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Chapter 1

I could hear the clouds rolling in. It looks like it’s going to rain soon. A soft voice fell into my ear as if to catch my attention—afraid to avert the gaze to far, such a gloomy sky.

“… I’ll contact you.” A poorly cracked and locked voice.

“okay.” As I responded politely, I looked back at my cousin in front of me. The boy’s expression was a bit surprising. Look like he was about to cry, but his expression was quite calm.

After all, what I witness more often is fatigue rather than sadness at funerals.

Besides, my uncle died two days ago, but it was already half a year ago that he was unconscious, and it was nine years ago that he collapsed and was bedridden for the first time.

Perhaps there was enough time to prepare and wait for the death. The last time he handed a handshake that served as comfort, moist moisture adhered to the palm of his hand.

It was a slender and soft hand for one hand that took care of a dying person for nine years. “It looks like it will rain.” As I said, this time Il-Jo looked up at the sky. I thought that the reason his palms felt so soft might be because of the humidity.

“Yeah.”

“Do you have an umbrella?”

“No, I’ll just get going.” Il-jo laughed at my words, which were not even a joke. I don’t know why he’s smiling, I stare at that face. Only then did the boy’s eyelashes, which had been clumped with tears, barely caught my eyes.

Even after hearing my complaint that it was okay because I have a car, Il-jo went downstairs to the funeral home and borrowed an umbrella.

It was a black umbrella with the label of the funeral service company printed on it. I refused a couple of times, but Il-Jo grabbed my hand and held out that umbrella to me.

Forcing something like that to a guy was already a bother, so I just accepted it. I waved the umbrella in my hand and said goodbye.

“Well, I’ll be going.”

“I’ll contact you.”

This was the second time he said that.

‘What do we do when we meet again?’

The question came first. But there was nothing to argue in front of a serious person, so I just nodded. I thought as I got into the car. I met him privately 15 years ago, when I was in middle school.

Even if we didn’t see each other again for the next 15 years, it wasn’t too bad. Such is the case with unrelated relatives.

Again the sky cried low. Il-Jo stood under the eaves and watched me silently until I made my way through the narrow parking lot.

A small face flashed past the side mirror. The umbrella of the funeral service company that I threw in the passenger seat disappeared one day I can’t even remember. Umbrellas with old-fashioned labels were never lifted by me.

However, even after the umbrella disappeared, the quiet voice that said ‘I’ll call you’ and the eyelashes that were clogged with tears sometimes came to mind. why did you call me relatives when we have not interacted with each other for decades. If they meet again, they are most likely to get messy with money.

After he became an adult, he didn’t go to college and didn’t have a job, and he spent 9 years with his uncle, working his arms and legs. It was probably something he did in anticipation of a misfortune, but I was told that nothing fell on him in the end.

At the funeral home, I remembered the image of Il-Jo, who was alone like a military army without their family.

However, most of the acquaintances of the uncle who visited the funeral home of Deokinji, who had been in the hospital for a long time, found Il-Jo first. Without them, he would have been treated worse than the slippers stung at the entrance to the funeral home.

How can such a guy live? A poor man with no house, no money saved, no proper job. Thinking about it that way, I got a little curious.

It’s like seeing a homeless person on the street and wondering how they got to that point. Of course this is sympathy—It’s not just a low curiosity, but…and because of this curiosity, I thought that if Il-Jo got to give me a call, I won’t just ignore it and maybe will have a drink or something.

But after that, there was no contact from Il-Jo.

A few months later, it was a rainy day that reminded me of him again. Outside the car window, a man was seen walking in the rain without an umbrella. The moment I saw that pitiful figure, I remembered why.

The white face that looked at me quietly until the end through the side mirror. Why did you say you would contact me? For a while after the man left, I was silently listening to the sound of the early spring rain hitting the car window. Come to think of it, on that day when the sound of clouds was scary, did it rain or not?

Perhaps we had a relationship that would pass by, as if we had never been in each other’s life. Thinking about it that way, I felt a strange sense of emptiness.

