#045
Woo Dohwan’s hand waved gently in the air. Those two, would it be okay to send them off together? I felt uneasy and couldn’t put my mind at ease, but there wasn’t much I could do. I looked once at Ju Isin with his eyes properly closed and bowed my head toward Woo Dohwan. It seemed strange to greet him with a “please take care of him,” so I just casually said to drive safely and turned around.
Even when I walked to the entrance of the officetel, Woo Dohwan’s car hadn’t departed and stood tall in its place. When I turned around and waved my hand slightly, his handsome face bathed in dim light shook up and down. Is he leaving now? I paused briefly at the entrance, then pushed through the glass door, and only then did Woo Dohwan’s car finally start up noisily.
Though we didn’t know each other well and I felt a bit worried about readily letting him take Ju Isin in his car, the faint guilt was only momentary. When I got on the elevator, leaned my back against the wall, and closed my eyes, the accumulated fatigue rushed in like a tide.
I washed up and fell asleep like I’d collapsed, then woke up past 3 AM. I had thought I’d just close my eyes for a moment while sitting deep in the sofa, but somehow I woke up lying on my side. Since I’d been sleeping since early evening, I felt quite refreshed. It seemed like I could sleep more if I wanted to, so I tidied up where I’d been lying and headed to the bedroom.
Only my phone sat alone on the spacious bed. I recalled how I had diligently connected the charging cable without knowing I’d fall asleep on the living room sofa. I naturally picked up the phone and unplugged the cable. Pop- the screen lit up, showing eleven digits of an unfamiliar number left as missed calls. Quite a lot of them too. Only after the missed calls exceeded five times did I vaguely realize who the number’s owner might be. More persistent than I thought. I figured they’d give up after trying a few times and not getting through.
Since it was too late, I decided to call back when day broke and lifted the thick blanket. I turned on the heated mattress and burrowed deep under the covers. From the moment I entered the room, I felt like I could sleep better, and it was true. As soon as I closed my eyes, sleep rushed in as if trying to make up for the recently insufficient sleep time.
***
I jerked awake to the regular ringing of a bell. I stuck my hand out from under the blanket I was covered with and fumbled around until I touched my phone ringing cheerfully. Since it wasn’t an alarm sound, someone was calling from the crack of dawn—really… whether it’s manners or sense, or both. They were severely lacking in such things.
I brought the phone under the blanket and checked the screen to see the number that had left missed calls yesterday.
“Does being pretty excuse everything…”
Really persistent.
“…Yes.”
– …Ranho.
Ah, the voice coming through the receiver was a bit lower than I remembered. Or maybe their throat was hoarse? The way the words were slightly slurred suggested the other person’s voice also had drowsiness in it.
“Hello.”
– Do you know who this is?
“…Woo Dohwan-ssi.”
I answered the question with a somewhat uncertain voice. Since he asked like that, it made me doubt myself. I think it’s right, but what if it’s not? Having already said the name, it would be troublesome to think it’s wrong now-
– Did you sleep well?
It must be right, fortunately.
“Yes. I slept a lot.”
– I waited a long time yesterday.
There are really all kinds of ways to make someone feel sorry. I took a deep breath and tossed off the blanket I was covered with, turning my body as sleep completely fled.
“I was going to wash up and… call you, but I fell asleep… Did you get home safely yesterday?”
– Yeah. Got home fine. Took that guy home safely too.
“You had a hard time. Thank you.”
At least he didn’t abandon him halfway.
– If I drop him off in front of his house, he should be able to get inside on his own.
“You did… well.”
Right, it’s not like he left him somewhere inappropriate—he dropped him off in front of his house. If it’s in front of his house, that’s a familiar place, so he might have gone in on his own.
– What are you doing today?
“Flowers, going to buy flowers.”
– Alone?
“Yes. A lot sold out yesterday, so I’m going to restock.”
Woo Dohwan asked several times what time and where I was going, as if he was curious about everything. Thinking he might want to follow along, I repeatedly told him it was more convenient to go alone, and he gave an indifferent response saying “suit yourself.” Ah, what is this really.
“The flower market is really more convenient to go to alone.”
– I didn’t say I’d follow. Ah, my shoulder hurts. Ranho.
“Yes?”
– That guy couldn’t get his act together. I thought he wouldn’t be able to get home unless I helped him to the elevator, so I practically carried him on my back. My shoulder is so sore, Ranho. I’m hungry too. I usually eat three meals regularly, but I’m particularly hungry today. Maybe because I used too much strength yesterday?
“……”
– Did you eat breakfast?
A very gentle and tender voice came through the receiver. As if asking whether I’d eaten breakfast when I just woke up. I let out a deep sigh, then barely managed to open and close my gaping mouth. When he talks to that extent, it would be strange not to understand. Bracing myself against the annoyance, I said what Woo Dohwan so desperately wanted to hear.
