again so seriously, Hye-yeon felt truly cornered. Th, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go. 

She’d planned to heal her trauma by staying on good terms with Eun-seong and slowly put distance between herself and Hyunwoo, but things were going in the exact opposite direction.

"Blocked. Ah… haha. But that can happen, right? You tap the wrong thing by accident. I unblocked you now. Really!"

Hye-yeon showed her teeth in an awkward smile.

"Ah, wow. I’m so hungry. Maybe it’s because I can smell dak-galbi from upstairs."

She checked the time on her phone. It was already past one thirty. People who’d finished eating were coming down the stairs from above. 

It really must be a popular place. With groups coming down all at once, Eun-seong couldn’t keep blocking the entrance any longer. 

Seizing the moment, Hye-yeon pulled her arm free from his grasp and leaned in to whisper near his ear.

"There’s a reason. I’ll contact you tonight."

She shot him a look, her face full of apology. 

At the closer distance, the scent of wet wood seeped heavily into her nose, mixed with a soft fruity fragrance. His clothes were similar to yesterday’s, but even his canvas sneakers smelled clean, like they were always kept spotless. 

His ear, faintly red. 

She felt a little guilty leaving him standing there alone at the entrance, but…

'If he bought that much porridge, he probably had someone to eat with.'

He had friends around him, too, including David. Surely he’d eat lunch just fine with someone. 

There was nothing else strange about it. 

Except that she couldn’t stop thinking about Eun-seong’s reddened ear, which normally wouldn’t have meant anything to her. 

* * * 

Meanwhile, Eun-seong felt unmistakably abandoned.

'She actually blocked me?'

The man holding the packaged porridge let out a hollow laugh where he stood. 

When she hadn’t replied in the morning, he’d been worried and thought of checking on her. She’d drunk herself senseless, and he wondered if she might be sick somewhere, unable to get up.

'Sick, my ass.'

Seeing her laughing and heading to a dak-galbi place with Choi Hyunwoo after everything that had happened yesterday had thrown him off, completely unlike himself.

'She does that kind of thing with me, and eats with Choi Hyunwoo.'

No matter how many times he thought about it, the way she’d stared at him wide-eyed, like someone caught cheating, was almost funny.

'Am I even the second option?'

If you thought about it, that wasn’t wrong. 

He’d known her first, but it was Choi Hyunwoo who’d sat beside her in class the whole time. 

Maybe that was why. The feeling was strange. He’d never once imagined being someone’s second choice in his life. 

Eun-seong trudged to the parking lot with the porridge, set it on the back seat of his car, and leaned languidly into the driver’s seat. 

It was a foreign car designed to suit his tall frame. Manager Jung, his grandfather’s aide, had personally chosen and set up even the air freshener. As a result, a faint mix of sweet fruity scent he didn’t like and the smell of porridge lingered inside.

"Ha…"

A hollow laugh escaped him. 

I should’ve just thrown it away. 

Annoyed by the smell of porridge creeping forward from the back seat, Eun-seong ran a hand through his hair. 

He had no afternoon classes, so he planned to go home, change clothes, fix his hair, and then head to the hospital. Starting the engine naturally, he pressed the pedal and pulled out. 

It was about a thirty-minute drive from the school to his mixed-use apartment. 

On the way, raindrops began to fall from the sky, tapping softly, and through the blurred droplets, Hye-yeon’s clear face from earlier came to mind.

"Sorry. I think I blocked you by mistake."

Remembering that, a cold smile leaked from the corner of his mouth again. Seriously… it was ridiculous. Since childhood, Eun-seong had been called not just gifted, but a genius. His family, with a semiconductor company his grandfather had founded that grew into a major conglomerate, was filled with chaebol relatives from every branch. Born under a father who stood out in the worst ways among them, Eun-seong had survived by proving himself through sheer ability.
 
As a result, in truth, the head of the family acknowledged by his grandfather was not his father, but Eun-seong himself.

His aunt and uncles had looked down on him when he was young, but after he returned from the United States and showed his investment decisions, they all shut their mouths and grew quiet.

"Why can’t you all at least follow Eun-seong halfway!"

Because of that, even within the family, he was treated like an adult.

"What, is that kid living his second life or something?"

The looks from his father’s siblings were anything but kind.

"I heard you let your hair down at school? You look so pathetic that no one even recognizes you."

