September 7
***
[Chat] I Somehow Got Invited into the Home of the Insanely Handsome Guy Next Door
NextGenerationEbookReader / Views 991 / Posted 20xx. 09. 07. (00:59)
– – – – –
Remember the post I made before?
There’s this insanely handsome guy living next door, but he recently replaced the guy he was with. Things are about to get interesting.
Well… somehow I ended up getting invited into the handsome guy next door’s apartment…
I got off work after pulling overtime tonight, and that punk was squatting in front of my door again.
He looked five times more pissed off than usual today. Seriously looked like he’d chugged a Berserk Potion. I almost just avoided him, but ever since what happened last time, I’ve kept dreaming about spirit visitation, =.= so I figured maybe the punk or the guy next door might know something and asked them…
But that little bastard just kept messing with his phone and completely ignored me. Damn brat. Guys like this need to get shipped off to the military ASAP. My luck is absolute shit, but since I’m the older one, I decided to let it slide and just go inside. Then the little fuck suddenly walked over and grabbed the edge of my front door before I could even get in.
I panicked and tried to shut the door, but the crazy bastard was holding it with one hand, and it wouldn’t budge. I was wondering if I was going to have to start screaming again…. Then the punk suddenly cracked a grin and said, “Come on, let me come in too. You said you had something to ask, didn’t you?”
I don’t even know how old this asshole is. =.= The way he talks is seriously such delinquent trash. But since I’m the older one… I held it in again. And again. Then I let him in.
I gave him a glass of water out of courtesy, but he didn’t even drink it. The bastard just kept playing with his phone. About an hour later, he suddenly told me we were leaving. I wasn’t going to go, but he dragged me over here to the handsome guy next door’s place.
And now…
I’m currently being served tea.
The problem is, the punk’s suddenly acting all polite and innocent, while the handsome guy next door asked me a few questions and hasn’t really said anything since.
The awkwardness is suffocating.
– – – – –
Comments (51)
So you’ve finally reached the point where you’re getting invited over to his place.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:07)
–
Why are you drinking tea at this hour of the night?
20xx. 09. 07. (01:08)
↳ The punk said he’d explain some things and needed to verify something.
The handsome guy next door’s just fiddling with his phone.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:10)
–
So who’s the main wife, the punk or EbookReader?
20xx. 09. 07. (01:09)
↳ The punk was there first, so he’s the main wife.
Jungeun’s the mistress.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:11)
↳ For fuck’s sake, shut up.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:13)
–
It’s awkward as hell, but the handsome guy next door is seriously ridiculously good-looking. Worth staring at.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:15)
↳ That guy’s seriously suspicious as hell.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:18)
↳ Hehe, if it’s the handsome guy next door, I’d gladly show him my back.
Honestly, just imagining it made me jerk one off.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:20)
↳ Ugh. You’re disgusting. That ridiculously handsome guy next door probably hates otaku.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:21)
↳ You’re gonna get your bones broken.ㅡㅡ But seriously, he’s kind of hot.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:23)
↳ I really wish I hadn’t asked.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:25)
–
I heard a little about what’s going on from the punk and the handsome guy next door.
They said they’d kill me if I told anyone else, so I can’t go into detail.
Anyway, the conclusion is that the handsome guy next door and the punk seem to be in that almost-dating stage… Yeah. Apparently they met through a random chat app. Not for anything weird, though. They met because of ghosts, and after that the punk just started following the handsome guy around?
But the way the punk looks at the handsome guy next door… feels like he’s about to knock him up at any moment….
Won’t be long before they’re living together.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:32)
↳ Think you wandered onto the wrong site. Bye. Go somewhere else and serialize your story about the handsome guy next door banging the punk until he gets pregnant.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:36)
↳ ?? What the fuck? How does a guy get pregnant?
20xx. 09. 07. (01:36)
↳ Because that’s what’s popular.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:37)
↳ And how the hell do you know that? Don’t tell me you’re…
20xx. 09. 07. (01:39)
↳ Not me. My younger sibling’s into that. =.=
I secretly peeked at one of those books wrapped in plastic once and almost got beaten to death.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:40)
↳ Even if I had one, I wouldn’t read that shit, you psycho.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:41)
↳ It was actually kind of entertaining. First time I found out women read some seriously hardcore stuff too.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:43)
↳ God damn it, you bastards. I’m not making this up.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:46)
–
So what’d they say about spirit visitation?
