Romance for You (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5

Yoo Mi kept glaring at the back of Lee Su’s head as she headed into the bathroom, then stomped her feet—thud, thud—and marched right up to the bathroom door.

“Seriously? Don’t you dare go back on your word later! You clearly said there’s absolutely nothing between you two!”

Yoo Mi shouted through the closed door, then finally left Lee Su’s room.

Even after returning to her own room, she couldn’t calm down and paced restlessly around the space.

The scene she’d just witnessed kept replaying endlessly in her mind.

Lee Su getting out of Ji Ho Oppa’s car—and Ji Ho Oppa watching her until she disappeared from sight.

“Ugh! No way!”

Yoo Mi grabbed fistfuls of her hair with both hands and shook her head violently.

She’d seen it with her own eyes, yet it was something she refused to believe even after seeing it.

Yoo Mi had first met Ji Ho through her mother when they were young.

Before Choi Su Min remarried Jeong Won Jin, she worked as a cooking instructor and first met Ji Ho’s mother there, who’d come to take cooking lessons.

Since they were the same age and both had children of similar age, they hit it off right away.

Choi Su Min, naturally good at reading people and cheerful by nature, quickly won over Kim Yeon Su’s affection, and thanks to their mothers’ growing friendship, Yoo Mi and Ji Ho naturally became close too.

From that point on, Ji Ho had always been Yoo Mi’s ideal type.

Because she’d met such a perfect man right from the start, she couldn’t even imagine being with anyone else.

No one could ever replace Ji Ho—and that wouldn’t change in the future either.

All her desperate efforts to get into Korea University were entirely because of him.

Just imagining becoming campus sweethearts with Ji Ho had made her happy.

It had been one week since she enrolled.

“We’re practically there now.”

Yoo Mi chewed on her lips and exhaled harshly, her chest heaving.

“There’s nothing between us.”

Lee Su’s voice—cold and indifferent—kept echoing in Yoo Mi’s ears like tinnitus.

She’d stared straight into Lee Su’s eyes, trying to see through her, but detected no hint of dishonesty in them.

Lee Su had seemed sincere.

Then why?

Ji Ho Oppa wouldn’t possibly drive just anyone—someone he claimed to have “no relation” with—all the way home.

The Ji Ho Yoo Mi knew wasn’t someone who was kind and considerate to everyone.

Though she hated to admit it, she was nearly certain Lee Su wasn’t just “anyone” to Ji Ho.

Even with Yoo Mi, whom he’d known for years, Ji Ho could often be surprisingly indifferent.

Knowing full well that he never offered kindness or favors beyond what was necessary, Yoo Mi felt even more uneasy.

Last summer, she’d met Ji Ho together with Yeon Su, who’d come from London.

Though it was a busy time preparing for college entrance exams, Yoo Mi had dropped everything to go.

After dinner, their mothers decided to stay longer, so Ji Ho and Yoo Mi left the restaurant first.

She’d naturally expected Ji Ho, who’d arrived in the same car she saw today, to offer her a ride home.

“Yoo Mi, I called a taxi for you. Just get in and go.”

“C’mon, Oppa! I really want to ride in your car. Can’t you give me a lift?”

“Next time. I’m really busy right now.”

When the taxi arrived, Ji Ho only politely held open the back door and gave her a warm goodbye.

It was just a ten-minute drive home, yet Ji Ho had refused, claiming he was too busy.

But with me, he acted like that—

Yet for Lee Su, he drove her all the way home despite the pouring rain.

Jealousy bubbled fiercely inside her, making her feel like her heart might burst.

She desperately needed to do something to calm herself, yet there was nothing she could do.

“Huu… huu…”

Yoo Mi took several deep breaths and opened her phone.

—Oppa, you didn’t forget you promised to treat me to a meal once I enrolled, right?

—Yeah.

—When will you take me? Just tell me when you’re free, and I’ll adjust my schedule.

—Okay.

—How about this Saturday, Oppa? Sunday works for me too.

—I’m busy that day.

—Got it. Then when will you be free?

This was the sporadic exchange of messages between her and Ji Ho over the past week.

Usually, she’d get a reply by the next day at the latest—but it had already been two days since her last message, and still no reply.