Actually, there is no need to give any meaning to it. After a while, I came to my senses and started the car slowly. As we go through life, we let it go without knowing which end is the last. For example, I never thought that the holiday nine years ago would be the last day I could hear my uncle’s voice in person.

If I thought that was the last time, I would express my sincerity, I would tell you about the things that bothered me, and I would not let you go like that… It’s bound to feel like that, but no matter what you regret, it’s all in the past. life is like that You don’t know when you have the chance.

It was the same with the meeting with Il-jo. It was just one of many farewells that he did not notice beforehand that it was also the last. But, coincidentally, on the day I had such a thought, I got a call from Il-jo.

____________________

“It rains a lot, but on a day like this… sorry.” Il-Jo said in an unfamiliar voice. Carefully looking into my eyes, I felt like I was being stabbed by that gaze.

‘Are you really moving on a day like this?’

Because that’s what I meant as soon as I got out of the car. I lost a word to say to him.

“… done. Is that all you have?”

“Ah, that’s all.”

It seemed that all they had to move was a black backpack on his back, a yellow box in his arms, and a paper bagbag beside his feet. There was no need to open the trunk. Il-Jo lifted all his luggage at once and climbed into the passenger seat.

It was obvious as I started the car—I glanced inside the paper bag that Il-Jo was holding in his arms. There were things like wet wipes and nail clippers rolling around. That’s crazy I didn’t say anything, but Il-Jo probably read what I felt through his eyes. The stiffening of the guy’s shoulders looked ridiculously obvious. After all, Il-Jo is not an ignorant guy.

On the way home, we didn’t say a word. There was a suffocating silence in the car. Of course, I am not uncomfortable with this silence at all. Because it’s the silence I intended. I didn’t even feel the need to play music or be kind to talk to him to release the tension.

It would be petty of me to vent my anger.

But then, if I’m mad now… Who the hell am I mad at? Even if I get angry, I have to pay it to myself. Because I was the first to propose to Il-Jo to come into my house. Yes, we decided to live together from today. A week ago, I got a call from Il-Jo and I made an impulsive decision back then.

Why?

“… it’s pretty far.” Il-jo muttered like a self-talk. Instead of replying to him, I clicked my tongue. Frowning eyes flew straight to the side face. I pointed forward with my chin roughly. “The car is blocked.” Even with excuses, Il-Jo’s gaze did not fall easily. He must have been very nervous and confused.

Not to mention, at a drinking party a week ago, I was quite kind to Iljo. It wasn’t intentional. There is a slight difference in temperature between when I put on external kindness and when I am not. On that day, Il-Jo did not ask for a quick loan, nor did he complain about his uncle’s family.

Even though our academic backgrounds and other backgrounds were very different, unexpectedly we were able to have a good conversation. I didn’t think it was bad to hear Iljo’s meek voice and low laughter, which doesn’t get louder easily even in a noisy bar. Besides, no matter what topic was brought up, the story was relevant.

But after thinking about it, Il-jo was just arguing with me. After all, people mistakenly think that it was a good conversation if they said everything they had to say. In any case, what can be done to people outside the boundaries who are not entangled in existing human relationships is sometimes a lot to say.

Even though I know it’s not that rare, I think I felt that Il-jo was quite special that day. Perhaps it was because I was surprised by his behavior, tone of voice, and the way he communicates, as well as the fact that he contacted me in the first place.

It rained that night as well, and I said I would drive him home. And we arrived at a commercial building, not a residential area. Il-jo said to me, who looked up at the top of the building for a while without any absurdity. He says he lives here on the 6th floor. It was hard to imagine that the top floor of a commercial building was a residential area. Can I go up too? I’m just curious. Wow… How do people live in a place like this? Are all the rooms next door the same? How much do you pay to stay here?

It’s not very cheap either. I—drunk—spit those words out and said it impulsively. ‘You’d better come to my house.’ I don’t like the film cut. The memory of that day was still vivid. ‘Are you alone at your house?’ asked in a young voice with a low-light excitement. Sensing that he trembled a little, I nodded generously.