You can at least tell us that much.
20xx. 09. 07. (01:43)
↳ The punk thinks it’s probably some low-level ghost.
They wouldn’t explain any further. Doesn’t seem like even the punk knows for sure.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:45)
↳ Then what did you hear?? You said they were explaining everything.
Did that punk scare you into keeping your mouth shut?
20xx. 09. 07. (01:46)
↳ =.= You’d have to see him in person.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:48)
–
The handsome guy next door suddenly put down his phone and started anxiously looking around.
The punk went over and told him everything was okay, but what the fuck am I doing here?
This is awkward as hell, so I’m going back to my 33rd consecutive gacha pull.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:55)
↳ (Image)
(Image)
(Image)
Fuck. Total disaster.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (01:58)
↳ Holy shit, how’d you get a pull that awful? Absolute garbage.
I’m gonna do a few pulls too.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:00)
↳ More and more idiots throwing money into this dead game.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:01)
↳ Says the idiot who’s browsing the dead game’s forum.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:02)
–
(Image)
Ah.
Whoa.
Holy shit. No way. Two SSRs.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:04)
↳ AAAH, damn it, get that cursed image off my screen.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (02:05)
–
???
The handsome guy next door suddenly wants to send me home.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (02:10)
↳ Looks like the punk and the handsome guy next door are about to hook up.
Go interrupt the couple.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:11)
↳ Interrupt what? I’d get beaten to death.
But the punk just told me to stay. What the fuck are these guys doing?
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (02:13)
↳ Wait… what if it’s not
Punk > Handsome Guy Next Door < EbookReader
but
Punk > EbookReader < Handsome Guy Next Door?
20xx. 09. 07. (02:14)
↳ Hell no. Are you insane? Get rid of those arrows.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (02:15)
↳ Is EbookReader good-looking??
I thought you were one of us.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:16)
↳ Hmm.
To be honest, quite a few girls have shown interest in me over the years. But not to the point where guys would be into me or anything…;;
Well, I have been working out lately, so I guess I’m in pretty good shape now. lol
20xx. 09. 07. (02:19)
↳ Lmao, took the bait immediately. Definitely gay.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:20)
↳ Ah, fuck. I was joking too.
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (02:21)
–
Uh… what the fuck is that?
NextGenerationEbookReader / 20xx. 09. 07. (02:22)
↳ ??
20xx. 09. 07. (02:23)
↳ He did this before too. Here he goes again. Tsk tsk.
Attention seeker.
20xx. 09. 07. (02:25)
***
[If You’re New Here, Please Read the Notice First.]
[General Discussion Board Notice]
[Chat] I’m a Convenience Store Clerk, and the Weirdest Group Just Came Into the Store
BoycottingConvenienceStores | 20xx. 09. 07. (03:07)
Explaining this is kind of complicated… but three people came in together, and they were the weirdest combination imaginable.
There’s this ridiculously handsome regular who comes into our convenience store all the time. Yeah. Judging by the fact that he comes in wearing a suit after work or casual clothes late at night, I think he lives nearby. If I had to compare him to someone, he looks like actor K… except with softer features.?? He’s handsome, but he’s also really kind. Whenever the part-timers try to chat with him, he always humors them. ㅇㅇ It honestly makes my shift better whenever he comes in.
Then there’s this notorious creep who’s pretty famous around our store.ㅠㅠ I don’t really want to insult someone’s appearance, but… well…ㅎㅎㅎㅎ Let’s just say… there’s no way he’d ever be popular… I’ll leave it at that.ㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎ
If one of the female part-timers so much as smiles at him, he immediately assumes she’s into him and starts hitting on her… I seriously don’t know where his confidence comes from…
Two employees have already quit because of this asshole.ㅠㅠ One of them suddenly quit while crying. It was bad enough that even our manager cursed that creep out about a hundred times.
Lastly, there’s another handsome guy who’s been coming in a lot recently… Since there are already two handsome guys, I’ll call this one Tattoo Guy. He’s got a huge tattoo on his arm.
