A Gentle Intruder (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 27

Morning dawned without Jae Ho.

Bunhongi scratched at the door, so I went out to give it some food. Glancing around, I suddenly noticed that the whole place was blanketed in autumn leaves. For some reason, the season seemed even redder today, as if on fire.

I picked up a few relatively clean-looking leaves. The face of the man who’d once told me to wave the maple leaves at myself came to mind.

Just as he’d said, I’d been completely swept up by him—there was no way to dodge a man who came crashing down like a storm.

No, maybe that was just an excuse. Perhaps no one had wanted this more than I did myself.

My resolve to end things with him hadn’t changed, yet my heart kept searching for excuses. I would end it—just not necessarily right now. Maybe I could see him a little longer once we got back to Seoul.

People’s feelings never last forever; maybe Jae Ho’s heart would change someday too. Perhaps that day would come sooner than I thought—a month, or two. Until then…

I hoped he’d never find out about the hospital bills and the debt I’d been left with. I considered whether it was realistically possible to keep my private life closed off while extending our relationship for a few more months. Quietly, I kept finding more and more reasons to stay by his side—even if just temporarily.

I walked once around the pension courtyard and gave a small smile. Though these thoughts felt utterly cowardly, I was still genuinely happy.

“Finished eating?”

I approached the cat washing its face and spoke, and it meowed as if asking for more food.

“Nope. I already know you’re getting fed at other houses too.”

—Meow. Meow.

“You keep gaining weight! You’ve gotten completely chubby in just a few weeks.”

—Meow. Meow.

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