But the boy quickly shook his head and muttered.

‘But no.’

‘What’s wrong?’

‘I’m sorry… .’

Il-jo rejected my offer over and over again, saying that he could not cause any more trouble. He also said that he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable in a house like this because he had been in the hospital for a long time. The bed is also bigger than a bed of the guardian of the hospital room, and most of all, it’s his own space where doctors and nurses don’t come and go.

‘A space of your own? It’s smaller than our bathroom here? I’d rather live in the bathroom.’ As I let out an open sigh, Il-jo hurriedly led me into his room. I heard a voice resounding when I spoke in the hallway. That was the only reason I continued to panic. When I went inside, I was even more amazed. There were no windows and the only place to sit was a bed.

‘Why do you live here?’

‘I couldn’t get my monthly rent because I didn’t have a deposit.’

‘Do you work?’

‘I’m working part-time, but I haven’t been able to gather much yet… .’

‘Then stay at my house until you get some money.’

Come to think of it, I didn’t tell him to come to my home once or twice. why did I even set that time as the moving date because a week later is the day when the payment period ends.

However, after a day or two, I completely forgot the human kindness and shallow sympathy I felt for Il-jo that day. Besides, when I think about living together, there were not one or two things that bothered me. I didn’t like having other people’s burdens piled up in my house, and I didn’t like being conscious of someone all the time. The thing that bothered me the most was that it would be impossible to bring the woman I met into my house and have a glass of wine or two. Come to think of it, I couldn’t stand living with someone because I didn’t even like my girlfriend who I had been dating for quite a while staying at my house for more than two days. I forgot that I am a very individualistic person. But I turn my palms over the words I promised with my mouth, I couldn’t change it.

Lee Il-jo had already rejected my offer several times at that time, and I was the one who persistently persuaded him to come over. Even if I regret it later, it is unavoidable, so I’m trying to get rid of my anger that has lost its direction right now. “Now we are almost there.” Il-jo did not respond to my blunt words. Have a quick glance. We climbed into the elevator together. When I pressed the top floor, the door closed. Even in the closed space, he was nervous the whole time and didn’t say a word, but when he opened the front door and entered, he admired a little.

“Wow… .”

“Why? Do you like it?”

“Ah… I like it more than I thought.”

At those words, my mind was relieved, and I moved from the corner room where I had originally planned to put the sun down to the second largest room in the house. This was also an impulse.

As soon as I took a step, I secretly sighed at my stupid impulse, but now it was strange to turn clumsily into the corner of the hallway. I’m going to be ruined by this pride someday.

“How about this room?”

Opening the door, I leaned against the door so that Il-jo could enter first. But even though I gladly opened the door, he could not cross the threshold recklessly. He seemed to be overly moved by the great gift that was suddenly given to him. It was fun to observe such a guy. To put it more bluntly, I mean that Il-Jo’s reaction moderately filled my bluff.

“Very good, thank you very much. Really, really… .” Il-Jo was almost crying. I buried my face in my arms over the doorway and held back the laughter that was about to burst out.

“Can I lie in bed?” The guy turned his head quickly and asked me, so I immediately wiped out my smile and nodded.

“of course. It’s your room now.”

“Wow… .”

Il-Jo carefully sat on the bed like a borrowed cat and looked up at me. The boy’s eyes lit up a bit. This room was originally used as a guest room, so it was fully furnished, but Il-Jo seemed to think that it was all consideration that I had prepared in advance to welcome him.

Hmm… Well, it doesn’t matter if I’m mistaken. Il-Jo’s unpacking was ridiculously quick. All clothes hung on five hangers.

“What clothes were you wearing back then?”

“Huh?”

“You have a black suit. It was worn at the funeral.”

“It was borrowed from the funeral service company.”

That already being said, the clothes he borrowed were the most appropriate. Among the clothes that Il-Jo hung, there was not a single piece of clothing that was close to a suit, such as a shirt and slacks.

