Later that afternoon, Carrie sprawled on the sofa, switching channels with the same enthusiasm as someone flipping through a boring textbook. Boredom had officially unpacked its bags, and the only company she had was Jae-wook—the walking, talking mood-killer who always had his face buried in his phone like it was a treasure map. She let out an exaggerated hiss, watching the clock tick slower than a sloth on a treadmill.
Just as she was contemplating a nap, Jae-wook strutted out, dressed in a sleek black suit that screamed "Bond, but make it K-drama." His hair was slicked back, and the sheer elegance of it all demanded attention. Carrie's jaw dropped—only to immediately snap shut as she burst into laughter.
"And what's that supposed to be?" she managed between snorts, clutching her stomach.
"A French tie," Jae-wook replied, his tone dripping with misplaced pride.
"French tie?" Carrie repeated, doubling over again. "I've been to France, and nobody wears a tie like that. You look like a strangled baguette."
Jae-wook's perfectly sculpted brow twitched. "Do you have any idea how much effort I put into this?"
"Oh, I can tell," Carrie teased, grinning mischievously.
Jae-wook rolled his eyes, muttering, "Why am I even talking to you?"
"Wait, are you going on a date? Because not even your flawless skin is going to save you." Carrie hopped off the couch and pointed in front of her. "Stand here."
"And why should I do that?" he shot back, his suspicion evident.
"Come on, Jae, just trust me for once!" she said, stepping onto the sofa for some much-needed height.
Jae-wook gasped like she'd committed a cardinal sin. "You're going to ruin the sofa!"
"Relax, I'm wearing socks," she said nonchalantly as she reached for his tie. "Let's fix this disaster."
As she unraveled his masterpiece, she couldn't resist the jab. "You said you're good at everything, yet you can't even knot a tie properly?"
Jae-wook smirked. "And I'm sure my terrible tie-knotting skills still beat your best cooking skills."
"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Carrie quipped, feigning hurt before diving into tutorial mode. "First, drape the tie around your neck—wide end longer. Second, cross the wide end over the narrow. Third, loop it under and back across. Fourth, pull it through the neck loop. Fifth, tuck it into the front loop and tighten. Adjust, and voilà!"
She finished with a triumphant flourish and looked up, only to meet his eyes. Something flickered between them, but Carrie quickly shook it off, climbing down like she'd just disarmed a bomb.
"What's wrong? Can't handle a little eye contact?" Jae-wook taunted, leaning slightly closer, his lips twitching into a smirk.
"Don't be ridiculous," Carrie shot back, laughing nervously. "Anyway, don't forget to give me all the credit when your date compliments your tie."
Jae-wook leaned even closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Do you think my date would be happy to hear that the girl I live with knotted my tie?" He smirked, his gaze lingering. "I'm going to the office, not a date, Ms. Evans."
Carrie's brain short-circuited for a moment before she pushed him away. "I couldn't care less," she huffed, stepping aside. "Hi, Mr. Jin!" she called to the butler, waving like nothing had happened.
"Good evening, Ms. Evans," Mr. Jin replied politely as he followed Jae-wook out, leaving Carrie alone with her racing thoughts.
"What was that?" she muttered, clutching her chest like her heart was playing hopscotch. "Pull it together, Carrie," she scolded herself, flopping onto the sofa.
A few minutes later, the boredom monster was back, and Carrie found herself wandering aimlessly around the house until she stopped in front of Jae-wook's room.
"He doesn't even shut his door properly," she murmured, pushing it open. A gust of air swept past her as if inviting her in.
Inside, she was greeted by a room so luxurious it made her own feel like a broom closet. "This isn't a room—it's a suite! Look at the colors, the design… Is that a refrigerator?"
Curiosity dragged her to it, and she hesitated for half a second before opening it. Her jaw dropped. "This isn't a fridge—it's a chocolate shrine!" She gasped, marveling at the treasure trove. Then her eyes landed on a shiny bottle.
"Masseto – Tenuta dell'Ornellaia?" she whispered in awe. "This stuff costs more than my entire wardrobe. How the hell did he get it?"
