Leaving behind only a strong perfume scent, the woman disappeared.

Why is everyone acting like this towards me today?

Sori muttered to herself, barely moving her lips.

Sori ended up going home alone.

All the way home, the woman’s words at the department deeply irritated her, to the point of letting out incredulous laughter several times.

Just as she arrived home, a call came from her mother, Soohyang.

“Yes, Mom.”

[−] Do you know about the meeting with the hospital director this weekend?

“What, really?”

[−] Didn’t you know? Good thing I called. Buy a nice outfit for the meeting; it’s with the hospital director.

“I can just wear what I usually wear. I don’t have time to shop.”

Soohyang lamented that she should buy and send an outfit, blaming herself for being absent-minded.

“Why is it your fault, Mom? I can dress myself well. Don’t you trust my sense of style?”

[−] Yes.

“Really, are you my mom?”

[−] But why do you sound so down? Is something wrong?

“It’s nothing. Just a bit tired from today.”
Sori indeed felt unusually drained, just as Soohyang had said.

But her weariness seemed to stem not so much from patient care, but rather from not being able to see Hyun Woo properly.

[−] Don’t just work all the time, go on a date with Professor Seo too.

“What date? A busy resident doesn’t have time for that.”

She wished she could at least see his face without worry.

It was almost midnight, and she hadn’t yet received any notice from Hyun Woo about coming home.

He had mentioned earlier in the evening that he didn’t know when the event would end.

[−] I’ll call you again.

“Okay. We’ll meet soon, Mom.”

[−] Take care of your health.

“Sure. You too, Mom. Sleep well.”

After showering and drying her hair, Sori came out of the kitchen with a glass of water.

She wondered if she should wait to see Hyun Woo when he got home, but since he was at the professors’ meeting, it was uncertain when he would return.

It seemed inefficient to wait for him.

Feeling exhausted from the day’s trials, she felt she could fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Walking like a zombie, her steps suddenly halted in front of Hyun Woo’s bedroom.

Remembering his words that there was no place in the house she hadn’t been to, she felt curious about his bedroom today.

She cautiously opened his door.

The bed with navy-toned bedding, neatly made without a single wrinkle, caught her eye first.

Sori instantly recognized it as new bedding.

Soohyang had sent it a few days ago, and it had been lying in Sori’s room until she remembered it today and asked the housekeeper to wash it and put it on Hyun Woo’s bed.

“Thankfully, it matches the room.”

Curiosity led her to peek into his private bathroom as well.

“Is he a germophobe?”

All the dispensers were arranged so their labels faced forward.

Though the housekeeper did the cleaning, everything he touched daily looked immaculate, like new.

After checking the bathroom, Sori looked around the bedroom again.

The room, so spotlessly clean one could slide on the floor, was unmistakably Seo Hyun Woo’s.

“He’s quite harsh.”

She thought it was somewhat cruel that he hadn’t contacted her after she’d been a bit awkward earlier that day.

Should she ask about his return time?

Hearing his voice might lift her spirits, but she didn’t want to seem anxiously waiting for him.

Slipping one foot out of her slipper, she placed her foot on the bed, deliberately stepping on the new bedding. It’s said that stepping on new shoes breaks them in.

But this didn’t alleviate her feeling of being slighted.

She set her water cup on the nightstand and climbed onto the bed.

Sori hopped on the high bed, rolling her feet on it.

Bounce. Bounce. Bounce.

Like jumping on a trampoline at Jiwu’s house when she was little.

Bounce. Bounce. Bounce.

It was a timid and somewhat risky act of revenge.

Soon losing interest, Sori sat down on the bed.

Sitting, she tested the mattress by bouncing her hips on it.

Thump. Thump. Thump.
“Is this mattress better than mine? It seems softer. Well, a mattress shouldn’t be too bouncy anyway.”

It needs to be snug to allow deep sleep.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

“Ah, it’s surprisingly cushy. And there’s no shaking.”

Sori wasn’t sure why she was testing the elasticity of his bed.

Tormenting his bed seemed to dissipate her feelings of being slighted.

She then noticed the bedding had become a mess.

A few steps on it and her footprints had crumpled and disheveled it.

“Ah[Dash]shoot.”

Looking around, she flopped onto the bed.

She spread her arms and legs wide, fluttering them like a butterfly.

“Now, smooth out. Smooth out.”

The rustling of the 200-thread count cotton bedding was pleasing to hear. It was gentle on the skin and had an appealing rustle.

Good bedding indeed makes a difference.

Even if they weren’t using it together, she felt grateful to her mother.

Maybe she was a bit envious too?

Rustle. Rustle.

She worried she might just be kicking up more dust, but the bedding seemed to be straightening out.

Just a little more.

Rustle. Rustle.

Rustle. Rustle.

“Stop right there.”

“……!”

Regrettably, the soundproofing in the house was much better than Sori had feared.

She hadn’t heard Hyun Woo’s entrance until he was already in the room.

Oops.

As she slowed her flailing limbs, the rustling noise also significantly decreased.

At this point…

Pretending to sleep seemed like the best strategy.

“Hmm…….”

She lay still, eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

Her heart felt like it was about to burst through her chest, but she couldn’t bring herself to face him directly.

She planned to make a quick escape to her room as soon as he entered the bathroom or kitchen.

Then suddenly, the realization struck her.

She was sprawled out on Seo Hyun Woo’s bed…

It was an utterly mad situation.

Trudge. Trudge.

The approaching footsteps made breathing increasingly difficult. She could feel her eyelashes trembling.

What to do?

It seemed like he was standing beside the bed, looking down at her.

The problem was that she was lying on top of the covers, not under them.

Her exposed limbs felt alarmingly vulnerable.

In the quiet, his long, languid breaths were distinctly audible.

Why wasn’t he saying anything?

She wished he would just yell, “Go to your room!” so she could bolt.

But instead of shouting, she felt him sit on the bed.

Suddenly, he took each of her splayed hands and neatly placed them beside her body.

Even with her eyes closed, the dizziness Sori felt when he touched her made her wish she could just faint.
“Right. It’s about time we start sharing each other’s beds.”

“……?!”

And then more rustling.

Suddenly, Sori found herself being wrapped snugly in the blanket.

“……?!?!”

Hyun Woo pulled the corners of the blanket around Sori, cocooning her tightly.

It was as if only a newborn’s face was left exposed, with arms and legs securely wrapped.

“If you’re going to sleep, you should be under the covers.”

His voice, soft and deep, sounded unreal.

“Rather than facing my face like this.”

“…….”

“You might as well keep pretending to sleep, right?”

Nod. Nod.

Sori nodded instinctively, then stiffened her head in embarrassment, biting the inside of her cheek at her own foolishness.

“Yeah. Stay asleep.”

What does that mean?

…Are you saying to sleep here?

“You should definitely be asleep before I return from showering.”

“……!”

He whispered into Sori’s ear, his lips brushing against it.

“Otherwise, you might end up staying awake all night.”