He’s handsome too, but he looks intimidating… Still, he’s just a quiet customer who always pays politely and leaves.ㅎㅎ His body’s incredible too. Personally, the first handsome guy is more my type, but the afternoon shift worker (a guy) says Tattoo Guy is his ideal.;; They’re handsome in completely different genres. If the first handsome guy belongs in a romance drama, Tattoo Guy looks like he’d star in an action movie. lol
But the three of them came in together.
?????
I seriously have no idea what’s going on…
The handsome guy and the creep both seem to live around here, but they’ve never come in together before.
But today they did.
If it’d just been the handsome guy and Tattoo Guy together, I’d have thought, Ah, I guess all attractive people naturally hang out together. lol
But why is the creep there??????????
Just looking at them, they seem like the kind of people who’d never willingly associate with each other…
I don’t know. The atmosphere between all three of them feels… off.
Right now Tattoo Guy is calmly pouring hot water into a cup of ramen…
The handsome guy has gone pale and is sitting in one of the chairs (our convenience store’s pretty big, so we have tables and chairs where people can eat).
Meanwhile, the creep keeps muttering to himself, then catches Tattoo Guy’s glare and immediately shrinks back, then starts muttering again.
It’s an endless cycle.
– – – – –
Comments
(03:08)
Ugh, creeps like that are the worst.
(03:09)
Someone please kill the creep…….
He reminds me of the old bachelor section manager at my company.
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:10)
Their conversation is kind of weird.
I’ve got pretty good hearing, so I turned the music down and started eavesdropping…
The creep keeps asking the handsome guy, “That ghost… wasn’t it the guy who used to live with you?”
(03:12)
Ghost? lol They must be drunk.
(03:13)
Imagine getting drunk and talking about “the guy you lived with was a ghost.” LMAOOOOOOOO
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:15)
I’ll write down what I can hear.
Creep: That’s it, right? That thing from earlier—the ghost! (Couldn’t hear) the guy who lived with you… (Couldn’t make it out because his pronunciation sucked.)
Handsome Guy: Yes, that’s right.
Tattoo Guy: Hyung, don’t bother responding to him.
Creep: Hey! I got dragged into all this because of you two—
The creep suddenly stopped talking. lol
Tattoo Guy stopped eating his ramen and glared at him, so I think he shut his mouth.
Guess he got scared.
To be fair, I’d be scared too.;; Tattoo Guy is seriously built…
I noticed when he paid earlier, and I swear his chest is probably bigger than mine.ㅠ
Kind of having an existential crisis.
Why am I wearing a bra when Tattoo Guy doesn’t have to?
Anyway…
Right now Tattoo Guy is sticking a straw into a bottle of juice and holding it up while feeding it to the handsome guy.
He looks like a mother bird.
(03:17)
Forget the mother bird comparison.
They sound like they’re dating.
(03:19)
Tell the creep to get lost.
Why’s he third-wheeling a couple?
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:26)
Whoa, the creep left.
I couldn’t hear everything, but I think Tattoo Guy gave him two business cards.
It sounded like he told him to contact a shaman through one of them…
Something serious really must’ve happened.
He even said he’d pay whatever it costs to see the shaman.
Tattoo Guy must have money.
He looks about my age, too.
(03:27)
How old are you, OP??
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:28)
22!
I’m taking a leave of absence from college.
(03:30)
Wow, you’re young…
Young and rich, tall and handsome….
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:34)
Now it’s just the two of them talking…
They’re saying things that make absolutely no sense.
The handsome guy said something like,
“So now it’s actually gotten into my house… what am I supposed to do?”
I’m not totally sure that’s exactly what he said.ㅠㅠ He was speaking really quietly, so I couldn’t hear well…
It sounded almost like he was venting.
Whatever happened, he seems really shaken.
Both the creep and the handsome guy looked scared….
Tattoo Guy, on the other hand…
He looks like even if a zombie suddenly appeared in front of him, he’d just kick it away and keep walking.
That’s just the kind of face he has.
Did some giant Australian cockroach show up or something?
Tattoo Guy looks completely calm.
