New Normal - Chapter 80

Chae Juwon pressed his lips together, impatience clear on his face as he waited for a reply.
Ever since Shin Jisoo stormed out of his place the night before, she hadn’t picked up his calls, or allowed any kind of contact at all. No phone calls, no texts, no chance encounters. She had completely shut down every possible avenue of communication, direct or indirect.

This message, then, was his last resort. His final attempt to reach her without pushing her further away.

30 seconds. One minute. Three minutes. Five.

His restless fingers drummed against the table, betraying his nerves. He wanted nothing more than to rush to her apartment and beg on his knees. And yet, here he was, reduced to a pathetic string of desperate words on a screen. Even if it seemed pitiful, maybe, just maybe, it could be a first step toward mending what was broken. Maybe she’d read them and, by some miracle, soften her heart enough to give him one last chance.

Juwon stared at the long, heartfelt message he had typed out, scrolling up and down the empty chat window as if that could somehow summon her response. But his fragile hope shattered all too quickly.

Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty.

Nothing. No reply. Just the dreaded read and ignored.

Realizing this was her clear answer, Juwon quietly turned off the screen. He set his phone face down on the desk, his blank expression finally cracking as he covered his mouth with one hand.

“…Sh1t. I really screwed up.”

***

There’s nothing worse than realizing that only alcohol can numb your despair.

“So let me get this straight, you actually went over to her place and waited outside for five hours? Are you out of your goddamn mind?”

Kwon Suhong nearly choked on his whiskey, staring at Juwon as if he were insane. Juwon only swirled the amber liquid in his own glass, unbothered.

“Yeah. Fvck. I think I’ve lost my mind too.”

The two sat tucked away inside a nameless speakeasy hidden behind a plain steel door in a narrow back alley.

The place had the secretive charm of a prohibition-era bar, dimly lit, shadows swallowing the corners, soft jazz curling through the air like smoke. The clink of ice against glass and the low hum of conversations filled the cozy, sensual atmosphere.

Suhong gawked at him. “But seriously, who waits outside someone’s house for five hours just because she ignored a text?”

“What else was I supposed to do? We need to talk. We need to fix this somehow.”

Juwon’s sharp glare shut him up for a moment, though Suhong’s amused grin only deepened. He seemed to find the whole situation entertaining, which made Juwon’s irritation spike even higher.

For a fleeting second, Juwon wondered why he’d even come to Suhong of all people. Clearly, he wasn’t in his right mind. He downed his drink in one gulp, the cool liquid searing down his throat like fire.

“Fix it? She ignored you because she’s done, Juwon. That’s the clearest answer you’ll ever get. Chasing her down after that? Pathetic.”

Suhong leaned back in his chair, muttering under his breath.

“Pathetic or not— if I just sit back and do nothing, it really will be over. I can already see it happening. And you expect me to just… let it go?”

Even Juwon’s harsh expression didn’t faze him. Suhong only shook his head lazily.

“To be honest, it would’ve been better if you’d never gotten involved with her in the first place. But fine. You love her that much, then hang on for dear life.”

At the word love, Suhong even curled his fingers in mock quotation marks. Juwon’s jaw tightened, annoyance flashing across his face. His pride bristled, but he didn’t have the strength to argue.

“…If you’re not gonna comfort me, then at least shut up.”

“Tch. Who would’ve thought I’d ever see you this pathetic? Honestly, I didn’t know you had it in you.”

“……”

“You know what? Forget all this brooding. If you’re that desperate, just go see a fortune teller. Get a ritual done for reconciliation or something.”

“Don’t talk bullshit.”

Juwon scoffed and knocked back another glass. His friend only laughed at the sight of him drowning in liquor.

“But seriously, why’d you even agree to that stupid bet in the first place? You never go for crap like that.”

“…Fvck if I know.”

Juwon muttered, slowly swirling the ice in his glass. Suhong snorted in disbelief.

“‘If she confesses first, I’ll give up my place in Myeongnyun-dong’? That’s the dumbest, pettiest condition I’ve ever heard.”

“Yeah, yeah, enough. I don’t want to hear it.”

“It makes no sense at all. What the hell were you even thinking back then?”

Juwon bit down hard on his lip, his fingers tightening around his glass. Every word hit too close to home.

The truth was, the moment Shin Jisoo came into his life, all the strict control and cold logic he prided himself on had crumbled. The bet had just been a convenient excuse, something to hide behind, a way to trick himself into believing he wasn’t being swayed by her, that he had some greater goal. A pathetic shield for his pride.

But now, with the guilt of hurting her gnawing at his chest, he could no longer deny the truth.

“…I was just an idiot.”

Suhong eyed him with a mixture of curiosity and sharp amusement.

“So now you’re serious about her? Like, dead serious?”

Juwon didn’t reply, but his furrowed brows said enough. Suhong grinned wickedly.

“Unbelievable. Chae Juwon, of all people, down bad for a girl. Funniest sh1t I’ve ever seen. You’ve dated so many women, and you still don’t understand them?”

“I understand plenty. Just… shut the fvck up, Suhong.”

Juwon rubbed his face in frustration, his sigh heavy. His friend studied him with a sly glint in his eye.

“Want me to tell you how to win her back?”

Juwon peeked at him through his fingers. “What?”

Suhong raised his eyebrows, then held up three fingers.

“Thirty minutes of foreplay.”

Juwon stared, then exhaled a tired laugh. “I’m a fool for even listening to you.”

“I’m serious, assh0le. Women melt when they feel that kind of effort. You know the saying, when the body grows distant, so does the heart? Works the other way too. Get close physically, the heart follows. Make her come twice, head to toe, and she’ll soften.”

Juwon closed his eyes, exhausted. The candlelight flickered against the whiskey glass between them.

“Foreplay, my ass. What do you think I am, some kind of Komodo dragon? I’d drool her to death.”

“I’m telling you, it works. What I mean is, if you want to keep her, you’d better humble yourself. Grovel if you have to.”

“……”

“You already know it, don’t you? If you let her slip away, you’re done. Take it from me, two divorces later, I’m speaking from experience. So listen.”

Juwon glared at him in silence, but for once, he had no rebuttal.

***

Mixing business with personal feelings was never wise. Even if it wasn’t officially an office romance, getting involved with someone you had to see at work carried risks. If things went sour, the emotional fallout and awkwardness could bleed into the professional sphere, making every interaction unbearable.

And for Shin Jisoo, right now, that risk was very real. The abandoned building they were inspecting smelled of dust and damp rot, the crumbling ceiling shedding flakes of paint across the floor. She had to watch her step with every move.

Standing next to Professor Kim Suyeon, she did her best to ignore Chae Juwon, who was conversing with the older woman. Her face remained cool and unreadable, but her nerves betrayed her, prickling every time she felt his presence.

When she couldn’t take it anymore, she slipped away, joining the other team members who were studying an old railroad sign and rusted steel structures on the wall. But even then, she could feel his gaze on her back.

Professor Kim soon turned to the group.

“Alright, shall we head out for lunch now? How about that barbecue place I mentioned earlier?”

The team responded cheerfully, filing toward the exit. And that was when Juwon moved to her side.

“…We need to talk.”

Jisoo kept her eyes straight ahead, her answer clipped.

“I have nothing to say.”

“I’ve called and gone to see you countless times. Are you really ending things like this? At least give me the chance to explain.”

“I don’t want to hear your excuses anymore.”

“Shin Jisoo.”

His voice rose, sharper this time. A few people ahead of them turned, glancing back curiously. Feeling their stares, Jisoo lowered her gaze and exhaled deeply.

“…Fine. In the car.”