I finally understood why So Young said it wasn’t like that. But it didn’t make sense. A visually impaired author? Is that even possible?

Yeon Ho hung up the phone, unable to properly respond to the statement that the author was visually impaired and needed a manager, which is why he hired Kim So Young.

After hanging up, he thought about it. Even if he has a disability and is an author, isn’t he still a man, and a young one at that? If he’s just using sympathy to keep So Young…!

However, saying such things made him feel like a terrible person. This should be a fair game with somewhat equal conditions.

Yeon Ho stood there for a long time with his car parked in that spot.

She washed the plates and stacked them upside down, and also cleaned the empty lunchboxes and piled them neatly in one corner of the sink.

When the kitchen seemed relatively clean, So Young carefully went out to the living room.

Earlier, as soon as Woo Jin finished his phone call with Yeon Ho, he went into his room without a word of explanation.

It was quite surprising that he revealed his visual impairment directly with his own mouth.

A person who is reluctant to go outside due to people’s stares, saying such things to a stranger?

She couldn’t understand what he was thinking at all.

Woo Jin, for his part, was sitting at his desk, lost in thought. So’s voice was cheerful. Like someone without any worries in life.

It was annoying how he was treating him like a scoundrel, as if he were Kim So Young’s guardian, when they weren’t even dating, asking what he was doing with a young woman.

When she said she was worried about what company name to tell her mother, he was about to suggest calling her a manager if being a housekeeper was a problem.

Honestly, she was doing too many things beyond what a housekeeper would do. Plus, she was too bad at housework to be called a housekeeper.

He thought that if he called her a manager, he could keep her by his side more confidently.

So he did say manager, but… why on earth did he mention being visually impaired?

Was he looking for sympathy? That’s nonsense. To seek sympathy from a stranger, that was definitely not it.

But why then?

Because of the word gaslighting? It was faint, but it seemed like he said that in an attempt to find some justification when asked if he was being gaslighted.

Anyway, since meeting Kim So Young, his daily life had become too eventful to keep up. Something new happened every day. Was this good or bad?

Just then, he heard the shuffling footsteps of the woman who had made his daily life so eventful.

She always lingers in front of the door like that without knocking. Why? Does she think she shouldn’t knock?

Woo Jin got up and opened the door. Soon, a pleasant low voice was heard.

“When are we going for a walk?”

Ah, the walk. The last time he went out with her, the sounds of children and the wind were nice.

Usually, unfamiliar stimuli were unpleasant, but perhaps because she was beside him, it wasn’t unpleasant at all.

Rather, it felt like his chest was opening up? However, fearing that if he showed this feeling, she might really drag him out to the flower pot, he put on an inwardly displeased expression.

Seeing his expression, So Young spoke in a cautious voice.

“You said 10 minutes, Seol Woo Jin. 10 minutes out to the lobby. You didn’t forget, right?”

“…I didn’t forget.”

Although he knew his cell phone was on the desk, he slowly closed the door. He didn’t feel the need to set an alarm.

The path to the lobby was at least familiar. And going past the lobby to the entrance. It was also fine because there was a slide staircase next to it, so there was no hassle of having to go down stairs.

But perhaps because they came out late, unfamiliar sounds like dogs barking and children playing stimulated his ears.

What… why are there so many people?

As soon as Woo Jin came out of the building entrance and stopped in his tracks, So Young looked up at him and asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are there a lot of people?”

At Woo Jin’s words, So Young looked around and said.

“Yes. There are kids playing in the park… and two people walking dogs. But we’re not going that far.”

“Describe it.”

“Pardon?”

“What you see in front of you, describe it.”

It seemed like it would take the full 10 minutes to explain, but So Young started explaining calmly.

“If you go straight ahead, there’s a park. There’s a playground on the right side of the park, and if you go straight down the left path, there’s some kind of… cafe? What is that place? Anyway, there’s a pretty building, and if you keep going straight, there’s a fountain. There’s a baby angel sitting inside a shell on top of the fountain, and it’s smiling. If you pass that and keep going… Huh? What’s that? There’s some kind of sculpture, and there are outdoor tables and chairs and such? I guess it’s a space made for residents to sit and rest. Further on… I can’t see well from here after that. Overall, it’s very spacious and clean. Oh, there’s also a yellow bumpy path on the sidewalk that’s well-made. If Woo Jin uses that path later…”

“Later? Why would I use that path later?”

