Chapter 38
The cafe that had opened not long ago was very neat. With a full glass front and a sparkling chandelier in the middle of the high ceiling, the interior was completely bright. Word must have already spread, because despite having quite a few tables, there were hardly any empty seats.
Yuwon and Sohyeon were lucky to get seats by the window. Sohyeon, whose eyes were sparkling as she looked Yuwon up and down, spoke first.
“Yuwon, it looks like you’ve gained some weight?”
“Is it obvious?”
“Yeah, but it looks good on you. I was worried because you were too skinny.”
“It’s because I’m resting from work. I guess resting really is the best.”
Even Jeonghyeok had been pleased lately, saying it seemed like he’d put on a little weight whenever he touched his body. Of course, the meaning contained in those words was lewd beyond measure.
“It’s not just that you’ve put on weight, your face looks really good too.”
“Come on, nothing’s changed at all. Anyway, noona likes me too much.”
“No, no. I can smell it just by looking… don’t tell me you’re dating?”
Yuwon, who had been quietly drinking his americano, coughed. To think she would guess his secret so immediately. Even while wiping the coffee from his lips with the tissue Sohyeon handed him, he couldn’t manage his expression.
“Right, right! You are dating, aren’t you?”
Seeing Yuwon’s reaction, Sohyeon even clapped her hands joyfully.
“Since when have you been dating? Where did you meet? Hm?”
Questions poured out like a burst dam. Yuwon answered by making things up appropriately.
He said it was someone he met by chance, who liked him and confessed first. That they hadn’t been dating for very long. Fortunately, Sohyeon didn’t ask for private information. If she had asked about age or occupation, he would have been in trouble having to make up lies, so it was a relief.
“Dating must really be good. You already had amazing skin, but it feels even brighter than that. It’s just sparkling with radiance.”
When he heard such pure compliments without any intention, he felt embarrassed because he wasn’t used to it. As Yuwon just scratched the back of his head awkwardly, Sohyeon propped her chin up and looked at Yuwon’s reddened face as if watching a show.
“I want to get married later and have a son who looks like you, Yuwon. If he became an idol, it would be a total hit.”
“What, that’s ridiculous.”
“Why is it ridiculous? Originally, pale and cute styles like yours are the most popular in fandoms.”
Sohyeon spoke heartily while drinking her iced americano. The ice clinked and moved inside the transparent cup.
“Noona looks like you’ve lost weight instead. Did you go on a diet?”
“What diet? I’m busy with school and part-time work.”
“Where do you work part-time?”
“At a movie theater. You know that big building at the intersection if you go a little further from here? There. If you come, I’ll give you lots of popcorn, so definitely come with your girlfriend later. Okay?”
It’s not a girlfriend though. Yuwon couldn’t bring himself to say that and just nodded his head.
The conversation naturally flowed to news about the people from Cheolpan-jip. There were rumors that Boss Park had opened either a pub or karaoke place in the next neighborhood.
“Actually, I don’t care where that psycho is or what he’s doing, but I was curious about the kitchen auntie so I looked into it. I heard she got a job at a soup restaurant at the entrance of the market.”
“That’s a relief. She seemed close with the staff there, so she went there.”
“Right? Next time, shall we go eat soup to see auntie too?”
Yuwon nodded repeatedly. Since he had nothing to do at home anyway, it seemed better to meet with Sohyeon while also seeing the kitchen auntie’s face. Above all, he was sick of eating lunch alone.
“If you tell me which days you don’t have part-time work, noona, I’ll make time those days.”
“Would you do that? I’m free next Thursday.”
“Then let’s go that day.”
After quickly making their next appointment, the two continued chatting about trivial things.
Yuwon listened particularly carefully to Sohyeon’s school life. Even if he pretended otherwise, regret about university, whose threshold he had never even stepped on, remained deep in his heart. The conversation mainly consisted of Sohyeon’s complaints about how everything was annoying and difficult with returning to school after a long time, but Yuwon was simply happy.
Thanks to this, it felt like breathing. When he was alone at home just killing time, there wasn’t even anything to smile lightly about, but talking with Sohyeon made laughter pop out naturally. Indeed, no matter how comfortable his body was, just resting without anything to do didn’t seem to suit his temperament.
While they were chatting like this, losing track of time, Yuwon’s phone rang. After checking the caller, Yuwon bolted up from his seat.
“Ah, just a moment. Let me take this call and come back.”
