The Can Opener

"……I suddenly got depressed."

"I-I'm sorry……."

"What good is apologizing for that? You really think I'm old, don't you? Hmm?"

Before I knew it, I had pinched both of Lee Miji's cheeks and tugged, and she flailed her hands in a panic as she answered.

"N-no! I mean it……."

The instant I realized what I'd done, I let go. We weren't close enough for that yet. Without thinking, I'd treated her the way I treated Hyunji. Miji had a quiet charm that put a person at ease before you noticed it. She cupped both cheeks in her hands and looked up at me, far more worried that she might have hurt my feelings than that I had pinched her.

"I-I know it came back as Classic, but……."

"……It's already too late."

"I really wasn't trying to upset you, Oppa……."

So she was a player who'd come in on the late-game expansion I'd never gotten to enjoy. A shame. I didn't really know the back half. Watching her wave her hands and flounder, I let out a short laugh and went on.

"Then how about a PUBG duo next time? Just one game."

"R-really?"

"Yeah. But it's been forever since I played. I was never any good to begin with."

"I don't mind. I want to. I always end up playing alone……."

We were talking games in the lobby, and when I moved to exchange numbers as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Miji stole a glance at me and pressed on.

"……I, I already know your number, Oppa."

"Ah, I heard. Then just send me a text."

"Okay!"

I answered as if it were nothing. She replied brightly, and the moment she let out a sigh of relief, my phone rang. Han Gyeo-wool's name lit the screen.

"Th-then I'll text you."

"Oh, you heading out?"

"Yes. Hyunji was really looking forward to today's date. She's always going Oppa, Oppa……."

"Must get old."

"……No. A-at first I didn't really believe her, but everything she told me turned out to be true……."

She looked at me with her face flushed, and for a moment our eyes met. It lasted only an instant, but I had the illusion I'd heard the sound of her heart. Maybe because I'd pinched her cheeks—two wisps of pastel-orange heat haze bloomed at the center of that small chest, and a rush of impulse climbed up in me. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I hurried to smother it and spoke.

"She was really looking forward to it. It won't be anything special, though."

"……I think I get it. Just you talking to me this comfortably is enough to understand……."

"Did you like it?"

"……Yes……."

"Let's talk again next time. I don't get many chances to talk games these days either."

"……Okay. G-go ahead and take the call."

"Yeah. Get home safe."

People stepped off the elevator that had just arrived, and Miji scurried inside. Her retreating back was unexpectedly cute. I chuckled and waved, and she seemed a little more at ease now, smiling shyly as she waved back.

"Hello."

In that short span she'd dropped Lee Hyesun off at the company, come back to the hospital, and finished the discharge besides. I checked the clock. Barely thirty minutes had passed. I'd already thought she wasn't an ordinary person, but she really was something else.

"Oppa."

Hyunji's voice came from behind me. I turned and slipped the phone into my pocket. She wore a fluttering white dress under a short beige cardigan, finished with cute high heels that had blunt, rounded toes—innocent enough that she could have gone on the date just like that. Beside her, Hwang Jiyoung was still in Han Gyeo-wool's clothes from yesterday. Come to think of it, I was in yesterday's clothes too. I felt a little bad for Hyunji.

"Should I go change, too?"

"Oh, now that you mention it……. Then, Oppa."

"Yeah?"

"Want to go shopping? We'll change right into what we're wearing today."

"Hmm……."

"Please? I want to shop. The weather's really warmed up now, too."

I thought it over for a moment, then nodded. I had a shopping date with Rahee tomorrow as well, but today I meant to go along with Hyunji unless something was truly unreasonable. I'd felt guilty about two shopping dates in a row, yet Hyunji was waiting, hopeful for my answer. I smiled at the sight of her and gave a quiet nod.

"Let's do it."

"Don't stop me today. I've really been waiting for this."

"All right."

"……Really?"

"Yeah. You worked hard on the performance, too."

I didn't say the rest out loud, but it also seemed like a decent way to ease the stress Hyunji had taken on yesterday. As if she'd caught my intention, she quietly took my hand, wrapped herself around my arm, and leaned in.

"……I'm sorry……."

"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault."

At that I heard Hwang Jiyoung swallow hard behind us and turned to look at her. Our eyes met. She didn't know what to do with herself; apology filled that pretty face as her lips moved without quite forming words.

"Jiyoung."

"……Yes. About yesterday……."

A shadow lay heavy across her whole face, and I decided that was enough. What had happened had already happened, and it had been an accident. She was already backed into a corner; pressing her further would only pile on useless stress. The more we talked about it, the worse it would be for all of us—and I'd be seeing her often from now on.

"You don't have to apologize anymore."

"……But still……."

"I'd like us to think of yesterday as an accident. Hyunji, what do you think?"

"He's right. I was…… careless, too. And I'm the one who didn't take care of my body……."

"It's my fault as well."

"……H-how is it your fault, Oppa……."

"Because I should have paid closer attention."

Startled, Hyunji shook her head frantically as she answered. I couldn't explain it in any detail, but the truth was that I was the one who had improved her condition, and I'd also realized how shallow my knowledge ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of pregnancy really was. The miscarriage had shaken me more than I'd expected, too. I'd been living such a happy life lately that the sudden sense of loss felt unbearably strange. I was sorry. It was a complicated feeling.