Even the older cousin who used to pick fights would run away with his tail between his legs if Eun-seong just stared at him silently for three seconds. 

At school, he never lost his position as first in the entire grade, making him an idol to students and a favorite of teachers. Even in college, if he simply stayed still, people like David, who could tell they were the same type, would approach him. He’d never really felt lacking when it came to relationships. 

But— 

Jung Hye-yeon was different. 

She kept scraping at nerves he’d left untouched.

"Ha, haah. D, don’t stop. Eun-seong…"

Just last night, she’d seduced him until he burned with heat, and now she was pretending not to know him. She was the woman who had spread her legs, ground his face between them, and rocked her hips however she pleased.

"Haaah! I-I like it…!"

She’d spilled her fluids without restraint, moaning in delight as he drank her in like juice. As she climbed pleasure that bordered on pain, groaning softly, Eun-seong’s own arousal had swollen until it hurt. 

From between her legs came a sweet scent so strong it made him want to devour everything. Maybe because it was such a narrow, enclosed space, the overheated air left him breathless with excitement. And then, right before penetration, she’d said she was tired and fell asleep on the spot. 

Snoring, too. Loudly.

'So she got everything she wanted.'

That alone was absurd enough. 

And now, today, it wasn’t just pretending nothing happened. She’d blocked him. 

How was he supposed to take that?

Did she mean everything yesterday was just a mistake? Seeing her with Choi Hyunwoo again today, did she like him so much that she could forgive even something like that?

"Ha… fuck."

It was the first time in his life he’d ever been treated this carelessly. Thinking back to last night, when he’d been used to the fullest for her pleasure, Eun-seong’s sensitive brow twitched again. 

Whiiing— 

The quiet car came to a stop in the underground parking lot. He rode the elevator straight up to the high floors above. 

Was it because of the alcohol from yesterday? 

Leaning against the elevator wall, he took off his glasses and pressed his fingers hard against his eyes. The prescription wasn’t even strong. He wore them mostly to hide his face. 

Holding the glasses in his hand, Eun-seong walked down the carpeted hallway and opened the door with his fingerprint. But the moment he stepped inside, the unfamiliar sight of studded heels belonging to a woman stabbed sharply at his nerves. 

Beep. 

As the door locked automatically, a woman in skin-colored stockings and a short, flashy skirt came hurrying out.

"Eun-seong?"

She looked to be in her mid-thirties at most.

Seeing the red sauce smeared messily on her blouse, Eun-seong made a face. The woman smiled broadly and held up her hands in disposable gloves.

"I brought some side dishes from the main house. Your father was worried about whether you were doing well on your own."

Eun-seong set the packaged porridge he’d brought from the car down on the kitchen table. The young woman followed him closely, continuing to talk.

"You keep buying random food outside like this? You’ll ruin your health. You’re so sensitive, you don’t even eat food cooked by just any woman, right? That’s why I thought I’d come by Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to cook side dishes and rice for you…"

A refrigerator someone had opened without permission. 

Food spread across the island counter. 

If she really had brought it from the main house, it showed. Japchae, seasoned tofu, marinated perilla leaves, bulgogi. The dishes all carried the unmistakable touch of the ladies from Cheongunjae.

At the sight of it, Eun-seong imagined the woman giving orders, nose held high, telling the ladies what to do in place of his mother. 

Those women had been at Cheongunjae since before Eun-seong was even born, so no matter what anyone said, they would have cooked as told. Still, he didn’t need to see their faces to know what expressions they’d worn while mixing the japchae. 

After giving the table a cursory glance, Eun-seong took out a bottle of water and drank before speaking.

"This one talks a lot."

“Huh?"

Looking tired, he took off his glasses and set them down, then let out a short laugh as heat flared through his head, brushing his hair back. 

When his face was fully visible, the young woman flinched and dropped her gaze.

"O-oh… you really look a lot like your father. You’re so handsome that I-I was surprised."

Her ears reddened deeply. Caught off guard, her heart seemed to race, and she brought a hand to her chest. 

Aunt, my ass. 

They didn’t even look that far apart in age. 

With a blank expression, Eun-seong walked past her and picked up the speaker remote behind her. When the music he’d left on before blasted loudly, the woman shrank her shoulders slightly and glanced around uneasily.

"Should I set out dinner before I go?”

