−Just 10 minutes.

What could this mean?

The phone clock showed 5:45.

Yi Soo sat quietly, watching the numbers on the clock change.

How should she treat Ji Ho from now on?

She didn’t want to get emotionally entangled, but her heart felt heavy because of what Ji Ho had said today.

It would have been better if she hadn’t known.

Should she say it’s not true?

It’s not… When it is.

Does it really matter anyway?

She wasn’t planning on dating anyway.

Rather than thinking about how she felt, Yi Soo’s task was to remind herself not to waver anymore, even if the other person was Seo Ji Ho.

At exactly 55 minutes, Seo Ji Ho’s name appeared on the screen.

If you can’t avoid it, you have to face it. Until you become indifferent and numb.

Yi Soo pressed the call button.

“Hello.”

[It’s me. Ji Ho.]

“Yes.”

[Did you meet your dad well?]

“Yes.”

[Are you home now?]

“Yes.”

[Yesterday you only said ‘uh’, today you only say ‘yes’.]

A light laugh was heard.

[What did you do for 10 minutes?]

“Huh?”

[Just 10 minutes. I sent that text hoping you’d think about me a bit while waiting for my call.]

So that’s what it meant?

Yi Soo slightly furrowed her brow.

I did think about Ji Ho for 10 minutes.

“Do you like it that much when I wait for your call? You did this last time too.”

Instead of answering, Yi Soo asked as if she found it a bit ridiculous.

[I like that… But I regretted it because it was hard for me to wait. I should have just said 1 minute.]

Laughter could be heard through the receiver.

Now he’s just openly saying things like this.

Yi Soo also let out a slightly incredulous laugh.

Ji Ho was quite different from his seemingly cold first impression.

He was quite kind, affectionate, and warm.

Maybe that’s why.

Yi Soo’s heart reacted again to Ji Ho’s words, which seemed like a joke but felt sincere.

Or perhaps her hormones were automatically responding to Ji Ho’s sweet voice.

Yi Soo decided to think of it that way.

[Are you feeling better now?]

“Yes. I think I’m all better.”

The medicine must have worked well, as the pain that had made her lose consciousness earlier had disappeared like a lie.

[Yi Soo.]

A sweet voice called Yi Soo’s name.

[Don’t get sick.]

The overflowing affection burrowed into Yi Soo’s ears.

Yi Soo’s heart beat even faster than before.

Is it normal to feel this fluttery over someone telling you not to get sick? Or is it because of the way he called her name?

Come to think of it, yesterday too.

“Yi Soo.”

Those affectionate words had made her cry.

“…Thank you.”

The response came late as she tried to steady her trembling breath.

Would her heart have fluttered like this if Dong Woo had said the same thing?

Yi Soo’s face reflected in the mirror had turned red.

It was fortunate that Ji Ho couldn’t see this face.

Yi Soo pressed her palm firmly against her heart.

The loud thumping of her heartbeat transmitted through her skin.

Yi Soo felt like she was facing her honest emotions.

It was a feeling she had never experienced before.

She felt a little scared, thinking that if left unchecked, it might grow uncontrollably and become difficult to handle.

“…If you have nothing else to say, let’s hang up.”

[Nothing else to say…]

Ji Ho trailed off.

How long has it been since the call started?

She thought they had gotten a little closer, but was that an illusion?

The Yi Soo who had been in Ji Ho’s arms last night was still so vivid.

Yi Soo seemed to have returned to her original place, as if nothing had happened.

Or was this Yi Soo’s answer?

“Say it.”

At the urging voice, Ji Ho laughed shortly.

How should one approach a woman who retreats as much as you advance?

I never thought I’d be having this kind of worry.

Ji Ho felt a bit dumbfounded and also at a loss.

[I wanted to hear your voice.]

Yi Soo tightly closed her eyes at Ji Ho’s calm voice.

[That’s my reason… Should I stop now?]

