【Book Chapter 2】
Was this the right decision?
Gaeul's eyes wavered with unease.
After a diligent search, Gaeul found an old officetel near her workplace. From the window, she could faintly see a small stream flowing nearby, and the apartment itself was a studio that had been remodelled less than six months ago. While the hallway was a bit dirty, it was in the best condition of all the places she’d seen that day. The wallpaper was intact, the water pressure was decent, and although the building was old, the interior was clean. Plus, it was a rare rental offering good loan terms, so she signed the lease right away.
But on her first night there, Gaeul instinctively felt that something was very wrong.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Rattle, rattle, rattle.
Woof, woof!
Meow, yowl, growl~!
As she lay in bed trying to sleep, she was bombarded by an overwhelming cacophony from every direction. Upstairs, it sounded as though a giant was stomping around, producing thunderous footfalls. Whenever the neighbour next door did their laundry, the vibrations shook the entire apartment. One neighbour kept a dog, and another had a cat. But that wasn’t the only issue.
“Leaving bags of food waste in the hallway... seriously?”
The neighbour across the hall routinely left trash bags outside their door. When she first came to view the place, she’d assumed the stacked iceboxes were recently delivered packages. But they turned out to be recycling waste. Even worse, they had started leaving food waste out there as well.
When Gaeul contacted the management office to request action, all she got was an insincere response from the incompetent staff: ‘We’ll issue a warning, but there’s nothing we can do to resolve this ourselves.’
To make matters worse, she had recently started hearing the sound of arguments filtering through the walls every night.
“Hey! Get out right now! If you don’t, I’m calling the police!”
“What, you think I’m living with you because I want to? Great! I don’t want to live with you either. I’m the one paying the rent here. If anyone’s leaving, it should be you. Get lost!”
“Hah! The security deposit is mine, you know? From now on, I’ll pay the rent myself, so you can get out!”
Due to the nightly arguments disturbing her sleep, Gaeul inevitably became aware of the ongoing quarrels between the two incompatible sisters, along with the details of their family problems and current situation.
‘I guess I’ll get used to it eventually.’
Repeating this to herself, Gaeul tried to hold on. But before long, another ordeal came her way.
At first, she thought she had seen a ghost. A man wearing red shorts and a white T-shirt was standing either at the end of the hallway or in front of random apartment doors, staring intently into occupied homes. Initially, she wondered if he had some kind of story, but after seeing him repeat the same behaviour in front of different doors, she concluded it was likely a mental health issue.
A few days ago, he was standing near the elevator by her apartment. As Gaeul was getting off the elevator on her way home from work, their eyes met. Startled by his unusual gaze, so different from that of an ordinary person, Gaeul hurriedly headed towards her apartment.
Since he hadn’t directly caused harm, she wasn’t sure if reporting him would lead to any resolution. Feeling increasingly unsettled, she found an anonymous group chat for the officetel residents on a messaging app. Hoping for any advice, she asked about him, and it turned out the man was something of a local legend.
[User: Pickled Radish]: Oh, if he’s at it again, just call the police. The last time someone reported him, he disappeared for a month or two, so he was probably hospitalised. I think he lives on the 16th floor? If you report him, you won’t see him for a while.
The man seemed to be someone who frequented psychiatric hospitals. Gaeul didn’t know where he came from or how he had ended up this way, but now that she had a solution, she figured it would be best to report him if they crossed paths again.
“I’m at home, but I want to go home... Maybe I should’ve stayed with Lee Gajun a little longer instead of moving out... Should I just escape to Dohyun’s place?”
Gaeul murmured to herself as she lay on her bed, her face hollow and drawn.
She hadn’t mentioned any of this to Seo Dohyun yet. She didn’t want to worry him, especially after being so adamant that she could handle things on her own. Asking for help felt too humiliating. Even the interior, which she had decorated with some care, felt oddly cheap and shabby — likely because she’d relied on budget-friendly items. Her overtime work and long commutes had left piles of unwashed laundry, too. She couldn’t bring herself to show him this modest space, so far removed from the elegance of his home. For a moment, the distance between them felt even greater.
Dohyun’s business trip had overlapped with Gaeul’s hectic house-hunting, and it had been two weeks since they’d last had a date. When they finally met, Dohyun barely let her out of his sight. Even while driving, he would seize any moment to hold her hand. During their meal, he subtly slid his leg under the table so his foot brushed against hers. And in bed — though he’d always been affectionate — he clung to her so tightly it almost felt excessive.
“Today, you feel unusually tender... Then again, we’ve never been apart for two weeks before. We’re usually inseparable.”
“It’s winter. I’m just cold.”
“Oh, right. They’re saying this winter is the coldest yet.”
“Exactly. So come here. If you freeze to death, how am I supposed to face Assistant Manager Lee?”
“I’m already warm enough as it is.”
“Hurry.”
When Gaeul, looking puzzled, snuggled a little closer, Dohyun continued speaking.
"So, you've found a place, and you're moving in next week. When is the housewarming party?"
“Housewarming?”
“You promised to invite me, remember?”