“What? Don’t tell me it’s your girlfriend?”
“Ah, it’s not.”
It’s not, my ass. The very fact that he was going out to take the call was highly suspicious. His face, clearly showing signs of panic, also played a part. Anyway, there were sides of him she wanted to tease. Sohyeon giggled and gestured for him to go.
Taking his phone and hurriedly leaving the cafe, Yuwon leaned his back against the building’s exterior wall and answered the call.
“Hello?”
—Where are you?
As soon as he heard Jeonghyeok’s gentle voice, the corners of his lips twitched. Yuwon tapped the ground with his toes and said.
“I’m still at the cafe.”
—You said you’d come right back, but what’s taking so long?
“I got carried away talking about this and that with noona. I was about to head back now.”
When he briefly moved the phone away from his ear to check the time, two hours had already passed. Since he had expected at most an hour to pass, Yuwon was a little surprised.
—How much longer will you be?
“Um… about 10 minutes?”
He wanted to stay until dinner, but if he said that honestly, Jeonghyeok would obviously not be pleased. Yuwon knew well that his job was to go home and quietly wait for him.
And as if seeing through all those feelings, Jeonghyeok’s chuckling voice came through the phone.
—Will 10 minutes be enough?
“What?”
—You look very disappointed.
Disappointed face? At words that sounded like he was looking at him, Yuwon was startled and looked up. He looked around trying to find someone who resembled Jeonghyeok, but couldn’t see anyone at all.
Is he just trying to tease me? He was scolding himself for being foolish enough to almost fall for his prank again when—
“Uh…?”
The door of a black car parked across the street opened. Long legs stretched out, and soon a man in a suit appeared. Although there was some distance, he had a presence that couldn’t be mistaken. It was ajeossi.
Checking the signal that had just changed, Jeonghyeok walked steadily toward Yuwon.
Without even thinking to lower the phone from his ear, Yuwon had a strange experience. Jeonghyeok’s gait looked slow as if in slow motion. Every strand of his jet-black hair fluttering in the wind, even his blinking, was visible in detail.
Among all those people crossing the crosswalk, no one but Jeonghyeok was visible.
Yuwon, who had been frozen still, finally snapped back to reality when Jeonghyeok reached right in front of him. He could still feel the tumultuous heartbeat in his chest.
“What, what is this… You scared me.”
“That’s why I came.”
His cool lips curved into a beautiful arc. It was a spring-like smile.
Yuwon couldn’t look directly at Jeonghyeok and dropped his gaze. It was just a smiling face, but why was he trembling so strangely? It was absurd.
When Yuwon bowed his head deeply, Jeonghyeok took another step closer and touched Yuwon’s earlobe. It was a touch no different from usual, but Yuwon was startled and stepped back.
“What.”
“Ah…”
“Why are you avoiding me?”
Jeonghyeok’s expression hardened instantly as he spoke in a low voice. He seemed like a completely different person from just moments ago when he had been smiling slightly.
“We’re outside…”
Yuwon whispered quietly and removed Jeonghyeok’s hand. His face turned as red as if it would burst just from having his earlobe touched.
Although he was at an age that someone might call hot-blooded youth, he wasn’t bold enough to casually have physical contact with a man in such a busy area in broad daylight. Moreover, Sohyeon was in the cafe. If she happened to see this scene, she would definitely think it was strange.
Unable to say anything and just standing there awkwardly, Jeonghyeok, who had been quietly watching, opened his mouth.
“Hurry up and wrap things up. I’ll be waiting.”
Yuwon, who had been standing like a puppy that needed to pee, this time nodded as if he had been waiting for this. At the sight of his back moving away from him quickly without lingering, Jeonghyeok let out a low sigh.
“Ha.”
He had rushed over wanting to see him as soon as possible, but Yuwon’s reaction was somehow lukewarm. Even if he didn’t jump up and down, he had at least expected him to smile. He would have been satisfied if he had just called “ajeossi” and prettily raised the corners of his mouth.
Jeonghyeok’s gaze continued to follow Yuwon. Since they were sitting by the window, he could clearly see Yuwon through the glass.
Yuwon scratched the back of his head awkwardly after sitting down. Then, as if hearing something, he jumped up and started waving his hands in denial. Seeing this, Sohyeon burst into clear laughter.
Yeah, up to there was fine.
“……”
When he finally saw Yuwon laughing brightly along with Sohyeon, Jeonghyeok’s face became horribly distorted.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
