Chapter 7: As Much as Possible, Like Strangers
“What?”
“I heard somewhere that guys with slick looks don’t really have substance.”
“You’re seriously…!”
Before Taesung could start ranting, Haeyoung cut him off sharply.
“Don’t worry. Even if you beg me to come in, I have no intention of doing so. My goal is to still have 1.5 vision when I turn thirty.”
Haeyoung declared her stance, which she had just firmly established, to Taesung.
“Listen carefully. I don’t want to waste time wrestling over meaningless stuff with you.”
For some reason, Taesung just quietly listened with a strange expression on his face.
His irritating mouth stayed silent, and an unnecessary anxiety began creeping up. But Haeyoung deliberately kept her tone calm and continued.
“So, let’s live like strangers as much as possible, okay? Quietly.”
Taesung gazed into the empty air for a moment, then smiled faintly and agreed.
“…Strangers. Yeah, strangers sounds good. I actually like that phrase.”
With his fairly strong agreement, Haeyoung’s eyes narrowed slightly.
What is that bastard thinking?
There’s a saying that strong agreement often means denial.
Even though Haeyoung knew Taesung wouldn’t reject the idea of living like strangers, it still felt somewhat unsettling that he answered so straightforwardly.
“Then go pack your stuff and come down. Let’s have dinner.”
While wondering if there might be some hidden agenda, Taesung showed an unusually gentle face and extended kindness.
“Uh? Oh…”
Having put Taesung in the devil’s box and speculated about his motives, Haeyoung answered awkwardly.
Did I push things too far toward the negative…?
Maybe Taesung just wanted to live as strangers with her. No matter how badly things had gone before, there was no need to keep getting angry and fighting.
And that degree of kindness was just the kind people show to strangers.
Right, he was agreeing to end the bad relationship and just live as strangers.
I want that too.
Haeyoung shook off her complicated thoughts and went into her room.
The next day.
Even though she slept in a much softer, better bed than at her family’s home, Haeyoung still tossed and turned. After breakfast, she got ready to go to the bookstore.
She needed to buy some workbooks and new stationery she hadn’t brought along.
Having already looked up the unfamiliar Seoul streets in advance, Haeyoung was about to leave home with a slightly nervous heart when Taesung called out while she was putting on her shoes.
“Cha Haeyoung.”
“Huh?”
Taesung’s voice was fairly soft, like yesterday, and Haeyoung quickly turned her head.
“Where are you going?”
“…To the bookstore.”
Haeyoung remained cautious in her tone, but Taesung smiled even brighter and told her about the weather.
“It’s supposed to rain this afternoon.”
“…So?”
Haeyoung asked in surprise, and Taesung handed her an umbrella hidden behind his back.
“Here.”
“Ah.”
“You didn’t bring one, right? Use this.”
“O-Okay.”
Though Taesung’s kindness gave her a prickly feeling as if she might break out in hives, Haeyoung nodded anyway.
It’s almost as hard to reject someone’s kindness as it is to spit on a smiling face.
“Have a good trip.”
“O-Okay…”
When Haeyoung nodded, Taesung turned his back without hesitation and went upstairs.
Tilting her head, Haeyoung put the folding umbrella in her bag.
Four hours later.
The large Seoul bookstore boasted an impressive size.
Though the city was still unfamiliar and didn’t feel cozy, good was good.
Eyes sparkling at the sight of countless books and shiny stationery, Haeyoung bought some workbooks and a few books she wanted to read.
Compared to where she lived before, this bookstore felt like a futuristic city.
Haeyoung took out the umbrella Taesung gave her and filled even the space she stood in with books.
Because of that, her eco bag felt ready to burst from the weight.
But it was okay. After all, she had worked out eating double school lunches to build up her stamina for this.
With a determined step, Haeyoung headed to catch the bus home.
Just then, like Taesung said, rain started pouring.
Though it wasn’t summer, thick raindrops fell like a sudden downpour.
“Ah, the umbrella!”
Haeyoung smiled and quickly opened the black umbrella in her hand.
But with a shhh sound as it opened…
Haeyoung was horrified.
“Joo Taesung, you crazy bastard!”
The umbrella was ripped to shreds.
It was so tattered even a street vendor wouldn’t use it.
