Chapter 20: Unexpected Encounters Under the Moonlight

When my eyes fluttered open again, the room was already steeped in profound darkness. I sat up, rubbing my bleary eyes, and let out a cavernous yawn.

Though I yearned to check the time, to see how many hours I’d lost to sleep, the absolute blackness of the room rendered everything invisible.

‘I feel so languid.’

Carefully, I eased myself off the bed and padded towards the door. With a decisive press of the switch, the overhead light flickered to life. My gaze drifted to the wall clock, revealing that midnight had long since passed.

‘I should have just kept sleeping.’

Having woken at such an awkward hour, I knew falling back asleep was futile. I shuffled out of my room and settled onto the living room sofa, my gaze drawn to the moonlit scene beyond the window.

My eyes, still heavy with the remnants of sleep, blinked slowly as I observed the exceptionally clear night sky. The sheer abundance of stars was breathtaking, and a desire to see them more closely led me to the terrace.

‘It’s cool.’

Leaning against the railing, I welcomed the invigorating sea breeze. It struck me then that this was likely my first time on the terrace since the day I arrived, aside from that initial visit.

I had paid so little attention to this spot, and now, seeing it, I couldn’t fathom why.

‘I should have come out more often.’

Even my drinks would have tasted better out here, I mused. Yet, I only truly noticed this place after I’d already set a departure date.

A sigh of regret escaped me as I turned my head, only to find a familiar figure on the terrace right next to mine.

‘Han Jung-woo….’

Han Jung-woo, leaning against the railing with a cigarette, appeared utterly unaware of my presence.

No, perhaps it was I who hadn’t noticed him. The mound of cigarette butts in the ashtray clearly indicated he’d been out here for some time.

‘Such a heavy smoker….’

Was there a detail about Han Jung-woo being a chain smoker? I certainly didn’t remember such a minor point. After all, it would be his lungs rotting, not mine.

I dismissed the thought, turning my attention back to the distant ocean. The surrounding stillness allowed the rhythmic crash of the waves to carry all the way to me.

If I were closer, I would have immediately gone down to dip my feet in the water. A pang of regret struck me.

‘Should I go to the beach tomorrow?’

Tomorrow, as soon as I wake, I’ll head straight for the sea. I’ll pick up a bacon sandwich and coffee on the way, then settle on the beach, fill my stomach, and finally, kick off my shoes to stroll along the sandy shore.

My mind was awash with these pleasant fantasies when, without warning, the wind shifted, carrying a plume of cigarette smoke directly towards me.

The acrid scent of tobacco smoke instantly marred the serene mood I’d cultivated while listening to the waves.

I tried to endure it, but the increasingly dense smoke became unbearable. Opening my eyes, I called out to Han Jung-woo, who was still smoking and reaching for another cigarette.

“Excuse me.”

!!

Startled by the sudden voice, Han Jung-woo spun around. His eyes widened in genuine surprise upon spotting me, as if he had no idea how long I’d been there, and he froze, an unlit cigarette still dangling from his mouth.

Han Jung-woo, who had been utterly still, suddenly flinched. He crumpled the cigarette pack in his hand and hastily crammed it into his pocket. Was it an empty pack, I wondered? My brief flicker of interest quickly died.

“Smoking is fine, but the wind is blowing directly this way, you see? Perhaps you could wait until I’ve gone inside.”

Of course, I had no immediate plans to retreat indoors, so my words were, in essence, a directive for Han Jung-woo to cease smoking. To my relief, he seemed to grasp the implication, crumpling the new cigarette from his lips and tossing it into the ashtray.

‘That’s better.’

With the disruptive cigarette smoke now dissipated, I looked forward to resuming my tranquil contemplation.

I closed my eyes, attempting to immerse myself in the symphony of the waves, but this time, it wasn’t tobacco that disturbed my peace, but an entirely different factor.

“When did you come out?”

Han Jung-woo inquired. I pondered for a moment whether to answer him, then finally opened my eyes and turned. Sometime during my reverie, he had shifted, now standing conspicuously closer to me.

“Just a moment ago.”

“Really? How did I not notice?”

“You were too busy smoking to notice, I suppose. You were chain-smoking, after all.”

I subtly gestured with my eyes towards the ashtray, which was practically overflowing with cigarette butts. Han Jung-woo, in response, discreetly shifted his position, completely blocking the ashtray from my sight.

“Your cheek looks much better.”

Han Jung-woo lightly tapped his own cheek. I doubted how much could have truly healed in a single day, yet the swelling was undeniably less prominent than yesterday.

Instead of replying, I instinctively raised a hand to cover my cheek. Whether it was an occupational habit or a deeper vanity, I couldn’t help but be sensitive to any blemish on my face.

