At this late hour, there was not a single person around. In the silent stillness, only the faint flicker of streetlamp light was visible.

After standing still for a while without picking up the ointment, Siwoo stood up without picking it up.

And he just closed his eyes quietly.

From not far away, a faint murmur could be heard.

Subsequently, the sound of the night wind shaking the street trees, the sound of a bird perched somewhere flapping its wings, made his ears stuffy. Perhaps because of that.

‘Siwoo Do-ryeonim. Are you here?’

It felt like hearing an unnecessary auditory hallucination.

Although he knew it was a foolish thing to do, he sneakily raised his head to look.

Sure enough, there was no one there──.

“…Senior?”

Black hair and even blacker pupils. Eunha.
Siwoo blinked his eyes slowly. His expression was one of disbelief even after confirming her face.

How long had she been there? Eunha was standing silently in front of the bench, observing Siwoo.

Siwoo, who had repeatedly blinked, eventually furrowed his brows in a puzzled expression.

“What are you doing here?”

He firmly sealed his lips and tried to make his thorns as sharp as possible. However, Eunha calmly opened her mouth with the same expression as always.

“I was looking for you. Since I couldn’t reach you.”

Black eyes slid smoothly over Siwoo’s face.

“…Did you fall again?”

Siwoo, seemingly ignoring Eunha’s words, turned his gaze to the opposite side.

“What do you want? I clearly gave notice of contract termination.”

“I know.”

“Do you regret it now? Is money the issue?”

“It’s not that.”

Eunha denied quietly. A plain and clear voice. In contrast, Siwoo spoke with an intensified voice.

“Then what is it? What reason do you have to show up in front of me again? I would appreciate it if, after the contract ended, I didn’t have to face you again. Just continue as you have until now.”

He hoped for that.

Because there was no other way.

It wasn’t a relationship that had been going on for a long time, but Siwoo didn’t dislike Eunha. That’s why he had to do it this way.

Otherwise, she might also─.

“Just.”

Eunha pursed her lips quietly.

“I thought we could go eat something.”

Siwoo slowly raised his gaze to look at Eunha.

Lips slightly parted in a dazed expression. Somehow, it seemed a bit surprised or even angry.

Anyway, he just stared at Eunha with that strange expression, showing no other reaction. So, Eunha spoke again.

“There shouldn’t be any more business between us in the future, as you said.”

“…”

“I’ve incurred a lot of debt during this time. There’s nothing I can do for you, but for the last time, I want to buy you a meal.”

“…”

His blue gaze didn’t waver from Eunha for a long time. What could he be thinking?

Between the lips that opened and closed repeatedly, in the end, no words came out. Neither positive nor negative.

“…”

A little later, Siwoo, who sat on a plastic chair, looked around with a somewhat gloomy face.

Eunha, who had just finished ordering, glanced at Siwoo.

“I thought you knew we were going to a rice soup restaurant. It’s closed by now.”

“…”

“Why? Don’t you like street stalls?”

“No.”

Siwoo shook his head lightly.

Soon, the dishes they had ordered arrived on the table. Rolled omelet, snail salad, tofu kimchi… Among the constantly arriving dishes, Siwoo’s gaze stopped at one place.

“I hope it suits your taste. If it weren’t so late, I would have treated you to more expensive dishes.”

Siwoo, who hesitated for a moment, reached out to fumble with the chopsticks. Thinly sliced green and red peppers floating in clear broth.
“Oh, there’s a lot of red pepper in the mussel soup, too. Hmm, I should have ordered something not spicy if I knew it would be like this.”

Even at this late hour, the surroundings were bustling. Bright crimson lights hung on the ceiling. The scent of alcohol deeply mixed with the charcoal smoke filled the air. Dirty yet spicy broth on a white table.

Everything was just as it was in his memory.

“……. ”

Silently, Siwoo took a sip of the broth, then closed his mouth. Eunha, who was opening a bottle of beer across from him, glanced at him with a curious look.

“The broth…”

Thud. He put down the spoon.

Swoosh─

Rain began to fall outside.

“The broth is a bit spicy.”

Eunha, who had been discreetly watching Siwoo, pulled out a few napkins from the corner of the table and placed them in front of him.

“Since there’s a lot of chili in it.”

“……. ”

“……. ”

Silence that did not fit with the lively surroundings passed between the two.

Drip, drop.

The sound of rain tapping on the awning of a street stall. In the midst of it, Siwoo suddenly spoke.

“Senior.”

Gently, on the table, a crumpled ointment.

“I’ll give it back.”

“……. ”

Eunha’s black gaze was fixed on the ointment. After a brief silence, Eunha pursed her lips.

“Why?”

The question was short.

But it took quite a long time for an answer.

“……I wish Senior had this kind of thing rather than me.”

The night grew deeper.

Above the burner placed between them, a pot of mussel soup bubbled and boiled.

Because of the hazy steam, the front was not clearly visible, but Siwoo had been staring at it for a very, very long time.