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#Side 1. Small Changes in Daily Life (5)
Standing in front of the library, Hayun checked his watch several times. Realizing less than a minute had passed since he last checked, he quietly took a deep breath and furrowed his brow. The memory of the two months when Dawoon had disappeared made his blood run cold.
It couldn’t be. Hadn’t Dawoon said with his own mouth that he would stay by Hayun’s side? If he was planning to leave, he wouldn’t have been quietly attending graduate school classes.
No, you never know with people. Even when Dawoon ran away before, he hadn’t shown any signs right up until he left.
It might be fortunate if Dawoon had run away of his own will. What if he had gotten involved in a crime? What if he was in a situation where he couldn’t answer Hayun’s calls? That would be the worst-case scenario.
The thought that Jeong Dawoon could be hurt or dead made Hayun’s mind go blank. Even though he wanted to ignore the possibility that such things don’t happen often, hate crimes based on racial discrimination or random acts of violence could occur anytime, anywhere.
Jeong Dawoon, Jeong Dawoon.
Hayun repeated Dawoon’s name in his mind, trying to regain his composure. Excessive worry prevents proper judgment. He tried to think as rationally and realistically as possible while calming himself down.
With narrowed eyes, Hayun retraced Dawoon’s recent behavior and after a while, let out a short groan, “Ah.”
‘A Korean-style dessert café opened near the school.’
He recalled what Dawoon had said recently. What was written on the dessert café’s shopping bag? As soon as he remembered the café’s name, he took out his phone and searched for it on the map app.
“Ha!”
When he confirmed the café’s location, a gasp escaped him. Could it be…?
Although it seemed unlikely, he needed to grasp at any straw now. If there was a possibility, it was better to check it out.
“Vice Chairman!”
As he turned around and started walking quickly, Director Park, who had been on the phone with the security company nearby, was startled and hurriedly ran over.
“Where are you going?”
He asked, matching Hayun’s brisk pace.
“There’s something I need to confirm.”
“Then, shall we take the car…”
“That’s not necessary.”
Hayun flatly refused. There was no need to move the car. The café Dawoon had mentioned was only a one-minute walk from the library. The café sign was already visible in the distance.
With a gesture, he pointed to the café across the street, and Director Park turned his head to look in that direction.
“Oh?!”
His eyes widened as if he had discovered something.
“Is that person over there Dawoon?”
His tone was disbelieving even as he asked. Hayun narrowed his eyes and stared, almost glaring, at the café directly across the street. His gaze fixed on a man cleaning outdoor tables in front of the café. He was wearing a noticeable black cheollik, causing passing foreigners to turn and look at him.
“Ha!”
A bitter laugh escaped when the man turned around, briefly showing his face.
It really was Jeong Dawoon. Hayun could tell even from the back of his head.
“Why is Dawoon there…”
Director Park couldn’t finish his sentence and glanced at Hayun’s expression. Hayun stood still with his hands in his pockets, not taking his eyes off Dawoon. Thinking that Hayun’s gaze looked like it could tear Dawoon apart and swallow him whole, Director Park swallowed dryly and turned his head away.
“Is he doing part-time work?”
Hayun asked in a toneless voice. Director Park couldn’t even answer that it seemed so, and just watched Dawoon’s back as he soon disappeared into the café.
“Ha, after all that fuss, a part-time job…”
Disbelief was palpable in Hayun’s voice.
“Contact the security company and dismiss them all. Process their payment. Director Park, you can go home too. Thank you for your work.”
Hayun gave instructions in a calm voice, as if he had completely regained his composure. Director Park looked back and forth between Hayun and the café, then bowed his head and turned away. All he could do now was pray that Dawoon and Hayun wouldn’t have a big fight tonight.
Hayun crossed the street when the traffic light changed. He went right up to the café but didn’t go inside. Instead, he took a seat at one of the outdoor tables. There was a small menu on the table. As he was just skimming it with his eyes, a man wearing the same cheollik Dawoon had been wearing earlier approached and asked if he would like to order. He was speaking English, but judging by his accent, this man seemed to be Korean as well.
“Jeong Dawoon.”
The man hesitated for a moment at the clear pronunciation. Then he quickly put on a practiced smile.
“Oh, you know Dawoon hyung?”
