Yeeun, having bought four bottles of beer from the convenience store, trudged up the stairs to her villa.
She moved into this nearly 40-year-old villa the summer of last year.
After being evicted from her apartment in Nonhyeon-dong where she had lived for about ten years, she moved to a row house in Bangbae-dong.
While living there, her mother began to get sick, and eventually, she had to use the security deposit to cover her mother’s medical expenses.
That’s how she ended up moving here.
Although located in central Seoul, this place was cheap for a reason.
The building, seemingly at the end of its life, often had a malfunctioning central heating system, and with no security or cleaning staff, it sometimes felt like a lawless zone.
She moved in during the fall and thought it was manageable, but as the first winter came, she ended up calling the landlord.
The house was too cold, and it was scary at night.
She had thought about terminating the contract and moving somewhere else.
But that was not possible.
“That’s why I put it up for cheap. Where in Seoul can you find a deposit and rent this low?”
It wasn’t a lie.
For her and her brother, who had to split their time 24 hours a day to work, a house in the city was a desperate need, and this was the only place they could afford.
So, her first winter in this house made it the scariest season for her.
“A few months and it’ll be winter again.”
Soon, she would be facing her third winter here.
Just the thought made her shoulders hunch.
Arriving at her house, Yeeun fished for her keys in her bag.
Entering the house, she looked at the mail on the kitchen table with a dull gaze.
Electricity bill, gas bill, water bill.
Mixed in were various bills and also hospital charges.
Although she earned a decent amount each month, it felt somewhat miserable to worry about even the most basic living expenses, living like someone in extreme poverty.
She put her bag on top of the mail and opened a can of beer.
A call from the landlord a few days ago was stuck in her throat like a thorn, and she felt she needed the beer to wash it down.
“A house like this, and they want to raise the rent.”
Her expression was sorrowful as she looked around the small two-bedroom house.
“That’s why I… hang onto Chadoha.”
If she could just get Chadoha, if he would just accept her…
Not just these wretched bills, but her mother, the house, the debt, everything would be resolved.
Yes. Chadoha alone would be enough.
“But why is that one thing so hard?”
Just eating a meal while facing that man felt unbearably difficult.
Seeing his face made it hard to breathe, and looking away made her heart feel heavy.
His tone, his gaze, his every action.
Everything about him was bothersome, and she couldn’t stop thinking about what he thought of her.
She hated herself for wanting to ignore the boundaries she was told to maintain.
Having finished her beer, Yeeun crushed the can in her hand.
Just then, her phone on the table vibrated.
It was Jisoo.
Yeeun, chuckling lightly, sent a photo of the beer can instead of replying.
Immediately, a response came back.
Attached was a map to a whiskey bar in Hannam-dong.
She was already feeling that a beer or two wouldn’t quench her thirst.
Without hesitation, Yeeun got up to meet Jisoo.
Jisoo was not only a senior from school and a supervisor at work but also a good drinking buddy.
Meeting Jisoo, Yeeun poured out her heart while downing hard liquor.
Knowing that she had been struggling with many burdens recently, Jisoo listened to her story calmly.
“Senior knows too. The surgery, hospitalization, treatment, and care costs for my mom.”
The amount she had to handle every month for loan interest and living expenses was truly enormous.
“It’s astronomical.”
Recently, her brother In-tae lost his job, and ultimately, she had to shoulder everything alone.
Jisoo could only look at her with pity.
“How can fate be so cruel?”
Jisoo, attributing her misfortune to fate, refilled her empty glass.
“Maybe you’re too pretty, and that’s why fate is harsh on you.”
It was sincere.
To Yeeun, she was the most beautiful woman she had seen in her 31 years of life.
And beautiful women always seemed to have misfortunes following them.
That’s why the saying ‘beauty is a curse’ exists.
For that reason, Yeeun had always been extremely sensitive to being called pretty.
The ‘pretty face jinx’ was born from that as well.
But today, her reaction was different.
She lifted her glass and smiled faintly, with a bitter voice.
“Not that pretty, huh?”
“Who said that? Who would say such a thing?”
The idea of someone daring to say Seo Yeeun wasn’t pretty was absurd.
Jisoo was indignant at the thought.
Yeeun, watching Jisoo’s reaction, bitterly smiled and mentioned a familiar name.
“Chadoha.”
Chadoha. The name that had recently been most frequently on Yeeun’s lips.
“Hey, Chadoha!”
Jisoo’s voice rose sharply.
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
