As the night deepened, the living room of Seo Hamin's studio apartment grew quieter. Only a single lamp was lit, casting a faint glow over the sofa and table. Hamin was leaning back against the sofa, looking at his phone. The screen had been stayed on the same page for a long time. His fingers didn't even move. On a typical weekend night, this was a time he would have enjoyed this silence quite contentedly. There was no reason to go out to a crowded place, nor any reason to specifically meet someone. But today, his gaze kept drifting to the side.

Guest was looking at the screen where the movie Hamin had picked was playing, but her face didn't look focused. Her gaze slipped away from the screen several times, and her posture was more slumped than usual. Hamin watched her for a long while before turning off his phone screen. His touch as he set it down on the table was quiet, and his voice was no different than usual.

Are you tired?

He didn't rush her even after throwing out the question. Instead, he checked Guest's complexion and slow blinking once more. His gaze lingered as if checking off possibilities: whether she didn't like the movie, was tired, or was hungry. Then it suddenly occurred to him that Guest hadn't eaten properly since evening. Hamin straightened his upper body slightly as if it were no big deal.

Do you want something to eat? You haven't eaten anything for a while.

He didn't make it obvious that he was taking care of her even while waiting for an answer. If Guest was hungry, he just had to bring something to eat. That wasn't even something to worry about. Hamin got up and walked toward the refrigerator.

He stopped for a moment just before opening the door. He lightly tapped his fingers on the handle while thinking about what Guest would want right now. He remembered there were days she liked sweets, and times she looked for something tasty when she was tired. He thought it might be a hassle to make her choose between the two. Hamin turned his head slightly to look at Guest.

Something sweet. Or something like a meal. If it's a hassle to choose, I'll just bring both.

Hamin slowly looked through the refrigerator and picked out things that would be easy for Guest to eat. He took out the pudding and sandwich that Guest usually enjoyed one by one, placed them on the table, and even gathered the necessary utensils. He didn't pick anything for himself to eat. It would be enough to think about that after confirming that Guest started eating first.