Chapter 58
Seo-jung, who had an afternoon shift, woke up to a later morning than usual.
Perhaps due to the ambiguous time between breakfast and lunch, a quieter than usual interior greeted him when he opened the door. Did everyone go out? Assuming this was likely since most residents were office workers, he headed downstairs for water.
As Seo-jung came down the stairs massaging his shoulder, he made eye contact with someone. Contrary to his expectation of an empty house, the person he encountered was Cha Yoon.
The thought “Why, of all people, does it have to be Cha Yoon?” crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. He already knew he couldn’t control the situation. No matter what, he just needed to remain unshaken. Seo-jung came down to the first floor, etching yesterday’s resolution in his heart.
“You went to bed so early yesterday, and you’re just getting up now?”
“Yes, I see you’re home, Cha Yoon.”
As soon as he set foot on the living room floor, a somewhat gruff voice immediately followed. Seo-jung, unfazed, responded casually and entered the kitchen.
Cha Yoon’s eyebrows twitched as he watched Seo-jung’s retreating figure. The voice, though seemingly normal, had an inexplicable coldness that grated on his nerves.
…Shit, what’s this about? Who was it that broke the promise to wait up and went to bed first? If anyone should be showing their displeasure, it should be him.
Although his pride was hurt by Seo-jung’s stiff attitude, his body moved before his mind could catch up. Cha Yoon got up and strode over with his long legs.
Seo-jung, who had entered the kitchen first, was drinking water. Cha Yoon approached Seo-jung and began to exude his presence. He fiddled with the well-arranged dishes for no reason and even drank a glass of water himself, but Seo-jung’s tightly closed lips showed no sign of opening. In the end, it was Cha Yoon who surrendered and spoke first again.
“You must have been very tired yesterday.”
“A little.”
“So, did you get some rest?”
“Yes.”
A series of perfunctory answers followed. Cha Yoon’s eyebrows rose once more at Seo-jung’s attitude, which showed absolutely no willingness to engage in conversation. Regardless, Ki Seo-jung fixed his gaze on the sink, uninterested, as he washed the cup he had used. With only one water glass to wash, the sound of water stopped quickly.
After drying his wet hands on a towel, Seo-jung moved away from the sink without hesitation. The distance between him and Cha Yoon, who was near the sink, inevitably widened.
Cha Yoon stood still, following Seo-jung with his eyes. From the looks of it, it seemed like he was about to leave the kitchen right away. Is he just going to leave like that? Cha Yoon hurriedly stepped towards Seo-jung.
“Hey.”
His voice carried a sense of urgency. At that sound, Ki Seo-jung’s head, which had been facing the living room, turned around. Cha Yoon’s shoulders twitched slightly.
It was only after 5 minutes of being in the kitchen that they finally made eye contact. He had a lot to say, but now that they were face to face, he couldn’t open his mouth.
While Cha Yoon was hemming and hawing, silence settled around the two for a moment. They just blinked at each other. How much time passed like this? Seo-jung was the first to act.
“Did you not check the work schedule I sent?”
“…I checked it. And that’s not why I called you.”
Cha Yoon had checked the work schedule as soon as Ki Seo-jung sent it. At the prompt reply, Seo-jung stared at Cha Yoon as if to ask, “Then what is it?” Cha Yoon rubbed the back of his head and soon spoke up.
“Where are you going?”
“I was going to go back up to my room.”
“Why are you going to your room? What’s there?”
Cha Yoon immediately frowned. He couldn’t understand Ki Seo-jung’s words at all. I’m here, so why are you going there? And most importantly…
“We were supposed to eat together.”
“What?”
“Food. We were supposed to eat together, you and me. Don’t you remember what you said yesterday?”
Cha Yoon thumped his chest. He wasn’t making it up. Ki Seo-jung had clearly said that to Jung Soo-ho. That he was going to eat with him.
Seo-jung hadn’t forgotten this fact either. He opened and closed his mouth for a moment, then pressed his eyes as if tired and spoke.
“Cha Yoon, that was just…”
“Just what?”
“…”
“You’re not going to say you just made up any excuse, are you?”
Seo-jung’s mouth closed at the pointed question. Seeing Seo-jung’s silence, Cha Yoon let out a hollow laugh.
“I guess I’m right, judging by your expression.”
“…”
“You used me. I didn’t think you were that kind of person.”
“I never intended to use you.”
“That’s what people call using someone. It’s not something that ends just because you insist you didn’t.”
