Chapter 66.2

Chapter 66.2

As they drove up the spiral ramp leading onto the Queensboro Bridge, Sungsoo shouted over the hum of the engine—

“Welcome to Manhattan!”

The dorm building provided by the study abroad agency was a four-story structure about a 15-minute walk from the academy. It looked like it had easily stood for over a hundred years. On the third floor, two doors labeled 3A and 3B faced each other.

Sungsoo unlocked 3A and led the four of them inside. The apartment was a long, narrow corridor-style unit—barely wide enough to fit a single room but stretching long enough to accommodate four.

At each end of the hallway, there was a private bedroom with an attached bathroom, while the central area housed a shared living room, kitchen, and an extra bathroom. The two girls shared one of the end rooms, while the two guys took the other.

As soon as Sungsoo handed them maps and class schedules and left, Miran dug into her suitcase—still carrying the scent of kimchi—and immediately pulled out an icebox. She carefully organized its contents into a section of the communal fridge.

Just as she finished, a sudden, ear-piercing scream echoed through the apartment.

Miran dropped the icebox and bolted into the room.

“Hyunjung! What happened?”

“AAAHH! Unni, over there—th-th-the cockroach!”

Hyunjung had scrambled onto her bed, her face drained of color, and was frantically pointing at the desk.

“Where!?”

“There! Next to the desk! Aah! It’s moving! Oh my god, what do we do!?”

Miran quickly scanned the room, grabbed a stray slipper from the floor, and crept toward the tiny intruder—barely half the size of her pinky finger.

With a swift, decisive smack—

“Got it!”

Hyunjung collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh.

“Ugh… thanks, Unni. But what are we gonna do? A place with cockroaches? How are we supposed to live here…?”

Hyunjung, who looked every bit like a well-bred rich girl, had probably never lived in a place with bugs before. Miran didn’t like them either, but in a dormitory where countless people had come and gone, it would have been more surprising not to find any.

“Don’t worry too much. If any more show up, I’ll take care of them. Tomorrow, let’s buy some bug spray and treat all the corners.”

“Ugh, I don’t think I can live here. I’m going to call my dad and ask him to find me a different apartment. I’m really sorry, Unni…”

Still perched on the bed, Hyunjung sniffled and anxiously scanned the room.

“Actually, my cousin who lives in New York is coming over to take me out for dinner. I’m going to pack up tonight and leave. I’ll stay in a hotel for now and ask him to help me find a better apartment. Unni, do you want to come with me? If we split the cost, it won’t be as bad. I know it’s more expensive, but it’s better than living somewhere with cockroaches.”

“Oh? Ah… I’m fine. I think I’ll just stay here.”

Miran sighed inwardly.

Where would I even get that kind of money? Besides, this place is way better than my old rooftop room.

“Really? Wow, Unni, you’re so brave. That’s cool!”

“…Yeah, thanks.”

Just then, the doorbell rang. Hyunjung glanced at the clock and gasped.

“Oh no! It’s already time! Unni, I’m really sorry, but I’m too scared to get off the bed. My cousin’s probably here—could you open the door for me?”

“Uh… sure.”

Wow. She must’ve been seriously pampered.

Miran made her way down the narrow hallway toward the front door. As she was approaching, the doorbell rang again.

Jeez, her cousin sure is impatient.

“Coming! Just a second!”

Miran practically sprinted to the door and yanked it open. The man standing there, frozen in the exact position of pressing the doorbell, stared down at her in confusion.

“Kang Miran? What are you doing here?”

“…Seunghyuk oppa?”

Miran’s eyes widened as she glanced between the room at the end of the hall and Seunghyuk, her mind racing.

“Then… Hyunjung’s cousin is—”

“You know Nam Hyunjung?”

“Huh? Oh… yeah. We were on the same flight today. She’s my roommate—”

From inside, Hyunjung’s wail echoed through the hallway.

“Oppaaaa!! Seunghyuk oppa! There are cockroaches in this house! What do I do? Waaah!”

Miran stepped aside and swung the door open wider.

“Come in. Hyunjung is, um… kind of traumatized by the whole cockroach situation.”

Seunghyuk let out an exasperated laugh, sighing as he stepped in. His eyes swept over the narrow hallway before pointing toward the source of Hyunjung’s voice.

“That way?”

Miran nodded and took a step forward—but then, a gentle voice stopped her in her tracks.

“And you? Are you okay?”