‘Wait. Do I really have to answer if he calls?’

Should she stay out of his affairs as his manager had advised? Could she simply ignore him? Hyeyeon agonised over it all day, but nobody contacted her again.

Several days passed after that unbelievable incident. Mujin clearly had her number, yet he never sent her a message or called her. A week passed, then two. She finally put that brief departure from her everyday life behind her and settled back into reality. She simply blocked his number, telling herself that since he hadn’t contacted her yet, he probably never would.

‘His manager was right. It’s best not to get involved.’

Although it had only lasted a few hours, that moment still felt surreal. How could she describe it? It was as though someone from a completely different world had stopped by briefly by mistake. After all, he was a famous celebrity. Someone who truly lived in a different world.

She didn’t want to experience that unsettling sense of being lifted out of reality again.

Then, nearly a month later, she spotted a man standing outside her apartment building.

As before, he wore a baseball cap pulled low and a black mask. This time, though, he had swapped his baggy clothes for a fitted jacket, giving him the air of a model or celebrity, even from a distance. The moment he spotted her, he strode towards her.

“Uh, um…”

Hyeyeon instinctively faltered and stepped back. A few strides of his long legs brought Mujin right in front of her. His mask covered more than half his face, but she could still tell that his smile was cold. His eyes held a faint trace of amusement, yet they were brimming with irritation.

“Been a while, hasn’t it?”

“…”

“Why the f*ck aren’t you answering my calls?”

The profanity rolled off his tongue so naturally that it almost sounded like an ordinary part of the sentence. Hyeyeon blinked, then belatedly flinched and stepped back.

“Well…”

“Let me stay over.”

“I don’t… want you to.”

She faltered as she voiced her refusal, but he pretended not to hear and grabbed her arm, pulling her along.

“Let go of me.”

Even then, he didn’t release her. His grip was so strong that her arm began to throb where he held it.

“Wait, please.”

She twisted, trying to pull free, but couldn’t budge him an inch.

He had only been here once. Yet Mujin reached the door to Hyeyeon’s apartment without a moment’s hesitation.

“Open it.”

“Your manager said—”

“What does anything he said have to do with you?”

She briefly wondered how she should address him. Mujin? Mr. Han? They were the same age, so why was it so difficult to speak to him casually?

As she hesitated over what to call him, he laughed aloud.

“You like me.”

“No, that’s…”

“You’re my fan. Aren’t you?”

If he was asking whether she was his fan, then yes, she was. As she struggled to find the words, he gestured toward the door with his chin.

While she hesitated, someone came out of another apartment and stared at them while passing through the hallway. When the person tilted their head and tried to get a closer look at Mujin’s face, he pulled his cap lower.

“Come in.”

Left with little choice, Hyeyeon opened the door and strode inside.

How had she ended up alone with him in this cramped apartment again? Hyeyeon stole a glance at Mujin. He tossed aside his cap and mask, then sat on the edge of the bed.

“Why weren’t you answering? I told you to pick up.”

“Well…”

Could she honestly tell him she had blocked his number? Mujin’s voice was full of confidence, as though anything he said was supposed to happen exactly as he wished.

“I… blocked your number.”

“Why?”

He frowned. Seeing his genuinely baffled expression, she could easily imagine the life he had led. A life in which everyone treated him favorably. A life in which he had never known what it meant to be rejected. The confidence that, however he behaved, the other person would still like him.

“Unblock it. Right in front of me.”

“Your manager said…”

“Why? Did he tell you not to contact me?”

Hyeyeon gave a slight nod. Mujin’s lips curled into a crooked smile.

“Why? If he told you to f*ck me, would you spread your legs?”

Her face burned with humiliation.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Enough. Unblock it. Or should I do it for you?”

He tilted his head. After standing there fidgeting helplessly, she finally had to unblock his number while he watched. Only after checking that her phone rang did he casually lie down on the bed. Watching him close his eyes as though he intended to sleep, Hyeyeon hesitantly spoke.

“Han Mujin…”

“What?”

Mujin answered curtly without even opening his eyes. She didn’t know where to begin. There were so many things she wanted to ask. Why her? Why did he sleep here? Was it really all right for him to be out here like this? Did he do this to other fans, too? Did he sleep at a different person’s house every night?

Her lips moved uncertainly before she finally settled on a question.

“Why do you sleep here? Don’t you have a home?”