"No. I don’t want to eat food made by a woman whose name I don’t even know, so I’d like you to leave now."

At that, the woman in plastic gloves swallowed her awkward smile. Watching her try to organize the food back into the fridge was so absurd that a dry laugh escaped him. 

Walking toward the sofa, Eun-seong muttered,

"Guess she doesn’t understand words."

His father’s girlfriends always did this. Taking advantage of his mother’s absence, they’d even reach toward Eun-seong. Did they think that conquering the family would make them number one? 

Foolish people. 

Crossing his legs on the sofa, Eun-seong spoke in a languid voice.

"Leave before I report you for trespassing. I’m warning you."

His cool, irritated gaze fixed on her. As if he didn’t want to hear another word, he turned the volume up. The young woman slowly closed the refrigerator and began moving toward the front door. 

Even the small movements and sounds irritated him. 

She slipped on her heels as quietly as possible, yet the click of the shoes being set in place echoed clearly from afar. Then came the sound of the front door opening. 

Thud. 

When the door shut, Eun-seong stretched out on the sofa and bit his lower lip.

"This is fucking awful. Seriously."

From start to finish, it had been a terrible day.

If he went to the hospital in this mood, even faking a smile would come out awkward, so he just cranked the music up to the maximum and closed his eyes. 

How many hours passed like that? 

He was sitting at his study desk, replying to overseas emails and messages from friends, checking his schedule for tomorrow, when he realized it was already well past eight in the evening.

"……"

Without thinking, Eun-seong reached for his phone.

"I’ll contact you tonight."

When exactly was that contact supposed to come? 

In his entire life, he’d never really held expectations toward anyone. He was usually the one people expected things from, not the other way around. 

But still—

'Why am I having such twisted thoughts today?'

Because someone kept scraping at him. 

Normally, he was laid-back enough that he wouldn’t even run when the traffic light changed. Yet now, he kept fiddling with his phone. Wondering if it might vibrate, he brought it with him for the first time as he headed to the second-floor gym. 

Whether studying or anything else, you need stamina to survive. 

After sweating through a long workout, showering, and coming out, the phone in his hand finally buzzed.

10 p.m. 

He had no idea what she’d been doing to text at this hour, but the message itself was simple. 

[Eun-seong, are you asleep?] 

The man, who’d just come out of the shower and was rubbing his hair with a towel, let out a hollow laugh. 

What should he do? 

She was irritating. 

Should he pretend to be asleep?

"Oh, he read it!"

The moment the read receipt appeared, Hye-yeon sprang upright in bed. 

Wearing short shorts and a stretched-out T-shirt, she clutched her phone and paced in circles in front of the bed, not knowing what to do.

"What should I say?"

He’d read the message, but there was no reply for a long while. Seeing that, she thought… maybe she should apologize first? 

Hye-yeon carefully tapped out a message.

[Eun-seong, I’m sorry about yesterday. You must’ve been surprised when I disappeared without paying. When I drink, I tend to just ditch people and go home on my own.] 

The read indicator stayed on, like he was reading it in real time. It almost felt like he was thinking, 'Let’s see how well you beg.’ A pointless inferiority complex bubbled up, making her feel like Eun-seong was looking down on her again, but Hye-yeon bit her lip and endured it. 

This was when she needed to put herself in his shoes.

'Let’s think about it the other way around.'

A friend you were hanging out with suddenly gets drunk and goes home. You get worried and try to contact them, only to find out you’ve been blocked. Wouldn’t that alone be enough to ruin your mood? 

On top of that, if you saw them laughing and hunting down a famous restaurant with the guy who’d humiliated you the night before, it would be even harder to understand, enough to make you want to keep your distance. 

Especially Eun-seong. He was the type who drew clean lines. 

He’d been like that in high school too. There had been a boy who hovered around him, quietly jealous, always trailing after Eun-seong and eating with him. One day, as a so-called joke, that boy hid Eun-seong’s gym uniform, causing his performance evaluation score to drop. 

Eun-seong didn’t get angry. 

He found the uniform in the cleaning closet, tossed the dirty clothes straight into the trash, and from then on, simply stopped treating that boy like a person. 

The boy who’d once strutted around whenever he was next to Eun-seong gradually faded from their friend group. 

It was unsettling, like someone was slowly erasing his existence with an eraser. 

