– So, what should I help with?
People say you never know what might happen, but who would have thought the person she’d call on her way home would be Seongchan? That prick, and her, of all people, finding common ground? It was a funny situation.
Hyerin trudged along the apartment pathway, looking up at the orange sky with golden clouds drifting by.
“Well… I don’t need advice on relationships, so help me with work-related stuff. Don’t make me search things again like today.”
– Hey, that’s the same thing you asked me before…!
“Ugh, no nagging.”
– …….
“Wow, this is working well.”
Seongchan was actually listening to her—love must be powerful. Or maybe it was the fact that her comment about whether a developer could beat a third-generation chaebol or a popular actor actually hit him hard. Seongchan’s crush, weathercaster Seo Hyeyoung, had just broken up with none other than the popular actor Kwon Dohyeok.
“Anyway, sunbae, if you want to beat someone like Kwon Dohyeok, you should take off your glasses first. His casual outfits are all slick and shiny. A woman who’s used to meeting guys in coats isn’t going to see a guy who wears hoodies and glasses while staring at monitors as a man, right? Logically…”
– I got it.
“Wow, you’re not mad at my advice? That’s so weird. Anyway… you should go for a ‘sexy’ styling. With that face, that’s the only thing that works.”
– Why is that the only thing that works? Kwon Dohyeok is doing ads for an energy drink… That’s the complete opposite.
Seongchan, who knew absolutely nothing about celebrities, was somehow spot on about Kwon Dohyeok’s commercial. Looks like 14 years of unrequited love really pays off.
“He just has a gentle look, so he can pull off anything. Those bland, harmless faces are the ones that can pull off all sorts of looks. He can look pure and then a little sexy with some makeup. With your sharp gaze, you’re never going to pull off an energy drink commercial, so just listen to me.”
– …….
There was silence on the other end, perhaps questioning her advice. Hyerin sighed and spoke again, as if to say, “What else can I do?”
“Well… I’m not sure if this is a good example, but imagine me wearing a flower-patterned dress that’s fluttering in the wind. How do you think that would look?”
– I’d probably wonder if you ate something bad.
“Ugh… What if Hyeyoung unnie wore it?”
– …I wouldn’t sleep that night.
“Shit.”
– What?
Damn it, I meant to say that in my head, but it slipped out. I still wasn’t used to Seongchan’s unexpectedly soft voice—it gave me goosebumps all over. While suppressing the nausea rising in my throat, I realized I’d already arrived at the apartment lobby.
“It’s nothing. Just a bug passed by in front of me.”
– …Fine. More importantly, tell me about your guy too. Maybe I can give you something useful.”
“Sunbae, I’m not some dating newbie, you know. I was super popular back in college—I dated all kinds of guys. I’ve done everything…!”
– When you meet someone new, does it help you forget?
As expected of someone with long-term unrequited love experience, his question hit right to the point. So this is why everyone praises experience.
“Mm… no. I wouldn’t recommend it. It actually makes you think about them even more. I just end up feeling guilty toward the new guy…”
Letting out a sigh, Hyerin stepped into the elevator conveniently waiting on the first floor.
– Yeah, I figured. Anyway, tell me more. What kind of guy is he?
His words somehow felt reassuring. Hyerin decided to take the chance and opened up.
“His name’s Jung Jaeyoon. He’s my older brother’s childhood friend. Same age as you, 28. He works as a freelance translator, and he loves photography, so he goes on shoots sometimes…”
– Sounds like he’s from a well-off family.
“…How’d you know that?”
– Just putting the job and hobbies together… I got a sense. Keep going.
They say men understand men better—maybe Seongchan could actually help her. She’d never really talked to anyone about Jaeyoon like this, so for some reason, her heart was fluttering.
“Jung Jaeyoon is honestly a scam.”
– How?
“He’s just one person, but inside him, there’s pure, sexy, and cute—all at once. His skin’s so pale and smooth…”
– You told me earlier that my pale skin made me look like a sick noble and I should get a tan.
