The Probability of Meeting My Ex in a Heterosexual Dating Program

Chapter 32

“Seo-jung, you worked hard all night.”

“Yes, you too, sunbae.”

After finishing the greeting with a smile, Seo-jung immediately left the building. Standing at the airport bus stop, Seo-jung took out his phone while massaging his stiff neck and shoulders.

Notifications had piled up on his phone, which he hadn’t checked since break time. Among the various notifications, what caught Seo-jung’s eye was undoubtedly the one from the Please Take Care of My X application.

!  You can now access the mailbox.

Please check your messages within the time limit.

!  The viewing time for Day 4’s mailbox has expired.

Unchecked messages will be automatically deleted!

After reading the notifications that arrived with a time difference, Seo-jung opened the mailbox, just in case.

“…I guess it really disappeared.”

As informed, there were no messages that had arrived on Day 4. Seo-jung rubbed his eyes after confirming the empty mailbox.

“Can’t be helped…”

Although it was due to work, rules were rules. Seo-jung put his phone back in his pocket. He didn’t have anyone he particularly wanted to impress anyway. There was no reason to feel attachment to disappeared messages.

Not long after, the airport bus arrived. Seo-jung boarded the bus.

And so, the message containing Cha Yoon’s feelings disappeared without ever reaching the intended recipient.

***

They say you don’t know where you fall asleep, but you know where you wake up. Cha Yoon tossed and turned all night alone in the room without Seo-jung.

Every time he turned his head, Seo-jung’s empty bed caught his eye, and inevitably, irritation welled up. Cha Yoon repeated this dozens of times throughout the night. It was natural that his emotions didn’t settle but blazed even more. Extremely agitated, he finally fell asleep just as the sun was rising.

The aftermath continued into the morning. Cha Yoon, who had overslept, was in a bad mood. It was because the routine he had been keeping was broken. Skipping the exercise he did every day made his whole body feel stiff. Just as Cha Yoon threw a wet towel with a “tsk” and was heading to the first floor in low spirits, he saw Song Joo-ah coming out of her room with perfect timing.

Cha Yoon’s eyebrows twitched. Cha Yoon had a good memory, and because of that, he held grudges for a long time. He looked at Song Joo-ah with a thoroughly crooked expression.

Sensing his gaze, Joo-ah turned her head to look at Cha Yoon and walked towards him, smiling brightly for some reason.

“Cha Yoon, did you just wake up?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Song Joo-ah, who had been staring at Cha Yoon’s fierce eyes, brightened up. Even though the conversation had ended, Cha Yoon slightly frowned at Song Joo-ah, who was still lingering in front of him. He hadn’t noticed at first glance, but looking closely, her outfit was a bit different from usual.

Sensing Cha Yoon’s gaze examining her, Song Joo-ah immediately twirled around once. Just like a model at a fashion show.

“How do I look today?”

The vibrant expression, the outfit more refreshing than usual, and that last comment just now. Everything felt unsettling.

“I need to put in extra effort today.”

It felt like she was emphasizing each word as she spoke, true to her expression. Cha Yoon found Song Joo-ah’s behavior strangely irritating.

“Are you going to work dressed like that?”

“I wouldn’t dress like this if I were meeting company people, right?”

Despite the skewed question, Song Joo-ah seemed unfazed and easily countered. Cha Yoon narrowed his eyes.

“Who are you meeting?”

“It’s a secret.”

With those final words, Song Joo-ah checked the time. Cha Yoon racked his brain trying to understand Song Joo-ah’s intentions.

“It’s already this late. I’m almost late for my appointment, so I’ll be going. Cha Yoon, you should rest well at home.”

Song Joo-ah winked and took light steps. Cha Yoon silently watched her back until she opened the front door and left. No matter how much he tried not to care, he couldn’t help but be concerned.

***

Ki Seo-jung was leaning against the car prepared by the production team. His eyelids were heavy from working overnight.

But it was supposed to be a date day. Even if the partner was Song Joo-ah, he couldn’t show that he was tired. Seo-jung pressed his eyes firmly, trying to hide his fatigue.

“Seo-jung, did you wait long?”