After tidying up his belongings, I took Il-Jo who stood idly in the middle of the room, looking at me, and gave him a tour of the house, including the bathroom and kitchen. At first, I certainly didn’t think of this…this house is a place where several houses on the top floor have been demolished and remodeled, so the structure is quite unusual. Every time I looked around, Il-Jo faithfully admired and made me felt proud.

“The house is really nice. Thank you so much.”

“If you are so grateful, please clean it.”

“Oh, is that so? okay. I will work really hard.”

“Are you good at cleaning?” When I asked with a smile, Il-Jo laughed along.

“Do well.”

However, since he has such a naive personality, I think he has lived a good life until now. As soon as he got my permission or an order to say, ‘You can clean,’ Il-jo carefully started looking around the house. I went around evaluating the dust by swiping my finger over the screen or the top of the bathroom chest of drawers.

“Just sleep today.” As if he had accepted those words as a command, Il-jo quietly turned off the lights and went into the room. And the next day. As soon as I stepped on the front door after work, I became froze and stopped in place.

Clean. insanely clean—As I was about to stand dumbfounded at the front door in shock, Il-Jo poked his head out. Without speaking a word, he asked with his eyes, “Already come back?”

I took off my shoes for once with a sense of dread. The whole house was blinding. Originally, I always called helpers to clean up the house, so I never thought that the old place was dirty, but the place that Il-Jo touched was different. The phrase ‘cleaning well’ was not an empty word. It was only when I stood on the marble floor that was so shiny that it was embarrassing to step on it, and my startled heart calmed down a little.

“Do you have anything to say?” I asked the guy who was still looking at me, trying to hide his shock. Perhaps he was hoping for a compliment, he looked at me for a while, then quietly shook his head and went back to his room. When I came into my bedroom with that guy behind me, I was so startled again that I dropped the suitcase in my hand. It’s like being in a hotel.

As I walked back and forth in my unfamiliarly neatly organized room, I tried to calm myself down. I hate having someone come into my room, so I told the helper aunt not to touch it too much, but this is a different story. In the end, I decided to acknowledge Il-Jo’s cleaning skills. It is said that even slugs have a knack for rolling.

Chapter 2

Il-Jo quickly expanded his territory in my house. One day, he asked if he could wash the laundry in the laundry tub, and not only the laundry but also the clothes in the dressing room were arranged by color and length, and he diligently found out how I had forgotten to dry the clothes I had left in the laundry room.

The next day he asked if he could throw away the wine bottles that were covered in dust on the balcony. Also, at some point, he asked if he could use the ingredients in the refrigerator, so I secretly expected his cooking skills and told him to use it as much as he want….

To be honest, I really couldn’t cook. So, after telling him to make only what he want to eat, I ate the food I bought or takeout from outside as usual. After two weeks with Il-Jo, I changed my mind.

Living with him isn’t as bad as I think. Even so, his presence was so faint that I didn’t even know he was in this house. Before I spoke to him, there was no needless conversation, and he hardly ever left the room except for cleaning. Even though I said that he could watch the TV in the living room. Il-Jo never turned on the TV first. Maybe it’s because of the feeling of debt to live on top of each other.

He devoted his energy and passion to the chores of the house. And I sometimes pack dinner for two for the guy who can’t afford to eat after work. So, the days of having dinner together at the table together increased more and more. Il-Jo still stays silent if I don’t initiate to talk to him, but it felt pretty good to have someone sitting opposite the table anyway.

I was adjusting to life with my cohabitation faster than I thought. It was a day like no other on the way home from work.

“Are there any fish you can’t eat?” I called Il-Jo and went into a sushi restaurant I frequent visits. When I got the call, Il-Jo gave the answer I expected.

“—fish? There’s nothing I can’t eat… why?”

“I’ll go buy dinner. Don’t cook.”

As soon as I hung up the phone, a thought occurred to me. Actually, it’s not that there no fish that he can’t eat, it’s that he don’t know yet. That’s a reasonable guess. He said he ate the avocado in the roll for the first time recently. As expected, Il-Jo was very pleased with the sushi I had brought.

