The person standing outside the door was Nam Do Hyun’s mother, Park Young Ran.

As if dissatisfied with being left outside for a moment, Park Young Ran scrutinized Do Hyun with a sullen look.

“You’re really something. What were you doing that it took you so long to open the door?”

“I told you to let me know when you’re coming.”

“I forgot. Dinner’s not ready yet, right? Mom made a delicious braised short ribs.”

Holding up a pink lunchbox, Park Young Ran walked past Do Hyun into the house.

After passing the corridor, Young Ran naturally turned towards the kitchen.

Nam Do Hyun, who was standing behind, quickly caught up with Park Young Ran and took the lunchbox she was holding.

“Give it to me.”

“Why? Mom will put it away while organizing the fridge.”

Park Young Ran reached out her hand as if asking for it back, but Do Hyun stepped into the kitchen.

“It’s fine.”

“It’s rude to check your grown son’s fridge, isn’t it?”

Young Ran lowered her outstretched arm, stuck out her lips, and went into the bathroom.

“Mom will go wash her hands and come back.”

As the bathroom door closed, the sound of running water from the sink followed.

Standing in front of the kitchen island, Nam Do Hyun spoke as he opened the lunch bag.

“Shin Ji Joo. Looks like you don’t have a knack for hide-and-seek.”

Under the kitchen island.

Ji Joo was crouching down as much as possible, worried that even a single strand of hair would be visible. Ji Joo whispered, sending a resentful look.

“You should have given me time to hide.”

As soon as Ji Joo passed the corridor, the sound of the front door opening was heard.

Realizing that the person who came home was Nam Do Hyun’s mother, the only thought was that her presence must never be revealed.

In a panic, there was no way her mind could function. After wandering around the living room in a fluster, the only place she managed to hide was under the table.

“I’ll send Mother away soon. Just wait a little bit.”

Was this why she never wanted to come to Nam Do Hyun’s house even if it killed her?

The bathroom door opened and Young Ran walked out, rubbing the back of her clean washed hands with her palms.

Across from the kitchen island.

Park Young Ran stood.

“Do Hyun, are you really not going to go on a blind date? This time, it’s a really nice young lady.”

“So the short ribs were an excuse, and the purpose was a blind date?”

Expecting the obvious repertoire, Nam Do Hyun showed no change in expression.

Despite Do Hyun’s indifferent attitude, Young Ran chatted away excitedly by herself.

“She’s the youngest daughter of Kang Han Bank’s CEO. You know the saying that the third daughter is taken without even seeing her face, right?”

“That’s all old talk. There’s no era like these days where looks are so important.”

Although momentarily at a loss for words, Young Ran didn’t give up and continued her explanation.

“She fell head over heels after seeing your picture. Maybe because she’s been diligently taking bridal lessons, she’s very gentle.”

“Too bad. I’m not into gentle women.”

“Once you live together, you’ll see that a gentle woman is the best.”

“I don’t think we’ll be living together.”

It was impossible to win even once.

Who’s to blame? She raised a son who’s like an iron wall.

Sighing, Young Ran asked aggressively.

“When are you going to get married? Or do you have someone you like?”

“Even if I did, would she meet Mother’s standards?”

Young Ran put her hands on the kitchen island and reacted vehemently.

“Hey! Do you think Mom wears colored glasses? Mom’s way of thinking is young. I can understand whoever my son dates, okay?”

“I got it, so please go back.”

“Are you really not going to cooperate with Mom, son?”

Young Ran slammed the kitchen island with her palm.

Ji Joo felt like her lifespan had been shortened by 10 minutes due to the sudden noise above her head.

Ji Joo lowered her raised shoulders and covered her mouth with her palm.

“Your father said he’d give Mom the land in Sungsu-dong if you got married. You know Mom’s been wanting the apartment there, right?”

“Do I have to get married just to give you an apartment, Mother?”

“Do you even know how much that place is worth?”

The argument lasted longer than expected.

Ji Joo’s heart grew anxious, thinking they might set up camp in front of the kitchen island at this rate.

Ji Joo gently grabbed the end of Do Hyun’s pant leg in front of her.

I. Want. To. Leave. Right. Now.

As if sending a Morse code, she tugged downwards, breaking her hand movement.

Do Hyun, who had briefly lowered his gaze, spoke while cleaning up the lunchbox.

“I’m tired. I’m not even done with work yet.”

“Okay. A mom who disturbs her son shouldn’t do that.”

Finally, Young Ran’s feet moved away from the table.

After several instances of her heart attaching and detaching, Ji Joo let out a sigh of relief and placed her hand on her chest.

“I can’t go far.”

“Oh my. I wasn’t even hoping for that.”

After a brief silence, the sound of the front door closing reached her ears.

Ji Joo finally stretched her crouched legs and stood up. Then, she picked up the paper bag next to her and greeted Do Hyun, who had entered the living room.

“I think I’ve imposed on you for too long. I’ll be going now.”

It was the moment when Ji Joo, who had been hastily moving her legs, was about to pass by Do Hyun’s side.

“Where are you going?”

