Crash.
Winter flinched at the sudden sound of something shattering while she was working in her room.
“Oh my god…”
Stopping what she was doing, she cautiously stepped out into the living room—and there he was. The man, casually brushing soil off his pants, standing on her terrace. Winter’s mind short-circuited.
This time, it was the rubber tree in a ceramic pot.
He had climbed over the terrace again—this time wearing slippers.
What the hell did he bring this time?
While Winter’s eyes scanned him, the man kicked off his dirt-covered shoes and strolled inside as if he owned the place.
Her cold, glaring gaze followed his every step.
“Why are you doing this? Did you make it your mission to smash every pot I own at FLX retail price?”
“That guy came by again.”
“What, do you think this is a neighborhood café or something?”
“He’s not a loan shark, don’t worry.”
“Hah. Who said I was worried about that, Seon Eun-woo? You think you’ve got two lives? This is seriously—”
“Wait, are you worried about me right now?”
Winter scoffed in disbelief.
“I’m just trying not to get dragged in as a witness, thank you very much.”
“Sounds like you’ve got something to hide.”
Excuse me?
Winter’s thoughts screamed, but before she could say it aloud, Eun-woo casually locked the terrace door behind him and pulled the curtain shut.
“Since you’re already helping, might as well go all the way, right? What’s a good neighbor for?”
“Help is supposed to be voluntary. You can’t just force people into it. You’re unbelievable.”
Storming up to him, Winter pointed to the front door with a sharp finger.
“Get out. Now!”
But Eun-woo made himself comfortable on her couch, completely unfazed.
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“Then let’s go to the police station together.”
“Why would I go to the station with you?”
“You broke the FLX deal. We had an agreement.”
“That was then. Wasn’t it a one-time thing?”
“A one-time deal for something that pricey?”
“How much exactly? If I pay, will you stop this nonsense?”
As Winter rambled in frustration, Eun-woo stuck a finger in his ear, leaned back, and closed his eyes.
“I’m exhausted. If that guy shows up again, wake me up.”
When there was no response, Eun-woo cracked one eye open.
Winter was still standing in front of him, fuming.
Looking up at her, he smirked.
“Thanks. I’ll just rest a bit.”
Winter bit her lower lip, barely holding back her rage.
__________⋆ 𖤓 ⊹₊˚࿔ ❄︎ᝰ.________
Meanwhile…
As the elevator doors opened, Jun-oh arrived at Eun-woo’s apartment. With practiced ease, he punched in the password and stepped inside.
A few days ago, the CEO had handed him this address and told him to check it out.
Jun-oh had thought it was a mistake—especially once he turned onto a bumpy countryside road.
But here he was.
“Damn. The boss’s instincts are scary good.”
He had discovered Eun-woo with those instincts.
Jun-oh scanned the empty living room and grinned.
“Seon Eun-woo. I’m bringing you back to Seoul today, no matter what.”
Whistling, he plopped down on the couch to wait.
__________⋆ 𖤓 ⊹₊˚࿔ ❄︎ᝰ.________
Winter returned from grocery shopping to find Eun-woo nervously tapping his foot on the couch.
“Is he gone?” he asked immediately.
“I don’t know. But the car you mentioned is still parked outside.”
Ugh, why won’t he leave?
Eun-woo grumbled and glanced at his watch. It had been six hours since he arrived at Winter’s apartment.
As the sun set and the living room dimmed, Winter flipped on the lights. A bad feeling started creeping in.
Spending an entire day alone with this guy… no way. But still…
“I just need to ask. Hypothetically…”
“What?”
“If he doesn’t leave tonight, you’re not actually planning to stay, right?”
It was a serious question, but unlike Winter, Eun-woo looked perfectly calm as he gazed at her.
“I might be.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Scared I’ll ask to share your bed?”
“You’re insane.”
“Relax. You’re not my type.”
“…What do you want me to say to that?”
Winter slammed her grocery bag onto the table.
Just then, a weird growl echoed through the quiet apartment.
At first, she wasn’t sure what it was. But after a glance at the clock—past 7 p.m.—and Eun-woo’s awkwardly evasive expression, she figured it out fast.