He’s gently comforting the handsome guy.
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:35)
Wow…
I feel like I should politely look away.
(03:36)
Are they doing something weird?
Call the police.
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:40)
No, not like that.;;
I think the handsome guy’s crying a little, and Tattoo Guy gently hugged him…
But the way Tattoo Guy’s looking at him—
Those are completely romance-drama eyes.
Holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit.
Why am I getting butterflies from watching this?
Tattoo Guy looks so fierce, but right now he’s unbelievably sweet.ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
It was every bit as romantic as the final scene from yesterday’s episode of drama T.
We’re literally in a convenience store, but my brain automatically replaced the background with the Golden Gate Bridge, and now I can hear the soundtrack playing in my head.
(03:43)
LOL.
But is T actually good?
I heard the male lead couldn’t act.
(03:44)
His acting’s good!
He’s improved a lot.ㅎㅎ
(03:44)
He has great chemistry with the female lead~
Their height difference is perfect.
(03:46)
People in love really will flirt anywhere—even at a convenience store.ㅠ
BoycottingConvenienceStores (03:50)
I think they must’ve had a fight earlier today.
Handsome Guy: I’m sorry I got angry for no reason. But I really think I’m in danger now… and because you refuse to leave my side, you’re ending up in danger too… (Couldn’t hear the rest.)
Tattoo Guy: No matter what happens, I’m never leaving you behind, hyung.
…
What is this?
Are they actually dating?
(03:52)
Why am I spending the middle of the night watching someone else’s love story?
BoycottingConvenienceStores (04:03)
Wow, they both just left.
But seriously…
This is incredible.
When the handsome guy first came in, I noticed he seemed to have injured his leg.
Tattoo Guy kept glancing over at him worriedly…
The atmosphere between them had been kind of tense, so I guess he just watched quietly instead of helping him.
But after they made up…
Tattoo Guy casually leaned against him—
And then suddenly scooped the handsome guy up into his arms.
Holy shit.
He lifted him so effortlessly.;;
The handsome guy’s almost a full head taller than me (granted, I’m kind of a hobbit. lol), but he fit perfectly in Tattoo Guy’s arms.
The handsome guy got completely flustered and kept telling him to put him down.
Then Tattoo Guy said,
“If you’re sorry, then just stay still.”
And the handsome guy immediately went quiet.
ㅠㅠ
Ah…
My heart.
(04:05)
Thanks for sharing this late-night romance story.
Now recommend me a drama with handsome gay guys so I can watch the full version with my own eyes.
(04:08)
I recommend American drama Y.
Both of the lead actors are ridiculously handsome.
(04:10)
Thank you…
Thank you…
BoycottingConvenienceStores (04:12)
Thanks to you too. lol
Guess that’s what I’m watching today.
***
- 2:22 a.m. — Hyung’s ex-boyfriend appeared inside the house.
He was blurry, but he looked exactly like the photos I’d seen before.
Pretty sure it was really him.
He seemed to be saying something, but I couldn’t hear a single sound.
I tried to grab hyung before anything happened, but the ghost disappeared first.
- At the exact same time—2:22 a.m.—the thing that always appears outside the window showed up again.
This time it remained for approximately 24 minutes.
Several times longer than usual.
- The dining table shook, and the cup sitting on top of it shattered.
The liquid inside had definitely been barley tea that we’d poured earlier…
But it had rotted.
There was an overpowering fishy stench.
The lights turned off on their own.
The fluorescent bulb had completely burst.
It still couldn’t get inside, but it was becoming increasingly threatening.
- It doesn’t seem to have transferred to the pervert next door.
I tried pushing it toward the window, but it showed no interest whatsoever.
It’s only targeting hyung.
- The window ghost and hyung’s ex-boyfriend’s ghost might be different entities?
They existed at the same time.
Hyung’s ex, who was inside the room, didn’t get absorbed back into the main body like that mud-like thing.
He simply vanished into thin air.
They seem to be separate beings…
But why did his ex appear?
What was he trying to say??
I don’t know.
(One sentence appears to have been scribbled hastily as though it was added in a rush.)
2:22 a.m. — Both of hyung’s parents simultaneously suffered violent seizures.
