TATMFL - 46

After Chang-woo left, entrusting her with the closing duties, Ra-on finished tidying up the shop alone and sat down in front of Hye-sung.  

“Are you really not coming over? I heard you slept at the jjimjilbang again last night.”  

Hye-sung, who had been staring out the window with a somber expression, finally turned to look at Ra-on.  

Ever since his previous creditor had shown up at his apartment and caused trouble, he had been moving from one jjimjilbang to another, unable to return home. He wasn’t bold enough to act as if nothing had happened and go back to his usual routine.  

“My place has three rooms—one of them is a guest room. You’ve stayed there a few times before, so you know it’s fully equipped for living. As for clothes, I can go to your place and bring some over, or we could just buy new ones this time.”  

After listening to Ra-on’s relentless stream of reasoning, Hye-sung furrowed his brow slightly, looking uncomfortable, before letting out a soft chuckle.  

“You sound like a salesperson, Ra-on.”  

“Don’t try to brush it off.”  

Hye-sung flinched at Ra-on’s stern tone as he scratched his cheek, having attempted—yet again—to dodge the topic throughout the day. Finally, after what felt like the umpteenth time she’d made the offer, he gave his response.  

“I’ll need Ji-an’s permission too…”  

“What permission?”  

Ra-on snorted dismissively, as if she’d heard something absurd.  

From the start, the so-called “guest room” was essentially prepared with Hye-sung in mind.  

Though Ji-an didn’t know the full details of Hye-sung’s situation, she had long sensed that his circumstances weren’t great. That’s why, when they first entered university and Ra-on moved into her own place, Ji-an had suggested they live together.  

Although Hye-sung politely declined, Ji-an still decorated one of the rooms according to his tastes, telling him he could stay anytime he wanted.  

So there was no way she’d be upset now, let alone refuse. If anything, she’d probably be pleased and commend them for making good use of the arrangement.  

Even after explaining all this, Hye-sung still hesitated. Ra-on addressed him firmly.  

“If you’re worried about staying under the same roof with me, don’t be. I’ll make sure to clarify that upfront.”  

“Huh?”  

“I’ve been so busy with assignments and preparing for my graduation project that I barely go home these days. I spend more nights in the studio than at home—probably more than half the week.”  

“…You’re that busy?”  

Ra-on shrugged exaggeratedly.  

“So stop worrying and come stay. Are you even eating properly while you’re out and about looking like a skeleton?”  

Knowing Ra-on’s tendency to nag until she got her way, Hye-sung awkwardly laughed and avoided her gaze. It wasn’t until her lecture reached its third round that he reluctantly nodded.  

“Okay, okay! I get it, so stop already, Ra-on.”  

Hye-sung flashed a playful smile, trying to charm his way out of further scolding. Ra-on, who had been about to bring up a health check-up, narrowed her eyes and closed her mouth instead. Sensing the opening, Hye-sung rubbed his stomach and winked.  

“I’m hungry, Ra-on.”  

Ra-on snorted derisively and gestured toward the slice of cake that still looked untouched.  

“Didn’t you say you were too full to eat that earlier?”  

“I’m craving something spicy. How about we grab some tteokbokki on the way?”  

Hye-sung nudged the cake aside with a teasing grin. Unable to resist his antics any longer, Ra-on burst into light laughter.  

“You’re sly, Ji Hye-sung.”  

“I’d call it wisdom gained from years of experience.”  

Chuckling softly, Ra-on stood up.  

“Wait here. I’ll finish cleaning up and come with you. Let’s order the tteokbokki ahead of time and pick it up on the way.”  

“Sure.”  

Hye-sung exhaled a sigh of relief, clearly glad to have escaped Ra-on’s nagging. With a much-improved expression, he waved as she turned to leave.  

And then—  

After leaving Hye-sung to handle the tteokbokki order, Ra-on entered the staff room, leaning her back against the door as she sighed deeply.  

“Ha…”  

The Ra-on who had put on a composed front in front of Hye-sung now stared blankly at the ceiling, exhaustion washing over her. The light from the ceiling fixture blurred her vision, spreading like ripples across her tired eyes.  

She was exhausted. Saying she was busy wasn’t an exaggeration—it was the truth. She wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep like the dead, without doing anything or thinking about anything at all.  

She hadn’t been home in days, so dust was probably piling up. Muttering to herself that she needed to tidy up before bringing Hye-sung over, Ra-on closed her eyes.  

Her thoughts naturally drifted back to what had happened earlier that day.  

[What’s your relationship with that senior?]  

At that question, Ra-on had frozen solid, unable to respond.  

What was she supposed to say? What was his intention in asking? Surely he couldn’t have found out about her contract with Do-kyung.  

A storm of thoughts ravaged her mind. Her delayed response was inevitable.  

In the meantime, Hye-sung spoke on her behalf.  

[I already knew that senior has been interested in you.]  

[……]  

She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t tell him it was all a misunderstanding.  

[And I also know that the two of you have recently grown closer.]  

[……Huh?]  

