---

“How about this?”

Yu Da On mumbled as she fiddled with a large bed.

A bed?

Isn’t it a bit too big to sleep in alone?

“We already have a bed, you know.”

“Just in case?”

Just in case of what?

I watched as Yu Da On awkwardly answered while withdrawing her hand from the mattress.

“What are you going to buy?”

“Did I not mention it before?”

If my memory serves me right, the chairs, dining table, and TV were gifts from Jang Chae Yeon and Song Ah Rin.

What I was supposed to buy this time was…

“It was a refrigerator, right?”

“Oh, you remember?”

Yu Da On’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Why wouldn’t I remember?”

Isn’t it odd not to remember?

Staring at Yu Da On, she smiled softly and replied.

“Well, since many people talk to Jae Heon, I thought you might forget.”

“Not at all.”

To be honest, as a worker commuting between the office and home, there’s a very limited number of people I actually talk to.

“Usually, I speak with the Team Leader and A-Rin.”

While that’s certainly true for the Team Leader, Song Ah Rin’s understanding of work is astonishingly impressive.

She quickly creates charts and organizes everything in a snap.

If she had joined a regular company instead of the Management Agency, I’d want to push her to work hard and help her get to better places.

Even outside of the Management Agency, I feel like she’d do exceptionally well anywhere.

“And for everyday conversations… I chat with Ye Eun and A-Rin.”

Saying this might sound apologetic to others, but Park Ye Eun was someone with whom pointless chatter flowed smoothly.

Is it fair to say she’s specialized in banter?

She knows how to joke around herself and can sometimes playfully roll with any joke thrown her way.

You can tell she must have a lot of friends at school.

And then there’s Song Ah Rin, who’s a bit prickly but can appropriately go along with any conversation.

She accepts jokes with a bit of a snark but occasionally engages like a truly close friend, enjoying the interplay.

Jang Chae Yeon and Yu Da On don’t mean it in a boring way.

Both of them like to enjoy a conversation, but how should I say this? They take everything a bit too seriously.

Just to give a clear example, there was a time when I was chatting with Park Ye Eun and she teased me.

When I told her, “Don’t make me angry,” she found it super amusing and kept mocking me.

In contrast, during a joke with Yu Da On when I said, “Please don’t make me angry,” she turned pale immediately and apologized.

After multiple apologies, when I clarified it was a joke, she finally went back to being pale, genuinely sorry for not realizing it was all in jest. I decided to distinguish between what to say to her and what not to.

Jang Chae Yeon seems completely distant from anything resembling joking.

Or maybe not? Thinking back to what she said to me yesterday, she might actually have a decent sense of humor.

I’ll have to repay her later.

With that thought, I observed Yu Da On’s expression.

“W-well, indeed.”

She looked rather gloomy.

What could possibly make her feel down again?

“I’ll try to talk more entertainingly as well.”

With a determined expression, Yu Da On looked at me.

“Really? Oh, no, it’s fine.”

Not everyone can be fun, after all.

There has to be someone mundane to maintain balance in the world.

Continuing the conversation as we headed towards the refrigerator section with Yu Da On.

“But Da On?”

“Yes?”

I pondered for a moment, then threw out a question that had been nagging at me.

“Suddenly, what’s up with A-Rin?”

“…”

Yu Da On fell silent.

I’m not a fool.

At some point, or precisely, since I saw the ‘Military Academy’ episode, Yu Da On’s behavior towards Song Ah Rin has noticeably changed.

It’s much sharper, or perhaps more familiar. I couldn’t find the right words to describe it.

After a brief silence, Yu Da On spoke up.

“What do you think about A-Rin?”

“Yes.”

“What comes to mind when you see A-Rin?”

Yu Da On stood before a massive refrigerator.

It was a fridge that was undeniably too big for one person to use.

She raised her head to glance at the top of the refrigerator.

“Well… I’m not sure.”

I’ve never given it much thought since A-Rin has always been herself.

“I have thoughts.”

Yu Da On turned her back to me and grabbed the fridge handle.

– Kachunk!

She opened the fridge and started inspecting its contents.

“A-Rin is a liar.”

“…”

I momentarily felt my breath catch.

Could Yu Da On really know about A-Rin’s story?

How? I’ve never said anything like that.

Could it be the Branch Chief?

Still facing away, Yu Da On continued.

“I understand A-Rin.”

“…”

With a loud thud, she closed the door and turned to me.

She wore a smile that seemed joyful.

“I don’t dislike A-Rin.”

She continued without wiping the smile off her face.

“I feel a sense of kinship.”

“Kinship?”

“That sense of crawling on the floor against one’s will.”

“…”

“And the certainty that one will eventually sink deeper into the floor.”

Lost in thought with unfocused eyes, she suddenly clapped her hands.

“I said something too weird, didn’t I? Sorry.”

“…No.”

She smiled again.

“Anyway, this refrigerator is way too big, right?”

“…That’s right.”

As if nothing had happened, a childlike expression appeared on her face.

“Should we get a smaller one instead?”

Let’s see, she mumbled as she began looking for another refrigerator.

