Chapter 1. The Guy Next Door (1)

“A new tenant’s moving into the basement today.”

Eunkyo’s gaze briefly shifted toward the counter as she poured fresh beans into the freshly cleaned grinder early that morning.

A familiar dimple appeared on Kim Haeda’s cheek as he stamped a loyalty card for a regular customer—his signature, charming smile on full display.

Eunkyo had never met a single person, regardless of age or gender, who disliked that irritatingly endearing smile of his.

“The basement storage room?”

Maybe it was the new beans, but the café quickly filled with a rich, cozy aroma. While Eunkyo prepped a cup full of ice, Haeda, who had pulled his own espresso shot, nodded.

“Yeah. So go clear out the stuff you left down there.”

“That’s all junk. You know that’s Lee Dohyun’s stuff.”

“Still, it needs to be cleared out.”

“You’re so mean, Kim Haeda. It’s not even mine—why do I have to do it?”

“It’s your ex’s stuff, so obviously it’s your job to clean it up.”

Placing a cookie on a plate next to an iced coffee a customer had ordered, Haeda walked over to the pickup counter. Then, with a smile so harmless and pretty it could probably brainwash any woman, he waved.

If Kim Haeda weren’t the textbook definition of the perfect guy best friend—or the landlord renting her a place at an absurdly cheap rate—Eunkyo figured she probably would’ve swooned at that smile, just a little.

But of course, that was never going to happen. Not in this lifetime.

“I’m gonna take out the trash before I go.”

“What time’s your appointment?”

“Eleven-thirty.”

“Then get moving. And stop saying yes to those volunteer gigs or whatever. You shouldn’t be working for free.”

Pulling on rubber gloves, he moved to the sink and started washing cups.

“My professor called for the first time in forever. It’s a startup project—I wanna help.”

“You’re such a pushover. At least get a steak out of it. You forgot how loaded Sunggeun’s family is, didn’t you?”

“Like I’d forget. Trust me—I’m getting a proper meal.”

Grinning, Eunkyo tied the trash bag tight and headed out into the sun. After tossing the pay-as-you-go bag in the designated area, she shaded her eyes with her hand and looked around.

It was so hot, her back was already soaked. Though the rainy season was right around the corner, the heat made it hard to believe.

Typical Seoul neighborhood street, packed with illegally parked cars. Looking at the group of kids clustered in the playground across the way, she tried to shake off the funk she was in.

211-5, ○○-dong, Seoul

Kim Haeda had bought the building three years ago, all because he said it was “love at first sight.”

After six months of remodeling, he opened a café on the first floor, let Eunkyo rent the second-floor unit, and used the basement as a roasting room and storage.

Now, after three years of it being untouched, he was suddenly putting a tenant down there? Was he that desperate for cash?

Hands on her hips, Eunkyo let out a deep sigh.

‘When am I gonna clean all that up?’

She really did like this place now. Not that it had been love at first sight.

Back when she was preparing for her Korean literature degree after college, she’d met a guy.

He was handsome, the type who caught your eye, and kind to everyone—a textbook “too-good-for-me” boyfriend.

They had one of those relationships that was easy and predictable—comfortable enough to last three years. He never cheated, and she never tried to control him. She wasn’t the obsessive type to begin with. If anything, she was so laid-back it probably came off as indifferent.

Maybe that’s why one day, without warning, he disappeared.

Kim Haeda had just called it what it was: a “ghosting breakup.” Of all the ways to end a relationship, he said, ghosting and rebound breakups were the worst of the worst—only trash pulled that kind of move.

Sure, maybe it was “just heartbreak,” but at the time, it hit her harder than she ever expected.

That’s when Haeda convinced her that financial therapy was the best cure for heartache. And she went along with it—started a café. With a savvy business partner and a short story that took off unexpectedly, her life started to look a whole lot better.

In short, capitalism to the rescue. All hail financial healing.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel a tightness in her chest every time she thought of Lee Dohyun.

Maybe it was the unfairness of it all.

And all the leftover traces of that relationship were still rotting away in the basement of this building—those trashy memories he left behind.

She was still glaring at the basement stairs, hands shoved in her pockets, when someone brushed past her. A man, carrying the crisp scent of fabric softener.

He stepped into the café—probably a customer, she figured.

The clean, fresh smell that didn’t suit the muggy summer air snapped her out of her spiral.

A tall man—tall enough to block Haeda from view—stood at the counter, scanning the menu and glancing around.

He looked like he was searching for someone.

Eunkyo debated for a second whether to go back in and help, but changed her mind.

Her senior’s texts were flooding her screen anyway, all warning her not to be late.

She gave Haeda a wave when he noticed her, then climbed the stairs to the second floor.

***