Chapter 5.2

The rustling sound made Su-eon stop in her tracks. From a corner of the alley, now cloaked in deep night, a stray cat glanced at her before leaping onto the wall. The cat, with its black fur and white socks, seemed to float in the darkness, its yellow eyes glowing like orbs.  

The cat appeared highly cautious. At the faintest hint of Su-eon moving again, it flinched in surprise and darted quickly into another alley. Though she hadn’t done anything, Su-eon felt oddly embarrassed, as if she’d been mistaken for a stalker. Shaking off the feeling, she resumed walking.  

“This road is dangerous? What a joke.”  

She chuckled to herself as she recalled Ki Seung-jo, who had said something even the cowardly Jung Cho-ah wouldn’t have. Then, just a few meters from her home, Su-eon stopped and looked up. On the top floor of the five-story studio building, an orange light was on in the hallway.  

“Is that Cho-ah?”  

She was about to step forward without a second thought but paused again. There was no way Jung Cho-ah would be sitting idly on the dark stairwell. She would either already be inside the apartment or waiting outside near the entrance.  

More importantly, if Jung Cho-ah were here, her car would be parked nearby.  

Su-eon took out her phone and sent a text to the driver, asking for Jung Cho-ah’s current location. The reply came quickly: she had just returned home.  

At that moment, the hallway light turned off. Su-eon stood still, watching, and the light flicked back on.  

Her next-door neighbor was a woman in her seventies who lived alone. She usually went to bed early in the evening and woke up at dawn, so it was unlikely she’d be awake at this hour.  

Maybe it’s someone from downstairs?  

Someone might have come out briefly to leave something on the stairs or returned inside after doing so. Occasionally, motion sensors malfunctioned. Or perhaps it was a stray cat.  

In most cases, such occurrences were 99% harmless. Life had taught her that.  

Overreacting out of fear or being overly suspicious usually only led to embarrassment—or, worse, adding another chapter to one’s list of life’s shameful moments.  

And yet, despite all that…  

[It’s not the neighborhood. It’s always the people.]  

Being cautious couldn’t hurt. Su-eon, led by a cold, uneasy feeling as if something were grabbing at her ankle, turned toward the café at the corner opposite her building. She decided to sit there for a while and watch. If it seemed safe enough, she would go inside her home.  

The door jingled as she opened it. The small café, which stayed open until midnight, had about two tables occupied. After exchanging a nod with the owner, Su-eon bought a cup of herbal tea and sat at the long table by the window.  

She stretched her neck to look outside. Though it was a bit far, she could still confirm that the light on the top floor of her building was on. Letting out a sigh, she leaned back in her chair.  

After opening the lid of her tea and taking a sip, she thought about how funny it would be later if it really turned out to be just a stray cat. Smiling faintly at the thought, she took out her phone.  

Finding Ki Seung-jo’s contact in her list, she typed out a message without hesitation.  

[Got home safely. Thank you for today.]  

As soon as she set her phone down, it vibrated with a buzz. Su-eon hesitated for a moment before answering the call.  

“Yes, Executive Director.”  

– So, you’re really not going to call me first, huh?  

The faint trace of a laugh at the end of his seemingly annoyed tone sent her heart fluttering again, making her forget the situation for a moment. Su-eon responded quietly.  

“I thought you might be driving.”  

– You always have such great excuses.  

Amid his grumbling, she could hear the faint sound of a car in motion. Since the roads were clear, he would probably reach his destination quickly.  

“Well then, drive safely—”  

– You’re still outside, aren’t you?  

Her words trailed off. 

The café was very quiet—how had he known?  

– You’re whispering. No way you’d do that at home.  

At this point, she wondered if he wasn’t just perceptive but had some kind of supernatural sixth sense. Reluctantly, she admitted the truth.  

“Actually, I’m at a café near my place.”  

– There’s a café there? 

“Yes, there’s one.”  

– When are you planning to go inside?  

“Well… I’ll head in after a little while.”  

A very brief silence followed.  

– Would it be too nosy of me to ask why you’re out there at this hour?  

As she hesitated to respond, unsure of what to say, Seung-jo spoke again.  

– You’re not meeting someone, are you? 

