Chapter 4 : A Day off

Chapter 4

A Day Off

"Your world is really strange."

Tae-Hyun said as he placed the coffee mug on the table.

Ha-Yoon raised an eyebrow.

"What seems strange now?"

"People happily drink something this bitter."

Ha-Yoon couldn't help laughing.

"It's called coffee."

"Whatever it is, I don't understand how people can actually like it."

"You don't have to understand everything."

"Maybe not in your world."

Ha-Yoon was about to reply when Soo-Min suddenly called from downstairs.

"HA-YOON!"

Both of them stopped at the same time.

Ha-Yoon quickly walked out of her room and looked downstairs over the railing.

Soo-Min was putting her bag over her shoulder.

"I'm leaving for work!" she called.

"Okay, Unnie!" Ha-Yoon replied.

Soo-Min looked up at her.

"And don't forget to leave for the office on time."

Ha-Yoon froze for a second.

She had completely forgotten that she had to go to work today.

"Yeah..."

"Otherwise Mr. Kim will get angry again."

The moment Ha-Yoon heard Mr. Kim's name, she made a face.

"He gets angry over everything."

"Even so."

Soo-Min pointed a finger at her.

"Don't be late."

"Alright, alright."

Soo-Min smiled.

"Good."

She waved her hand.

"Bye."

"Bye, Unnie!"

A few moments later, the sound of the front door closing echoed through the apartment.

Silence filled the house once again.

Ha-Yoon stood near the stairs for a few seconds.

When she was sure Soo-Min had really left, she let out a sigh of relief.

Then she returned to her room.

Tae-Hyun was still standing by the balcony.

His cold gaze was fixed outside the window.

"Who is this Mr. Kim?"

he asked without looking at her.

"My boss."

"Why was your sister using his name to scare you?"

"Because he's scary enough."

"Strange."

Ha-Yoon rolled her eyes.

"You wouldn't understand."

"I don't think I want to."

Ha-Yoon shook her head.

"Fine."

"What?"

"I'll show you the house."

Tae-Hyun raised an eyebrow.

"The house?"

"Yeah."

"Because it looks like you're going to stay here for a few days."

"When did you decide that?"

"The moment you fell into my balcony from another world."

Tae-Hyun looked at her for a few seconds.

Then, without saying another word, he followed her.

The apartment wasn't very big, but it wasn't too small either.

It had two floors.

The living room and the kitchen were on the first floor.

Soo-Min's bedroom was also downstairs, with a bathroom right next to it.

A wooden staircase led to the second floor.

The upstairs was much quieter.

Ha-Yoon's room was there, filled with books, notebooks, and half-written stories.

There was another bathroom upstairs, which she used.

And connected to her room was the balcony...

The very place where Tae-Hyun had appeared for the first time.

"The houses in your world are strange too."

Tae-Hyun said as he looked around.

Ha-Yoon frowned.

"What did the house do now?"

"One house..."

"But two different floors."

"So?"

"Separate rooms. Separate spaces."

Ha-Yoon laughed.

"You really manage to find a problem in everything."

"Your world gives me plenty of opportunities."

Ha-Yoon shook her head.

She still couldn't understand how he could say everything with such a serious face.

As the tour came to an end, her eyes suddenly fell on the clock hanging on the wall.

Her face instantly turned pale.

"Oh no."

Tae-Hyun looked at her.

"What happened now?"

"My office."

"You were supposed to go to work?"

"Yes."

"Then go."

Ha-Yoon stared at him as if he had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world.

"And leave you here alone?"

"I can take care of myself."

"That's exactly what worries me."

Tae-Hyun frowned, clearly not understanding why that was a problem.

Ha-Yoon let out a deep sigh.

No.

She couldn't leave him alone.

Who knew what he might do while she was gone?

Or worse...

What if someone saw him?

Both possibilities were a disaster.

She quickly picked up her phone.

"What are you doing?"

Tae-Hyun asked.

Ha-Yoon unlocked her phone.

"I'm trying to save my job..."

She looked at him.

"...because of you."

She searched for Na-Ri's number and tapped the call button.

Tae-Hyun raised an eyebrow.

