Chapter 23🥝
The night was just as sweltering as the one before. The east-west-facing room had soaked in sunlight all day, making it feel like an oven. When Milim opened the door, the air felt thick and suffocating. She struggled to breathe properly. Unable to take it anymore, she reached for the remote control and turned on the air conditioner.
"Close the door," she told her younger brother, handing him the remote.
Lin did as she asked, but looked at her curiously. "Sis, why are you suddenly okay with using the AC?"
Milim found the question odd. "It's too hot," she replied simply, walking over to the wardrobe to grab some clothes for a shower. "Want something to eat?" she added, taking out a few snacks and offering them to him.
"Yeah!" Lin grinned. "Big Sis is back—I'll get some for her too."
He ran off happily with the snacks. Watching his small figure disappear, Milim felt a quiet ache in her chest but said nothing. On such a scorching day, she longed for a cold shower like before, but now she hesitated. If she got sick from it, Mr. Dylan might really explode in anger.
A few minutes later, Lin poked his head back inside. "Big Sis, want something to eat? Sis bought this."
Ava, their older sister, wasn't particularly interested at first. But when she saw the packaging, her eyes lit up. "Wait—aren't these snacks from Australia? And these candies… they're from Northern Europe. Nuts, cookies too... Where did these come from?"
She took a bite, eyes widening at the taste. "They're the real deal."
"Sis bought them," Lin said proudly.
Though Lin was smart, he was still a child. He glanced at Ava, worried. "Are they expensive?"
"They are," Ava muttered, frowning. "I wouldn't have bought them myself."
But the truth was, Milim had worked hard and paid for them. Ava kept her thoughts to herself.
"Don't tell Mom," Lin whispered, recalling the last time their mother scolded Milim for spending money.
"Do I look like that kind of person?" Ava said, rolling her eyes. She picked out some coconut rolls and toffees. "Take the rest back. Since she bought them, let her enjoy them."
That night, as Milim prepared for bed, her phone rang. She glanced at Lin, who was focused on his homework, and answered the call casually. "Good evening."
There was a brief pause on the other end—Dylan hadn't expected such a plain greeting.
"It's me," he finally said.
"I know," Milim replied. "You saw the note, right?"
"What are you doing?" Dylan asked.
"I just showered and got into bed. You?"
"I just got home," Dylan answered, glancing around his empty apartment. "Getting ready to shower too."
"Alright, you're busy. I'll sleep now," Milim said.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow. Good night," Dylan's voice was deep and smooth.
"Mm. Good night."
As she hung up, Lin looked over. "Is that the guy who likes you?"
Milim stiffened. "What?"
"You like him too, right?" Lin pressed.
"Uhh… yeah." Milim wasn't sure what else to say. Lin was probably entering puberty—no wonder he was asking these kinds of questions.
"So when are you going to say yes?"
"We'll talk about it when school starts. Now go study," she said quickly, closing her eyes.
The next morning, Milim woke up around six. As she brushed her teeth, nausea hit her hard, and she vomited. The taste of toothpaste made it worse. She tried to be quiet, not wanting to wake anyone. Morning sickness made living at home more inconvenient, especially now with Ava around. She had to be even more cautious.
Later, as Dylan picked her up, he frowned at the sight of her old clothes. "I thought I bought you clothes from this season. Why aren't you wearing them?"
Milim blinked, avoiding his gaze. "I forgot to wash them… They're still not wearable."
In truth, she had kept them untouched in her closet.
"Are you planning to wash them yourself?" Dylan asked.
"Yeah," she said quickly. "My parents are busy with work."
There was a washing machine at home, but she avoided using it.
"Just move in already," Dylan said impulsively.
Milim went quiet. Like Asher had warned her, moving in with Dylan meant no turning back. Home still felt safest.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Dylan asked, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.
"I… don't know what to say," Milim admitted. "We agreed I'd move in before school starts. I will."
"Alright. It's your choice," Dylan said. It had slipped out, but he meant it—he wanted her where he could protect her.
Feeling guilty for turning him down, Milim asked later that evening, "Mr. Dylan, is it a hassle for you to pick me up so early every day?"
Dylan, elegant as always, set down his utensils and took a sip of water. "Do you want the truth or a lie?"
She hesitated, then forced a smile. "The truth."
He didn't answer. His silence said enough—it was difficult, but he did it anyway.
That day, Milim behaved well—ate what she was given, stayed quiet, and only used Dylan's notebook for a total of two hours. At home, they had an old desktop she barely used. Her dad had once promised her a laptop for university, but now, with everything going on, she doubted it would happen. She figured she could use this one without raising suspicion.
"How much did this notebook cost?" she asked, closing the screen.
"Just over $10,000," Dylan replied casually.
Milim froze, eyes wide. She quietly returned to the couch and sat with her arms wrapped around herself.
Dylan chuckled at her reaction. She wore her emotions on her face—so young, so honest.
He thought of the time she tricked him out of two bottles of Louis XIII. Those memories made him sigh. But remembering she was only nineteen, he also felt guilt.
Milim, unaware of his thoughts, sipped from a cup he gave her and wandered over to his bookshelf. She'd heard that rich people filled their shelves with books no one could understand. But Dylan's shelf was filled with popular novels and manga.
"You've read all these?" she asked, surprised.
"Not yet. They've only been there for a day," he said.
"Oh." She picked one up and quickly became absorbed in it.
Her brother always said she hated books—but that only applied to textbooks. When it came to manga and stories, she loved them. She used to borrow them from a friend, Bria, throughout school. Bria had passed a big exam and gotten into a great school. Milim hoped they'd stay close, even if life pulled them apart. She sincerely wished Bria would find happiness—and a good-looking boyfriend too.
As for herself… she looked down at her flat stomach. "Let's deal with this baby first."
Dylan, noticing her staring at her stomach with a serious look, raised an eyebrow. Was she unhappy about the baby? Did she not want it?
He got up, poured a glass of water, and sat beside her. "What were you thinking about just now?"
Milim blinked, startled. "Huh?"
"You were staring at your stomach. What were you thinking about?"
"Oh… I was wondering when the baby will grow up," she smiled, lips pressed together. "Do you really want just one child? Wouldn't that be lonely?"
"I'm an only child myself," Dylan replied softly.
"Well, that's nice. I have a sister and a brother," Milim said, closing the book. She lay down. "I'm going to nap."
As she expected, Dylan stood and left—only to return moments later with a blanket.
"Cover your stomach. Don't catch a cold," he said before returning to work.
This Mr. Dylan… so hard to figure out. He looked cold and stern, but his actions told a different story.