PSY CH 13

Dohyun was clearly under the impression that Jooyoung had ulterior motives when he generously lent the money to a woman. Given the circumstances, it was an understandable misunderstanding, but hearing words like “sleep with” and “second round” was unpleasant enough on its own.

“I get why you misunderstood, but it’s not what you think.”

“…”

“She just looked like she was in a rough spot, so I lent it. I can cover the money myself if it comes to that.”

Dohyun let out a laugh, like he’d just heard a pathetic excuse.

“So if someone else shows up looking pitiful, you’ll lend it to them too?”

“…”

“You won’t do the same, right?”

Whatever meaning Dohyun drew from the silence, he laughed again. It was a cocky, thoroughly unpleasant laugh. 

Jooyoung was already dealing with more than enough even without Dohyun’s interference. Countless worries clung to him with no sign of resolution.

“If someone like that shows up again, I’ll lend it to them as well.”

Jooyoung let go of the doorknob and stood with his back to the door. Though his eyes burned with heat, his voice remained calm throughout. 

“Isn’t that enough?”

“Sure, whatever.”

Dohyun spun his pen around his fingers like none of this concerned him in the slightest. The frustration Jooyoung had been holding in finally burst.

“But Dohyun.”

Jooyoung stared straight at him, making sure he couldn’t keep pretending he wasn’t there.

“Don’t say stuff like that again.”

“…”

“That’s the kind of thing that shows what kind of person you are.”

The pen that had been twirling came to a halt. It slipped from his fingers and landed on the desk with a soft thud. The smirk that had been lingering on Dohyun’s lips had vanished without a trace.

“Anyway, I’m leaving. Thanks for your help.”

Jooyoung didn’t say anything more. He turned on his heel and walked out, not forgetting to slam the door behind him—just like Dohyun had done before.

“…”

Slouched back in his chair, Dohyun’s expression was, surprisingly, a bit blank—like he’d been caught off guard.

***

Jooyoung moved into the lodging house later that week. Since he hadn’t brought much with him in the first place, the move went smoothly. Even the thing he’d worried about most turned out fine—unexpectedly, his uncle and aunt were understanding. They even consoled him, saying it must’ve been overwhelming living with a kid in elementary school.

“Once you get used to living alone, you really can’t go back to sharing space.”

Things had turned out better than expected, and Jooyoung packed his things with relief. His aunt had also sent him off with a pile of homemade side dishes as a bonus.

The room in the lodging house had only a bed, a desk, and a bathroom. There was a small wardrobe, but it wasn’t big enough to store anything bulky. Jooyoung was glad he hadn’t brought much with him.

A deep frown formed between his brows as he looked around the room.

Would he really be able to live here?

It was a worry that came only after settling in. The truth was, Jooyoung had never lived in such a small space before. He’d grown up in a financially comfortable household, never lacking anything. He was used to abundance, to receiving and spending without thinking twice.

But renting a brand-new officetel nearby wasn’t really an option. It would have been awkward, especially considering his aunt and uncle. His uncle’s house couldn’t even be called acceptable, not even as a polite remark. The old building always had a musty smell, despite regular maintenance, and the sink had long since turned yellow, losing its original color. If he were to use commuting as an excuse, there was no place more convenient than the lodging house in the same building.

“…I’ll manage somehow.”

After tidying up, he began to feel hungry. He remembered the lodging house provided instant noodles, kimchi, and rice, so he decided to settle for instant noodles for dinner.

It was late, so the kitchen was empty. Jooyoung took out a packet of instant noodles and filled a pot with water. 

“Oh, are you having instant noodles?”

The door opened just as he was trying to keep the smell contained, and the manager stepped inside. Jooyoung gave a polite nod in greeting. 

“Have some rice too—it’s freshly made.”

“Okay.”

Jooyoung turned off the stove and brought the pot straight to the table. The noodles were still a bit undercooked, crunchy like snacks. While he ate, the manager tidied up dishes and checked how much kimchi and instant noodles were left.

“Please make sure to wash your dishes properly when you’re done.”

He’d finished restocking supplies and was about to leave when he paused and leaned back into the room. 