“No, it’s nothing like that.”  

– Got it. Be careful and head inside soon.  

Before she could even say goodbye, the call abruptly ended.  

“……”  

A cold draft from the air conditioner brushed past Su-eon’s face, spreading a sense of awkward discomfort. It felt like being abruptly thrown out into the cold after sitting in a stiflingly hot room for too long. Or like walking on clouds and suddenly plummeting to the ground.  

She was relieved he hadn’t asked further questions, yet the fickle feeling of disappointment crept in, making her chuckle bitterly. Putting her phone back into her bag after the call ended, she sat still for a moment.  

The cold air that had spread in the meantime reached down to her nape. Wrapping her hands around the cup, Su-eon took a sip of her herbal tea. The lukewarm tea, which had gone bitter because she hadn’t removed the teabag in time, left an astringent taste in her mouth.  

Human emotions were much like this herbal tea. They burned hot, leaving one unable to think straight, only to cool down in an instant when one looked away for just a moment. And when one failed to time it just right, the result was a bitter aftertaste—left alone to bear the unpleasantness.  

[I waited a long time.]  

[This time, call me right away.]  

[I don’t like waiting.]  

Meaningless words. They only made the person being swayed feel foolish. After all, saying such things wouldn’t change anything.  

Even if one were to explain their situation honestly, it would only make them seem overly dramatic and sensitive. And society didn’t like sensitive people.  

But in truth, none of that mattered. The evaluations and gazes of others no longer held any power over her. What did bother her, however, was the occasional feeling of being a failure—having no friends to call during moments like these. She wondered if things would have been different had she opened herself up to others a little more. But just as quickly, a cynical thought followed: 

Would it really have changed anything?

After clearing the table, Su-eon left the café. It felt much like those mornings when she used to sling her heavy schoolbag over her shoulder, pass by the grand front gate, and slip quietly through the unnoticed side gate on her way to school.  

By the time she reached her studio apartment, someone was coming down the stairs from inside. Thinking once again that it was nothing, she raised her head—only to have her face harden.  

“Why are you so late? I’ve been waiting for a while.”  

“How did you find this place, Kim Kwang-yong?”  

Despite her cold expression, the man simply grinned. It wasn’t the polished smile he had worn earlier in the lounge café to impress her.  

“Was it Secretary Park?”  

“The secretary told me we’d be a perfect match, you know? Even gave me some advice to come and explain things properly so you’d understand.”  

The man continued speaking, completely unaware of how foolish his words sounded.  

“Earlier at the hotel, Su-eon, you don’t know how embarrassed I was because of you. You don’t just ignore someone like that and walk away. I know you weren’t raised with proper manners, but since we’ll be family once we’re married, I figured I’d come here to teach you.”  

To Su-eon, it sounded like he was simply venting his anger after being rejected.  

“By the way, have you been living here for a long time? There’s no elevator, no security—it’s a disaster. A woman living alone in a place like this is asking for trouble. The door looks like it could be kicked open after a few tries.”  

He looked up at the building with a sneer.  

“Be honest. How many men have you brought home here?”  

“I’ll call the police. You can explain yourself there.”  

“Why bother? Even if you call them, they’ll leave in no time.”  

The man smiled smugly, his gaze dismissively flicking to the phone in Su-eon’s hand.  

“I don’t have a criminal record, and my identity is clean, so at most, I’d get a warning. But can you handle what happens after that?”  

“……”  

“After the police leave, I mean.”  

He smirked as he watched her reaction, then laughed to himself.  

“I’m just joking. Just joking. I’m not usually like this, but I was a bit upset earlier because of work, you know? Haha.”  

Laughing like a lunatic, the man suddenly turned his gleaming eyes toward Su-eon.  

“It’s too hot to stand out here any longer. Damn it. Let’s go up to your place and finish this conversation. You have air conditioning at least, right?”  

As if he were entering his own home, the man turned his body toward the building entrance. Watching him, Su-eon gripped her phone tightly.  

“There’s no need to go up. The police will be here soon.”  

The man whipped his head around and glared at her with sharp, menacing eyes before suddenly lunging at her. His thick hand struck Su-eon’s cheek, sending her head snapping to the side and her body staggering.