The chattering sound signaled the start of a second tantrum. Seo-jung didn’t want to engage in any more unproductive arguments. However, telling him not to do something only made him want to do it more, and the longer the conversation went on, the more opportunities there would be for nitpicking. So it was most important not to show any further reaction.
“Fine. Think whatever you want, Cha Yoon.”
With that, Seo-jung turned to his left to pass by Cha Yoon. That’s when Cha Yoon moved his body in the direction Seo-jung had moved, as if he had been waiting for it.
Seo-jung swallowed the sigh that was about to burst out and this time turned to the right. But the result was the same. Cha Yoon also moved in the same direction as Seo-jung.
Left, right, left again, right again. The two repeated coming and going alternately. Ki Seo-jung was the first to stop. Unable to bear it any longer, he looked up at Cha Yoon’s face, which was slightly above his line of sight.
“What are you trying to do, Cha Yoon?”
“If you have breakfast with me, I’ll consider it as if you didn’t use me.”
How about that? Cha Yoon answered as if he had been waiting for the sharp question. Contrary to his seemingly generous tone, Cha Yoon couldn’t take his eyes off Seo-jung’s lips. It was all because of Ki Seo-jung’s attitude. That attitude that seemed to have no lingering attachment throughout.
One second felt like a minute. Cha Yoon’s inner feelings, waiting for an answer, were burning up in an instant. When no answer came even after waiting, Cha Yoon soon changed his expression. At this point, it was time for Plan B.
“I haven’t had breakfast yet.”
Cha Yoon lowered the corners of his eyes. The expression that had been feigning composure disappeared without a trace, replaced by a pitiful face.
There was a discrepancy in his words. To be precise, Cha Yoon hadn’t ‘been unable’ to eat breakfast, he had ‘chosen not’ to eat. After checking Seo-jung’s schedule that he had received the day before, he had completely ignored the other cast members’ suggestions to have breakfast together. All to keep the unfulfilled promise with Seo-jung.
Nevertheless, the reason Cha Yoon chose the word ‘couldn’t’ was for one simple reason. ‘Couldn’t’ sounded more pitiful than ‘didn’t’. Since pushing forcefully wasn’t working, he decided to appeal to Ki Seo-jung’s kind nature.
This should be enough to get a willing agreement. What should we have for breakfast? Is there anything in the fridge? I think people were fussing about grocery shopping yesterday. While contemplating and waiting for Ki Seo-jung’s answer, it happened.
Cha Yoon’s expectations turned to bubbles in an instant. It was all because of Seo-jung’s response that shook all his predictions.
“Then eat by yourself, Cha Yoon. I’m fine.”
Ki Seo-jung drew a clear line, as if to say, “What does it have to do with me if you haven’t eaten?” Cha Yoon was at a loss for words at this resolute attitude.
It’s not that he hadn’t thought about the possibility of rejection. But not like this. The Ki Seo-jung in his mind was kinder and more yielding than this. Someone who would eventually give in to what he wanted if prodded enough. That was the Ki Seo-jung he knew.
But the Ki Seo-jung he was actually facing was completely different from the one he had known. Seeing Ki Seo-jung’s impassive expression, the urgency in his heart flared up even more.
Seo-jung seemed to look at the quietened Cha Yoon for a moment, then moved his feet again after a perfunctory “Enjoy your breakfast.”
Between the anxious, pounding heartbeats, the sound of neat footsteps intruded. Cha Yoon snapped back to his senses. The retreating figure about to leave the kitchen came into view. Without time to consider his pride, Cha Yoon’s feet moved. He grabbed Seo-jung’s wrist.
At the warm touch, Seo-jung reflexively shook off his hand. It felt as if Cha Yoon’s warmth had transferred to his wrist from that brief contact. Seo-jung rubbed his wrist as if shuddering. Cha Yoon flinched again at this series of actions.
Seo-jung’s gaze stuck to Cha Yoon’s face. Though he didn’t say anything, it seemed to ask, “What on earth are you doing?”
Seo-jung’s gaze poked at Cha Yoon’s reason, which was backed into a corner. Shit, does he have to act like that just because I grabbed his wrist? What did I do so wrong? Why do I have to go this far just to have a meal with Ki Seo-jung? Who is Ki Seo-jung anyway? These were fairly rational thoughts that Cha Yoon would typically have.
‘Then should we just end it here?’ At that moment, a small question wedged its way between the rational thoughts. ‘End’. The power of that single word was truly remarkable. The rational thoughts that had been gaining strength disappeared without a trace in an instant.