“Well, if you come out alone, you don’t know the way, right? So if you go on that bumpy path, it seems like you could go anywhere in the complex?”

“I won’t be coming out alone.”

“Oh right, come to think of it, there’s something called a cane that visually impaired people use. Doesn’t Seol Woo Jin have one of those?”

“Why would I need that?”

“When you go out alone, you use it to…”

“I said I won’t be going out alone!”

At his suddenly raised voice, So Young flinched and closed her mouth. It seemed that for Seol Woo Jin, going out alone was a frightening thing even to imagine.

Still, if he lives alone, there would be times he’d have to go out alone. But on the other hand, she wondered if such occasions would suddenly arise when there hadn’t been any in 7 years.

“It’s been 10 minutes. Let’s go in.”

“Huh? There’s still 2 minutes left, you know?”

So Young said teasingly, even though he hadn’t set an alarm. Woo Jin looked down at her with a momentarily confused expression, then gripped her shoulder firmly and took another step.

Perhaps because she had described the yellow path, he now felt the bumpy road beneath his feet. However, due to the tension from the sounds of people in the park, he didn’t feel the same wind as before.

The light wasn’t felt well either, as if it had grown dark. He felt sweat building up on his palm gripping So Young’s shoulder.

“…Hasn’t it been 2 minutes now?”

Before So Young could answer, he spun her body around. At the same time, a ball flew from somewhere and hit So Young’s head.

“Ouch!”

As So Young cried out and crouched down, Woo Jin’s entire body stiffened.

“What? What? What is it?”

“Ow, I got hit in the head with a ball…”

A moment later, two boys who looked like elementary school students came running towards them. A boy wearing spinning glasses looked at So Young with a frightened expression and said.

“I’m sorry!”

“You should play more carefully, it’s too dangerous, kids.”

So Young said as she got up, rubbing her head where the ball had hit. Another boy looked up at the tall Woo Jin and mumbled.

“Can I… take the ball?”

The ball had fallen right in front of Woo Jin, and it seemed the boy felt awkward about quickly picking it up.

Woo Jin, not realizing the question was directed at him, gave no reaction, and the child hesitated.

“Oh, take it. Be more careful when you play next time. Got it?”

As soon as So Young finished speaking, the child quickly bent down in front of Woo Jin’s feet and picked up the ball.

However, as the child’s arm touched Woo Jin’s leg in the process of picking up the ball, he startled and took a step back.

Seeing his tense appearance, So Young grabbed his arm, but Woo Jin was even more startled, shaking off her hand and stepping back again.

Confusion began to grow in his mind. He was startled by So Young’s scream, then surprised by the sudden approach of the children, and now something had touched his leg.

Judging by the sounds he heard, it seemed that So Young had been hit by a ball thrown by the children, and the children had come to find that ball.

However, understanding the situation and unexpected contact were separate issues.

Just before, something had grasped his arm and he had instinctively pulled away. Thinking about it later, it was probably So Young who had grabbed him, but he had shaken her off without realizing.

Moreover, he had unintentionally taken a few steps and turned his body, causing him to completely lose his sense of direction.

Where am I? Where… am I standing now?

As So Young fell away from his arms and he lost his sense of direction, an uncontrollable fear came over him. He thought he should call for So Young, but he couldn’t even open his mouth.

This is why… This is why I didn’t want to come out…!

At that moment, a familiar scent was felt right in front of his nose. So Young spoke quietly, without touching his body at all.

“Woo Jin. I’m here. I’m in front of you.”

Soon, Woo Jin’s golden pupils slowly began to focus on her eye level. His wildly shaking eyes gradually calmed.

“I’m here. Can I touch you? Or do you want to touch me?”

So Young carefully took a step closer to him. Woo Jin, who had been standing like a statue, slowly raised his hand and grabbed her shoulder. So Young also slowly turned her body to let him wrap his arm around her shoulder.

When the same posture as when they had come out was formed, Woo Jin finally let out a small sigh and began to take steps.

As he slowly entered the building entrance, matching her footsteps, he whispered softly.

“It took 30 minutes. No walks tomorrow or the day after.”

“Oh no…”

So Young let out an exclamation of disbelief, but didn’t argue with his words. The palm of his hand gripping her shoulder was very clammy.

She was very proud of him for somehow completing the walk despite numerous variables. She wanted to pat his behind and say he did well, but she felt her arm might be twisted immediately if she did.

