Chapter 11

What?

At Seojin’s incoherent words, Haji blinked. She tilted her head and looked at her aching finger.

“Did I hear wrong?”

“You heard right.”

“I’m not wrong?”

She couldn’t even repeat what she had just heard because it was so absurd.

“I must be hurt a lot. I’m hearing things.”

I need to go to the hospital quickly.

As Haji started to move, Seojin blocked her path even faster.

“Don’t worry about the house and don’t get hurt, just move into my place.”

“Why?”

“…Because I’m worried.”

Seojin spat out in a much lower voice, as if holding something back.

“Who is?”

“Seonghee and my parents would be worried too.”

“Oh…”

That would certainly be the case. If Seonghee found out she couldn’t find a house, she would definitely insist on her moving in immediately.

“If they find out you hurt your hand, they’ll rush over right away.”

At Seojin’s words, Haji’s hand trembled. She then lifted her head and slightly squinted her eyes.

“If you don’t tell them, they won’t know.”

“Who said I wouldn’t tell?”

“You’re going to tell them? Why?”

“Because I want to.”

Ha, a ridiculous laugh escaped Haji’s lips. She didn’t expect such a childish phrase as “because I want to” to come out.

It was hard to believe that such a childish statement came from the noble Ki Seojin, who had always been called a prodigy and ranked first in school.

“You don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.”

“That’s true, but…”

Still, isn’t that not right?

“Living together with you is not an option, Sunbae.”

“Living together? Who said that?”

“What?”

At Seojin’s retort, Haji recalled their previous conversation. No matter how she thought about it, the meaning was the same. Living together meant cohabitation.

Isn’t it obviously cohabitation?

Watching Haji’s mind race, Seojin’s lips loosened. It was the mischievous smile of someone about to play a prank.

“Are you trying to move in with me?”

“No…! That’s what you said, Sunbae!”

“What did I say?”

“You said you wanted me to move in with you!”

Haji’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration. She was sure she hadn’t misheard.

Seeing her reaction, Seojin lightly stroked his chin.

“I told you to move in. Paying rent regularly. As a tenant and landlord.”

“Oh.”

Haji’s mouth clamped shut. Her face turned bright red in an instant.

“Sorry to disappoint you. I’m sorry, I didn’t live up to your expectations.”

“You should have said that from the beginning…”

Haji’s voice gradually became quieter. She was so embarrassed that the pain in her fingertips seemed to disappear.

“You should have listened to the end. I didn’t know you’d think that way.”

Seojin raised his eyebrows with a puzzled expression. Haji lowered her head deeply at his impeccable expression. Soon, her ears turned red, and Seojin’s lips curled into a smile.

“I don’t go home often. These days, I’m busy with work and have many business trips. There will be more in the future.”

His tone was calm, as if he wasn’t even smiling. When Haji slowly lifted her head from looking at the floor, his expression was already composed.

“So you’ll have a lot of time alone. It’s a house where people live, it should have some warmth.”

“But still…”

“You wouldn’t live with Seonghee, would you? I don’t think you would.”

His confident words left her a bit flustered.

“Why do you think that?”

“That’s why you’ve been enduring alone.”

It felt like he was seeing right through her. His eyes seemed to say, “I know all about you.”

“Move into my house, paying rent properly. I’ll think of it as taking in a tenant temporarily because it’s a waste to leave the house empty.”

His proposal sounded tempting in the current situation. Especially for her, who had nowhere to go immediately.

Still, Haji couldn’t readily give an answer.

“Why are you being nice to me?”

“This? This is being nice?”

“Then…?”

He was offering her a place to stay when she had nowhere to go. It was like a lifeline in her current situation.

“I’m offering you to live in my empty house for money because it’s a waste. It’s for my benefit, not yours. I’m suggesting it for my sake.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s how it is.”

The way he said it so matter-of-factly made it seem like he was right. As if bewitched, Haji nodded at Seojin’s words. His confident attitude left no room for further doubt. Any suspicion she had was completely dispelled.

“I’ll think about it…”

“Do you have time for that?”

“…”

Of course, she didn’t. According to her plan, the moving day was tomorrow.

“You probably don’t even have time to call the moving company and inform them of the new address?”

“… Are you.”

Not seeing me as a woman, right?

Haji couldn’t finish her sentence. Seeing his expression, she felt there was no need to ask. Although she had never been in a relationship, she had seen plenty.