At the sudden question, her feet stuck to Do Hyun’s side.

Ji Joo turned her head and parted her lips with a dumbfounded face.

“I’m going home. Why are you asking?”

He knew it was a lie.

At least for today, there was no way Shin Ji Joo would go home on her own.

Nam Do Hyun had also heard what one of the people who had turned the company upside down said.

“I know where your house is, so don’t even think about running away! I’ll chase you to the ends of the earth until I get the money!”

Ji Joo’s unwillingness to receive help from him was subtly revealed.

Even if she had nowhere to go, Shin Ji Joo was not a child, and it was not an excessive kindness to let her sleep in his house.

It was just curiosity. Nothing more, nothing less.

“No. You can go.”

“Okay.”

Is that how it usually is?

Normally, when you’re on the edge of a cliff, don’t you want to hold onto even a straw?

But Shin Ji Joo was different. Rather than asking for help, she was a woman who would throw herself off the cliff.

Nam Do Hyun’s eyebrows rose slightly as he watched Ji Joo’s back as she left the house as if she had been waiting.

It’s annoying.

Acting so confident even when she has nothing.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ji Joo had unknowingly told Nam Do Hyun that she was going home.

There was no way that would happen, but she was afraid of receiving help from Do Hyun again.

Once was enough, so she wanted to avoid causing Do Hyun any concern as much as possible.

But she had no money and couldn’t go home.

So there was only one place she could lay her body.

“Can you sleep there? It’s cramped.”

“What’s cramped about this? It’s super comfortable.”

Lying on the hard hospital cot, Ji Joo smiled brightly and covered her shoulders with a blue blanket.

Lee Jung Hye seemed worried about her daughter lying on the uncomfortable bed, and she stirred her unwell body.

“You sleep on this bed.”

“Ah, it’s fine. This is enough for me.”

Ji Joo quickly sat up and laid Jung Hye down straight.

Due to hemiplegia, Jung Hye’s lips moved awkwardly.

“Go home and sleep.”

“Your daughter came all the way here because she wants to sleep with you, and you’re going to kick her out?”

“Mom likes sleeping with you.”

“I like it too. So today, I’m going to sleep with you no matter what.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that people from her hometown were at the house.

After her father passed away, she suffered from deep depression, unable to sleep or eat well.

Even now, she sometimes gets lost in other thoughts and can’t eat well, so Ji Joo couldn’t tell Jung Hye the truth.

Just like she did with Nam Do Hyun, she had no choice but to keep the truth tightly hidden.

The lights in the six-person hospital room went out, and Ji Joo checked Jung Hye’s sleeping place where she was lying once more.

“Sleep well, Mom.”

“You too.”

Ji Joo turned her body to the side on the cot.

Although her body was tired, she couldn’t fall asleep, perhaps due to worries.

Even if today passed like this, if she stayed at the hospital, it was obvious that Jung Hye would become suspicious.

As she spent the night with various concerns, the cell phone placed next to the pillow flashed.

As the light illuminated the ceiling, Ji Joo lifted her upper body and checked the cell phone.

[This is the landlady. Please call me right now.]

Ji Joo pulled back the blanket she was covering, put on her shoes, and quietly got up from her spot.

Fortunately, Jung Hye had fallen asleep.

Ji Joo closed the curtain, left the hospital room, and called the landlady.

As the dial tone ended, Ji Joo opened the emergency exit door and went inside.

“Hello.”

[Miss, where are you right now?]

“I’m not at home right now. Did something happen?”

Thump, thump. Her heart started racing with the rush of anxiety.

Sweat soaked her hand that was holding the phone in urgency.

[You know I took out the entire deposit for you because I felt so sorry for your situation, without my husband knowing, right?]

“Yes, I know. I’m always grateful for that.”

If it weren’t for that deposit, she wouldn’t have been able to cover Jung Hye’s surgery costs.

[But this is a bit much, don’t you think?]

“…Because of what?”

[The people from your hometown, they said they were here to meet you? They’re camped out in front of the house. It’s not just one or two people, it looks like there are more than ten. They’re drinking makgeolli, ordering delivery, and having a party among themselves in front of the house.]

Ji Joo’s nest was a rooftop room at the very top of a three-story house.

The owner’s family lived on the first floor, and it seemed like they were pulling out all the stops to get Ji Joo to come out.

Ji Joo was only bewildered because she never thought they would go this far.

“I’ll go there now.”

Now was not the time to avoid the situation.

Even if she got slapped with water again, she had to bring the villagers.

[Forget it. I’ll consider it a bad luck charm, and I won’t take the overdue two months’ rent, so move out of the room within this week.]

A bolt from the blue fell. Ji Joo held the cell phone with both hands.

“Auntie, if you tell me to move out so suddenly like this, I have nowhere to go.”

Ji Joo’s desperate voice echoed on the cold stairs.

[I don’t know about that. If you don’t take your stuff out, I’ll forcibly remove it and put it outside, so take it with you.]

“Auntie. Auntie!”

The angry auntie’s voice was no longer heard from the phone.

With a single phone call, she had lost her home.