In front of the white mid-size car parked in the library parking lot, Soo Young couldn’t close her mouth. Yet she didn’t miss the chance to speak properly.

“What’s with the car for an unemployed person? Trying to show off?”

However, Yeon Ho shrugged his shoulders and said calmly.

“My father is changing to a new car and said he’d sell this one. For just 3 million won. So he told me to sell it.”

“So senior, you had 3 million won? You were rich.”

Yeon Ho was rather surprised by her words. No way, does this kid not even have 3 million won in her bank account? Where did all the money she earned go?

“Kim Soo Young. If you’ve been an academy instructor for 2 years and don’t even have 3 million won in your account, that’s really serious. Huh?”

“No, I do have it. But you didn’t even do part-time jobs, senior.”

“I did part-time jobs continuously while attending school. Didn’t you know? This senior is a capable man.”

It was funny that he was talking about being a capable man when he was unemployed and a test-taker who just bought a used car, but Soo Young nodded her head in understanding.

“But doesn’t having a car cost quite a bit to maintain? Gas, repairs, and all.”

Then Yeon Ho cleared his throat for a moment and said shyly.

“Senior got a job.”

“Huh?”

Soo Young’s eyes widened at the even more surprising news than getting a car. It seems he wasn’t just calling himself capable because he had a car.

“How?”

“I got a job at a private school.”

“Really? Is it a contract position or a permanent teacher?”

“It’s a 6-month contract for now, and then they said they’ll appoint me as a permanent teacher.”

Then Soo Young’s eyes narrowed.

“Do you have connections at that school?”

“Hey. What do you take me for……”

“It’s strange, isn’t it? They posted a job opening for a permanent teacher when it’s not even a new semester?”

Then Yeon Ho clicked his tongue as if he’d been caught.

“My father’s friend is a director there.”

“I see. I thought so… Ah, this is why they talk about connections. I’m jealous. Tsk.”

Soo Young spoke so bluntly that he felt embarrassed, but he tried to speak in a bright voice.

“When are you going to your part-time job? I’ll give you a ride.”

“Really? Wow!”

Her face, which had been critically questioning about the unemployed having a car and getting in through connections just moments ago, suddenly softened. It was just when she was feeling very reluctant to take the subway.

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll quickly pack my bag and come out.”

Yeon Ho chuckled as he watched her rush back into the library like the wind.

Honestly, he felt quite embarrassed about giving up on the teacher certification exam and getting a job at a private school through his father’s backing, but he was glad that Soo Young accepted it simply, even while mentioning connections.

She forgot that travel time is cut by more than half when riding in a car. Arriving at the apartment complex too early, she wandered around the nearby shopping area, thinking of buying some food before going in.

The braised chicken glistening with oil at the side dish store looked very delicious, but the thought of having to pick out the bones one by one seemed like no easy task.

However, remembering how well he ate, chewing with that pretty mouth when she picked out the bones for him, she couldn’t quite give up on the idea.

Alright. I’ll sacrifice myself again. I’ll fatten that person up by at least 5kg. While the David statue came to mind as a beautifully sculpted body even now, it seemed like it would be good to put on a little weight.

David was too skinny. With his hip bones sticking out like that.

After buying two packs of braised chicken and entering Woo Jin’s house, she hesitated for a moment when she saw unfamiliar shoes at the entrance.

The black Mary Jane shoes were undoubtedly women’s shoes.

Is that sister-in-law person here? Carefully entering the house and placing the shopping bag on the kitchen counter, she heard shouting from beyond the living room.

“…so! …but!”

It sounded like a woman’s voice, but also like a man’s voice. Curious about what was happening, she went out to the living room when suddenly Woo Jin’s room door flung open.

Soo Young, startled, ran into the nearby exercise room. Why am I hiding again?

It reminded her of hiding under the dining table before, causing a sense of déjà vu.

“Just go.”

Woo Jin’s cold voice was heard. Somehow his voice sounded breathless, making Soo Young listen even more intently.