“I’ll invite you once I’ve got everything sorted.”
“I’ll just help you with the move. How are you going to handle it all by yourself?”
“It’s fine! Lee Gajun already said he’d help. There’s not enough stuff for three people to handle anyway. Besides, you’re busy, Dohyun. I don’t want to waste your time during such an important period.”
“I really don’t mi—”
“It’s because I’m not okay with it!”
For a moment, he stared at her in silence.
Gaeul subtly avoided his gaze, trying to conceal her awkward expression.
“...Alright. Got it.”
She thought the conversation had ended smoothly.
Two weeks had passed since the move. She was now seeing Dohyun about once a week. They used to meet more often, but the first week had been consumed with unpacking and arranging the new furniture. The second week was spent navigating conflicts with troublesome neighbours.
To ease tensions, she left a polite Post-it note asking the upstairs neighbour to keep the noise down at night and gifted them a pair of slippers. She recommended a well-reviewed four-tier recycling bin to the neighbour across the hall. To her neighbours on either side, she gave dog treats and cat treats, respectively.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Rattle, rattle, rattle.
Woof, woof!
Meow, yowl, growl~!
However, nothing really changed.
It was only then that Gaeul realised why this apartment, remodelled not even a year ago, was already being rented out again after just six months. The previous tenant hadn’t lasted more than half a year before running away.
Caught up in trying to figure out how to handle this, Gaeul naturally became busier once she got home, and the time between her contacts with Dohyun grew longer. Still, she thought there was nothing wrong with their relationship. After all, on the surface, there seemed to be no issues; they communicated well and responded to each other’s questions just fine.
On top of that, she couldn't talk as long as before because she was worried that Dohyun might hear the noise between the floors, so she often made up excuses to end the calls quickly. But that didn't mean they weren ’t calling at all. She had heard that as relationships lengthen, the frequency of meeting or contacting each other naturally decreased. So, she thought Dohyun would also feel that it was a natural change.
Of course, that was entirely Gaeul’s own misunderstanding.
・・・・・
It had been over three weeks since Gaeul moved in.
With less than a week left in March, the brutal cold seemed to be easing. This winter had been particularly snowy, with snow flurries appearing in the weather forecast almost every day throughout late February.
They were on their way home after a simple date, watching a movie and enjoying warm fishcakes and grilled pollock roe with drinks. Gaeul was quietly thinking of an excuse to get dropped off somewhere far from her apartment tonight.
“Oh, you can just drop me off at the station,”
“It’s too late to be walking alone. I’ll take you all the way to your door.”
“It’s alright. I just need to pick up a few things at the convenience store by the station.”
“Go ahead. I’ll wait for you…”
“But Dohyun, don’t you have an early business trip tomorrow? And it’ll be inconvenient for the driver, so it’s fine if I just get off here. Driver, you can pull over right there.”
Gaeul pointed to a convenience store near the station as she spoke.
“It’s no problem for me to wait if you’re only going in for a few things, though?”
Even the driver wasn’t much help today.
She hastily added.
“I actually have a lot to buy, so I’ll take my time browsing. It might take a while, so just go ahead first. I feel pressured when people are waiting, so I’d be more comfortable if you went on.”
As their opinions clashed, the driver glanced at Dohyun, waiting for his response.
“Should I stop over there for a moment, like she said?”
“Alright. Please do that.”
After receiving Dohyun's permission, the driver drove toward the place she pointed out.
Dohyun looked at her with a complicated expression before speaking.
“Lee Gaeul.”
“Yes?”
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No. As always, you’re the perfect boyfriend. Why the sudden question?”
“It’s just… I feel like you’ve been avoiding me lately.”
“Me? Why? That can’t be right!”
Gaeul visibly panicked. She wasn’t good at lying or acting, and anyone could tell she was hiding something. Dohyun raised an eyebrow, sceptical of her behaviour.
“Be honest. Are you hiding something from me?”
“Huh? No, there’s nothing!”
“You’re hiding something.”
“What would I possibly hide from you, Dohyun? There’s nothing to hide!”
“It’s been three weeks since you moved, and you still haven’t told me your new address. Unless… you’re hiding another guy there?”
“No way! Why would I date anyone other than Seo Dohyun?! How’s that possible? Hah, really. That’s absurd. It's just that the inside is such a mess, that's why...”
“Then I can at least walk you to your doorstep, right?”
“But my doorstep’s a mess too.”
That wasn’t a lie.
Her neighbour had indeed bought the recycling bins as Gaeul had suggested… But they placed them right in front of their place. Each morning, seeing the bins labelled “Vinyl,” [1] “Regular Plastics,” “Paper,” and “Empty Cans” from the top compartment down, Gaeul couldn't help but shed silent tears inside.
'I meant don’t leave trash outside at all…’
Thankfully, the food waste was gone, but now there was a stack of Styrofoam boxes piled up next to the bins.
"So, I'm wondering how long it'll take for Lee Gaeul, who hasn't even finished tidying up her home, to clean the road in front of the building. Are you planning to invite me only once you’re done with that?"