The words of exclamation and thanks were more generous than usual. We sat happily facing each other at the table, but, as always, there was no conversation.

“… … .”

“… … .” I thought to myself as I chewed and swallowed the sushi. Come to think of it is it my fault , Il-Jo was still reluctant to speak to me first.

It’s only when he ask for permission to do household chores. But at the drinking party, he was able to communicate quite well… .

It seems that the problem was that I acted a little cold on the moving day. I don’t know if he think I’m reluctant to talk. In the end, I opened my mouth first.

“Can I ask you something?”

“…?” Il-Jo had already eaten half of the sushi. He lifted his head with food in his mouth and his cheeks bulged.

“Why did you call me that day?”

“Uh?”

“Honestly, I thought you were calling me to borrow money.”

He smiled as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. It’s been pointed out by several people, but I confuse what I really want to say as a joke.

So it seemed that Il-Jo was also confused.

Am I joking or not? Il-Jo looked at me for a long time and delayed the answer. Surprisingly, the guy doesn’t avert his gaze. The first thing that naturally turned to me was on my side. It was clearly visible that the neck of the guy was gulping over with a big swipe. After swallowing the food in his mouth, Il-Jo barely opened his mouth. “It’s not about money… .”

“I know.”

“You gave me your number.”

“am I?” I tried to remember. I don’t remember sharing cell phones with each other and taking pictures of each other’s numbers. “Oh, a business card?” I was wondering, Instead of answering, he nodded.

It’s really just giving a card. He’s a guy who hasn’t had a social life, so he’s mistaken like that. When I was in my own confusion, Il-Jo spoke again.

“I just remembered and called.” Like I just gave him a business card, I think Il-Jo just contacted me. I finished the meal vaguely convinced. And as soon as I put my chopsticks down, Il-Jo diligently cleaned up the messy debris on the table.

I thought it was the end, but this time I went to the sink and started dismantling the gas stove.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to clean this up… .”

I’ve never even thought about it in my life. The gas stove also needs cleaning.

“Leave it. After all, the helper aunt is coming.”

Il-jo, who was wiping the oil stains on the gas stove, put it down without a word. Then he comes back and sits quietly at the table again. The look in his eyes was asking ‘why?’ but I didn’t feel like explaining much.

It’s not that I wanted to have a friendly conversation after dinner, but it’s worse to act as if you’ve done everything after eating. But the flow of conversation had already stopped, and I couldn’t find anything to say.

I sighed. “Go in.”

“Well… .”

This time, in the seat where Il-Jo was sitting, he was dreaming for nothing. I think he had something to say, but that day, Il-Jo ended up not saying anything. And it wasn’t until the next day that I knew what he was trying to say to me. “Hey, the cleaning aunt, how much do you pay?” The moment I heard that, I quickly guessed where Il-Jo’s out of context question came from. Could you please ask for that money because you’ve been doing all of the chores? As if reading my inner thoughts from my raised eyebrows, Il-Jo was embarrassed and let out a stuttered excuses. “I can’t even give you a penny… I’m sorry. I’m not asking for anything. I’m just wondering if I should do it all… .” It was about pretending to be a bullshit. Clearly, even now, Il-Jo was providing more labor than just exploiting a modest monthly rent.

“Are you the type of person who doesn’t like to be in debt?” In response to my question, Il-Jo made a face like he did not understand. It was something I hadn’t really thought about.

“okay. I’ll tell her not to come starting tomorrow.”

“Ah really?” Perhaps he thought it was an overly quick decision, but Il-Jo was embarrassed even after he had asked for it.

I told the helper aunt on the phone right away. A person who had worked for three years without any major conflicts suddenly being told to quiting their job. And so far there have been no problems. Maybe we could just keep living like that.

Il-Jo does more housework than before because of the debt, and every time I get home from work, I pack dinner for two….

One day, instead of the dining table, we spread dinner on the table in the living room and watch TV together. While working two part-time jobs, Il-Jo swept and cleaned a house that was large enough for a large family to live in every day.