“How long are you going to live like this? I thought you’d changed! I thought you’d changed after reading your writing and hearing Ji Hyun oppa’s story!”

This time it was a woman’s voice. Despite the shouting, it sounded somewhat pure. She wanted to see what kind of woman it was, but couldn’t peek out for fear of being caught.

“What’s it to you! Huh? What’s it to you!”

He was so excited that his falsetto voice was mixed with a metallic sound.

“Why is it none of my business! Do you know how long I waited? Do you know with what feelings I waited!”

“Huh? Wait? You didn’t contact me once in 8 years and you waited? Does someone who waits leave like that? Knowing what state I was in?”

“You should think about how you treated me then! Are you only thinking about me leaving?”

Then there was a sound of something hitting the floor hard.

“So you sent this kind of thing? You always make me aware of what I can’t see! You always make me think I’m someone who needs help! Do you know how angry that makes me?”

“Then! Don’t you need help? Can you go out alone? You’ve never even gone out alone, right? You don’t want to receive help, you don’t want to do it alone, then what are you going to do?”

“Don’t interfere! I’m doing fine without you!”

They were arguing so fiercely that Soo Young couldn’t even leave now. It seemed like the woman needed to leave quickly and Woo Jin needed to go into his room.

Then she could sneak out and pretend to have arrived later, but it was quite awkward.

But as if the heavens heard Soo Young’s wish, the woman suddenly said,

“I’m leaving. I didn’t come here to have this kind of conversation with you.”

Soon there were sounds of footsteps, putting on shoes, and the front door closing. Holding her breath, she waited to hear the sound of Woo Jin’s room door closing, but somehow that sound didn’t come.

What should I do… What should I do…

Afraid that even her breathing might be heard, Soo Young covered her mouth with both hands and stood like a statue for a while, then twisted her body to peek slightly into the living room. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel the vibration throughout her body.

But instead of the desired sound of a door closing, a wheezing sound came from somewhere.

What’s that sound?

Soo Young walked on her tiptoes like a ballerina, holding onto the wall. Finally reaching the front of Woo Jin’s room, she peeked her head out again and glanced into his room.

Unexpectedly, Woo Jin was crouched on the floor with something like an oxygen mask over his mouth.

What? Is he sick?

Though she thought she shouldn’t make a sound, words came out without her realizing.

“Mr. Seol Woo Jin. Are you okay?”

Then large amber eyes that looked like they could shoot lasers glared at her fiercely.

“No, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…”

Before she could finish speaking, Woo Jin suddenly stood up and walked towards her with heavy steps.

Soo Young looked straight into his eyes as he approached, wondering what he was going to say. However, when he came right up to her, he immediately slammed the door shut.

The wind from the forceful closing made her fine hair flutter.

Lying on the bed looking at her phone, Soo Young saw that the time was already 2 AM. She plugged her phone into the charger and lay down straight.

In the end, Woo Jin’s door didn’t open yesterday. She wanted to call him for dinner so badly, but somehow she was scared and couldn’t even go near his room.

Judging from the content of their conversation, it wasn’t his sister-in-law. They seemed to be friends. It seemed the woman had left and reappeared. After a whole 8 years.

What? Was our David dumped 8 years ago? It probably wasn’t because of his face, but 100% because of his temper.

But the woman said she waited… How can she say she waited after leaving?

Somehow the content of the conversation didn’t make sense. The woman seemed shameless.

Ah, our David has a lot of scars.

When she closed her eyes, large amber pupils appeared right in front of her. Feeling inexplicably sorry for him, she stroked her cheek with her hand. She also touched the firm chest.

Though it was imagination, the feeling was vivid. The bumpy stomach… The slender waist… When she wrapped her arm around the waist, she felt the protruding hip bone on her forearm.

Soo Young sat up abruptly in bed. What? What is this? Why is it so vivid? Why do I feel like I’ve touched him?

− Yesterday you rolled me up.

