The alarm rang. Loud. Rude. Unnecessary.
I groaned and slapped my hand around until I found my phone. 5:45 AM.
I squinted at the screen, wondering why I was even alive at this ungodly hour. Oh, right. Because capitalism exists.
I dropped the phone on my bed and lay there, staring at the ceiling like a woman questioning all her life choices.
What if I just… didn't go to work today? What if I quit? Ran away? Became a hermit in the mountains?
No. Rent exists.
With a deep sigh, I forced myself up. My mattress creaked in protest. I rubbed my eyes and reached for my phone again. Might as well check if a miracle had happened overnight.
I opened the roommate app and refreshed the page.
No listings.
I threw my phone back onto the bed. Of course.
I had been looking for a cheap place for weeks, but Seoul's rent prices laughed in my face every single time. My current place was a tiny shoebox of an apartment that came with a leaking sink, paper-thin walls, and a neighbor who thought midnight was the perfect time to practice the violin.
I needed to move. But clearly, the universe had other plans.
Whatever. I had to get ready for work.
---
I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor.
If I moved fast, I could be out of here in thirty minutes. If I moved at my usual speed—the speed of someone who hated mornings with a passion—I'd be running out the door like a madwoman.
After another full minute of doing absolutely nothing, I dragged myself to the bathroom and turned on the light.
Big mistake.
The mirror did not lie.
Dark circles? Check.
Hair looking like I fought a tornado in my sleep? Check.
Overall vibe? Disheveled. Tired. Possibly cursed.
I brushed my teeth while avoiding eye contact with my reflection. Some things were better left unseen.
---
Back in my room, I yanked open my closet. Instant regret.
Half my clothes were wrinkled. The other half were on the floor because I had yet to master the concept of folding.
I dug through the mess until I found something decent—a crisp white blouse and a fitted black pencil skirt. Classic. Professional. Boring.
I grabbed my favorite black heels—the ones that had scuff marks but were the only pair that didn't murder my feet.
Getting dressed was a workout. I buttoned my blouse while hopping on one foot to shove my heel on. Multitasking at its finest.
---
I made my way to the kitchen and opened the fridge.
Depressing.
One carton of milk. Half a slice of cheese. An expired yogurt I was too scared to throw away.
I sighed and grabbed the last packet of instant coffee from the counter. If I couldn't have a good life, at least I could have caffeine.
As I sipped my coffee, I glanced at my phone again.
Still no roommate listings.
Still no hope.
Perfect.
I grabbed my bag, straightened my skirt, and headed for the door.
Time to survive another day.
---
The bus pulled up just as I reached the stop. Barely made it.
I stepped in, looked around, and—of course. No seats.
Every spot was taken by half-asleep workers, students with headphones, and elderly people who had somehow claimed their spots before sunrise.
I grabbed onto a metal pole and braced myself.
The driver pulled off like he was escaping the cops. I lurched forward, barely catching myself before smashing into a businessman who gave me a look that said, "Why are you like this?"
The bus ride was pure suffering.
Someone's elbow jabbed my ribs.
A guy behind me kept sighing dramatically into my hair.
An old lady beside me was on the phone, ranting about her daughter-in-law at full volume.
I just stared out the window, mentally counting down the stops.
By the time my stop came, I practically threw myself off the bus, inhaling fresh air like I had just escaped a hostage situation.
Now, time to survive work.
---
The second I stepped into the office, I heard it.
"Look who's barely on time again."
I didn't even need to turn around. Minji. The office gossip. The queen of passive-aggressive comments.
I sighed and walked past her desk. "I still have five minutes."
Minji just snorted and flipped her perfect, salon-treated hair. "Sure, sure. Maybe one day, you'll actually be early."
Not today, Satan.
I made it to my desk, dropped my bag, and powered on my computer. My inbox was already overflowing with emails.
Before I could even breathe, a THUD landed on my desk.
I didn't have to look up. I knew who it was.
Mr. Kwon. My boss.
Or, as I liked to call him, The Human Thundercloud.
"You're late," he said.
I sighed. "I'm not late."
He raised an eyebrow. He always looked like he hadn't slept in ten years. His suit was sharp, his expression sharper, and his ability to ruin my day was truly unmatched.
"Fix the reports from last night," he said, pointing at the files. "They're a mess."
I clenched my teeth. Of course, they were a mess. I didn't even write them.
