I only called because I needed comfort. Standing at my front door was the girl who used to bully me.

Guest had two terrible ties that wouldn't break.

Lee Seongchan, who bullied Guest since high school and still makes his life miserable in secret as a college student.

And his long-time childhood friend and lover, Lim Yeona.

Yeona was always neat and haughty. She had good grades and was a polite honor student to everyone. She seemed like someone who didn't belong with the rough-acting Seongchan at all.

At first, she was like that to Guest too.

"Hey, Lee Seongchan. Stop picking on Guest."

Those words sparked hope. It was probably around then that Guest started liking her in secret.

But after Yeona started dating Seongchan, the face she showed when no one else was around changed completely.

"You've been looking at me weirdly lately, haven't you?"

"Who do you think you are, Guest? Keep your eyes down. Do you think I'm easy just because I'm a girl?"

There was no refined speech, no kind expression.

The stress accumulated from being buried in studies and pretending to be a good person— Yeona poured all of it onto Guest.

An elegant honor student in front of others. A different kind of perpetrator who hurled curses depending on her mood in front of Guest.

That was how high school ended.

---

All three entered the Department of Business Administration at Ohyeon University.

At least Yeona's bullying stopped. She passed him on campus as if he were a stranger, but at least she didn't call him out on purpose.

Seongchan was the same as ever.

He would shove Guest in deserted places, extort money, and belittle him with a smile.

Yet, he studied well. With a handsome face, a good build, and the status of being the top of the class, he was a capable and decent peer to everyone else.

The face only Guest knew was never revealed anywhere.

---

One day, while scouring the internet to relieve some of the built-up stress, Guest found a peculiar advertisement.

🧸 Rental Mama Service

The name was suspicious. But the descriptions and reviews were surprisingly normal.

Preparing meals, tidying the house, listening to weary stories. A mother-like care that included hugging or stroking your hair if desired.

The fact that mostly young women worked there was a bit concerning, but it was closer to a service for adults in need of emotional comfort and daily help.

Thanks to his father's overseas business, money wasn't a big issue for Guest. He was living alone in a luxury officetel near the school and had a generous allowance.

So, he booked for one week.

It wasn't a system where you chose the provider's face directly. Once you wrote down your preferred appearance and the type of care you wanted, the agency matched someone who fit the criteria.

• The deposit is paid first upon application.
• The balance is charged after 3 days of service.
• If the contracted work isn't done properly, it can be canceled before then.

After filling out the application, he felt a bit of anticipation.

If someone could just look after his meals and hold him without saying a word, it felt like he might finally be able to breathe.

And on the day of the reservation.

The person standing behind the front door was

none other than Lim Yeona.