"All that fine talk, and it turns out I don't actually know a single thing properly."

"……Oppa……. Don't think like that……."

"Don't worry about it anymore. Just take care of yourself. All right?"

"……Okay……."

"You too, Jiyoung. Understood?"

"……Thank you."

"Let's have fun today. Do you have anything you want to shop for, Jiyoung?"

At that, Jiyoung and Hyunji exchanged a look and smiled shyly. I didn't know what it meant, but the mood had clearly softened, so I smiled, nodded, and we took the elevator down toward the front of the hospital.

"Welcome."

The moment we stepped outside, there was a black domestic sedan, and Han Gyeo-wool—leaning against the car, fiddling with her phone—offered the greeting.

"Hello. You've been busy since morning."

"It's fine."

"Thanks for the discharge paperwork. I was going to handle it, but they said they couldn't tell me anything."

"Not at all. I should have told you in advance. I'm sorry."

"No. That's not something you need to apologize for."

When she apologized instead, I waved it off, and Hyunji—still clinging to my arm—smiled shyly and thanked Gyeo-wool in my place.

"Unnie. Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Mr. Shinwoo asked me to take you home."

"Ah, I just wanted to go shopping."

"All right. Got it. Hanseong Department Store, then?"

"Yes. Are you going to nag me again today, Unnie?"

"No. Buy whatever you want today. I won't say a word."

"What about you, Oppa?"

"I already told you. Today you do whatever you want, as much as you want."

"Yes! This is gonna be fun."

Watching Hyunji light up, a warm breeze seemed to pass over Gyeo-wool's face, and a faint, gentle smile took shape. I was starting to tell the difference. Then she met Jiyoung's eyes for a moment, and Jiyoung swallowed as she held that gaze. I could only guess that something had happened between the two of them.

"Oppa. Get in."

"Yeah."

I was curious, but if I needed to know, someone would tell me eventually. I chuckled at Hyunji tugging me along and climbed into the back seat with her. I ought to bring up the car, too. Once I confirmed Jiyoung had taken the passenger seat, I whispered to Hyunji as she fiddled with my hand on the way out of the hospital.

"Hyunji."

"Yes, Oppa."

"So, I looked into cars a bit yesterday."

"Oh, are you getting a car?"

"Yeah. That was the idea. We'll be going on dates a lot from now on, and you're still not great at driving."

"I'm sorry. I'll look into driving school right away."

"It's fine. It's not urgent. Anyway, when I checked on a Hanseong, they said the wait is ten months."

"……Almost a year? Do they really take that long these days?"

That was enough to tell me Hyunji cared about cars about as little as I did. Even so, I hadn't quite managed to suggest sharing one—but with Gyeo-wool here, there was a chance the story would make its way to Lee Hyesun.

"Yeah. But Hyesun said today that she'd buy me a car."

"Mom must have really liked you."

Her voice was full of curiosity, so I leaned in and whispered by her ear. Even so, I didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠want to spell it out with Jiyoung and Gyeo-wool right there.

"Can we talk about that later, when it's just the two of us?"

"……Okay. Then what model did you agree to take?"

"I didn't. I turned it down."

"……Ah."

Maybe because of the way I'd been until now, Hyunji let out a soft sound of understanding, squeezed my hand, and gently stroked the back of it. Worry filled her face, and of course I knew why. She was afraid I'd refuse whatever she meant to offer today.

"……Does it weigh on you that much?"

"You sound just like your mom."

"……We could easily do that much for you……."

"I said I'd take one later. When you or Hyesun have a child. As a congratulatory gift."

"……Ah……."

"Then I'll accept it gladly. How's that?"

At my words, Hyunji's face flushed pink, and she quietly rested her head on my shoulder.

"……Then I'd better have your baby soon……."

"Your cycle's probably off. Let's recalculate. All right?"

"……Okay."

"Anyway, Hyesun was so disappointed that she asked how I'd feel about sharing your car until then."

"Really? I'd love that. It was just collecting dust anyway."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Then my car will smell like you……."

"Do I smell that much?"

I deliberately hiked my shoulder and sniffed, but Hyunji only smiled and stroked my cheek. I'd meant to see whether she found it strange, and her answer told me I didn't need to worry.

"Yes. I want to keep smelling it. I think I could get addicted……."

"You too. It's like holding a cat."

"Ah! That reminds me. Toto's food."

"Ah, about that……."

The one who answered Hyunji—eyes round, voice jumping—was Jiyoung. She'd been staring blankly at the two of us whispering, and our eyes met in the rearview mirror. She startled and stumbled over her words.

"I-I fed him when I stopped by for clothes at dawn……. Since you had a date today, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠left him a little extra……."

"Whew, thank goodness. I'd completely forgotten. Thanks, Jiyoung."

"Don't mention it……."

"We're going to live together from now on. Did you say hello properly?"

"Yeah. He's so much like a puppy. First time meeting me, and he came right over, all cute."

"Right? He's nothing like a cat—super easygoing. But he doesn't act cute with me."

"I think I know why."

"……Why's that?"

I whispered to Hyunji, who tilted her head in curiosity.

"You think he'd bother acting cute for a can opener who forgets to even feed him?"

"……Seriously. You have no idea how good I am to him normally……."

Only then did she seem to realize I was teasing her. She shot me a brief glare and leaned back against my arm.