Chapter 12.1

Chapter 12.1

It was the weekend, and her grandmother, who had taken a day off from the restaurant, had left the house, saying she had some errands to run.

Although Yeon-ha had suggested she take a taxi, her grandmother stubbornly insisted on taking the bus, so Yeon-ha saw her off at the bus stop and was on her way back home.

On a spring afternoon that felt hot due to the sudden rise in temperature, Yeon-ha passed by chipped walls and scattered nameless flowers, turning into the now-familiar alley.

“She said she’d be back before dinner…”

She planned to study at home and go out to meet her grandmother again at the right time. Having stayed up almost all night again, Yeon-ha’s face was gaunt. She had staked everything on the college entrance exam, as it was the only means to change her circumstances.

As she walked quickly, lost in thought, Yeon-ha suddenly stopped.

“…!”

In front of the wide-open iron gate, she saw a stranger leaning at an angle. Her unusually large eyes were instantly filled with shock. The man, standing in a relaxed posture and smoking a cigarette, was undoubtedly the landlord who lived on the first floor. The fact that the gate was open meant he had either come out from inside or was just about to go in. In any case, he had to be the one.

Frozen by the unexpected sight, Yeon-ha found herself startled when the man suddenly turned his head in her direction. The moment she felt their eyes meet, she shuddered involuntarily.

She thought of turning back on the spot, but–

“There’s no need for that.”

The vague discomfort she had felt before seemed like a lie as she quickly changed her mind. Turning back now would make no sense. Her halted steps resumed, slowly at first. Was it just her imagination, or was it getting harder to breathe?

Trying to act normal and deliberately avoiding his gaze, she couldn’t help but notice his figure coming into clearer view. Unlike her awkward sidelong glances, she could vividly feel his intense gaze fixed on her.

As the distance between them closed, the acrid smell of cigarette smoke tickled her nose, stirring a deep-seated fear within her.

It was strange. Yeon-ha prided herself on her mental and physical resilience, but now she was tense in a way she had never been before. Her mind was a jumble as she took those few steps forward. She thought she should just ignore him and go inside. If he spoke to her, she would respond vaguely. If not.

However, the moment of confusion didn’t last long. Before she knew it, Yeon-ha found herself standing in front of the man as if drawn by an invisible force, and she unconsciously looked up.

“….”

Their gazes locked at the gate.

In that moment, her heart sank heavily, and Yeon-ha froze. To her, his gaze seemed light yet indifferent. At least, that’s how she perceived it.

The man’s eyes were fixed on her obviously flustered face. His narrow eyes slightly narrowed, but only so subtly that Yeon-ha didn’t notice. Her lips moved involuntarily within their locked gaze, then pressed back together.

‘He’s huge.’

That was her immediate impression. Though she wasn’t particularly short, she had to crane her neck to look up at him. His broad shoulders caught her eye, indicating not only his height but also his large frame. Yet, he didn’t seem bulky or clumsy at all. He was just…

‘Scary.’

Unfortunately, that was her next thought. Was it his brazen attitude, smoking as if nothing else mattered? The man, with a cigarette burning between his fingers, was blatantly insolent and obviously rough around the edges. It was a different kind of unease than what she felt around the troublemakers at school.

Though he didn’t seem much older, there was an unmistakable air of intimidation about him, perhaps fueled by the rumors or his own inherent demeanor.

In retrospect, it was an odd scene. Should she say hello or introduce herself as a new resident? Even as Yeon-ha wrestled with these thoughts, neither of them broke eye contact. They stood there, a few steps apart, staring at each other as if time had stopped.