“No, you’re pale in a ghostly, washed-out way. Jaeyoon is like—soft rice cake white!”
– …Okay, but tell me something more useful.
Seongchan sighed with the patience of a saint, but it didn’t reach Hyerin—she was already too hyped up.
“I honestly don’t know how one person can be so perfect. And even more confusing—how has someone like him been friends with my dumbass brother for twenty years? I’ve known Jung Jaeyoon since I was eight, right? And I’m not exaggerating, I seriously thought an angel had descended. What kind of guy has eyelashes that long and full? Speaking of full—he’s got so much hair too! And when it sways in the wind? That’s when this fresh shampoo scent just washes over you. Like… I swear, it smells like acacia trees in full bloom in mid-autumn. It’s so sweet. Can you believe that? A person smelling sweet?! That’s insane!”
– …You told me the shampoo smell was tacky and I should wear cologne.”
“Because with your face, a sweet scent just feels gross. But with Jung Jaeyoon, that face even gives off a sweet aroma! And he’s twenty-eight! Isn’t that just the most lovable thing ever? How can someone be sexy, cute, and lovely all at once? Do you think that even makes sense?!”
She was so worked up she could hardly breathe, but just then—ding—the elevator came to a stop.
18th floor. Doors opening.
The calm announcement rang out as Hyerin finally caught her breath like she’d just finished a 100-meter sprint, stepped out, and unlocked the door.
– Hey… but really, what about flaws? He doesn’t have any?
Flaws.
Now safely inside, Hyerin grunted as she kicked off her boots and replied clearly:
“He’s too nice.”
– …That’s a flaw?
“Yeah. Liking nice guys is the worst. It’s like… there’s never a reason to fall out of love. It’s not like he’s asking me to devote my life to him or anything, but still.”
Despite getting turned down so many times, she hadn’t been able to give up. It was because his rejections had always been sincere, always kind. Even when he dated other women, he still remembered her birthday and gave her a gift, telling her honestly that he liked her. Like a script with all the lines and outcomes already written. That was her and Jaeyoon’s painfully predictable dynamic.
When fall passed and winter came, it’d be his birthday again—and she’d cry a little and fall asleep. It was a cycle she knew by heart.
“At least I have the option to give up, you know. Unlike the coward who couldn’t even confess after 14 years—I’ve already been brave enough to get rejected.”
“……”
“If someone better shows up, I’ll move on. Someone who’s sweet and pure normally, but when he takes his shirt off, he’s drop-dead sexy. If you find a guy like that, introduce him to me.”
Her voice was teasing, but on the other end, Seongchan didn’t answer. Maybe his silence meant he could see through her playful words, to the sting beneath them.
A relationship I can end just by giving up.
That was the real conclusion of her love advice session. Maybe she was flailing, trying to escape Jaeyoon after all. Just like a long illness wears down those around you, long love could wear down the heart and soul.
With a sigh that felt somewhere between resignation and sorrow, she stepped into the apartment—
And suddenly, a chill ran down her spine.
She turned around instinctively. Next to her boots was a pair of neatly placed white sneakers.
“Uh… sunbae. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
– What?
Ignoring the confusion in his voice, Hyerin pressed the end call button repeatedly.
The shoes were unfamiliar, but she knew they weren’t Hyungwon’s. He’d always kicked them off carelessly and gotten scolded for it since they were kids. There was only one man who would leave them so precisely placed.
“Jaeyoon?”
Just as the thought struck, she heard the sound of water running from the bathroom. And suddenly, the idea that the person in there might be him made her freeze in place.
“Wait a second… there’s no way Jaeyoon oppa would be here alone without Hyungwon…”
The living room light was on, but there was no sound from inside.
Unless… could it be a burglar?
They say the human imagination could conjure up monsters that don’t exist. And just like being startled by a rabbit in a dark box, not being able to see what was inside made her anxiety build and build.
Tense and frozen by the growing unease, she stared as the sound of water finally stopped. Then—
The bathroom door burst open.
