CHAPTER 18 – Broken up (Part 3)

Seoyeon asked with a faint smile. Haewon opened her round eyes, looking at Seoyeon, then slowly shook her head.

So she wasn’t sorry. It was a misunderstanding.

Seoyeon thought to herself, but Haewon suddenly spoke up.

“He made me feel lonely. He just said things I couldn’t understand, and he didn’t contact me often.”

Seoyeon found it a bit amusing, yet also understandable.

Yeah, she’s probably wondering why she’s dating a guy like that, but she should at least lie to her sister and say she’s sorry and can’t see him. That was a bit too honest.

“I don’t like feeling lonely.”

Haewon said, turning her gaze toward the distant mountains.

“I don’t like people who make you feel lonely.”

“Does the one who gave you a ride not make you feel lonely?”

Seoyeon asked curiously. She was both curious and amused by Haewon’s completely different way of thinking.

“Ah, did you see? That oppa? Yes.”

Haewon said with a hint of laughter in her eyes.

“He’s my part-time coworker, and he gives me rides, picks me up, and buys me a lot of food. We chat a lot on KakaoTalk too. We’re not officially dating yet, it’s just a ‘thing’? I’m not sure yet.”

After rambling on, Haewon fell silent. Seoyeon smiled, not sure if Haewon was being honest or just comfortable.

“So I just wanted to tell you that you don’t have to worry about it anymore, that it’s completely over now. That’s all I wanted to say.”

Seoyeon recalled a common phrase: “They’re not as bad as they seem once you get to know them.” Maybe Haewon was that kind of person to her.

Nodding, Seoyeon replied.

“Okay, I won’t worry about it. Don’t worry about it either.”

“Yes.”

Haewon put her hands back in her padded jacket pockets, but before walking away, she turned back and said,

“I’m sorry. And thank you.”

Seoyeon gave a shallow nod. There was a brief silence between the two of them. Seoyeon felt like she had reached a closure with Haewon.

Bowing her head, Haewon stepped away. As she passed by, a faint scent of cigarettes wafted from her. It seemed like a scent of a certain kind of freedom, and Seoyeon glanced back at her for a moment.

* * *

The call from Dojun came on a Sunday night, quite late. Seoyeon had the TV on while folding laundry and had her phone flipped over.

It’s late.

I don’t know what he’s doing calling me now, but it’s late.

At least the phone is just vibrating silently, so it’s not making any noise. Seoyeon let it keep ringing on the table as she neatly folded the laundry.

This late-night call from the man is so obvious in its purpose that she has no desire to respond. He said he didn’t contact her on purpose while he was on a business trip to Singapore.

How infuriating.

In crude terms, Hwang Dojun is a despicable person who only contacts her when it suits him.

Try putting in some effort, will you?

Even if it’s just a one-night stand, he could at least send a simple message asking if she’s doing okay. But no, he ignores her until he wants something, and then contacts her again.

Seoyeon nonchalantly looked at her cell phone and even threw a towel over it. The cell phone, which had been shaking, stopped shaking and rang once briefly.

A message since he couldn’t reach me on the call?

Seoyeon chuckled and picked up the neatly folded underwear and stockings. She placed them carefully in the dresser and put the towel back in the bathroom cabinet.

By the time she sat back down in front of the TV with a cup of chamomile tea instead of coffee, the phone had gone silent. But then, as if realizing she was back, it started vibrating again with a few short rings.

Sigh.

Seoyeon picked up the phone, wondering what he could possibly have so much to say. As she looked at the screen, the yellow pop-up messages were all from Sehyun.

[Did you hear the news?]

[Seoyeon, I broke up with Haewon.]

[Sorry I took so long to contact you.]

[Looking back, it’s always been you.]

[Let’s meet up and talk, okay?]

[Seoyeon?]

Seoyeon covered her face with her hands and sighed.

Hwang Dojun wouldn’t be contacting me this persistently, so why did I mistakenly think it was all him?

Her face grew hot with frustration.

[Don’t contact me.]

She typed out the words, then deleted them all. Leaving it unanswered seemed better, and sure enough, another message came in.

[Seoyeon?]

[Can you please respond if you read this?]

Ugh. I have nothing to say.

As Seoyeon swept her hair back, a message with a different color appeared. It was a picture with no words. A movable hanger with only two suits on it, and even those were askew.

Ah.

Seoyeon’s mouth fell open. She had completely forgotten. As she stood there, mouth agape in disbelief, another message came in.

[?]

Ah, really.

Seoyeon leaned her head back and firmly bit her lip. It was as if she could see Dojun’s arrogant expression just from one question mark. “What are you going to do about this outfit?” She could almost hear his voice raising his eyebrow.

What can I do? I’ll just have to redo it.

Seoyeon picked up her phone and found Dojun’s name in the recent call log. The dial tone rang.

It’s ringing, but he’s not answering. Why isn’t he picking up?

Seoyeon took a deep breath and called again. After about three rings, she heard the sound of Dojun answering.

— This is Hwang Dojun.

“It’s Yoon Seoyeon.”

She greeted him, but Dojun remained silent instead of saying “You didn’t set up the outfit, did you?” There it is again, his tactic. He waits for her to admit the mistake and provide the solution, making her ramble on.

I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I’ll come see you tomorrow.

The right answer was there, but the words didn’t come easily. Somewhere deep down, she felt this was all his fault, but…

“I was so busy that I forgot about it.”

She couldn’t even bring herself to say a simple “I’m sorry.”

If it wasn’t for you, I would have finished it.

— Then come finish it up.

Dojun’s tone was casual. Seoyeon glanced at the clock.

10 PM, and he wants me to come to his place?

Her initial suspicion seems to be right. The clothes were just an excuse; his real purpose was something else.

“Okay. Then I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Seoyeon replied in a calm voice.

— And what should I wear tomorrow?