Lend Me Your House
"I'll be coming over in the morning to get ready for work, so you need to be out by 6:30 a.m. tomorrow, got it?"
"Understood. You can stop reminding me now, Teacher."
Oh Ha-na shook her head as if exasperated by my repeated warnings. I opened the front door for her, and she slipped inside quickly.
"And don't go opening drawers or anything without—"
Thud!
The door slammed shut before I could finish. Oh Ha-na was always diligent at the hospital, but I had no idea what she was like at home. She might turn the place into a mess, eat in bed—there was so much I didn't know about her. Leaving her alone in my apartment made me uneasy, but she probably wouldn't wreck it in a single day.
It was almost dinnertime, and I didn't feel like eating alone. I left the officetel and wandered the streets, wondering how to spend the evening. In the end, I pulled out my phone and called my second girlfriend, Cho Soo-jin.
The line rang a few times before her familiar voice answered.
"Hello?"
I naturally lowered my tone a little.
"Done with work?"
My voice had always been thin and high since childhood—strangely androgynous, feminine yet masculine at the same time. Dropping the pitch made it sound lower and more substantial, while raising it could pass for a woman's. On phone calls, I always kept the masculine tone.
"Not yet… work's over, but the teachers are having a dinner tonight."
I frowned slightly.
"A dinner on a Monday?"
"Ah, it's just a casual drink with the third-year teachers."
I hesitated. I'd been planning to spend the evening with her, but the schedule had fallen apart.
"I was thinking we could grab dinner tonight… that's a shame."
"Let's do it another time. This weekend works too."
This weekend? My mind immediately tangled. I was already supposed to meet Seo Ji-hyun this weekend. I searched for a graceful way out and changed the subject.
"Not the weekend. I'd rather see you on a weekday."
Cho Soo-jin paused, thinking, then replied.
"All right. I'll call you again after the dinner. We can decide then."
I chuckled softly.
"Okay. Don't drink too much~"
"Mm-hmm, got it. Get home safe~"
The call ended. I lowered the phone and let out a short sigh. Now I'd have to handle dinner alone.
After a moment's thought, I made up my mind. I'd grab some ox-head soup, play a few rounds of Teamfight Tactics at a PC bang, then crash at a motel.
---
I woke early in the motel. Faint dawn light leaked through the curtains as I sat up. The fatigue hadn't fully left me, but lying around in the motel felt unpleasant. Without even washing my hair, I threw on some clothes and stepped outside.
The early morning air was cool and refreshing. The streets were still quiet, with only the occasional person heading to work. My place wasn't far, so I walked quickly.
Before long, I reached the officetel. As I unlocked the door, a sudden worry crossed my mind—had Oh Ha-na stayed overnight after all?
Fortunately, there was no sign of her. The apartment was surprisingly spotless. Not a speck of dust on the floor, and the table was neatly arranged. Even the bed was made as perfectly as in a hotel.
Oh Ha-na might be playful, but she was fundamentally diligent. I sat quietly on the edge of the bed. The blanket was folded neatly, yet it still felt as though her presence lingered. I brushed my fingertips lightly over the sheet. Somehow, it seemed to retain a trace of warmth.
I slowly leaned down and, without thinking, buried my face in the pillow. A faint scent of her remained—shampoo, the subtle residue of body lotion, and a delicately sweet fragrance. The fact that Oh Ha-na had slept here all night felt vividly real.
Face pressed into the pillow, I took a deep breath. Images of her naked body flooded my mind. This was clearly strange behavior. I wanted to feel the traces she'd left even closer, as if driven by some instinctive impulse. I clutched the pillow and stayed still for a long while.
Then, suddenly, I snapped back to my senses. I exhaled heavily and stood up.
"I must be losing it."
Muttering to myself, I quickly got to my feet. Yeah, this was just simple curiosity. I tried to convince myself of that.
There was still plenty of time before work. I showered, toasted some bread for a quick breakfast, and enjoyed the rare moment of leisure. Afterward, I dressed properly and headed to the hospital.
---
After finishing the grueling morning consultations, I went to find Oh Ha-na so we could have lunch together. Truthfully, I was impressed that she'd left the place so clean and wanted to give her a compliment.
When I reached the nurses' station, Oh Ha-na spotted me and waved her arm exaggeratedly with a bright smile. She looked as innocent as a child. Oh Ha-na really was adorable.
"You cleaned the house really well, huh?"
When I spoke first, she answered with her usual nonchalant smile.
"There wasn't much to clean, actually."
I nodded lightly and walked with her toward the cafeteria. We naturally found seats and sat facing each other. Oh Ha-na led the conversation with her usual bright expression while eating. Then, mid-bite, she glanced at me and made her familiar request.
"Jun-young Teacher. Can I borrow your place again today?"