Cut to thirty minutes later, and Carrie was slumped on Jae-wook's bed, her head spinning like a carousel, the once-full bottle of Masseto lying empty on the floor.
"He's definitely going to kill me," she slurred, giggling uncontrollably. "Am I drunk? I think I'm drunk." She barely finished her sentence before her eyes fluttered shut, and she passed out cold, a smile plastered across her face.
Not long after, Jae-wook walked into the house, his senses immediately tingling at the eerie silence. Suspicious. Too suspicious. With a frown, he headed straight for his room. When he pushed the door open, he froze mid-step, clutching his chest like a melodramatic actor in a soap opera. There, sprawled across his pristine bed like some overgrown, hibernating koala, was Carrie.
"What the—what's she doing here?" he muttered, glancing around like someone might jump out and accuse him of harboring stray humans. His gaze shifted, and his eyes locked onto the empty bottle of Masseto – Tenuta dell'Ornellaia lying on the floor like evidence at a crime scene. He squinted, the realization hitting him like a truck.
"Did she?" he whispered, his voice filled with disbelief and dread. Stomping over to the bed, he bent down and gave her shoulder a firm poke. "Hey! Carrie! Wake up!" He leaned closer, noticing the faint chocolate stains on the corner of her lips. "She sleeps like a damn log," he grumbled, tapping her face.
Carrie's eyes flew open so suddenly it nearly sent him careening into the nightstand. "What's wrong with you?!" he yelped, clutching his chest again for dramatic effect.
"What's wrong with me?" Carrie replied, a dreamy, tipsy smile plastered on her face. "What's wrong with you?"
Jae-wook straightened, rubbing his temples. "Are you… drunk?"
Carrie squinted at him like he'd just asked if grass was green. "I don't knooow," she slurred, fluttering her hands in the air. "Am I?"
"Oh, for God's sake," Jae-wook muttered, dragging his hands down his face. "This is so frustrating."
"Frustrating?" Carrie shot up suddenly, startling him again. "Ava said that too. She said I'm frustrating, but I'm not! I mean, do you know how hard it is to live with your crush of eight years? And his girlfriend?" she blurted, pointing accusingly at his perfectly symmetrical face. "And y'all think I'm frustrating? No. No!" Her voice wobbled. "I'm frustrated."
Jae-wook blinked, his jaw slack. "Wait—what?"
Carrie sniffled dramatically, her eyes glassy. "Am I not pretty?" she asked, her voice small and laced with sadness.
Caught off guard, Jae-wook nodded in disagreement automatically. "No, no, you're… I mean, you are—uh—pretty?"
"No, I'm not! I'm ugly and pathetic," she wailed, throwing her arms over her face. "I miss my mom! She shouldn't have died!" She sat up, her emotions taking a sharp left turn into chaos. "MOTHER-FREAKING UNIVERSE, WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU?!" she screamed at the ceiling.
"Okay, okay, just—just go back to bed!" Jae-wook said, panicking.
"NO!" Carrie bellowed, sitting cross-legged on the bed like she was summoning ancient spirits. "I won't sleep until the universe answers me! AT LEAST GIVE ME A BOYFRIEND, YOU COWARDS!"
Jae-wook pinched the bridge of his nose, visibly regretting every decision that had led to this moment. "Carrie," he said slowly, like he was coaxing a wild animal. "Just lie down. Sleep. Please."
"I hate you a little less," she mumbled, letting him gently push her back onto the pillows. "But I still hate you." She snuggled into the blanket, her face softening into a pout as sleep overtook her.
Jae-wook exhaled, shaking his head. "She's even more annoying when she's drunk. Kinda pathetic, though…" A faint smile tugged at his lips as he watched her for a moment, muttering, "What a mess." Then he turned, shutting the door softly behind him.
As he walked away, Carrie let out a sleepy murmur. "Universe, I take it back. Maybe Jae-wook wouldn't be the worst boyfriend… but he still sucks, he is a huge red flag too, maybe a red sea in fact."