Steam billowed out through the crack, and the damp scent of body wash filled the air.
And then—
A shirtless man stepped out.
There was no time to worry about anything else. Her senses snapped to attention at the sheer sight of his big, pale body—every muscle neatly carved into place.
As he rubbed his wet hair with a towel, his arms and abs flexed with every movement.
“Oh, hey, you’re back, Hyerin.”
Jaeyoon finally spotted Hyerin lingering awkwardly at the entrance and greeted her with a warm smile. Maybe it was the fact that his upper body was completely exposed, or maybe it was the way his damp hair curled slightly under his brow—but his eyes looked unusually seductive tonight. She had secretly hoped he’d grow up badly somehow, but unfortunately, it seemed he’d grown up not only well, but with an overflowing dose of testosterone. Otherwise, what reason would her body have to react like this?
“W-Why are you here?”
Hyerin swallowed hard and averted her gaze as she asked.
“Oh… Hyungwon and I were playing basketball. Thought we might grab dinner after.”
“And where’s Joo Hyungwon now?”
“One of his students had some kind of issue, so he left.”
Hyungwon was a high school math teacher. This year he had a third-year class, and it sounded like things had been chaotic. Now it made sense why Jaeyoon was left here alone. He walked toward her with long strides.
“You got off work early?”
Hyerin’s eyes briefly dropped to his broad chest before flicking up to meet his gaze. Because of the distance—or lack thereof—his gaze seemed to dip slightly, giving him a drowsy, languid look. The heat radiating from his body brought with it the scent of soap and skin, making her head spin. Overwhelmed, Hyerin squeezed her eyes shut for a second, then scratched her head and propped one hip to the side.
“Haa… Oppa.”
“Yeah?”
“You might not see me as a woman, but I see you as a man, so could you not walk around half-naked? You’re a grown man. You should know how dangerous that is. What happened to basic awareness, huh?”
Her voice dropped into a stern growl, but Jaeyoon blinked slowly—and then suddenly burst out laughing.
His eyes curved into soft waves, and Hyerin flailed her arms, squeezing her eyes shut again.
“I swear to god! If you’re not trying to seduce me, stop laughing like that!”
She half-screamed, then collapsed to the floor with a defeated whimper. She was so, so tired of falling for him. Her poor, overworked heart thumped like a war drum, and she was sure she’d develop heart disease at this rate. She begged herself not to look at him.
“Jung Jaeyoon, do you think I’m a joke?”
Hyerin mumbled as she hugged her knees, and Jaeyoon crouched down to match her eye level, his smile still lingering.
“No, I just laughed because you’re cute.”
“To me, that’s the same thing. And seriously, why the hell are you shirtless in someone else’s house? It’s confusing!”
Just earlier, she had boldly told Seongchan that she had the option to give up, that if someone better came along, she’d move on. But Jaeyoon crushed that resolve as easily as snapping a matchstick.
Cute and pure when clothed, sexy enough to drool over when shirtless.
Why did he keep shaking her like this? Why did a man with a body like that keep raising the bar, only to say she was like a little sister, or that she was cute?
“Sorry. I didn’t want to put my sweaty clothes back on after showering.”
“Wait… I’ll grab something from Hyungwon’s closet.”
Jaeyoon opened his mouth like he was about to object, but Hyerin had already jumped up and walked off—not into Hyungwon’s room, but into her own.
She rummaged through her wardrobe and pulled out a thick, soft sky-blue sweatshirt, still in a shopping bag with the tag on. Just yesterday, she had wandered into a department store after getting her first paycheck, thinking she’d get a gift for her parents… and ended up grabbing that sweater on impulse. She’d been wondering how to give it to him without it being awkward—but maybe this was her chance.
She ripped the tag off with her teeth, tossed it into the trash, and stepped out of her room, crumpling the sweatshirt in her hands.
“Here. Wear this.”
Hyerin handed the clothes to Jaeyoon, who was still sitting obediently like a puppy, waiting for her. He rubbed the soft fabric between his fingers and looked up at her.
