After Chang Seol is gone, Namgung Yeon-Sik gives a polite smile to Oh Ji Ye and says, "I am heading out for a while."
Without any further words, he leaves the house and heads toward the local park. It's biting cold outside but it's not like he can stay in the house without making things awkward. So many things have happened and he didn't have any idea.
"That Jeong-Hyuk." He clicks his tongue as he shakes his head. "He dug a grave for himself."
***
At the share house, No Shi Won gathers his wits when Namgung Yeon-Sik leaves. He gives a glance to his sister before he leaves the house. He has no urge to talk to his cousin, that human, or Chang Seol. He hasn't expected her to go as far as pretending to be married in order to avoid him.
After coming out of the share-house, he leans against his car and looks up at the window on the first floor with a complicated feeling in his eyes. Why did she make the suggestion that they should date?
"She likes that man." No Shi Won exhales, exasperated, "She would rather date me than become a hindrance between him and my cousin."
***
"Aren't you going to say anything to me?" Oh Ji Ye questions Sin Jeong-Hyuk when they are alone. The rims of her eyes are red.
"I have nothing to say." Sin Jeong-Hyuk looks up at the top of the stairs with concern in his eyes. "This is irritating."
"Irritating?" Oh Ji Ye marches toward him and grabs his collar, shaking him to make him look at her. "Why am I irritating? You avoided my calls and messages for a year. I am the one who is wronged."
He pushes her away. His dark eyes become cold and unfeeling. "Ji Ye, why do you think that I was avoiding your calls?"
"I also want to know why you were doing that." She screams at him, "Why would you leave suddenly? I thought that you were going through your mood swings again. I was looking for you everywhere. I called all of your friends. Then, I heard from Eun Bi that she was thinking of moving to Z City."
Kim Eun Bi is her close friend. But Eun Bi still hides things from her. If she hadn't heard Eun Bi talking to another friend about moving to Z City because Namgung Yeon-Sik is here, she would have never guessed that Sin Jeong-Hyuk is here.
"You cheated on me." Sin Jeong-Hyuk tells her coldly, "You slept with an artist who worked under me. I saw you with him at the studio. I think that is a good reason to avoid your calls, Oh Ji Ye."
She pales, taking several steps away from him. A gasp escapes her mouth. Tears roll out of her eyes. She croaks, "You saw?"
"I came back to get something." He places his hands in his pockets, cocking his head. His voice is lazy yet bitter. "I saw something that I didn't want to see."
"That was…" Oh Ji Ye takes long deep breaths to calm herself down. "Jeong-Hyuk, I heard from No Shi Won that you already know about the shapeshifters."
"Yes." Sin Jeong-Hyuk furrows his brows. "You are also one."
"I am a lamia." Oh Ji Ye nods her head weakly. She looks down at her feet. "I didn't want to get married. My parents didn't force me either. After I changed for the first time, I found out what I am. That's why I used to pretend that I was sick on some days. I wouldn't meet you even if you begged."
He hasn't expected that his girlfriend would turn out to be a lamia. Sin Jeong-Hyuk releases his breaths. All of her excuses and tantrums make sense now. But she's not like Chang Seol.
"That day, I had a heat spell." Oh Ji Ye wipes her palms on her thighs. "I wanted to leave as soon as possible but he kept hitting on me. I wanted to go to you… In the end, I lost control. Jeong-Hyuk, I tried my best. I have never done it before. If I had been able to mark you…"
Sin Jeong-Hyuk stares at her. "Why didn't you tell me what you are?"
"It's prohibited." She inhales the cold air. "Jeong-Hyuk, we can't reveal it to outsiders. If I had successfully marked you as mine, then I could have revealed everything. But I don't know how to do it. You didn't want to marry me either."
"I was worried about your career," Sin Jeong-Hyuk replies to her, exhausted. "I didn't know about your condition."
"Now, you know." She walks closer to him hesitantly. "Jeong-Hyuk, please forgive me. It won't happen again. You love me, right? I have been waiting for you at our apartment. We have been in love for so long."
They have been in love. He can't say if he's in love with her now. Sin Jeong-Hyuk understands her condition. This heat spell… he has seen Chicken suffering from it. If it's the same, then Oh Ji Ye didn't have any choice. Then who does he blame? Maybe no one.
"I forgive you, Ji Ye. Stop crying now."
"Then, are we…" She holds his hand and looks up at him hopefully. "Please don't abandon me."
"I won't." He shakes her hand off him. "Wash your face. I will make you something to eat."
Not waiting for her reply, he takes long strides toward the kitchen.
Oh Ji Ye takes the seat on the other side of the kitchen, watching him silently.
He's not the same. Oh Ji Ye places her elbows on the kitchen counter, leaning forward. His heart is wavering because of that girl.