Re-really rolled up? Really rolled? Oh, my… Oh my goodness…

Soo Young flipped the blanket over her head and writhed. How can you not remember touching such a body! How!

Suddenly the woman with the pure voice came to mind. Would she have rolled him up like that too? No way. If they were apart for 8 years. 8 years ago they would have been high school students, if they rolled up then… These are complete delinquents, aren’t they?

This is why pretty ones… Tsk.

While she was jealous of a woman whose face she didn’t even know, and now cursing them both together, her phone suddenly started vibrating.

Huh? At this time of night?

When she picked up the phone, the caller’s name was clearly visible in the darkness. Da, vid.

David? David at this hour? To me?

Wondering if he had meant to call Seol Ji Hyun and dialed wrong, she still pressed the answer button.

“Hello?”

She was startled by her own attempt to make her voice as sweet as possible, but soon composed herself and held the phone properly.

However, the other person also seemed shocked by her voice and said nothing. I knew it, he called the wrong number.

Expecting him to hang up once he realized the mistake, she waited, but he surprisingly had no reaction. She could guess he was still holding the phone from the faint sound of breathing.

Soo Young also remained silent without saying anything. It was a strange thing. They were clearly far apart, and not even having any conversation, but it felt like he was right next to her.

That time on the subway too, she liked this feeling so she didn’t turn off her phone…

As always, phones are amazing devices. They’re cold and hard, but at the same time they can do such kind things.

How long did they just exchange breaths? Soo Young turned on the bedside lamp and picked up the book she had turned face down.

It was the book she had read on the subway last time. Not remembering where she had read to then, she just calmly started reading from the part she hadn’t read yet.

“The underground prison made of stone all around had special facilities added to make it as hot as a furnace on all sides. Ian, Mark, and Heringer were all working with their upper bodies bare, but the sweat pouring like rain made the uniform pants sticking to their bodies quite uncomfortable to move in. Leonard was the only one shivering in the cold, breathing out white puffs of air even while wearing thick fur clothes. When shackles were fastened to both his arms and legs, the knights stepped back…”

As Soo Young read the book in a calm voice, Woo Jin’s breathing gradually became more composed. When the characters’ dialogue came up, there was a slight disturbance in his breathing.

“Your Highness. How are you? Seeing him unable to answer due to the severe cold, the knights’ eyes were filled with pity, but there was nothing they could do in this situation. After a while, Luca with purple eyes and a small, thin body like a child approached Leonard holding a black medicine bottle. Eat this. It will hurt less…”

While she was trying her best to read with some variation in her voice, a chuckle was heard from the other end of the phone. It definitely didn’t seem like he was laughing because it was funny. Regardless… Soo Young focused on reading the book again.

How long had she been reading when her eyes started to blur? It was partly because quite some time had passed, but also because of Woo Jin’s even breathing.

The breathing that had been going up and down became steady at some point. The laughing sound like air escaping also stopped being heard at some point.

Soo Young stopped reading and remained quiet for a moment. She thought that if he was awake, he would react somehow when the reading sound stopped.

However, even when the reading sound stopped, his breathing remained consistently even. Once it seemed certain he had fallen asleep, she pressed the end call button.

Earlier she had been scared thinking he was angry about overhearing the conversation, but hearing even just his breathing made her feel relieved. If he was still angry, wouldn’t he have hung up as soon as he realized she had answered?

Soo Young also put down the book and slipped into bed.

Seeing him unable to sleep even at this late hour, it seemed his mind was troubled.

When she first saw him, she thought he just had a handsome face, but with his informal speech and rudeness, there wasn’t a single thing she liked about him. But the more she learned about him, the more things she found herself caring about.

But when he’s with her, he eats well, and it seems he sleeps well when she reads to him like this. Somehow she felt grateful to him.

She wondered if there had ever been a time in her life when she had been this helpful to someone else.

Although her part-time job was starting to feel less like a housekeeper and more like a babysitter, for some unknown reason, she was starting to enjoy the time spent with him more and more.

And the next day, she felt even more rewarded as a babysitter.