Then, around their second year? 

They were in different classes, so she didn’t know the details, but she remembered hearing he’d transferred schools because of his father’s business. 

Hye-yeon was carrying a stack of performance task notebooks to the teachers' office when she saw the boy sobbing in front of the homeroom teacher from the class next door. His face looked miserable. 

What had happened to make him cry like that? 

Before the question even faded, Eun-seong, who’d also collected assignments from the next class, set his notebook down and said,

"Teacher, I brought the assignment."

She didn’t know what kind of relationship they’d had, but the moment Eun-seong’s indifferent gaze landed on him, the boy stopped crying as if by magic. 

Even though a friend he used to stick to every day was transferring schools, Eun-seong didn’t spare him a single glance and walked out of the teachers' office. 

Watching that, Hye-yeon felt a strange sensation. 

It seemed unlikely, but… 

She couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe Eun-seong had driven him to transfer.

'But does that even make sense?'

It was a private school. Except for a few students admitted through special admissions like Hye-yeon, most came from prestigious families or had powerful parents. 

Because of that, it wasn’t uncommon for someone to suddenly move abroad due to their parents' circumstances. Saying it was because of his father’s business sounded perfectly natural. And yet, one lingering doubt refused to fade from her mind.

'Does he not have emotions?'

It wasn’t just that his emotional wavelength was different from others. He was simply unfathomable. 

It was the same when he’d been caught tearing up a painting in the art room. Anyone else would’ve had it spread around immediately, but Eunseong hadn’t said a word about it, not for three whole years, right up until graduation. 
That was why Hye-yeon felt uncomfortable around him.

'Because I can’t read what’s inside him.'

If they hadn’t gone to the same university and nothing like yesterday had happened, their relationship probably would’ve ended as something vague and ambiguous. 

But now that they were at the same school, knowing she’d have to see him for at least two more years meant she couldn’t just brush this off. 

Swallowing hard, her throat tight with tension, Hye-yeon tapped out another message. 

[Next time, I’ll treat you to a meal.] 

He read it immediately again. 

This time, she decided not to send anything else and waited. Sending more messages when the other person didn’t seem to want to talk felt like a nuisance. 

Hye-yeon kept opening and closing the messaging app, tossing and turning on her bed. 

If Eun-seong didn’t reply at all, then this was it for the two of them.

Wouldn’t it be easier to pretend not to know a college acquaintance you’d drunk with once, rather than cutting off a friend you’d eaten with every day for over a year? 

If that happened, her plan to overcome her second-place trauma would go up in smoke, too. 

And then… what about the erotic dream she’d had last night? Would she end up living the rest of her life with this anxious feeling lodged in her chest? 

Thinking that way made her heart ache.

'I’ll think of Eun-seong no matter what I do from now on.'

Every time she failed at something. 

It had been the same in her major class a few days ago. Unlike the other students who didn’t even know the basics of coding, Eun-seong kept up effortlessly. She couldn’t forget the sight of him solving complex formulas without changing his expression, making the professor marvel that he didn’t seem like a freshman. 

Still gripping her silent phone, Hye-yeon buried her face into her pillow. Maybe because she was imagining the worst, her heart felt like it was in hell even as she lay still. 

‘Should I go buy some beer?'

She jumped up, threw on an oversized hoodie over her T-shirt, and headed out. 

It was still cold at night to go out in shorts, but the convenience store was right across the street, so she didn’t mind. 

She pulled a black baseball cap low over her head and was paying for five cans of beer at the counter when her phone vibrated in her pocket. 

The message that arrived late was extremely simple, but… 

[Not next time. Now.] 

It was more than enough to shake Hye-yeon. 

[Alcohol, not food.] 

* * * 

10:15 p.m. 

Too late to brush it off as being busy, but too early to call it unreasonable. 

And knowing Eun-seong’s personality, if she refused once, there probably wouldn’t be a next chance. 

When the picky young master wanted to meet, what power did Hye-yeon have now that she’d willingly become the one in the weaker position? 

With the bag of beer looped around her wrist, Hye-yeon replied. 

[Now? Where should we meet?] 

This time, the reply came without a second’s delay. 

[XX-dong Auntie’s Beer] 

What the hell. Did he install CCTV or something? 

Auntie’s Beer was the neighborhood bar right in front of her. 