“Are you free tomorrow?”

“Why tomorrow?”

When I retorted brusquely, Han Jung-woo held up three fingers. The forgotten promise instantly resurfaced in my mind, causing me to neatly fold away my plans for a bacon sandwich and an aimless stroll along the beach tomorrow.

“I’m not doing anything.”

“Then it’s settled. See you in the evening.”

Han Jung-woo smiled with satisfaction, having unilaterally solidified our plans. I hadn’t even given my consent, yet I found myself without the energy to contest his decision.

Perhaps it was for the best, I mused. Had it been a daytime engagement, I might have been stuck with him for hours. But an evening meeting meant a quick dinner, after which I could simply feign exhaustion and retreat to my room.

‘It’s good if it’s brief.’

With that thought, even Han Jung-woo’s presumptuously made appointment didn’t seem so terrible. He watched me with a bright smile, then tilted his head, as if sensing something peculiar.

“Well then, see you tomorrow, Han Jung-woo.”

Regardless, I offered a concise farewell and retreated back into my room.

****

My ambiguous sleep had me tossing and turning throughout the predawn hours, and it wasn’t until morning that I finally drifted off. When the insistent ring of the doorbell jolted me awake, it was already late afternoon.

‘The whole day is gone.’

A wave of disappointment washed over me, lamenting how I had squandered an entire day meaninglessly in sleep. I eased myself from the bed and ambled towards the front door, intent on discovering who had rung the bell.

“Who is it?”

“Seo-jin…”

From beyond the firmly closed door, a familiar voice called out. It was Jae-hyun, the very one who had abandoned me at the club and hadn’t contacted me since, leaving me to wonder if he was even alive.

My sleepiness vanished in an instant, and I swung open the door. Standing before me was Jae-hyun, looking utterly dejected, like a scolded puppy.

“Why are you here?”

“Well…”

Was he here to apologize, or to offer an excuse? Unable to commit to either, Jae-hyun merely stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

However, my patience had long since worn thin, and I had no intention of waiting for Jae-hyun. There was, after all, no reason to.

“W-wait a minute!”

Jae-hyun thrust his foot into the closing door, forcing the narrow gap open once more. He burst inside, hands clasped together, apologizing profusely.

“Then take a beating.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll forgive you once I’ve hit you enough to work out my anger.”

“Oh, not the face!”

Jae-hyun quickly threw up his arms to shield his face, shouting in protest. While I longed to leave him with an array of blue bruises, we ultimately settled for a sharp knuckle-rap to his forehead.

“Don’t ever ask me to go to a club again.”

“Okay. I’ll go by myself from now on.”

“Never, ever do it.”

I warned Jae-hyun repeatedly. He was quick to promise he wouldn’t repeat his mistake, but truthfully, I held little faith in his words.

He was simply too flighty.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

Jae-hyun slyly revealed something he’d brought. Perhaps anticipating a cold shoulder, he’d come prepared with a bribe; the bag was brimming with food.

“You like this, right?”

From the assortment of food, Jae-hyun produced my absolute favorite: a bacon sandwich.

Having only just woken, my appetite was nonexistent. Yet, seeing the genuine effort he’d made, I took a generous bite of the sandwich.

“It’s good, right? They say it’s their signature dish here.”

“I know. I’ve had it often.”

I distinctly remember having no thoughts of food, yet when I came to my senses, the sandwich in my hand had vanished entirely.

“You must have been really hungry. Good thing I bought it.”

“Yeah, thanks. I didn’t starve thanks to you.”

I offered my sincere thanks to a visibly pleased Jae-hyun. As we sat facing each other, exchanging various trivial stories, I realized I had somehow consumed most of the food he’d brought.

Only when I felt stuffed to the gills did my hands finally cease their diligent work. Jae-hyun, too, declared himself full, setting down his half-eaten hamburger.

“I really ate well.”

“I know, right? I feel like I could roll all the way to my room now.”

“How would you roll?”

“With my belly sticking out like this, I could just roll like a ball?”

“Is that even possible?”

“I think it is, look.”

His words, followed by his comical attempt to mimic rolling on the floor, sent me into fits of laughter. Jae-hyun, quite serious in his endeavor, insisted he truly could do it, getting off the chair and rolling around on the floor himself.

Ding-dong.

As I was laughing uncontrollably, the doorbell rang. Jae-hyun, sprawled out on the floor, gestured with his eyes for me to answer it.

Barely managing to stifle my aching laughter, I rose from my spot and headed to the front door.

“Who is it?”

I asked the person beyond the door, but again, no answer came. Pondering who could possibly be visiting at this hour, I opened the door, only to find an unexpected visitor standing there.