Once Love Begins - Chapter 9. Part 3

Chapter 9. Part 3

He smiled as he noticed her appearance.

He asked, “Are you feeling sick?” His tone was concerned.

“No, why?” she replied, trying to conceal any signs of illness.

“You don’t look well,” he remarked.

She tried to pretend she was sick, a skill she had mastered since childhood, but she couldn’t hide it from him, especially not in her eyes.

“I have a slight cold, but I took medicine. I’ll be fine,” she said.

“Have you eaten anything?” he inquired.

She hesitantly replied, “No, not yet.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve eaten too,” he mentioned.

His concern warmed her heart, and she smiled at him.

“Wait a moment,” he said, returning with a small plate of food.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully as she accepted the plate.

After eating, she felt more energized. The fruit on the plate lifted her spirits slightly.

“I’m planning to take the dogs for a walk later. Would you like to join?” he asked.

“Sure, I actually bought some snacks for them,” she replied.

“That would be great,” he said with a smile.

“Yeah,” she agreed, and their conversation flowed smoothly.

Whenever she was with someone she knew, time seemed to fly. Before, parties were dull and uninteresting, but knowing that Joo Chan was there brought her peace.

“If you’re not feeling well, you don’t have to force yourself to come out,” he said.

She said, “I’m not forcing myself. “I’m here because I want to be,” she assured him.

“Good,” he replied.

She felt his sudden glance at her as they talked, but she ignored it, knowing she didn’t have to rush to him just because he seemed uncomfortable. Conversing with him always brought her joy. They chatted about school and their pets, enjoying each other’s company.

“See you later,” he said as the party ended.

“Okay,” she replied, waving goodbye to him before getting into her car, followed by him.

She stared out the window stubbornly, feeling uneasy in such a small space with him. She sensed his stare through the reflection in the window, but she pretended not to notice.

As usual, he would visit Hee Young after parties, but she decided not to let it hurt anymore. She closed off her feelings for him and locked them away in her mind.

Upon arriving home, he stepped out of the car first. She followed suit, expecting him to drive off, but he didn’t. Instead, he began walking home, leaving her puzzled.

‘Was he not visiting her today?’

It didn’t matter now. She went inside, took a shower, and went to her room.

She felt relieved after removing her heavy party makeup as if she could finally breathe. Wearing makeup made her feel like she was hiding her true self behind a mask. Normally, she only applies lipstick and fills in her eyebrows.

She got out of the shower and realized it was late. She hurriedly dried her hair and prepared to meet Joo Chan. She grabbed a shopping bag containing the clothes she had borrowed from him on a recent rainy day and some dog treats and made her way to the living room, where she found him sitting on the couch.

She had not been home in a while. She passed by him without changing his clothes.

He asked, “Where are you going?”

She was surprised by his sudden curiosity since she rarely asked him the same question.

“I have an appointment,” she said.

She sensed his moodiness and wondered why he was interested in her plans at this hour. Checking the time, she realized it was only 10 a.m. His tone sounded like that of a parent scolding their child for leaving at dawn.

She assured him that she would return soon. Then, she walked past him and headed outside. He was waiting for her there.

“Watermelon! Beard!” she called out as she approached her dogs, who excitedly wagged their tails. She greeted them with affectionate pats on their necks and heads.

He smelled of fresh shower cologne. His once neatly styled hair now flowed more freely. Seeing him relax brought a smile to her lips.

He asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?” His concern was evident in his voice.

“You’re always asking me if I’m okay; I am fine, really,” she retorted, shaking her head in disbelief.

“Are you sure about that? I’m just worried about you,” he replied.

She teased, handing over Watermelon’s leash with a grunt. They walked through the neighborhood together, occasionally picking up speed.

After giving Watermelon and Beard some water and treats, she sat on a stool outside a convenience store and sipped hot canned coffee. She didn’t feel cold, despite the coolness in the air. While stroking Watermelon’s neck and playing with the coffee can, she looked at him.

“What? Do I have something on my face?” he asked.

“No, I’m just… thankful. for everything,” she admitted sincerely.

He made her smile. She brushed back her hair, which fluttered in the wind.

“Shall we?” he asked, ready to continue their walk.

They completed only one round around the block, and it had already been over an hour. She decided to head home before noon, and he agreed to take her home.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

“What’s happening at school?” he asked.

“Why?” she inquired.

