Chapter 18: Unexpected Generosity

A chilly morning. Dim sunlight, a gray sky, and a gray room.

There, I lay flat on my back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Then, I opened my heavy mouth.

“Siri.”

• Yes.

“What time is it?”

• It’s 10:43 AM.

“Ugh…”

The appointment is at 12:30 PM.

Honestly, I really don’t want to get up this morning.

• Could you come out around 12:30 tomorrow? I’ll pick you up in my car!
• Ah… I can’t ride in cars…
• What?
• There’s a reason for that… I really can’t. I’m sorry…
• Um, well, it’s okay. I can just walk if it’s somewhere nearby.
• Thank you…

I had also talked with Yoo Ji-eun last night.

She said to meet for lunch tomorrow, and I agreed.

To be honest, I should nod no matter what she says.

Honestly, if it were a normal situation, meeting Yoo Ji-eun would be a joyful thing.

Regardless of whether I like women or men, she’s quite a beauty, and with her friendly personality, I would have enjoyed it as a date.

… If I hadn’t been sued.

I cursed my menstruation and walked to my closet.

The white shirt and black pleated skirt I wore last time were in the washing machine, so this time I took out a black shirt and a white pleated skirt on a hanger.

I then brought them to the bathroom mirror and put them on my legs and shoulders.

Hmm.

Looks pretty.

I smiled at my satisfying appearance.

Soon, I recalled who I was going to meet, and my expression darkened.

“Did you come out early?”

“Oh, haha… Yes.”

I went outside about 20 minutes early.

But Yoo Ji-eun was already there.

Since I came down quickly, I was about to check my phone, but when Yoo Ji-eun approached, my heart sank.

“Why did you come so early?”

“Oh, it’s a habit. If I try to be on time, I might end up being late if something goes wrong.”

Yoo Ji-eun smiled as she said this.

She’s definitely a beauty.

She was wearing a bright-colored dress that suited her image perfectly.

…

Honestly, from this perspective, she seems like a really good person.

No, she’s not a bad person at all.

She’s just not good for me.

…

Is she trying to punish me because she’s a good person?

Thinking like that made a bit of sense.

To anyone’s eyes, I’m the villain here.

Anyway, shaking off those distracting thoughts.

“So, where are we going?”

To a lawyer?

Or maybe to a secluded alley…?

“First, let’s go eat.”

“Eat?”

I asked in slight disbelief, as it seemed like an ordinary schedule for friends.

“Yes. Eat. After that… um, let’s keep it a secret. It’ll be more fun that way.”

Yoo Ji-eun said and smiled.

What is this?

She’s not planning to take me to that place I imagined after we eat, right?

If that’s the case, then really…

“Moon Hyun? Come quickly~!”

“Ah, okay!”

I hurriedly chased after Yoo Ji-eun, who was already waving her hand in the distance.

But I’m the one who has to pay for the meal.

If it’s a bit expensive, I might not be able to afford it.

So, I cautiously spoke up.

“Um, could I ask where we’re going to eat…?”

“Hehe, it’s a secret.”

Yoo Ji-eun replied as she walked ahead of me.

It really can’t be expensive.

Right now, my total assets are 41,000 won.

It was the money I had left after buying a few necessities following my broadcast yesterday.

I asked to delay my monthly rent.

It’s really unavoidable.

Yoo Ji-eun said, then suddenly turned around and said, “I’m treating you, so don’t worry and enjoy.”

Yoo Ji-eun and I walked together for about 15 minutes.

During that time, she chatted about various topics, and I awkwardly tried to engage in conversation.

At one point, I asked why she was treating me, and she replied, “It’s just my heart.”

I could only nod in confusion.

Before long, she stopped and said, “We’ve arrived.”

We were in a quiet street a bit away from the city center.

Yoo Ji-eun entered a beautifully decorated door on the first floor of a building.

I sat in the restaurant, staring blankly at what was happening.

“Here today, we have tenderloin, ribeye, flank steak, skirt steak, and short rib.”

The well-dressed chef in a black shirt and black pants began to show and explain the cuts of meat one by one, which were in a wooden box.

Before long, several dishes were brought out.

