By Zephyria 
Gasp. A cloud of breath burst from Yeon-rok’s mouth. After kissing very affectionately, Moon Kyeon-woo hugged the other person and whispered something. The breaths of the lovers mingled with each other. The two of them hugged for a long time and then walked away arm in arm. It seemed like they were going for a walk around the neighborhood because they were sad to part.
Yeon-rok, who had been staring intently in the direction the two had disappeared, came to his senses because something hot was flowing down his nose. He reflexively spread out his hand to catch it, and drops of red blood dripped onto his sleeve. Yeon-rok only tried to keep the nosebleed from touching his Cherished doll, not caring if the blood got on his clothes. This time, the nosebleed didn’t stop easily.
“Ah, so that’s why he hated me from the beginning.”
Only then did Yeon-rok realize why Moon Kyeon-woo had shown even hostility towards him from the first time they met. He was already in a relationship.
Name partners are a well-matched pair. But that’s only after they meet. Since Names usually manifest in the late teens or early twenties, many of them were already in a relationship when their Name manifested. Naturally, both the existing lover and the Name partner were very displeased with this fact. Or even the person whose Name manifested.
No wonder he looked so disgusted every time I talked to him. I really shouldn’t talk to him anymore. I feel a little sorry.
Suddenly, his vision became hazy. Yeon-rok wiped the continuously flowing nosebleed with his sleeve, looked up at the sky, and exclaimed. White snow was falling. It was a white Christmas. Cool snowflakes landed on his neat forehead, which was exposed by his pinned-back hair.
“Merry White Christmas!”
Yeon-rok threw a hollow Christmas greeting into the air for no reason. He felt lonely. So he said to the Cherished doll he was holding, “I was talking to you,” to gloss over it. In that way, he finished preparing to welcome the New Year lonely, even though he had three Name partners.
“Yes? How did a fire break out?”
Kim Jeong-seong asked back in confusion. Yeon-rok, who was not only soaking wet but also covered in soot, answered sullenly.
“One of the decorations on the Christmas tree fell on the outlet and suddenly a fire broke out……”
One of the places where Yeon-rok spent the most time in this house was the indoor garden. Unlike the cold rooftop garden in winter, it was indoors, the sunlight came in moderately warmly, and people who worked there often came and went.
So today, he was lying comfortably on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, basking in the warm sunlight. Suddenly, one of the Santa Claus-shaped ornaments fell from the Christmas tree that hadn’t been taken down yet. Yeon-rok’s eyes widened as he watched the Santa Claus land on the outlet.
Then, suddenly, smoke began to rise with an ominous crackling sound. And then it caught fire.
‘Huh? Uh-oh?’
Startled, Yeon-rok jumped up and hesitated to pour water from the waterfall. Was it okay to pour water on an electrical fire? Wouldn’t he get electrocuted? In the meantime, the flames spread to the Christmas tree. Thinking that something big was about to happen, he quickly ran over and grabbed the flames with his hands to put them out, and at that moment, with a loud fire alarm sound, water poured out of the sprinklers.
And then Kim Jeong-seong and Park Yeo-sa, who happened to be at home, ran over and found Yeon-rok standing there helplessly with burns on his hands.
“Yes, well……”
Kim Jeong-seong, who took out a handkerchief and wiped the soot from Yeon-rok’s eyes, said in a stiff voice.
“I’ll call the manager and come back, so please wait a moment.”
“Oh my, what’s going on. This has never happened in this house before, Young Master must have been surprised.”
The words that this had never happened in this house before pierced Yeon-rok’s ears. Park Yeo-sa took the handkerchief from Kim Jeong-seong and carefully wiped off the soot. Then, she discovered the minor burns on his hands and was surprised, so she quickly took him to the kitchen and washed them with cold water. When Kim Jeong-seong, who had returned while she was diligently applying ointment, said mournfully.
“I’m really sorry, Lee Yeon-rok. You must have been very surprised by the fire caused by poor management…… I have no words to say. I will reprimand and replace the manager.”
“Yes? Well, it’s okay to that extent. No, maybe? Perhaps……? It might be my fault……”
Kim Jeong-seong shook his head with a serious expression at Yeon-rok’s words.
“I’ve checked the CCTV and the equipment. You didn’t touch anything, Lee Yeon-rok. You didn’t do anything wrong at all.”
But it wasn’t for nothing that Yeon-rok said this. His life was one where all sorts of unlucky situations that others might experience once a year followed him around.