Seriously? You’re hungry now?
“You hungry?”
“No.”
A long silence followed… until another growl filled the room. Winter couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“Yup, you’re definitely hungry.”
“That’s just digestion.”
“Yeah, sure it is.”
He had said he’d been out since morning. Honestly, he didn’t look like the type to feed himself properly.
Winter decided to cook kimchi stew. It was safe—hard to hate, and easy enough to make. Even if the man across from her looked like someone who only ate steak off fancy plates, that wasn’t her problem.
No way was she asking for his preferences. Not after he barged in twice.
She grabbed her mom’s kimchi from the fridge. Good kimchi meant half the work was done.
With sesame oil in the pot, she sautéed the kimchi and pork, then added water when the meat browned.
She had just started slicing onions when—
“You were just yelling at me to leave.”
His voice, right by her ear, made her jump. His breath brushed her neck, making her instinctively rub her ear.
“Why are you whispering at my ear?”
“I’m breathing, not whispering.”
“Well it’s creepy. Can you not?”
Eun-woo stepped back, looking amused.
“You know the saying—feed your enemy rice cakes?”
“Oh, so I get an extra helping ‘and’ a verbal beating? Great.”
“Why do you keep bringing that up? I already apologized!”
Ugh, petty.
Winter grumbled as she halved the onion.
She was slicing carefully when she noticed Eun-woo watching her.
“Will we even get to eat this tonight?”
“You said you weren’t hungry. Wait until tomorrow!”
Without a word, Eun-woo snatched the knife from her hand and expertly chopped the onions.
Winter’s jaw dropped.
“…You’re actually pretty good.”
“You, on the other hand, look like you’ve never cooked before. You’ll cut yourself like that.”
“Hey, this is my first time living alone! You learn as you go. Were you perfect from the start?”
“Think so.”
Always bragging.
“I’m good at pretty much everything.”
“…”
“Whether it’s with my hands—or my body.”
He grinned and tossed the chopped vegetables into the pot.
Suddenly, the kitchen felt too hot. Winter touched her cheeks.
She set the table with nothing but kimchi stew and two bowls of rice. They sat across from each other.
“I don’t know how to make side dishes yet. But… enjoy.”
Winter took a cautious spoonful. Thankfully, it was just right. Maybe Eun-woo’s added ingredients helped.
Toward the end of the meal, Eun-woo looked around and said,
“There’s no TV here.”
“I don’t watch TV.”
That explains it. So she didn’t recognize me.
Just that one detail put Eun-woo at ease.
“You really sold it? On FLX?”
“Yeah.”
“How much?”
“…A million won?”
“Knew it.”
“What? What was the original price?”
“Two million.”
“Get out. I checked—it was just over a million.”
“Depends on the model. Mine was limited edition with a premium.”
“…So?”
“Nothing else to say, huh?”
“I’ll do the dishes.” He got up, picking up their empty bowls.
So it happened. Just as she feared. She was spending the whole day with this guy.
Alone. In her house.
Winter had no experience with men. None.
And yet, this was the first man she shared a night with?
Of all people?
She shot a sharp look at Eun-woo.
…Okay, he wasn’t the worst.
“You have something to say?”
Lost in thought, she blinked to see him looking at her from the couch.
“Uh, no?”
“You were staring like you wanted something.”
Ugh. Pervert.
Why did everything he say sound so suggestive?
“When are you leaving? I’d like to sleep.”
“Sure. Good night.”
She bowed her head and turned away—then stopped.
It was the way he acted, like he lived here. It messed with her sense of reality.
“Hey. ‘This is my house’, remember? Want me to kick you out again?”
Unbothered, Eun-woo stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes, smiling faintly.
“Winter.”
“What?!”
“Lock the door when you go to bed.”
__________⋆ 𖤓 ⊹₊˚࿔ ❄︎ᝰ.________
T/N : Okay, so this episode was a little vague with wording. For those who didn’t understand the earlier mentions of FLX … It’s probably some second-hand market kinda thing. So her pots are from there I guess. And when he mentions FLX deal , it means she told him she sold his game console (which actually the neighbor boy did) and later it’s the same as well. Let me know if you don’t understand something.
