Awakening 3 (Yu-jin Side)
As Ha-jeong said, the weather really is hot...
Stepping out of the first-floor apartment entrance, I squinted against the blazing sunlight. I congratulated myself on deciding to change my clothes before coming out as I made my way to the apartment’s recycling station.
When I reached the recycling area, the heat must have kept everyone indoors; not a single resident was in sight. Only the security guard stood there alone, quietly sorting through the bins.
“Hello~ Mister.”
“Oh! My goodness~ Ma’am, it’s been a while.”
The security guard, who had been focused on his task, finally noticed me when I called out. He turned around, broke into a warm, friendly smile, and greeted me.
“Heading out somewhere?”
“Yes~ I’m meeting a friend I haven’t seen in a long time.”
Raised to respect my elders, I answered him cheerfully. At the same time, I felt a pang of sympathy watching him sweat so heavily in this sweltering heat.
In this weather… working hard since early afternoon. I really should bring him a cold drink next time.
“Oh dear, let me take that trash bag for you.”
“Ah, no, it’s all right. I can throw it away myself.”
“Haha, this is my job. Don’t worry about it.”
He took the garbage bag from my hand. In that brief moment our fingers brushed, and the rough, calloused texture of his palm sent another wave of pity through me. I stood there watching as he disposed of the trash.
It’s such a relief that no one in our apartment complex harasses or abuses the security guards. Still, every time I see him he’s eating cup ramen… It bothers me that his meals are so meager. Next time I’ll make extra side dishes for him. At least there’s a refrigerator in the guard room…
I’ve always enjoyed cooking, so I decided that the next time I prepared side dishes at home I would simply make a larger portion. It was no extra trouble—just a bit more quantity—so the thought didn’t burden me at all.
While I was lost in those thoughts…
“Ah! Ma’am. Didn’t you mention last time that you needed to dispose of some large furniture?”
“Uh… Oh! Yes, that’s right. We have an old bookshelf at home… I wasn’t sure whether it could just be thrown away, so I asked you about it back then.”
“Haha, our apartment has a contracted collection company. You need to notify the guard room at least one day in advance so I can call them. Then, on the actual pickup day, you’ll have to come down and sign the form in the guard room when they arrive.”
“Ah… I understand. When I get home later I’ll check my schedule and contact you.”
“Yes, just let us know ahead of time on whichever day is convenient for you, ma’am~ Have a good outing.”
“Yes~ Take care, mister~”
Leaving the security guard behind, I walked toward the rear gate of the complex where the nearest subway station was located.
It was a fiercely hot lunchtime on a weekday in the business district. I had just arrived at the financial town where Ha-jeong’s private office was located to meet my close friend.
Her office was ten subway stops away from our apartment. The area was packed with companies, especially financial firms, so it was practically known as the Financial Town.
I left the house early just in case, but the subway must have been faster than I thought. I’m way too early.
I was twenty minutes ahead of my appointment with Ha-jeong, so I decided to stroll around the neighborhood until she arrived. I turned into the alley beside me. Because it was lunchtime, the narrow street was crowded with office workers grabbing meals. Watching them, I found myself drifting into memories of the days when I had been one of them at a pharmaceutical company.
It brings back old times… The work was hard, but there were plenty of good memories too. Of course, there were bad ones as well…
These days I don’t work. I had joined a well-known mid-sized pharmaceutical firm and handled accounting work that made good use of my major. But after meeting Gyu-min, dating him, and eventually marrying, I ended up quitting.
I hadn’t planned to stop working from the beginning. I agonized over the decision, but Gyu-min told me he earned enough and that I could quit if it became too difficult. At the time I was already exhausted from the job, so I ultimately chose to focus on our home life.
Even so, I was a woman with ambition. I still felt a lingering regret that my career had been cut short at such a young age. Being a full-time homemaker wasn’t unpleasant, yet the desire to keep building my professional life remained tucked away in a corner of my heart.
Of course it was a decision we made after many long conversations… But we still don’t have any children, and Gyu-min doesn’t seem ready to have them yet. He looks like he wants to enjoy our newlywed life a little longer… If we had a child, I would devote myself to the family, but since we don’t, maybe it would be all right to go back to work?
While I wandered aimlessly with those thoughts, a man approached and spoke to me.
“Excuse me~”
“Yes? Are you talking to me?”
“Yeah… I don’t usually do this, but… you’re so pretty that I had to ask. Could I get your number?”
“Ah… well…”
I looked the man over. He had a youthful face and seemed no older than a college student no matter how generously I judged his age.
Is this what they call “hunting”? It’s happened a few times before, but I never get used to it…
I was slightly startled and flustered by his sudden approach, yet a small part of me felt pleased that I still looked young enough to be approached like this. Before I was a married woman, I was simply a woman, so the situation itself wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
It feels nice, but I still have to turn him down…
“Ah… I’m a married woman, so I’m afraid I can only thank you for the compliment and say I’m sorry.”
“Married? You’re actually married?”
“Yes.”
“....”
My statement that I was married left him momentarily stunned. Then he stared straight at me and spoke again.
“You’re lying, right? Just to reject me… You don’t look married at all. Aren’t you a college student?”
“I really am married. And I’m not a college student—I’m thirty-two.”
“Thirty-two? There’s no way you look that old… If you just don’t like me, you can say so.”
“Why would I lie about something like that? It’s the truth.”
“....”
The man in front of me stared at me with clear disbelief. But when he saw my sincere expression, he finally realized I was telling the truth.
Whew… He seems to understand I’m serious. He’ll give up now, right?
Contrary to what I expected, the man showed no sign of leaving. He stood there thinking for a long time, then finally opened his mouth. The words that came out were utterly shocking.
“Then… Noona, how about becoming secret friends with me?”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Come on~ You know what I mean~ These days every married man and woman has a partner on the side~ Wouldn’t it be nice for you to have a younger guy as your partner too?”
“Don’t say things like that! I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you.”
This guy… is even worse than I thought.
“Don’t be like that. Be honest, Noona. You’ve thought at least once that it would be nice to have a young sex partner, haven’t you? Besides, a woman in her thirties who’s married must have a lot of sexual desire.”
“Excuse me?”
“To be honest, I was going to give up when I found out you were married, but you’re too beautiful to walk away from. Can’t you really do it?”
“What can’t be done, can’t be done.”
“Hah… You’re really playing hard to get…”
“What did you just say?”
His continued rude behavior made my whole body tremble with rising anger, and my voice grew louder. People nearby began to glance at us, murmuring and watching. The man in front of me seemed bothered by their attention; he clicked his tongue and hurriedly left the scene.
How can someone be so rude… How can he be so shameless?
The man had openly sexually harassed me while persistently hitting on me. The shame and humiliation left me in a terrible mood.
I was feeling so good just a moment ago… I came out today to have fun with Ha-jeong, and now this happens. What rotten luck.
While I was still fuming, my phone rang at the perfect moment. It was Ha-jeong.
“Yu-jin~ Where are you? I’m at the meeting place but I don’t see you… Are you still on your way?”
“No~ I arrived early and was looking around when something came up… I’ll be there soon.”
“Really? All right. I’ll wait for you here~”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.”
I had originally planned to wander leisurely and then return to the meeting spot, but the rude man had ruined my mood. I let out another sigh and started walking toward the place where Ha-jeong was waiting.