At the gate, Dad leaned out the car window. “See you then. And always remember to lock your door!”
“Okay!” Angel said brightly,
“Call me anytime if you have a problem,” Angel Mom reminded her, even as she slid into the passenger seat.
“Yes, I understand. Go home now, so I can go in as well,” Angel said, half-laughing, half-exasperated.
Dad leaned out the driver’s window. “Call me often, okay?”
“Yes, I will. I’ll call you later!” Angel promised, waving.
She kept waving until the car turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Only then did she slump against the gate with a long sigh.
“Phew… I’ll go in now.”
It was already night. The relief of surviving her mother’s visit was quickly replaced by bone-deep fatigue.
“I’m so tired… and hungry again…” she muttered.
Angel had no groceries left. The bread Mom brought was already gone, and her fridge was as empty as her energy. At times like this, she had only one option.
“Delivery food!”
Angel plopped onto the couch and grabbed the glossy booklet she’d taken from the lobby. Flipping through the pictures, her eyes sparkled. Living alone was the best—she could order whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, without her mother nagging about unhealthy eating.
“Oh, Jiyoon said the barbecue here is famous. I’ll order this—huh? Delivers only for two or more people? Darn it!”
Her shoulders slumped. The sizzling barbecue in the photo taunted her. It was the perfect night for grilled meat and beer… yet she was just one person. She pressed her lips together, thinking hard.
“…Right. Chanwoo!”
Her face lit up. She was going to eat it anyway, so why not invite him? Besides, she still owed him for taking her home yesterday. Coffee hardly counted as repayment after all that trouble.
“He’s probably just finishing his part-time job now,” she muttered, already tapping his number.
Without hesitation, Angel called.
“Hello?” Chanwoo’s familiar voice came through the line.
“Chanwoo. Have you finished your part-time job?” Angel asked, her voice bright with expectation.
“Hmm… I’m getting off work after ten minutes,” he replied.
“Then do you want to eat barbecue with me?”
“Barbecue? At this time?” he chuckled, clearly surprised.
“It’s just… you helped me yesterday. And I want to treat you to something delicious. I’m going to order now. Can you come over and eat it with me?” she pressed, hope coloring her voice.
“I’d love to, but I’m on a strict diet, so I can’t eat it today,” he said gently.
“Is that so…?” Her voice wavered, soft and disappointed.
Sensing it, Chanwoo quickly added, “Well, I can drink a can of beer.”
“Beer? Can we? I was actually really stressed today. Then can I just go to the convenience store you work at?”
“Yes. I’ll wait at the table next to the door.”
“Okay!”
It wasn’t barbecue, but at least she wouldn’t be drinking alone tonight. That was enough.
At the convenience store
Angel spotted Chanwoo immediately. He was waiting just where he said he’d be, at the table by the door, two cold cans of beer resting neatly in front of him.
“Chanwoo! I’m here—” Angel’s face lit up as she hurried over.
But before she could reach him, a sudden burst of chatter cut her off. A group of schoolgirls swarmed around Chanwoo like bees drawn to honey.
“Hi! Is your shift over?” one of them piped up brightly.
“Please take this!” another chimed in, holding out a bar of chocolate.
“It’s my favorite one!” added a third, her cheeks flushed pink.
Angel froze mid-step, watching in disbelief as the girls practically showered him with sweets.
Chanwoo rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward smile. “You don’t have to give me all these. I eat really well!”
“Ah~ This is a present! Please eat it for me!” one girl insisted, pushing it closer.
He gave a helpless laugh. “Ha… If I eat this, you won’t give me more next time, right?”
“No! I’ll still bring them for you!”
“Don’t buy me these,” he tried to protest gently. “Have them yourself.”
But the girls only giggled. “I feel full when I see you eat!”
With no escape, Chanwoo finally unwrapped one and took a small bite.
“Ah! He ate it—he ate my chocolate! He’s so cute!” squealed one of them, nearly bouncing in excitement.
Another tugged at her friend. “We’re leaving for our lessons now!”
“We’ll come again during your shift to buy something!” they chorused before finally scurrying off, giggling all the way out.
The girls finally scattered, waving finger hearts at Chanwoo like he was some idol stepping off stage. He slouched back in his chair with a weary sigh.
“Ha…”
Angel grinned and slid into the seat across from him. “Wow~ Chanwoo~! So it was real! The legendary handsome convenience store part-timer.”
Chanwoo gave a short laugh. “I told you it’s real.”
“Oh boy, you’re popular! I knew it! You were born to be a superstar.”