Standing on the dark path from the convenience store to her studio apartment, Hye-yeon looked at the lone, brightly lit Auntie’s Beer and rubbed her arms, goosebumps rising.

'Did Eun-seong know where I live?'

Well… she hadn’t told him directly, but it wasn’t impossible. Friends casually talked about where they lived during breaks all the time. 

[Then let’s meet in an hour.] 

Hye-yeon popped a cola-flavored gummy she’d just bought into her mouth and tapped at her phone. Honestly, since it was right in front of her place, she could meet him comfortably as she was, but for some reason, it bothered her. 
When Hyunwoo had come by before under the excuse of wanting relationship advice, she’d gone out with nothing more than her greasy hair loosely tied up and talked in front of the convenience store.

'But Eun-seong feels different.'

Clutching the bag of beer, Hye-yeon hurried up to her studio and went straight into the bathroom. Wetting and smoothing her messy hair didn’t fix it at all, so she ended up washing it again. 

After finishing a warm shower, she opened a tint she’d bought recently.

'Is doing makeup a bit much?'

She hesitated in front of her small collection of cosmetics, then settled on lightly evening out her skin and putting just a touch of tint on her lips.

'Should I tie my hair up?'

Her long, straight hair that reached her waist was still damp. 

It was so thick that even at the salon, they always complained about how long it took to dry, so she hesitated. 

Still, tying it up might look prettier… 

She hovered in front of her messy vanity, looking for a hair tie.

"Why do hair ties always disappear like this?"

Holding her hair together with one hand, she opened several drawers, but there was no hair tie in sight. She finally found a small elastic band, but it snapped the moment she tried to use it.

"Ha. My hair’s too much even for hair ties."

Checking the time, Hye-yeon hurriedly pulled on a hoodie and her track pants. 

Twenty minutes before the meeting time. 

She could stop by the convenience store on the way out, buy a hair tie, tie her hair up nicely, and meet him looking like she’d dressed up without actually dressing up. Perfect.

'What game should I suggest today?'

The part of her heart that had been calm until she sent the text began to stir. If I win again today, I might not be able to sleep from the thrill.

"Hm."

Wearing comfortable slippers, phone in hand, Hye-yeon hummed as she headed toward the convenience store. 

A dark alley lit here and there by streetlights. 

Surrounded by old villa buildings, she followed the road cluttered with cars parked on both sides and reached for the convenience store door. 

Jingle. 

Her steps halted just as she opened it.

"……"

In the alley beside the convenience store, dim because the light didn’t quite reach, she met eyes with a man smoking.

"Tae Eun-seong?"

And not just anyone. Tae Eun-seong, leaning against the wall and letting out a long breath. 

She thought about it. What exactly had Tae Eun-seong been to her all this time? 

At first, she thought she’d mistaken him because it was dark and backlit, but it was definitely him. 

Sparse, curly hair falling over his forehead. 

A height so tall she had to tilt her head back to look up. 

Behind her, a car slowly edged out through the rain-soaked alley, its headlights illuminating the front of the convenience store. 

Bathed in the car’s headlights, Eun-seong’s glasses glowed faintly, and pale smoke hung between them like a curtain. 

It felt like a dream. 

So unreal, it lacked any sense of reality.

"Do you… smoke too?"

Still gripping the door handle, having forgotten she was about to go inside, she asked.

"Is something wrong?"

The convenience store clerk peeked out, so Hye-yeon closed the door and stepped down the two steps. 

Eun-seong’s long eyelashes, heavy and lowered, trembled slightly. 

The man who’d just been skillfully holding the cigarette between two fingers stubbed it out against the stainless steel ashtray in front of the store, a faint smile on his lips.

"…You caught me."

With a soft hiss, the glowing red tip dimmed along with the smoke. The faint scent of burning drifted into her nose. 

The subtle fragrance she’d noticed whenever he got close before. Mixed with a hint of fresh fruit, it had felt oddly masculine. It wasn’t cologne after all. It was this.

"Today was the first time."

His languid voice echoed damply through the alley.

"I was curious what it tasted like."

The convenience store sign flickered unsteadily.

"…Liar."

Hye-yeon wore a dazed expression, struck by something she couldn’t quite name. Her face seemed to say, what are you, exactly? 