Yi Soo’s hand holding the phone tensed up.

Yi Soo’s heart beat helplessly at Ji Ho’s words.

Yi Soo had learned early on how painful it is to be hurt by someone precious.

So she consciously wanted to avoid giving her heart deeply to anyone.

Moreover, if that person was Ji Ho, it was too burdensome.

She was afraid to even start a relationship that seemed likely to end in pain.

“Yes. Let’s stop.”

With a slightly exasperated laugh, Ji Ho said okay and hung up.

Even after ending the call, Yi Soo couldn’t do anything for a long time as she tried to calm her pounding heart.

**

After that day, Yoo Mi no longer came up to the second floor, and Soo Min became even kinder than before.

It was when Yi Soo was about to get up after eating breakfast as usual.

“Yi Soo, before you go out, come talk with dad in the study.”

Won Jin immediately got up and went to the second floor, and Yi Soo followed behind.

“Have a seat.”

The two who entered the study sat facing each other across the table.

“I’ll let you live independently as you want. But there’s one condition.”

Yi Soo looked at Won Jin with a face that was both pleased and slightly tense.

“Come stay at home on weekends. You can do that one day a week, right?”

Yi Soo agreed immediately without hesitation.

As long as she could leave this house, she could do that much regardless of the reason.

“Then I’ll proceed with that in mind.”

“Thank you, Dad.”

“The reason I asked you to come home every weekend is because I don’t want Yoo Mi or Yoo Mi’s mother to ignore your existence. Of course, your room on the second floor will remain as is. Your place in this house remains unchanged. You can come back whenever you want to.”

He wanted to make it clear that Yi Soo wasn’t being forced out due to unavoidable circumstances.

“I understand you’re thinking of me, Dad, but…”

Yi Soo was about to say there was no need for that, but she closed her mouth.

It’s not like she could change Won Jin’s stubbornness anyway.

“Okay. Then when can I move out?”

Since that day, Yi Soo had been uncomfortable seeing Soo Min and deliberately came home late at night.

Except for breakfast time, they hardly ever ran into each other.

“The house is already prepared. There’s a place I set aside for you to live with your mom if she had come back as planned this year.”

It was a house that Won Jin had specially prepared thinking Yi Soo would live with her mom.

He had kept it empty in preparation for Hye Jin’s return, but in the end Yi Soo would be moving in alone.

“Dad…”

Yi Soo’s mouth fell open at Won Jin’s unexpected words.

She had no idea he had made such preparations.

Yi Soo felt a lump in her throat at Won Jin’s thoughtful consideration.

“We just need to do the interior, so you can move as soon as that’s done. I’ll give you Manager Yoon’s contact info who decorated your current room, so tell her in advance if you have any special requests.”

“Thank you so much, Dad. You didn’t have to do all this…”

Yi Soo was so touched by Won Jin that tears almost welled up.

She would have been fine with a small studio apartment as long as she could live independently.

“I want to do everything for you.”

“I know how you feel, Dad. Don’t feel too hurt that I’m moving out. We don’t have to live together to be happy, right?”

“That’s true. Living together was probably my selfish desire. I’m sorry I didn’t consider how hard it must have been for you.”

“No, it’s okay.”

Yi Soo smiled brightly, suppressing the surge of emotion.

She was really grateful to her dad and felt reassured that he was still on her side.

“Did you tell Mom by any chance?”

“About what?”

Seeing Won Jin’s cautious expression as he asked, Yi Soo belatedly realized, “Ah.”

“No. There’s no need to make her worry unnecessarily.”

“Right. You did well.”

It would have been shameful if Hye Jin knew.

As Yi Soo requested, Won Jin didn’t get too angry at Soo Min, but the anger he first felt still hadn’t subsided.

“Dad, do you not contact Mom at all?”

“Only when you went to London.”

“I see.”

Won Jin and Hye Jin were said to be each other’s first love.

