SoMi woke up with a pounding headache and a bitter taste in her mouth. Her hangover pounded in her temples. Drinking that bottle of soju yesterday was unnecessary, but at the time, it seemed like a good idea. Now, it was punishment.
Lifting her heavy head off the pillow, she sat up carefully. The world swayed slightly. She looked around, unable to believe her eyes. The apartment was sparkling clean. There was no trace of yesterday's debauchery. On the table were a plate of soup, a bottle of water, and a note.
"Good morning! Eat a good breakfast and drink plenty of water to get rid of your hangover. I'm off to training!"
"Damn, he cares too much..." she thought, smiling crookedly.
Saturday. Day off. For the first time in a long time, she didn't have to do anything. Everything was clean and calm. She wanted to do something for herself.
After enjoying Do Hwan's thoughtful and delicious soup, taking a headache pill, and finally feeling almost human, SoMi decided it was time to go to the gym. Especially since the membership wasn't cheap.
Before training, she made a mandatory stop at a coffee shop for a Lviv croissant with ham. The taste wiped yesterday evening from her memory.
The five-story fitness club with panoramic windows shone like a futuristic temple of the body. SoMi had been coming here for two weeks, little by little, but regularly.
Meanwhile... Do Hwan hit the punching bag in the heavyweight room. Sweat rolled down his temples. The coach wasn't kidding—the barbell was heavier than usual—but Do Hwan wasn't going to back down. He was on the treadmill, wiping his neck with a towel when he suddenly saw her through the large mirror opposite him.
Black shorts. Black top. Her hair was tied back in a bun. She appeared like a scene from a movie.
He smiled to himself. Took a bottle of water and walked over to her.
"Are you stalking me?" he asked, smiling as he handed her the bottle.
"What? Do Hwan?" SoMi took off her headphones. "What are you doing here?"
"I train here. I wrote to you. I've been a regular customer for three years. And you?"
"I decided to get back in shape. Two weeks, like in sports."
"Good for you. How are you feeling?"
"My head hurt a little, but it's gone now. Thanks for the soup. And for the water," she said quietly, blushing slightly.
"Great. Don't forget to drink plenty of water." He nodded when he saw his coach. "See you later."
"Yes, thank you," she replied, continuing to pedal.
Do Hwan returned to the punching bag. He hit it for a long time when, suddenly, his gaze slid across the mirror again. He froze.
Song Min. His damn acquaintance. A man who considered himself the local Casanova. He stuck his nose—and his hands—where they didn't belong again. He was touching SoMi. Her hands. Her waist. And her thighs.
Do Hwan's jaw clenched. His hand gripped the pear tightly.
"Take your hands off her," he muttered through clenched teeth. "She's out of your league. She's a work of art. You're like a finger touching the Mona Lisa."
When Song Min's hand lingered on the girl's hips a little too long, Do Hwan snapped.
"That's it. I'm going to wipe you out," he growled, unwinding his gloves. He threw them on the floor.
Do Hwan arrived just in time.
"You're doing very well," Song Min flattered without taking his hands away.
"SoMi, do you need help?" he asked, his tone commanding.
"Oh, no, it seems I already have a coach," she said, smiling and not understanding what was going on.
Song Min smiled at first, but when he met Do Hwan's gaze, his smile twisted. His gaze was cold and hard, like steel. One nod was enough—Song Min disappeared as if blown away by the wind.
"I'll help," Do Hwan said, handing her a towel. "Safely and professionally. I promise."
"Okay," she replied. No questions asked. She just let him be there.
At that moment, the door to the heavyweight room opened.
"Hey, where's Do Hwan?" called SangYi, his best friend who had also come to practice.
"Over there," one of the coaches nodded, pointing in their direction in the neighboring hall. SangYi narrowed his eyes slightly.
"What's that all of a sudden?" SangYi wondered, peering through the glass. He was accustomed to seeing Do Hwan as confident, cold, and aloof.
"I have no idea. But they seem to know each other. He's been training her for almost an hour."
"Really?" SangYi muttered, watching his friend. His gaze slid to SoMi. She looked light and relaxed, but there was a depth to her eyes that did not leave SangYi indifferent.
