Chapter 77

Haji, who was wiping the table alone, had her gaze fixed on the lobby. Specifically, her hands were moving aimlessly over the table, but all her attention was focused on the elevator from which Seojin would emerge.

While she was cleaning meaninglessly, she saw the person she had been waiting for getting off the elevator.

“Huh?”

Seojin, who seemed to make eye contact with her, turned his head.

“Is it not?”

Did he not see me?

Haji, who had straightened her bent waist, moved her feet to catch Seojin’s gaze.

“Can’t he see me?”

“Boss, an order!”

Just as she turned her body to follow Seojin, who was leaving the lobby without stopping by the café, Sehee’s urgent voice was heard.

“Oh! I’m coming!”

***

Click, Haji paused at the different atmosphere inside the house as she opened the door and entered.

The living room, which was always lit until her work shift ended, was now dark, and Seojin, who usually welcomed her home, was nowhere to be seen.

“He’s not here…?”

He had left in a hurry after meeting his mother.

“Seems like he has a lot of work.”

She tightly gripped the phone that had been quiet in her hand all day.

Without Seojin to cling to and offer to wash up, her heart felt heavier. It felt empty, perhaps.

Throughout her shower, she was filled with thoughts of needing to call him immediately to find out where he was.

And when she took the phone from the living room and entered the room.

“He was here…?”

She found Seojin sleeping.

Forgetting about the water droplets dripping from her hair, Haji dragged her slippers to the bed.

“What, I thought you weren’t here.”

Tsk, Haji pouted and placed her hand on Seojin’s forehead. Just in case he was sick.

“Not even sick.”

He didn’t say anything.

Haji’s fingers poked Seojin’s cheek. Mimicking what he usually did to her, as if in revenge.

Maybe because he didn’t have chubby cheeks. It wasn’t that fun…

Her finger then moved to the corners of Seojin’s mouth, pressing down as it moved in circles—up, down, left, right.

“Oh, this is fun.”

Is this why he pinched my cheeks every day?

Giggling, Haji straightened up when she saw the water droplets on Seojin’s forehead.

“Right, I wasn’t the only one tired.”

He had been exhausted too, working until dawn.

Using her soft palm, Haji gently wiped Seojin’s forehead and turned back toward the bathroom to dry her hair.

***

As soon as the bathroom door closed with a thud, Seojin’s eyes opened.

“Ha…”

A sigh escaped his lips as he covered his eyes with his arm.

Having planned with Hyesoo about the fake blind date, he didn’t have the face to properly look at Haji. No matter how well he managed his expressions, he felt like he would spill everything if she asked.

So he came home early and pretended to sleep, not expecting her to fiddle with him like this.

“Anyway, she’s unpredictable.”

As always.

That’s just how you are.

“I’m worried. Will she slip away again this time?”

What worried him even before the fake blind date was Haji’s behavior like this. Unpredictable and bubbly.

As the sound of the hairdryer stopped, Seojin immediately closed his eyes. The time of ordeal remained.

If she pokes me again, should I pretend to wake up and bite her finger?

The thought of turning the ordeal into play was brief as the spot next to him sank down.

“See you tomorrow.”

A small mumbling sound and darkness fell over him.

***

Late in the morning, the glaring sunlight was blinding.

Having worked late the previous day, Seonghee stretched as she descended the stairs and saw Hyesoo drinking tea in the living room.

“Didn’t you go to work today?”

“Working from home. The weather is nice.”

“What are you saying? It’s supposed to be the worst heatwave in 30 years.”

Seonghee looked at Hyesoo’s profile as if bewildered.

Every article she saw since opening her eyes predicted that daily life would be difficult due to the heatwave. Her mom couldn’t have missed those.

“The heatwave isn’t so bad? You seem to be going to work late today?”

“Yeah, I finished preparing the concept yesterday.”

After fetching water from the kitchen, Seonghee sat on the sofa opposite Hyesoo.

“Mom.”

“Yes, daughter?”

Seonghee leaned back on the sofa and stared at Hyesoo, who was sipping tea with a posture that defied her age.

“Do you want Haji to marry my brother?”

“I did, didn’t I?”

“Why is it in the past tense?”

Elegantly sipping her tea, Hyesoo gently placed the teacup on the saucer.

“From what I hear, Haji said she doesn’t want to?”

“Isn’t that why you were planning to do something?”

Like calling him separately to show him a blind date, or openly talking about marriage when everyone was together over the weekend.

Recalling past events, Seonghee looked at her mother, who was as strategic as her brother.