Needs investigation.
Evidence suggests hyung’s parents transferred 10 million won to a cult religious organization the day before yesterday.
Currently investigating.
Beginning full surveillance.
***
[Texts]
Chief Secretary Yoo 010-9872-xxxx
— September 7 —
***
— Chief Secretary Yoo
— How much of what I ask for help with…
— are you able to do? (10:20)
***
Just give the word.
I was instructed to accommodate you as much as possible. (10:24)
***
— Then I’d like you to kill the two pieces of trash currently in the hospital. (10:25)
***
Young Master. (10:25)
That kind of thing… (10:26)
***
— I figured murder would be off the table, huh? (10:27)
***
Yes.
My apologies. (10:28)
***
— What are you apologizing for? Most people wouldn’t be able to do that anyway.
— So, what about the reservoir? (10:29)
***
Yes. It’s originally a place where many accidents have occurred.
From the 1970s up to the present, there have been six confirmed fatalities.
After a high school student died by suicide there fifteen years ago, people stopped going there almost entirely, and there have reportedly been no incidents until recently.
As you requested, we’ve been looking into it, and we’ve confirmed that a van entered the area near the reservoir yesterday morning.
The remaining individuals appear to have been ordinary passersby, but we’re continuing our investigation. (10:34)
***
— A high school student’s suicide fifteen years ago?
— Investigate that as well. (10:36)
***
Understood.
I’ll contact you again once I have more information. (10:37)
***
— Okay. Keep a close watch on things. (10:38)
***
Yes, understood, Young Master. (10:39)
***
[Texts]
***
— Um…
— I got back.
— From the shaman…
***
Punk
Oh.
By the way,
why are you speaking so formally?
***
— Ah.
— Well… you’ve helped me…
***
Punk
Helped you?
LOL.
That’s not really the reason, is it?
Isn’t it because I’m the son of the SH Group chairman?
***
— Haha…;;
— It’s just…
— You did help me…
— So I thought I should be polite…..
***
Punk
Just talk the way you normally do.
***
— Ah…. Ah…
— Okay…
***
Punk
Yeah.
So, what did they say?
***
— They just said…
— that something had attached itself to me.
— That a simple exorcism ritual should be enough…
— That’s what they told me.ㅎㅎ;
***
Punk
LOL.
So…
do you think I gave you my contact information
because I was curious what would happen to you?
***
— W-Well…
— That…
***
Punk
That what?
***
— The shaman…
— said it looks like I’m possessed by something incredibly vicious.
— That it isn’t just one ghost attached to me, but several.
— And that one of them, in particular… bears an intense grudge against hyung.
— They said it’s something that’s been lingering for a very long time, so it might be difficult to resolve…
***
Punk
A grudge?
***
— Yes… a grudge……
— And for now…
— as a temporary measure…
— they gave me a talisman,
— along with some basic ways to ward it off.
— I passed everything along…
— to the Chief Secretary who came with me…
***
Punk
I see.
Like I told you before,
I’ll help you.
So take that,
and it’d be best if you handled yourself carefully from here on.
***
— Th-Thank…
— Um…
***
Punk
And one more thing.
I don’t usually resort to threats,
but fuck.
If I catch you letting your eyes wander over hyung
even one more time…
Well.
Use your imagination and think about what’ll happen.
You fucking piece of shit.
***
— No, I…
— I never…
— Um…
— ;;
— I…
— I’m truly…
— I’m sorry.
— It won’t happen again….
— I’m truly sorry.
***
[Texts]
***
Snow White
Hyung ♡
**
—;;;;;;;;;;;
— You’re getting weirder and weirder…
— every time you talk…
— ;;
***
Snow White
Why?
Am I just too cute?
***
— You’re creepy.
***
Snow White
***
— ;;
— Stop trying to act cute.
***
Snow White
Am I not cute?
***
— Nope.
***
Snow White
You don’t like it when I act cute?
***
— Yeah.
— You aren’t like that in real life….
— Just talk normally.
***
Snow White
***
— ;;;;;;
— Actually… I’d rather you just act cute than do that…
***
Snow White
I thought you said you didn’t like it.
