Chapter 78

In the end, she couldn’t buy a tie and left the department store. Knowing that Seojin was aware of her plans to leave the house, nothing caught her eye.

“Should I talk to him…?”

No, I want to spend the time peacefully until his birthday.

Can’t I think about letting him go after that?

Haji, whose mind was as conflicted as her phone’s incessant ringing, pressed the call button.

“Yeah, Seonghee?”

• Oppa is going on a blind date! Did you hear?

“……”

• Haji! Are you listening? Ki Seojin is really going on a blind date!

At Seonghee’s frustrated shout, Haji focused her eyes.

“I’m listening.”

• I never thought mom would actually do it, but I didn’t think Ki Seojin would agree…

Ha, a deep sigh came through from Seonghee over the phone.

Haji pressed her lips tightly enough to turn them blue and lowered her gaze. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what emotion was welling up inside her. She knew this would happen.

She had even thought of letting him go if he wanted.

Why?

Why does it feel like I’m about to cry?

Seonghee’s continuing voice buzzed around her eardrums. Eventually, only the last words pierced through and stuck in her mind.

• Thursday at 8 PM at S Hotel.

Thursday at 8 PM. 

She repeated it to herself.

She couldn’t remember how she ended the call. Nor how she finished work and returned home after that time.

She must not have been in her right mind. Her body just moved naturally as usual.

As her hand moved on its own to open the door lock, a voice calling her brought her back to her senses.

“Haji! Just getting off work?”

Jinkyung, who was coming out of the house, smiled brightly at Haji.

“Oh, yes. I just got home…”

Mumbling as if she didn’t even know what she was saying, Haji blinked her eyes.

“No, I just got off work. Home…”

“You don’t look well. Is something wrong?”

“…… there is something…”

Can I say there is?

As if knowing Haji’s hesitating heart, Jinkyung approached with a sly smile.

“Do you want to come over and have dinner? Leeks were cheap today, so I made a lot of pancakes.”

“Pancakes?”

“Come on.”

Jinkyung took Haji’s hand.

***

The dinner that started with pancakes soon turned into a session of sipping makgeolli.

“Makgeolli goes best with nurungji! No, it’s chestnuts! Hmm? Honey makgeolli is good too…?”

“What are you doing, unnie?”

Watching Jinkyung mix makgeolli, Haji burst into laughter so hard she almost lost her belly button.

Meanwhile, she didn’t forget to sip the makgeolli in front of her.

“Oh no, I think I’m getting drunk…”

I can’t get drunk.

What if I make a mistake like last time?

Contrary to her inner thoughts, Haji reached for the glass of makgeolli being filled in front of her.

“I felt weird all day, but thanks to you, unnie, I feel better.”

“Why did you feel weird? Did your boyfriend upset you?”

“Seems like it. It’s probably because of Seojin. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be like this.”

She had never felt such confusing emotions before. Not until she met Ki Seojin.

Just as it was natural for Seonghee to call her brother’s name, Haji’s mouth easily uttered his name.

“Haji, you shouldn’t hold it in. You have to go and say it! Get angry!”

Jinkyung, who she thought would advise her to talk, instead egged her on to get angry, and Haji nodded without suspicion.

“Right! I should get angry at the guy who wants to see another woman while leaving me!”

“What? He’s seeing another woman? What a jerk! Let’s go pull out all their hair!”

“All of it!”

Haji stood up abruptly. Then she rummaged through her bag, looking for her phone.

“What, he’s not even calling now?”

Pouting her lips, Haji downed the remaining makgeolli in one go.

“Oh, oh…? Haji, you’ll get drunk. You’re going to get drunk.”

Jinkyung, whose husband was on a business trip and whose son went to a taekwondo camp, mumbled as she lay sprawled on the table.

“It’s okay! I’m not drunk! I feel clear-headed because I’m in a bad mood!”

“That’s a relief, but…”

Jinkyung was half-asleep, her eyes half-closed. Haji, unaware that her words were half-slurred, widened her eyes.

***

Past midnight, Seojin, who had come home late, stood at the door.