“This is Hyungwon’s?”
His question was laced with suspicion. Typical of close friends who basically knew each other’s wardrobes by heart. Hyerin figured there was no point hiding it and just answered honestly.
“No. I bought it thinking of you, so it’s yours.”
“Mine?”
“Yeah, I got my first paycheck. Consider it a celebration gift. It’s probably not your style, but I bought it for my own selfish reasons. I just thought it’d look good on you…”
His expression as he looked down at the sweatshirt was… complicated. It was the same look he always wore when he was about to turn her down—so familiar, it stung. Hyerin quickly added, trying to act nonchalant.
“If you don’t like it after trying it on, just toss it in the trash. It’s not expensive.”
That’s how one-sided love always is, isn’t it? Trying too hard not to burden the other person, and ending up saying things you don’t mean.
“No, wait! If you don’t like it, just give it back to me, okay? Maybe Hyungwon or… oh, there’s this guy at work who’s about your size—”
“No. You said it’s mine.”
His voice dropped low as he looked up at her, a sharpness in his eyes.
“Why are you trying to take it back after giving it to me?”
His slightly pouting lips showed a hint of irritation. The unfamiliar expression made Hyerin blink. Then he stood up slowly, slipped the sweatshirt over his head, and turned in a full circle in front of her.
“How is it? Does it suit me?”
He tilted his head a little, eyes folding into that soft smile—just like always. Ugh, why does he keep smiling like that? Her face flared with heat. Embarrassed, she gave a quick nod and turned away, fiddling with her fingers as she muttered,
“Yeah… it suits you. You’ve got fair skin, so pastel tones look good on you.”
He reminded her of cotton candy. Just catching a glimpse of him left a sweet taste in her mouth. The way he spun around in front of her, the way he pouted and said she couldn’t take the gift back—it was all heart-achingly adorable.
“Jeez, did you even look?”
“I did. I saw everything.”
With that, she turned to go back into her room—only to be stopped by a warm hand landing on her shoulder. Startled, she turned, finding Jaeyoon uncomfortably close, an unreadable expression on his face.
“W-What? Why?”
Her voice shook as she stammered, and then—his large hand suddenly covered her forehead.
“Yup. I wasn’t wrong. Hyerin… your face is red. You’ve got a fever.”
His voice was almost a whisper, and she instinctively swallowed hard. She stood there for a moment, simply absorbing his warmth, before pulling his hand down and glaring at him sharply enough to practically lift her eyebrows off her face.
“Jung Jaeyoon. This is all your fault, you idiot!”
“…Huh?”
“You don’t go around touching girls who clearly like you! Learn a little self-awareness, would you? This kind of closeness isn’t something a friendly ‘oppa-dongsaeng’ relationship should have, okay? I told you—you might see me as a little sister, but I don’t. What are you gonna do if I kiss you right now, huh?! God, you’re such a clueless jerk!”
Hyerin shouted, face flushed, throwing curses with a trembling voice. Jaeyoon chuckled again. He gently ran his hand through her hair, and with that familiar, soothing gesture, Hyerin gave up and dropped her burning face, letting out a heavy sigh.
“You never listen to me, do you? I said stop touching me…”
“You’re just cute.”
“That’s your way of saying I’m not a woman to you, isn’t it?”
The smile on Jaeyoon’s face slowly faded. He didn’t say anything for a while, as if deep in thought. Then, quietly, he nodded.
A precious little sister. Or maybe a friend’s puppy who just happened to like him a lot. That was all she ever was to him. And once again, it hurt to be reminded.
“Tch… You’re such a jerk.”
Her tone was playful, but her nose stung. Tears welled up in her eyes. Jaeyoon opened his mouth as if to say something—but just then, the sound of the door lock turning echoed through the house. He withdrew his hand from her head, took two steps back, and muttered under his breath.
“…I’m sorry.”
* * *
After finishing a lunch that was more about filling her stomach than enjoying a meal, Hyerin sat with her team at the company café, sipping what felt like a potion—coffee. With deadlines breathing down their necks, another round of overtime was inevitable today.
