Chapter 27

After Yuna left, the apartment felt quiet.

I wandered into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water, then stood there for a while, not sure what to do next. I had planned to ask Hyunjae out today, but Yuna somehow shut that down before I even said a word.

At this point, I’m convinced she has telepathy. Not the normal kind either—more like a supervillain upgrade that lets her hear my weekend plans before I even make them.

With no classes today and nowhere to go, time seemed to move slower.

I ended up turning on the TV, flipping through a few channels before settling on some random cooking show. I wasn’t really watching, but it was better than silence. Around noon, I made myself instant ramen, ate in front of the TV, then washed the bowl right after.

For the next hour, I scrolled on my phone, checked the news, and played a mobile game until I got bored. By mid-afternoon, I stretched out on the couch with a blanket, debating whether to take a nap.

The sudden ring of my phone cut through the quiet.

I glanced at the screen and blinked.

Auntie.

It had been a long time since I’d seen her name light up my phone. I hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Auntie?”

“Haemin-ah!” Her voice was warm, instantly familiar. “Oh, it’s so good to hear your voice. How have you been, dear?”

I smiled faintly. “I’m doing alright. How about you?”

“We’re fine, we’re fine,” she said with a small laugh. “But it feels like you’ve vanished. You haven’t called in so long—I was starting to wonder if you’d forgotten about us.”

“I’d never forget,” I said quickly. “I’ve just… been busy. Sorry for not checking in.”

“I know life gets busy,” she replied gently, “but you still have to let your family know you’re alive and well. You’ve always been such a thoughtful boy—I miss hearing from you.”

I leaned back against the couch, feeling a mix of guilt and comfort. “I’ll try to be better about calling.”

“That’s all I ask,” she said warmly. “Now tell me—are you eating properly? Not just instant noodles every day?”

I chuckled. “I eat real food, Auntie.”

“And you’re sleeping enough? Not staying up all night?”

“Yeah, I’m sleeping,” I assured her.

“Good.” She paused, her voice softening even more. “You know, everyone here has been missing you—your uncle, your cousins… me most of all. It’s been far too long since we saw you.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah… it has.”

“So why don’t you come visit?” she suggested, her tone hopeful. “Even if it’s just for a night or two. I’ll cook all your favorites, and you can catch up with everyone.”

I hesitated. “I’ll… think about it.”

“Don’t just think,” she teased gently. “Promise me you’ll try. We’d be so happy to have you here, Haemin-ah.”

I smiled faintly, though something in my chest tightened. “Alright. I’ll try.”

“That’s my boy,” she said warmly. “Now, take care of yourself, okay? And call me once in a while—don’t wait for me to call you.”

“I will,” I promised.

We said our goodbyes and ended the call. I set the phone down on the coffee table and let out a slow breath. It really had been a long time since I last visited Auntie in Busan. If I counted back, it must’ve been… over a year now.

Leaning back on the sofa, I stretched my legs out and stared at the ceiling. The thought of seeing her again, eating her cooking, made me smile a little. But almost immediately, another thought crept in.

Would Yuna even let me go?

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to tell her—but I could already imagine her reaction. A trip like that meant being away from her for at least a couple of days, and that wasn’t something she liked.

The rest of the day dragged on. With nothing much to do, the boredom slowly crept in. I lay on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, thinking how nice it would be to just step outside for a bit—maybe take a walk, breathe in some fresh air, or even go for a short jog.

The idea of sneaking out crossed my mind more than once. I even thought about leaving my phone at home so the GPS would still show I was here. But then another thought stopped me—what if she called all of a sudden? Just picking up her call five seconds late was enough to trigger her suspicion. I let out a quiet sigh.

The sunlight in the room gradually shifted, turning golden as the evening drew closer. Each minute felt longer than the last until finally, Yuna returned.

The sound of the front door opening broke the stillness. I sat up slightly as Yuna stepped inside, the faint scent of her perfume drifting into the room. She closed the door behind her, setting her handbag neatly on the console table before slipping off her heels.

“You’re home,” I said quietly.

She gave me a small nod as she loosened the top button of her blouse.

Her gaze lingered on me for a brief second before she turned toward the kitchen. She opened the fridge, poured herself a glass of water, and took a slow sip without another word.

I stood there for a moment, my pulse picking up. If I didn’t say it now, I’d keep putting it off.

“Yuna…” I started, careful with my tone.

She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Hm?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “My aunt called earlier. She… It’s been a long time since I visited her in Busan, and she asked me to come over for a couple of days. I thought maybe—”

“No.” She didn’t even let me finish, her answer immediate and firm.

I blinked at her. “Wait, you didn’t even hear—”

“I heard enough,” she said, setting her glass on the counter. “The answer is no.”

“Why not?” I tried to keep my voice calm, but frustration was creeping in. “Please, be considerate of me, Yuna.”

“No.” She cut me off again, her tone firmer. “You’re not going.”

My chest tightened. “It’s just for a couple of days,” I tried again, my tone more tentative. “I’ll come back before the weekend—”

“I said no.” Her voice hardened, low and sharp.

I exhaled, trying not to sound frustrated. “Why? It’s been over a year since I last saw them.”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she leaned against the counter, her gaze locked on me in a way that made me feel like I’d said something dangerously stupid.

“Haemin,” she called my name softly.

Something in her tone made my stomach tighten.

A slow, cold smile spread across her lips. “I think I’ve been far too lenient with you these past few days.”

I frowned. “What… does that mean?”

“I even let you go out with your friend,” she continued, ignoring my question, her voice low but sharp. “I didn’t call you every hour like I used to, didn’t disturb your time. And now you think that little bit of kindness means I’ll agree to let you leave me for a few days? Are you trying to drive me crazy?”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Alright,” she said abruptly, cutting me off with that same unsettling calm.

I blinked. “…What?”

“You can go.” She stepped toward me slowly.

I hesitated, something in her tone making my stomach knot. “You mean… I can really—”

“But Haemin,” she interrupted again, stopping close enough that I could smell her perfume, “It does hurt me, you know… that you’d start an argument with me over your aunt.”

“Yuna, I’m not—”

“I thought I was the only person who truly mattered to you.” Her voice softened, almost tender now, as if she were confessing something she’d never said aloud. “I’ll let you go… but it still stings to know I’m not the only one you care for that much.”

A smile played at her lips, warm on the surface, yet her eyes stayed cold.

“This might be the last time you ever see them,” she murmured. “So think of this as my little gift to you. And after you start working with me…” She tilted her head slightly. “…don’t even dream of asking me for something like this again. You won’t like the answer.”

My breath caught. I wasn’t sure if it was a warning or a threat.

She straightened, then leaned in slowly until her face was inches from mine. Her eyes didn’t blink.

“So, Haemin,” she whispered, “I’m giving you permission.”

Silence settled between us. My heartbeat was loud enough that I swore she could hear it.

Her lips curved, just enough to look like a smile. “Tell me…” 

Her gaze didn’t waver. 

“…am I not considerate enough?”