New Normal - Chapter 41

“Come in.”

Juwon tapped the keypad, and the door opened. Just like in Gangcheon, he held the door open for her—but this time, he was holding Jisoo’s hand tightly.

Jisoo, who had been avoiding his gaze, finally looked up.

“Ah… okay.”

Their eyes met awkwardly, and Juwon gave her a crooked smile. His grip on her hand tightened as he pulled her gently inside.

The door clicked shut behind her.

A strange chill ran down her spine, like she’d just crossed a river she could never return from.

Their destination, as planned, was Juwon’s officetel*. It wasn’t strange that he brought her to his own place instead of a hotel—hotels were too obvious, too transparent. Still, that was just a convenient excuse. Jisoo knew the truth. The “second round” was just a cover.
TL/N: * a common type of building in South Korea that combines “office” + “hotel”. It’s a multi-use building designed for both residential and commercial use.

The point was s3x. That’s all it was.

Even though it only took a few minutes to get there, her head had become a tangled mess of thoughts.

Are we really doing this? Just like this?

Can I trust him—or should I just go with the flow?

Beyond the open door, the place looked dim. The AC must’ve been on all day—the air was cool, almost cold.

Despite the chill and emptiness, the space had a quiet, heavy presence. Jisoo swallowed hard. It wasn’t just her skin feeling the cold—it seeped straight into her chest. Her own swallowing sounded oddly loud, so she blurted out something to break the silence.

“It’s… quieter than I thought.”

“It’s just me living here.”

Juwon answered casually, walking ahead. She followed without protest.

“Excuse me…”

She stepped over the threshold, trying to hide her nerves. Her eyes drifted to the floor—and widened.

From the entrance to the step into the main space, the floor was lined with book-matched marble.

He installed marble at the entryway?

The mirrored patterns were so striking that they looked like a piece of modern art. Even as she slipped off her sneakers beside his larger shoes, she couldn’t take her eyes off the floor.

Is it okay… to go in?

For a moment, she hesitated. But then she shook it off. Why not? With a small, determined breath, Jisoo finally stepped inside.

It looked to be around 1,000 square feet.

It was big for one person, but not outrageously so—especially considering the man’s aura of confidence. It actually felt… reasonable.

But that initial conclusion shattered as soon as she took in the full picture.

The lighting, soft and diffused, was quiet but powerful. The glow where the ceiling met the wall didn’t feel harsh or cold—but rather, created the illusion that the room itself was glowing. It was like stepping into a white cube in an art gallery.

Along one wall, an ebony-wood cabinet stretched down the hallway. The floors were a grayish tone mixed lightly with indigo—subtle and refined. She’d seen the color in design magazines before, but in person, it was striking—highlighting the wood’s grain and giving off a cool misty vibe.

Her professional instincts kicked in. Just a few details were enough for her to do the mental math.

Even without seeing every corner, she knew. This place cost a fortune. And it wasn’t just “expensive interior design”—it was pride. A declaration of personal taste. His domain.

“…Your place is really beautiful.”

And she was suddenly sure—this man was no ordinary perfectionist.

“It’s just a decent space for living alone. Feel free to look around—I’m gonna change.”

Jisoo nodded and glanced around the living room.

And now she was really sure, while he probably had help, the space was curated entirely to his taste.

The living room was open, like a single uninterrupted platform. No unnecessary walls. A floor-to-ceiling window was covered with thick gray curtains, like a hotel suite. The room doubled as an office—barely furnished. Just a chair, a stool, a work table, and shelves.

The chair and stool by the window were clearly designer pieces—Belgian, she guessed. The large table was cluttered with pencils, papers, half-finished models, and architectural tools—chaotic at first glance, but with a strange, calculated disarray.

It felt like even the mess was designed.

“…So this is what a real architect’s place looks like.”

Muttering to herself, Jisoo slowly approached the window. She tugged at the curtain, and a sweeping view of Yeongdong-daero’s skyline unfurled before her.

…Is this man basically a chaebol?

It took her breath away.

What does it feel like to see this every day? Who even lives like this?

No, no, stop thinking.

Already overwhelmed, she found herself rubbing the back of her neck to shake off the stray thoughts.

She looked toward the kitchen—no sign of regular use. Just a fridge, a coffee machine, and two tall stools by the stone-gray island.

Does he ever cook?

There was no wine cellar either. So he wasn’t the wine-at-home type.

As someone who lived for an after-work beer, Jisoo clicked her tongue.

