“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
Tae-eun gently shook her head to dispel the feeling of déjà vu. She couldn’t possibly have dreamed of a place she had never visited before. It didn’t make sense.
As she climbed up the stairs, a refreshing energy flowed through her back. Perhaps it was because this was Hyun-ho’s space, the familiar scent lingered in the air, similar to the one in her dream.
When she reached the top of the stairs, the sight before her made her hesitate.
The room was remarkably similar to the one she had seen in her dream. The open, unobstructed layout, the bed in the center, the bookshelf against the left wall, and the large window taking up half the wall – it was as if the man had somehow replicated the contents of her subconscious.
“The room… is lovely.”
She could barely manage a soft voice, her mouth dry with tension. How could this be possible?
“Unique, isn’t it?”
Hyun-ho chuckled sheepishly, assuming her blank reaction was due to the unusual interior.
“Ah, yes, a bit.”
“To be honest, I’m a bit possessive. Maybe it’s because I inherited this place from my older brother, but I need all my belongings to be within my sight to feel satisfied.”
Tae-eun, who had rarely inherited anything from her siblings, couldn’t fully understand, but she nodded slowly. Following him, she glanced at the bookshelf, relieved to see ordinary books written in Korean, unlike the ones she saw in her dream.
“Come check this out, Noona.”
He pointed to the ceiling above the bed. Through the diagonally tilted window, the clear blue sky was visible, just as he had described in his earlier message.
“Wow, it’s so pretty.”
“You can lie there and watch it while I prepare the meal.”
Though Hyun-ho was sincere with his invitation, Tae-eun politely declined. She tried to avoid looking at the bed, as the lingering image of him lying there nude and panting in her dream kept haunting her.
What if that dream was real? The thought sent shivers down her spine, and her stomach churned, overwhelmed by the strong scent that permeated the room.
As Hyun-ho retrieved food from the refrigerator, Tae-eun pretended to browse the bookshelf, lost in thought. Could she somehow have a special ability that allowed her to foresee this peculiar apartment? The inexplicable phenomenon left her utterly confused.
Moreover, she should have grown accustomed to his scent by now, but it only seemed to suffocate her further. She squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them again, her gaze settling on a book that appeared to be frequently read, its edges worn and the title on the spine faded.
“The World Beyond” Tae-eun repeated the cryptic title in her mind, trying to calm herself.
“Noona, would you like your eggs over-easy or hard-boiled?”
Snapping out of her reverie, she approached the makeshift kitchen area to respond.
“Over-easy, please.”
“Looks like we have the same taste.”
Hyun-ho chuckled as he cracked two eggs into the pan. The sunlight filtering through the small window made his eyes appear brighter.
Despite the initially striking decor that created a sense of distance, he was a kind friend who had hired her and even paid her a generous hourly rate. And now, he was even preparing a meal for her. Yet, she found herself feeling awkward, haunted by the strange dream.
Maybe if she did a hundred and eight prostrations*1T/N: in Buddhism, practitioners must bow 108 times to free oneself from the 108 defilements or the sources of sufferings. before bed, it would cleanse her mind and body. She silently let out a sigh.
Contrary to his fit appearance, which suggested a diet of chicken breasts and protein shakes, the man had prepared a hearty homemade meal–black rice, spinach soybean soup, radish kimchi, braised pork, and fried eggs.
“Did you make all of this?”
“The kimchi and the braised dish are from home.”
“Impressive…”
Tae-eun gazed at the modest meal spread before her, sincerely admiring it. It was a world apart from her own, who had sold her rice cooker without even using it.
The delicious aroma seeped into her cluttered mind, distracted by the strange dream. She focused on her meal, sipping the warm broth. She could feel his watchful gaze on her.
“Does it taste good?”
“Yes, it’s delicious.”
“I’ll make an even better meal for you next time.”
Her chopsticks hesitated for a moment. This was already bordering on exploiting him.
“Uh, you know…”
As Hyun-ho placed a fried egg atop her rice, he looked at her expectantly.
“Why don’t you consider lowering the hourly rate?”
“Whose rate?”
He gestured downstairs to the café, misunderstanding. She quickly waved her hand.