“Yeah, right. I was born to be a superstar,” he replied with a crooked smirk, popping open a can of beer and sliding it across the table to her.
But for the briefest moment, Angel caught something in his expression—something bitter flickering beneath the smile. Before she could ask, he had already cracked open his own can and taken a sip.
“So, what did you do today?” Chanwoo asked casually. “I mean, after your hangover.”
Angel groaned softly, leaning her cheek against her hand. “It was so hectic today… And I met everyone I saw yesterday. Thankfully, they all accepted my apology.”
“That’s good news,” Chanwoo said, relief lacing his voice. “But listen—if you ever drink that much again, just call me, you silly girl. If you’re going to throw a tantrum, do it to me, not someone else.”
Angel looked at him, touched. “Chanwoo, you’re so nice…”
He chuckled. “It’s not the first time I’ve made up for you.”
She raised her beer like a solemn vow. “But I’m never going to drink like yesterday.”
“I hope so,” he muttered, though his tone was teasing. He leaned forward a little. “Anyway, what’s the matter?”
Angel took another sip of beer, her eyes softening as she stared down at the table. Then, in a low voice, she let out the weight pressing on her chest.
“I really, really love my mom. But sometimes… I feel suffocated. You saw me on the phone with her earlier, right?”
Chanwoo nodded gently. “Yes…”
Angel sighed, her voice dropping low. “I’m getting more and more stressed, and I’m tired of walking on eggshells in front of her.”
Chanwoo leaned back, his tone gentle but firm. “She must be worried because it’s your first time living alone. And… she doesn’t want you far from her since that incident.”
That incident.
When Angel was just four years old, her family had taken her on an overseas trip. For just a moment, they let their guard down—long enough for her to vanish in the middle of a crowded foreign city. She was missing for an entire day. According to her father, her mother nearly lost her mind that night, scouring every street until morning, refusing to stop until she found her daughter. That one event had changed everything.
From then on, her mother clung tightly—too tightly—to her only child, born late in life and nearly lost once.
Angel bit her lip. “But I’m already twenty. I’m not going to be a lost child anymore. And someday, I’ll have to leave my parents for good. To still be living under my mother’s protection at this age…”
“But she let you live alone this time,” Chanwoo pointed out, his voice steady. “Maybe it’s getting better.”
Angel shook her head. “My dad helped me change her mind. I couldn’t persuade her by myself. Dad at least… listens.”
Chanwoo, who had been her best friend for fifteen years, understood better than anyone. He smiled faintly. “Well, good job. Even if you got help from your dad, it was still you who told your mom you wanted to live alone.”
He raised his can. “Of course, it’s your first time moving out, so she won’t be thrilled right away. But if you live well, and she sees you managing just fine, she’ll be relieved. Go for it.”
Angel’s eyes brightened. She clinked her can against his. “Yes. I’ll prove that I can manage my life on my own! Right, cheers!”
“Cheers!”
That night, the two of them ended up finishing three more cans before parting ways.
“Chanwoo! Good night!” Angel waved, stumbling a little but smiling.
“Yes… Ha…” Chanwoo muttered with a small, weary laugh as she disappeared inside.
A few days later—
“Great.”
Angel slipped into the outfit she had carefully picked out the night before, smoothing it with anticipation.
“I waited so long for the first day of the semester!”
College life with no curfew. No lectures about bedtime. No suffocating rules. What would it be like? She would finally find out.
September 1st. After two weeks of settling into her new independence, Angel’s new chapter was about to begin.
At Angel’s Room
Her stomach gave a quiet growl—of course she hadn’t eaten breakfast.
"Hmm… I’ll ask Jiyoon to go to the convenience store with me before the lecture," she thought, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she packed her things in a rush.
With one last glance in the mirror, Angel hurried out.
At the Corridor
“Okay, the doorlock…” she murmured, reaching for the keypad.
Just then, the faint click of the door next to hers made her freeze. Oops—it was Joowon.
He turned, and for a brief moment their eyes met.
“Good morning..!” Angel greeted quickly, her voice a little higher than usual.
“Oh, hi,” Joowon replied with a calm nod.
He checked his own lock, then started down the corridor with easy strides, clearly heading to the lecture hall.
Angel let out a small sigh and followed after him, her steps light but her mind buzzing. After all, it seemed they were taking the same road to school.
At the Street
On her way to class, Angel kept a careful distance behind Joowon.
“This is awkward…” she muttered under her breath, her steps falling a little slower than usual.
"Darn it. What’s wrong with you, traffic light?" she scolded in her head when the light turned red, forcing them to stop side by side at the crosswalk.
