100.
#When is your birthday?
Since Choi Seon-gyeom didn’t know much about restaurants in Seoul, they decided to let Dawoon choose a place near the university. When asked what he liked, Choi Seon-gyeom said anything was fine, but since he was in Korea, Korean food would be nice. After thinking for a moment, Dawoon told him to come to the back gate of the university.
When Choi Seon-gyeom arrived at the restaurant, he was quite surprised, though he didn’t show it outwardly. It was a humble family-style restaurant serving set meals.
“It might not look like much, but I guarantee the food is good,” Dawoon said sheepishly before opening the door and entering first.
“Auntie, I’m here,” Dawoon greeted. The owner, who was alone in the restaurant, stood up smiling. Seeing how warmly she welcomed Dawoon, it was clear he was a regular.
“Is it not to your liking?” Dawoon asked as Choi Seon-gyeom looked around after sitting down. Choi Seon-gyeom quickly waved both hands.
“I’m just surprised places like this still exist.”
When Choi Seon-gyeom was in college, there were quite a few of these set meal restaurants. Perhaps that’s why it evoked memories.
“I was debating whether to go somewhere nicer, but I remembered you said you wanted home-cooked food,” Dawoon explained.
Choi Seon-gyeom had mentioned at the charity event that living alone for so long, he sometimes missed home-cooked meals. He had said it casually, but he was slightly touched that Dawoon remembered.
“It’s good. I like it very much,” Choi Seon-gyeom said with a bright smile, and only then did Dawoon seem relieved, smiling faintly.
It really was unexpected in many ways. A chaebol’s son in a place like this…
Even setting aside the Haedo Group name, it didn’t match Jeong Dawoon’s image. From head to toe, everything about him screamed luxury brands, and perhaps due to his upbringing, even his sitting posture was different from others. He clearly looked like a well-educated child from a wealthy family. Seeing such a person sitting in this run-down set meal restaurant created a huge disconnect.
“A friend introduced me to this place in my freshman year. I’ve been coming here occasionally since then, and it’s delicious,” Dawoon said, looking around the restaurant with a gentle smile. Choi Seon-gyeom could sense his genuine affection for this place.
“I don’t have much attachment to college life, but I feel sad thinking I won’t be able to come here after graduation.”
“You can come anytime even after graduating,” Choi Seon-gyeom replied casually, but Dawoon remained silent, his gaze fixed on a distant point.
He sounded as if he was going far away. Maybe this was why. When looking at Jeong Dawoon, there was a sense of instability, as if he wasn’t firmly grounded but floating in the air.
“I probably won’t be able to come,” Dawoon finally responded as the owner set down a tray full of side dishes, telling Dawoon especially to eat a lot before leaving them.
“It’s still in Seoul, how hard could it be?” Choi Seon-gyeom asked.
“I’m planning to study abroad,” Dawoon replied.
“Study abroad?”
Choi Seon-gyeom repeated, surprised by the unexpected answer. Dawoon nodded.
“I think I’ll be going to graduate school.”
Why ‘think I’ll be going’ and not just ‘going’? Thinking it an odd way to phrase it, Choi Seon-gyeom stared at him, but Dawoon avoided eye contact despite feeling his gaze.
“Please try the food,” Dawoon said, seemingly changing the subject deliberately. At his urging, Choi Seon-gyeom picked up his spoon and tasted the stew first. His eyes widened as the broth touched his lips.
“This is really delicious,” he exclaimed involuntarily. He had been having hotel breakfasts or eating out at various restaurants lately, but this truly tasted like home-cooked food. It had the deep flavor reminiscent of a grandmother’s cooking. As Choi Seon-gyeom looked back and forth between the food on the table and Dawoon with wide eyes, Dawoon smiled gently as if to say, “Right?”
It was a beautiful smile. At the same time, it was a smile that seemed somehow melancholic. This contradictory mix of emotions made it impossible for Choi Seon-gyeom to ignore his concern.
“By the way, when is your birthday?” Choi Seon-gyeom asked suddenly.
“My birthday?” Dawoon looked up from his meal, curious about the unexpected question.
“If it’s before I leave Korea, I’d like to give you a birthday gift,” Choi Seon-gyeom replied casually, continuing his meal. At his nonchalant tone, Dawoon chuckled and resumed eating.
“It’s already passed,” Dawoon said, implying no gift was necessary.
“When was it?” Choi Seon-gyeom asked again, feeling he needed to know.
“It was in May,” Dawoon answered while pouring water into an empty glass.