It must have been very difficult to manage various vases and objects in a glass window where dust could be seen sitting on it even if left alone for a day. Maybe that’s why, at first, every time I leave work, I have to leave my room open.

The days when the guy who had raised his head and said hello to him and his slept time gradually increased. Then, instead of fell asleep, I pulled out the food waste while pulling out the slippers and separated the garbage.

Now, on the other hand, I feel a sense of indebtedness. In this way, the sense of debt they had for each other appeared in the form of consideration. We continued to live together, balancing that tight balance. And, maybe, we could have lived a long time with each other taking care of each other like that.

Later, on the day when Il-Jo saved the money he earned from his part-time job to make a deposit and left this house, he said, ‘We’ve been doing well.’

Maybe one last time we had a drink together. Shaking off any conflicts that may have accumulated while living together with a glass of wine. And I’ll probably go to the house where Il-Jo moves.

He would have taken me to my car. It was a very different feeling from the day when Il-Jo came into my house, waving his hand on the way to parting.

That would have changed the way I thought about a human named Lee Il-jo. I could have stayed with a passing life like that. But the reason I couldn’t do that was because of Lee Il-joo himself.

“… what are you doing just now?” When I opened my eyes to the lukewarm and soft touch on my lips, he were looking at me with a shocked face from an overly close distance. The fluttering eyes confessed was obvious. He didn’t even try to lie, and was caught secretly kissing me while I was asleep.

Chapter 3

I was the one who suffered, but it looked as if Il-Jo the one who had been hit by me.

“What?” A cold voice came out, even though it was not made up. As he slowly raised his upper body, Il-Jo hurriedly bit his lips. As if I was going to beat him right now.

“what’s your excuse.”

“….”

It feels bad to kept silent, knowing how I feel. When I move my stiff neck with a motion, I instantly felt dizzy. It was only then that I remembered what had happened before. I drank a bottle of alcohol when I have dinner and slept leaning on the sofa from the drowsy drunkenness that was pouring in me.

“water.” At my words, Il-Jo ran to the back and fetched a glass of water. The fingers of the guy who rubbed the glass as he took it were trembling.

“Not this, but cold water.” Enduring the throbbing in my temples, he held out the cup again. It was pretty good when I drank it… It wasn’t a good drink after all. Il-Jo ran again and filled the cup with cold water.

“What time is it now?”

“… eleven o’clock.” Il-Jo answered in a tight voice. At the same time, a breeze laugh escaped my mouth.

“You answer well.”

“uh?”

“While you can answering this, why didn’t you answer what I asked you earlier?”

“I’m sorry… .”

“I don’t want to hear an apology.”

Il-Jo shut his mouth again. The face that didn’t know how to behave properly just looked really foolish.

“Can’t you answer me?”

“… .”

“Why are you doing something you can’t even answer?” I asked angrily and placed the empty cup on the table. Then Il-Jo looked at the cup and me alternately. He seemed to be contemplating whether or not to bring more water. I didn’t like the hesitancy I could see. I said with a chuckle, “You don’t seem very sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I really am so sorry, I just don’t know how to apologize.”

If you’re really sorry, shouldn’t you get down on your knees and beg? I stared at the guy. Il-Jo stood farther away than before. It just seemed like he wanted to protect himself from me. That’s look really funny … anyone who sees it will suspect that I am the culprit.

“What have you done to my drink?” When asked sarcastically, Il-Jo raised his head, which had been bowed down. Both eyes were filled with regret.

“… I don’t.” Il-Jo replied with difficulty. It was a voice like a strangled person. It was easy to see that my question had hurt him. I got up without a word and went into the bedroom. When passing him, he deliberately did not hide his sigh. It wasn’t me who usually closed the door—but Il-Jo, but this time I also closed the door.

The door closed louder than expected.