“It’s about the Three Musketeers, you guys. But lately, it seems like you’re not sticking together,” he observed.

“Ah…” She tried to smile, but her shoulders drooped instead.

“If there’s anything I can do, just let me know,” he offered.

“Thank you,” she replied. Her smile was replaced by sadness, and Joo Chan saw the lack of excitement in her expression.

“If you’re truly grateful, buy me a meal,” he joked.

“What?” she responded, surprised.

“You said you were grateful, so buy me a meal,” he clarified with a smile.

She agreed to get it. He closed his eyes and smiled broadly, like a playful puppy. They soon found themselves standing in front of her house.

“It’s cold. Get inside,” he urged her.

“Okay. Take care,” she replied.

“See you at school,” he said. He turned to leave with Watermelon and Beard.

As she watched him walk away, she smelled a faint whiff of cigarette smoke in the air. She turned her head and noticed him standing nearby. His expression was unreadable, sending a shiver down her spine.

They stood in silence, exchanging glances without speaking. Cigarette smoke wafted from his lips and dissipated into the air. Eventually, she looked away first, feeling uncomfortable with the smell of smoke.

As she waited for the elevator, he joined her. The scent of cigarettes lingered around him, and she wrinkled her nose in disgust. She couldn’t understand why he smoked, as the odor was offensive, and she couldn’t understand the appeal.

She briefly considered trying it herself but quickly dismissed the idea. The thought of tasting something she didn’t like was unappealing.

She hurried into the house and went to the other room, where she had been studying at night. This was her way of avoiding him and having some space for herself. She sat down, closed her eyes, and felt relieved that she had mentally distanced herself from him.

* * *

Half asleep, she answered her ringing phone to hear Hana’s urgent voice.  Surprised, she struggled to find her words.

Tears filled her eyes when she heard Hana’s voice telling her to come outside right away. Upon stepping out, she found Hana and Jae-ho holding a cake.

“Hm… Hana…” she managed to say, her emotions overwhelming her.

Hana walked over and embraced her tightly, comforting her. Jae-ho, unsure of what to do, set the cake down and joined in the hug, apologizing sincerely.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Jae-ho said, expressing his regret.

She went through a whirlwind of emotions, alternately laughing and crying. Although she was feeling a bit disoriented, she was extremely happy.

“I’m sorry I was angry. You shouldn’t have had to deal with that. I took it out on you,” she apologized to her friends.

“No worries,” they reassured her.

They celebrated her birthday with drinks in the local neighborhood instead of their usual place. While they were enjoying themselves, Joo-Chan unexpectedly showed up.

He explained that he bumped into a woman buying a cake and learned that it was her birthday. Although she hadn’t been drinking much lately, the happiness of being with her friends caused her to drink more than usual.

Joo Chan woke her up with a cold drink and reminded her to go home as she began to doze off in the convenience store.

“You should go home. What if you doze off here?” he said, chuckling mischievously. She nodded, realizing he was right, and headed home.

She laughed uncontrollably. Jae-ho offered to take Hana home. Joo Chan, who also lived nearby, decided to accompany Yeon-woo home. Yeon-woo felt a bit lightheaded from the drinks and drank the last of them. Just as she was about to enter the house, Joo-chan called out her name and held out a gift.

“What’s this?” she asked, surprised.

“A gift. An earring,” he replied.

“Why are you giving me these?” she questioned.

“It’s a birthday present. I bought them because they’re pretty,” he explained.

He affectionately tousled his hair and reassured her that she should not get upset because he had plenty of money.

“Thank you,” she said gratefully.

“Go inside. Your husband will be waiting for you,” Joo-chan said.

She knew that her husband wouldn’t be there. “Yes,” she replied, not wanting to give him away.

Upon arriving home, she found him sitting on the couch. This was unexpected. He looked at the bouquet from Hana and Jae-ho and slowly stood up.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“I got you a gift,” she replied, making it clear she didn’t want to engage with him.

“Why?” he questioned, seeming oblivious to her tone.

She stared at him as if it didn’t matter. “It’s nothing,” she responded curtly.

“Then it is,” he insisted.

With a slight smile on her lips, she walked past him and heard him speak again just before entering her room.

“Did the guy confess to you? Did he give that to you?”

She let go of the doorknob and turned around.

“My friends gave this to me because today is my birthday,” she said calmly.

He was slightly surprised as his eyes widened. After a brief pause, she turned and walked into her room.