“No, not Oh Min-woo’s, my own rate.”
“Why would you want to lower your rate, Noona?”
The man seemed genuinely perplexed. Her voice shrunk inward.
“After a few days, it seems like I’m not really doing much, so I feel like I’m getting paid too much…”
“It’s just the slow season right now. Once spring comes, we’ll have more customers. Don’t regret it later, just keep the rate as is.”
Tae-eun wasn’t fully convinced, but she nodded to avoid making the meal uncomfortable.
After finishing her bowl, she pleaded with Hyun-ho to let her help with the dishes, but he firmly refused. Resigned, she approached the largest window and looked outside. Just like in her dream, Hajung beach was visible.
Was that dream a premonition? Perhaps it had shown her the future, of them sharing a meal in his home. Though she had never experienced prophetic dreams before, that seemed the most plausible explanation.
The pale seawater during low tide was soothing to the eyes, making her feel her own mind could become as clear as the sky. She found it difficult to tear her gaze away.
But suddenly, like a storm sweeping over the tranquil sea, her stomach lurched violently. The faint nausea she had felt earlier intensified, surging up strongly from within. Covering her mouth, she turned away.
“What’s wrong?”
Hyun-ho, having finished the dishes, looked at her with a puzzled expression as her eyes wandered around the spacious room.
“Noona!”
She rushed into the bathroom next to the bookshelf and vomited everything she had just eaten.
The man hurried in, gently stroking her shaking back. Her face flushed quickly, tears and mucus streaming out. Groaning in the agony of the retching, she let out a weak moan.
“Ugh…”
After flushing the toilet, Tae-eun stood up unsteadily, and he handed her a cup of water to rinse her mouth. As she rinsed, the mirror reflected his pale, tense face.
“Can I borrow a toothbrush?”
She asked cautiously, and he quickly retrieved a new one from the cabinet. His hard gaze swept over her face.
“I’m sorry.”
She apologized softly after finishing the brushing. The violent turmoil in her stomach had now settled. She was simply surprised, as this was the first time she had vomited.
“Just in case, take some medicine.”
Ji Hyun-ho handed her an antacid and a warm barley tea. The muscles around his usually relaxed lips were tightly clenched. As she sat on the couch, sipping the barley tea slowly, he draped a blanket over her shoulders.
“The food was delicious, though…”
She murmured weakly, glancing at his sharp features, but he simply stared off into the distance without responding.
“I enjoyed the meal.”
Tae-eun placed the cup on the table and pulled the blanket down. She felt embarrassed by the unsightly display and thought it would be better to hurry home and hide under the covers by herself. As she stood up, he grabbed her hand.
“What made you suddenly feel that way?”
She hesitantly sat back down, looking at his smooth hand.
“To be honest, I wasn’t feeling great even before the meal.”
“When exactly did you start feeling unwell?”
She paused before answering, worried that he might be upset.
“A little bit since I came up to the second floor…”
“How did you feel? Like you were getting motion sickness? Or did you have trouble breathing?”
Hyun-ho was surprisingly pinpointing her symptoms.
“I felt nauseous and like my throat was constricted…”
“How are you feeling now?”
“I’m okay now. I don’t know what happened earlier.”
He let out a heavy sigh, closing his eyes as he sank deeper into the couch, still holding her hand.
Tae-eun fidgeted with the hand that was grasped by him. All her senses seemed to focus on that left hand, as if an electric current was pulsing through it. She wanted to pull her hand away before getting shocked, but he showed no signs of letting go.
“Hey.”
She called out softly, but Hyun-ho simply raised his other arm to cover his eyes. She grew anxious, as if he was about to fall asleep.
“Listen.”
She gently shook the hand he was holding, but he interlocked their fingers instead, firmly binding them together. Her hips shifted restlessly.
“Uh…”
Her lips retreated inward and then popped back out. She took a deep breath, gathering the courage to speak his name.
“Hyun-ho.”
The arm covering his eyes lifted slightly, and he looked at her directly with his eyes open.
“Noona.”
The deep voice made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She nodded, and he sat up straight, still not releasing her hand.
“I’ve been dreaming about you a lot lately, Noona.”
🍉🍉🍉
