Ki Joo opened the door to his studio apartment and stepped inside. He lazily removed his loafers under the entranceway sensor light and set foot in the living room. Due to all the windows being covered with blackout curtains, it was gloomy even at noon.

As he walked straight to the dining room, the only light that illuminated the darkness, the sensor light, suddenly went off. Yet his movements were unimpeded.

Step by step, he went into the dining room, pulled a bottle of carbonated water from the fridge, twisted the cap off, and moved towards the living room sofa while bringing the mouth of the carbonated water to his lips.

Leaning his head back and drinking the carbonated water, Ki Joo lazily sprawled on the sofa. He frowned slightly as the light from the electronic billboard on the building opposite seeped through the living room window.

His fingertips gripped the empty bottle, its contents drained in just three gulps, and he laid his head back.

Tink, tink.

The movement of the fingertips that were idly shaking the empty bottle soon stopped.

Ki Joo silently stood up from his spot. He went to the dressing room, unfastened his wristwatch and placed it in the display case, undid his tie after taking off his jacket, and unbuttoned his shirt. After that, he walked to the bathroom located right next to it.

Grabbing his nape with one hand and tilting his neck in the opposite direction, there was a thud as his bone made a sound. Ki Joo laughed under his breath, amused by his own antics.

I’m mulling over such trifles as memories.

Thinking that, he stepped into the shower booth and turned on the water. Soaking his body under the running water, he stroked his neck.

Should I call it reckless? Or daring?

She audaciously rubbed her lips without fear.

Right. It was neither a kiss nor anything, just a mere touch.

And I went crazy just over that.

Ki Joo twisted his lips and laughed at his past self.

Compared to that, Song Eun Chae had a very calm face. I almost fell for her completely unscathed face.

Her trembling fingers, albeit briefly, her lips that had cooled down as if she was nervous.

I willingly succumbed to the clumsy provocation. It was impulsive. After that, I was curious about the woman’s reaction.

Whether she would get more comfortable and cling more to my body, or whether she would blush with shame, falling for my own trick.

My prediction was completely off. After the act, she pushed me away with a dry face.

No reaction.

It felt like my spine was heavily turned off. That sensation was still vivid.

Ki Joo came out of the shower booth, crumpling up swearlike words at the tip of his tongue. He shook off the water in his wet hair with a towel, and then walked straight into the study. He didn’t care about the water that dripped with every step.

After turning on his laptop and loading the file, he left a brief memo. In it were photos of Chairman Song Myung Hwan, centered around Song Eun Chae, Han Seung Yoon, and Congressman Han Ji Chang.

Ki Joo fixed his gaze on Song Eun Chae’s photo, and then involuntarily turned off the power.

And then he went back to the dressing room. He pulled out one of the similar black suits without hesitation, and wore it. But he pondered when choosing the tie.

Eventually, the tie he put on his neck was a gift from Song Eun Chae.

Should this be called a leash?

Ki Joo scoffed while tying the tie. Then he went ahead and chose the wristwatch Song Eun Chae gave as a gift and put it on his wrist.

((( ))) ((( ))) ((( )))

The residential area was generally flat. Only occasional vehicles passed by, and pedestrians were extremely rare. If you looked at the robust walls behind the robust walls, it felt like a fenced area.

Sitting in the car, Ki Joo was unfeelingly staring at the landscape that seemed like time had stopped, when his eyes reacted to the noise. It was the sound of a heavy gate opening.

Song Eun Chae walked out through the gap. She came out wearing wide boots under a half coat with a cape design, looked back at the main house, and her halftied hair fluttered in the wind.

Ki Joo, with both arms behind his head and knuckles on, leaned deep into the backrest. Song Eun Chae was reflected in the side mirror.

When the housemaid tried to take the viola case from her shoulder, Eun Chae laughed and refused outright.

When the housemaid recommended a seemingly untouched kale juice, she reluctantly took a sip. After that, a tugofwar ensued between the housemaid trying to feed her more and Eun Chae refusing.

Yesterday, she was a different woman from the one who had pushed him away coldly. Smiling, revealing white teeth, moving with vivacity.

Kwon Ki Joo recognized the difference and his gaze hardened. Without hesitation, his long arm reached out to press the car’s start button.

Song Eun Chae turned around abruptly as the engine noise started without warning. Her eyes, realizing someone was in the car, stared in surprise. Then, she spoke to the housemaid before she began to descend the stairs with straight legs.