Kang Soo-yeon was inwardly thrilled. Finally, Bae Jung-yoon is showing signs of being jealous. She took it as a clear, positive signal.
“Well… I guess it depends on personal taste.”
She deliberately avoided giving a straight answer, trailing off vaguely. Bae Jung-yoon’s eyes grew even more intense.
“What about you?”
The moment he asked that, Soo-yeon was certain.
This is definitely a green light. Look at how sharply he’s reacting. He tried so hard to act indifferent, but now he can’t even stand hearing about someone else. Come to think of it, he’s more cunning than he lets on.
“Me?”
Soo-yeon fought the urge to smile and casually echoed the question.
Bae Jung-yoon tilted his head slightly. He even set his phone down on the table and blinked slowly, watching her.
“Yeah. You, Soo-yeon.”
“Hm, well… Go Hoon is definitely good-looking.”
She pretended to think it over for effect, recalling Go Hoon’s face in her mind. The answer was meant to provoke a reaction, but it wasn’t a lie either.
Even earlier, it wasn’t like he was dressed up or looking particularly sharp—if anything, he looked a little worn out—but his natural charm hadn’t faded a bit.
Yeah. He didn’t really take care of himself, but the man was just built good-looking. She pictured his sharply defined features and found herself nodding.
“If he’d just taken school a bit more seriously, or if he weren’t so stiff, I bet there’d be a lot of girls chasing after him.”
He had the looks, was hardworking, reliable, and manly. Sure, his personality was a bit stone-like, but a guy like that was rare. In fact, if he had just one more quality, he’d be the total package.
That one thing?
Being a man who’s warm and tender to his woman.
“But personally, I like more clean-cut looks over flashy ones…”
Soo-yeon mumbled, glancing away with a shy expression.
Bae Jung-yoon stared quietly at her. His obsidian-black eyes looked especially glossy today.
“So?”
He coaxed her to keep talking. Then suddenly, he reached out his hand.
Soo-yeon sucked in a breath as those long, masculine fingers came toward her. He gently brushed her cheek, as if removing something from it. Their eyes met at close range. Bae Jung-yoon’s gaze crinkled playfully as he smiled.
“Your eyelash was stuck.”
Just like he said, a long eyelash clung to the tip of his index finger. It was nothing, really—but Soo-yeon’s heart was pounding so hard she had to press a hand to her chest. Her cheeks flushed bright red.
***
The day of their team presentation had arrived, marking the end of a four-week preparation period.
Once they got through today, the group project with Bae Jung-yoon would be over, and they’d be able to wrap things up neatly. Something told him they’d get a good grade too—it just felt like things would go well. It should’ve been a day to feel nothing but satisfaction… but his mind kept wandering.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Kang Soo-yeon—the unexpected encounter at Bae Jung-yoon’s house, the promise he’d made to her in the heat of the moment. It was already overwhelming trying to keep Bae Jung-yoon’s secret. Now he had to worry about a promise to Soo-yeon, too. And of all people, she was interested in Bae Jung-yoon. That only made things more complicated.
Does she even know what kind of person he really is? Does she like him knowing that? Or is she just drawn to the surface?
Not that it was any of his business. Whatever happened between the two of them was up to them. He had no reason to get involved.
It should’ve been a simple conclusion—but for some reason, his thoughts kept looping back around. Even his appetite was off today.
Still, skipping a meal wasn’t an option, so he forced himself to grab something. He ended up eating gimbap from a convenience store near campus. That meant he arrived early to the lecture hall.
With about 40 minutes until class, Go Hoon decided to catch up on a recorded lecture. He opened his ultra-thin laptop and pulled up the PDF materials to review alongside the video.
The lecture hall was quiet as he focused on his work. Then, someone came in through the front door. Spotting Bae Jung-yoon, Go Hoon took out his earbuds. Bae Jung-yoon walked over and casually took the seat next to him.
“You’re early.”
“Yeah, just ended up that way.”
“Lunch?”
“Just something quick.”
Worried that Bae Jung-yoon might start prying, he quickly changed the subject.
“You all set for the presentation?”
“Yeah.”
That simple response was enough to put his worries to rest. Bae Jung-yoon was as calm and composed as always—not a hint of nerves. Go Hoon briefly recalled the version of the presentation without Park Ki-cheol’s name on it.