Haeyoung couldn’t believe her eyes.
When Taesung gave it to her, it had been neatly folded and rolled, so there was no sign of damage.
Shhhhhhh—
The sky didn’t wait for Haeyoung’s shock and poured harder and harder.
The books, workbooks, and stationery—into which she had invested a good chunk of her grandmother’s allowance—were mercilessly getting soaked.
“No, no!”
Haeyoung didn’t even have time to be angry and scanned for shelter, looking down at her bag.
But the books got soaked before she could get out of the rain.
Of course, it wasn’t just the books. Haeyoung herself was drenched like a drowned rat.
Finally reaching the eaves of a nearby building, Haeyoung checked the books’ condition and threw the umbrella down in frustration.
“Joo Taesung, I swear I’m really not letting this go!”
Then she swore loudly.
It was truly a rough initiation to Seoul.
Drenched and holding the battered umbrella again, Haeyoung returned home.
Without a moment to dry her dripping hair and clothes, she went looking for Taesung.
She was sure he had given her the umbrella on purpose.
“That damn bastard.”
Unable to find Taesung on the first floor, she headed straight upstairs.
No wonder his kindness seemed suspicious. He knew exactly how to mess with people.
Why did I trust Joo Taesung and take that umbrella?
Wishing she could go back in time and give her past self a flick on the forehead, Haeyoung stomped up the stairs and shouted loudly at the door on the second floor.
“Hey! Joo Taesung! Come out!”
Like he was waiting for that, Taesung opened the door and came out.
He strolled down the hallway with his long legs and approached Haeyoung without an ounce of apology, smiling.
To Haeyoung, he looked like a devil.
“You’re back?”
“Did you give me that umbrella on purpose?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Taesung leisurely smiled as he answered.
“That crappy umbrella nobody would even use, I gave it to you on purpose, didn’t I?”
Haeyoung yelled and snapped open the umbrella.
The tattered cloth barely clung to the ribs and dangled pitifully.
Taesung looked at the umbrella for a moment, then finally said “Ah” and shrugged apologetically.
“It was an umbrella I was going to throw away. Must’ve given it to you without realizing.”
“…What?”
“Sorry.”
With that simple two-syllable apology, Haeyoung’s temper spun like a pressure cooker releasing steam.
“You did it on purpose, didn’t you?”
“That’s harsh.”
“What?”
“I was trying to be thoughtful and give you an umbrella, but you look like you’re about to curse me out.”
“I’m trying not to swear right now!”
“Wouldn’t it be better to dry the things you bought instead of wasting time?”
“What?”
Though it was obvious he gave the umbrella on purpose, Taesung’s shameless attitude left Haeyoung speechless.
“Isn’t the ink just going to smear more over time?”
After thoroughly teasing her, Taesung handed out another tip.
Haeyoung barely controlled the boiling anger inside.
“Ah, the hairdryer’s in the bathroom, so feel free to use it. It’s expensive, so it works well.”
Having given her a second useful tip, Taesung turned around and went back to his room.
Haeyoung fought the urge to storm after him and bite him, instead heading downstairs.
Though annoyed, saving her books was the priority as Taesung said.
The day after the umbrella incident, another event made Haeyoung even more convinced.
Taesung had definitely given her the umbrella on purpose.
While washing her hair in the bathroom in the morning, Haeyoung suddenly found herself in trouble.
Taesung had turned off the bathroom light.
“Hey! Hey! Turn the light on! Turn it on! Ow, that hurts!”
Though he turned it back on, it was already too late — the shampoo had gotten in her eyes.
After finishing washing her hair, Haeyoung tearfully and fragrantly stormed into Taesung’s room.
“Hey! Joo Taesung!”
“What?”
“You did that on purpose again, didn’t you?”
“Did what?”
“Turn off the light!”
“Ahhh—.”
“Ahh?”
Hearing him calmly say “Ahh,” Haeyoung felt like she was going to explode.
But his excuse was even worse.
“I’m used to living alone on the second floor.”
“…Huh.”
“I thought no one was here, so I turned off the light.”
“What a thrifty chaebol heir you are.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
Sorry and thanks.
Those two syllables of gratitude made Haeyoung scream like a pterosaur.
“Aaah! You crazy bastard!”
