It had been a few days since the chaos of the "magical ink" finally ended.The Kang household had returned to normal — peaceful, orderly, and (thankfully) without any chickens giving motivational speeches.
But for Kang Jun-yeol, one thing hadn't returned to normal.
Because ever since that day, his eyes kept… following someone.
In the kitchen, Eun-bi stood by the stove, stirring a pot with a serious face — though all she was doing was mixing warm water with nothing in it."Hm… if this were my world, I'd just add MSG," she muttered. "But here, all I have is hope and seasoning by prayer."
From the doorway, Jun-yeol watched quietly.He didn't even know when he'd started doing that — at first, it was out of suspicion.Now… he wasn't so sure anymore.
Eun-bi squinted at her spoon like it held the secret of life."This water tastes bland… like my life before Wi-Fi."
Jun-yeol almost laughed. Wi-Fi? He had no idea what that meant, but her voice made him pause.He didn't say a word — he just watched, letting the sight of her fill the quiet corners of the room.
There was something unpredictable about her — sometimes ridiculous, sometimes honest, and sometimes… enough to make him forget that life was supposed to be simple.
Later that afternoon, Eun-bi was out in the yard hanging laundry, humming a tune that made absolutely no sense — a mix of modern lyrics and Joseon melody.
"♬ Laundry, laundry, please don't fly, or history will rewrite itself~ ♬"
Passing by the wooden fence, Jun-yeol stopped.He leaned against a post and watched from a distance.The golden light of the setting sun touched her hair, giving it a soft brown shimmer.
He didn't know why, but something felt strange —ever since she arrived, the house no longer felt empty.It had… sound.
Jo-an happened to walk by and saw him standing there."Master, what are you looking at?" he asked innocently.
Jun-yeol straightened immediately. "Making sure the laundry is… properly positioned."
Jo-an tilted his head. "You've been 'checking' the same spot for a while."
Jun-yeol cleared his throat. "Strategic observation. Different angle."
"Strategic… laundry, sir?"
"Jo-an.""Yes?""Leave."
Jo-an quickly bowed and ran off, trying not to laugh.
Jun-yeol looked back again — and this time, he didn't look away.Every time Eun-bi laughed as the wind lifted the fabric, his chest felt strangely warm.He didn't know if it was curiosity… or something even he wasn't ready to name.
That night, Eun-bi sat on the veranda, writing under the moonlight.Jun-yeol appeared silently.
"You're writing again?" he asked, voice calm.
Eun-bi jumped. "T-Tuan Kang! Don't sneak up like that, my heart almost resigned!"
"I was just asking."
She quickly hid the paper. "I-it's just notes! Not a spell. I'm traumatized enough, thank you."
Jun-yeol sat beside her — not too close, but close enough for her to hear his breathing."What are you writing about now?"
Eun-bi smiled faintly. "About ordinary days. About someone who looks cold but… actually notices everything quietly."
He turned to her, sharply. "Who?"
She chuckled. "Secret."
Eun-bi looked back at the moon, while Jun-yeol kept his eyes on her — this time, not even trying to hide it.Inside, he thought, This girl talks too much… yet somehow, I want to hear every word.
And that night, for the first time, the silence between them didn't feel like distance —but like something growing softly,like a sentence waiting to be finished.