Chapter 54. The Sound Youth Makes When It Drowns (10)

“Wait… is that the burger place?”

Eunkyo pointed at the shopping bag from the famous handmade burger joint Haeda brought.

Haeda, pulling pain patches from the pharmacy bag, nodded.

“Eat it later when you’re hungry. The owner wrapped it up for me.”

“What the… Is there any limit to your connections?”

“Guys are all the same. They like cars, play golf and tennis, collect watches and shoes. It’s all connected—like one big organism.”

“You really have a way with words. But yeah… I’ve actually been dying to try that burger.”

“You should’ve told me earlier.”

Eunkyo slowly got up and stretched her aching body. Even a simple stretch made her muscles scream. Her leg gave out for no reason, but thankfully Haeda didn’t notice.

“I’ll put on the patch. Where does it hurt?”

As Eunkyo was peeking into the fragrant shopping bag, Haeda grabbed her hand. The moment her butt hit the couch—thump—a soft groan escaped her lips.

Kim Haeda let out a scoff and yanked up his shirt with a metallic snap.

“Your back?”

She nodded, having somehow ended up lying down with her head on Haeda’s leg.

“It hurts. There, yeah, my lower back and pelvis. I’ll put the patch on my pelvis myself.”

“Jung Eunkyo, I don’t care what you do, but take care of your body. How are you supposed to work like this?”

“It’s just muscle pain.”

As she lifted her head, her strangely heavy eyes began to close again. But before she could dwell on the odd feeling, a cold patch slapped onto her back.

*Smack.*

Haeda patted the patch and sighed.

“You gonna write today?”

Eunkyo sat up, rubbing the patch on her back. Then she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and swallowed one of the muscle relaxants Haeda brought.

“Yeah, I’m writing. Why?”

“Just wondering. Mind if I stay here today?”

“Sure. Just don’t bother me.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll just play games.”

He stretched out on the sofa and pulled his phone from his pocket, launching the puzzle game he’d been playing for years. Eunkyo sat on the floor beneath the sofa, propping herself up with her laptop.

It felt like last night had been nothing more than a dream. Like she’d woken up and was spending a normal afternoon with Kim Haeda.

“Where are you going for vacation?”

“I’m not. I want to focus on my manuscript then.”

“There are so many healing retreats these days. Just go there and write. Clear your head.”

“Then maybe you, boss, can book me a place. I don’t have that kind of money.”

“What happened to the money you’ve been saving?”

“Haven’t spent it. I’ve gotta buy a house someday too. Can’t be a renter forever.”

“Want me to put it under your name?”

‘Wow… this guy…’

There’s a level to jokes. She elbowed him hard, telling him to cut the crap, and laughter spilled from somewhere around his neck.

“How was it, meeting Park Seungjoo?”

Her eyes lifted from the monitor, catching their reflections tangled together in the dark TV screen.

“You brought me on purpose, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. Just to get you to see him. Thought maybe you’d change your mind. He looks better in person, you know.”

“He was nice. Good personality, handsome, probably out of my league, honestly.”

“So? He freaked out when you disappeared. Was losing his mind asking where you went… Seemed really into you.”

“Oh… really?”

“Give him a shot. Pull yourself together, Jung Eunkyo.”

Of course—Kim Haeda knew everything. Who she’d spent the night with, why she’d been so out of it lately.

Maybe listening to him really was the better way to live her life. He had never let her down—not as a friend, not as a business partner.

But honestly, the only man who stirred something in her, who made her heart race, was Lee Jaeheon. It might not be love, but he was the only one who made her feel anything at all.

“Lee Dohyun called me.”

She said it offhandedly, but Haeda immediately dropped his phone and sat upright.

“What? Fuck, why that bastard?!”

“Calm down. It was just a missed call. His number was deleted, but I knew it was him right away. So I didn’t answer.”

“Haa, is that asshole insane…?!”

“Haeda.”

She tilted her head and called his name gently, as if to soothe him. His face, red with anger, turned pale as he wiped a hand over it.

“Park Seungjoo… he reminded me of Lee Dohyun. I don’t want to face it head-on. I just want to avoid it. So… I’m sorry.”