# Chapter 24
“Ugh….”
When I opened my eyes, a headache worse than I imagined attacked me. As if my pain didn’t matter at all, warm and cozy sunlight gently wrapped around my face. Just like the first day I woke up in this damn book world.
Soon, I felt an eerie chill run through my body. Like the hollow feeling you get when you realize you’ve overslept and will be late, a similar kind of ominous energy enveloped me.
‘…I can’t remember anything.’
“Secretary Han, how did I get here? I’m sure I told you to go to sleep first.”
Yesterday, I met a goddess with the beautiful name ‘Olivia’ at the bar. Conversation flowed with her like magic.
I was about to ask for her contact information when Han Woojin suddenly appeared and interrupted.
I was angry. I asked Han Woojin why he was there and… that’s all I can remember.
I don’t remember anything after that. Looking at myself lying in bed now, it’s clear that Han Woojin brought me here.
I need to remember, but all that remains is a thick, brain-melting hangover. Nothing, not even a single clue, came to mind.
What if I made a mistake? Cold sweat began to trickle down my back. If I said something strange yesterday like “I’m not actually Cha Jaehyun!” the situation would be completely messed up.
Wait, no. Robot-like Han Woojin wouldn’t believe an unscientific claim about soul-swapping. I tried to rationalize, but it didn’t help the situation at all.
‘Why did that Han Woojin suddenly come and….’
I couldn’t help but sigh at the situation.
What’s my drunk habit? I carefully tried to recall my drunk behavior.
First, as a freshman, I never had blackouts, but as an upperclassman, it happened a few times.
“Hey, you shouldn’t drink. Why do you get so clingy when drunk?”
That’s right. When I blacked out, my friends said I got clingy.
But I remembered that although I got clingy, I didn’t cause much trouble. They just said that when I drank, unlike my usual self, I would stick to people around me and be annoying.
‘Being clingy… that’s not a problem.’
But being clingy and revealing secrets are completely unrelated. I could have revealed secrets while being clingy.
Han Woojin is a meticulous guy. He must have tried to take advantage of my blacked-out state. He probably casually asked me why my attitude changed.
‘He must have asked…’
How did I respond to that question? Obviously, the worst response would be “I’m not actually Cha Jaehyun.” If Han Woojin didn’t dismiss it as drunken nonsense and actually believed it, what would happen? Should I insist that it’s impossible for souls to switch bodies?
“There’s no solution. No way out.”
I put my hands on my messy hair and tapped my head in frustration. First, I needed to go out and gauge Han Woojin’s reaction.
That fox-like bastard, did he come to the bar knowing I would get completely drunk to seize an opportunity? I should have said I was at the university library when he called yesterday.
After the team project, he suddenly started acting strange, saying he’d cook for me and asking why I wasn’t coming home.
‘Let’s go out first.’
I washed up quickly, changed clothes, and went outside. There was that familiar smell again. A delicious food aroma was coming from the kitchen.
Han Woojin was making breakfast again. Even though I clearly told him not to. Anxiety overwhelmed me. What nonsense did I spout to Han Woojin yesterday?
Normally, I would have thought, ‘He’s not listening again,’ ignored him, and left. But given the situation, I entered the kitchen. When I entered, I saw Han Woojin’s back. He seemed to be making hangover soup; the fragrant smell of bean sprouts filled the air.
“Young Master, did you sleep well?”
“Ah, Secretary Han, you brought me home yesterday?”
“Yes, Young Master was very drunk, so I brought you home by car.”
Something strange was happening. Until now, I thought Han Woojin was capable of only one expression: an emotionless face so cold it could cut.
His expression never changed in any situation. But now, he was answering me with a slight smile. This unfamiliar behavior made me even more uneasy.
‘Did I really make a mistake?’
Cold sweat began to bead on my forehead.
“Secretary Han, thanks for your hard work. I didn’t make any mistakes yesterday, did I?”
“No, Young Master. None at all. Yesterday, after coming home, you went straight to bed.”
He says there weren’t any. But he’s still answering with a smile.
It’s unbelievable. The infamous robot Han Woojin, smiling continuously.
Something is definitely wrong here. I must have made a serious mistake yesterday. But the fox-like Han Woojin says nothing happened.
Did he hit the jackpot? But since he answered that nothing happened, I couldn’t press further. If I say, “No, I made a mistake. Tell me,” it would only raise more suspicion.
For now, I should leave the house. I couldn’t think of any better solution.
“Alright, Secretary Han. Thanks for your hard work. I’ll be going now.”
“Young Master, you need to eat breakfast.”
As I turned to leave, Han Woojin caught me with a gentle voice. Just hearing it, his voice was pleasant to the ear, but the frightening part was that Han Woojin had never spoken in that tone before. Even his voice tone had always been a stiff, monotonous one.
Moreover, if you listen carefully, it also sounds like a command. What is this situation?
“Haha, Secretary Han, really. I told you last time that I don’t eat breakfast.”
Could it be that someone else has entered his body too? To hide my confusion, I answered without turning around.
“Yesterday, Young Master said you would eat breakfast from today.”
‘What?’
What breakfast? That’s completely untrue. But since I couldn’t remember, I had no grounds to argue. Han Woojin’s voice was infinitely gentle, but I felt an inexplicable pressure behind it.
In reality, even with the intimidating Cha Taehan behind Han Woojin, Han Woojin is nominally my secretary. Of course, in the current situation, I have the upper hand over Han Woojin. Even if I did say I would eat breakfast yesterday, I could just say I changed my mind and leave…
The problem was, I didn’t know what happened last night, and seeing Han Woojin’s suspicious attitude made me afraid to refuse his words. He kept speaking with that unsettling smile.