She turned her gaze back to the living room. One side of the metal shelves was lined with architectural models. Below them were a few casually leaning artworks.

Does he keep this in his house?

Shocked, Jisoo crouched down to take a closer look at the framed art. A limited-edition print, a drawing…

It was unmistakably Theo Lemoine.

The decor, the view, now this? Her curiosity overtook her awe.

How much is this even worth…?

Squinting, she spotted a handwritten note on the drawing’s corner. Her French wasn’t fluent, but she could piece it together.

[Mon ami J. À garder près de toi, pour les jours gris. À toi, Théo.]

(To my friend J. Keep this close on gray days. Yours, Théo.)

It wasn’t a commercial piece. It was a personal dedication. A gift from the Theo Lemoine.

As an art history major, she felt the weight of it hit her like a punch.

“He’s like a grandson to me. I’ve known him since he was in diapers.”

The words of art-world heavyweight Kang Susan echoed in her mind, along with the things Professor Yoon had said. And when they met before—didn’t it seem like he was close to Kim Changjin too?

All of it clicked into place.

Yes, this was reckless. Yes, she was making a calculated decision.

But seeing his home, she was certain. Everything she’d heard about Chae Juwon? It was true. Maybe he was even more impressive than she thought.

If she kept a man like this close, maybe she could finally stop getting dragged into humiliating messes…

The thought chilled her.

Not because of him—but because she had even considered it. Was she really this calculating now?

The idea frightened her. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath.

No. This isn’t right.

Her thoughts spiraled.

“Jisoo. You always have to live with pride. You may not have money, but you have dignity. Even if you’re broke, you keep your pride. If you do something shameful—no matter how secret—it’ll come back to you. The sky knows. The earth knows. Everyone will know.”

Her grandmother’s and mother’s voices—nagging words she grew up on—rang in her ears.

Not tonight. She picked up the bag she’d put down.

“You’re leaving?”

She jumped, startled. Juwon was suddenly there, fresh from the shower, towel in hand.

He was in a plain white tee and gray sweatpants, the scent of minty soap still clinging to his skin. There was something disarming about it.

“Why? Getting cold feet?”

His low voice made her flinch. His face looked calm—almost too calm.

He didn’t look disappointed or pushy. He looked… accepting. Like he’d go along with whatever she decided.

But what would running away even mean now?

Panic rising, she met his eyes—eyes that gave nothing away.

“You always say you don’t want someone who’s too much. That guy, Chae Juwon or whatever—he’s not looking to tie you down, is he? Just go for it. Have fun.”

Right. Just enjoy it.

Who knows how this would end—but she might as well see where it went.

Jisoo squared her shoulders, opened her bag, and pulled out her wallet.

“Do you have condoms? I was going to run to the store if you didn’t.”

Surprised, Juwon blinked. Then—he burst out laughing.

“You were gonna go buy them yourself?”

“Yeah.”

“You weren’t just using that as another excuse to run away?”

She narrowed her eyes, mirroring the sly curve of his lips, and handed him her card.

“I like you. But no condom, no s3x. And we didn’t have time earlier—so go.”

“You want me to buy it… with your money?”

She nodded. He laughed even harder, almost crying with amusement.

Once he’d calmed down, he folded his arms and looked at her. Like he wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or exasperated.

“Convenience store ones don’t fit anyway. I have to special order mine.”

“…So that means you do have some?” Jisoo asked, trying not to sound hopeful.

Juwon looked her up and down, said nothing, then disappeared into the bedroom. He came back holding a box. Imported, apparently. The packaging had multiple X and large size in bold.

That’s… basically a sock.

Setting the box down on the table, he gave her a fresh smile.

“There’s enough to go all night, till my d1ck falls off.”

Despite the bright grin, she could already see the bulge in his pants.

Staring at the box, then at him, she sighed and picked up her bag again.

“I’ll wash up. Which bathroom?”

“Master bedroom.”

“Okay then…”

“Why are you carrying your bag again? What are you, a traveling salesman?”

She stopped in her tracks and gave him a sharp glare.

“I keep my makeup in here.”

“Show me your bare face. It’s all gonna come off anyway.”

“No way. I don’t have eyebrows.”

With that, she snapped, marched into the bedroom, and shut the door. Behind her, Juwon’s loud laughter echoed through the room.

Alone in the bathroom, Jisoo took a moment to catch her breath and looked into the mirror.

Flushed cheeks. A girl who looked excited, nervous, maybe even a little scared. One thing was certain—there was no turning back now.