Alone in a Man’s House?
“And right now, it’s just you and me here.”
Right, it really is just the two of us.
Even though she knew it was a joke, Yulri couldn’t help but feel flustered. Trying to shift the topic, she quickly glanced around the room. That’s when her eyes landed on a cat tower tucked in the corner.
“Do you have a cat?”
Had it hidden itself out of caution around a stranger? But no trace of the cat could be found anywhere.
She wasn’t especially fond of animals, but at least having a cat around would make the awkwardness of being alone together slightly easier. However, the disappointing answer came quickly.
“It went back to my family home. Both the cat and my friend. They’ll only be back on the weekend.”
So, that meant he really would be alone tonight.
In that case…
“I’ll be going now, then.”
Yulri grabbed her bag lying nearby and quickly rose from the sofa. But before she could fully stand, Jeho caught her wrist. In that awkward position, neither sitting nor standing, Yulri looked at him. He tightened his fingers gently.
“I wish you could stay a little longer…”
Was it the tremor at the end of his voice? Somehow, his gaze looked faintly wistful. His face seemed paler than usual. The man who had never shown weakness before… Yulri was struck by an unfamiliar feeling.
Should she call it a protective instinct? Her chest felt tight, her throat tickled, and she couldn’t move her feet.
Eventually, Yulri sat back down on the sofa. As she returned to her seat, Jeho released her wrist and stepped back.
Of course, maybe it was just her imagination, but the wrist that had been held felt like it was burning, the warmth slowly spreading through her body.
Unsure why she felt this way, Yulri tried to maintain her composure and gently held her wrist.
“Have you eaten dinner?”
Breaking the awkward silence, Yulri spoke first.
“…No, not yet.”
“Then should I make you something simple? It would be hard to cook alone with an injured shoulder.”
Instead of answering, Jeho leaned back against the sofa, closing his eyes. Taking this as a silent yes, Yulri immediately headed to the kitchen.
The fridge was empty. Neither the homeowner nor Jeho seemed the type to eat at home. Aside from bottled water, there wasn’t even a simple side dish like stir-fried anchovies or kimchi.
Fortunately, she found a few ready-made meals and a can of tuna in the cupboard. She chose mushroom porridge and spicy canned tuna, scooped them into bowls, heated the porridge in the microwave, and quickly set a simple meal before returning to the living room. In less than ten minutes, Jeho had leaned back on the sofa and fallen asleep.
He must have been exhausted from coming up from the provinces. Yulri considered quietly leaving the apartment without waking him, but changed her mind at the entrance. He needed to sleep somewhere warm with his injury.
Returning to the sofa, she lightly touched Jeho’s shoulder.
“Mm…”
He mumbled with a frown, not fully waking.
“…I’ll sleep just a little longer.”
Was he even aware of her presence? It didn’t feel like he was talking to her.
“Don’t stay here on the sofa. Go into the bedroom.”
Yulri touched his shoulder again.
Then, suddenly, he reached out and pulled her toward him. Surprised, Yulri couldn’t resist and ended up in his arms.
“Ha… Jasmine.”
A sweet sigh escaped Jeho as he held Yulri close.
“…Stop.”
Seeing him keep his eyes closed with no intention of waking, disappointment flashed in her green eyes.
“…Mm, just a little longer.”
“Meow.”
At his stubborn refusal, Jasmine meowed pitifully. Since her butler, Woo-gyeol, slept in on weekends and didn’t prepare her meals, Jasmine came to find Jeho in the next room. But, like Woo-gyeol, Jeho had no intention of waking.
“Meow.”
Still, Jasmine persisted, nudging his face with her tail and softly tapping his chest with her paws.
“Ha, Jasmine.”
Resigned, Jeho closed his eyes and pulled Jasmine into his arms. When he hugged and stroked her head, Jasmine mewed affectionately and allowed him ten more minutes of sleep.
But tonight was different. Jasmine’s body felt warmer and softer than usual.
Something was off, but he was too exhausted to open his eyes. Pulling Jasmine closer, he noticed a sweet and fresh scent coming from the soft body that squirmed in resistance.
This scent…?
It wasn’t Jasmine…
In an instant, his eyes snapped open.
“…Ah.”
In the bright light streaming in, Yulri’s flushed face filled his vision. Had she fallen asleep? Jeho frowned, blinking slowly, still sensing the soft touch and sweet fragrance from the dreamlike closeness.
As he slowly got up, Yulri hastily stepped back.
“Don’t sleep here on the sofa. Go into the bedroom.”
Before Jeho could respond, she hugged her bag to her chest and hurried toward the entrance.
“Oh, right.”
Pausing briefly at the door, she looked back.
“I set up some food on the table. Eat it when you wake up.”
After saying that, she opened the door and left the apartment.
The door slammed behind her.
The next morning, Sun-young was surprised to see Yulri arriving at work earlier than her.
“Yulri, you’re here early. Do you want this?”
Sun-young handed Yulri one of the takeout cups she was holding.
“They were doing a plus event at the cafe nearby for their opening. It’s Jasmine iced tea.”
