Suspicious Apartment

Episode 2

But now, I'm starting to slightly regret whether coming to my aunt's house was really the right thing to do.

I thought I could live elegantly, like my aunt. I never imagined a house like this, littered with dust and laundry.

I imagined a room with a pretty bed, a kitchen filled with a savory smell, and a bathroom that smelled great, like the single women on TV.

But in an instant, that imagination came crashing down.

My aunt is a totalitarian. She said she first had that thought when she was twenty-three and that her thoughts haven't changed since she turned thirty-five.

My grandmother said that because of my aunt, she would wake up with a start even in the middle of the night. She said that she would be able to leave this world with peace of mind only after seeing her aunt get married.

But I hope my aunt's heart remains the same. I, too, want to live alone, unmarried, like my aunt. It's a thought that naturally arises when I see my mom and dad fighting over childish things.

And when my mom and dad finally got divorced, my decision was made.

The sink door was covered in stickers. They were all for chicken restaurants, pizza places, and late-night snack shops.

김다현

What on earth do you want me to order?

I clicked my tongue and muttered.

When my parents were going through a terrible battle before their divorce, my mom barely cooked. She would order chicken and pizza until she was sick of it.

Now I don't even want to see the 'chi' in chicken or the 'pi' in pizza.

I thought it would be better to eat triangle kimbap.

I tiptoed out to the front door. Putting on my sneakers, I looked around the house again. "Oh! It's so messy."

The elevator stopped on the 22nd floor. I pressed the button and waited for a long time, but it didn't seem to come down.

김다현

What is this from day one?

I glared at the unmoving number "22" as I descended the stairs. Even though I'd reached the first floor, the elevator was still on the 22nd floor.

김다현

"Anyone who's been holding the elevator this long must be some kid who likes to play pranks. Just let me know what kind of kid he is...."

I glanced at the elevator number plate, mumbling.

김다현

Huh? No.

A flash of insight occurred to me. This was an apartment complex built for single people. So, I figured most of the residents were single. There probably weren't any children in the house.

So, an adult is playing a prank on an elevator? He seems like a person with nothing better to do.

I ate three triangle kimbap rolls and a cup of ramen, even the broth. Still not full, I bought a bag of "Shark Neck," which smelled like the ocean.

I came out of the convenience store, chewing crunching crunch.

Wow! This is really annoying.

The elevator was still on the 22nd floor. No matter how many times I pressed the button, it wouldn't budge. Apparently, this elevator was no joke.

김다현

It's broken. If it's broken, shouldn't it be fixed quickly?

The thought of walking up to the eighth floor made me feel dizzy. I had no choice but to take the stairs, but then the elevator started moving.

21st floor, 20th floor...

Ding!

The elevator quickly arrived at the first floor. The doors swung open. The elevator was empty.

Brrrrrr.

The moment I got into the elevator, my phone rang. It was my dad.

아빠

Did you get to your aunt's house safely? Don't bother her and be quiet. Dad will come pick you up as soon as he finds a place. And don't let that curiosity get the better of you.

Mom said she'd come pick me up as soon as she found a place to live, and Dad said he'd come pick me up as soon as he found a house.

When Mom and Dad divorced, they split everything in half. They sold their apartment and split it in half, as did their car. They also split their savings in half.

I'm the only one who can't be divided in half. If it were possible to divide people in half, Mom and Dad would have tried to do the same for me.

But there's something Mom and Dad don't know. I don't want to live with anyone. I learned how to live alone from my aunt, so I want to live alone. Living with someone else is uncomfortable.

This is especially true with people like your mother who likes to meddle and nag constantly, or your father who is stubborn and easily angered.

Thirteen! It's still a bit early to live alone, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. Just having an apartment like my aunt would be perfect.