But Il-Jo need to know what he did. It may have sounded like I’m really mad. I know he didn’t do anything with alcohol. I got the cap off the bottle that had been sealed in the gift wrap. Il-Jo drank only one drink that I had poured, and said he did not know the taste and put it down. The reason I was drunk was that I almost emptied the rest of the bottle by myself. Knowing that, I put all the charges on him. I wonder if a guy who dares to secretly kiss while he’s asleep can’t do anything worse than that. By the way, since when? I felt bad.

He should thank to me, you are living with me… . He had such a thick face, so he could have stayed next to his uncle. Suddenly, I was blaming him for even living in my house. Of course, I myself was not unaware of the contradiction of this logic. What used to be a frivolous anger for a moment has now become a legitimate anger affair with that one thief’s kiss. I was more distracted than usual, but I fell asleep quickly. Even while waking up the next day, washing up and getting ready for work, I completely forgot what had happened last night. Oh yeah. Yesterday Lee Il-jo kissed me. Before leaving the house, I barely remembered that fact when I saw the door that was still closed. If it weren’t for that, we probably wouldn’t have much of a conflict.

We could have lived without it. Thinking that two people with completely different circumstances can get along this well, I would have been able to overcome one of my prejudices.

In fact, it is not easy to break free from the prejudices that you have created yourself when you reach your 30s. Living with Il-Jo was such an impressive experience for me. Having brushed off my prejudices like that, I would also have contributed to an example where people should not be judged solely on their educational background or occupation. But such a future is now completely impossible. It was then that the balance between the two of us was disturbed. And it was all Lee Il-jo’s fault.

*****

“How’d that happen?” Seungjae’s question contained many things. I did not answer easily.

“You hate stupid kids. How did you get involved?”

“Do you hate it, don’t you despise it.” Kyung-eon accepted Seung-jae’s words. It was very annoying to see him smile and laugh. The ‘dumb kids’ that Seungjae refers to here refer to people with narrow eyesight who start work without anticipating the outcome. People who ignore the fact that if they cross the line I have drawn, the relationship will be ruined. Most of these people are so engrossed in their emotions that they can only go straight. My field of vision is narrow, so I can’t just look ahead. The most recent example would be an ex-girlfriend who was constantly trying to stamp with me, even though I had never even talked about marriage.

What kind of people who clings to a very small probability, hoping that they will be the only exception. And I think all of that is stupid.

“I do not know. It’s a long story.”

“Long story… you mean, it’s bothersome to explain. Don’t you even want to wasted your energy to be angry?”

I just nodded my head. I didn’t want to say that we were cousins, and I didn’t want to say that we were living together. It’s even harder to explain

“Just cut him out? It’s nothing new.”

“I will… .”

There’s no excuse right now for not explaining the situation. So, eventually I gave up. “He live in my house now.”

“Did he bragged in? How could everyone is so crazy nowadays… .”

“No, I told him to move in.”

“What? Hey! Then of course he’ll get the wrong idea. Man, you screwed up!”

Seungjae and Kyungeon both had expressions of absurdity. At this point, I definitely understood. Yes. I gave him hope. I shouldn’t have taken it home in the first place… The irritability that pricked me on the first day I brought Il-Jo into the house must have come from this ominous future. Because in the end it was something to regret. Usually I’m good at drawing a line for those who approach me for something, especially for an emotional reward. But this time I broke the line first.

“Why did you bring him home? You don’t even invite us. “

“I didn’t know he was gay.”

“What are you talking about? ? Didn’t you get together with some guys before?”—so there’s nothing more to say.

No, I thought my cousin would be fine. And at this point my irritation turned into anger. Little by little, I began to realize how absurd Lee Il-jo was. Even though we don’t come and go, we’re relatives and men above that. Is it my fault for letting this happen? Besides, on the subject of living on a bill, it feeds on my sympathy.

“Hey, I’m a victim here.” I said sarcastically.

Then, Seungjae, who looked complicated, gave the answer in one word. “Kick him out.”

“Of course.”

On the way home from after separating up with my two friends, I called Il-Jo. But Il-Jo didn’t pick up the calls.

I let out a sigh of anger and sent a text message.

[Don’t sleep and wait for me.]