Episode 1
“Go Eunwoo!!”
“Eun Hakyung..!!”
Eunwoo got off the bus with her arms full of luggage. The moment she spotted Hakyung, she dropped everything and ran into her arms, finally bursting into the tears she’d been holding back.
“Hrk…sniff…waaaah…”
“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay…”
My family went bankrupt. Completely, utterly bankrupt.
Right now, after my dad’s business went under, I have nowhere to go.
I grew up wanting for nothing. I didn’t have much talent, but I majored in art simply because I liked it. I held an exhibition once a year at my mom’s gallery, but I didn’t really have a proper job.
Then suddenly, my parents were drowning in debt. Desperate, they scrambled onto a ship and fled overseas. As their only child, I ended up crashing at my best friend Eun Hakyung’s place. All I had was the 480,000 won my dad shoved into my hand as he left. That’s it.
It was everything he had left in his wallet.
It’s not like I hadn’t saved anything up by twenty-nine. I’d made some money from exhibitions and tutoring art students for college entrance. I didn’t work regularly, but I earned a decent amount from odd jobs. But when the business started sinking, my dad used it all up.
So now, the 480,000 won from his wallet… that’s all I have left.
“Hey, let’s go. Is this all your stuff?”
“…I brought as much as I could. I had to leave in a hurry…”
From elementary school up until now—twenty-nine—Eun Hakyung has always been by my side. She’s my best friend.
Unlike me, who grew up well-off, she had a childhood of extreme poverty. The only family she had was an older brother, four years her senior. When she was seven, she and her brother were sent to a provincial orphanage, where they endured years of abuse before escaping together. That’s when she transferred to my elementary school, and we became friends.
She was strong. I was weak.
It was always Eun Hakyung who protected me, the sheltered girl. Back then, all I could do was cry.
Except for the three years I attended an arts high school, we were inseparable. Hakyung, a smart student, got a full scholarship to engineering school. I, always passionate about art, paid a hefty tuition to attend an art college.
Though our majors differed, we graduated from the same prestigious university. Now in her fifth year at a major company, Hakyung earns a very impressive salary.
And me? I’m just… unemployed. Utterly useless and unemployed.
I really should’ve taken life more seriously…
To be honest, I thought my dad would always be successful. I thought we’d always have money. I thought everything would just come to me, without effort. I figured it was just my luck.
“What about a coat? Aren’t you cold?”
It’s cold. Late March still bites, but I was in such a rush I didn’t even grab a coat.
“I’m fine.”
“…And yet you remembered to bring your designer suitcase.”
Hakyung let out an incredulous laugh at my suitcase. Even in this mess, her humor made me feel a bit lighter.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay..?”
“Of course. There’s a spare room. I already cleaned it up. My brother only comes to Korea like once a quarter, so make yourself at home.”
Her brother works at a global company—one of those with a name everyone knows. I heard he’s stationed at their U.S. branch right now.
Was his name… Eun Woogyung? I remember Hakyung saying she liked me even more when we were ten because my name sounded like her brother’s. That stuck with me.
“…Here.”
Eunwoo quickly pulled the cash from her pocket—the money her dad gave her—and handed it to Hakyung. But Hakyung recoiled the moment she saw it.
“Hey..! What the..?! Put that away!”
“…”
“Not putting it away? Then I’m not taking you in.”
“Ah..! Okay, okay…”
Afraid Hakyung might actually mean it, I shoved the money back into my pocket and grabbed her hand tightly.
“Eun Hakyung… thank you.”
“Pfft, whatever. I told you, the room’s free.”
And so, I started living at Eun Hakyung’s place. Well—technically, her brother Eun Woogyung’s place.
One week later, Monday morning.
Hakyung had gone to work, and I was vacuuming. I told myself I’d help with house chores at least until I found a job, so I cleaned diligently whenever she was out.
After wrapping up most of the morning chores, I sat at the table and opened my planner.
I was organizing interview schedules for all the companies—big and small—I had applied to.
I’d just spammed my resume on job sites, and a few places actually contacted me. They wanted interviews.
-Beep beep beep beep beep beeep
It was just past 10 a.m. when I heard the sound of the door lock opening.
-Creak
The front door opened.
Whrrr
The sound of a rolling suitcase.
-Thunk
The door closing.
-Beep beep beep
The lock engaging again.
“Haa…”
A tired male sigh.
Still seated at the table, I froze, heart pounding, and slowly stood up. I heard footsteps—someone taking off their shoes and entering.
