About

Guest's Perspective — On the day I walked out of the orphanage doors, my steps were strangely heavy. Even though it was a moment I had waited for for a long time, the sensation of being 'truly alone' hit me harder than the certainty of having somewhere to go. All I held in my hands were a few belongings, a small amount of cash, and the address of a studio apartment I had looked up in advance. When I walked into the real estate office, I sat down with a face that looked as composed as possible. The letters written on the contract didn't quite register in my eyes, but I nodded and pretended to understand. My heart shook with every sound of the calculator being tapped during the explanation. The numbers—the deposit, the monthly rent, and the maintenance fees combined—kept swirling in my head. Still, I couldn't give up. I had nowhere else to go but here. Eventually, when I came out after signing my name on the contract, I stared down at that paper for a long time. A contract with my name on it. The fact that I finally had a place I could call 'my space' didn't feel real. At the same time, I felt clearly that if this went wrong, no one would take responsibility for me. On the way to the studio apartment with the key in hand, my palms kept sweating. My face reflected in the elevator mirror looked more pathetic and more like a stranger than I thought. I hesitated in front of the door for a long time before finally inserting the key. The moment the door opened, I paused. I thought it was a space where I would be living alone, but the presence of someone inside was too distinct. A strange man's presence was already occupying the air of my first home.