At this response, Choi Seon-gyeom’s chopsticks paused. However, he quickly resumed eating as if nothing had happened before Dawoon could notice.
***
Back at the hotel, Choi Seon-gyeom couldn’t take his eyes off the strand of hair in a small ziplock bag. As they were leaving the restaurant, he had plucked a strand of Dawoon’s hair under the pretense of removing something that was stuck to it.
Was it right to confirm? Would it just cause unnecessary trouble? Sometimes the truth wasn’t important. It might be better to live as they were now, knowing nothing, rather than stirring up problems.
No, was he just looking for excuses? Maybe he was just trying to avoid taking responsibility. Unlike in his work, Choi Seon-gyeom was quite irresponsible in his personal relationships. Perhaps his bad habit was surfacing, wanting to leave an escape route.
The more he thought about it, the more complicated his mind became. Even the fact that he was agonizing over this seemed foolish.
What exactly did he want to confirm? What did he want to do after confirming it? Unable to make a decision as he worried about whether he could handle the consequences, he paced around the hotel room with a frown.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” he called out, thinking it might be the filming staff, but there was no answer.
“Who…” he began as he opened the door, but his words trailed off as he saw the man standing there.
“Do you remember who I am?” the man asked politely.
“Jeong Hayun,” Choi Seon-gyeom said, correctly naming him.
Hayun’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “I hope I’m not being rude by visiting without notice.”
His tone was surprisingly gentle for someone committing a breach of etiquette. However, his attitude was firm, showing no intention of leaving.
“I’d like to have a brief conversation with you, if that’s alright,” Hayun asked.
Choi Seon-gyeom hesitated. The first emotion that came to mind was discomfort. But there was no reason to avoid it. There were also things he wanted to confirm directly.
“Come in,” he said, stepping aside.
Hayun strode in as if he had been waiting for this. Choi Seon-gyeom suspected that even if he had refused, Hayun wouldn’t have simply left.
“I don’t have much to offer. Would you like some coffee?” Choi Seon-gyeom asked, indicating the complimentary coffee provided by the hotel, as he hadn’t bought anything else since he only slept in the room.
Hayun politely declined. Seeing no need to insist, Choi Seon-gyeom gestured towards the table in one corner of the room.
“What brings you here?” Choi Seon-gyeom asked as soon as they sat down facing each other. He couldn’t think of any reason why this man would seek him out.
“I heard about your work from Dawoon,” Hayun began, his posture and tone impeccable. His manner reminded Choi Seon-gyeom of Dawoon. They were clearly brothers raised in the same household.
“Our Haedo Group would like to become your sponsor,” Hayun continued without beating around the bush.
Choi Seon-gyeom stared at him silently for a moment before exhaling deeply.
“If that’s the case, there was no need for the vice chairman of Haedo Group to come personally. You could have sent someone. Moreover, there was even less reason to come at this hour, to a hotel, in person.”
The offer of Haedo Group as a sponsor was certainly tempting. If it had been someone else sitting here, they might have clapped their hands in joy, thinking they’d never have to worry about financial difficulties in their work again.
But Choi Seon-gyeom couldn’t be purely happy about it. He had a feeling that this man’s visit wasn’t unrelated to Jeong Dawoon.
“You seem to be of a cautious nature,” Hayun remarked.
Frowning because the comment didn’t sound like a compliment, Choi Seon-gyeom replied honestly, “I’ve found that nothing in this world is free. Especially when someone shows such excessive kindness, there’s usually something fishy behind it.”
A faint smile appeared and disappeared on Hayun’s lips as he maintained eye contact. Compared to how he looked at Dawoon, it was a cynical expression that made it hard to believe it was the same person.
“Then let me be frank,” Hayun said with a smile. However, there was not a trace of humor in his eyes.
“There’s only one condition for this unlimited financial sponsorship. Don’t meet Jeong Dawoon privately.”
Choi Seon-gyeom’s face hardened at the blunt statement.
“Did you come because you knew I met Jeong Dawoon today?”
He asked, wondering if it could be true, but there was no answer.
“Don’t tell me you’re monitoring your brother?”
Again, Hayun didn’t deny it. Feeling a rising sense of displeasure, Choi Seon-gyeom stood up abruptly.
“You know, there’s something off about you. The way you treat Dawoon, no matter how I look at it…”
“That’s none of your concern,” Hayun interrupted, cutting off Choi Seon-gyeom’s words. There was no longer even a polite smile on his face. Only his ice-cold eyes were directed at Choi Seon-gyeom.
