Chapter 33

Just because you think of someone doesn’t mean they’ll magically appear.

But maybe this was inevitable. I’d been thinking about you all day.

That unfamiliar, wild night we spent together—so electrifying I’d never felt anything like it before.

We never really had a “first meeting.” I noticed you before I even recognized myself. You being beside me always felt natural.

And yet, the naturalness of you had suddenly become unbearably unnatural. How could someone I’d known for 29 years become so awkward and distant after one night?

How… could a single call make me so nervous?

Clearing her throat unnecessarily, she picked up her phone, pretending to sound indifferent—just like always with him.

“Yeah? What?”

[Gamjeong.]

Why was he suddenly calling her name like that, all serious?

“Yeah.”

[What are you doing?]

She quietly stared at the clothes she had packed into her suitcase.

“Cleaning up my dark past.”

There was a pause. Iseong’s voice came, lower and heavier.

[…Are you with Go Dohun?]

“No. It’s not like that. I guess you could call it the crime scene. I came to sort through my stuff and finalize selling the house.”

[That house?]

She didn’t have the nerve to call it their “honeymoon home” either.

“Yeah. Dohun’s not home right now due to some personal stuff. I figured I’d sell the house and pack up my things.”

[Don’t you have a lot of stuff?]

“I’ll just cram it into a suitcase.”

[I’ll bring the car. Wait for me.]

Ah… Why did her heart sink like that? Normally, she’d have teased him—“Your poor sister’s arm’s about to fall off, bring the car!”—like always.

But that comfort, that vibe, wasn’t there anymore. Why?

“I’m good. All I’ve got left is stamina.”

A soft chuckle tickled her ear.

[Even that stamina’s not all that, is it?]

She knew exactly what he meant. He was teasing her about the first night, when she had fallen asleep completely exhausted.

She tried to play it cool, but his words made her flustered.

“Hey, seriously. I can handle my own stuff, so butt out.”

[Why? Is seeing me too awkward?]

He hit the mark. All her carefully lined-up lies fell apart.

“Very awkward. So don’t come.”

[Now I have to. I need to see that awkward little face of yours.]

“I said don’t come!”

[Yeah, yeah. See you soon.]

“Hey, you jerk—!”

She didn’t get to finish. The call had ended.

Iseong was definitely coming. She could feel it.

She scrambled to pack her things quickly. A potential buyer was coming at 6, and now there were only ten minutes left.

Then the door lock beeped loudly.

Beep-beep-beep-beep—click.

Startled, she rushed to the entrance. The real estate agent wouldn’t come unannounced.

Huh?

“Hey! Why are you here?”

Go Dohun was kicking off his shoes at the entrance.

“The visit got canceled. Were you packing?”

Stepping inside, he glanced at the suitcase and asked:

“But why didn’t you just call? I could’ve helped.”

“You’ve got a lot of stuff. I came to drive you. Snuck out of the hospital for a bit.”

“What is wrong with you? We’re over, and this is how you act? Just go. I’ll handle my own stuff.”

She zipped her suitcase aggressively. Said the same thing she had told Iseong: “I can manage on my own.”

Too many people were meddling in her life lately.

But the tone was different. With Iseong, it was practically whining. With Dohun, it was genuine irritation.

Dohun didn’t even pretend to hear her. He grabbed her suitcase and started heading for the door.

“I’m already here. I’ll drop you off on the way back to the hospital.”

She hurried after him, reaching out.

“I said I don’t like that. Why do you always do whatever you want? Give it back.”

Her outstretched hand was ignored. The elevator doors opened, and Dohun stepped in confidently. She had no choice but to follow.

In the elevator down to the first floor, she grabbed the suitcase handle to snatch it back, sparking a tug-of-war.

Then Dohun yanked hard. She lost balance and fell against his chest.

His arms caught her. Just like that, she was in his embrace.

“Shit.”

She tried to push him away, but his arms didn’t budge. The physical contact startled her.

What once thrilled her—his embrace—now felt repulsive and horrible.

She squirmed and spoke coldly:

“Let go.”

“Give me a kiss and I will.”

“You’re insane.”

She stomped hard on his foot with her heel. His arms dropped instantly.

The elevator dinged at the first floor. She dragged her suitcase out, leaving him groaning behind.

But Dohun wasn’t giving up. He caught up and snatched the suitcase again. She blocked his way at the parking lot.

“Hey.”

“I take back the kiss thing. But I’m not giving up on giving you a ride.”

“Have you lost your mind? I only gave you the time of day because your mom’s sick. You’ve forgotten your place, haven’t you? What the hell are you doing?”

“Don’t push me away like that. You’re being cold. Scary, even.”

“You’re supposed to be scared. Of course I’m cold. You and I? We’re not meant to end warm and beautiful.”

Dohun looked at her with yearning eyes, voice trembling.

“Can’t it be beautiful? Can’t we be… warm?”

“No. We can’t.”

“……”

“God. Even a stray dog would laugh at this.”

The cold air lingered between them as Dohun exhaled slowly.

“…I regret it. I regret it like crazy. Every day, every hour, every second. Isn’t that enough to earn a second chance?”

“No. Because I saw you two… naked. Every time I look at you, I’m disgusted. Revolted. How can I give a chance to that? Second chances aren’t something you demand. If you really regretted it, you wouldn’t be forcing one.”

She turned away, but then Dohun whispered softly:

“I love you. I… still love you.”

It was awful. Sad. She hadn’t expected a pathetic confession from her cheating ex. It was pitiful.

With a sigh, she opened her mouth.

“Hey.”

Just then, a dark figure appeared beside her like a shadow.

“She doesn’t love you.”

With gleaming black eyes and a smirk, Iseong stepped in.

Go Dohun narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“What the hell are you doing here? This isn’t some drama. Why are you acting like the lead?”

“You’re not even a proper villain. Just a random background extra. Get lost. Why are you blocking Gamjeong’s path, you punk?”

“Then who are you to her? Are you her ending or something? Don’t get cocky. If you’re a friend, act like one and stay out of her love life. Why are you always butting in and making a scene, you bastard?”

“I only butt in because you’re trash. Barking so proudly like you’ve got the right. Maybe I’m not her ending—but you? You’re nothing. Just trash in the way of my friend. If I don’t kick the trash aside, what kind of friend would I be?”

Before she could even intervene, the argument turned into a full-blown verbal battle.

She felt overwhelmed—furious at Dohun, embarrassed by Iseong’s presence, and terrified that Dohun might realize things had changed between her and Iseong.

Her thoughts were spiraling.

Go Dohun, fuming with no comeback, finally lashed out with a sharp glare:

“You’re just a wolf in friend’s clothing, aren’t you?”