As it was getting dark and they were leaving Woo Jin’s apartment complex, suddenly a horn sounded. When she turned around, Yeon Ho was standing outside the driver’s seat.

Huh? He hasn’t left yet?

She was surprised and approached him.

Seeing her fluttery outfit, Yeon Ho momentarily thought she had dressed like that to impress the homeowner, but then remembering that he couldn’t see, he finally realized that she had dressed like that for the interview.

Then, did she actually intend to go for the interview but suddenly change her mind? Why? What did the homeowner say to persuade her? He had many thoughts, but he greeted her with different words.

“What time is it now? Why were you there for so long?”

“That’s what I should be asking? Why are you still here, Senior So? Did you wait for me all this time?”

“I only talked to the homeowner earlier and couldn’t talk to you.”

Come to think of it, there were several missed calls, but she hadn’t called back in case he was driving.

If she had known he was still waiting, she would have given him a call. She felt even more sorry, especially after canceling the interview.

“I’m sorry. Wasn’t it troublesome at school?”

“It was fine. That teacher was going to post a notice anyway… and I just told the vice principal that you couldn’t come because you were sick.”

“I’m sorry. Ah, why did you do something I didn’t ask you to…”

As she blamed him unnecessarily, Yeon Ho curled his finger and lightly tapped her forehead, saying.

“Hey, I did it for you… no, let’s drop it, drop it. But are you really going to be that person’s manager? Didn’t you say you were a housekeeper?”

Surprised by the sudden change in status, So Young had asked Woo Jin, but Woo Jin gave no explanation. He just said it suddenly occurred to him.

Thinking that manager would certainly be better than housekeeper to convince Yeon Ho, she didn’t say anything either. Plus, Woo Jin had even come out as visually impaired.

“A housekeeper or a manager, it’s all the same.”

As So Young spoke as if it was no big deal, Yeon Ho flared up and said.

“How can that be the same? It’s a completely different job! So? What do you do as a manager? And that person is visually impaired, right? It’s not volunteering since you’re getting paid.”

“It’s exactly as it sounds. I’m a manager. I help him with various things because he can’t see.”

“From his voice, he sounded like a young man. How old is he?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is he really an author?”

“Seems like it. There were a lot of books.”

“What’s his name?”

As Yeon Ho took out his phone from his pocket as if to search, So Young said with an expression of exasperation.

“Why are you so curious? He seems to work under a pen name. I searched too, but nothing came up.”

“How does he write if he can’t see?”

“I guess he writes in braille. But I heard visually impaired people memorize the keyboard and do word processing on computers. I think he does that too.”

“So, you’re not going to be a teacher because you’re managing for this person?”

“Well, since this job came first, I want to be faithful to this side first. If I quit later… I’ll look for another job then. I’m really sorry for the trouble you went through to arrange a position for me. I’ll treat you to tteokbokki.”

So Young said, clasping her hands together in a prayer-like gesture and shaking them. However, Yeon Ho seemed not to hear her words and said something irrelevant.

“You… don’t have feelings for that person, right? Like sympathy love or something.”

At this, So Young’s face, which had been apologetic all along, suddenly turned cold.

“Senior So, are you talking strangely? Who’s sympathizing with whom? Would you feel good if I sympathized with you for being a contract teacher?”

At this, Yeon Ho’s face turned red up to his ears.

“Hey, I’m getting a permanent teaching position in 6 months, you know?”

“Anyway. You’re not now, right? How would you feel if I did that?”

“That’s not what I meant! And, are those two things the same?”

“What’s the difference? Senior So. It’s nice that you helped find a job, but don’t talk carelessly about that person’s disability. It’s just that their life is a bit inconvenient, not someone you can freely sympathize with. No, in this world, there’s no one who should be sympathized with or receive sympathy, okay?”

“No, that’s not what I meant, why are you getting so worked up?”

“Because the way Senior So talks is annoying!”

So Young abruptly turned her body and started walking. She really didn’t know why she was so angry, it was probably just a thoughtless remark from him.

Yeon Ho was so taken aback by this side of her he had never seen before that he couldn’t even think to stop her.

She had always been a bit slow and dull in some ways, which he found cute and took an interest in, but the So Young he saw today was nothing short of fierce.

Suddenly, the thought that she might be getting angry because of that homeowner made him clench his fists tightly.