For the past three years, the Eun-seong she’d known had been a model student in a school uniform. Someone who listened to adults and studied well. She’d thought he was the kind of straight-laced guy who’d walked nothing but the right path his whole life, never deviating even a millimeter from the paved road.

A sudden sense of betrayal washed over her.

"This is cheating."

Leaving the convenience store entrance, Hye-yeon walked over and stood close to Eun-seong. 

Because of her short height, her head barely reached his chest. But when she clenched her fists and her shoulders shook with a far-from harmless expression, the man towering over 6'3 tilted his head to the side. 

He clearly didn’t understand her reaction at all, but she wasn’t angry for his understanding anyway, so she didn’t care.

"You…"

Hye-yeon lifted her chin, her eyes reddened.

"You drink better than me, and you smoked before me too?"

Which meant, in other words, Tae Eun-seong had beaten her even in rebellion.

An unbearable sense of inferiority twisted her insides. 

She’d thought the only way to beat this model student was to go off the rails, and even that had been taken from her by Tae Eun-seong. 

The realization made her stomach churn violently. The volcano that had been quiet in her head erupted whenever she saw him. The lava that had been simmering in her chest surged upward in a blazing red torrent. 

Having lost even the first move in rebellion, Hye-yeon bit her lip hard and held out her hand.

"Give me one too. I’m going to smoke way more than you from now on."

Eun-seong’s eyes quietly studied her small hand. Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he replied,

"No."

After checking his wristwatch, he jerked his chin at her.

"Aren’t you going? You said you were buying beer."

It sounded like he was telling her to hurry up and buy the alcohol as promised. Trailing after him, Hye-yeon stubbornly said,

"Then I’ll just buy my own and smoke."

She turned sharply to head in another direction, but Eun-seong grabbed the hood of her hoodie and stopped her.

"Ghk!"

Choked into stopping on the spot, Hye-yeon turned back to glare at him with resentful eyes.

"What’s your problem!"

Startled, as if he hadn’t meant to stop her that forcefully, Eun-seong released his hands and stepped back. 

Rubbing her neck where she’d made a ridiculous sound, Hye-yeon pouted. 

A brief silence. 

In the dark villa alley, the dim streetlight flickered as if it might go out. Still, Hye-yeon didn’t give up, glaring stubbornly. Eun-seong let out a low sigh.

"Ha…"

Covering his mouth with a large hand, he fell into thought for a moment, then rummaged through his pocket. He tapped the cigarette pack from his back pocket, slid one out, and put it between his lips.

"Hey."

Hye-yeon called out, dissatisfied. 

With the cigarette still in his mouth, he replied,

"What?"

The tip of the cigarette wobbled unsteadily.

"I’m doing exactly what you want right now.”

With a chin gesture telling her to wait, he pulled out a lighter and flicked the wheel. After a few sparks, a red flame flared up with a sharp, acrid smell. 

For a brief moment, Eun-seong’s face was clearly illuminated. 

A spring breeze heavy with post-rain moisture blew, scattering his curly bangs. Between the rising smoke, his red lips parted slightly, almost obscenely. 

Reality was more than anything she’d imagined in her dreams.

'How does a person even end up looking like that?'

Like a painting. 

A sharply defined jawline. 

And eyes, tired and lazily loosened, slowly closing and opening as they watched the cigarette burn. 

His eyelashes were so long they nearly brushed the lenses of his glasses, casting shadows. The sight was beautiful enough to burn itself into Hye-yeon’s eyes, stealing her words for a moment.

Sss— 

To block the wind, the man curved one hand around the tip of the cigarette and drew deeply on the filter until his cheeks hollowed. 

At last, it lit. 

Hye-yeon, whose gaze had been snatched away to the point of dizziness, swallowed hard.

"Here."

He removed the cigarette from his lips and held it out to her. 

The look in his eyes said he’d done exactly what she wanted, so she should hurry and take it. She hesitated slightly. She hadn’t expected him to light it with his own mouth.

"Isn’t this… kind of an indirect kiss?"

When Hye-yeon blinked her round eyes uncertainly, Eun-seong let out a quiet chuckle.

"Then don’t."

The dim entrance of the alley. 

Somewhere far off, a cat cried. 

A cold wind brushed against her shoulders, making the young plum branches planted beside the convenience store sway, damp with moisture.

It felt unusually chilly for a spring night. 