I paused, chopsticks in hand, and looked at her.
"What? Today too? I don't mind, but… are you sure about the money?"
Oh Ha-na blinked playfully and laughed.
"I don't earn as much as you, but I can still afford this much~"
Before I could even agree, she casually pulled out her phone, tapped a few times, and transferred money to my account. My phone chimed during the meal.
"Hey, you can't just send it like that."
I sighed as I looked down at the screen. Oh Ha-na set her spoon down calmly.
"This is the last time. You get paid, so it's good for you too, Teacher."
I let out a short sigh and shrugged.
"Fine. Last time, right?"
Honestly, I wouldn't have minded lending it to her any number of times. If she used my bed, her scent would linger on it—and that was something I actually liked. Still, I pretended to be reluctant. I'd said it was the last time, but Oh Ha-na would definitely ask again. And when she did, I could charge a higher amount.
---
I headed to our usual samgyeopsal restaurant with Cho Soo-jin. It was a little past dinner time, yet the place was still packed. We'd promised yesterday to come here today. This spot was especially popular because the portions were generous and they grilled whole heads of kimchi on the iron plate until crispy in the pork fat. The kimchi, soaked in savory pork oil and grilled alongside the samgyeopsal, melted in your mouth in the most incredible way.
We barely managed to find seats and immediately ordered three portions of samgyeopsal and two bottles of soju.
"This place is always crowded no matter when we come."
Cho Soo-jin looked around as she spoke. I smiled familiarly and tied on an apron.
"Yeah. But the meat portions are huge, which is nice. Not many places grill whole heads of kimchi like this."
Soon, thick slices of samgyeopsal were placed on the iron plate. The sizzling sound and savory aroma spread through the air. The staff added a whole head of prepared kimchi to one side of the plate. Watching it soak up the pork fat as it grilled made my mouth water.
"You drank a lot yesterday, so take it easy today. What's the point of being a teacher if you're an alcoholic?"
I said this while flipping the sizzling samgyeopsal with tongs. The savory oil glistened on the hot surface. Cho Soo-jin picked up a soju bottle with a satisfied look as the meat browned nicely.
"It's fine~ A hangover cure will take care of it~"
I sighed and ended up filling her glass anyway.
"All right, then. Cheers."
We clinked glasses and took a sip each. When the buzz had settled in nicely, I remembered something I'd been curious about and asked her.
"How's my little sister doing?"
Cho Soo-jin thought for a moment before answering casually.
"I don't know. Even though we're at the same school, she's not in the grade I teach. Your sister is a second-year, right?"
I tilted my head and pointed it out.
"Even so, as a teacher, shouldn't you know all the students?"
Cho Soo-jin smirked and shot back.
"Oh please. You're an anal surgeon—do you know every orthopedic patient too?"
I was at a loss for words.
"…"
She really was a teacher—impossible to win an argument against. I picked up a piece of samgyeopsal with my chopsticks and popped it into my mouth, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. But then she asked something unexpected.
"By the way, when are we getting married?"
"Pfft—"
I spat out the soju I'd been drinking. It was the topic I'd been dreading most. Cho Soo-jin was normally gentle and considerate. She hated refusing requests and never wanted to hurt anyone. Yet whenever marriage came up, she became firm and decisive.
I forced an awkward laugh, scrambling to recover.
"What… what marriage? I only finished my internship a year ago. I don't have money either. Let's drop this."
Cho Soo-jin narrowed her eyes and stared straight at me.
"You don't want to marry me? Or are we even dating in the first place?"
I nodded quickly, flustered.
"Of course we are, of course."
I hurriedly poured her more soju, desperate to change the subject. It was the exact opposite of what I'd told her earlier about drinking lightly. But I had no choice. Getting her thoroughly drunk seemed like the best way to end this conversation. In the process, I ended up getting drunk myself. What was supposed to be light drinking turned into us finishing four bottles of soju between us.
When we left the restaurant, we staggered down the street together. The late-night roads were full of drunk people. Under the yellow streetlights, she lightly tapped my arm and teased me.
"Heeey~ You promised to marry me, right?"
Cho Soo-jin drawled in a drunken voice. I sighed and looked at her with tired eyes.
"Yeah, yeah… Let's just get you home."
I didn't have the energy or patience left to deal with her anymore. Supporting her swaying figure, I flagged down a taxi. I helped her into the back seat and gave the driver her address.
"Get home safe. I'll call you tomorrow."
Cho Soo-jin looked at me with hazy eyes and smiled softly.
"Oppa, you really can't forget me~"
The door closed and the taxi pulled away. I stood there blankly, watching it disappear, then slowly turned and headed home. I was so drunk that I didn't even remember Oh Ha-na was staying at my place.