I cried until all the moisture was gone and fainted. I vividly remembered the feeling of my eyes rolling back. And the faces of the three visible in between.
They must have been surprised. All three looked like they were about to burst into tears.
I moved my hand to take off the wet towel on my forehead, which must have been cold.
I overestimated this damn body. That's why I was bawling my eyes out at dawn.
I recalled that moment at dawn when I'd cried and pleaded with those crazy bastards not to lock me up. At the time, I'd just let it go, begging through my tears, but recalling it now sent a shiver down my spine.
When I said not to lock me up, a strange heat flickered in their eyes. What should I call it? It was like... like...
The sparkling eyes of an adult who caught a bluebird and caged it.
Scary bastards. I rubbed the goosebumps that had risen from the chills.
Why are these guys suddenly acting like this? I think I need to get Park Min-ah and these guys together as soon as possible.
As soon as I woke up, I felt the fear of my housemates again and pressed my dry eyes hard with my palms. Every time I put pressure, the front of my eyes flashed white and gradually turned black.
After repeating that meaningless action and my mind became a little clearer, I turned my head. The noise flowing in from outside was too clear.
This place is... so it's my room, but why...?
"..."
Why... is there no door...?
I blinked and checked the place where the door should be. Is it wide open?
Unable to believe reality, I wondered if the absent door was simply wide open, so wide it was invisible.
Unable to accept reality, I looked for the door that had disappeared without a trace for a long time. Several times, again and again.
"Ha..."
It seemed like these crazy bastards had taken the door off while I was unconscious.
"Really..."
A voice full of metallic sound came out. While my eyes were spinning, I laughed at the absurdity of the door that had disappeared without a trace. Only a sigh mixed with lamentation leaked out from my parted lips. These crazy bastards...
The sounds from outside flowed in without the slightest blur and were hammered into my eardrums. The crashing sounds of these crazy bastards breaking something echoed loudly in my head.
I supported myself on the bed with a hand that had no strength and raised my body. Groaning sounds came from my mouth. I threw the wet towel on the floor with a thud and lowered my feet from the bed. As always, my body staggered. I was used to it now, so I wasn't surprised.
I stopped for a moment until the swaying vision subsided, and then walked out of the room at a slow pace. I stopped for a moment where the door used to be and checked to see if it was really gone. It's really gone. Shit, crazy bastards.
As I walked out, stroking the place where the door used to be with my palm, the eyes of the crazy bastards huddled in the kitchen turned to me all at once. I walked towards the dining table, exposing my swollen eyes and lips.
"What... are you doing?"
"Yeoul, you're awake?"
"...Yeah."
Taehee was smiling with a gleaming kitchen knife in his hand, as if he was cutting something. He was giving off an atmosphere that made me feel like he would chop me up too if I wasn't careful.
I turned away from the kitchen and sat down on the dining table chair. That scary bastard. That bastard is the most dangerous. I awkwardly smiled, searching for a way to avoid Mo Taehee in my mind.
"Hey, Ha Yeoul. Aren't you hungry?"
"...Not really. But, um... the door in my room... why is there no door...?"
I asked, carefully watching their reactions. I tried to figure out how each of them was feeling.
As always, Seo Jaehoon seemed cheerfully carefree, and Nam Kangwoo's mood was not something I could grasp. And Mo Taehee... was smiling with a sly face. Staring intently at my lips.
Without realizing it, I raised my hand and covered my mouth. My lips, which were still warm from being rubbed too much, caused a stinging pain even when touched.
"Hey, you're not even on a one-meal-a-day diet, why don't you eat so much?"
"...What meal...?"
"Even people on a diet eat more than you. No, if you don't eat like that, you'll die, Ha Yeoul."
Seo Jaehoon, who is usually foul-mouthed, was genuinely worried that I wasn't eating properly. He must have meant it when he said I might die if I didn't eat like this. Seo Jaehoon peeled a banana and put it in my hand. Eat, please, he said.
"...Sorry."
