“For now? What does that mean?”

“We're here. This neighborhood feels bleak every time I come here. Maybe it's because there isn't a single decent building.”

Jeong Haejun subtly ignored my question about the meaning of his words and changed the subject. However, not hearing the meaning of what he said felt strangely unsettling, and I couldn't just let it go.

“What do you mean by ‘for now’? Does that mean you'll gain something later?”

So, without getting out, I asked once more. Jeong Haejun stared intently at my face and then chuckled.

“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”

“Ah, it's just that you're really my type.”

“What?”

What is this bastard talking about? I felt my expression distort and clenched my fist. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being toyed with by Jeong Haejun. Just as I thought I should act firmly if he continued to say things I couldn't understand, Jeong Haejun spoke.

“Choi Jeongseo promised to give me something.”

“…”

“As long as I find a suitable tutor who can distract his aunt as desired.”

“But I haven't received it yet, which is why I answered that way.”

“…What is it?”

“There is such a thing.”

It seemed he wouldn't answer as to what it actually was.

“Then get home safely,” Jeong Haejun said with a languid smile.

“Yeah, thanks for the ride.”

“It was nothing.”

“You get home too.”

“Yiwon-hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“If anything happens regarding Choi Jeongseo, let me know. Even if it's not that, you can contact me if you personally need help.”

“…”

“Because it seems like you're worried.”

I tilted my head, wondering why he was saying that out of the blue, and Jeong Haejun added a word as if to reassure me.

“…I will.”

At my words, Jeong Haejun nodded. Seeing that, I closed the car door. The car slowly reversed and drove away.

I was spending the weekend sleeping in for the first time in a while when I was woken up by someone knocking on the front door.

“Ah, what now.”

An irritated sound escaped me automatically.

“Who is it?”

-
Student, it's me.

It was the landlord's voice. Wondering why he had come since I had paid all my rent, I opened the front door.

“Oh, you were sleeping.”

“…Yes.”

I let out a small sigh and answered. Since I had been enjoying a deep, worry-free sleep for once, I seemed to be more annoyed than expected that it had been interrupted.

“Sorry for waking you.”

“It's okay. What's going on?”

“Well…”

The landlord hesitated in a way I had never seen before, as if he didn't know how to start. At that, an ominous feeling began to bloom, and I was now wide awake.

“What is it?”

“I'm so sorry, I don't know how to say this.”

“Just tell me, what is it?”

“The thing is… I need you to vacate the house.”

“…What? What do you mean… so suddenly?”

“We couldn't hold out any longer, so we've signed the papers.”

It was a bolt from the blue. I wondered if my recent streak of good luck had just been a setup for this disaster.

“By when?”

“Uh, by sometime next week.”

“Ha.”

“I feel bad, so I'll give back the rent I received this time.”

The landlord handed me back the envelope I had used to pay the rent.

“How am I supposed to find a house by next week so suddenly?”

“I'm sorry, student. If it doesn't work out, you could stay in a goshiwon or something while you look. You can afford that with the rent money, right?”

“Ah, I get it for now. I have a headache, so I'll think about it alone.”

“Yeah, sure.”

As soon as the landlord, with an awkward face, stepped away from the entryway and left the house completely, I closed the front door. Then, I walked back inside and slumped down in the narrow, mold-infested room.

My head was spinning, so I tugged at my innocent hair. I wondered why so much money had come in lately, and now another situation had arisen where it would leave me.

The rent for this place was cheaper than a goshiwon room near a university. As the landlord said, one month's rent for this place wouldn't even be enough to get into a goshiwon.

I didn't know why they had suddenly signed the papers when I had nowhere to go if I left this house, nor did I have the money to buy a new apartment even if I starved myself to death, but that was the landlord's personal business. Since the owner had already made up his mind, I had to find a way to survive quickly.

It would be great if there were a place I could stay for just a few days while I thought, but I didn't have any friends I could ask for such a favor.

“Ah, I want to curse.”

If I were a smoker, I would have definitely been chain-smoking in this situation. Knowing full well that there was likely no one to ask for help, I picked up my phone. Then, I scanned my messenger friend list. There weren't many saved contacts, and every single one of them was a useless human being.

I scrolled down the screen meaninglessly. Then, my finger stopped at Jeong Haejun's name. While one part of my brain, clinging to my remaining pride, thought Are you crazy?, realistically, no one else came to mind who could help me right now other than Jeong Haejun.