Today was the Saturday Ji Ho had said he was too busy to meet.

“If he drove Lee Su home, that means they met…”

The thought reignited her jealousy.

“So he was busy meeting Lee Su today? How on earth do they even know each other?”

They were in different majors, and their elementary, middle, and high school paths had never overlapped even once.

There was no chance they’d met through a blind date or casual meetup either.

The Ji Ho Yoo Mi knew despised that sort of thing—and Lee Su was the same.

“He pretended he was reluctantly going this morning because his mom’s family was visiting… What’s this? Was he just putting on an act since he was planning to go out anyway? Seriously, how ridiculous.”

Yoo Mi flopped face-first onto her bed and stared fixedly at her phone.

‘What did they do together?’

All sorts of wild scenarios flooded her mind, making it hard to breathe.

Ji Ho should be home by now.

—Can I call you, Oppa?

Yoo Mi typed the message, then deleted it again.

Ji Ho still hadn’t replied to her last text.

If he didn’t reply this time either, she really would be hurt.

She had so many questions—but even if she asked Lee Su directly, she doubted Lee Su would kindly answer.

Yoo Mi could only let out deep, frustrated sighs.

Of all people, it had to be Jeong I Su.

She hated even the idea of them knowing each other.

Something felt strangely, deeply unsettling.

**

The elevator doors glided open smoothly upon reaching the 55th floor.

Ji Ho unlocked the front door and walked into the empty apartment.

Originally, it had been home to three family members, but ever since Seo Tae Jin was appointed as a professor at a British university three years ago and moved away, Kim Yeon Su had followed her husband to the UK after Ji Ho finished his college entrance exams.

Since then, Ji Ho had lived alone.

The moment he entered, Ji Ho pulled a can of beer from the fridge and sat down on the single-seater sofa in the living room.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the Han River shimmered far below at a dizzying height.

If he’d dropped off Jun Woo and come straight home, it would’ve taken only twenty minutes—but because he’d driven Lee Su home first, it was already evening.

Ji Ho popped open the beer can and took a long swig.

Perhaps because he’d been thirsty, the cold beer kept flowing down his throat in quick, continuous gulps.

“Feels like I can finally breathe again.”

Ji Ho sank deep into the sofa and mentally retraced the events of his day.

He’d happened to run into Jeong I Su and, being overly meddlesome, had approached her to offer his umbrella.

When she said she remembered him because of his scent, he’d given her his perfume—and then, using the excuse of heavy rain, had driven someone who’d only asked to borrow an umbrella all the way to her home.

And then again—

She’d asked for his phone number.

He’d asked her out for a meal—and gotten rejected.

At that thought, laughter burst out of Ji Ho.

“What the hell was I even doing?”

Whenever he met Jeong I Su, strangely impulsive words and actions kept slipping out without passing through his brain first.

Things the usual Ji Ho would never do.

Why on earth had he insisted on taking back the umbrella?

He should’ve just let her keep it.

His shoe cabinet was already stuffed with brand-new, unopened umbrellas.

Was he just looking for an excuse to see her again?

Why? Ji Ho asked himself.

The answer was “I don’t know.”

As Ji Ho stared blankly at the panoramic view ahead, Lee Su’s bright, smiling face suddenly popped into his mind.

Every expression of hers—so genuinely happy to see him—was vividly clear.

Slowly, Ji Ho closed and opened his eyes, then dragged his large hand down his face.

Right then, the vibration of his phone on the table scattered Lee Su’s face like wind-blown dust.

Too lazy even to reach for it, he waited for the ringing to stop—but it kept persistently going.

Ji Ho set down his empty beer can on the table and picked up his phone with the same hand.

Lee Ha Jun.

Seeing the name on the screen, Ji Ho pressed the call button.

“Yeah. Ha Jun-ah.”

[Why’d you take so long to answer? Where are you?]

“At home. Did you get discharged?”

Ji Ho leaned back into the sofa as he spoke.

[Yeah. I got discharged this morning and came home. Hey, didn’t you join a club?]

Ji Ho just chuckled softly in response to Ha Jun’s surprised tone.

[What’s with this? Last year, I kept asking you to join me, and you wouldn’t budge—but then out of nowhere, you sign up today without even telling me? What’s going on?]