From what I know, the eyes of someone looking at a loved one are warmer and more tender. Not these inscrutable eyes.

“Nevermind, I almost said something unnecessary.”

How much would he have teased me?

It was dizzying. He might have laughed, saying, “Did you really think I liked you?”

Haji, who had been shaking her head slightly, seemed to have made up her mind and spoke up.

“Let’s agree to notify each other when we’re at home. I’m not used to having someone else around.”

It was the moment their relationship changed. From then on, they were tenant and landlord.

***

The next evening, Haji was organizing her belongings in her new room. Even though she had minimized her belongings, it still took quite some time to sort them out.

“Phew, it looks like it’s almost done.”

Haji straightened her back, which had been bent for a long time, and looked around.

“What time is it? Has Sunbae come home?”

It was already close to midnight. Although she had informed Seojin of her arrival, it bothered her that she hadn’t greeted him in person.

Click, Haji slightly opened the door. Peeking out, she looked towards Seojin’s room, which was on the opposite side of hers.

Is he home?

After some hesitation, Haji slowly stepped out of her room. Her small feet walked down the hallway but stopped short, just before reaching Seojin’s room, at the entrance.

***

The bathroom was filled with thick steam.

Swoosh. Hot water flowed down Seojin’s head, tracing a thick line down to his feet. His well-balanced muscles were visible even through the steamy haze.

“Sigh.”

Thud, Seojin’s bare hand wiped his face, and he turned off the water.

As he dried his hair with a towel, his mind was elsewhere. It had been that way since he walked in, or perhaps since Haji decided to move into his house.

The mere fact that Haji was beyond the door made it hard to control his emotions. He worried that the feelings he had been quietly hiding might burst out.

“She’ll run away.”

That can’t happen.

Since it was already late, the chances of running into her were low. He thought he could control himself again if he got through tonight.

The emotions surging more than expected felt unfamiliar. He needed time to adjust.

She must be asleep.

Even as he opened the bathroom door and stepped out, his nerves were on edge about where Haji might be. Nonetheless, he tried to head straight to his room without looking around.

But the bright sensor light at the entrance in the dark hallway caught his eye.

As Seojin’s head naturally turned, he saw the figure that had been occupying his mind.

“Of all times.”

Why now?

Though he didn’t really want to, his steps towards her couldn’t be stopped. His desire to see her was stronger.

As the distance between them closed, Seojin stopped a certain distance away. Haji’s small voice reached him from where she was crouched under the spotlight of the sensor at the entrance.

Did she drink?

Seojin’s Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously. Haji’s unpredictable actions were beyond his expectations.

Listening quietly, he could hear Haji’s voice more clearly.

“Were these shoes here before? I don’t think they were. Did I see them? I don’t think I did.”

Following her gaze, he saw the shoes he had worn today.

She must have been curious if I was home.

Just as Seojin was about to call her name after figuring out the situation.

“Aah!”

Haji’s scream echoed through the entrance, followed by a thud.

As her scream continued, Seojin pressed the switch behind him, lighting up the entire house.

He met Haji’s eyes, who had fallen backward with her mouth open, while he stood bare-chested.

A brief silence fell between them.

“Sunbae?”

“Yeah.”

“Uh? Why are you… without clothes?”

Realizing Seojin’s state belatedly, Haji covered her eyes with both hands.

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? What?”

“You fell. Get up.”

Seojin grabbed Haji’s hands, which were covering her eyes, and helped her up. As a result, Haji’s field of vision was filled with Seojin’s bare body.

“Oh, um.”

Like a broken machine, Haji cleared her throat and rolled her eyes around.

“I was taking a shower.”

“Oh. Yes. I see.”

“I showered as soon as I got home.”

“Why…”

Why is he telling me this?

What is the intention behind standing here n*ked and telling me twice that he was showering?

Words she couldn’t bring herself to say filled her mouth.

“You were curious.”

“Me?”

“About my shoes.”

“… You heard?”

Recalling her recent actions, she felt embarrassed in a different way. She could feel her neck turning red.

Haji briefly lowered her head, then quickly lifted it. Her round eyes were filled with shyness.

“You… can let go of my hand now.”

Seojin’s hand, which had helped her up, was still holding hers. She couldn’t help but be surprised.

As Haji tried to pull her hand away, Seojin’s grip tightened in response.