Kang Mo, who had been smiling meaningfully, looked at Seo Hee with unusually sparkling eyes.

“Do you want to know? It’s a wish that only you can grant. Should I tell you?”

Seo Hee’s head automatically shook from side to side.

“No. Well…, I don’t think I need to hear you call me ‘elder sister’ all of a sudden.”

“Really? That’s too bad. I wanted to tell you.”

Was Kang Mo always this sly? The lazy smile and the intense gaze looking at her were not ordinary. Seo Hee quickly changed the subject, fearing what words might come out of his mouth if she hesitated any longer.

“You, what were you talking about earlier? Do you still live in that apartment?”

Kang Mo, who immediately noticed Seo Hee’s intention, chuckled. Even if he knew, he should just let it go. Of course, he wanted to make that flushed face turn even redder, but he seemed to have to know when to back off in order to look forward to the next opportunity.

“No, I’m staying at an apartment near the company. I haven’t disposed of the apartment I used to live in yet, and it’s currently vacant. You can stay there if you want.”

Seo Hee nodded her head, saying “Ah.”

In fact, neither the studio apartment she was going to tomorrow nor Kang Mo’s apartment seemed like places where she could stay completely at ease. If she had to choose, her heart leaned toward Kang Mo’s apartment rather than the studio apartment under Tae Oh’s influence, but that was impossible.

“Thanks for the offer, but it’s okay. The studio apartment my mother found is… good too. In addition to the interior facilities, it’s convenient to get anywhere as it’s near the station, and she said it has a well-equipped infrastructure and no worries about security, so it doesn’t seem bad.”

“I don’t know where that is, but it probably won’t be more comfortable to stay in than my apartment. My apartment is the same as before. You don’t have to prepare anything separately, from furniture, appliances, and general household items to tableware and bedding, you just need to bring yourself.”

Seo Hee, who was quietly listening to Kang Mo’s words, tilted her head.

“You said you stay at an apartment near your company, when did you move out and your previous place is still the same?”

“That apartment has been vacant for a long time.”

“Why did you just leave that nice place vacant? Without disposing of it or renting it out.”

Kang Mo shook his head.

What kind of place is that to casually let someone in? How can I dispose of it? The refrigerator, furniture, and tableware that your hands touched. Your figure tidying up every corner remains intact.

The sofa where we watched movies together, clinked glasses, and shared kisses… I can’t throw away anything. Nothing.

“It was a meaningful place for me, so I couldn’t rent it out to just anyone or dispose of it. I don’t let just anyone in there. I’m saying it’s okay because it’s you.”

Come to think of it, didn’t Kang Mo say it was the first house he prepared on his own? Seo Hee couldn’t even think for a moment that it was because of her memories with him, she just thought it must be a place with deep meaning for Kang Mo in its own way.

Her heart fluttered recklessly at his words that he didn’t want to rent such a precious place to anyone, but it was okay with her.

She didn’t know how to react to his attitude that seemed clearly different from before.

“No. I’ve already finished the contract for the studio apartment. They said I just have to move in there too, so I’ll just stay there. Thank you for worrying about me, Kang Mo.”

Kang Mo, who had a mysterious smile on his face for some reason, slowly nodded his head.

“Just in case, if you change your mind, call me anytime. You liked the view there, didn’t you? You said the Han River was so pretty when the sunset came down and shimmered with a golden hue.”

Seo Hee looked at Kang Mo with surprised eyes.

“You remember… even those words?”

Kang Mo chuckled.

Is there anything I can’t remember when it comes to you?

‘Wow, the scenery here is really… The Han River shimmering with a golden hue as the sunset comes down, can it be this beautiful? You’re so lucky, Lee Kang Mo. To see such a picturesque view every day.’

When you said those words standing by the window, the black hooded tracksuit you were wearing, the way you cutely tied your hair up like a donut on top of your head, your gentle eyes looking out the window, your natural smile, your face where the orange sunset settled.

The weather that day which was clear without a single cloud, the temperature that day, even the faint scent of shampoo emanating from you remains intact in my memory. Do you even know that I couldn’t even look out the window comfortably, no, couldn’t look at it after you left?

You still don’t know me. You don’t know me way too much.

“I have a pretty good memory. Anyway, if you have a place to stay, well, go there to rest sometimes. The door code is still the same. You remember, right?”

Six digits. It was only the day before she left that she realized the number was a sequence of Kang Mo’s and her birthdays.

“Ah, yes. Then. I… remember.”

“You can go anytime. Anytime.”

“Okay, thanks for saying that.”

Seo Hee didn’t think there would be an occasion where she would go to that apartment. No way.

[This is the timeline separator]

Entering the living room, Seo Hee saw her mother on the phone with someone and pointed to the upper floor with her index finger, mouthing ‘I’ll change clothes and come up.’ Then she headed to her room.

She quickly changed into comfortable clothes and sat on the bed, opening the small paper bag she had received from Kang Mo.

‘It’s a cell phone.’

‘I was going to activate it today.’

‘I told you I’d give it to you. Try saying anything about giving you money. I saved my number on speed dial 0. Call me anytime regardless of the time. Pick up well when I call you.’

‘Okay. I will. Thank you, Kang Mo.’

Remembering Kang Mo’s face smiling brightly, rarely showing his teeth, she chuckled.

As soon as she took out the cell phone from the paper bag, a text notification rang.

[Did you get home safely?]

What are you asking when you drove me all the way to the front of my house and left?