Her shoulders stiffened. Being this close to him made her restless. She kept wishing for the light to change quickly so she could hurry ahead—
But then, Joowon’s voice cut in.
“Angel.”
“Huh!?” she squeaked, startled.
Joowon, who had been staring at the red light the whole time, calmly turned his head toward her.
“Why’re you so surprised? Are you going to the lecture?”
“Huh? Yes. What about you?”
“I’m going to school, too. So… let’s go together.”
“Me and you?”
“Yes. We’re going the same way. It’d be better to walk together.”
“…Yes,” she answered, though her heart thumped nervously.
Now, Angel was walking beside him. But the silence between them only made the air heavier.
"I might as well walk alone…" she thought. Shall Angel talk about that day? Last year’s orientation?
Summoning her courage, she spoke.
“Joowon, do you remember that day?”
He blinked. “What day?”
“You helped me at last year’s orientation party.”
But from his blank look, it was clear he didn’t remember.
“At the party, Heechul and Geunsoo kept pouring me more drinks… and you helped me sneak away. You told the others the professor was here.”
Joowon frowned, his gaze distant for a moment. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened.
“Oh! That was you!”
“Yes. I really thank you… though it was a year ago.”
Once they found a shared topic, their words began to fall into rhythm, easy and smooth.
“If possible,” Joowon said, “don’t sit next to those guys. They’re heavy drinkers, and no one wants to deal with them.”
“Yes, I know now.” Angel made a face. “They’re crazy… Back then, I didn’t know anything, so I just drank everything they gave me.”
“I heard they’re determined to make everyone drunk today as well.”
“Today? Oh—the beginning of the semester party?”
“Okay.”
“Are you going to the party as well?”
“I suppose so.”
“Then I’ll make sure to sit far from Heechul this time,” she said firmly, which made Joowon’s lips curve faintly.
Before long, the school buildings rose in front of them. Barely a twenty–minute walk from her place, yet it felt so refreshing compared to the suffocating subway rides of her high school days, when she was packed in like a sardine in a can.
“I’m going to the Humanities Building,” Joowon said as they slowed to a stop. “What about you?”
“I’ll have to wait for my friend here. See you in the evening.”
“Okay.”
Just as Angel was about to wave goodbye, a bright voice cut through the crowd.
“Angel!"
"Jiyooniee!”
Jiyoon’s hug was warm and enthusiastic—until her eyes flicked past Angel’s shoulder. The moment she spotted Joowon, her voice faltered.
“Oh… hello…!” she said politely, her tone suddenly cautious.
“Hello,” Joowon replied, calm as ever.
Jiyoon squinted, lips pursed. “…Hmph.”
Angel, sensing the shift in atmosphere, quickly raised her voice.
“Then we’ll get going, Joowon!”
“Right. See you later,” he said before heading off.
“Yes…! Goodbye.”
The second he disappeared into the crowd, Jiyoon turned to Angel with narrowed eyes, hands on her hips. The air around her practically screamed interrogation mode.
“So,” Jiyoon began, dragging out the word, “let me first hear what you’ve got to say.”
“About what…?” Angel asked nervously.
“You and Joowon! What’s going on?”
“What’s going on?” Angel echoed, feigning innocence.
Jiyoon raised a brow. “Don’t play dumb. You came walking together on the very first day of the semester, and now you’re even seeing him again in the evening~?”
Angel waved her hands frantically. “Today’s the beginning of semester party. Everyone will be there.”
“But I thought you hardly knew each other.”
Angel scratched her cheek, fumbling for words. “Oh, it’s because…”
Angel spilled everything to Jiyoon—the whole messy string of events since the day she first started living alone. From the orientation disaster to bumping into Joowon at awkward moments, she told her best friend everything without holding back.
Jiyoon’s eyes widened. “Gosh! Really?!”
Angel nodded sheepishly.
“You were such a mess? In front of everyone living in your block?” Jiyoon groaned, throwing her hands up.
“Yeah…” Angel admitted, her cheeks heating.
“Geez… It’s my fault. I should’ve stopped you when you were pouring those boilermakers down your throat.”
Angel puffed her cheeks and shook her head. “I’m never going to drink like that from now on. Never.”
“Anyway,” Jiyoon said, squinting curiously, “so Joowon lives next door?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, Angel…” Jiyoon sighed dramatically. “What a first impression you made.”
Angel laughed weakly. “Thank goodness Joowon was cool about that.”
“Yeah, I’m kind of surprised. I thought he had a bad temper.”
