< Chapter 8 >

How was I supposed to return his pajamas?

The thought made me flinch like a thief caught in the act. I tried to pull myself together.

How did I usually talk to him again? It had only been two days, but after spending that time barking instead of speaking, I could barely remember.

‘She’s cute, probably because she’s still young.’

That cool expression of his, softening into an unguarded smile, kept flashing through my mind.

Blinking a few times, I forced myself to sound casual.

“…Weren’t you in the army?”

“I’m hurt. I was discharged months ago.”

He sounded slightly bored, probably here because of business ties between companies.

“You should’ve stayed forever. Why’d you come out?”

“There’s no point working hard just to be second place.”

Haewon raised his index and middle finger in a V, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.

“For the record, you arrived second today too.”

I almost snapped back but felt oddly relieved instead. Thankfully, my words came out the same way I used to talk to him.

‘Would he ever imagine that the dog from yesterday was me?’

Should I tell him or not? After a moment of hesitation, the answer was obvious.

If I told him now, when I didn’t even know if I’d turn back into a dog again, he’d never believe me.

‘And if I talk about what happened at his house, he’ll probably think I’m some kind of stalker.’

There was no reason to expose my weakness to someone as complicated as him.

Just then, another man broke away from the group and approached us.

“Oh? Haewon? What are you doing here? You never answer your phone.”

“Each call costs a hundred thousand won.”

“Wow, that’s one expensive way to tell someone to buzz off.”

Even a bit of friendly banter drew attention.

“When did you finish your service?”

“I thought your back looked familiar!”

As Haewon’s acquaintances surrounded him, I instinctively stepped aside.

Right. This was how it was supposed to be. For the past two days, things had felt strangely close between us, but normally, this was the kind of distance we had.

We were simply going back to how things used to be.

Manager Yoon, who had been watching us curiously, leaned in with a knowing whisper.

“Did you two break up because of his military service, and now you’ve reunited?”

“We’re just classmates from university.”

I cut her off immediately.

“I see.”

She nodded quickly, then clapped her hands.

“Well then, shall we begin the C Construction tour?”

* * *

The company tour went perfectly, ending without a hitch.

If Seok Haewon hadn’t been there, the executives might have treated it like a full-on board meeting instead.

‘What kind of “student field trip” is this…’

At this rate, writing the report was going to be ten times harder than expected.

Standing in front of a kiosk, I glanced up at Haewon beside me. I had dragged him to a nearby café under the excuse of writing our team report together.

“I’ll pay.”

“…”

“What do you want to drink?”

“…”

“Stop staring at that like it’s magic.”

He hesitated for a second, then finally answered.

“Iced Americano, double syrup.”

“Uh… what?”

He drank it exactly the same way I did. I didn’t know whether to be amused or unsettled.

“What?”

“Nothing. Do you want dessert?”

“Get whatever you want.”

Waving lazily, he walked toward an empty seat.

Beep, beep. I finished paying and waited by the pickup counter, my nerves creeping up again.

There were two problems left to deal with.

Dog Seori, who had vanished. And Haewon’s pajamas.

Even if it was Haewon, I couldn’t just pretend nothing happened after borrowing something of his.

‘Dog Seori…’

I hadn’t grown that attached yet. I’d look for her a little, then probably move on.

‘The pajamas…’

In that huge dressing room, he might not even notice one missing set.

“Order 358, your drinks and dessert are ready.”

Decision made, I picked up the tray from the counter.

Mission start: buy Haewon coffee and write the report for him. I would be the grateful, debt-repaying magpie today.

I walked straight to the table and set down both trays.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I ordered everything.”

“Wow, that sounds like something a rich protagonist would say. Should I be impressed?”

Maybe you’re the rich protagonist here. I didn’t bother replying and sat down.

He stirred his coffee, then brought the straw to his lips, his half-lidded eyes gazing out the window.

The air between us felt colder now, much more than it had when I was a dog.

He’d never smiled much, but right now, there wasn’t even a trace of warmth left.

Looking at his expressionless profile, I dropped my gaze. Comparing now to then felt strangely uncomfortable.

“So.”

Haewon finally broke the silence, turning his eyes from the window.

“We’re not exactly on good terms, are we?”

He tapped the fork against the plate piled with desserts.

