Only then did Hyena’s expression relax. She’d been paying what amounted to a token amount as rent, but now that it was confirmed she wasn’t living there for free, she didn’t need to feel intimidated.

“That’s right. I’m paying rent fair and square.”

“I’ll return that rent to you.”

“What?”

“Since we’ll be sharing the place now.”

It was a statement made entirely on the premise that they’d be living together. Living in the same house as Do Gunwoo—she’d never even considered such a thing. 

Though there had been a time when they’d gone back and forth between their two homes, stuck together like one body.

‘Back then, I thought I was the person who knew Do Gunwoo best. Except for the times we were unavoidably apart, I was always his shadow, always staring at his face.’

And Gunwoo, who showed others a fake side but genuinely smiled and got angry with her, had played a part too. But at some point, emotion began disappearing from Gunwoo’s face. 

To the point where even Hyena, who thought she knew everything about him, found it hard to tell what he was thinking.

That had been Do Gunwoo’s dark period. He’d bristled with thorns, preventing anyone from getting close. Not Aunt Eunju, not Uncle Sangjin, not even herself.

Mom had comforted the two of them, saying it was just a late puberty, but Hyena knew. That was Do Gunwoo’s way of pushing people away. As expected, he gradually started drawing lines. 

She knew it was a natural process that came with growing up, but it still hurt. She’d lived her whole life as Do Gunwoo’s shadow, and it felt like her place was being stolen.

‘That’s how it ended up anyway.’

Through the bitter conclusion, Gunwoo’s voice reached her.

“If you want to move out, go ahead. You can stay until you find a place.”

“…”

“The choice is yours.”

She didn’t know what to say in response. Hyena, who’d been staring blankly and rolling her eyes, approached the sink. When she couldn’t think of anything good, she had no choice but to stimulate her brain with carbohydrates.

From the instant ramen stocked by type, Hyena picked out the spiciest one.

It was a choice she wouldn’t normally make, but right now, relieving stress came first.

Gunwoo approached her side as she mechanically moved her hands.

“Still abusing your body, I see.”

“How is eating ramen ab*se?”

“When you live with chronic gastritis and do everything you’re told not to do, what else would you call it?”

Gunwoo asked as he inserted a capsule into the coffee machine.

“Everyone eats ramen.”

“They don’t eat ramen that spicy the moment they wake up.”

Whirrrr. The sound of the coffee machine running filled the space noisily. The coffee aroma mixed with the stimulating ramen smell. It seemed just like Gunwoo and herself.

“Mind your own business. I’ll take care of my own body.”

“I think I’m entitled to at least this much interference, considering I’m the one who carried you to the emergency room countless times.”

She wanted to argue back, but couldn’t. The person who’d carried Hyena, whose stomach was unusually weak and often upset, in and out of the emergency room was none other than Do Gunwoo.

No wonder Mom had earnestly begged her to treat Gunwoo well, her lifelong benefactor.

“That won’t happen anymore, so don’t worry.”

“Is your boyfriend taking over now?”

“Boyfriend?”

Hyena reflexively asked back.

“Why so surprised? You’re the one who kindly informed me you had a boyfriend.”

Gunwoo’s face, as he asked this, had somehow turned cold. For a moment, a chill ran down her spine.

The saying that lies beget lies was exactly right.

The incident had happened just a month ago. She’d been idly sipping alcohol on a weekend afternoon when Gunwoo, who hadn’t contacted her in over a month, called. She’d answered the phone with a slightly excited heart, but—

—Mom’s not answering her phone. Is something wrong?

After all this time, the first thing he asked about was his parents’ well-being.

‘Auntie probably went to volunteer.’

Even as she answered diligently, anger boiled inside her.

—Ah…

A single sigh came through the phone. She knew Do Gunwoo’s usual style was to keep things brief and to the point. But even so, wasn’t it too much to ask only what he was curious about without even a common greeting? And after a whole month of not calling?

“Is that all you have to say to me?”

Only then did a belated greeting come.

—How have you been?

“Yeah. I’ve been really, really well.”

—That’s good. Then—

At the phone being cut off mercilessly, a lion’s roar naturally flowed out.

“Ugh.”

Right, you’re living well without me. Is that it? Good for you. Living well, forgetting everything. I’m the only fool. I’m the only one stuck in the past! Like an idiot, waiting for contact from someone who doesn’t even care about me, choking up.

As she spat harsh words at herself, she paused.

What’s the point of this? I just need to show him I’m living perfectly well without Do Gunwoo too.

With a determined resolve, she picked up her phone.

<I forgot to mention. I got a boyfriend. I’ll be busy for a while, so understand if I can’t contact you.>

She gazed contentedly at the letters filling the screen, then pressed send without hesitation. It was a lie her alcohol-softened brain had poured out directly.

When she came to her senses later and tried to delete it, the 1 next to the text had already disappeared. It meant Do Gunwoo had checked that message. 

Fortunately or unfortunately, no response came back even after several days passed. In the end, what she’d done was nothing more or less than a stupid act.

