Chapter 22

“I asked you for help knowing all that, Jeong-a. Sincerely, as a friend.”

‘Help me as a friend.’

Is that some kind of magic spell? Why does just that one sentence make my heart waver?

Because you’ve never once shown weakness. Is that why I can’t turn you down? Or is it because some kind of hope for this relationship has started to take root deep inside me?

How should I help you? That curious expectation started to consume her.

It was the first time she felt awkward walking into Iseong’s apartment. She used to come and go like she lived there. Just two days ago, she’d stumbled in out of her mind.

But today, she entered Iseong’s space with a strange and unfamiliar flutter.

She followed Iseong’s large back with unusually quick steps, which wasn’t like her.

The back of his head was irritatingly calm and quiet.

Without much thought, she ended up in the kitchen. At that moment, Iseong turned around in front of the fridge and asked,

“What do you want to eat?”

Oh, right. I was hungry. She blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Cake?”

For some reason, Iseong’s house always had the kind of cake she liked. And today, she was especially craving something sweet.

“And… soju?”

She felt like she wouldn’t be able to handle today unless she got drunk.

“Cake and alcohol? That’s so like you. But no booze today. You made decisions drunk two days ago too. Today, we do this sober.”

“You bastard.”

Sober what? What are we doing sober? Sex? Is that even possible?

Can we even do that with completely clear minds?

“Sigh… it’s hot.”

“I’ll turn on the air conditioner.”

Moving naturally, Iseong switched on the system AC and took out a mango cake from the fridge to plate it.

“Sit at the table.”

He ordered her in a low voice. She quietly obeyed and took a seat.

Normally, she would have rummaged through the fridge herself like a hungry hyena.

So why was she acting like some refined lady now?

Still, there was one thing she couldn’t give up.

“Alcohol… really not allowed?”

Iseong placed the mango cake and some grape juice on the table and sat across from her.

With a bright smile, he said,

“Grape juice instead of wine. If you pretend it has alcohol, maybe you’ll feel tipsy.”

The super-sweet food and drinks she liked. Always stocked at Iseong’s place, as if by habit. Yeah, it’s nice. It is.

But right now, she needed something intoxicating, not sweet.

Not knowing her thoughts, he handed her a fork and casually asked,

“Is that enough? Want me to cook some ramen too?”

“No thanks.”

She shoved a huge bite of mango cake into her mouth. The sweet flavor filled her mouth, but her mind remained tangled.

You watched me silently as I chewed and chewed.

“You were really hungry, huh?”

I didn’t even realize I was hungry. I was too focused on staying out of your gaze.

After gulping down the grape juice too, Iseong smiled and asked,

“Want more?”

She licked the grape juice off her lips. That subtle motion felt like a slow-motion scene. It hit his eyes sharply.

She lightly teased her tongue again.

“I’m going to shower. Can I use the guest bathroom?”

“There’s a new toothbrush and robe in the drawer. Or do you want me to give you something to wear?”

To her somewhat solemn request, Iseong replied casually.

How could you act so dry and composed? You used to feel so familiar, but now you seem like a stranger.

Godohun and Seoyeora might be watching us like hawks. So why does everything about you feel so new?

Your playful eyes are now deep, your sharp nose elegant, your plump lips seductive…

The hair draped over your forehead looks so tempting…

Why?

Why does your handsome face stand out so much today?

Is it because the indifference in your eyes now feels intense and focused? Because your mischievous lips feel like they’re teasing me sweetly?

“Did you shower?”

“Before I went to pick you up. But I’ll go again. I was sweating.”

“In your room?”

“Why? You want to join me?”

What the hell. What kind of nonsense is that? Emotion should’ve said something back immediately, but nothing came out.

“You crazy?”

She finally managed a reply, but her imagination was already spiraling.

Iseong had loved sports since he was young, and his physique and strength were always top-notch.

People even joked he was born ripped—muscles came easily to him.

He consistently worked out and sculpted his body, keeping it in flawless shape.

Meanwhile, she was born hopeless at anything physical. She had no athletic talent.

Her body was thin with disproportionately prominent chest and hips—skinny-fat.

Some envied it, but to her, it felt like a deformity due to the lack of muscle.

And now he’s saying we should stand naked under LED lighting and look at each other? Oh, please.

She jumped up and hurried toward the bathroom, but then Iseong stopped her with a casual “Wait a sec” and handed her beige shorts and a T-shirt.

“The shorts have a drawstring so you should be able to wear them. The shirt’s mine, so it’ll be big… but it won’t fall off or anything. But I don’t have women’s underwear. If you take it off, I’ll wash and dry it. It won’t take long.”

She stood there dumbfounded.

What was he saying right now? Laundry? Underwear off? Why mention the dryer?

Her head filled with question marks, floating like bubbles.

“It’s fine. I’ll just wear it.”

“It’s hot today. You probably sweated a lot. Must feel gross.”

True. This June heat wave had broken through the rainy season.

She’d been out walking in the blazing sun at lunchtime, sweat dripping down her back.

There’s nothing more uncomfortable than putting back on sweaty underwear.

“I’ll do the laundry later.”

Which meant: I won’t wear any underwear. Not that it’s going to matter anyway.

…Is that going too far?

With her face flushed, she quickly retreated into the bathroom.

She had showered at Iseong’s place a few times before. Back then, it was purely to clean up—no big deal, just grabbing shampoo and body wash. Humming that expensive stuff smells nice.

Today, she couldn’t stop checking her body. Hair removal—passed.

She stared quietly at her bare face and round chest in the mirror.

Sure, Iseong had seen her bare face a million times growing up. But naked body post-childhood?

Ah. Today will make it the third time.

Ha… she couldn’t help but laugh at her own thoughts. She was going nuts.

If she thought about Godohun and Seoyeora watching them, she shouldn’t get involved with Iseong like this.

But that hesitation didn’t beat her stubbornness—or rather, her desire.

After seeing you, all her doubts vanished. Maybe it wasn’t just helping you—it was curiosity, lust, or both.

She left out the underwear and put on the shorts and T-shirt Iseong had given her.

It kind of looked like the oversized hip-hop style she liked. But without a bra, the outline of her chest showed clearly.

Maybe because the T-shirt was beige cotton. The tip of her breasts stood out too vividly. It looked almost intentional.

“Ugh, whatever.”

She rubbed her wet hair with a towel. The strands barely covered the protrusions, but then the shirt got wet and made it worse.

“Sigh.”

She let out a short, sharp breath, then grabbed the towel and her underwear and opened the bathroom door.