It was the first time SangYi had seen Do Hwan be so attentive. But that was half the trouble. The girl aroused real interest. She had long hair, a relaxed smile, a slightly confused look, and plump lips that he couldn't get out of his mind for some reason.
She was like an unexpected stroke in a familiar portrait, and that was what was so confusing.
The sun was setting, casting red and gold reflections on the asphalt. The city seemed to freeze in a pre-evening dream, and the air was filled with warmth and the scent of linden trees and something new.
Do Hwan caught up with SoMi as she left the sports center, her hair glistening in the sunlight. SangYi came out almost immediately after them, slowly and dreamily. He watched them leave and remembered asking his friend about the girl that day. His friend just shrugged and said,
"She's my neighbor. The one who listens to music in the evenings."
Without irritation. Without sarcasm. On the contrary, there was quiet warmth in his voice.
SoMi's name sounded familiar and pleasant to SangYi. It was a melody that wouldn't let go. Every thought of her brought a strange, almost silly smile to his face.
Today, for the first time, he and Do Hwan didn't go to the café together after practice to grab a bite to eat. Something had changed in Do Hwan since he met his neighbor.
Another dinner for the two neighbors took on a completely different color. There was the soft light of the lamp, light background music that echoed street jazz from somewhere in Seoul, and peace. The kind that comes only after hard training or sincere conversations.
The table was laden with food: ramen, kimchi, sausages, rice, and something sweet, like tteokbokki. But there was no more soju. It was gone. Instead, all that could be heard was the sound of chewing and slurping, and the occasional "Mmm," which sounded almost erotic.
"I'm sorry..." SoMi suddenly said, finishing the last spoonful. "For yesterday. You saw the worst version of me. I cried like an old seagull and dumped all my drama on you."
"And you forgive me." said Do Hwan, thoughtfully wiping his lips with a napkin.
"For what?"
"For calling you a child. And for getting angry about your evening playlists. It turns out you were listening to music to cope."
"Really?"
"Yes, you are the way you are because life has beaten you up a bit. It took away the moments when you should have been laughing instead of surviving. But despite that, you stayed alive. Bright. Real."
He leaned in closer so as not to miss a single micro-reaction.
"You're an adult. You're moving toward your goal. With small, stubborn steps. That's inspiring."
SoMi was silent. Her gaze slid across the table, but her thoughts were floating somewhere far away. These words, like warm water after the cold, spread through her body, washing away her old resentment toward the world.
"You said something yesterday about your dreams. Were they because of alcohol, or were they sincere?" he asked, sprawling on the sofa and stretching with pleasure. His T-shirt rose, revealing a strip of bare chest. SoMi's eyes involuntarily slid there — just for a moment.
"To be honest, I don't remember everything," she smiled. "But I definitely said I wanted to publish a book. And go to a BTS concert."
"What about your desires?" he asked with a sly smile.
"Um..." She blushed. "What exactly did I say?"
"Well..." Do Hwan hesitated. "Something about coffee in bed, a massage, and tenderness. Things that any man should know, but for some reason, yours didn't."
"I think every woman dreams about that. When it's not there, love dies. Along with it, she dies too. She becomes a different person. Tired. Closed off. Indifferent."
She sighed briefly and stretched her shoulders slightly. Apparently, the fitness club had made itself known.
"May I...?" Do Hwan asked unexpectedly, leaning forward.
He reached out to her neck and began to knead her tense muscles slowly and gently.
His touch was warm, confident, and unhurried. It was like the touch of someone who had wanted to do this for a long time but had been waiting for the right moment.
SoMi closed her eyes for a moment and gave in.
Do Hwan's fingers touched her neck confidently. At first, he was cautious and almost uncertain, but as he felt her muscles gradually relax under his touch, he became bolder. His large, warm palms slid slowly over her skin, pressing deeply on the sore spots.
SoMi felt something inside her dissolve—whether it was pain, anxiety, or the memory of all those years when no one had touched her with such care. She closed her eyes and quietly exhaled through her clenched lips.
"Mmm..." A quiet, unconscious moan escaped her.