“But he’s quite nice… He’s quite cool, in fact.” Angel’s voice softened unconsciously.
Jiyoon tilted her head. “Is that so?”
Come to think of it, Angel realized she didn’t really know him. That “nasty temper” was just a rumor, wasn’t it? Maybe she’d been holding on to prejudice without even realizing.
Jiyoon suddenly beamed, looping her arm through Angel’s. “Anyway, good luck to you on living alone! So when can I visit your room?”
Angel smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm. “You can come anytime. Wanna come over next week?”
“Yes!” Jiyoon cheered, her grin stretching ear to ear.
The lecture room was already bustling with students, voices overlapping as people filled the rows and searched for seats.
“I thought not many people would come because it’s the first day,” Angel murmured as she and Jiyoon slipped inside.
“Hey, but we’re lucky,” Jiyoon said, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret. “I heard this professor tends to give out good grades.”
Angel raised her brows. “Right. I heard his other lectures are easy as well.”
Truth be told, Angel hated exercising. But with the university’s mandatory General Education requirements, she had to pick one Physical Education class. After carefully weighing her options, she settled on Health and Strength—the most academic-sounding one, and apparently the least sweat-inducing. Besides, it was a new course, so she hoped it wouldn’t be too intense.
“So it’s just a few reports as assignments, and—oohhh, Angel! Look at that guy.” Jiyoon suddenly grabbed her sleeve.
“Huh?”
Jiyoon’s eyes went wide, sparkling with interest. “He’s so big… and hot. Look at his shoulders—must be around twenty-three inches or so.”
Angel followed her friend’s gaze and blinked in surprise.
“Oh? Angel!”
It was Yoonho, smiling brightly as he set his bag down in the front row before striding over.
“Yoonho? Right, you’re a student here too!” Angel said, half-surprised, half-delighted.
“Hello!” Yoonho greeted warmly.
“Hi. You take this lecture as well?”
“Yes! You take this too?”
“Yes,” Angel nodded.
“Let’s say hi more often then,” Yoonho said with a grin.
“Umm… Yes..!” Angel replied, her voice a touch hesitant.
“Good,” Yoonho said with a bright grin. “I didn’t expect to see you in the same class.”
“Me too.” Angel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, feeling slightly self-conscious. “Let’s… have lunch together sometime.”
“Sure,” he nodded, still smiling, before heading back to his seat in the front row.
Angel exhaled slowly, trying to compose herself, but Jiyoon was already gawking at her like she had just stumbled onto the juiciest drama of the semester.
“This is crazy,” Jiyoon whispered.
“Crazy?” Angel blinked.
“What on earth happened during vacation!? You came to school with Joowon, and now this hot, young guy just waltzes in, all smiles, and says hello to you?!”
Angel’s cheeks burned. “Hey, watch your mouth…! And he’s just a nice guy who lives downstairs.”
“Geez,” Jiyoon said, leaning in even closer. “Then is that him? The guy who carried you home when you were drunk?”
Angel’s shoulders slumped. “Yes. It was him. I was a mess before him.”
“Oh, Angel…” Jiyoon shook her head with an exaggerated tsk tsk.
“But,” Angel mumbled, fiddling with her notebook, “he still brought me rice cakes and chocolate milk the next day…”
“Yeah, well,” Jiyoon admitted, her expression softening, “I can see in his face that he’s decent and nice.”
Before Angel could respond, the lecture hall quieted as the professor strode in, papers in hand, ready to begin class.
“What’s that thing?” Jiyoon whispered, watching as the professor’s assistant struggled to drag a bulky machine into the lecture room.
Angel tilted her head. “That’s… the thing that measures height, right?”
“Yeah,” Jiyoon muttered, narrowing her eyes. “But why’d he bring that?”
The chatter in the room died down as the professor walked in, clearing his throat. After a brisk introduction, his eyes swept across the class.
“Everyone knows the title of this course, right? Health and Strength.” His tone was sharp, almost challenging. “These two are the most essential constituents of our body. Without them, it’s hard to make money—which you all love—and it’s hard to date someone, too.”
A ripple of awkward laughter went around the room. Angel, however, felt her stomach sink. For some reason, an uneasy feeling crept up her chest. And Angel had learned: her bad feelings were never wrong.
“So,” the professor continued, “for this semester, we are going to focus on developing these two components.”
Angel blinked. “Developing… health and strength?” she whispered under her breath.
“By exercising,” the professor announced.
“What?!” Angel nearly fell off her seat. “I registered for this course because I hate exercising…!”
Jiyoon’s hand shot up dramatically. “Professor! What are you talking about?!”