I don't know if I should be so sorry for not eating well, but I apologized anyway. Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed right for me to apologize.
When I offered an awkward apology, Seo Jaehoon reached out and stretched my cheek.
"Who told you to apologize?"
"I'm sowwy—"
The apology that came out of my mouth was jumbled up because he was stretching my cheek.
"Just eat well. Mo Taehee is going to make something delicious for you for once. He said he learned it at a cooking class or something."
"Aww—"
Seo Jaehoon, who had been pulling at my cheek, massaged the flesh a few more times and then let go of my cheek. Seo Jaehoon, who rubbed my red cheek with his palm, added, "Oh."
"I also invited Park Min-ah. I feel like I've been too indifferent to Min-ah lately."
It was the most welcome news I had heard. I nodded with a bright expression. Yeah, she's still the female lead, I've been too indifferent.
I nodded repeatedly and muttered that he did a good job. Feeling better, I took a bite of the banana in my hand. Is today the day I can definitely push one of the three? I was filled with a strange sense of anticipation.
Unlike my face, which was brightening up, my housemates' expressions, who would be fighting over Park Min-ah, were indifferent. Excessively so.
Why do they all have those expressions? None of the three faces welcomed Park Min-ah's visit. Why are they acting like that when they invited her? I glanced around, swallowed the banana in my mouth, and slowly got up.
"Can I help you?"
"Yeoul, you should rest on the sofa. Your face is still pale."
Mo Taehee flatly refused my help. Mo Taehee, who was putting all kinds of vegetables on the island table and cutting them with a thumping sound, moved his eyes around.
I nodded and slowly walked out of the kitchen with the banana in my hand. I heard Seo Jaehoon's nagging from behind, saying that I was eating bananas all day long.
Ignoring him, I sat down on the sofa where the embarrassing memory of dawn remained. Still chewing on the banana that filled my mouth. I leaned deeply against the backrest. Naturally, the movement of my jaw slowed down. I'm tired even though I slept. The eyelids that were blinking slowly came down.
Come to think of it, these bastards, no one answered when I asked why there was no door.
***
I must have dozed off, because the sound of birds chirping nearby woke me up from my shallow sleep. A voice full of joy and excitement greeted me here and there. Then, with light, tapping footsteps, she approached me. I felt the cushion beside me dip slightly.
"Yeoul-ah."
I heard a ticklish voice. Small, thin fingers tapped my cheek. I slowly lifted my still heavy eyelids. Park Min-ah, who was prettier than when I first saw her, was in front of me.
"...Ah, Min-ah. Sorry, I dozed off."
I yawned slightly and rubbed my eyes, as I was still sleepy.
"When did you come?"
At my quiet question, Park Min-ah's lips curved softly.
"Just now. It smells delicious. I was hungry. How's your body? Still not good?"
"Huh? Oh... well... just..."
"What's with the banana in your hand? Are you a baby who fell asleep while eating?"
"Huh? Oh... this."
"But Yeoul, why are your eyes and lips so swollen?"
Park Min-ah poured out words without giving me a chance to answer, as if she was so curious about something. They were all ambiguous questions, so I turned my head instead of answering. I looked at my housemates gathered in the kitchen and muttered that I wasn't feeling well.
"It smells good like you said. Taehee said it's a dish he learned at a cooking class."
I continued, looking somewhere around Park Min-ah's shoulder. The eyes that met briefly were awkward, so I quickly lowered my eyes and looked at the edge of the table. A faint sigh leaked out from Park Min-ah's lips. Why is she like this again...
"Lately, I'm jealous of you, Yeoul."
"...Cough, cough! What, what did you say?"
I choked on my saliva and coughed repeatedly at Park Min-ah's sudden words. Her words were clearly etched in my ears while I was still drowsy and confused.
I met Park Min-ah's eyes with a half-crazed face. What is she talking about right now? You are the female lead in this novel, you! I glared at Park Min-ah without showing it.
"Lately, Kangwoo, Taehee, and Jaehoon all seem like they can't sleep because they're worried about you."
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