The quiet air came back to life with Song Joo-ah’s voice. Seo-jung immediately raised his lowered head and pulled up the corners of his mouth. It was an expression Seo-jung could make anytime.

“No, I just got here too.”

Seo-jung maintained his smiling face and moved to open the passenger side door. Song Joo-ah raised her eyebrows and chuckled softly.

“I could drive if you want.”

“No, I’ll do it. Get in.”

“Seo-jung, your manners are too good.”

Song Joo-ah spoke with laughter in her voice as she got into the passenger seat. Seo-jung, who had exchanged smiles with Song Joo-ah, walked around the hood and sat in the driver’s seat.

“Where should we go?”

Since it was a date location with memories of X, only Song Joo-ah knew the destination.

Seo-jung was relieved that his voice came out as usual. Since it was a day to revisit Cha Yoon and Song Joo-ah’s memories, he had to manage his expressions all day. Seo-jung gripped the steering wheel, forcing strength into the corners of his mouth that kept wanting to droop.

“Well, it’s a bit far.”

Song Joo-ah smiled lightly and entered the address herself. As he watched the letters being entered, Seo-jung momentarily held his breath. For some reason, it was a familiar address. He discreetly rubbed his chest, which felt tight.

Looking at the destination, he naturally recalled his first anniversary with Cha Yoon.

A memory that was more beautiful because of its inexperience. It was the first and therefore even more precious. The place where that happy memory resided was also in Gangwon-do, where Seo-jung and Song Joo-ah were now heading.

Even after the destination was set, Seo-jung stared blankly at the navigation screen before belatedly smiling and pressing the accelerator. His irregularly beating heart kept calling up memories of that day.

The journey wasn’t as awkward as he had thought. Song Joo-ah, who had been talking to him throughout to keep things from getting boring, saw a rest area sign and tapped Seo-jung’s arm.

“Seo-jung, how about stopping at the rest area for a bit? You’ve been driving for two hours already. Let’s take a break and get something tasty to eat.”

“Shall we, then?”

Seo-jung changed lanes with a gentle smile. Soon after, the car carrying the two of them smoothly parked in the rest area parking lot.

As they got out of the car and walked around the rest area, Seo-jung remembered Cha Yoon scrunching his face and saying the sausage he bought was bad. Although it should have become blurry by now, the memory was so vivid that it stung inside his chest. Seo-jung followed Song Joo-ah with a bitter smile.

They didn’t even stay at the rest area for 10 minutes. Soon they were back in the car, driving along the winding road. Joo-ah, who had been staring at the distant mountain ridges, opened her mouth.

“Seo-jung, have you been to Gangwon-do a lot?”

“I used to come here often for fun until last year, but this is my first time this year. How about you, Joo-ah?”

“For me, except for Seoul, I haven’t been to most places in Korea. I was busy going abroad whenever I had time. So I’m really looking forward to today’s date.”

When he turned his head, he saw an excited face. Song Joo-ah looked like someone visiting a place she had never been to before. But their destination was a place filled with memories of Song Joo-ah and Cha Yoon, selected by her personally.

How could she make such a face? Curiosity arose, but Seo-jung didn’t bother to ask.

“You must like traveling.”

“Yes, there’s a tension and excitement you can only feel when visiting an unfamiliar place. I like that. How about you, Seo-jung?”

“I wasn’t particularly fond of it, but as I traveled more, I gradually came to like it.”

It was exactly as he said. Seo-jung wasn’t particularly fond of traveling. But over the past 7 years, as he traveled with Cha Yoon, his thoughts gradually changed. It was thanks to realizing that seeing and feeling good things with someone you love gives incomparable satisfaction.

“You must have gone with someone you really like. For your preferences to change that much.”

“Pardon?”

“For it to remain a good memory, who you go with is important too, right?”

“Ah…”

Joo-ah spoke in a subtle voice. It was around this point that the conversation topic completely shifted from travel to something else.

Although Cha Yoon, who had made a fuss at her yesterday morning, was still irksome and annoying, he was still one of her few friends. Since she had decided to help, she wanted to do it properly.

“Seo-jung, did you come out with the intention of trying to make things work again with X?”

“…”

“I’m curious if you’re willing to give a chance to someone else who has strong feelings for you.”