[Yes. I got home well. Drive safely. Never use your cell phone while driving.]

In less than a minute, another text came.

[It’s nice that you’re worried about me.]

I told you not to do it while driving, you really don’t listen. This is why I worry about you, I don’t.

Seo Hee, who was pouting her lips, raised one hand and gently touched her slightly swollen lips.

Ha… Lee Kang Mo, what should I do with this reckless guy?

My face keeps getting hot, and I don’t want to think about it anymore, but my thoughts keep going over the time with Kang Mo.

When Kang Mo said he had to go back to the company after leaving the columbarium, I told him to drop me off at any subway station, but Kang Mo wasn’t the type to easily listen to my words.

He insisted on taking me to the front of my house, saying if he didn’t intend to take me home, he wouldn’t have come to pick me up in the first place, and even after arriving home, he held me back from getting out of the car.

‘Wait a moment.’

When I asked why, Kang Mo, who came back around the hood, personally opened the passenger door for me. I couldn’t easily get used to him even reaching out his hand to hold mine.

‘Lee Kang Mo, you’re not going to do this every time, are you?’

‘Why not?’

‘Why bother doing it? I’m extremely uncomfortable and awkward right now. You don’t have to get out of the car just for me. I’ll just put my hands away or something.’

‘Don’t use those hands when you meet me. I’ll do everything for you.’

Seo Hee, who briefly sighed, asked cautiously.

‘Are you… really the Lee Kang Mo I knew? Were you always this sweet to women?’

Kang Mo, who was chuckling, answered without hesitation.

‘No. Only for my woman.’

Seo Hee’s mouth opened automatically. Where did the Kang Mo who was always blunt and surly in front of her go, and there’s a man who shamelessly says cheesy lines without knowing any embarrassment standing in front of her.

Were you originally like this? She wanted to ask. Could she really adapt well to Kang Mo’s new appearance? She was honestly a little more worried than excited about what other sides of him she would see in the future.

These days, whenever there’s a little break, she thinks about Kang Mo like this. Seo Hee quickly shook off her thoughts and went down to the first floor.

As if she had been on the phone until now, her mother Sun Joo, with a somewhat flushed expression, gestured for her to sit on the sofa and continued the call. Only her mother’s voice constantly reassuring the other person that it was okay could be heard, regardless of what conversation they were having.

“Yes, then I’ll keep that in mind.”

― ……

“Oh, it can’t be helped. Well. Things in life don’t always go as planned.”

― ……

“Yes, yes yes. Thank you for your concern. Then please take good care of it. Yes. Have a good day then.”

After finishing the call, Sun Joo, who came closer, sat right next to Seo Hee, leaving many empty seats. Quietly holding her daughter’s hand, Sun Joo carefully looked at her pretty face and asked softly.

“So. Did you have a good visit with your father? Is your father doing well?”

A sad smile was drawn on Seo Hee’s face as she nodded her head.

“Yes. It seems we really found a good resting place for him. The tree looked… very healthy.”

“That’s a relief. Our daughter must have cried a lot again. Your eyes are red.”

“No. Just a little. I cried just a tiny bit.”

Sun Joo gently stroked Seo Hee’s face and let out a long sigh.

“Your father must be delighted. His precious daughter whom he cherished so much came to visit, he must have danced with joy?”

Sun Joo, who sighed softly, continued in a desolate voice.

“If only he had lived a little, just a little longer. He should have at least seen his pretty daughter get married before leaving. What was he in such a hurry for to go first? Making our daughter lonely.”

“Right? I’m so angry at Dad, really.”

At Seo Hee’s words that she didn’t really mean, Sun Joo chuckled.

It had already been more than 10 years since her husband had left this world, but whenever his anniversary or a holiday approached, she couldn’t feel more sorry for her daughter who still teared up with longing.

She thought time heals and the longing would fade little by little, but perhaps because they were an especially close father and daughter, it seemed not, seeing her daughter shedding tears every time.

“Next time, go and smile for him. So that Dad won’t be sad. How sorry would Dad feel seeing you struggle like this every time?”

“I’m doing it so he feels sorry. So that he would come to me even in my dreams to comfort me. Isn’t it too much of Dad to say he’s really dead? How could he not visit me even once?”

Seo Hee’s face was full of an unavoidable longing as she grumbled, which she didn’t usually do. Sun Joo, who was looking at Seo Hee with pity, suddenly seemed to remember something and carefully brought up the subject.

“Seo Hee, would it be okay for you to stay here for the time being?”

“Why all of a sudden? The day I’m supposed to go to the studio apartment is tomorrow?”

“Well, there seems to be a problem with that studio apartment. I just got a call from the seller, and while cleaning the house today, water was dripping from the living room ceiling.”

Seo Hee looked at her mother in surprise and asked in disbelief.

“You mean there’s a leak? Today of all days? I have to move in tomorrow?”

“I know, right? They couldn’t reach the upstairs unit, so they hurriedly called a technician and drilled a small hole in the ceiling to check, but it seems they couldn’t find the exact cause. They said it might take some time as they need to check the upstairs unit first if they can reach them, and if not, they need to inspect the exterior walls of the building as well. What should we do?”

“The balance payment date? It’s tomorrow, right?”

“Yes. The landlord said not to send the balance payment for now, and to send it when the repairs are done and you move in. Oh no, should I let Tae Oh know too? I already received the full payment including the balance from Tae Oh when signing the contract, what should I do?”

Seo Hee suddenly felt a throbbing headache.