***
— That’s not what I meant.;
— It just doesn’t suit you…
***
Snow White
ㅠㅠ
***
— No…;;
— You’re the handsome type,
— so rather than being cute…
***
Snow White
ㅎㅎ
Is that your type, hyung?
***
— What are you talking about?
***
Snow White
Isn’t it?
You like handsome guys with great bodies, don’t you, hyung?
***
— ;;;;;;
— No…;
***
Snow White
Your boyfriend was that type.
And so am I.
***
— Why are you including yourself?
***
Snow White
Well…
***
— I’m not
— that shameless of a person.
— You’re nine years younger than me…
— There’s no way I’d ever look at you like that.
***
Snow White
…….
Ah, okay.
***
— Stop making me sound like some kind of pervert….
— I don’t see you that way.
***
Snow White
ㅎㅎ
Okay….
By the way, hyung.
Hyung, hyung.
***
— Yeah?
***
Snow White
Are you sure your birth registration wasn’t filed wrong?
***
— It was filed properly.
***
Snow White
I don’t think so.
How can that face possibly belong to a thirty-two-year-old??
***
— ;;
— I do get told I look young pretty often….
***
Snow White
Lol
Anyway, hyung,
I’m heading over now.
***
— Why are you coming?
— It’s dangerous because of the typhoon.
***
Snow White
It’s already passed.
It’s fine.
Hyung,
can I call you?
***
— Yeah.
***
[Texts]
***
Snow White
Hmm.
Am I the only one who can’t hear anything?
***
— I can barely hear you too.
***
Snow White
There’s a ton of static.
***
— …….
— It’s because of the typhoon….
***
Snow White
No way.
ㅎㅎ
***
— Sigh.
— ……
— Ah…………
***
Snow White
Don’t be scared. I’ll be there soon.
Guess we won’t be able to keep talking on the phone now.
Though you ignore my calls all the time anyway.
***
— I don’t ignore them.
— I don’t ignore your calls.
— I just wasn’t in a normal state back then.
— I’ll make sure to answer from now on.
***
Snow White
ㅎㅎ
Okay.
Hyung.
***
— ?
***
Snow White
There’s something I want to ask you.
***
— Whenever you start a sentence like that, it scares me….
***
Snow White
You really do scare easily, hyung.
Cute.
***
— =.=
— What is it?
***
Snow White
Hyung.
Do you happen to know someone named Song Gitae?
***
— ?
— Who’s that?
***
Snow White
Hmm.
He was your classmate in high school.
***
— Ah.
— Ah….
— Yeah, I know him….
— Do you think Gitae has something to do with this?
***
Snow White
Yes.
***
— Hmm….
— Gitae did die at the reservoir.
— But it was… a suicide.
— I don’t think it has much to do with what’s happening to us.
***
Snow White
Actually…
The guy next door went to see a shaman first thing this morning.
***
— Yeah.
***
Snow White
The shaman said…
that ghost probably holds a grudge against you,
hyung.
***
— Yeah.
***
Snow White
You saw it yourself yesterday.
Your boyfriend…
and the ghost…
were there at the same time.
***
— Hmm…..
— There were two of them.
***
Snow White
The thing stuck to the window
looked like it’d been pounded to pieces in a mortar.
The only one inside the house
was your boyfriend.
Even the guy next door said so.
He said there was something strange
outside the window.
***
— …….
— Okay.
— Anyway…
— It can’t be Gitae.
***
Snow White
Why do you think that?
***
— Well…
— Because we were fairly close.
***
Snow White
You were close?
***
— Yeah.
— Um…
— To be honest…
— Even if he held a grudge against someone else,
— I don’t think he’d have held one against me.
***
Snow White
?
Why?
***
— Actually, Gitae was…
— quiet.
— He wasn’t very good at getting along with people…
— He was always by himself.
***
Snow White
Yeah.
***
— We ended up sitting near each other by chance.
— I sat in the very back,
— and Gitae sat right in front of me.
— So we started talking and got pretty comfortable with each other.
***
Snow White
Really?
***
— Yeah.
— We even talked about pretty personal things.
— And…
— We used to eat lunch together too.
***
Snow White
What about your boyfriend?