Just as the flickering streetlight finally gave out and went dark, the man moved to stub out the cigarette, and Hye-yeon rushed forward, clinging to his hand to stop him.

"No, I’ll do it!"

You did it, so why couldn’t I? 

What’s the big deal about an indirect kiss anyway? 

Pouting, Hye-yeon grabbed one of Eun-seong’s arms, snatched the cigarette from his hand, and clamped it between her lips. She sucked in hard, trying to look convincing as she pulled on the damp filter soaked with his saliva.

"Ugh."

She was going to throw up. 

The moment the smoke slid down her throat, it felt like a burning nail scraping her throat and lungs.

"Cough, cough!"

Ugh. What is this?

"Cough, kh, ugh…!"

The coughing exploded uncontrollably. 

It felt like her lungs had detected poison and were blaring emergency alarms, screaming for her to expel it. Her entire body thrashed in protest, demanding to know why she’d let something like this inside without permission.

"Ugh, kh."

Her lungs rebelled. 

But unwilling to lose here, Hye-yeon brought the cigarette back to her mouth like Eun-seong had, only to choke again, coughing as if she were suffocating. 

This time, she recoiled before it even touched her lips, repulsed by the stench alone. Even so, she refused to let go of the small burning ember clenched tightly in her hand.

"Urgh, uh, gh.”

"Did you come back from a battlefield or something? Why are you so determined?”

"No, I’m not done yet…"

Eun-seong immediately took the cigarette from her and led her under the convenience store parasol, making her sit down. 

Even then, her face red, the coughing wouldn’t stop. Tears welled up in Hye-yeon’s eyes.

"Cough, kuh-lk!"

She coughed so hard she almost vomited, and fat drops of tears began to fall from her eyes onto her collar. 
She wanted it to stop, but like someone having a fit, it just wouldn’t. Even Eun-seong looked startled. He went into the convenience store and came back with tissues and bottled water. Heat rushed to her face, while cold sweat ran down her back. 

Damn it. I’m going to die.

"Ah, ugh…"

After taking a few sips of the water Eun-seong handed her, she finally started to feel a little better. The muscles clenched tight around her throat loosened, and her breathing slowly returned to normal.

'Still scratchy, though.'

Rubbing at her throat, Hye-yeon lifted her head, her eyes swollen red like a goldfish’s.

"If I try again, I’ll do better.”

"You look like you’re allergic."

Eun-seong, apparently thirsty himself, gulped down the remaining water and wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

"You want to die?”

"Hmph."

Hye-yeon suddenly felt wronged.

Why could Eun-seong do it when she couldn’t? 

What kind of bullshit is this? 

What’s so special about this anyway? It’s just a mix of nicotine and tar. She knew it was bad for her, but she wasn’t planning to keep smoking. She just wanted to show Eun-seong once. 

That her rebellion was stronger than his. So why was it that nothing ever went her way?

"Why can you do it and I can’t? It’s annoying.”

"That kind of thing happens.”

"Why!"

Did he know how irritating that calm tone was? As if it was natural that he was good at things, and natural that others weren’t. Hye-yeon, on the verge of tears, slumped forward and rested her arms on the blue folding table. 
Her heart, probably from all the coughing, was still pounding wildly.

"Hng."

So annoying. Bastard. 

She couldn’t say it out loud, but clenched with anger toward Eun-seong, she slammed her fist down on the innocent plastic table. 

I’m so pissed, you devil.

Someday, I’ll make you kneel. 

To be honest, this was more of a fight with herself, but even knowing that, she resented Eun-seong. With tears and snot streaming from all the coughing, Hye-yeon snatched the tissue from his hand and blew her nose loudly. 

Her hair was a mess. 

Despite the cool weather, sweat-soaked strands clung horizontally across her forehead like seaweed, making her itch. Muttering curses under her breath as she peeled the hair away—

"Pfft."

A strange sound came from beside her head. At first, she thought she’d imagined it. But when she saw him covering his mouth and turning his head away, it was clear. 

He was laughing. 

Laughing?

"Someone’s suffering and you think that’s funny?"

Is he actually a psychopath? 

Hye-yeon’s thin arched brows twisted into angry ones.

"D-don’t laugh!"

That only made the laughter louder, stabbing at her ears.

"P-pffhahaha!"

What is wrong with him? 