They met at 20 and married before even graduating college, but their passionate love didn’t last long.

How could it have changed so easily?

Though she knew it was irreversible, Yi Soo couldn’t help but feel bitter.

When Dad looks at me, who looks exactly like Mom’s younger self, does he not think of Mom at all?

She was curious sometimes, but never dared to ask.

Seeing how well he treats me, he must have treated Mom well too.

“You probably don’t want to know, but… Mom is doing well.”

“That’s good.”

Won Jin smiled faintly.

How happy would it have been if we had lived together like a normal family with Mom and Dad?

Watching the two of them, Yi Soo learned too early that there is no such thing as unchanging love.

**

“Yi Soo, are you going to the library again?”

Ae Ra asked as they left the classroom.

These days, Yi Soo hadn’t come home before 10 PM.

It was uncomfortable being at home, and she also spent time at the library every day to prepare for midterms which were less than a month away.

When Yi Soo nodded, Ae Ra shook her head.

“Hey, you’ll regret studying like this. Are you preparing for some big exam? Why are you at the library every day?”

“I’m not just studying, I do other things too. I read books and listen to music.”

“That’s the same thing. Come on a group blind date with me.”

“Oh, that’s today. Go have fun.”

“It would be nice if you came too. How come you never do it even once?”

“You know I don’t like that kind of thing.”

“Yeah. Why?”

“It’s bothersome.”

“I can’t understand you. The guys call you an ice princess. Even Jong Oh who was so persistent seems to have given up. He’s been quiet lately, right?”

Jong Oh was a classmate who had openly confessed his feelings for Yi Soo.

With his outgoing personality, he had shown perseverance in not giving up despite Yi Soo’s rejections.

“It’s not just Jong Oh. You don’t know how popular you actually are? After seeing Jong Oh get openly rejected, the other guys seem to give up preemptively.”

“That’s good.”

Yi Soo replied with a smirk.

“Oh my, how is that good? You’ll never date if you keep this up. You should date a lot when you’re young.”

“I’ll handle my own dating, so you go enjoy your group blind date today. I’m rooting for you, friend. Take care.”

Yi Soo lightly pushed Ae Ra’s back and turned to walk in the opposite direction of the library.

Yi Soo walked slowly, scanning her surroundings widely.

She also glanced at the cars leaving through the main gate.

As she approached the library, Yi Soo turned around with somewhat wistful eyes and looked around once.

As if searching for someone.

She gave her attention from far away to nearby without missing a spot, then slowly turned back.

Yi Soo let out a shallow sigh as she went inside.

Sitting in her usual spot, Yi Soo pressed her fingertips firmly against her temples.

‘Am I going crazy? Why do I keep thinking about him?’

Ji Ho would suddenly appear in her mind at every opportunity.

His face, his voice, his touch vividly came to mind.

Yi Soo tightly closed her eyes, then covered her face with her palms.

‘This really isn’t my will.’

Composing herself and sitting up straight, Yi Soo opened her biochemistry lecture notes and practice problems.

Clicking her tongue at the vast exam content and enormous amount to memorize, she began summarizing ‘The Composition and Structure of DNA and RNA’ in her notebook.

To shake off thoughts of Ji Ho, Yi Soo focused with all her mental energy.

Yi Soo, who had been studying without realizing the time passing, briefly looked up.

It had already gotten dark outside.

‘Should I take a short break?’

Yi Soo put earphones in and added 3 songs by ‘J’ to her playlist.

Planning to rest just that long, Yi Soo lay her head on the desk and closed her tired eyes.

Then for a very brief moment, Yi Soo unknowingly dozed off and woke up.

Yi Soo raised her upper body, tilted her stiff neck back and turned it left and right.

Opening her eyes with difficulty as sleep lingered, Yi Soo belatedly noticed a folded paper and an energy drink placed on the desk.

“Oh!”

Yi Soo’s head quickly turned back.