“I don’t think this colour scheme will work for what you’re envisioning in this space,” you admitted, pulling out a detailed colour chart and discussing other alternatives.

Your head hurt when you were finally done with your meeting, and you sat down heavily at your desk and leaned back into your chair. “How hard is it to understand some colours don’t mix or match?”

“We’re here to appease our clients, not tell them what works best.”

Sitting up and scowling at Eric, you pointed in his direction. “Even you said it was an ugly combination.”

“You know, I miss him when you look like that.”

“What?”

Eric smiled gently. “He always would scowl like that at me. It’s funny how you picked up that trait to continue with.”

“This isn’t what I wanted,” you breathed, sinking back into your chair. “Of all the things to take from my time with Hyunwoo, his scowl? Seriously, he was much more handsome when he smiled.”

You wistfully smiled as you looked out the window to your office, seeing the quarry home off into the distance.

Your home.

You didn’t know how to be its caretaker at first. Especially since everything reminded you of your time with Hyunwoo and his personal touches. Slowly, you began to find your routine within the home, and it didn’t feel so empty. Those same touches that once brought you to tears now held you captivated, and you often walked around talking to them, as if Hyunwoo could somehow hear you from wherever he had gone to.

You wished for one last goodbye kiss, however.

“That smile of his won’t help you with your plumbing issue, now will it? You have twenty minutes to get home and be ready for your inspection,” Eric announced, and you grumbled lightly.

“He was a builder, and the house was made in the nineteenth century with hardly any changes made until we renovated it. Kihyun’s investment didn’t cover everything.”

“No, and isn’t it wonderful that business is booming so you can replace those rusty pipes for modern ones?”

“At least the toilet is inside now,” you agreed with a laugh, picking up your bag and throwing a kiss at your best friend before heading for the door.

There had been several tasks around the quarry home that you had worked hard to iron out over the past two years of living in it, but the one thing you knew you had little to no knowledge of was plumbing.

You hoped the plumber you had called in would be able to help you have a hot shower sometime soon.

You had just enough time to open the house up when you heard a van pull into your driveway, a man soon stepping out and coming up the path to the front door. Turning around, you stepped down to meet him halfway.

“Lee Jooheon?” you asked as you held out a hand towards him, and he smiled brightly, taking a hold of you as you watched dimples form in his cheeks. “Oh wow. You uh, you’re something.”

“So is this house of yours.”

“Right. The house, of course. Let me show you to my issues,” you remarked jarringly, leading the way into your house.

“Woah, this place is amazing,” Jooheon exclaimed once inside, looking at you in approval. “I heard you redid this place up a few years ago.”

“I had some formidable help.”

“From the caretaker, right?”

“I’m sorry?” you said, furrowing your brows together.

For a moment, you simply stared at one another, and Jooheon smiled again. You knew that smile, and your heart began to race. Whilst he didn’t look like Hyunwoo, you could sense he was up to something right now.

And then Jooheon blinked rapidly, shaking himself off. “What just happened?”

“It’s an old home. Do you believe in ghost stories?”

“Whoever is haunting this place would be lucky if you’re here,” he mentioned, and then covered his mouth awkwardly. “Sorry that, uh, just slipped out.”

You giggled. “I think it’s fair to say that sometimes things happen in this house that provokes a lot of honesty. Anyway, let me show you to the bathroom. It’s not the greatest situation, I’m afraid.”

“That’s why you called me in, right?”

“Of course.”

“It’s going to be a few weeks of work,” Jooheon admitted once he’d done a full inspection of your house. He found you in the kitchen, and you turned to him with a grin.

“Not months?”

“Well, that would be excessive. You just need a few new plumbing lines and a small rehaul of the connections in the house. Whoever did them in the past gave it their best.”

“He wasn’t exactly up to modern advances when he tried,” you admitted, and Jooheon laughed.

“No, I guess he knew he’d be just lending you some time before it would all need repairing.”

“It was no doubt in his plans.”

You stared at one another again, and then you suddenly asked Jooheon a question right as he spoke too. “You go first, Y/N.”

“Would you like a drink?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll just get some water from the—”

“Don’t turn it on yet!” Jooheon exclaimed right as you twisted the tap, water spraying out everywhere.

You shrieked as Jooheon lurched forward to twist the handle back around, and finally, the water was off.

But you were both drenched.

Looking over his shoulder at you, Jooheon’s face was dripping with the water running down it. You suppressed a laugh, and reached over for some tea towels, and handed one to him. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“It’s not every day that I get cooled down on the job.”

“Really? But you’re a plumber.”

Jooheon chuckled. “I guess I should reiterate. It’s not every day I need to be cooled down on the job. It’s sure going to be interesting working on you. I mean, on your pipes!”

You giggled, and Jooheon hung his head in shame. “I’m not getting myself out of this hole, now am I?”

“I don’t think you entirely need to. Besides, I’m enjoying it. This house hasn’t experienced so much laughter in one afternoon in a long time.”

“Maybe it’ll get to hear a lot more,” Jooheon offered as you walked him to the front door.

You grinned. “I hope so. It’s about time these walls remember what it sounds like.”

“I’ll see you next week when I start the job. I’ve fixed the hot water, so you’ll be able to take a shower now.”

You arched an eyebrow at Jooheon, and he groaned.

“It’s why you hired me. I’m not having indecent thoughts!”

“Let’s just make sure when you’re here next time that the water is off. I’d hate for you to need a reason to use my shower yourself.”

Jooheon slowly grinned before waving you off, heading back to his van with soft laughter along the way.

Turning back indoors, you shut the door and cuddled your arms around yourself, looking down the hallway with a smile. “You know, you told me you were going to rest. Still taking care of this place and me even long after you’re gone, huh?”

You wouldn’t ever forget the caretaker of the home you lived in. Hyunwoo had built the foundations so strongly that even your chaotic wind couldn’t shake it off the ground. Though you had tried to several times, in hopes it would keep him here.

Now with him gone, you knew you would eventually need helping hands to continue what Hyunwoo had begun.

You were hopeful that person was only a week away from changing your world again.