Yulri instinctively withdrew her hand at the mention of Jasmine.
“No, thank you.”
“Don’t refuse. I can’t drink both anyway.”
“Well, I don’t really like Jasmine.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. The scent feels too artificial.”
Yulri emphasized her dislike repeatedly, surprising Sun-young, who shook her head and walked back to her desk. Yulri returned her gaze to the computer monitor.
She had been thirsty and considering buying a drink, but the bonus drink happened to be Jasmine tea!
Yulri bit her lip and stared at the screen.
—Ha, Jasmine.
At that moment, Jeho’s whispered voice from the night before resurfaced in her mind. The woman named Jasmine must be his girlfriend. Whether they had broken up or were still together, the fact that she appeared in his dreams meant she was important.
Perhaps because she knew Jeho had another woman in his heart, Yulri had been able to sleep soundly without any dreams.
“Phew.”
To be excited over a man who already liked someone else…
Yulri let out a short, amused sigh. She had been unnecessarily anxious on her own. It hadn’t been a sincere confession, just a casual joke, yet her heart had fluttered foolishly. Now that her imagination was over, that feeling of excitement faded.
So, it wouldn’t matter much if he went ahead and designed the bridal house.
Yes, no matter what answer she received today, she wouldn’t be shaken.
Feeling lighter, Yulri clicked the mouse and turned the blueprint pages with a brighter expression.
What was going on? It was past 10 a.m., and Jeho still hadn’t come to work. Yulri quietly asked Sun-young, who said he would come in the afternoon.
“Is he feeling unwell?”
“No, probably just tired from his trip to the provinces. You’re off today too, right?”
She worried that his injury might have worsened, but since he would be in later, she decided to wait. Still, even after lunch, Jeho hadn’t shown up, making it hard for her to focus.
Finally, she decided to call him, picking up her phone. But then her expression went blank.
She didn’t know his number. She never asked, and he never told her.
Perhaps this was the true nature of their relationship. She checked the company’s emergency contact list, but since all paperwork wasn’t yet finalized, Jeho’s contact information wasn’t listed.
He wasn’t in serious condition, was he?
Trying to calm her worry, Yulri focused on her work. Yet her mind kept recalling the red-stained shirt and Jeho’s pained expression from last night. The tender look in his eyes as he held her wrist lingered.
“I’ll head home first today.”
Eventually, Yulri left the office about an hour early. She drove toward the apartment where Jeho was staying. Even if unlikely, she worried he might be in pain alone.
“No, I can’t.”
It ached as if she were the one injured. More than that, she worried he might be alone at home, hungry without anyone to take care of him.
Recalling the empty fridge and cupboards, she stopped by a porridge shop on the way and bought samgye-tang porridge. Though she had followed him so hurriedly the night before that she barely remembered the apartment number, entering the building now, her memory came back immediately.
Ding-dong—.
After pressing the bell, a young woman peeked out. With a round face and fair skin, she looked surprised to see Yulri.
“Who are you?”
For a moment, Yulri wondered if she had the wrong place and glanced around. But if her memory was correct, this was definitely Jeho’s friend’s home.
“Is Kwon Jeho here?”
“Jeho oppa?”
The woman’s eyes widened at Yulri’s question. She seemed surprised that Yulri knew Jeho was here.
Then a familiar voice came from behind.
“Jasmine.”
At the same time, the woman turned around.
“Jeho oppa, someone’s come looking for you?”
This woman is Jasmine?
Yulri’s eyes widened as she looked at her.
“Haah, haah, haah.”
Breathless, Yulri got into her car, started the engine, and quickly drove away. Her throat was tight from running without stopping, but she couldn’t afford any delay. She needed to get out of there.
She couldn’t let Jeho and his girlfriend see her acting foolishly. Yulri gripped the steering wheel, frowning.
“Ha, how stupid.”
She hadn’t come here without reason…
Of course, not knowing his number meant she couldn’t call him, but she also couldn’t just sit and worry.
Yet, she had crossed a line.
How could a bride-to-be go running to see him?
Even if it was an arranged marriage, a marriage was still a marriage. Yulri scolded herself for acting recklessly, driving fiercely.
The one thing she had gained, fortunately, was confirmation that he and Jasmine were indeed a couple. That meant she could ignore anything he said from now on, and no longer let her heart race with pointless imaginings.
In a way, it was a chance to free herself from the heavy worry that had weighed her down. Yet, at the same time, it felt like losing something precious. A feeling that couldn’t easily be explained. Like a sharp blade had cut her heart.
Stopping at a red light, Yulri stared emptily out the window. The cars rushing past seemed to move slowly—an effect of her jumbled emotions.
Having left work early, she still had about an hour before her 6:30 appointment. Without a set destination, she drove along the flow of traffic, eventually arriving near the KG Group headquarters.
For a moment, she wondered if she should go see Minwoo. Maybe she could have coffee in his office and try on the formalwear together, filling the gap in time.
Yulri parked along the roadside and looked up at the towering building.
