She planned to have Woo-jin feel them. Although he didn’t like plants, he seemed to take good care of the pot she gave him, so she thought he might be okay with feeling the leaves.

She wanted to let him feel them and tell him that autumn had arrived. To make him want to come outside.
Carefully holding the leaves to prevent them from getting damaged, Soo-yeong opened the front door of Woo-jin’s house, half-expecting to hear thumping and panting sounds. However, the house was as quiet as if a mouse had died.

“Are you not exercising to death today?”

Feeling somewhat disappointed, she went to the kitchen, spread the leaves on the table, and heated up the lunchbox. Today’s lunch was pork cutlet.

She purposely made noise while pacing back and forth in front of Woo-jin’s room. After about ten rounds, she felt her phone vibrate.

Da, vi, d.

Wondering why he was calling from inside the house, she answered the phone with a roll of her eyes.

“Come out and eat.”

After a moment of silence, Woo-jin responded in his characteristic soft voice.

From now on, eat alone.

Despite the softness, there was a chilly tone that seemed to waft through the phone, making Soo-yeong stare at the phone as if it was Woo-jin himself before putting it back to her ear.

“I can’t eat alone.”

Then starve.

The call ended abruptly. Frustrated, Soo-yeong almost punched the phone. She raised her fist toward the door to his room but soon gently lowered it.

His room felt like an absolute no-touch zone, as if surrounded by a barrier that only Seol Woo-jin could lift.

She couldn’t understand why he had put up this barrier again, but as an employee, she couldn’t question her employer about personal matters.

Maybe he was upset because he couldn’t remember that day. She thought if a man pounced on her and then used drunkenness as an excuse for not remembering, she would be angry too.

Hesitating for a moment, Soo-yeong decided to call David again. What kind of situation was this, calling someone in the same house?

There seemed to be some muttering from his room, and then his distinctive voice came through the phone.

What?

“It wasn’t on purpose.”

…What wasn’t?

“That I can’t remember. How can I help it if I really don’t remember? I know it’s irresponsible, but no matter how much I think…”

It doesn’t matter to me if you don’t remember.

“Then why are you upset?”

…I’m not upset.

“Then why aren’t you eating?”

Do I have to eat with you?

“We’ve always eaten together.”

…Not anymore. You do your job and leave.

She wanted to eat with him now, not just because of Ji-hyun’s request. She wanted to talk and spend time with him.

But unsure if it was okay to express these feelings, Soo-yeong bit her lip.

The phone line stayed open, but neither said anything.

Thus, they shared their breaths silently over the phone. For a long time.

Despite her hope, Woo-jin did not come out the next day, nor the day after. The subtle scent of phytoncides that once filled the living room also faded away.