Unable to relate to Eun-seong’s laughter at all, Hye-yeon pushed herself upright from the table like an enraged tiger. She shot him a sharp glare from her plastic chair, but the man still couldn’t stop laughing.

"Ah, haha, you… you’re really cute, Jung Hye-yeon.”

"What exactly is!”

"Just that, hahaha!"

How funny did he find it, to clutch his stomach and wobble in place like a festival balloon? 

Has this lunatic just opened for business or what? 

Did he not notice the sheer tiger-level rage blazing in her eyes? Hye-yeon decided he was either genuinely insane or drunk.

"Hey, seriously, stop laughing!"

Is he making fun of me right now? 

Small as she was, Hye-yeon sprang to her feet and raised her voice. She was angry, yes, but part of her was also scared by the way Eunseong was laughing.

'You don’t usually laugh like this.'

What if he’s some alien wearing the same skin?

Back in high school, he’d even earned the nickname emotionless doll. When the teacher told jokes, and everyone else doubled over laughing, he alone would sit there expressionless, taking notes. That was the guy he’d been. And now— 

Now Eun-seong was laughing. Actually laughing. Making choking sounds like a madman. 

Hye-yeon froze in place, ears burning red, as if she’d witnessed something utterly bizarre.

"Ha…"

Finally regaining his composure, Eun-seong took off his glasses and wiped the tears from his eyes with his fingers before speaking. 

“Jung Hye-yeon. Do you really want to beat me that badly?"

How did he know? You sly bastard. 

Hye-yeon fidgeted, glancing down at her chest and stomach as if her thoughts were completely see-through. 
When she lifted her head again with bewildered eyes, she saw a man barely holding back laughter, the corners of his mouth twitching. Eunseong bit his lower lip lightly and bent at the waist to meet her gaze.

"Be honest. You can tell me. I’ve kept all your secrets so far, haven’t I?"

Was he talking about what happened in the art room? 

If that was it, she did trust him in that regard. He really was tight-lipped. Still, since he’d said it right after laughing so hard, part of her wondered if he was only half serious. 

Hye-yeon narrowed her eyes like a flounder.

"And if I’m honest?"

She meant, what would change if she was. 

To avoid getting dragged into his pace, she even remembered to lift her chin slightly, pretending to be confident. Seeing that, Eun-seong smiled broadly, showing his teeth. 

Playful eyes. 

A crooked smile pulled up at one corner. 

He was usually a guy who hid his entire face, but today, with his bangs split by the wind, his forehead and eyes were unusually visible. 

Against the darkness of the street, with the convenience store’s light faintly overlaying him, he looked almost unreal. 

His lips, still moist and red from the water he’d drunk not long ago, parted softly.

"I was thinking of telling you how to win."

At his low voice, Hye-yeon felt herself being drawn in. Was this how devils tempted humans when they stole their souls?

Revealing a face usually hidden in the dark, speaking in such a gentle tone…

"Aren’t you curious? About what the method is."

Like a child lured by the Pied Piper, a pale light flickered in Hye-yeon’s eyes. 

Honestly, she was curious. How to beat him. 

But when he asked twice, she suddenly got scared, worried she might have to pay some unbearable price, like smoking. 

Curiosity and fear scattered inside her. Her small lips moved hesitantly. Unable to say anything, she looked up at Eun-seong, and in the darkness, the rain that had stopped began to fall again. 

Tap, tap… 

Raindrops struck the bridge of her nose, shattering coldly across her face as if urging her on. Maybe because of that, the excitement gradually cooled, and her reason began to clear. 

A man she couldn’t fully trust. 

But still, she felt he was better than classmates she hadn’t known long, or Choi Hyunwoo.

"Yeah."

She nodded.

"Tell me."

It had been four years, after all. Four years of being tormented by this hellish feeling.

Honestly, she’d thought that if she ignored it and buried it, time would solve everything. But instead, it only grew worse. 

She wanted to know now. What method did it take to solve the unsolvable problem that was him?

"Tell me. Even a hint is fine."

At that, Eun-seong’s eyes softened into a gentle curve.

"It’s simple."

Hye-yeon blinked, focusing. The wind blew, ruffling Eun-seong’s bangs, and in that moment, the man revealed his dimples and smiled with his eyes, leaning in to whisper a secret.

"Dump Choi Hyunwoo and come to me."

In an instant, Hye-yeon’s mind went completely blank.