Episode 8
Tak.
Srrrruk.
Returning home and closing her bedroom door, Harang sank to the floor right where she stood.
The strength drained completely from her legs, which had been barely holding her up.
‘Pre-pretend to be in a relationship? With you, Teacher?’
The thought of creating a fake boyfriend had crossed her mind.
But Minwoo knew her lifestyle patterns and narrow social circle down to the last detail.
At first, she thought his interest stemmed from affection for her, but she was mistaken.
At some point, Minwoo began showing an obsession with the people around her.
Where she met them, how she became close, how often they interacted….
He would persistently and exhaustively dig for information.
‘What if they find out it’s fake?’
‘Then we’ll have to act very, very well, won’t we?’
Inhyeok had then suggested using the fact that they lived in the same house.
Minwoo had already seen them together and asked if Inhyeok was her boyfriend.
For Harang, who had thought avoiding Minwoo was her best option, this was a welcome breakthrough.
However, there was one problem……
She had never been in a relationship before and had no idea how to act like someone’s lover.
“Wouldn’t it work if I just do what I’ve seen in dramas?”
Being affectionate, going on dates, having skinship… and if needed, she could just follow his lead. Inhyeok definitely had more experience in this area, after all.
“……Then how far does the skinship go?”
If it came to it, she thought she could probably hold hands or give a light hug.
But what if they had to do more than that? For example, kissing….
“Ugh! What am I even thinking right now?”
As her thoughts strayed into dangerous territory, Harang shook her head vigorously, trying to shake off the blush-inducing ideas.
“Get a grip! L-let’s think about what we need to do right now first.”
Harang decided to postpone those thoughts for now and pulled a few books from her shelf.
She had half-expected him to call it off, given the late hour and his seemingly laid-back image.
But Inhyeok insisted that today’s study shouldn’t be postponed until tomorrow and decided to proceed with the tutoring as promised.
Surprisingly, Inhyeok seemed to be someone who kept his promises well.
Finally calming her pounding heart, she headed towards Inhyeok’s room.
Inhyeok examined Harang’s near-perfect official English test score and her worn, dog-eared books.
He was doing so to gauge her current academic level and abilities.
In the heavy silence that filled the room, Harang stole glances at Inhyeok sitting beside her as he looked over the books.
It was nerve-wracking to have him scrutinize her scores, but seeing Inhyeok up close like this gave her a different feeling.
‘I didn’t know a person’s nose bridge could be that high.’
The sleek bridge led to a nose tip that formed a curve as if sculpted by someone with great precision.
Harang’s clear eyes traced down from the bridge of his nose.
Just as her gaze reached his strong, veiled jawline, Inhyeok set the book down.
“Hajun had good reason to brag. Your scores are excellent.”
Hajun had boasted about his sister as if it were his own achievement, saying she got into Korea University on a full four-year scholarship without any tutoring.
“I was just lucky.”
She could have been arrogant about it, but Harang remained humble.
Whether it was how she was raised or simply because it wasn’t in her nature to show off, he wasn’t sure.
“But there’s also reason for concern.”
“Pardon?”
“Your grammar and reading comprehension are perfect. Your listening is also good, so you’d have no problem understanding conversations with foreigners. But the fact that your speaking isn’t up to par suggests a different issue.”
“……A different issue?”
Inhyeok nodded once, then took a bite from an apple on the desk.
The ripe apple crunched ah-sak as it disappeared into his mouth.
The fresh, sweet scent of the apple tickled Harang’s nose.
“In an interview, you never know what questions you’ll get. I think it’s the anxiety from that.”
“……”
“Extreme tension about not making mistakes and the need to be perfect have created a kind of compulsion.”
Inhyeok tapped the report card filled with perfect scores and A+ grades as he continued.
“To my eyes, these scores look less like medals and more like whips. Pushing yourself is necessary to a degree, but sometimes, it’s just as important to give yourself some breathing room.”
Breathing room. Harang’s gaze sank low as she mulled over the word.
Was she even in a position to afford such a thing?
Staying at the top of her class throughout her school years wasn’t because she loved studying, but because it was one of her means of survival.
After losing their parents overnight, no relative had stepped forward wholeheartedly to help the siblings.
She understood. They had their own families to feed, too.
Even at a very young age, Harang knew the hardships Hajun, who had to shoulder the weight of being the head of the family alone, endured.
He tried to act cheerful in front of her, but she wasn’t unaware of the difficulty she sensed beyond that facade.
So, driven by her guilt towards her brother, Harang threw herself into her studies.
From some point on, getting into a good university and landing a high-paying job became her sole reason for living and her ultimate goal.
If Inhyeok was right, her desperation had, in turn, become her compulsion.
“But don’t take it too seriously. Only those who have learned to relax can truly do it. And I’m a master in that department.”
Noticing the hint of bitterness that flickered across Harang’s face, Inhyeok added,
“So, all you need to do, my dear pupil, is trust me and follow my lead.”
His tone was playful, but it felt reassuring, and Harang found herself nodding emphatically without realizing it.
Their first tutoring session then began.
“It’s okay to make mistakes, so answer with confidence.”
The lesson flowed with Inhyeok asking questions and Harang answering.
Inhyeok waited patiently until Harang finished her stumbling answers, then meticulously corrected the pronunciations tangled up by her nerves.
“Relax your tongue. Try pronouncing it like this.”
Inhyeok demonstrated again.
The tongue visible between his reddish teeth was intensely stimulating.
Combined with his latte-smooth voice, she often lost track of the content and had to strain to concentrate.
She tried hard to follow Inhyeok’s instructions, but as he watched her intently, he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“You need to relax your shoulders.”
The moment the warm body heat touched her, Harang’s shoulders stiffened even more. Inhyeok let out a short, incredulous laugh.
“I tell you to relax, and you tense up even more. What am I going to do with you?”
Harang’s mind went blank. She seemed to have even forgotten how to relax.
After what felt like an hour that stretched into a month,
“Let’s call it a day here.”
Inhyeok announced the end of the session. Simultaneously, Harang let out a long exhale.
A sense of accomplishment welled up inside her—it felt like she had learned more in this one hour than in a month of self-study.
Inhyeok, walking over to his bed and plopping down, said,
“I guess I don’t have to worry as much as I thought.”
“Huh?”
“You’re following along better than I expected. I’m not usually the type to enjoy teaching, but it’s making me ambitious.”
It wasn’t the first time she’d been praised, but hearing it from Inhyeok felt strange.
Harang bit down on her lower lip.
Her heart tickled, and an itchy sensation spread across her palms.
He had helped her with the Minwoo situation today, and she wanted to show at least a minimal courtesy to Inhyeok, who was teaching her so well.
“By any chance…… is there anything you’d like for lunch tomorrow? My morning classes are cancelled tomorrow. Just name it, and I’ll make it for you.”
“Anything?”
“Yes. Anything.”
Inhyeok’s shimmering gaze landed, for a fleeting moment, on Harang’s face, pale as rice cake.
Good thing I kept my distance.
It had been challenging to ignore her eyes, which had been boring into his lips throughout the entire session.
Moreover, the way she startled like a prey animal when he casually touched her shoulder was more than enough to stir his baser instincts.
He thought he had good patience, but it seemed even that had hit rock bottom over the years.
Just a while ago, he thought the small house was a good thing. Now, the problem was that the room was too small.
A meaningful smile spread across Inhyeok’s lips as he casually crossed his legs.
“What do you think I’ll say I want to eat?”