"I never told you to quit your job."

Ha-Yoon sighed.

"Thanks. Hearing that totally brought my salary back."

Tae-Hyun looked at her, clearly confused.

By then, the call had already connected.

"Hello?"

Na-Ri's voice came from the other side.

"Na-Ri."

"Ha-Yoon?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

Ha-Yoon glanced at Tae-Hyun for a moment.

Then she spoke quietly.

"I'm not coming to the office today."

There was a brief silence.

Then—

"WHAT?!"

Ha-Yoon quickly pulled the phone away from her ear.

"Stop yelling."

"Why shouldn't I yell?"

Na-Ri sounded fully awake now.

"You know what Mr. Kim is like, right?"

"Yeah."

"If he finds out you skipped work without telling him, you can kiss your job goodbye."

Ha-Yoon sat down on the sofa and let out a deep sigh.

"I'll deal with tomorrow when it comes."

"Ha-Yoon!"

"Please."

Na-Ri went quiet for a few seconds.

"So... what excuse am I supposed to give him?"

"Anything."

"Anything?"

"Yeah."

"That's not an answer!"

Ha-Yoon nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Please. Just help me out today."

Na-Ri let out a long sigh.

"One day, you're going to get me fired too."

"You're my best friend."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

Ha-Yoon laughed.

"Please?"

After a few seconds of silence, Na-Ri finally gave in.

"Fine."

Ha-Yoon's face instantly brightened.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Thank you!"

"But if Mr. Kim scolds me..."

"I'll buy you coffee."

"Two coffees."

"Deal."

"Good."

Na-Ri sighed one last time.

"And you'd better come to the office tomorrow."

"I'll try."

"No. Don't try."

"COME."

Ha-Yoon laughed again.

"Alright."

The call ended.

Ha-Yoon let out a sigh of relief.

At least one big problem had been taken care of.

But when she looked up...

Tae-Hyun was staring at her.

"What?"

Ha-Yoon asked.

"Your friend seems very tired of you."

Ha-Yoon picked up a cushion and threw it at him.

"Be quiet."

Tae-Hyun caught it easily.

As if he had expected it.

"I'm only telling the truth."

"You don't have to say everything that comes to your mind."

"Maybe not in your world."

Ha-Yoon placed a hand on her forehead.

Arguing with him was completely pointless.

She was about to say something...

When her eyes suddenly fell on his clothes.

She looked at him again.

Then she sighed.

"Oh no..."

"What happened?"

Tae-Hyun asked.

"Your clothes."

"What about them?"

Ha-Yoon stood up from the sofa.

"Everything."

Tae-Hyun looked down at himself.

He couldn't see anything wrong with what he was wearing.

"They're perfectly fine."

"No, they're not."

"They are."

"No."

For a few moments, they simply stared at each other.

Finally, Ha-Yoon let out a deep sigh.

"If you go outside dressed like this, people will think something is very strange."

"I don't care."

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because you'll be with me."

Tae-Hyun stayed silent for a few seconds.

As if he was trying to understand what she meant.

Then he asked,

"So... what are you going to do?"

Without thinking, Ha-Yoon replied,

"I'm going to buy you some new clothes."

"You're going to spend your money on me?"

"Yes."

"You don't have to."

"I absolutely do."

"You're very stubborn."

"Not more than you."

For the first time...

A faint smirk appeared on Tae-Hyun's lips.

It was so slight that Ha-Yoon wasn't even sure if she had really seen it.

But the next moment...

It was gone.

"Don't go anywhere."

Ha-Yoon said as she picked up her bag.

"I'm not a child."

"I know."

"Yet you keep giving me orders."

"Because you arrived from another world just yesterday."

For the first time...

Tae-Hyun had no reply.

Ha-Yoon smiled to herself.

Maybe...

This was the first argument she had actually won.

She reached the front door and paused for a moment.

Then she turned back to look at him.

For some reason...

Seeing him still standing there made her feel strangely relieved.

Safe.

His eyes were still as cold as ever.

Still as dangerous.

But now...

He wasn't alone anymore.

And maybe...

Neither of them had realized it yet.

To Be Continued...

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