She thought it had ended there, but now that lie was catching up with her?

The problem was that her Gunwoo-power had hit rock bottom after being apart for a while. How could she forget he was the type to pile things up methodically and then blow up unexpectedly?

Hyena, who’d sneakily gauged Gunwoo’s mood, fell into contemplation.

Should she be honest now? If she played it off as a joke, maybe she could slip past it…

‘Why did I tell such an absurd lie!’

As she resented past Yoon Hyena, who’d told such a ridiculous lie unable to control her emotions in the moment—

“Don’t tell me it was a lie?”

Do Gunwoo hit the nail on the head. His rigid face, his cold gaze pressured Hyena.

Strangely enough, in that moment, she became curious about what kind of reaction he’d show when she got a boyfriend.

Would he still be indifferent, or would he care even a little?

That’s why she told a lie that didn’t suit her personality.

“How could that be?”

Her heart pounded and sweat seeped into her palms, perhaps because she was telling an unfamiliar lie, but the water was already spilled. She forced up the corners of her mouth that twitched with tension and added:

“I really do have a boyfriend.”

The hand stirring the ramen trembled faintly.

Gunwoo, who slowly took a sip of coffee, asked:

“What kind of person is he?”

“A sweet person who only thinks of me.”

“Hmm.”

Gunwoo, who’d let out an indecipherable exclamation, spoke again.

“Your ramen’s getting soggy.”

Gunwoo left those words and moved away. Even after being left alone, Hyena couldn’t move for a while. It was because the heart that had only reacted to Do Gunwoo had started beating again.

***

Do Gunwoo appeared in Hyena’s life when she was around five years old. Mom’s best friend, Aunt Eunju, who’d moved into the same apartment, brought a boy several years older than Hyena.

‘Hyena, say hello. This is Auntie’s son.’

He was Auntie’s son, whom she’d known about since she was very young but had never seen even once. Even in her young mind, that seemed strange, so she’d tilted her head.

Then she remembered a fairy tale Dad had read to her a few days ago and asked:

‘Did a bird bring him?’

At the childlike question, Aunt Eunju smiled.

‘Yes. A grateful bird sent him to Auntie.’

She didn’t even understand what it meant, but those words sounded so wonderful. Hyena’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Gunwoo, who stood shyly behind Auntie.

An exclamation naturally escaped at his appearance, just like a prince from a fairy tale. Hyena scurried in front of Gunwoo.

‘I’m Yoon Hyena. What’s your name, oppa?’

‘Gunwoo. Kim Gunwoo.’

Aunt Eunju’s gentle voice overlapped the blunt answer.

‘It’s Do Gunwoo now.’

‘Ah…’

Embarrassment crossed Gunwoo’s face. Breaking through the momentarily awkward atmosphere, Hyena grabbed Gunwoo’s hand.

‘Oppa, you really look like a prince.’

Watching Hyena giggle, Jeongseon smiled.

‘What will you do now, Gunwoo? Hyena’s completely taken with you from day one.’

Do Gunwoo, who’d dropped from the sky, entered Hyena’s life like that. For 21 years like that, Do Gunwoo was deeply rooted in Hyena’s life. Like stubborn weeds that take root again and again no matter how much you try to pull them out.

***

Hyena, who’d eaten the completely soggy ramen and barely made it to work on time, stared blankly at her monitor.

They’d only been apart for a year, but Gunwoo, who’d reappeared, seemed somehow different from before. But she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what had changed.

“Is it because I haven’t seen him in so long?”

Hyena tilted her head. She’d never even imagined Gunwoo would suddenly return to Korea like this. She knew he’d received countless scouting offers over the years, but he’d rejected them all each time.

‘But why now?’

Just when she’d finally decided to graduate from Do Gunwoo.

A sigh naturally escaped.

As her sigh deepened, Heejin from the next seat peeked her head out.

“Why are you sighing so much since this morning? Is something wrong?”

“Yeah. Something really serious.”

“What is it?”

“Household matters.”

When she drew a clean line, Heejin pouted.

At perfect timing, her phone rang at that moment.

<Jeongi>

Hyena smiled at the name flashing on the screen.

“Let me take this call real quick.”

After getting Heejin’s permission, she went outside the office.

“What’s our busy Yoo Jeong doing calling when she’s so busy dating…”

Yoo Jeong, whom she’d met as a roommate in the university dorm, was Hyena’s precious soulmate and was currently passionately dating Cha Sejun, Hyena’s neighborhood oppa and Do Gunwoo’s only friend.

They’d started dating right after Gunwoo went to America, so they were approaching their one-year anniversary.

—Unfortunately, it wasn’t dating but being crazy with deadlines. I’m calling after pulling an all-nighter even now.

“Sejun oppa must be pretty sulky.”

—I have to go perform a consolation show later. I wonder how much aegyo I’ll have to do this time.

“I think you two will be like that forever.”

—I think so too.

Yoo Jeong coolly admitted it. How surprised she’d been when Yoo Jeong, her best friend from college, announced she was dating neighborhood oppa Sejun.