***
— At our school, they brought lunch carts to each classroom.
— We ate in our own classrooms, and my boyfriend was in a different class….
— Sometimes I’d go eat with him instead, but most of the time I ate with my classmates.
— That’s how I ended up eating with Gitae too.
— He was always eating alone…..
***
Snow White
Didn’t your boyfriend
dislike Song Gitae?
***
— Hmm.
— He did dislike him.
— But back then, our relationship was still kind of… ambiguous.
— Besides, he never really liked anyone who talked to me…..
***
Snow White
Hmm.
Why not?
***
— Just… jealousy.
— Something like that.
— Whenever I talked to other people…
— I guess it looked like I was interested in them??
— Maybe I gave people that impression too easily….
***
Snow White
??
With a face like yours,
people fall for you just from looking at you.
What do you mean “giving them an opening”?;;
***
— ;;
— Well, anyway…
***
Snow White
I’m serious.
***
— Yeah.
— Anyway… since Gitae…
— ended up leaving the world that way…
— I think it always bothered him that he hadn’t treated Gitae very well.
— Honestly, now that we’re talking about it…
— I feel sorry for Gitae too.;
— I guess that’s why he tried so hard to forget him…..
— Because I was what mattered most to him.
***
Snow White
Ahh……
Okay.
Got it.
***
— Satisfied now?
***
Snow White
Yeah.
For now.
***
— Okay.
— By the way…
— Where are you right now?
***
Snow White
Traffic’s a little backed up.
I’ll be there soon.
***
— Hurry up.
***
Snow White
Do you miss me?
— Yeah.
— That too…
— But also, a private hospital room can’t be cheap, and this room…
— Um…
— Never mind.
***
Snow White
?
***
— It just doesn’t feel right accepting all this from you and then saying “I’m sorry” every day.
— So…
— Thank you.
— I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.
***
Snow White
It’s really nothing, so you don’t have to repay me.
For me, this honestly isn’t a significant amount of money.
***
— No.
— It’s not just about the hospital room.
— You’ve been helping me
— for almost ten days now.
***
Snow White
Ah, haha.
That’s true.
***
— Thank you.
***
Snow White
It’s nothing.
***
— I really mean it.
— Thank you.
— If you hadn’t been here, I’d probably already be dead.
***
Snow White
Don’t say things like that.
***
— Okay.
— I’ll definitely repay you somehow.
***
Snow White
— ㅎㅎ
— Okay.
***
— Then hurry and get here.
— Let’s go home.
***
Snow White
But, hyung…
I’m starting to feel uneasy about your house too.
I don’t know if it’s really safe anymore.
Maybe we should stay at a temple instead…
or find somewhere else?
***
— Nothing’s directly harmed us there yet.
***
Snow White
There has been property damage.
***
— It’s nothing serious.
***
Snow White
Hmm…..
Okay.
Got it.
Let’s just see how things are tonight.
***
[Texts]
***
Sunwoo
What are you doing?
***
— Ah.
— Sunwoo.
— Long time no see.
— Have you been doing well?
***
Sunwoo
ㅎㅎ
I’ve been doing well.
I should’ve been the one reaching out more often,
but work’s been so busy lately
that I couldn’t.
Sorry about that.
***
— It’s okay.
— I’m just grateful you still contact me….
***
Sunwoo
Why would you say something like that?
***
— Sorry….
***
Sunwoo
Hmm.
You haven’t been
going to the hospital lately,
have you?
***
— I have.
***
Sunwoo
I don’t think you have……
Keep going regularly.
Okay?
***
— Yeah.
— I’ve been going.
***
Sunwoo
Good.
So what happened with that weird email you got last time?
***
— It’s fine.
— It turned out to be nothing.
***
Sunwoo
Really?
If it was nothing, then that’s a relief.
Hmm…..
Enough lecturing for now.ㅎㅎ
How about we meet the day before Chuseok?
***
— The day before Chuseok?
— Aren’t you going anywhere?
***
Sunwoo
Both of our parents are traveling overseas this year,
so we’re just staying home.
Not on Chuseok itself—
the day before.
Want to come over?
If you do, I’ll invite Junghoo too.