She regretted the last part as soon as she said it. He was probably the highest-paid minor in Korea. Asking whether he had a home was ridiculous. Mujin opened his eyes halfway and gazed at her.

“Why? Have you decided you want to f*ck me?”

“What? No.”

Why had the conversation suddenly turned to s*x? Hyeyeon’s face flushed scarlet. They had met twice, and both times, he had brought up s*x. Seeing her bright red cheeks, he let out a soft laugh.

“Is that a yes or a no?”

“N-no. I meant no.”

At that, Mujin abruptly sat up. He swept his tousled hair back.

“You like me, don’t you?”

“…”

“But you don’t even want to kiss me? I’ll do it if you ask.”

“I’ve never thought about that!”

Hyeyeon raised her voice. She liked him as a fan, but kissing him or having s*x with him had never even crossed her mind. Wasn’t that what being a fan meant?

‘Or not? Do other fans want to?’

She had no way of knowing, but she was certain she had never entertained those thoughts herself.

“Good. Keep thinking that way.”

“What?”

“I’m tired. Stop talking to me.”

He snapped at her, then lay back down. Hyeyeon tried to piece together what he had said.

‘So… he sleeps here because I don’t ask him to have s*x with me or kiss me?’

Then couldn’t he simply stop seeing other women in the first place? He could just sleep at home. Why did he insist on sleeping somewhere else? Unable to ask any more questions, she pressed her lips shut. He seemed to fall asleep almost immediately, his soft breathing filling the tiny room.

‘Oh. I still need to eat dinner.’

Cooking in her studio apartment would certainly have woken him up. But was it OK to cook? Should she make something for him, too? As she watched him sleep, Hyeyeon found herself grappling with more practical concerns. At first, everything had seemed unreal, like some kind of joke. It was almost funny that she was already getting used to it, despite this being the second time.

“Haah…”

There wasn’t anything else to do at home, anyway. Even if she picked up her phone, she had no one in particular to contact. She didn’t have a television, either.

‘Does his manager know Han Mujin is here?’

She remembered his warning not to get involved again. Would he contact her again? Her thoughts became muddled. After lingering and pacing indecisively for a while, Hyeyeon gave up and started making dinner. Even though he might be asleep, eating alone in the same room felt strange. For the first time, she cooked enough rice for two. Throughout the rinsing of rice and clattering of cookware, Mujin slept soundly.

Or perhaps he was only pretending to sleep. Usually, she would have eaten alone at her desk, but this time, Hyeyeon set up the folding floor table and called to him cautiously.

“Um, Mujin…”

She wished she could speak to him as casually as he called her “hey” without a second thought. Calling him Han Mujin, or simply Mujin as though they were friends, still felt terribly strange. When he didn’t stir, she wondered whether she should shake him awake.

“Um…”

The moment she lightly tapped his ankle, Mujin spoke.

“What?”

“Dinner’s ready.”

He sat up, then raised an eyebrow at the food she had set out. She couldn’t tell whether he liked what he saw.

“…You don’t have to eat if you don’t want to.”

Hyeyeon added the words quietly. After a moment’s consideration, he surprised her by obediently sitting down at the table.

“I have to watch my weight.”

Did that mean he wasn’t going to eat? Puzzled, she tilted her head.

“Keep some chicken br*ast in the freezer.”

“What?”

“Buy some frozen chicken br*ast.”

“W-why?”

“I just told you I have to watch my weight.”

He frowned as he answered, then picked up a little rice with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. Hyeyeon felt as though the room were spinning.

‘He wants me to buy chicken br*ast?’

Did that mean he was coming back? Was he planning to eat here, too? Why? Why on earth?

Her thoughts tangled. Did he mean that he would continue to sleep there just because she hadn’t asked him for s*x? She was so distracted that she could barely tell if she was swallowing her food.

He barely ate. After eating only a third of his rice, he put down his cutlery and flopped back onto the bed. Wasn’t it bad to lie down straight afterwards? The thought crossed her mind, but she didn’t have the courage to wake him up again. Hyeyeon hurriedly finished her meal and washed the dishes, then wandered around the room before curling up in the corner once more.

The first time Mujin had suddenly barged into her life, none of it had felt real. This time, though, it felt considerably more so. Was it because they had eaten together? Or was she already getting used to him?

‘Does he really mean he’s coming back?’

Were they going to drift into some sort of ongoing relationship like this? She didn’t even know what to call whatever this was between them.

Hyeyeon gazed silently at Mujin’s sleeping face.