“Did I say that yesterday? Then I’ll eat before leaving.”
I sat at the table, pretending everything was normal. As soon as I sat down, he brought over bean sprout soup in a white dish, as if he’d been waiting.
The clear broth, the savory smell of bean sprouts, and an egg yolk that looked freshly cracked, starting to cook fluffy.
‘It looks delicious.’
However, the problem was that I didn’t know what was in this delicious-looking food. But there was no choice but to eat it.
I took a spoonful, and the taste was exquisite. It was amazing how he could make such flavor.
Still, I couldn’t eat breakfast in front of Han Woojin every day. If I collapsed from poisoning, there’d be no one to help me. I had to stop after just today.
“Secretary Han, like I said before, you don’t need to make breakfast. Don’t do it from tomorrow.”
“Young Master promised last night that you would eat breakfast every morning.”
What promise? What did yesterday’s me say to Han Woojin? The Han Woojin before me continued smiling like a malfunctioning robot.
“Secretary Han, what exactly did I say yesterday?”
I asked directly. The sight of Han Woojin suddenly smiling at me was both unfamiliar and uncomfortably awkward.
“Nothing much. You just said you would definitely eat meals.”
This is really strange. He’s acting like he has some grudge against breakfast. That damn meal, meal, meal.
“Since before, it’s been meal, meal, meal. Is food that important?”
Seeing Han Woojin’s behavior, I became confident that yesterday’s me didn’t make a serious mistake.
If anything, it seems I must have clung to Han Woojin and desperately asked him to cook for me, for whatever reason.
With this confidence, I frowned slightly and asked him. I was genuinely curious too. It was fascinating why he kept harping on about meals.
“Young Master, students who study need to eat hearty breakfasts.”
‘What?’
The answer was so unexpected I couldn’t even imagine it.
Is this guy just saying anything to get close to me? He was making nagging-like comments while smiling, and I had nothing particular to say.
“…”
“Then Young Master, you’ll eat tomorrow too. I’ll make something even more delicious tomorrow.”
When I didn’t answer, Han Woojin continued speaking as if he’d been waiting. This is strange. No matter how strategic he’s being, could anyone smile so brightly in front of someone they despise to the point of disgust? At least for me, it would be absolutely impossible. Perhaps Han Woojin is even good at acting.
“Secretary Han, are you sick perhaps?”
I tried to probe Han Woojin.
“Not at all. Young Master, I’m very well.”
He smiled brightly at my question, as if to say not at all. This morning, in less than 10 minutes, I could see Han Woojin’s diverse expressions. I couldn’t believe that person could make such expressions. Since he says he’s not sick, what can I do? I wanted to leave this uncomfortable situation quickly.
“Alright, if Secretary Han says he’s not sick, then he’s not. Thanks for the meal.”
“Yes, Young Master. Thank you.”
Did that guy really eat something wrong? He’s been consistently acting cringeworthy since earlier. I suspected that maybe yesterday I made some strange request for him to act gently toward me.
‘What on earth did I say…’
I felt pathetic. I had decided to be careful with my behavior, but since everything went smoothly after coming to America, perhaps my mind had become lax. The thought of needing to get a grip on myself flashed through my mind.
‘Get it together.’
Returning to my room on the second floor, I packed my textbooks and laptop and got dressed. I thought I should stop by a nearby cafe to study and devise a strategy to deal with Han Woojin, whose attitude had suddenly changed.
When I went to the living room, Han Woojin appeared again. That guy, before the team project, even though we lived together, he tactfully avoided appearing in front of me, but now he’s showing up openly. It seems my decision to ask for help with the team project was a huge mistake.
“Young Master, have a good day.”
What’s this? He even goes further by saying to have a good day. What’s really wrong with him? I lightly ignored his greeting and went out the door.
* * *
Beep-beep-
Holding the car folding key, I started the Ferrari.
A magnificent red Ferrari parked in front of the house garden. It still didn’t feel real that the car in front of me was mine. When I started the engine, the headlights flashed brightly and the car door opened. It was an impressive sight that never got old.
“Shall I go now?”
Seeing the car shining beautifully in the sunlight, I automatically felt good. After I finish my work, maybe I’ll take a walk on the beach alone later. Forgetting the breakfast commotion with Han Woojin, I was unconsciously making plans for the afternoon.
“Hey, looking all fancy? Living well, aren’t you?”
‘…?’
I heard Korean spoken behind me. This is America, so why am I hearing familiar Korean? Did I get a Korean neighbor?
But the voice didn’t sound very positive. The vocabulary was low-quality and confrontational to anyone listening.
‘What?’
With a strange feeling of déjà vu, I turned around immediately upon hearing the voice.
Seo Hanryul. It’s Seo Hanryul. Damn, why are you appearing there again?
Seo Hanryul was glaring at me, leaning his back against the wall in a crooked posture.
Clear weather, Saturday morning. Seo Hanryul’s unexpected appearance. In this situation, I thought it would be less scary to face a ghost.
I thought I had cleanly settled things with Seo Hanryul. Plus, I don’t remember telling him specifically where I was going. I only said I was going to America.
How did he know where to find me? His eyes were clearly filled with anger, burning intensely for anyone to see.
“Still deaf, I see?”
When I didn’t answer, he accused me of being deaf.
What should I do? I couldn’t think of anything.
