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#A Person Like the Wind
“Am I being too clingy with young people?” Choi Seon-gyeom asked. However, contrary to his words, his expression showed no sign of embarrassment or concern.
“I’ve never thought about that,” Jeong Dawoon answered honestly. Choi Seon-gyeom looked too young to refer to himself as an older person compared to Jeong Dawoon. If Jeong Dawoon hadn’t seen Choi Seon-gyeom’s age in his autobiography, he wouldn’t have believed he was in his late 40s.
“Then is it just a lack of interest?” Choi Seon-gyeom mumbled, almost to himself. Jeong Dawoon tilted his head, confused. Noticing Jeong Dawoon’s lack of understanding, Choi Seon-gyeom smiled.
“I’m very interested in you, Jeong Dawoon. So I was hoping you’d show some interest in me too.”
Jeong Dawoon couldn’t understand the intention behind these words. The mention of “interest” made it even more confusing. It certainly wasn’t the kind of interest that same-aged friends of the opposite sex would have.
“Among all the people who came to the exhibition that day, you were the only one who looked at that video so intently,” Choi Seon-gyeom added. Jeong Dawoon let out a low “Ah” as he finally understood. It seemed Choi Seon-gyeom had taken an interest in him because he had shown appreciation for Choi Seon-gyeom’s work.
Choi Seon-gyeom’s lips moved as if he was about to say something more, but then he closed his mouth and slightly furrowed his brow. It seemed he was also having trouble putting his thoughts into words.
“It’s not just that you were staring. Your expression looked quite complex,” Choi Seon-gyeom said.
Jeong Dawoon flinched at his words. Choi Seon-gyeom had seen right through him. It was true that the phrase “Far, yet close” had momentarily stirred up all kinds of thoughts. Could a completely different world be waiting just one step away? But it still felt so distant, as if it were a story from a world that had nothing to do with him. A faint hope followed quickly by resignation had repeated in his mind.
Had all those emotions been so clearly visible on his face? Jeong Dawoon felt embarrassed, thinking that his feelings had leaked out so obviously. Even though he had let his guard down, believing no one there knew him, he hadn’t expected to be so transparent.
“If it’s not too impolite, may I ask what you were thinking?” Choi Seon-gyeom asked, seemingly out of pure artistic curiosity. It was strange that someone who knew nothing about him would be so curious just because of the emotions that had crossed his face. But Jeong Dawoon wondered if it was this kind of personality that allowed Choi Seon-gyeom to capture such unique videos.
“Just…” Jeong Dawoon opened his mouth to answer but found it difficult to explain. He uttered one word and then closed his mouth again, but Choi Seon-gyeom waited patiently without pushing.
“It felt like a world too far removed from me… Like I didn’t belong,” Jeong Dawoon finally said. Even as he spoke, he wondered if his words made any sense. But it was difficult to explain more specifically.
“It’s not far at all. It’s somewhere you can go anytime if you just make up your mind,” Choi Seon-gyeom replied with a gentle smile. With that one sentence, Jeong Dawoon was once again struck by how free this man seemed. He envied that freedom. It really seemed like Choi Seon-gyeom could go anywhere he wanted, just by deciding to do so. Unlike himself.
Even though Jeong Dawoon might finally be able to escape his situation, it still wasn’t by his own will. If he had been unable to escape Jeong Hayun’s grasp until now, he was now simply being pushed out by his grandfather.
Could someone like him find beautiful scenery like this man did? In the end, how one sees things depends on one’s state of mind. Perhaps that’s why he couldn’t see the beauty right in front of him.
“You look troubled again,” Choi Seon-gyeom muttered, staring intently at Jeong Dawoon.
“Has anyone ever told you that you look like you’ve lived a full life, despite your age?”
Jeong Dawoon felt embarrassed at Choi Seon-gyeom’s observation. It was something Lee Ui-hyeon would say every now and then.
“Seems like you’ve heard that before,” Choi Seon-gyeom said, not missing even the slightest change in Jeong Dawoon’s expression. Jeong Dawoon rubbed his cheek with his palm and turned his head away. He felt like if he kept facing Choi Seon-gyeom, all his deeply hidden feelings would be exposed.
“You’re strangely intriguing,” Choi Seon-gyeom continued, taking a sip of the champagne he was holding. “From the moment I first saw you, I was drawn to your unique aura. Ah, don’t misunderstand.”
Choi Seon-gyeom quickly waved his hand, seeming to realize his words might be misinterpreted.
“What misunderstanding…?” Jeong Dawoon asked, puzzled.
Choi Seon-gyeom scratched the back of his head with an awkward expression. “That I might have romantic feelings for you or something like that. It’s quite common abroad, and people often misunderstand even the slightest show of goodwill.”
“Ah…” Jeong Dawoon trailed off, nodding. He didn’t particularly have a negative stance on homosexuality. No, he wasn’t in a position to. After all, he himself was in a relationship with a same-sex partner, his blood-related brother, that he couldn’t reveal to others. So he had no right to criticize or avoid Choi Seon-gyeom even if he were gay.