The chef spoke in technical terms I didn’t quite understand while explaining the dishes.

The words I caught were:

• “This is pumpkin soup.”
• “This is raw beef made with brisket.”
• “This is short rib with chimichurri sauce.”
• “This is red shrimp with cauliflower. It’s even tastier with our homemade chili sauce.”

I looked at the beautifully presented dishes with an awkward expression.

She’s treating me to this?

It looked incredibly expensive!

Yoo Ji-eun, noticing my reaction, asked, “Have you never been to an omakase before?”

• “Ah, no…”

Yoo Ji-eun widened her eyes and then smirked at my response.

Before I knew it, the food placed in front of me looked like it was worth an outrageous amount, like a piece of art.

Yoo Ji-eun watched me, smiling, as I stared at the food in a daze.

She leaned closer to my ear and whispered, “It looks delicious, doesn’t it?”

“… Yes…”

Even as someone unfamiliar with this kind of place, I instinctively felt that the food in front of me would be incredibly tasty.

I listened intently to the chef’s words and eagerly followed his recommendations as I took a bite.

“It’s delicious…”

It wasn’t a metaphor; I genuinely felt tears coming out.

I wasn’t sad or anything, but tears just fell.

I realized that the expression “melts in your mouth” wasn’t just a saying.

It’s delicious.

So delicious.

I felt like my happiness levels had significantly increased since becoming this way.

More accurately, it’s the ups and downs of my emotions. Even negative feelings like sadness seem heightened.

Anyway, I was extremely happy right now.

So much so that I almost forgot about the pressure of having Yoo Ji-eun beside me.

Am I allowed to enjoy this happiness?

Why?

Suddenly?

I glanced at Yoo Ji-eun, my face mixed with concern, then got distracted by the chef bringing out a new plate.

After finishing our meal, Yoo Ji-eun and I walked out together.

The chef opened the door for us as we stood up to leave and saw us out.

Yoo Ji-eun waved her hand as if she was used to this and walked out.

I was happy even until the last dessert.

I thought I wouldn’t be able to eat anymore because I was full, but as soon as a strangely shaped but incredibly delicious-looking ice cream was served, my stomach felt empty again.

The ice cream was, truly, really delicious.

Everything I had eaten until now—instant rice, canned tuna, ramen, and snacks—seemed like trash in comparison.

Caught up in the happy feeling, I snapped back to reality and said to Yoo Ji-eun, “Thank you. I really enjoyed the meal.”

I didn’t know the reason she treated me, but I had to express my gratitude.

“It’s nothing. I enjoyed it too because I got to eat with you,” she said.

Is she an angel?

But then, I suddenly became curious about the price and asked, “By the way, do you know how much it costs?”

It looked incredibly expensive.

Maybe 60,000 won? 70,000 won?

I had never been to a place like this before, so I didn’t know.

When I asked, Yoo Ji-eun smiled and replied, “It’s 300,000 won per person.”

I staggered; my legs gave out.

This person must be really rich.

I suddenly felt scared.

“Why did you suddenly pick such an expensive place…?”

Wasn’t she supposed to hate me?

She looked at me with amusement and then spoke.

“I don’t know.”

After saying that, she continued.

“What’s your overall impression?”

“Um… it was incredibly delicious. The best I’ve ever had in my life.”

I said, trying to think of the highest praise.

It really was that delicious.

“Better than burgers or malatang?”

“Uh?”

Burgers and malatang?

Why did those two dishes suddenly come up?

The only similarity was that they were both meat dishes.

I realized it was because of the two dishes I had with Song Chae-hyun.

Thinking about the intent behind her question, I decided to be honest since I was unsure.

Well, honestly, it was true that it was more delicious.

“Yes. It was better.”

“…I’m glad to hear that.”

Her eyes crinkled into a smile.

Then she looked back and said, “Let’s move to the next place.”

“Could you tell me where we’re going?”

“Not yet. And once again, I’ll be treating you.”

Following Yoo Ji-eun, I entered, speechless, as I looked around.

The next place we arrived at was a large department store.

Yoo Ji-eun walked into the department store and headed down a narrow passage, where an employee was standing.

