Woo-hyun read the same sentence one more time, and then his gaze went down.

Can dreams become normality?

They can, but they won’t come true.

Yoo-hwa’s life was already far from normal, and even if it wasn’t, normality was the most difficult thing in the world.

Woo-hyun quietly replied to himself. His gaze turned down.

I want you to be happy.

His gaze went further down.

Sin Woo-hyun. Sin Woo-hyun. Sin Woo-hyun… Woo-hyun.

Woo-hyun’s gaze stopped at his name. He held it there longer than any other sentence. Woo-hyun’s shoulders drooped as he saw his name, which clearly showed that each and every letter had been written sincerely. Despite the blowing wind, he couldn’t blink.

With what thought did she wish for happiness? Did she think that happiness wouldn’t come to her? Is that why she wished for his happiness instead? Or did she forget it the moment she wrote this sentence?

Unlike the pouring questions, the answer was nowhere to be found.

However, it hurt.

Somewhere in his heart, which got cut by his name that she wrote with all her might.

***

It was when she was looking into a job search newspaper. Her phone had been turned off for a long time because she didn’t want to receive debt calls and texts.

She was looking into the idea that she should somehow get the money and pay back the interest when all the electricity went out with a roar. She opened the fuse box and checked it, but there was nothing wrong with it.

Having no other choice, Yoo-hwa called the landlord and explained the situation.

Then, the landlord bluntly told her to call the electric company and that he would send someone over if it didn’t work. When she called the electric company and told them the address, the employee showed signs of embarrassment.

– We’re behind work as the weather gets colder. According to the technician’s schedule, I think he can visit tomorrow. Is that okay?

At the employee’s words, Yoo-hwa let out a small sigh. Even if she said it wasn’t okay, there was no point. She couldn’t ask him to send a technician that wasn’t there.

“Alright.”

She was the one in need. So she had no choice but to put up with it.

– Very well. Let me confirm the address once again.

She dictated the address, left her contact number, and hung up the call. Apart from the sunlight coming in from the small window, it was dark inside the house. It was a dark day with no sunshine because of the cloudy weather.

When the frustrating darkness became unbearable, Yoo-hwa dressed as thickly as possible before taking the job search newspaper outside and sitting in front of the stone steps. Although it was a place where the sun could reach, it was still cold as long as it was windy.

However, she had nowhere to go but here. There was also a shabby vacant place, vague enough to be called a park, within a 5-minute walk, but she couldn’t go there because of the thugs or the old men who came out to smoke.

A cold breeze blew.

How on earth did Woo-hyun eat ramyeon here? Without even wearing gloves…

She suddenly felt that Woo-hyun was amazing.

As she rummaged around with only the tips of her fingers sticking out from her sleeves, she saw the door next to her open. At that small sound, the letters in front of her eyes got blurry. Nervous, she focused on the open door. Yoo-hwa, who had unconsciously turned her head, looked at Woo-hyun standing in front of the door.

His long body, wide shoulders, and small face. She stared with admiration at his well-proportioned body and face, as it is often said. When their eyes met, Woo-hyun smiled like usual. Seeing his good-looking smile, Yoo-hwa bit the inside of her mouth.

“Were you at home?”

She knew that.

She considered herself to be sly. She was trying to talk to him like this.

“Yeah.”

Woo-hyun’s answer was slower than usual. He looked at her while standing still. He didn’t seem to have anything to say. There was just a more abated atmosphere than usual.

“What are you doing?”

After a while, Woo-hyun asked.

“Ah… The electricity went out, so I’m here.”

“When are they going to fix it?”

He asked, as usual, making her think that perhaps what she sensed earlier was just her feeling.

“They’re fixing it tomorrow.”

“They can’t come all day today?”

“Yeah.”

“You will be cold.”

“I can turn on the boiler.”

“The boiler also needs electricity to work.”

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, he was right. As the electricity went out, she remembered that even the single-person electric mat she was counting on had been turned off. Yoo-hwa frowned, embarrassed. It looks like she’ll be staying in a cold alcove all day.

“Come in.”

Woo-hyun said in a light voice, as if greeting her. As Yoo-hwa stared quietly at him, with an expression as if she were doubting her ears, Woo-hyun pointed once again towards the inside of his house. As if to confirm that she heard it right.

Yoo-hwa’s eyes alternated between Woo-hyun’s house and his face.

“Why are you making such a strange face? You come here often.”

“…”

Heat rose to the tip of Yoo-hwa’s ears at Woo-hyun’s words mixed with his faint smile. Perhaps because of Woo-hyun’s slow and low tone, the words felt strangely weird.

She thought that it would seem strange for a woman to enter the house where a man lives alone, but, as he said, she had already come and gone a few times because of their meals.

Without the meal excuse, it became difficult to visit his house.

“Just think that you came to eat two hours earlier.”

“…”