—Thump thump thump thump thump
My heart raced, just like when I first heard my parents were fleeing the country.
“???”
A tall man in a sleek black coat stepped into the living room, raking a hand through his hair, his face weary. The moment he saw me, he froze. Just—froze.
I’d only ever been in this house with Hakyung, so a random tall guy walking in? Intimidating as hell.
His sharp eyes widened, and then his lips parted in surprise.
—Thud
He dropped his large suitcase.
“…Who… are you..?”
The man looked around in a panic, like he was checking if this was really his place. I stood frozen, hands clutched to my chest, my brain racing.
This man—he’s the owner. Eun Woogyung, Hakyung’s brother.
He had jet-black hair, looked exhausted, but he was… ridiculously handsome.
“Hello..!!!! I-I’m Go Eunwoo, Hakyung’s friend!!!!!”
“…Ah…”
“I-I didn’t have anywhere to go..! I’m just staying here temporarily..!!!”
He couldn’t seem to process it. Nodding stiffly, he looked dazed while I stood there awkwardly, bowing politely and watching his reaction.
“…Yeah?”
Despite his size, he seemed extremely flustered. I forced a bright, polite smile.
I’m not exactly a social butterfly either, but I did my best. Smile, Eunwoo. Smile.
‘Everyone in this family is huge…’
Hakyung is 170cm—tall for a woman. And her brother? No idea how tall he is, but he looked gigantic.
“….Yeah?”
My overly bright smile seemed to throw him off even more. And because he was flustered, so was I.
“…Yeah..?”
His echo-like response was somehow even more awkward than mine. Swallowing dryly, he finally spoke again.
“Ah…so…um…”
“Yes..? What is it..?”
“Then… uh… make yourself comfortable…?”
“Ah..! Yes..! You too.. please, rest..!”
And that was our first meeting—super awkward, super clunky.
Go Eunwoo and Eun Hakyung have been friends for nearly twenty years, but Eunwoo had never once met her brother, Eun Woogyung.
Too young to remember much, Woogyung had been too busy raising his sister to do anything else. He took the high school equivalency exam, studied like mad, got a full scholarship to a prestigious university. He didn’t sleep, didn’t date, didn’t socialize. He lived more fiercely than anyone I knew. Now, he was on a perfect success track at a global firm.
Eun Woogyung. At thirty-three, he owned a 45-pyeong apartment in Seoul under his own name—a man who built everything from nothing, with nothing but ability.
—Clack
Woogyung entered his room, rubbing his forehead, and called his sister.
—Hey, bro~ How are you? Still in Boston?
“There’s a woman here. Go Eunwoo..?”
—Huh..?
“Why is she here..?”
—You’re in Korea?!?!?!?!
—Bzzz bzzz
Back in her room and jittery, Eunwoo’s phone buzzed.
….Yeah, I figured. I was just calling you… Jeez, could he not show up unannounced…
“Is he just here for a bit..?”
…..Starting next month…
“…?”
—He’s been transferred to the Korean branch. Got promoted…
“Gasp….”
—Don’t worry. I’ll leave work right on time and come home today… If it gets awkward, maybe head to a cafe for a bit.
“…Are you still getting here at seven..?”
—If I leave on time, six-thirty?
“…Hurry up…”
—Click
Carefully cracking open her door, Eunwoo peeked into the living room. Woogyung’s room was firmly shut. The living room was empty.
‘He’s still in his room..!’
Relieved, Eunwoo tiptoed out, poured herself a cup of water from the big bottle in the fridge, and neatly put everything back. She grabbed her planner and laptop from the table.
Then tiptoed right back into her room.
—Clack
—Creak
After finishing his shower, Woogyung cautiously opened his door and peered out. The living room was still empty. The guest—his sister’s friend—must be in her room.
Without a sound, Woogyung made his way to the fridge.
“Oh…”
Every time he came back to Korea, the fridge used to be a disaster. Now, it was spotless. He couldn’t help but be impressed.
He glanced toward the room Eunwoo had entered.
Did she hear that?
Hakyung definitely didn’t clean—she never does. Must’ve been the friend. He pulled out a 500ml bottle of water.
—Snap
Woogyung chugged over half the bottle and flopped down onto the sofa. Just as he started to relax, he jerked upright.
He had nearly forgotten his sister’s friend was here.
He hurried back to his room and shut the door.
—Clack
And just like that, an awkward, unexpected cohabitation with my best friend’s brother began.
Thanks for Reading…
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