Lately, she’d been coming home late enough that she hadn’t run into Jaeyoon at all. Still, the moment he apologized lingered in her mind, resurfacing even amidst her packed schedule.
“So… not seeing me as a woman means there’s no chance at all, right?”
Then again, what does that mean? That he sees her as a man? Even if she threw herself at him naked, would he not even twitch? Why? Because they’ve known each other too long? Since they were kids?
“Hey, sunbaes… can I ask something? I’m seriously stuck. It’s just been home-work-home, and I don’t really have any guys to ask about this.”
She slumped over the table like a zombie, prompting the other team members to glance at her indifferently.
“If a guy doesn’t see a girl ‘that way’ once, is it just over forever? Like, if she’s not his type, is there really no chance? Even if she’s good to him, his feelings won’t change…?”
Her voice trailed off until she smacked her forehead against the table in defeat. That’s when Seongchan—who’d been scrolling through Hyeyoung’s social media the entire time—spoke up with a single word.
“Yup.”
“……”
“It won’t change.”
His blunt reply made her nose sting. Out of nowhere, she felt like crying. When she sniffled a little, Junsoo across from her put down his phone and scolded Seongchan.
“Dude, why would you say that?”
“She asked, I answered.”
“Joo Hyerin, that guy’s an odd one. Most guys? There’s a chance. You’ve seen those friends-turned-lovers stories, right?”
Hyerin quickly lifted her head, eyes glistening with unshed tears, and asked again, hopeful.
“Really? That’s how you guys feel too, right?”
Faced with her tearful, about-to-burst expression, the team grudgingly nodded one by one, tired and annoyed. Junsoo, feeling vindicated, nodded confidently and spoke carefully.
“But listen, don’t be the fish already caught.”
“…The what?”
“Play hard to get. Guys get full of themselves when girls chase them around. You know the saying—don’t feed the fish you’ve already caught. They’ll just go fishing for new ones. You’ve never really dated, have you?”
What was he trying to say? He kind of knew about her one-sided love, so what was this leading to?
“If I already like someone, why would I date someone else? I’ve tried it… didn’t like it.”
“I’m not saying date someone else. Just keep him on edge. Let him think, ‘Huh? Maybe she’s got other options.’ You get what I mean?”
“…You want me to pretend?”
“Exactly. He thinks he’s already caught you—so make him feel like maybe he hasn’t. Add some urgency. And if he still doesn’t care…”
Junsoo shrugged, letting that unfinished thought hang in the air. Even if she told Jaeyoon she liked someone else, would he even flinch? He probably wants her to move on.
They weren’t a particularly romantic bunch, but rare moments of advice like this felt oddly touching.
Until—
“Hey, isn’t Joo Hyerin from Team 1 seriously fuckable?”
Her name came floating over the low partition from the table behind them. The energy in their group instantly froze. Even the half-zoned-out team members clearly heard the vulgar laughter coming from the other side.
So this is what they call locker room talk. Crude comments about her chest, waist, butt, legs—evaluating her body part by part. Disgustingly lewd talk, all boiling down to one thing: they wanted to sleep with her.
Hyerin sipped her coffee, her jaw resting lazily in her palm, pretending not to care. But her team members’ faces were slowly contorting with anger.
“Hey, Joo Hyerin. Don’t listen to trash like that. Let’s go.”
“Those guys… they’re from Sales Team 3, right? God, those sewer-mouthed assholes are still at it.”
Everyone was frowning, glaring at the table behind them as if it were their own business. Yet Seongchan, seated beside Hyerin, remained calm, sipping his coffee and tapping away on his phone. Annoyed, Hyerin waved a hand in front of his face and muttered,
“sunbae. They’re talking about me right behind us, and you can’t even say one word out of loyalty?”
He swatted her hand away without hesitation and suddenly set his phone down in front of her.