Seeing Yoo Ji-eun, the employee hurried over, bowed, and guided us somewhere.

The sign outside the room we entered read “VVIP Lounge.”

“Wow…”

As I opened the door to the lounge, I saw a spacious room decorated in dark blue tones.

I admired the geometric furniture and statues with pure awe.

Just how much money does Yoo Ji-eun have?

No matter how I looked at it, she didn’t seem older than her mid-twenties.

While I was lost in thought, Yoo Ji-eun took my hand and led me to a corner of the room.

I was slightly startled but didn’t resist.

Are women really this comfortable with physical contact?

“Here are the snacks provided. You like these, right? You enjoy desserts the most, don’t you?”

She must have noticed.

I felt a bit embarrassed.

After expressing my gratitude, I took a bite of a dessert that was a mix of red and white.

It was incredibly delicious…

Tears almost welled up again.

Yoo Ji-eun and I enjoyed that moment before the employee guided us to a store.

However, from the exterior, made of full glass, the walls were black, and the floor was dark wood.

It was obvious that this place dealt with expensive clothing.

“Um, why are we here…?”

“Yes?”

Yoo Ji-eun responded with a puzzled look before saying,

“I’m going to buy you clothes, Moon Hyun.”

“…What?”

“Come on, let’s go.”

She took my hand again and pulled me inside.

Then she asked the staff to bring out clothes similar to what I was currently wearing.

I was just watching in confusion, and soon, about four employees came out, each carrying several outfits.

I had to try them on one by one, following Yoo Ji-eun’s directions.

Even if I came to my senses now, I couldn’t refuse.

The four employees smiled and handed me new clothes every time I came out to change.

The skirts and shirts looked like they had better fabric and prettier designs than what I was wearing.

They seemed to have their own unique designs, and they were really beautiful.

Yoo Ji-eun looked me up and down as I came out wearing the last skirt and shirt.

I anxiously watched her reaction.

Seeing me, Yoo Ji-eun seemed to remember something.

“Oh, that looks great on you.”

“Ah…”

That compliment made my face flush.

Honestly, I had been waiting for those words a bit.

“Please get the outfit I’m wearing now, the first set, and the third set.”

“Yes, understood. Thank you very much.”

With that, the payment was completed.

…

“Is it really that easy?

Aren’t you going to ask about the price?”

I stood there, still feeling surreal.

While Yoo Ji-eun stepped away for a moment, I approached the staff member.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes, how can I help you?”

The staff member smiled and asked.

“How much is this outfit?”

“Oh, do you mean the clothes you’re wearing? The price of that shirt and skirt is…”

She leaned in and whispered in my ear.

“!!!”

I jumped back in shock.

What?

This outfit costs several times my rent?

My rent is the largest sum I know of.

The price of these clothes is…

For some reason, they felt incredibly heavy.

I thanked the staff member and quickly walked back to Yoo Ji-eun.

“Hey…!”

“Yes?”

Yoo Ji-eun turned around and smiled at me.

“I can’t accept something this expensive…”

“Oh, I see you asked about the price?”

“Please, just refund it. I really can’t…”

When I said this, Yoo Ji-eun shook her head.

“No. I wanted to buy this for you.”

“… But still… it’s too much…”

“If you refuse one more time, I’ll proceed with the lawsuit.”

“… Eek…”

She laughed, covering her mouth as if she found my frightened expression amusing, then spoke.

“Moon Hyun.”

“Yes?”

“It looks prettier than what you used to wear, doesn’t it?”

Again, her words were perplexing.

Objectively speaking, aside from Song Chae-hyun, the clothes she bought did look prettier.

…

But to deny it would mean facing Yoo Ji-eun’s slightly intimidating demeanor.

I felt guilty for Chae-hyun.

I repeated it silently in my mind and nodded heavily.

“… Yes.”

I nodded again.

Then, her eyes curved in a long arc once more.

As we stepped outside, the slightly darkened sky welcomed us.

I felt people’s gazes on us again.

“Wow, is that a celebrity?”

The words suddenly brushed past my ears.

Do I really look that good?

It wasn’t a bad feeling…

But it didn’t feel entirely good either.