Thanks to spending two full days working side by side with Bae Jung-yoon, the presentation slides had turned out great. They’d prepared a complete script, compiled a list of anticipated questions, and even assigned answers. Most importantly, the presenter looked to be in good shape—no signs of stress.
Everything was in place. Satisfied, Go Hoon nodded to himself and turned back to his laptop.
“But hey, Hoon.”
With his chin propped on one hand, Bae Jung-yoon smiled faintly and continued in a flat tone.
“I heard you made a delivery to my house yesterday.”
Go Hoon flinched before he could stop himself.
What the hell? How does he know that?
Did he see him talking with Kang Soo-yeon?
“To your house?”
He didn’t know how Bae Jung-yoon found out, but his instincts told him to play dumb. There was no reason to admit anything right away.
Even if he had seen Soo-yeon and Jung-yoon together, there was no reason for Go Hoon to know it was his place. He’d only been there as Kkongddeok-i. As far as anyone knew, the human Go Hoon had never stepped foot inside.
And then there was Soo-yeon’s request to keep everything a secret. Whether or not that secret included Bae Jung-yoon, Go Hoon didn’t care. He wasn’t about to play along.
So he kept his expression blank, like he didn’t know what Jung-yoon was talking about.
“Soo-yeon told me,” Jung-yoon said with a soft smile. “Said the guy who delivered the chicken yesterday was you.”
Hearing that, Go Hoon almost laughed.
So much for “keep it a secret.” Did she actually want him to find out?
“Oh. That was your place? Had no idea.”
A brief flash of irritation passed through him, but he kept his face impassive, answering like it was no big deal. As if he’d just heard a random piece of trivia.
Bae Jung-yoon curled his fingers and tapped the desk. The quiet lecture hall echoed with the steady, deliberate sound.
He kept his gaze fixed on Go Hoon, repeating the motion for a few beats before suddenly stopping. Then, in a low voice, he spoke again.
“Didn’t you say you worked part-time at a factory?”
It was the same question Yoon Seong-gon had asked, but this time, the tone was different—subtly accusatory. As if Go Hoon had deliberately lied to him.
But he hadn’t. So he replied without hesitation.
“That’s my night job. I do deliveries whenever I have time.”
He told the truth, plain and simple. But Jung-yoon didn’t seem satisfied.
He let out a low hum and, in an almost gentle voice, called his name.
“Hoon.”
“What.”
“Are you really that broke?”
The question hit hard, not because it was offensive, but because it was so blunt.
Go Hoon was momentarily speechless.
He’d never heard anyone ask something like that so directly before. And the strangest part was—there was no malice in it. No mockery. No sneer.
Just pure, genuine curiosity. Which somehow made it even more jarring.
So this is what they mean by “innocent cruelty.”
Go Hoon stifled a laugh and looked at Bae Jung-yoon. Those glossy, clear eyes stared straight at him, unblinking.
In that moment, Go Hoon felt oddly detached—like a bitter adult explaining to a child how cruel the world really was.
That’s how unaware Bae Jung-yoon seemed. He had no grasp of what it meant to go without. The fact that he could ask something like that without hesitation only proved it. He didn’t mean to offend—he simply didn’t know any better.
Go Hoon turned back to his laptop and stared at the screen, the PDF file meaningless to his eyes.
“Like I said before—I’m an orphan. There’s no one out there to take care of me. If I don’t do it, no one will. So I try to earn as much as I can, whenever I can. Because you never know what might happen.”
When he was younger, even talking about his home life with teachers made him uncomfortable. But as he got older, he’d grown numb to it. Now, sharing that part of himself didn’t bother him anymore.
And he was glad for that. Glad that he could say it so calmly—even in front of Bae Jung-yoon.
Bae Jung-yoon didn’t reply. Just kept staring silently.
Still fixated on the screen, Go Hoon spoke again—this time with a sharp turn in topic.
“You two dating?”
It was abrupt, sure—but that didn’t matter. Jung-yoon had asked him something uncomfortable; this was his turn. Let him squirm a little.
“Huh?”
Jung-yoon blinked, clearly taken off guard.
Go Hoon raised his head and stared him down. Was he pretending not to understand?
Narrowing his eyes, he asked again—this time, more clearly.
“You and Kang Soo-yeon. Are you two dating?”
