Climax - Chapter 23.2 - Lunar Letters

Chapter 23.2

Afraid she might recognize her, Yeon-ha quickly buried her face in her phone screen and sped up her pace. The bright, overly cheerful version of herself that would’ve greeted the woman loudly just months ago was nowhere to be found. It was like she was running away, hiding in plain sight, as if she’d done something wrong.

After that, she forgot about the pain in her foot and rushed home. By the time she opened the front door, her tired face had only grown more weary. She froze for a moment, though, when she noticed something that shouldn’t have been there: a pair of men’s shoes.

“Where did you go?”

Leaning casually against the living room wall, Min-gyu asked. From his position, he could see the entrance clearly if he just turned his head.

“…”

Yeon-ha hesitated for a second, caught off guard by his lazy, casual question. It wasn’t a big deal, really. Maybe it was because she sensed he wouldn’t like the answer?

Instead of answering, Yeon-ha casually took off her shoes and changed the subject.

“You’re home early.”

“Yeah.”

His gaze lingered on the new sneakers he’d bought her before drifting back up to her pale face. Without pushing any further, Yeon-ha finally answered.

“I went out because I’m starting a part-time job tomorrow.”

“A part-time job?”

She nodded and moved inside, sitting naturally beside him. As she briefly explained the situation, she couldn’t help but gauge his reaction.

Then, a silence settled between them.

“…”

Normally, Min-gyu would fill the silence with small talk, but he said nothing this time, leaving an awkward tension in the air. Feeling uneasy, Yeon-ha cautiously broke the silence.

“When did you get home?”

His response came a beat late, slow and unhurried. “Right after lunch.”

“That early?”

Yeon-ha checked the time on her phone. Only about an hour had passed since she’d left the house. Usually, when Min-gyu got home from work, he’d head straight to the shower. But now, he still hadn’t changed out of his work clothes—a detail she found odd. Only then did she notice she’d missed a call from him. She’d looked at her phone on her way back, so how she missed it was beyond her.

“You called.”

“Yeah.”

“But why didn’t you even change your clothes…?”

The words slipped out, and he let out a deep sigh. Seeing him looking so subdued, Yeon-ha’s eyes flickered uncertainly. This wasn’t the same Min-gyu who’d left the house just hours ago. The way he looked at her now was dry, almost distant, but there was something in his gaze that she couldn’t simply brush off. It reminded her of the first time they’d met.

“I thought…”

His voice, usually so casual, was tinged with something else. Yeon-ha tensed, not knowing why.

“I thought maybe you’d run away because you got tired of me.”

“…”

His matter-of-fact tone sent a heavy weight sinking into her chest. She tilted her head, wondering if he was joking, but there wasn’t a hint of playfulness in his gaze.

She felt unbearably off-kilter.

“Don’t say weird stuff. Why would I run away?”

Yeon-ha raised her voice, trying to shake off the sudden chill she felt as if denying the unsettling emotion that crept in.

“I haven’t done anything wrong. Why would you say something like that? And why would I disappear when I still owe you so much?”

She didn’t add that she had nowhere else to go. Her sharp tone revealed just how flustered she was. She’d had a hunch he wouldn’t be thrilled about the job, but she hadn’t expected him to think she’d leave like that.

“Yeah.”

He nodded easily, agreeing. “You’re not the type to do that.” Even as he spoke, his eyes darted sharply over her, taking in every detail. Yeon-ha had made an effort for the interview: her long hair was neatly tied up, and she wore light makeup. Her simple blouse and jeans weren’t fancy, but they were fresh and well put together. She looked entirely different from when she lounged around in pajamas at home.

After taking in her appearance, he let out a faint, humorless laugh.

“But watching you, it seems like you’re the kind of girl who wants to live with me for a long time.”

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