Chapter 24
Srrk.
There was the sound of a white shirt being removed from a solid frame and placed on a nearby chair.
A moment later—
As the sound of a neatly folded shirt being lifted from a box followed, Seung-eon’s gaze, which had been trying to look away as if not noticing, naturally shifted in that direction.
Her eyes fell on the bare skin of an uncovered back.
Srrrk.
Each time Jeong Hee-do moved his thick forearms to unfold the folded shirt, the muscles running from his shoulders to his arms rippled, and even the faint lines along his straight, firm back moved slightly.
Seung-eon, quietly watching, let her gaze travel upward.
From his smoothly defined shoulders stretched a broad back, tapering into his waist—filled entirely with muscle, without a trace of fat.
Every time he reached out his arm, the triangular blades of his shoulder moved naturally, like a scene worth admiring.
After stealing glances at his back for a long while, Seung-eon finally rose from her seat.
Slowly—very slowly—she approached from behind, stopping close to where Jeong Hee-do still stood with his back to her.
“…Not bad.”
“……”
“You wouldn’t have picked this yourself, so… I should thank Chief Chu again—”
But as Hee-do slipped on the shirt from the box and began buttoning the front, he froze.
He had just noticed Seung-eon standing so close behind him.
Startled by her sudden approach, Hee-do didn’t answer, just looked at her. Seung-eon looked up at him.
Really…
There’s no discomfort.
If it were the Kang Seung-eon of the past, no matter that it was Hee-do—he was still a man—and holding eye contact for so long at such close range would have been impossible.
She’d probably started experiencing this aversion sometime around the end of middle school, and Hee-do, knowing the reason, had even shielded her from other friends when she felt uncomfortable.
But now—
I’m not uncomfortable at all.
It didn’t make sense to say it was just because they’d known each other for so long.
“Sorry, but could you step back a little?”
“Your limit?”
“Yeah. I’m feeling queasy.”
Even in college, and later, when they reunited to work at Lukin, this cursed symptom had always held her back.
And yet now—
…We’re close.
Close enough that if she reached out, she could touch him in an instant.
So close she could feel Hee-do’s breath as he looked down at her with lips pressed shut.
I could… actually do it.
If she rose slightly on her toes and lifted her head… she might be able to cover those firmly closed, faintly flushed lips with her own.
“Hee-do.”
Her sudden seriousness, when moments earlier she had been smiling from a distance, put a trace of tension on his face.
“Do you remember?”
When Hee-do just waited in silence, she continued:
“We said if neither of us had anyone by forty, we’d save each other, right?”
Hee-do still didn’t answer.
In her eyes, the way he looked at her was as if he had already confirmed that he was the secret boyfriend she’d been hiding.
“I have a favor.”
“What favor?”
“Don’t ask, just do it. Close your eyes.”
At her soft request, the fine lines between his brows twitched. As Seung-eon watched those lines draw together and then ease again, she saw his large, dark eyes slowly close.
She lifted her lowered arm toward the front of his shirt, which just barely covered his chest.
If I unbutton this…
If she opened it wide—
She could probably find that one small mole under his left chest with ease.
His breath was growing slightly rougher, as if silently telling her he would let her do whatever she wanted. Her restless fingers moved toward his shirt buttons.
“Kang Seung-eon.”
“Mm.”
“What are you doing?”
Her entire attention was fixed on one nearly undone button.
When Hee-do realized her fingers were now on the button at the center of his chest, he frowned and asked—but her eyes were still locked there. It was so close to being visible.
“Kang Seung-eon.”
“……”
“Hey, Director Kang. Director!”
Damn it.
The thought of secretly unbuttoning it was ruined when Hee-do stepped back.
She let out a sigh, then lifted her head with a bright smile.
His eyes were full of suspicion, as if asking What the hell are you doing?
Well… in that case.
She decided to be shameless.
“Can’t you just show me?”
His eyebrows twitched again.
“Show you what?”
What else—
“Take off your shirt and let me see your chest.”
Or—
“Should I take it off for you?”
She felt oddly refreshed.
It’s easier just to say it straight to Hee-do.
He wasn’t just anyone—he was closer than family.
After all they’d been through together, trying to sneak around hiding her intentions felt ridiculous.
When he just gave a short, incredulous laugh and stayed backed away, she smiled again and stepped closer.
“Why avoid me? Is showing your chest so hard?”
“…Huh?”
“It’s not like it’ll wear out. I’m just curious.”
“Curious about what?”
Something I need to confirm.
“I’ll see you Friday after work. On the rooftop.”
Right before the end credits rolled in the game Echo,
Hidden Character No. 928 had said that to her—before her final choice.
The way he’d spoken had been different from Hee-do’s usual manner, but if he really was Hee-do, hiding his identity wouldn’t have been difficult.
So—
I have to confirm it.
She smiled faintly at him as he looked at her warily.
Hee-do… are you him?
And if you are, then I—
Bzzz. Bzzz.
She stepped closer, and he instinctively backed away.
The space between them kept closing and opening until they reached the window—leaving him trapped there.
Bzzz. Bzzz.
Unlike her, whose gaze was fixed only on him, Hee-do’s backward retreat ended when he bumped into the window railing.
“Kang Seung-eon.”
“Mm.”
“You’ve got a call.”
“I know.”
“Shouldn’t you answer it?”
“Why bother? I’m doing something important right now. I can call back later.”
“Important, huh? As if—”
His words stopped.
Just as she was about to step forward again, she froze. He was holding up her phone.
[Woojin 010-XXXX-2328]
Her eyes went wide.
“Mind if I answer?”
She couldn’t say anything as his finger hovered over the call button.
—Hee-do hyung! Are you with noona?
*
Damn it.
The car pulled smoothly to a stop in front of a familiar place.
We were almost there…
The thought of what had just happened gnawed at her.
At least it wasn’t a total loss.
If nothing else, she’d learned one thing today—
She no longer felt any aversion to physical contact with Jeong Hee-do.
Before, even with him, being close had been too much.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”
Unbuckling her seat belt, she heard him speak from the driver’s seat.
“I know the way. Thanks for the ride.”
“……”
“What?”
Waving her hand to dismiss his concern, she tilted her head at his steady gaze.
“Call me when you’re inside. Check if Woojin’s okay.”
“He’s fine, fine. Don’t worry.”
She laughed and waved again, stepping out and closing the door.
He watched her for a moment through the open window, then drove off with a loud rev of the engine.
I’ll get another chance.
Consoling herself with the thought that the day hadn’t been entirely unproductive, she turned and entered the elevator.
Noona… I’m in so much pain.
When she hadn’t answered, Woojin had even called Hee-do, his voice breaking. In that moment, she hadn’t thought of anything else.
Here? 1704.
But her apartment was 3303.
Why would Woojin be in 1704?
Ding-dong.
Arriving at the door, she pressed the bell.
As soon as she heard the click of the lock turning, she began to speak.
“Excuse me. I heard my Woojin is here—”
And then she froze.
Her eyes widened at the sight of the person who opened the door.
Why… are you here?