"The road in front of the building should be fine… but the building itself is really old. You’ll need to prepare yourself — this might be the first time Seo Dohyun has seen a place like this."
“It doesn’t matter even if it’s a shack.”
“Alright, next time I’ll get off at the building entrance. But tonight, I need to stop by the convenience store. Thanks again, I’ll see you next week!”
The moment the car stopped, Gaeul quickly got out and ran towards the convenience store.
Seo Dohyun watched her retreating figure with a complicated expression, his gaze tinged with concern.
・・・・・
For some reason, Lee Gajun called Seo Dohyun to his home first.
Dohyun, whose mind had been troubled recently due to thoughts about Gaeul, decided to buy a good bottle of whiskey and go to Gajun’s house for a change of pace. Even though only one person had moved out, the house where Gaeul and Gajun had lived together felt emptier, almost like a different place. On top of that, as Gajun was preparing to move, he had gotten rid of some old furniture, making the interior feel even more bare.
With Gaeul absent, Gajun felt free to drink and vent his worries. Dohyun, aware that he was talking to Gaeul's older brother, couldn’t bring himself to open up and instead listened to Gajun’s concerns. As he silently brooded, he kept drinking, gradually consuming more alcohol than Gajun, and soon, he was feeling the effects of the alcohol.
"Director... Anyway, Lee Gaeul doesn’t know anything about my love life! You must, absolutely must, keep it a secret."
"I won't say anything."
"Phew... Thank you. But by the way, Director, why do you look like you’ve been chewing on something bitter lately?"
"Does it show?"
"Yes."
Dohyun exhaled a long, intoxicated breath and then spoke with a serious expression. He didn't usually get drunk easily, and even when he did, the signs were barely noticeable.
"Assistant Manager Lee, be honest with me. Has Lee Gaeul gotten tired of me?"
Gajun, his buzz fading a bit, looked startled as he replied.
"What? No. She hasn’t said anything like that to me?! Is something wrong?”
"Haa, it's fine... nothing happened. It's not something Assistant Manager Lee needs to worry about."
Dohyun’s words seemed to ease Gajun, whose eyes relaxed again. He blinked slowly and continued.
“Hmmm... But we don't usually contact each other that often to begin with... And I don’t really talk about things like that with Lee Gaeul... Actually, I used to mention you back before you two started dating, but after I found out you were seeing each other, it became a habit not to bring it up anymore..."
His body tilted to one side. Dohyun, now familiar with Gajun’s drunken habits, handed him a cushion from the sofa.
Gajun soon drifted off to sleep, resting his head on the cushion.
Dohyun looked at his phone with a troubled expression. It wasn’t even late, but Gaeul still hadn’t replied. Lately, her responses had been getting slower, and it seemed like she was eager to end phone calls quickly. Although their dates were mostly the same as usual, she often displayed signs that something was bothering her.
“I saw that there’s a group chat for the officetel tenants, so I joined to get some helpful tips, and it’s been really useful. I’ve learned a lot of things I didn’t know… Maybe because there are so many units, there’s a more diverse group of people living here than I expected. I didn’t even know something like this existed before, but the world has really gotten better, hasn’t it?”
Could she have met another guy in that chat room? Since it was a neighbourhood full of all kinds of companies, including large corporations, there were plenty of men around Gaeul's age working at decent companies. A woman as cute and pretty as her would surely catch the attention of other guys, wouldn't she? Even Lee Gajun himself often bragged that his friends would fall for Gaeul at first sight, to the point that he stopped inviting them over to his house…
Under the influence of alcohol, his thoughts wandered to things he wouldn’t usually consider. He knew full well that Gaeul wasn’t the type of person to act that way, and he recognised that these thoughts were both ugly and unfounded. However, the alcohol seeped into the deepest corners of his heart, bringing to the surface the worries he usually kept buried.
“It’s a problem because you’re so pretty.”
“Huh?”
“Assistant Manager Lee, just go back to sleep. I’m just talking to myself.”
“Huuu…”
Dohyun let out a long sigh, then filled his glass with the remaining whiskey, downing it in one gulp. It seemed best to drink himself into a stupor and fall asleep before any more useless thoughts clouded his mind. After all, he had a date with her the next day, and seeing Gaeul’s face would surely calm his anxieties.
Just then, a call came in on Gajun’s phone, which was right in front of Dohyun.
‘Lee Gaeul.’
Seeing those two words on the screen, Dohyun picked up Gajun’s phone.
Translator's Corner:
[1] In Korea, they have a comprehensive recycling system especially for different plastics:
Vinyl (비닐) Bin: is for plastic bags, plastic films, labels and packages of potato crisps, biscuits, etc. Not ‘hard’ plastic, but thinner plastic, including Polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Regular Plastic (플라스틱 ) Bin: is for thoroughly rinsed plastic containers and coloured plastic bottles. The contents must be emptied and the label removed (and thrown in the Vinyl Bin).
(Source: https://gogohanguk.com/en/blog/a-guide-to-recycling-in-korea/)
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