You’re surprised? I’m surprised by myself too.

“Hmm… maybe I should just quit right away.”

Ji Ho said, rubbing his chin with his fingertips.

[Quit what? Just enjoy college life this year. Don’t disappear again after lectures like last year. You haven’t tried it, so you don’t know—it’s actually fun.]

“Alright. Let’s see just how fun it really is.”

[By the way, did you sort out that thing about finding Lee Su?]

“Yeah.”

Ji Ho nodded absentmindedly, then suddenly remembered something as Lee Su’s name came up.

“Ha Jun-ah, I need a favor.”

[What is it?]

“If Jeong I Su ever asks you for anything, please refuse it all.”

[What’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden?]

“I’m supposed to get something from her, and I want to receive it directly.”

[Are you worried she’ll ask me to pass it along? What is it?]

“It’s nothing special…”

[Alright, fine. But you’re sticking with the club, got it?]

Though he didn’t understand his own reasons, if he’d subconsciously needed an excuse to meet her again, then he’d better seize it properly this time.

After all, Jeong I Su, who’d looked so awkward when he asked her out for a meal, might very well ask Ha Jun to deliver it for her instead.

**

Lee Su neatly folded the thoroughly dried umbrella and placed it carefully into her bag.

On Mondays, she had back-to-back classes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with only a one-hour lunch break.

Burdened by a heavy bag as packed as her schedule, she arrived at school.

Sitting in the lecture hall, Lee Su took out her books—and upon seeing the umbrella, she started thinking.

‘When will he contact me? It’s getting heavy to carry around. Should I just reach out first and suggest meeting up?’

Lee Su opened her phone’s contact list and searched for Seo Ji Ho.

An unfamiliar number appeared.

If he was going to contact her today, he probably would’ve reached out yesterday—but over the entire weekend, she hadn’t heard a word from Ji Ho.

As Lee Su stared blankly at the message button beneath Seo Ji Ho’s name, Ae Ra plopped down into the seat beside her.

Ae Ra was Lee Su’s closest friend among her medical school classmates.

Since they were the same age and both had entered medical school as first-time applicants in a department filled with repeaters, they’d instantly become close right after enrollment.

“Lee Su, why are you staring at your phone like that?”

“I borrowed an umbrella and am debating whether to contact the person first to return it.”

Lee Su turned off her phone screen and slipped it into her pocket as she spoke.

“An umbrella? Who’d you borrow it from?”

“…Seo Ji Ho.”

Lee Su deliberately paused slightly before saying it.

She could already picture Ae Ra’s reaction too clearly.

“Kyuk! What did you say?”

“Heh heh. Exactly as I expected.”

Ae Ra’s previously indifferent expression instantly transformed the moment she heard “Seo Ji Ho.”

She covered her mouth with both hands in shock, her naturally large eyes widening even more.

Ae Ra had always raved that Seo Ji Ho was even more handsome than celebrities, showering praise every time she spotted him from afar.

She’d once said that just seeing his face in real life made going to school worthwhile—all thanks to Seo Ji Ho.

“What happened? Why do you have Seo Ji Ho’s umbrella?”

Ae Ra turned fully toward Lee Su, her curiosity practically killing her.

“It’s a long story.”

Lee Su summarized everything that had happened between her and Ji Ho for Ae Ra.

“No way! You met on the plane? And you were seated right next to each other?”

Ae Ra’s eyes went round with disbelief.

Lee Su simply nodded lightly—the reaction was exactly what she’d expected.

“Wow, chills! It’s like a movie. How can such a coincidence even happen?”

Ae Ra rubbed her arms as if genuinely getting goosebumps.

“This isn’t just any ordinary connection! You must’ve been so happy!”

“It’s just a series of coincidences. Anyway—wouldn’t it be a bit weird if I contacted him first about the umbrella?”

“No! Call him right now and ask to meet up!”

Ae Ra looked completely baffled by Lee Su’s hesitation.

“Should I do it for you? I really want to hear his voice on the phone. Hehe.”

“Hey, stop it!”

“Why? What are you hesitating for?”

At that exact moment, Lee Su’s phone in her pocket vibrated briefly.