Swallowing a small sigh, he reached for the door, hoping Haji was asleep. According to his mother, Haji must have heard from Seonghee about his blind date today, so it was better not to face her.

Bang, a door opened before Seojin could touch his door.

“……?”

Seojin turned his head. To the sound of noise coming from the wide-open door next door.

And a very familiar voice.

“Unnie! I have to go!”

“No! You’re drunk! Don’t go!”

“What the…”

Seojin’s steps naturally headed that way. Despite not wanting to face her, he felt he had to go.

“What a mess.”

Muttering, Seojin took in the scene before him.

Haji crawling out on all fours, Jinkyung holding her ankle from behind, and a few makgeolli bottles scattered on the floor.

It was a mess.

“Unnie, let me go.”

“Nooo.”

Haji, who was now telling Jinkyung, who wasn’t even holding her, to let go, and Jinkyung, who was refusing despite not holding her.

“Hmm…”

Seojin swallowed a low sigh.

He had a feeling something would happen today, but he didn’t expect this.

Haji becoming a dog, for the second time.

“Haji.”

Seojin bent his knees to close the gap between their eyes.

“What…”

“It’s me.”

“Seojin.”

“Yes, Seojin.”

Puh, Haji dropped her head to the floor and exhaled. When she lifted her head, tears were welling up in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oppa…”

Momentarily flustered, Seojin reached out his hand, and Haji extended both arms as if to hug him.

As Seojin extended both arms, Haji burrowed between them.

“You bastard.”

Not knowing she’d grab his collar.

Thud, the weight that fell on him made Seojin’s butt hit the floor.

“Haji…”

“All bad girls and boys should have their hair pulled out!”

“Where did you hear that?”

At Haji’s grip on his collar, Seojin let out a laugh.

As Seojin laughed and patted her head, Haji pouted and buried her head in his broad chest.

“You’re bad, Ki Seojin.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to pull your hair out.”

“Then you’ll have to take responsibility.”

“Okay…”

Seojin held tightly onto Haji, who was slowly losing focus while in his arms.

“Don’t forget that answer.”

“Mm.”

Seojin picked up the sleeping Haji.

***

Ugh, ugh, groaning, Haji clutched her head and slowly got up.

“My head hurts so much…”

Suffering from the aftermath of the makgeolli she drank yesterday, Haji shook her head as if headbanging.

Then she collected herself, leaned back, cleared her vision, and looked around.

Once again, Seojin was not there. It seemed he had left early to avoid facing her.

“How did I get here?”

Unable to recall immediately, Haji gave up thinking and got up to wash.

Thud, a T-shirt fell to the floor.

“This isn’t mine…?”

The T-shirt she picked up and unfolded was clearly Seojin’s, judging by the size.

“Why is the neck so stretched out? Did he have such clothes?”

Tilting her head in confusion, Haji was heading to the washing machine when she suddenly stopped.

Fleeting memories.

Her crawling on the floor, declaring she’d go home, grabbing Seojin’s collar.

She couldn’t remember the conversation, but she distinctly recalled shaking his collar all the way home.

“I’m crazy…”

I must be crazy.

The stretching of this T-shirt was due to her strength.

“Surely I didn’t mention the blind date, did I?”

I hope not. I mustn’t have.

“Right? I didn’t…”

Please tell me I didn’t.

Haji buried her face in Seojin’s T-shirt.

“Surely he didn’t leave early today because he’s mad?”

Hoo, Haji sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping.

“He’s going on a blind date tomorrow…”

Wouldn’t he not care about a drunkard like me?

“Maybe so.”

Haji, who was letting out a crying sound, bent her knees.

At that moment, the bathroom door clicked open from behind.

And Seojin, with a neat face, emerged, frowning at Haji’s crouched figure.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“Why are you…”

Coming out?

Blinking at Seojin, Haji’s bent legs lost strength, and she fell backward.

The white ceiling filled her vision, and Haji’s face turned red.

Embarrassing.

“Haji?”

At Seojin’s call, Haji covered her face with the T-shirt.

“Don’t call me.”

Please.