“Oh! I wasn’t trying to scold you, Jooyoung-ssi. It’s just that some people use the shared stuff like it’s theirs.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Can you believe people actually steal the instant noodles even though it is provided for free?”

“The instant noodles, you say?”

“Yes!”

Maybe because Jooyoung was responding politely, the manager plopped right down in the seat next to him. He set the box of instant noodles he was holding carelessly on the side and launched into full-on chatter.

“I mean, I refill it every time it runs out anyway. And yet they hide it in their rooms, like seriously?”

“…”

“And honestly, instant noodles’ not even the worst of it. Last time, someone stole an entire container of kimchi. Can you believe that?”

The boss had told him to let it go, but the manager said he couldn’t stand such shameless behavior and ranted on, practically spitting with how worked up he was. It didn’t seem like it had only happened once or twice.

He continued to ramble about all sorts of crazy incidents at the lodging house and only got up from his seat when the noodles had turned soggy and bloated. By then, he’d even shared that he moved around the country, settling in a different city each year.

“Oh no, your noodles are all mushy now. I totally interrupted you—go on, eat, eat.”

Picking up the instant noodles box again, he motioned for Jooyoung to go ahead and eat. Jooyoung reassured him with a small smile.

“Well then, enjoy the rest of your meal.”

With a cheeky farewell, the manager left the kitchen.

Jooyoung stared at the remaining instant noodles, then simply put his chopsticks down. After listening to the manager’s stories, his appetite had completely disappeared. He’d already taken the edge off his hunger anyway—this was enough.

But strangely, even though he hadn’t eaten much, the instant noodles sat heavily in his stomach. Feeling uncomfortable for a while afterwards, he eventually got up from bed and grabbed his phone. Maybe he should go for a walk. 

Since it was nearing midnight, he quietly opened his door. The hallway was well-lit but silent. At the entrance, he slipped on his slippers. That’s when he heard the sound of a lock clicking open and the glass door sliding.

“…Oh.”

What an unfortunate coincidence. Of all people, it had to be Dohyun walking in. It was honestly impressive how they kept running into each other like this.

Jooyoung stood there, as usual, waiting for him to pass.

“Does it suit your standards?”

To his surprise, Dohyun spoke first. Confused, Jooyoung looked at him, and Dohyun motioned with his chin toward the hallway behind him.

“Your room. Just wondering if it matches your standards.”

Realizing what he meant, Jooyoung’s face darkened.

“What’s your problem, picking a fight out of nowhere?”

“I’m not picking a fight.”

Dohyun shrugged like it was nothing, despite clearly being the one who started it. Was he still upset about the comment Jooyoung made last time? Repeating the same word^[1] like that—it was unbelievably petty.

“You’re the one who jumped to conclusions and got all offended first.” 

“If it wasn’t true, then why be offended?”

“…”

“Usually, people say that kind of reaction means they’re feeling guilty.”

The reason Jooyoung had lent money to Arin, who had left behind a counterfeit item, wasn’t anything special. She looked like she was struggling, and he could afford to spare 500,000 won. It wasn’t some grand gesture of kindness—really, that was all there was to it. More than anything, the idea that Dohyun might misunderstand was something Jooyoung couldn’t allow.

Because he would never see Arin in that way.

“Well, anyway, looks like the room suits you fine, so that’s good.”

As if that had been his only reason for approaching in the first place, Dohyun suddenly backed off. He even opened the door and held it for Jooyoung.

“Weren’t you on your way out?”

Jooyoung stared up at him, then walked past without a word. He could feel Dohyun’s gaze on his back, but he didn’t look back.

He stomped down the stairs more roughly than usual. He’d already been feeling off, and now that someone had picked a fight, he was even more irritated. 

Then his foot bumped into something. At the same time, the motion sensor lights flicked on, filling the silence with sudden brightness. He looked down and saw a wallet.

Did someone drop it? The leather men’s wallet had been nudged into the corner of the stair landing.

“…”

Jooyoung stood still in the silence, staring down at it. The building was completely quiet, and everyone else was asleep. Then the sensor light turned off, and the space sank into darkness again.

And as if possessed, Jooyoung bent down and picked up the wallet.