Two weeks had passed since Dahyun met and spoke to Lee Hongki, and she still hadn't texted him yet. She didn't know the reason, but she felt nervous about sending him anything, so she had been procrastinating. Her life has been a little less boring since then, but she still spends her night drinking at the bar, sometimes with a companion and other times alone.

Dahyun alighted the taxi after she finished drinking at the bar and froze when she saw someone in a dark blue cardigan lingering in front of her apartment lobby. He looked familiar despite wearing a cap. Tilting her head slightly to the side, she walked to him to get a closer look and raised her brows in confusion.

"Hongki Oppa?" 

He immediately turned his head when she called him out, and Dahyun blinked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just... You didn't contact me," he said, looking at her with his brows furrowed. 

Dahyun was baffled.

"Ah... You came all the way here because I didn't text you?"

He remained quiet, and Dahyun couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. He looked like a lost puppy, and she couldn't believe that he was seven years older than she was. 

"Let's go in," she took his hand and tapped her access card to enter the apartment complex. 

They entered her apartment, and that was when she realized they had been holding hands the entire way up. 

"Phone," she released his hand and opened her palm.

Hongki handed his phone after unlocking it without question, and Dahyun put her number into his contacts.

"Since when have you been waiting outside?" She asked as she took off her blazer and put it on the sofa's backrest.

"Six?" Hongki replied in uncertainty.

Dahyun froze and looked at him in disbelief. He had been waiting for her for three hours just because he didn't have her number?

"Are you... crazy?" She asked.

Hongki cleared his throat awkwardly, "I didn't know when you'd leave work, so I thought you'd be done around the same time as any office workers." 

Drawing a long breath, she didn't want to dwell upon it since it was partially her fault for not texting him when he asked her to, even though she wasn't obligated to. She knew that he had been exceptionally protective of her since she was young, and he did wait for her to end school so that they could head home together, so she knew he didn't mind waiting.

"Dinner?" She asked. 

He pursed his lips, and she started rolling up her sleeves. His lack of response was already an answer.

"I'll make kimchi stew," she said.

"You're eating too, right?"

"Yes, I haven't eaten either," she said as she prepared to cook.

"You drank on an empty stomach?" 

The corners of Dahyun's lips twitched at the question.

"You could smell it?"

"Yes," he answered, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. 

"Are you going to nag?" She asked as she was chopping the kimchi. 

"No, but I believe that you know what's best for your body. Anyway, I'll cook the rice," he said.

"It's fine. We can eat instant rice; it's much faster," she said.

"Do you cook often?" 

"Sometimes."

"Do you drink every night?" 

"Yes, I told you, it helps me sleep." 

"You go for regular health check-ups, right?" 

Dahyun hummed in response. 

"Then... Do you have a boyfriend?" He suddenly asked, and she gave him a side glance while stir-frying the sliced meat and kimchi inside the pot before adding the chicken stock. 

"Why are you curious about that?" 

"Just wondering, if you do have one, he'd hate to have another guy in your apartment," he said. 

Dahyun smiled at his words. Her boyfriend would undoubtedly hate it, if she had one.

"No, I don't have one," she said.

"Really? Why?" Hongki sounded surprised, and Daehyun raised a brow at him.

"Because I have no interest in anyone. Why do you sound so surprised when you're not seeing someone yourself?"

Hongki looked dumbfounded at the question and looked away, "right. I'm not seeing anyone." 

Dahyun looked at him with suspicion, and she did recall him telling her that he didn't have a girlfriend, so why did it sound like he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't dating anyone?

"Oppa, you're not seeing anyone, right?" 

"Well... I wouldn't say we're seeing each other, more of dating to feel each other up," Hongki said carefully, and Dahyun frowned.

"Oppa," her voice got lower, and she folded her arms.

She could feel her anger rising from his words. 

"What? It's not serious, and I'm honest about not having a girlfriend," Hongki defended, and Dahyun closed her eyes in frustration.

"If I were the girl, I wouldn't appreciate that the guy I'm eyeing for is going to another lady's house at all," Dahyun opened her eyes and said.

"You're not exactly another lady..." Hongki muttered.

Dahyun narrowed her eyes at him, "do I look like a man to you?" 

"No, you're my younger sister," he said.

Dahyun immediately felt a pang in her heart. Of course, what was she expecting? He had always drawn the line ever since she was little. 

Hiding her emotions behind the facade she always wore, Dahyun returned her attention to the simmering stew. 

"Are you angry?" He asked cautiously. 

"No, why would I be angry?" She asked.

"You look upset though." 

"Don't you have any schedule tomorrow?" She asked, switching topics.

"No, I'm on break tomorrow," he said as she went to heat up the instant rice while the stew was simmering. "What are you doing tomorrow? Should we go out and play?" 

"Play?" 

"Golf? Bowling? Karaoke?" He suggested. 

"Bowling," she said, and h