“I’ll do whatever you want. Option 1, we just leave. Option 2, we use the recording I just made and report them upstairs. Option 3, I go over there and punch them right now.”
Wait—when did he even record that? She let out a small laugh at his characteristically calm response. Raising an eyebrow teasingly, she asked,
“If it’s option 3, you’ll get fired. Still gonna do it?”
“I’m a guy, so I don’t really know how you feel right now. And you’re a girl, so even if you want to, you can’t do anything. If you want, I’ll do it for you. I’m tired of overtime anyway… Maybe it’s time I start my own company or something.”
At his dry response, the rest of the team—dark circles hanging halfway down their cheeks—narrowed their brows in concern.
“Not option 3. Just ’cause your family’s loaded doesn’t mean you get to be reckless. I’m broke, man. I’ve gotta hang on to this job for dear life. If you’re gonna get fired, wait till after this project’s done.”
“If you throw a punch, we’re all heading to the police station. And if you’re getting investigated, we’ll never meet the damn deadline, even if we pull all-nighters.”
Despite the voices trying to talk him down, Seongchan didn’t flinch. He simply stared at Hyerin. She frowned and shook her head.
“You’re such a lunatic, I feel like you’d actually do it. I can’t even joke around with you. Forget it. I’m not gonna mess things up for the team or get you into trouble over something this stupid.”
Suddenly, she slammed her coffee cup onto the table with a sharp clack and shot to her feet.
“Then I’m going with option 4.”
Her voice rang loud through the space, silencing the café in an instant. Heads turned. Hyerin pivoted and stared down at the guys at the table behind the partition. All of them looked up at her, mouths hanging open in shock.
Wearing a smile that was too warm to be sincere, Hyerin spoke sweetly.
“Right? I do look fuckable, don’t I?”
The men froze, unsure whether it was because the subject of their comments had appeared out of nowhere or because of all the eyes now on them.
With 20/20 vision, Hyerin quickly scanned their ID badges, then pointed at each one of them.
“Kang Dongwoo. Gu Jaekeun. Kim Minseok. Wow… So many guys want to sleep with me.”
Still wearing that sickly sweet smile, she shook her head and brushed her hair back.
“Then why the hell doesn’t he see me as a woman? Ugh, fuck, that impotent bastard…!”
It felt like all the stress—from work, from Jaeyoon—had exploded at once. As she smacked her forehead over and over with her palm, her eyes burned red with rage. The guys, faces pale, began to rise and back away from her.
There was a glint of madness in her bloodshot eyes, worn down from constant overtime. Whipping her hand through the air like she was about to leap over the divider, she shouted,
“Hey! Where’re you going? Keep talking! Tell me what part of me turns you on! How am I supposed to fix anything if I don’t know?!”
Tilting her head in a creepy angle and shouting with unhinged energy, Hyerin sent the men running like they’d seen a ghost.
“Hey, Sales Team 3! Say more! I could use the reference!”
As Hyerin shouted at the fleeing men, panting heavily, her teammates—just as pale as the ones running away—rushed to cover her mouth.
“Hey, Joo Hyerin! That’s enough!”
“Are you out of your mind?”
“We’re gonna get fired at this rate!”
Eyes wild, Hyerin flailed like a freshly caught fish, calling out after Sales Team 3.
“Kang Dongwoo! Mmph—Gu Jae—mmph—Kim Minseok!”
Even with three strong men trying to restrain her, bits of her shouting still managed to escape. Watching the scene quietly, Seongchan let out a long sigh and muttered under his breath,
“And people say I’m the crazy one… She’s the real lunatic.”
Even after the men had completely disappeared, Hyerin kept panting in anger. She chugged the rest of her coffee in one go, then slowly looked down at Seongchan, who was still perfectly calm despite all the stares they were attracting. He definitely stood out—tall, broad-shouldered, competent…
“What?”
He raised an eyebrow, sensing her gaze.
“Caught fish, huh…”
“What?”
“Tension…”
Murmuring to herself, Hyerin glanced at him, then gave him a sly smile and a small nod.
