Handy Man

The doorbell rang. Jiwon groaned into her hands. The repair guy was early. She hadn't even finished stacking her worksheet onto the crooked IKEA shelf, the same one she'd assembled wrong twice before giving up and kicking it into place.

"Just a second!" she called, tripping over a half-unpacked box of teacups. The AC wheezed behind her, blowing lukewarm air. She yanked the door open expecting an old technician. Instead, a guy in a faded gray shirt stood there, toolbox in one hand, scratching his cheek with the other.

"Lee Jinho," he said, blinking slowly. "From 3B."

Jiwon stared. This wasn't some repairman this was the Lee Jinho from 3B, She heard about him when she arrived at the apartment. "Oh," she said, voice cracking slightly. "Right. The… handy guy."

Jinho grinned. "Handyman, but yeah." He nodded toward the AC, which chose that moment to shudder loudly. "Sounds about right."

Jiwon stepped aside, suddenly aware of the mess, laundry piled on the couch, unopened ramen packets stacked like a monument to her procrastination. Jinho didn't seem to notice. He walked past her and dropped his toolbox by the AC.

"Damn," he whistled, crouching to check the vents. "This thing's older than my grandma." He pried open the panel easily, revealing dusty wires and what looked like a dried leaf. "You ever clean this?"

"I just moved in," Jiwon said defensively. "It was like this when I got here."

Jinho snorted. "Landlord special." He pulled out a can of compressed air and blew out a cloud of dust so thick it looked like a sandstorm. The AC gasped and went silent.

"Did you kill it?" Jiwon asked.

"Nah," Jinho said, voice muffled as he dug inside. "Just gave it a break." There was a clang, then a curse. "Found the problem." He held up a corroded fuse like it was a dead bug. "This thing's been running on hope."

Jiwon squinted at it. "Can you fix it?"

"Not yet." Jinho wiped his hands on his jeans. "I need a new fuse. I'll grab one from my place."

Before she could protest, he was already at the door. "Be back in five," he called, jogging down the hallway. The door clicked shut.

Jiwon wiped her sweaty forehead. The apartment felt hotter without him. She cracked a window, but the outside air was just as stale. Her shirt clung to her back. When the knock came, she nearly tripped rushing to answer.

Jinho stood there, slightly out of breath, holding up a small bag. "Got it," he said, shaking it. The fuse rattled inside.

He went straight to the AC, popping in the new fuse. Jiwon hovered behind him, arms crossed. The air felt thicker now, her skin prickling with sweat.

Jinho flipped the breaker. For a second, nothing happened, then the AC roared to life, blowing cool air.

"Told you," Jinho said, grinning as he wiped his dusty hands on his jeans. "Just needed love. And a fuse that wasn't Jurassic."

Without thinking, Jiwon hugged him tight, face pressed into his shirt. He smelled good even when drenched in sweat. She registered his solid warmth for a few seconds, then jumped back like she'd been burned.

"Sorry!" she squeaked, flapping her hands. Her face burned hotter than the apartment had been. "I don't know why I did that."

Jinho just laughed. "No worries, Miss Park." He gathered his tools. "Consider it part of the service." He snapped his toolbox shut. "You can pay me later, if the AC doesn't act up in the next week." His grin was teasing. "Which it won't. Because I'm that good."

Jiwon tugged at her shirt, suddenly aware how ridiculous she must look sweaty and flustered. "Thanks," she muttered stiffly.

"You should change the filter soon," Jinho added, nodding at the vents. "Unless you like breathing old dust."

"How much would that cost?" Jiwon asked, mentally calculating her budget.