But the professor only smiled slyly. “You all know what an InBody is, right? When I call your name, come up here and get it measured.”
Jiyoon groaned, slumping in her chair. “Gosh… so that’s why he dragged that machine in.”
“Ah… isn’t that too much?” Angel muttered as the professor explained the grading system.
“You’ll be grouped in pairs,” he said firmly, “then carry out workouts designed by yourselves. Your grades will depend on how much improvement you show from today’s InBody results.”
Angel turned to Jiyoon, horrified.
“Angel,” Jiyoon said solemnly.
“Yes, Jiyoon?”
“Drop the course?”
“Oh, yes.”
Without another word, they exchanged a defeated fist bump.
Soon, the InBody test began. When Angel’s results printed out, her eyes went wide. Jiyoon snatched the sheet from her hands, scanning the numbers.
“Angel… what’s wrong with your muscles? It’s a miracle you’re even walking around.”
On the paper, every graph bar looked respectable—except one. The “muscle mass” bar barely rose above the x-axis, like it had given up on life.
Angel groaned. “I knew my body was made of china… but this is just pathetic.”
Once everyone had their results, the professor began announcing the groups. Names were called, students paired off, until—
“Er… Yoonho Lee?”
“Yes,” Yoonho answered, standing straight.
The professor scanned his list, then looked up. “You… let’s see. Right. Angel?”
“Y-Yes?!” Angel nearly jumped out of her chair.
“You are in one group. The best InBody score,” the professor gestured at Yoonho, “and the lowest one.” His eyes flicked to Angel.
The worst in the class…? Angel’s health was that bad?
Yoonho turned to look at her, his expression unreadable. All Angel could do was force a meek, awkward smile. I’m sorry, mister hot body… but I’m definitely dropping this class.
However—
“Oh, I forgot to mention one thing,” the professor added casually, as if it weren’t world-shattering news. “There are no exams in this class, nor any assignments. Let’s focus on real physical improvement.”
Angel froze.
“Angel,” Jiyoon whispered, dead serious.
“Yes, Jiyoon?”
“You know… we should all work out for a healthy body.”
Angel nodded like a sage in meditation. “Yes. That’s what makes a human… a true human.”
The professor’s sudden announcement, like a divine trap, had completely changed the game.
At the Start of the Semester Party
“But still, I’m quite worried,” Angel confessed later, fiddling with her drink. “You know I’m a complete weakling…”
Jiyoon leaned across the table, eyes sparkling with mischief. “But you have that hot guy as your partner.”
After their lectures, the two had gone to a bar near campus for the start-of-semester party. The music was loud, the drinks cheap, and the tables crowded with chatter and laughter.
Jiyoon tapped her glass against Angel’s. “You said he’s nice. And he’s handsome as well! You’re so lucky, Angel!”
Angel sighed, staring at the foam on her beer. “Yeah… Am I?”
Angel remembered how Yoonho had walked up to her after class.
“Angel. We’re in a group,” he’d said matter-of-factly.
“Oh, what should I do? I got the lowest score in InBody…” she mumbled, clutching her paper.
“Um… is it okay if I look at your result chart? I want to see how it’s like…”
“…It’s just the muscle mass,” she admitted, reluctantly handing it over.
Yoonho’s eyes scanned the page. He froze. And then—silence.
Angel bit her lip. “…I know it’s serious. Right?”
He finally looked up. “It’s okay, Angel. You’re still alive, so…”
Her jaw dropped. “Are you trying to comfort me…?”
His grin softened the blow. “Let’s work out together! I can plan a good workout schedule.”
“Haha… yes! Right, it should be good. Great!” Angel had laughed a little too loudly. Honestly, it didn’t sound so bad—working out next to a hot guy might make the suffering easier to swallow.
Later at the party, the bar was packed wall to wall with students from their major.
“By the way,” Jiyoon said, surveying the tables, “so many people are here today.”
“You’re right…” Angel replied, her eyes sweeping the room. Then— “Oh!”
She spotted Joowon, sitting with some seniors. Oh, he’s here early, she thought, watching him casually sip his drink.
“Where are our friends?” Jiyoon asked.
“Hmm… are they not here yet?” Angel murmured, still looking around.
And then— oh no.
Her gaze landed on Heechul.
“Oops. It’s Heechul,” she whispered, panic rising.
Heechul. The same Heechul who had nearly drowned her in alcohol during last year’s orientation party. The official troublemaker of drinking gatherings. And right now, he was looking straight at her. Their eyes met. The memories crashed back instantly.