[You might not have noticed, Ra-on, but I’ve been sensing his pheromones around you for a while now. That’s how I figured it out.]  

Pheromones… She hadn’t paid any attention to pheromones while being intimate with Do-kyung. Suddenly, she remembered Ji-an once shuddering and complaining about the intensity of alpha pheromones around her.  

Could it be? Had she been unknowingly drenched in his pheromones since then?  

As Ra-on’s face paled abruptly, Hye-sung quickly shook his head and reassured her.  

[It wasn’t overwhelming. Just the kind of faint trace you’d naturally pick up from spending a lot of time close to someone. I only noticed because I’m around you so often. Others wouldn’t have picked up on it, so don’t worry.]  

From the way Hye-sung spoke, it was clear he assumed she and Do-kyung were secretly dating.  

Shortly after, his expression darkened.  

[I’m not sure if I should even be telling you this…]  

He said,  

[My creditor changed, Ra-on.]  

[Huh?]  

[And the new creditor…]  

Swallowing hard, Hye-sung dropped his gaze, his voice trembling.  

[It’s senior.]  

After that, Ra-on couldn’t say a word as Hye-sung continued speaking. When he mentioned that his previous creditor had come to harass him, all she could do was hold her breath.  

She didn’t know what her expression had looked like then. Had she been shocked into silence, her face frozen? Or had her mouth hung open in disbelief? …Perhaps it had been both.  

After broaching the subject, Hye-sung repeatedly emphasized that Do-kyung seemed like a good person. But his final words were entirely different.  

[Still, no matter how much I think about it, I hope you don’t get involved with him, Ra-on.]  

His trembling eyes, brimming with unshed tears, flickered as he spoke to her.  

[You know how dirty that world can be.]  

In his gaze, Ra-on saw the pain and despair he had endured at the hands of loan sharks.  

Under that gaze, she felt as though her throat was being choked, unable to breathe. It felt like someone was stabbing her chest with a needle—it hurt so much that she clenched her fists tightly under the table, her short nails digging deep into her palms.  

“Ah.”

Sliding down the wall she had been leaning against, Ra-on collapsed into a seated position, her breaths coming out shallow and ragged as if they might break at any moment.  

Her stomach churned with nausea.  

---  

“Hah.”  

A sharp exhale reverberated through the car. The veins on Do-kyung’s hands gripping the steering wheel stood out vividly, a bluish hue stark against his pale skin.  

His bloodshot eyes caught sight of a man and woman stepping out of the shop, closing the door behind them. His pupils contracted sharply, distorting his gaze.  

The woman—taller than him by half a head—was gently straightening the man’s collar, a faint smile playing on her lips. He briefly tried to stop her but soon bent his waist with a laugh, accepting her care. Their faces drew close as they exchanged cheerful words, and suddenly, both burst into laughter.  

Creak. A harsh sound escaped through Do-kyung’s clenched teeth. His piercing gaze followed the two figures walking side by side in perfect sync.  

This café was where he had rushed to, unable to bear not seeing her. He had ignored multiple traffic signals, unwilling to risk missing her due to bad timing. He hadn’t been in the mood to care about rules or regulations.  

But that didn’t mean he wanted to see this.  

Do-kyung’s chest heaved violently. His breaths, heavy with suppressed anger, trembled uncontrollably.  

“Haha.”  

With a dry laugh, Do-kyung stepped out of the car.  

Thud. The sound of the car door closing echoed through the quiet night street, but the pair ahead didn’t turn around—they didn’t seem to hear it.  

That only fueled his irritation further. Ra-on’s behavior, acting as though nothing else existed when she was with Ji Hye-sung, felt like a betrayal.  

Do-kyung’s Adam’s apple bobbed fiercely as his jaw tightened. With half-crazed eyes flashing, he strode forward with determined steps.  

This suffocating sense of unease was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. The gnawing sensation devouring his mind was unbearable.  

What should he do? How could he possibly erase this festering discomfort?  

“Ah.”  

Maybe he should separate Hye-sung from her first. His gaze locked onto Hye-sung’s arm, brushing against Ra-on’s repeatedly as they walked.  

He needed to apologize to her too. This incident was clearly his fault for failing to manage his subordinates properly—it was only right to offer an apology. If that wasn’t enough, offering both cheeks for her to slap didn’t seem like such a bad idea either. Once she had vented her anger, the kind-hearted Ra-on would eventually listen to his explanation—or at least his justification.  

Do-kyung quickened his pace, intent on removing Hye-sung from her side immediately.  

But then, a sudden thought struck him, halting his movements abruptly.  

“…”  

Do-kyung’s chest swelled with a deep breath before freezing entirely.  

But… what if, even after doing all that, she no longer smiled at him? What if she refused to look at him altogether?  

“What then? What should I do?”  

An unfamiliar emotion surged within him, tightening the back of his neck with tension.  

And in that moment, Do-kyung’s eyes narrowed ferociously.  

“Damn it, what the hell is that now?”  

By the time he realized it, Ra-on and Hye-sung were already entering her house together.