I managed to find my panties lying under the bed.

"are you also not going to explain the reason why you should hurry away like now?"

"my reason has nothing to do with you,"
I replied, trying to put on my shirt as soon as possible. now finding jeans is the last thing I have to do.

from the corner of my eye, I could see him get up from the bed and then wearing his underwear before walking to the wardrobe.

I don't have much time. eomma is in need of me now.
a box was given to me amid my efforts to wear jeans.

"take this as a part of our agreement."
I grabbed the box. the front picture of the box is enough to explain the meaning. it's a new smartphone.

"my number is already there"
I can only nod.

"can't you stay tonight?"

"not for tonight."

"is there someone waiting for you?"
I ignored him.

"your family?"

"since when you interested in my personal life?"
he smiled wryly.

"is this enough?

"thank you"
I took the money he gave.

"when the time comes, you must be willing to do one thing I ask of you without exception. I hope you keep your promise."

"remembering what we have done so far, I wonder what kind of request makes you willing to spend this much money"

"I'm just on guard if one day you reject to my request."
I nodded.

"do you know what I like about you? you don't even care and don't want to know why I ask you to stay here at the time I have determined."

"I told you I was willing to do anything with this money"

"the reason you need that money is?"

"let's just say my family is sick."
the silence of my response for him made me turn around.

he was standing still looking at me carefully as if trying to find honesty in my words.

"are you being serious?"

"I say 'lets just say'."

"will I find out the real reason one day?"

"maybe."
I replied as I walked away from this room.

***

"Chaeyoungie,, how about the hospital costs?"

"its fine eomma.. I've taken care of everything. there is no problem" i smiled at her.

"the cost must be very expensive..." she said sounded sad.

"it's not as expensive as you think. the important thing is that eomma gets well soon."

she nodded then began to gently stroke my head from where she lay.

"eomma,, I will work on the night shift starting next weekend"

she looked worry.
"ah, are you sure it's safe to work until night..?"

"don't worry too much, eomma.. I'll be fine."
I said while gently stroking the back of her hand.

"ah, your friend.. what's his name?"

"Taehyung?"

"is he someone you used to told me that day?"
I nodded followed by an expanding smile on her face.

"he's a good man.."
I have to admit that eomma is right.

"halo eomma-ni,, how dou you feel?"
the person we talked about just appeared behind me. mom's smile even more of his presence.

"i'm fine.. have you eaten, Taehyung?"

"ne,, after this. together with Chaeng." he replied while showing a plastic bag containing two lunch boxes.

"thank you, Taehyung.."

"this is nothing.. ah, Chaeng and I will eat at the lobby for a while... im afraid to disturb poeple if we eat here.."
mom nodded again.

the situation of the canteen on the ground floor is not as crowded as we expected. we managed to get a place near the window.

"so when will your mother go home?"

"if there's no problem, tomorrow"

"are you going to go back to the house you live in now is the right choice?"

"for a while,, we have no choice."

"my close friend has an empty house not far from here. if you want and don't mind, I think you and your mother will be much safer there"

"we will never be safe as long as.."

"what?"

"forget it. it's really none of your business."

"you still consider me a stranger"

"I appreciate your kind intentions Tae, but you know that I don't..."

"dont like being pitied? do you think I did all this because I feel sorry for you?"
he said successfully made my appetite just disappear.

"your home has proven to be unsafe from robbers who attack your mother."

huh.

which stupid robber makes a slum house as their target? unfortunately, Tae innocently believes in the story my mom made.

I'm sure it's not a robber who does it all. my mother also seems to know that I am aware of all the lies she says. eomma insisted not to report this case to the police. for whom else if not for the sake of protecting that bastard.

"if you really care about your mother, you should consider my offer and stop thinking if I feel sorry for you"
what he said was true. moving to a new place is the best way to keep eomma away from that jerk.

the sound of incoming calls broke my daydream. I immediately grabbed my cellphone. his name appears there.

I signaled to Tae before I rushed away from the table where we were sitting.

"do you like black or pink?"
he asked as he listened to the answer.

"what do you mean?"

"I think the pastel color suits you better"

"i dont get it"

"Are you busy?"

"not really"

"that means I can't ask you to come here now.. so the choice finally comes to me"
he sounded muttering to himself.

"You still remember your promise, right?"

"I still have one week, right?"

"Will you come tonight?"
he asked again.

"Don't we agree that I will be there all the time starting next week?"

"You're right, but there are some things we should prepare"

"seriously, what do you plan to do?"
I asked as I got confused with the direction of the conversation.

"did I finally make you curious?"
his laughter sounded again as he resolved the question.

"gosh. can we talk about this next time? I really don't have much time now."

"in the end, you who always succeed in leaving me full of unanswered questions"
again his laughing laugh was heard as he finished his words.

"see u next week?" I asked, trying to end the conversation between us.

"see you"

when our call connection was cut off, I rushed over to Tae who had been blatantly seen watching me from where he was sitting.

"gwaenchana? you look panicked.."
he asked when I arrived in front of him.

"yes,, its nothing." his hand held back my hand.

"when will you be completely honest with me?"

there is no answer I can give him.

I decided to brush his hand gently and try to look busy again enjoying the food in front of me.
as understanding if I tried to avoid the question further, he finally gave up and returned to enjoying his food lazily.

if I can be honest, I'm not comfortable with the presence of Taehyung near me. his presence always makes me feel as a woman who always have to act. no wonder if he behaved as well as he did when he saw that I was still the Rosie he once knew. unfortunately, I myself wasn't sure I could return to being the first Rosie.

***

the room that welcomed me behind the door number 999 was not like the room in my mind. I even had time to come out of the room just to make sure that I did enter the right room.

the room which was originally white and quietly decorated, now looks like a place with a few vases containing fresh flowers in the corners of the room.

on the sofa table, there is a vase containing red roses. then on the pantry table, there is also a vase containing sunflowers. not to mention the giant flower vase with white lily that welcomed me.

this room suddenly feels awkward with the touch. another surprising thing was the complete kitchen equipment in the mini pantry in the kitchen section of this room. the pots that seem to have never been used and perfectly along with other cooking tools.

I turned my attention to the bed, the bed sheet's motive was no less surprising. bed cover until the pillowcase is all blood red colour.

now I found some cosmetics on a small table that seemed to change function into a dressing table. cosmetics that are complete with plastic wrap are not yet open.

the sound of the key detector starts to be heard and is soon followed by the appearance of himself. aware of my presence, he smiled... sweet.

"what do you think?"
he asked, smiling, looking straight at me.

what is he planned now?