Still, he had been living in this house without any major incidents for a while, but suddenly an ornament fell and, coincidentally, it shocked the outlet and caused a fire, so he felt a strange sense of guilt. Even though it wasn’t his fault, as Kim Jeong-seong said, he somehow felt like it was his fault.
“You even got burned. You must have inhaled toxic fumes, so you should go to the hospital right away for a checkup.”
“No! It’s really okay! The burn is only at the level of being burned by candle wax!”
He thought that inhaling some smoke and getting slightly burned wasn’t something that required a trip to the hospital, but it seemed like Kim Jeong-seong didn’t think so. Yeon-rok was only able to dissuade him after a long persuasion.
Because the two of them were so worried and told him to go to the hospital, he hid in his room for a few hours before coming out for dinner, where he encountered Choi Hwan, who was dressed to the nines and hadn’t taken off his makeup, picking at his salad. He had a look on his face as if he had bitten into a bug, but as soon as he saw Yeon-rok, his face brightened and he said.
“I heard you set a fire in the garden?”
“I didn’t.”
“You’re so bold. How did you even think of setting a fire in this house from the New Year?”
“I didn’t do it……!”
Yeon-rok grumbled as he was teased by Choi Hwan throughout dinner. Choi Hwan, who had always been unilaterally defeated by Yeon-rok, persistently teased him after catching a break. When he quickly finished his dinner and left, pretending not to hear, Choi Hwan followed him.
“Did you get fire insurance? You don’t have any money, so you should at least get insurance.”
It was when Yeon-rok was moving quickly with a grim face.
“Hwan-ah, I checked and your schedule has changed……”
“……!”
Unfortunately, Yeon-rok collided with his manager, who was hurriedly entering the kitchen at a perfect timing. He lost his balance and fell without realizing it, but felt something solid supporting him from behind. Crash!
‘Warm……?’
He felt an unfamiliar sensation. After falling down with a loud noise, he came to his senses and realized that someone was under him. He heard a groan from below.
“Wow, I almost ruined my expensive face.”
Choi Hwan, who was lying underneath, frowned and glared. Because he was so close that a shadow was cast over his handsome face, Yeon-rok was startled and jumped up, and he ostentatiously shook off his clothes and stood up. Jo Jun-ho, who was surprised, scolded Choi Hwan.
“Yeon-rok, I’m sorry! I was too busy and I just…… Are you hurt? Hwan-ah, you should worry about people first!”
“Why would I worry about him? I even caught him so he wouldn’t crack his head when he started the fire. And Hyung, you’re supposed to be my manager, why aren’t you worrying about me first? And what’s my schedule?”
Choi Hwan grumbled, glanced at Lee Yeon-rok, and then turned his gaze to Jo Jun-ho. Aaaargh! Embarrassed, Yeon-rok tore at his hair and fled the scene.
The next morning, Moon Kyeon-woo, whom he ran into on his way to work, glanced at Lee Yeon-rok, sized him up, muttered, and then brushed past him.
“Arsonist.”
It was the first time Moon Kyeon-woo had spoken to him first, but Yeon-rok wasn’t happy about it at all.
“…That’s not true!”
Fuming, he went to the indoor garden, only to find that all the Christmas decorations had been taken down. He had enjoyed spacing out and looking at the colorful decorations, so he was a little disappointed. Sighing, he was about to open the front door and leave when Moon Kyeon-woo burst back in. It seemed he had forgotten something. But…
“…!”
What is this? Why do I feel déjà vu? This bad luck…!
His ominous premonition was spot on. Startled, Moon Kyeon-woo lost his balance on the threshold as he tried to step back, and he instinctively reached out. Moon Kyeon-woo’s hand, gripping Yeon-rok’s collar, tightened. There was a ripping sound, and Yeon-rok’s five-year-old, worn-out short-sleeved pajamas, which he wore as loungewear, tore.
Yeon-rok’s bare chest was exposed. The two stared at each other with dumbfounded expressions. Moon Kyeon-woo, acting unfairly, shook his hand off in anger.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“That’s what I should be asking?!”
Yeon-rok shouted, covering the torn area with his arms, as the other man stared at his bare chest with contempt.
“Just my luck…”
“I should be saying that! Why did you tear my clothes!”
Moon Kyeon-woo clicked his tongue, grabbed the scarf he had hung up while taking off his shoes, and stormed out.