"Didn't—"
"I don't care who did them," Kwon cut me off. "Just fix it." And with that, he was gone.
I resisted every urge to throw something. Instead, I grabbed the first file and muttered under my breath, "I hope your next coffee is cold."
Minji snickered from her desk. "What was that?"
I shot her a look. "Nothing."
I sighed, cracked my knuckles, and got to work.
Just another day in hell.
Chapter Two: Desperation Looks Like This
Lunch break.
I sat in the office cafeteria, poking at my sad excuse for a meal. A convenience store kimbap roll and a can of iced coffee. Pathetic. But considering the rent prices in Seoul, this was the life I had accepted.
With a sigh, I pulled out my phone and refreshed the roommate listings again.
Still nothing.
I exhaled through my nose and leaned back in my chair. This wasn't fair. People found roommates all the time. Why was the universe making it impossible for me?
Determined, I went to a different app and started scanning through listings.
1st Listing: "Looking for a Quiet, Neat Roommate!"
Sounds decent. I clicked on it.
> Rent: ₩500,000/month
Rules:
No loud noises.
No guests after 9 PM.
No cooking after 7 PM.
No watching TV without headphones.
No showering after 10 PM.
No walking too loudly.
I blinked. No walking too loudly?
Was I trying to rent a room or sign up for military training?
Next.
2nd Listing: "Roommate Needed—Pet Lovers Only!"
Not bad. I clicked.
Rent: ₩450,000/month
My pets Includes:
One golden retriever
Two cats
Three hamsters
One parrot
An iguana
I stared. Why did this person have an entire zoo?
Pass.
3rd Listing: "Male Roommate Preferred"
I clicked. Maybe they were just open to male roommates, not strictly looking for one.
> Rent: ₩600,000/month
Requirements:
Must be male.
Must enjoy gaming.
Must be okay with loud music at night.
Must contribute to buying beer.
I squinted.
Was this a listing for a roommate or a frat house?
Next.
4th Listing: "Rent-Free Room Available (Must Be Open-Minded)"
I paused. Rent-free? In Seoul? Too good to be true.
I clicked.
> Requirements:
Must be female.
Must be friendly.
Must be okay with spending time together.
Must be willing to 'help out' when needed.
I didn't even want to know what help out meant.
Block!.
5th Listing: "Clean, Spacious Apartment—Split Rent 50/50"
Finally! A normal one! I clicked eagerly.
> Rent: ₩500,000/month
Looking for:
Someone responsible
Someone quiet
Someone who doesn't bring home random people
Someone who doesn't smoke or drink
Okay, reasonable. I scrolled to the pictures.
And froze.
It was the smallest, darkest, most depressing-looking apartment I had ever seen. The walls looked like they had witnessed a crime. The floor had mysterious stains. The bathroom? Let's not talk about the bathroom.
I slowly closed the app.
This was it. I was doomed.
I slumped against the table and groaned.
"What's with the face?"
I looked up. Minji was standing there, holding her expensive salad like she was judging my entire existence. Which she probably was.
"Nothing," I muttered.
Minji sat across from me. "Still looking for a roommate?"
"No," I deadpanned. "I'm browsing for pain."
She smirked. "Well, you're in luck. That's free."
I rolled my eyes and picked up my iced coffee. "I'll find something soon."
"Sure you will," she said, looking entirely unconvinced.
I didn't care. Because no matter what, I wasn't giving up.
I just wished the universe would throw me a damn break.
Minji tossed her salad container into the trash and smirked at me. "Maybe you should just accept your fate and move back in with your parents."
I scoffed. Move back home? Where my mother would give me daily lectures on marriage and my father would sigh dramatically every time I walked into the room? Absolutely not.
"I'll find a place," I said firmly.
Minji shrugged. "If you say so." She glanced at her phone and stood up. "Gotta get back to work. Try not to cry when you end up living under a bridge."
I rolled my eyes as she walked away.
I wasn't giving up. I'd keep searching, keep refreshing, keep—
Ping!
A notification popped up on my screen.
> New listing available: Shared apartment, fully furnished, affordable rent. Immediate move-in.
I sat up. Finally!
I clicked on it.
My eyes scanned the details. The location was perfect. The price was reasonable. The apartment pictures looked decent.
And then I saw it.
> Roommate: Male.
I frowned. A guy? Not ideal, but at this point, did I even have a choice?
I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the contact button.
Then, with a deep breath—
I clicked.