The darkest place is under the lamp. Who knew that the two who bickered whenever they met were somehow in love?

—Jealous? If you’re jealous, date someone. I’ll arrange a blind date for you. Without Sejun oppa knowing.

“Does it have to be a secret?”

—I don’t know. Every time I even mention arranging a blind date for you, he rolls up his sleeves to stop me. Says it should start naturally like us or something.

So like Cha Sejun, the romanticist.

—You need opportunities to meet new people to date or not, but seriously, he’s so frustrating.

Even if Yoo Jeong arranged a blind date, she had no intention of going. Every time she went on a blind date, she suffered from the strange symptom of seeing Do Gunwoo overlap with her date.

But she didn’t bother saying that out loud.

—Oh right! I heard that person came back to Korea.

“That person?”

—You know, Sejun oppa’s friend. Your neighborhood oppa.

“Oh, Gunwoo oppa?”

—Yeah, that person. Sejun oppa said he went to the airport to pick him up yesterday. He pushed back all his work and went on purpose, but he complained so much about not getting even a thank you…

Strangely, one word caught her ear.

“Yesterday?”

—Yeah. Yesterday.

Her thoughts stopped at the unexpected words.

“Jeong-ah, I’ll call you back later.”

She hung up instantly and pressed a speed dial button on her phone. After a few rings, the other person answered.

—Hyena, what’s gotten into you? You’re calling first?

It was Sejun, her neighborhood oppa and Gunwoo’s only friend.

“Oppa, did Gunwoo oppa really return yesterday?”

—Yeah. I was so surprised when he suddenly contacted me saying he was coming back. This man of loyalty went all the way to the airport to pick him up.

What? He really returned yesterday?

—That b*stard hasn’t changed even after living abroad. I drove him all the way to the hotel, but he didn’t say a single thank you. Am I the one at fault for coming when he told me not to?

So like Do Gunwoo. She felt like the conversation between Sejun saying he’d pick him up and Gunwoo telling him absolutely not to come was auto-playing in her head.

—I went to see his face after so long and just ended up playing chauffeur.

Hyena, who’d been quietly listening to Sejun’s grumbling, asked carefully:

“He went to a hotel instead of home?”

—Yeah. Said he had things to sort out or something.

Phew. A sigh of relief naturally escaped. At least he hadn’t come straight home.

—But Gunwoo asked something weird yesterday.

“What?”

—Whether you got a boyfriend…

The saying that lies beget more lies was exactly right. Why hadn’t she realized that the nature of lies is having to deceive many to deceive one person?

—He asked pretty seriously. Did you really get a boyfriend?

Should she lie to Sejun too? After contemplating, she changed her mind. It would obviously reach Yoo Jeong’s ears.

In the end, Hyena chose to evade.

“Oppa, I have to go. Let’s meet up soon.”

She unilaterally ended the call and let out a long sigh. She couldn’t think of a way to overcome this predicament.

The moment she trudged back to her seat, an unwelcome voice flew at her.

“Assistant Manager Yoon, what happened with what I assigned yesterday?”

Manager Lee’s harassment brought back her half-gone mind. Personal life was personal life, and work was work.

Now wasn’t the time to leisurely dig tunnels. Hyena got up from her seat and grabbed the approval form.

“I’ll report to you now.”

Her steps quickened, equipped with a business smile.

***

On her way home from work, Hyena called Jeongseon with a determined resolve.

—What’s the occasion for our daughter to call first?

Hurt was fully contained in her voice.

“The company’s been in chaos lately because of the newly appointed team leader…”

—And you called often when you weren’t busy?

Jeongseon hit the nail on the head.

“Sorry, I’m always thinking about it, but when I open my eyes, it’s morning.”

At the awkward apology, Jeongseon laughed out loud.

—I know work life is hard, but I wish you’d consider the hearts of parents who’ve sent their child out into the world.

“I’m sorry. I’ll try to call more often from now on.”

—I hope you will.

Jeongseon, who’d playfully responded, changed the subject.

—Is that new team leader young?

“I don’t know. I’m not sure.”

—Don’t you have something like an in-house information network?

“There is one, but I didn’t really listen with interest. But why do you ask?”

—Why else? If it’s a capable, handsome young team leader, I’m telling you to make a move.

Are all moms with grown daughters like this? Hyena let out a small sigh at the dating interference that had gotten worse lately.

“I’ll handle my dating life myself.”

—Fat chance. You seemed to be going on blind dates for a while, but you’re not even doing that anymore these days, right?

“Because work is busy.”

—Even when they’re busy, everyone else dates and lives.

“I have a hidden dating history you don’t know about.”

If you count unrequited love for Do Gunwoo as dating history, it’s dating history.

Hyena added the afterthought internally.

—That’s why I’m saying let’s know about it together instead of keeping it to yourself. Even Sejun dates so openly…

Only then did Hyena realize. The fact that Cha Sejun, who’d been a member of the no-dating club, started dating Yoo Jeong had stimulated her mother.