“It would have been nice if it worked, but it didn’t seem to?”

“Did my brother say that?”

“That’s what I heard yesterday.”

He must have gone since she told him to come on Monday.

There was no hint of regret or disappointment on Hyesoo’s face.

“So Seojin is having a blind date on Thursday.”

“What do you mean? Did my brother agree to that? Mom! Didn’t you want him to marry Haji?”

Seonghee straightened her slouched posture and turned toward Hyesoo. Watching her drink tea nonchalantly despite the raised tone.

“If she doesn’t want to, what can I do? Seojin is old enough, he should meet someone who likes him.”

“Haji likes my brother too!”

“But not enough to marry?”

“Not yet. Someday…”

Thud, the sound of the teacup being placed down was louder than usual. Enough to interrupt Seonghee’s words.

“I didn’t want to hear such uncertain words. Why should your brother hold onto Haji?”

“My brother is selfish and doesn’t know how to treat women. He only acts like that with Haji. He even treats other women like animals! You know that too, right?”

Nodding at Seonghee’s quick listing of Seojin’s flaws, Hyesoo seemed to agree, not intending to deny what she knew.

Continuing from Seonghee’s words, Hyesoo parted her lips.

“He doesn’t even know how to act charmingly; he doesn’t know how to say anything nice to women. He’s not even that great as a son.” 

“Exactly! The only things going for him are his looks and brains!”

“I know that much too.”

With Hyesoo agreeing with her words, Seonghee snorted and put down her water cup.

“But how can you tell my brother to go on a blind date? What about Haji?”

“He agreed to see her first. He needs new experiences too. Thursday at 8 PM at S Hotel.”

“What are you going to do about Haji later?

Unable to contain her anger, Seonghee stood up abruptly.

“You’ll regret it! You’ll feel sorry for Haji!”

Even as Seonghee stomped up the stairs, unable to control her emotions, Hyesoo finished her tea without a hitch.

“As expected, my daughter is emotional.”

A leisurely smile settled on Hyesoo’s lips.

***

After lunch, during a slightly more relaxed time, Haji went to the department store.

While browsing the men’s clothing section, Haji stopped in her tracks.

“Would a tie be good?”

She hesitated, looking at the ties in front of her.

She had hurriedly come to choose a birthday present for Seojin, but having never given a gift to a man before, she was struggling.

“He didn’t seem to have many ties.”

In the morning, she had scanned the wardrobe to find something he needed. She realized then that compared to shirts, he didn’t have many ties.

He wouldn’t dislike it, right?

The diffuser she gave over the weekend was something she had wanted to give since she started riding in Seojin’s car, and this time she really wanted to give a birthday present.

While Haji was carefully choosing a tie, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Turning her head, Haji widened her eyes.

“Matthew?”

“What are you doing?”

Haji, who was looking at the ties, averted her gaze and pursed her lips. Since he was close to Seojin, she was worried he might say something first.

“Are you buying a man’s tie?”

Why did it feel like there was emphasis on the word ‘man’?

“It’s Seojin oppa’s birthday soon.”

“Oh…”

Matthew nodded, as if he just remembered Seojin’s birthday.

Haji decided to be honest to avoid any misunderstandings.

“Please keep it a secret. I want to give it to him on his birthday.”

“Haha! I will.”

At the sudden loud laughter, Haji was startled. Her shoulders jumped up.

“Seems like nothing’s wrong with you and the boss?”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

She had so much work that a shadow momentarily crossed Haji’s face.

Matthew, not noticing the fleeting moment, continued laughing heartily.

“The boss found out I told you about the property listing.”

“……Oh.”

“Didn’t he mention it? I thought he’d say something right away.”

“Maybe he forgot.”

Though she knew Seojin wouldn’t forget anything, it was a spur-of-the-moment response to avoid making Matthew uncomfortable.

“He’ll probably tell me soon. I’ve been busy lately, so we haven’t met much.”

Though it was a lie that they hadn’t met recently, the image of Seojin, who fell asleep early yesterday and the empty bed this morning, flashed in her mind.

“Is that so…?”

“I think he’s busy too.”

“The boss, Seojin?”

Realizing he had inadvertently revealed something, Matthew stammered, looking around despite his large build.

“Isn’t he?”

“Busy, yes! The boss is always busy!”

“Really?”

“Yes, yes! Oh! I have work, so I’ll be going!”

Matthew awkwardly wrapped up the conversation and backed away. Then he turned around and quickly left.

“If he finds out I’m leaving and that there’s a match for him…”

What should I do?