He didn't react or say a word. He just continued. His fingers moved lower, to her shoulders and shoulder blades. Each touch was precise and attentive.
SoMi sat with her mouth half open and her head tilted slightly to one side. She surrendered to the moment as if in a trance. Her hair slid over one shoulder, exposing her delicate neck.
His hands were still on her shoulders when she moaned softly again, but not loudly.
Just as her breathing became more even and his hands stopped on her shoulders, there was a loud, sharp ring at the door.
"SoMi-ya, are you okay?" Lee Hyun's voice rang out from behind the door.
Do Hwan and SoMi froze. One breath — and silence. SoMi's mind was blank. In a panic, she rushed toward him.
"Get into the closet! Quick!" she whispered, decisively pushing the boy toward the bedroom.
"Into the closet? Are you serious? It's like a drama, but with a not-so-good ending," he muttered as she opened the closet door. "Hiding in the closet is a bad idea."
"I couldn't think of anything better." Click. The door closed.
Out of breath, SoMi opened the front door.
"Lee Hyun, why are you here?" She opened the door and asked immediately from the doorway.
"I came to apologize for canceling yesterday's meeting." As always, Lee Hyun got straight to the point without any unnecessary preliminaries. "And I brought soju." She triumphantly showed off the bag of bottles, holding it up as if it were a sacred relic.
"Oh, yes, thank you. I'll put it in the fridge."
SoMi grimaced for a moment; the mere thought of alcohol made her feel slightly nauseous.
"MinJi and I are coming tomorrow. Hang in there. And warn your neighbor because it's going to be loud."
"Yeah." SoMi tried to sound at least a little cheerful.
"Are you having dinner?" Lee Hyun leaned forward. Her detective mode instantly kicked in when she noticed the extra plate on the table. "I won't be long. My 'fourth' is already waiting. We're going to the club. Maybe you want to come with us?"
Plate: 1.
Sports jacket on the back of the sofa: 2.
Smell of men's perfume: 3.
She made a mental list.
"What time are you planning to be there tomorrow?" SoMi desperately tried to distract her.
"Around seven. I need to relax before Monday. Well, you need to. I'll be sleeping until lunchtime."
"Okay. Everything will be ready."
"Then, see you tomorrow." Lee Hyun slowly moved into the hallway, taking one last look at the apartment.
Men's slippers: 4.
"Bye-bye." The door closed.
Do Hwan sat quietly in the closet like a mouse. While waiting for Lee Hyun to leave, he looked through SoMi's wardrobe. There were quite a few dresses. Some were modest, while others were only appropriate for the night club.
Oh, underwear! This was more interesting. He examined the sets one by one. "Wow!" he silently exclaimed, coming across some very revealing outfits. Then he heard Lee Hyun's squeaky voice and the sound of the door closing.
"Okay, you can come out now." SoMi opened the door and caught him "studying" her lacy secrets. "Pervert! Take your hands off that!" She snatched one of the sets from his hands.
"Come on, these panties are a feast for the eyes!" he laughed, peering back into the wardrobe.
"Lee Hyun chose them when she was helping me 'update' my wardrobe."
"She has good taste. Why haven't I seen you in any of these dresses?"
"Because they won't let me wear them to work," she replied jokingly as she put the dresses back.
"What about parties?"
"No one has invited me yet," she said softly, without bitterness.
"It's late. I think I'll go." He was about to leave when his gaze fell on a book on the bedside table. It was the same book Lee Hyun had given SoMi on her divorce day. "What's this?" He picked it up. The red cover had only the title and SoMi's name printed in small letters at the bottom.
"My first book. Lee Hyun gave me so I wouldn't forget my dreams."
"Can I read it?"
"Sure, although it's a bit rough. I wrote it before I gained experience in editing."
"That makes it even more interesting. I'll tell you what I think when I finish reading it."
"Deal." she said, smiling.
"Good night." he said, and left.
SoMi was alone again.
Only now did she realize that, ever since Do Hwan appeared in her life, silence had become uncomfortable. The apartment, which ten minutes ago had been filled with laughter and bustle, suddenly became too quiet...