Hyung. Hayun’s eyes turned cold at that term of address. How well did they know each other to be calling him ‘hyung’ already?
“When does he finish?”
“Dawoon hyung? He’s supposed to work until 7, but we’re busy today so it might run a bit late.”
Hayun swallowed a sigh that rose at that answer. 7 o’clock. Recently, Dawoon had been studying at the library until exactly that time. Hayun had thought maybe Dawoon didn’t like being in an empty house until he came home from work, but that wasn’t it. Rather, he had been working timed perfectly with Hayun’s return from work, and then acting as if nothing had happened.
“Should I call Dawoon hyung for you? He’s in charge of indoor serving, so he rarely comes outside.”
The part-timer explained kindly, thinking Hayun had come to meet Dawoon. It seemed his earlier appearance outside had been a coincidence.
“No. He’ll be done soon anyway, so I’ll just wait. There’s no need to tell him I’m here.”
Hayun casually ordered a drink and the café’s signature dessert. The part-timer acknowledged the order and went inside with the order slip.
Through a window on one side of the café, Hayun could see Dawoon moving back and forth inside. Watching this, he couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. It was mind-boggling enough that Dawoon was doing part-time work, but the fact that he had hidden it from Hayun was even more ridiculous.
He would have opposed if Dawoon had told him.
Hayun wasn’t unaware of why Dawoon had hidden it. But it was natural to oppose. What could Jeong Dawoon possibly need that he had to serve others? The card Hayun had given him was in Hayun’s name, but it was a black card with no limit. There was no way he could be lacking financially.
Social experience? Hayun couldn’t understand how a mere part-time job could provide any meaningful social experience. It was even less helpful for the career path Dawoon was aiming for. If he really needed experience, Hayun could have arranged a position at a broadcasting station or with a video production team.
Through the window, Hayun saw Dawoon smiling awkwardly at something a customer had said. The woman who had spoken to him seemed full of interest in Dawoon. When she said something while holding out her phone, possibly asking for his contact information, Dawoon shook his head with a forced smile. Fortunately, Hayun didn’t see him entering his contact information into her phone. If he had, Hayun would have rushed in immediately and dragged him out.
In truth, Hayun already wanted to ask a hundred times over why Dawoon was smiling at this person and that person in a place like this, drag him out, and take him home. Beyond that, he even wanted to confine Dawoon at home and prevent him from meeting anyone.
But if he did that, Jeong Dawoon, who was just starting to open his heart, would become wary and distance himself again. Since Dawoon was the type who didn’t want to inconvenience others, he would probably resist less if he was at least allowed to properly finish today’s work. So Hayun was waiting, summoning the utmost patience. He could make Dawoon quit after that.
***
Dawoon’s eyes kept darting to the clock on the wall. Caught up in the busy work, it was already past 7 o’clock. If he delayed any longer, he might not be able to match Hayun’s return time from work. Hayun was probably already on edge because Dawoon hadn’t been answering his calls, and if he came home late on top of that, it would really be unmanageable.
“Boss, I’m sorry but…”
“Oh, it’s already this late. Dawoon, you should head home. I’m sorry. I was caught up too.”
Fortunately, the owner urged him to go home quickly. Dawoon bowed his head and hurried to the staff room to take off the cheollik he was wearing and put it in the closet. His hands were busy packing his things. After seeing Hayun’s missed calls, his anxiety had peaked, and he couldn’t even remember how he had worked since then.
After 6:30, the calls had stopped coming. That made him even more anxious. Hayun must be in an uproar since he couldn’t reach Dawoon for over an hour. Dawoon couldn’t even begin to imagine what Hayun might have done.
As he left the café, he pulled up Hayun’s number on his phone screen. He knew he needed to call, but actually pressing the call button required courage. What excuse should he make for not answering the calls? That he had his phone on silent in the library? Or maybe that he had accidentally fallen asleep? He thought of all sorts of excuses, but none seemed particularly convincing even to himself. With his mind in turmoil, he just chewed on his lower lip.
“Are you finished now?”
He froze at the sound of the familiar voice. At the same time, it felt like his heart dropped. Slowly raising his head from looking at his phone, he saw Jeong Hayun standing right in front of him, hands in his pockets, wearing the perfect suit he had left in that morning.
“Hyung…”
As their eyes met, Dawoon swallowed hard.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