In the end, she chose the smallest one.

I gazed at the black refrigerator.

There’s nothing particularly eye-catching about it, and I don’t think buying that would cause any trouble.

However,

“Can we actually make do with something like this?”

“Of course!”

Yu Da On nodded enthusiastically with a smile.

“Honestly, I don’t eat much anyway.”

“Still…”

“And it’s Jae Heon’s money.”

“I’m not worried about the money.”

Worrying about money while working at the Management Agency?

What on earth could one do to end up in such a situation? Is he some gambling addict blowing money like a madman?

“Anyway, I don’t like it.”

Yu Da On said stubbornly, shaking her head.

“…If you say so.”

Realistically, the refrigerator isn’t that expensive.

“But instead…”

“Yes?”

“Will you be able to take me home?”

Yu Da On looked at me with a smile.

“Is that really a difficult task?”

I replied with a smile, agreeing with her.

*

Yu Da On stole glances at the man’s face walking beside her several times.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Right, he’s observant.

Yu Da On quickly turned her gaze away from him.

“If something’s wrong, please make sure to tell me.”

“Ah, yes…”

He’s so kind.

And especially kind to her.

Yu Da On understood.

It was because she had been watching him that closely.

To her, he was the person who created a world for her.

He not only provided a warm home she could escape to where even death was unattainable, but he also redefined everything about her life.

It would be nonsense if she didn’t notice his changes after receiving all those unrepayable gifts.

He started paying more attention to her.

And it had been precisely since the Reincarnator incident.

Since then, he began paying more attention to his condition, and it seemed he would listen more closely to what he was saying.

What on earth did that version of herself give him?

“Are you cold, Da On?”

“Ah, yes!”

What kind of emotional burden did that past self give him?

“Glad to hear that.”

Is that why he occasionally puts on a guilty expression when he looks at her?

It’s nonsensical, but Yu Da On felt a deep resentment towards herself for possibly doing something back then.

First, she felt anger towards the self that had hurt him.

Next…

“I can’t do that.”

“Yes?”

“Never mind.”

She could never cause him to display such expressions.

The part of her from the distant past that seemed to have left something behind him made her feel unbearably jealous.

“Ah, we’re almost there.”

“Shall we get the refrigerator tomorrow?”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

As he shrugged his shoulders, Yu Da On slightly closed her eyes.

No, let’s not be greedy.

“Da On?”

“Ah, yes. Thank you!”

When he tilted his head, Yu Da On hurriedly expressed her gratitude.

Let’s not think any further.

Just being allowed to walk beside him is already something to be thankful for.

He may have others around, but to her, he was the only one.

She was the one who always had to lean on him, and Yu Da On had no complaint about that reality.

*

[Manual for Office Staff]

[IDT – How to Win a Woman’s Heart]

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. A sincere apology.

“…I’m making a sincere apology, so I’m sorry.”

“Are you still at it? You can’t act that way in front of others.”

The plaza, which was sparsely populated, was shining brightly under the sunlight.

Beside me, Song Ah Rin sighed heavily as she stood next to me.

“Seriously, seeing a clueless guy like you rotting away like this drives me insane.”

“Hey, just how well do you understand women’s hearts, huh?”

“Are you joking with me right now?”

Song Ah Rin shot me a fierce glance.

“I simply stand atop human emotions.”

“If A-Rin says that, it sounds really dangerous.”

“Shut it.”

Song Ah Rin grumbled as she glared at the manual.

“Is this a tantrum you’re throwing right now?”

“A tantrum?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

I glanced at the manual.

Is this what a tantrum looks like?

“Didn’t you apologize?”

“I did…?”

“But it wasn’t accepted, right?”

“Exactly…?”

“Idiot. A fight depends on momentum. Momentum!”

Song Ah Rin slapped my shoulder.

“Don’t you know about push and pull?”

“I do.”

“Then use it! If you’re throwing a tantrum over there, being too accommodating will make things endless. You must cut it off sharply at times.”

“Cut it off sharply?”

“Right. You should go a week without contacting each other.”

It doesn’t concern me since I’m not part of a couple with this manual, but it seems like that would genuinely cut ties.

“At such times, make your heart firm.”

“Make my heart firm.”

“Close the manual.”

“…”

I pondered for a moment at Song Ah Rin’s words and then closed the manual.

[Manual for Office Staff]

[Manual for Office Staff]

[IDT – How to Win a Woman’s Heart]

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. A sincere apology.

6. Don’t do that again next time—

Thud!

The book was closed.

I felt like something came out at the end there, but surely not.

“…Phew.”

Song Ah Rin sighed deeply and then looked at me.

“Guess we should head out now.”

“Where to?”

“To the art museum.”

“…”

“…Don’t look at me like that. It’s not something weird.”

Song Ah Rin muttered awkwardly and tugged my arm.

“Geez, if you’re going to give me that look, then you can just keep an eye on me!”

“Let’s go, let’s go.”

I followed behind Song Ah Rin as she pulled my arm, lost in thought.

An art museum, huh?

…Should I give them a heads-up?