On the other hand, Yeongsun sat at the dining table, contemplating what had happened during the day.

As Sooyoung watched her leave in the car, Yeonho approached and stood beside her.

“Didn’t you meet Sooyoung?”

“Yeah. She just took a ride with her boyfriend.”

While Yeongsun remained silent, Yeongmi spoke on her behalf. At that moment, Yeonho opened his mouth with a worried expression.

“Did you hear what I said? That writer… confessed to liking Sooyoung.”

“I heard he’s visually impaired.”

Finally, Yeongsun spoke up. With her knowledge, Yeonho found it easier to talk to her.

“Yes. So it seems he appealed to Sooyoung’s sympathy. Probably said he’d give her a book or something.”

“…!”

Seeing Yeongsun and Yeongmi’s expressions clouding simultaneously, Yeonho smiled gently.

“But don’t worry too much. It doesn’t seem like it’s a serious relationship yet. Right now, it’s probably just because of sympathy and curiosity. It’ll likely settle down over time.”

“I…”

Yeongsun looked at Yeonho and spoke quietly.

“I thought Sooyoung was dating a teacher.”

Then, Yeonho scratched his head awkwardly.

“In fact, I liked Sooyoung too and confessed, but she said she’s dating that writer. I said I’ll wait. Whenever she breaks up with him, she agreed to meet me.”

In response to his words, Yeongmi laughed generously.

“Oh, young people are so considerate. Our Sooyoung got herself a very nice senior.”

With a clean appearance, good manners, and being a teacher, he seemed like the perfect groom in Yeongmi’s eyes.

Yeongsun had the same thoughts as her sister but silently looked in the direction her daughter had driven away.

Even when you love, why do they have to experience sympathetic love just like oneself? She was fearful that her daughter’s future might turn out like hers.

The sky was clear without a single cloud, the autumn wind was pleasantly cool, not too cold or too hot.

Leaning against the wide back, with arms wrapped around the waist, there couldn’t be a more stable posture.

The sound of pedaling was delightfully rhythmic. Ah, it feels good… But… where am I right now?

Suddenly raising my head, I realized I was riding a bicycle. More precisely, Woojin was pedaling in front, and Sooyoung was holding onto him from behind.

How am I on a bicycle? How is this man riding a bicycle now?

“Seol Woojin!”

“Huh?”

“Are we riding a bicycle now?”

“If you look, you’ll know.”

“How? I can’t see.”

“But how?”

Suddenly, a large truck rushed towards them, its headlights flashing.

“Woojin! Look ahead!”

“Why?”

In Woojin’s sharp gaze looking back, the truck’s headlights overlapped.

Heeuk!
Sooyoung took a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. In a room as dark as pitch with blackout curtains, she found herself lying down.

Turning her head at the ticklish breath on her cheek, she saw Woojin sleeping soundly with his chin resting on her shoulder.

What… is this a dream…?

Sooyoung carefully slid herself away to avoid waking Woojin and moved down under the bed.

And for a while, she sat there in silence.

The dream felt so vivid; she couldn’t grasp what day it was or what time it might be now.

Suddenly, memories of today surfaced in chronological order. There was a book publishing event, they went to Woojin’s house together, had dinner with Jihyun, and she lay beside Woojin until he fell asleep.

She had intended to stay only until he fell asleep, but it seemed she had fallen asleep before him. What time is it now?

Quietly slipping out of the room, she checked her phone on the dining table. It was already past 10 o’clock.

There were 10 missed calls, all from her mom.

Sneaking away like a person stealing something, Sooyoung carried her bag, carefully left his house, and called Yeongsoon as soon as she exited the apartment building. After a while, she finally answered the call.

Where are you?

Even from her voice alone, Sooyoung could sense that her mom was very angry.

“I’m on my way now.”

Where?

“Uh? To… the library?”

It was an absurd statement. Does it make sense to be at the library at this hour on a day like today?

But it was too late to say it was the writer’s house.

You keep lying!

Honestly, she didn’t lie too often. Feeling unfairly accused by her mom’s words, she said, “It’s true. I’m with friends. I’ll be there soon.”

Even though she felt unjust, the next lie came naturally. Whether her mom believed it or not, Yeongsoon’s sigh could be heard through the phone.

Hurry back.

It felt less terrifying to hear her voice.

Feeling how intense Yeongsoon’s gaze was, Sooyoung instinctively covered her head with her palm.

“What’s your relationship with that writer?”

To check if her mom heard anything from her friends, Sooyoung cautiously gauged her mom’s reaction.

“What relationship!”

“I saw you hugging him!”

When Sooyoung looked at herself through Yeongsoon’s fierce eyes, she swallowed nervously.

“Didn’t you say the writer is visually impaired?”

“Well…”

“You’re dating someone like that?”

Watching Sooyoung’s face turn pale, she unconsciously swallowed her saliva.

“You, quit that part-time job.”