He usually doesn’t go back to his parents’ place until the actual holiday.
***
— No…
— If you do that during a holiday…
— Hye-mi will probably hate it.;
***
Sunwoo
Hye-mi’s going out with her friends that day.
She already said it was fine for me to invite people over, so just come hang out.
Besides, out of all my friends, you and Junghoo are her favorites.
She says you two never drink and always behave yourselves.ㅋㅋ
***
— Still…
— It feels a little awkward visiting your newlywed home.;
***
Sunwoo
We’ve been married for three years.
How is it still a newlywed home? lol
Though, to be fair,
Hye-mi and I still feel like newlyweds.
Seriously, don’t worry about that.
She’s worried about you too.
It’s not like you two are strangers.
Yeah?
***
— Hang on.
***
Sunwoo
Sure.
Think it over.
***
— Hmm…
— I think I’ll be spending this year’s holiday with someone else…
— So I probably can’t.
***
Sunwoo
?
You’re with someone right now?
***
— Ah….
— Yeah.
***
Sunwoo
At home?
***
— Yeah. At my place.
***
Sunwoo
Oh….
Is this someone you’ve started seeing recently?
***
— Seeing?
***
Sunwoo
Dating.
Or maybe you’re in that almost-dating stage.
***
— What?
— No.
— No, it’s not like that.
— There’s no way.
— ……
— How can you even say that?
— It hasn’t even been…
— a year since he died.
***
Sunwoo
So what?
***
— ;;
— You…
— Why would you say something like that?
— He was your friend too……
***
Sunwoo
And you’re my friend too, idiot.
It’s not something I can’t bring up, is it?
***
— No…
— It’s only been…
— one year since he died, and…
— doing something like that…
***
Sunwoo
Hey.
Taeyoung would probably
rather see you somehow managing to live your life
than watching you keep acting
like someone who’s given up on living.
***
— ……
***
Sunwoo
You know how much he cared about you.
If he saw you like this,
how do you think he’d feel?
Did I upset you?
***
— No…..
— I know what you mean.
— But that’s really not the kind of relationship we have.
***
Sunwoo
Or is that just because you don’t realize it?
***
— Seriously, it’s not.
— Besides, he’s only twenty-three.
***
Sunwoo
Oh…..
Going after someone that young….
You’d be a complete cradle robber.
***
— ;;
— N-No…
— I told you, it’s not like that.
***
Sunwoo
I’m kidding. LOL
***
— Don’t make jokes like that.
***
Sunwoo
Anyway…
I’m not telling you to completely forget Taeyoung.
But the living have to keep living, don’t they?
You can’t spend the rest of your life thinking only about Taeyoung.
***
— Yeah…..
— I know.
***
Sunwoo
I’m not trying to speak badly about Taeyoung,
but when he was alive,
he did put you through a lot.
***
— That is speaking badly about him……
— It sounds like you’re talking behind his back.
***
Sunwoo
I said the same thing
right in front of him.
***
— ;;
***
Sunwoo
It’s just a fact.
He made things hard for you.
***
— I was okay with it.
***
Sunwoo
These days, you’re obviously not okay.
Don’t just stay cooped up by yourself.
Try meeting new people too.
Instead of suffering alone
and thinking about doing something terrible again….
Hmm.
Sorry.
Am I sounding too much like a teacher?
***
— No. I know what you’re trying to say.
— I owe you a lot of apologies.
***
Sunwoo
Yeah.
Even if you don’t like hearing it, just humor me.
I’m genuinely worried about you.
***
— I know.
— Thank you.
***
Sunwoo
Cheer up.
Then let’s at least meet after Chuseok.ㅎㅎ
***
— Okay.
— A really good barbecue place opened up around here.
— Let’s go there with Junghoo.
***
Sunwoo
Oh, sounds good.
Just give Kim Junghoo meat and he’ll lose his mind.
***
— Perfect, then.
— Yeah, I’ll get in touch and set something up later.
***
Sunwoo
Sounds good.
Take care of yourself.
***
— Yeah. Thanks.
***
Sunwoo
Have a good night.
***
— Yeah. Tell Hye-mi I said hello.
***
Sunwoo
Will do.
Sleep well.
***