“Anyway, it’s not like that. It’s just on a human level, how do I explain this? This is a first for me too,” Choi Seon-gyeom said, furrowing his brow as he chose his words carefully. He seemed to be cautious, thinking his words might be misunderstood.
“Um, it’s like seeing a child left alone by the water’s edge.”
Jeong Dawoon burst into laughter at the unexpected comparison. Feeling like seeing a child? He really hadn’t thought of it that way.
“Oh? You’re laughing.”
Choi Seon-gyeom looked at Jeong Dawoon as if surprised by his laughter. Soon, a smile spread across Choi Seon-gyeom’s face as well.
“You look much better like this.”
Embarrassed by Choi Seon-gyeom’s honest compliment, Jeong Dawoon cleared his throat and turned his head away.
What a strange person, Jeong Dawoon thought. Usually, he didn’t like people who pushed into his personal space so easily. But for some reason, this man didn’t make him uncomfortable.
“Let’s really meet up separately for a meal sometime. I’ve been away from Korea for so long that I don’t have any friends here,” Choi Seon-gyeom said with a playful smile. Despite the age gap being nearly double, Jeong Dawoon didn’t dislike Choi Seon-gyeom’s approach, which was free from the weight of being an adult.
“Sure, let’s do that.”
“Really?”
Choi Seon-gyeom beamed with a smile that belied his age, clearly delighted by Jeong Dawoon’s response. Seeing him so childishly happy made Jeong Dawoon feel a bit guilty for having ignored Choi Seon-gyeom’s business card until now.
“You said you’re a college student, right? What’s your major?”
Choi Seon-gyeom naturally continued the conversation. For Jeong Dawoon, who wasn’t good at initiating conversations, this aspect of Choi Seon-gyeom was appreciated as it meant he didn’t have to worry about keeping the conversation going.
“Media and Communication Studies.”
“Is that like the old Journalism department? So, are you aiming for a news agency? An announcer?”
Choi Seon-gyeom mentioned ‘announcer’ as if it were obvious. Jeong Dawoon shook his head.
“I’m thinking about becoming a PD (Producer).”
“Wow. I was sure you’d be going for announcer. Your looks seem almost too good for a PD.”
Choi Seon-gyeom complimented Jeong Dawoon’s appearance without reserve. At the mention of having a standout face among those gathered here, Jeong Dawoon unconsciously looked towards Jeong Hayun. Surely, when talking about someone who stands out, it would be someone like Jeong Hayun, not himself.
“Ah, that person, wasn’t he said to be the heir to the Haedo Group? Certainly, that type stands out too…”
Choi Seon-gyeom followed Jeong Dawoon’s gaze to Jeong Hayun and trailed off. Wondering what he wanted to say, Jeong Dawoon turned back to look at him.
“His expression seems too stern. Just not the type I’d naturally get along with, I guess?”
Choi Seon-gyeom spoke so seriously that Jeong Dawoon couldn’t help but chuckle again. Indeed, it did seem like Jeong Hayun and Choi Seon-gyeom wouldn’t get along well. If Jeong Hayun was like a knife, precise without a hint of disorder, Choi Seon-gyeom was like freely flowing water, without any sense of formality.
“Well, not that we’d ever have any reason to be involved with each other anyway.”
Choi Seon-gyeom’s interest in the Haedo Group heir ended right there. Unlike others, he showed no admiration or desire to somehow form a connection.
“Anyway, if you’re thinking about becoming a PD, I might be able to help you,” Choi Seon-gyeom said, easily returning to the original topic. He pointed at himself with a finger and smiled. Choi Yu-na had said something similar, but Jeong Dawoon still didn’t think he could receive any help from Choi Seon-gyeom. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Choi Seon-gyeom, but rather his own situation. He wasn’t looking for a job right away, and he was now considering studying abroad, so he didn’t have anything to ask Choi Seon-gyeom about the field.
Unaware of Jeong Dawoon’s thoughts, Choi Seon-gyeom lightly continued talking about the industry. He gave general advice, saying there were many fields besides what he did, and that what one needed to prepare would differ depending on which direction one wanted to go.
Thanks to Choi Seon-gyeom, the charity event was less boring than Jeong Dawoon had expected. Whether it was immediately helpful or not, just listening to stories about a world he knew nothing about made the time pass quickly.
***
How much time had passed? Jeong Hayun was starting to get tired of dealing with people. He had brought Jeong Dawoon today, so he should have been paying more attention to him, but he had been caught up with various people and neglecting Jeong Dawoon, which didn’t sit well with him.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Jeong Hayun cut off the other person’s words appropriately and turned away as if he had something to do. Quite some time had passed, and he was worried about what Jeong Dawoon might be doing. He was surely stuck in some corner, killing time alone boringly.
As Jeong Hayun looked around, he found Jeong Dawoon leaning against a wall on one side of the hall, just as he had expected. At the same time, Jeong Hayun’s brow slightly furrowed.
