This time I didn’t even wait for an answer before burying my face in the plate. I cleared all seven side dishes in a flash, polished off the fruit dessert, then leaned back, rubbing my full stomach with leisurely satisfaction.
Once my belly settled a bit, I glanced toward the bathroom.
My body still felt stiff, so I drifted in as if hypnotized, filling the tub I’d been eyeing since yesterday. Hot water gushed, steaming like the special baths at the public bathhouse I used to go to as a kid.
And in the cabinet right by the tub—bath bombs, neatly lined up by color. No clue what they were even supposed to be good for. I pulled them out one by one, reading the names.
“…Orgasm…”
The word dropped me into silence, like the time in Korean Lit I’d read “self” (jagi) out loud as “cock” (jaji) by mistake.
Definitely no need for a bath bomb that “helps with orgasm,” so I shoved that one way to the back. After rummaging forever, I finally found one labeled “relieves fatigue” and tossed it in.
The clear water bloomed violet in seconds.
I stripped off my clothes and splashed in, swimming like a seahorse. Honestly, I wanted to show off my butterfly stroke, flaring my shoulders like wings, but the splashing might wake Cha Gweonwoo and that’d be embarrassing. So I held back.
After floating for about an hour, I got out—right as the doorbell rang. Checking the touchpad, I saw the impatient face of Kang Juhui already peering into the door camera.
When I opened up, she looked like the walking dead. Said she hadn’t slept more than an hour in two days. When I cautiously asked if she’d eaten, she admitted no. Feeling bad, I pulled out the banana I’d been saving and handed it over.
She was so hungry she almost bit into it with the peel still on. I snatched it back and peeled it for her.
“How’s Cha Gweonwoo?”
“Mm. Seems fine.”
I wasn’t sure what “fine” meant, but since he’d clung to me and guided even half-dead, he had to be on the mend.
“When he wakes up, tell him not to manhandle our precious captain’s body. No scratches. Keep it clean.”
“…”
“Especially his face. That’s a national treasure.”
“…Why are you eating the peel?”
She’d eaten down to where I’d peeled and then started chewing on the skin, so I yanked it away and peeled the rest. She crammed the whole thing in, then said—
“Hey, Mr. Dochi.”
“I’m Doweon.”
“Exactly. Mr. Dochi.”
Even when I corrected her, she stubbornly called me “Kim Dochi.”
She said the nickname stuck from the first day of training—when I’d gone white as a sheet and bolted at the sight of Cha Gweonwoo, who looked totally fine to everyone else. Said I reminded her of a mama hedgehog hugging her baby, calling it soft even while everyone else ran from its prickles.
Shameful. My grandfather prayed a hundred days at a Catholic church to give me the name Doweon, and now I was saddled with this? Especially not because of Cha Gweonwoo.
I was just about to protest when—
“Mr. Dochi.”
“…”
“There’s exactly one thing in this world I hate.”
Kang Juhui cut me off, scowling like she’d been punched. One thing? More like a million, I thought—but didn’t say it.
She wagged the banana peel threateningly.
“And that’s armbands.”
“…”
“When I was a kid, I dodged class monitor, hall monitor, all of it—because I hated the armband. Now here I am, stuck playing captain, and it’s driving me insane.”
Judging by how she ground her teeth, she wasn’t exaggerating.
“My lifelong dream was world peace. Now it’s changed. All I want is for Cha Gweonwoo to hurry up and get his memory back so he can take this armband off me. That’s it. That’s my dream.”
“…”
“And who can make that dream come true? Our cute little Mr. Dochi right here.”
She scooted closer, grabbing both my hands, eyes sparkling. The look reminded me of the taekwondo master who used to lure kids in with “I see potential in you—join my dojang and you’ll get a Choco Pie.” It was that level of pressure.
“Uh, wait—”
“Mr. Dochi, please. Help me. I’m dying here.”
“How exactly am I supposed to…”
I tried to slip my hands free, but she clutched tighter.
“Are you an A-class guide? Shit, your hands feel amazing.”
She kneaded my fingers with an almost reverent look.
“That selfish bastard Cha Gweonwoo, hogging this all to himself…”
Her voice turned dark, making me flinch back. That’s when—
“Hands off.”
A sudden voice cut between us. Ice-cold, like a bucket of water dumped over my head. I looked up.
“My guide.”
Cha Gweonwoo. His glare leveled on Kang Juhui, lips twisting into a crooked smirk.
What the hell?
I froze, staring at his face, lips forced into a smile laced with suppressed anger.
Why the hell was he mad?
As he radiated killing intent, a crow cawed behind me. Caw, caw, caw.
Where the hell was that coming from?
I turned to see Kang Juhui clutching her stomach, laughing so hard she cried.
Wait—she’s the crow?
“Pfft—hahaha!”
Even under Gweonwoo’s knife-edged stare, she didn’t flinch. She laughed until she wiped tears.
Even I, often accused of missing signals, could see Gweonwoo was pissed. The frown lines deepening between his brows were unmistakable—the exact default expression he’d always worn before losing his memory.
I swallowed. Danger. This was bad. I reached toward Kang Juhui, trying to signal her to stop—but before I could, Gweonwoo’s hand clamped around my elbow. I froze like someone tagged in freeze tag.
He glanced at me, then turned that icy gaze back on her.
“Who are you?”
I blinked. That was his first question? After working side by side with her all this time?
Kang Juhui bit her lip, suppressing a laugh, and extended her hand.
“Kang Juhui. I’m acting captain in your place for now.”
“And why are you here?”
He ignored her hand. She withdrew it easily, then jerked her chin toward me.
“I came to see Doweon.”
…Huh?
I stared wide-eyed at her. She winked. That look was identical to the neighbor noona whose life’s joy had been tormenting me as a kid. Goosebumps up my spine.
“Why my guide’s face?”
Gweonwoo’s eyebrow twitched, his tone sharp. Kang Juhui only shrugged.
“Because he’s cute and handsome. My life’s been so boring lately. I came to enjoy the view.”
“If you’re done, then leave.”
“I was about to. But I’ll get a send-off from my sweetheart first. That’s allowed, right?”
…What sweetheart?
I gawked at her.
She just grinned and tugged me up from my seat before I could resist. Off-balance, I stumbled after her.
Like yanking up a radish, she pulled me along, babbling rapid-fire:
“Doweon, you know I’m drowning in work as acting captain, right? But since you like me as captain, since you said it’s so cool I’m captain, since you said you might fall for me because I’m captain, that’s the only reason I’m still doing this. If it weren’t for you, I’d have quit ages ago.”
“…What?”
A minute ago she’d been cursing the role. Now she was emphasizing “captain” like it was her favorite word, hauling me along by the wrist. I studied her face. Her teeth clenched; she was clearly holding back laughter.
“What are you thinking?”
I asked under my breath. She flung the door open and smiled slyly.
“Hmm. Just… provocation?”
“What provocation?”
She flicked a look behind me, then nearly burst into tears of laughter, punching the door.
“Holy shit, this is hilarious…”
That sounded like the door frame cracked—was her hand okay?
I gaped, but her face didn’t change. She just waved a casual “see you” and slammed the door. Caw, caw, caw—the crow cries faded down the hall.
What the hell was that?
Scratching my head, I turned—and nearly jumped out of my skin.
“Jesus—”
Cha Gweonwoo stood right behind me, eyes shadowed dark. He glared, voice low:
“What are you to that woman?”
What are we? After he’d just asked her who she was, this was even more ridiculous.