It was obviously just a polite gesture, but the fact that he had first mentioned a few days ago that I could contact him if I needed help made my heart waver more. I had to vacate the house by next week. This house was soon to be demolished. To save as much money as I wanted, I first needed a stable shelter.

With that train of thought, I didn't hesitate further and pressed Jeong Haejun's number. As I put the phone to my ear, the ringing sound could be heard.

-
Yiwon-hyung?

And before long, Jeong Haejun's voice came through.

-
What's going on on a weekend? You're actually contacting me first?

“Can you talk right now?”

-
Of course.

I asked because the surroundings sounded noisy, and soon the environment became quiet, as if he had moved to a quieter place.

“By any chance, do you live alone?”

-
Yes.

I felt like the pieces of a puzzle were falling into place.

-
But why the sudden question? Did something happen?

“…It's not that, but there's something I want to ask a favor of.”

-
A favor?

“Yeah.”

-
What is it?

For some reason, Jeong Haejun's voice sounded excited.

“If it's okay.”

-
Yes.

“Can I stay at your place for a bit? I have to leave my house urgently, just until I find another place.”

A brief silence followed from Jeong Haejun, who had been answering diligently. Tension rose within me. In my head, I was frantically drafting Plan B in case Jeong Haejun refused.

-
Sure.

My thoughts stopped at the words that followed.

-
Hello? Hyung?

Since I didn't answer even after the permission, Jeong Haejun called out to me.

“Uh, yeah. I'm listening.”

-
It's a house I live in alone anyway, so it doesn't matter. I have as much space as you need.

“Is it really okay?”

-
Yes, when do you want to move in?

At Jeong Haejun's words, which were even more proactive than mine as if he had been waiting for this, I replied that I'd like to move in between today and tomorrow if possible. Since I had to go to school and tutor on weekdays, it would be physically and temporally difficult to move or organize my things.

-
Then just move in today. I'll stop by in the evening, so have your things packed.

“I will, thanks.”

I felt a momentary sense of emptiness after ending the call, wondering how this had been resolved so simply. However, I soon snapped out of it and stood up. To pack my things, I thought I first needed to get some boxes.

I got a few large boxes from the supermarket. Leaving behind clothes and items to throw away, I sorted through only the essentials and filled the boxes. Perhaps because I lived alone and my belongings were not just modest but almost non-existent, fortunately, I didn't have much. Anyway, since I was going to be living in someone else's house, this was much better than bringing a mountain of luggage.

Moving busily inside the narrow, poorly ventilated room made me sweat even though the weather wasn't that hot.

After finishing the organization, I headed straight to the landlord's house. The top floor of this crumbling villa was where the landlord's family lived. Naturally, there was no elevator. In the villa, where the only residents were the owner's family and myself, there was nothing but silence except for the sound of my footsteps climbing the stairs.

“Mister.”

When I knocked on the front door, the landlord appeared immediately.

“Oh, student.”

“I'm leaving today.”

At my words, the landlord's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and then his complexion brightened, like someone who had just cleared away a bothersome piece of luggage.

“Did you find a place to go?”

“Yes, I've decided to stay at a friend's house for a while.”

“That's good.”

“Yes, then I'll head down. Thank you for everything.”

“Thank you for what, I'm the one who's sorry.”

After saying goodbye, I returned to my house. After spending the whole day putting out trash, packing, and organizing, it was already past 5:00 PM. Since Jeong Haejun said he would come in the evening but didn't specify exactly what time, it was an awkward time to go out.

I should be able to go out and eat something simple. After debating, thinking that Jeong Haejun surely wouldn't arrive that quickly, I took my wallet and left the house.

Leaving the neighborhood where dust continued to fly from somewhere, I entered a snack shop on the main road.

“Kimbap and ramen, please.”

I finished ordering as I entered the shop and took a seat. I checked my phone, but there had been no contact from Jeong Haejun since then. After thinking for a moment, I opened the messenger window with Jeong Haejun.

[I'm out for a bit because I'm hungry. Around what time do you think you'll arrive?]

[He's more naive than I thought, he really makes me horny]

I was startled because a reply came immediately after I sent mine, but the content was awkward and strange for a response to my message. Moreover, it contained words that didn't suit Jeong Haejun. Makes me horny. Looking at the content alone, I could believe that the message was written by someone other than Jeong Haejun.