“What’s with this sudden generosity? Feeling guilty about something?”

“…”

“Unless you’ve done something wrong.”

Not guilt, exactly. More like a debt. I wanted to explain, but there was no way to.

Before I could come up with a decent excuse, a group of students spotted us.

“Oh, Haewon?”

“If you’re back from the army, you should’ve texted! We missed you, man!”

They were classmates from our business department.

‘Oh no.’

Right, this café wasn’t that far from campus.

They came over quickly, chatting and laughing.

“Hey, who’s that with you? Your girlfriend… oh, wait.”

The moment they saw my face, they exchanged awkward glances.

Isn’t that Kim Seori?

I could practically read their lips.

I knew exactly why they reacted that way.

It had started with Professor Shim, the one from our department.

Out of nowhere, he began contacting me personally.

It was obvious why. I had no family, cared only about grades, and was an easy target.

I ignored him for as long as I could, but eventually, a rumor spread.

That I was involved with Professor Shim. That I’d been the one who made the first move.

It was the kind of gossip people passed around for fun when they were bored.

But the rumor didn’t fade. It turned into “truth,” and ever since, I’d been getting those looks.

“…So what are you two doing?”

One of the guys smiled awkwardly, trying to read the situation.

“Team project.”

“Oh, right. Are you coming back to school soon?”

“For now, yeah.”

“Then let’s grab lunch before classes start.”

“Sure, I’ll text you.”

Waving their phones, they said goodbye and left.

Silence fell again. Watching them go, Haewon muttered quietly,

“They couldn’t stop rolling their eyes.”

He leaned forward slightly, meeting my gaze.

“Is there a reason you shouldn’t be seen with me?”

His lips curved in a faint smirk, like someone who had just found something mildly entertaining.

With his quick instincts, there was no way he hadn’t noticed the awkward tension between me and those classmates.

I met his gaze but said nothing. I didn’t want to tell him. He’d find out soon enough once I went back to school.

Feeling uneasy, I gathered the company pamphlets on the table.

“I’ll handle the report by myself. Like you said, we’re not exactly the type to do group work together.”

I packed my bag and stood, looking down at him.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s perfect before submitting it, so you don’t have to check.”

Turning my back completely, I walked away. My steps were steady, but my chest churned as memories surfaced.

It was back then, in the hallway.

A group of guys had been chatting near the window.

‘That guy’s been hanging around a lot lately.’

‘Who, Seok Haewon?’

‘Yeah. Just because he’s loaded, he acts all superior. He’s such a jerk.’

‘He’s not just rich. He’s got everything. Come on, Dohyuk, be generous. Jealousy’s not a good look.’

‘You’re asking for it.’

‘Fine, fine, I’ll buy snacks at the store!’

When I turned toward the window, I saw Haewon outside. His height made him stand out easily above the others.

He was laughing with a friend, their arms slung over each other’s shoulders, when he suddenly looked up. Our eyes met.

For a long moment, neither of us looked away. Then Haewon moved his lips silently.

Hi.

It was rare for him to greet me first. Before I could react, he mouthed again,

Forever number two.

I should’ve snapped back, but that day, I couldn’t. I just turned and walked away.

Now I finally knew why.

Whenever I saw Seok Haewon, a small, miserable feeling crept in.

He always seemed so far ahead, effortlessly calm, untouched by judgment or gossip. He had money, influence, and the kind of confidence no one could challenge.

And I… could only pretend to be fine.

I had hated feeling that way about him. So I avoided him whenever I could.

Outside the café, I rubbed my chest. My steps were steady, but my body felt heavy, as if I were walking downhill.

‘Something’s… wrong.’

It wasn’t just in my head. My stomach twisted.

“Urgh.”

I gagged as my legs gave out, but someone caught me firmly from behind.

A solid chest pressed against my back.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Haewon’s brow furrowed as he looked down at me.

“It’s nothing, I’m… ugh…”

“Are you sick? Kim Seori!”

My knees buckled completely. My forehead rested against his chest as my vision blurred.

Now that I thought about it, it felt familiar.

That day, I had been on my way to the convenience store when I suddenly felt nauseous. I had ducked into an alley, trying to steady myself, but after that, everything went dark.

It was the exact same feeling as the moment before I turned into a dog.