She kept telling me I looked great, but somehow, I felt it didn’t really suit me.

Not in terms of appearance, but emotionally.

I looked at Yoo Ji-eun.

Why is she suddenly treating me so well?

Then, a possibility struck me.

Could it be a maternal instinct, like with Song Chae-hyun?

Was the reason she postponed the lawsuit related to that?

Although I hadn’t mentioned it, she probably figured out through various questions that I was living alone without my parents’ help.

Having watched the broadcast, she must know I’m a bit unstable.

Could it be that her reasons for monitoring me aren’t just for show, and that she calls me every night and makes me take selfies to check on my state?

Buying me such expensive clothes and food might be her way of showing concern, based on her spending habits.

Each person has different spending habits, after all.

The state and home environment may not matter much for the selfies and calls, but considering she must have guessed my situation when she first saw me in a disheveled state,

it seems likely she would have figured it out.

If she’s treating me this well because of that…

I touched the front hem of the new shirt and thought.

She might be a good person.

I began to wonder if her actions after the lawsuit weren’t harassment, but rather a helping hand.

Thinking that way, she started to look different to me.

“Excuse me, Ji-eun?”

“Yes?”

She turned back.

Behind her, the red sun was setting.

As I looked at it, I smiled slightly and said,

“Thank you.”

Yoo Ji-eun showed a brief look of surprise, then smiled back at me.

“Can I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Uh, really?”

Did she have something to ask of me?

Once I acknowledged her, Yoo Ji-eun stepped closer.

While I blankly stared at her graceful movement,

with her soft touch, she naturally rolled up the sleeve of my left arm.

“Oh…”

I couldn’t resist such a natural touch.

The scars of self-harm on my wrist and thick forearm became visible.

How did she know?

The shirt covered my wrist, so she shouldn’t have seen the scars.

Ah.

—There’s nothing tattooed, but there’s something else.

I had metaphorically mentioned it on the broadcast before.

I instinctively recoiled a little.

She must find it unpleasant.

I cautiously raised my head to look at her.

She was just smiling quietly.

Why?

Then, suddenly, she spoke.

“Moon Hyun.”

“Yes…?”

“How do you feel?”

“Uh, about what?”

“When comparing me to that older sister, how do you feel?”

Older sister?

She must be talking about Song Chae-hyun.

Why is she suddenly bringing up Chae-hyun?

I was staring blankly at her face, unsure of her intentions when suddenly,

Yoo Ji-eun gently patted my head.

“Huh?”

She smiled as she stroked my hair.

Despite the warmth I felt from her hand,

it felt unsettling.

Unlike when Chae-hyun would pat me, this felt somewhat uncomfortable.

I instinctively pulled away from her touch.

“…”

But then, I noticed Yoo Ji-eun’s reaction.

“…Huh…”

Her cold gaze bore down on me.

A whimper escaped my lips out of fear.

“Can you give me your bank account number?”

She said, handing me her phone.

“Uh, um…”

For some reason, I felt compelled to give it to her, so I hurriedly typed my account number into her phone.

“I had fun today. I hope we meet again.”

She said as she turned to walk away.

I stared blankly until her figure disappeared.

Then, I heard a notification sound from the phone and checked it.

There was an amount that easily exceeded my rent.

Yoo Ji-eun walked along the street, reflecting on the events of the day.

‘It seems I’ve lowered her guard enough.’

In the past, she would tremble like a rabbit in front of a predator, but this time, it seemed her defenses had definitely relaxed.

She even smiled and thanked me.

And it seemed she was more satisfied with the clothes and food than that ‘older sister.’

Feeling a slight sense of victory, Yoo Ji-eun suddenly recalled a memory and her expression hardened.

It seemed she still had some resistance to being patted.

‘Not good.’

She scolded herself slightly.

‘But still…’

Yoo Ji-eun thought about how Moon hyun looked while eating and the joy on her face when she bought her clothes, and a faint smile appeared.

“…She’s definitely cute.”

Money didn’t feel too wasted.

She wanted to make her hers.

The self-harm scars, her gray hair, her gray eyes—all were pretty and lovely.

She thought about wanting to see her excited face again.