“If you haven’t eaten yet… would you like to eat together?”
– Should we?
“…After I buy flowers and come back…”
– I may look like this, but I make sure to eat breakfast.
I don’t! I could hear rustling sounds, probably from his bed, as clearly as Woo Dohwan’s voice. It definitely seemed like he was suggesting we eat breakfast together.
“If I wash up and go out, it’ll probably take about an hour.”
– Come down in forty minutes.
“What?”
– See you later.
The call ended. I definitely said it would take an hour. No, more than that, for Woo Dohwan to come here in forty minutes… did he wash up? No way, it was definitely a voice of someone who just woke up. I barely pulled together my endlessly sluggish body and sat up straight. After roughly finishing my shower, I dressed like anyone could see I was just going out in front of the house and pulled on a baseball cap.
I passed through the front door in exactly 35 minutes.
I pressed the elevator button and blinked while leaning against the wall. Ah, wallet. I didn’t bring my wallet. I almost had the misfortune of mooching a meal off Woo Dohwan. I hurried back into the house to get my wallet, and the elevator that had finally come up was going down toward the first floor.
With a slightly anxious heart, I checked the time. 39 minutes. Already late.
“Geez.”
I rubbed my eyes while dry-washing my face and stared blankly at the floor when the elevator soon arrived. As soon as the door opened, I got on, frantically pressed the close button repeatedly, and pressed the first floor. It would be really nice if the elevator would go down as urgently as my heart felt. Today it seemed to be going down particularly slowly, making me anxious.
Ding- the announcement that we’d arrived at the first floor played. Listening to the pleasant voice, I burst out of the elevator before the door was completely open. I had planned to leisurely go down and even buy a can of warm coffee at the convenience store. Life, nothing goes according to plan.
As I exited the officetel entrance, I immediately saw Woo Dohwan leaning against a familiar car. Did he fly here? He even looks neat. Without realizing it, I looked over my own appearance. Ah, I came out looking too shabby.
“Hello.”
“You’re late.”
Woo Dohwan glanced down at his wrist and muttered while curling up his lips. I definitely said it would take about an hour.
“I was late because I didn’t bring my wallet and had to go back in to get it.”
“Why not just mooch a meal?”
“Then you’d call me out again saying let’s eat something.”
“You’ve gotten quite quick on the uptake.”
I let out a deep sigh looking at Woo Dohwan, who was smiling with his handsome face even in the morning without any puffiness. Woo Dohwan slightly moved his body aside and opened the passenger door, gesturing with his chin as if telling me to hurry up and get in. I slipped into the wide-open door, sat down, and habitually pulled the seatbelt. Woo Dohwan, who had walked around the hood and sat in the driver’s seat, quietly waited for my actions.
“What do you like?”
“Just… I eat everything well.”
“You habitually lie every time you open your mouth.”
“……”
Woo Dohwan seemed to be in a good mood from the morning. With a smile that wouldn’t leave his lips, he turned the steering wheel and changed lanes. I didn’t know where we were going, but every traffic light along the way turned green in succession. The car that had been driving at the perfect legal speed limit picked up speed as if gaining momentum.
How far is he planning to go to eat breakfast? I looked at the flower ring still hanging and swaying, then quickly opened my mouth in anxiety about not knowing where we were going.
“Wh-where are we going to eat?”
“A place that makes delicious food.”
“Where is that?”
“You wouldn’t know even if I told you.”
“It can’t be too far. I have to go buy flowers.”
Woo Dohwan, leaning his arm against the window, nodded a couple of times instead of answering. Ah, I’m anxious.
***
This was the source of my anxiety. Woo Dohwan, who had arrived in front of a magnificent mansion, reached toward the car’s interior storage compartment. He took out a small remote and pressed a button, and the closed gate began to open slowly.
“Here, where is this-“
“A place that makes delicious food.”
“This isn’t a restaurant!”
“My house. Um… I’ve never invited anyone to my house before, so I don’t know what to say at times like this, but… thank you for coming?”
“This is driving me crazy, really.”
I quickly looked over my outfit once more. Ah, Woo Dohwan!!! There’s no way he lives alone in such a big house! What was he thinking bringing me here, crazy…! My thoughts wouldn’t connect properly. Only thoughts like “why eat breakfast at home!” kept coming to mind. I’m the idiot for expecting a home-style restaurant.
“I’m dressed like this right now. Later, not today but later again-“
“Why?”
“I dressed too casually. Woo Dohwan-ssi isn’t even my friend. For today, if you just take me back, I’ll dress neatly later and-“
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever you wear is fine with me.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
