<12>
“Jaekyung, I…”
Was he perhaps trying to add some belated excuse? Moon Yeonu, who had been moving his lips continuously in front of Han Jaekyung, eventually set aside all other words and only brought out a humble apology saying he was sorry. For making someone wait decades, it was quite a delayed apology.
Han Jaekyung, who had swept from Moon Yeonu’s feet to the top of his head with sharply blazing eyes, tried to pass by Moon Yeonu just like that.
“What should I do? I’m so nervous. Is this really a place I’m allowed to go?”
“Of course it is. I told you, didn’t I? Our alumni association rule is to bring partners. If it were before you met Eunseong, maybe not, but from now on you’ll always have to come together.”
“Hyung. But what if I make a mistake…”
Until he saw Jang Yeonhu and Choi Eunseong just entering the hotel lobby after handing over their valet, he really had that intention.
“Don’t worry, just sit comfortably and come back. You trust me, right?”
“Mm-hmm…”
Fuck, that crazy bastard, I’ve been watching and watching… Han Jaekyung felt like sparks were flying from both his eyes. What had upset him because of Moon Yeonu just moments ago seemed like mere child’s play in comparison.
It was just called an alumni association, but this was a regular gathering for political and business network management that even Madam Kang stepped forward to strongly encourage attendance. There was a rule about bringing partners, but that was actually just a nice-sounding pretext created for showing faces all around after engagement was confirmed but before the actual ceremony. For Jang Yeonhu to really bring a same-sex lover to such a place without being completely insane… how could he do such a thing?
“Ah… He must really be crazy. That mentally deranged bastard is good at doing things that piss people off.”
Before his head could sort things out, his lips moved instinctively first. Moon Yeonu, who was still standing dumbfounded in front of Han Jaekyung, opened his eyes wide and cautiously called out, “…Jaekyung?”
Han Jaekyung, who had momentarily forgotten about Moon Yeonu’s existence because he was so absurd and furious, came back to his senses with a start at that call.
“Hey, Jaekyung! Why are you standing outside? Were you waiting for us?”
With perfectly good timing, Jang Yeonhu spotted Han Jaekyung and began approaching with big strides, waving his hand widely. Since Moon Yeonu was facing Han Jaekyung with his back to Yeonhu, Yeonhu hadn’t recognized Moon Yeonu yet.
Right at that moment, something like an electric current struck intensely into Han Jaekyung’s head. Even during this, Jang Yeonhu and Choi Eunseong, disgustingly holding hands, were getting closer to Han Jaekyung step by step.
“Moon Yeonu, you’re sorry to me, right?”
“…Well, yes.”
“What kind of answer is that? Are you sorry or not?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, I’m dying of regret. Is that enough?”
There was no more time to think, it was a luxury. Han Jaekyung immediately approached Moon Yeonu closely and suddenly linked arms with him without warning. He could feel the solid shoulder startle in surprise, but this wasn’t a situation to consider other people’s circumstances.
“If you’re sorry, then act tactfully from now on. Got it?”
“What the hell are you talk…”
“Oh, Yeonhu. Eunseong, you came? This worked out well. My boyfriend just arrived too.”
Say hello. This is my boyfriend I mentioned before, Moon Yeonu. His eye corners were particularly bright as they curved into a smile.
“Oh right, Jang Yeonhu, you probably already know our Yeonu, so no need for introductions. Right?”
It didn’t seem to be merely a way to clearly distinguish similar pronunciations. Between the thin, delicate lips’ utterance of “Jang Yeonhu” and “our Yeonu,” there existed a vast gap that was hard to catch up with.
Moon Yeonu, whose expression was quickly composed but whose insides were still bewildered, seemed to grasp the situation immediately upon seeing Jang Yeonhu and the young man standing beside him, and smoothly put his arm around Han Jaekyung’s shoulder as he spoke.
“Long time no see, Jang Yeonhu. Since that time… is this the first time since then? You said we’d never see each other again, but this is awkward, what should we do?”
“Haha… Moon Yeonu, what are you talking about? Wasn’t the last time we saw each other at graduation?”
“Ah. Sorry, I mixed you up with someone else.”
The deeper the smiles hanging on Moon Yeonu and Han Jaekyung’s faces became, the harder it became for Jang Yeonhu to manage his expression.
Long ago, he thought he had finally gotten rid of that annoying parasite-like bastard. There’s a limit to even sprinkling ash on cooked rice.
Of all times, to return at this timing. Somehow he had a bad feeling. It seemed like he’d have to hurry up his plans a bit.
Han Jaekyung’s boyfriend, not Jang Yeonhu’s.
From the moment Moon Yeonu dared to appear with such a title fearlessly, Jang Yeonhu hated Moon Yeonu. He hated him so much he couldn’t stand it. The fact that he had overlooked it for about a year was only for Han Jaekyung, who was withering away without any breathing room.
“It’s nice to see you again, Yeonu. I mean it.”
Moon Yeonu should only exist as Jang Yeonhu’s substitute. If Moon Yeonu dared to struggle to become more than that to Han Jaekyung this time… it seemed he’d have to remind him of the previous advice that polite consideration and goodwill would be the last.
* * *
This year’s alumni association was epic in many ways. Really, in many ways.
At first, when Han Jaekyung appeared alone without Jang Yeonhu, it was quite unexpected but seemed reasonable. Even though he only didn’t attend alumni associations, he was still under Woojin Group’s shadow and being a lawyer by profession, Han Jaekyung often encountered people professionally here and there.
When Moon Yeonu suddenly appeared in a tracksuit dragging one slipper… it was somewhat shocking. Especially since the target they had so ostracized and ignored as a poor bastard during school days had grown remarkably, and now the positions of power had completely reversed. The vicious crowd that used to throw Moon Yeonu’s workbooks in the trash or mock him as a worm who couldn’t even pay for school meals somehow tried to shrink their shoulders after Moon Yeonu appeared and crawled into corner seats.
Up to this point, it felt like all the surprising events for the year had occurred, but the age-old saying that the protagonist appears last held true this time too.
“Everyone, say hello. This is Choi Eunseong, who’s working as an intern at our company. Today he’s attending as my boyfriend, so I hope you’ll all treat him respectfully.”
Despite appearing late when it was almost time to wrap up, Jang Yeonhu fearlessly threw a bomb into the venue. A super-sized one at that.
Jang Yeonhu, who sat side by side with Choi Eunseong in the head seat that had been naturally left empty, wore quite a shy expression while adding that they hadn’t been dating long so mischievous questions would be troublesome. It was truly unnecessary consideration. Everyone seemed frozen in shock and dismay, not knowing how to react, let alone ask mischievous questions.
Especially the eldest son of Sindong Pharmaceuticals, who had been working behind the scenes to promote an engagement between Jang Yeonhu and his younger sister who was about to graduate college, looked quite a sight.
One amusing thing was that the gazes that were swaying without finding their bearings unconsciously kept glancing at Han Jaekyung’s reaction. No third-rate drama would be more pathetic than this. Han Jaekyung snorted inwardly while watching the scene unfold before his eyes with wide-open attention.
Honestly, he thought it was all kinds of bullshit, but how could he voice such sentiments given social appearances?
“…Are you okay?”
Moon Yeonu was the only one sitting with his back completely turned to Jang Yeonhu in this setting. Moon Yeonu cautiously observed Han Jaekyung’s complexion. This guy has learned to read others’ moods as he’s aged – truly, you live long enough to see everything. Han Jaekyung smiled brightly while pinching Moon Yeonu’s cheek firmly. It looked like very affectionate and tender teasing to anyone watching.
“Ugh…!”
Though since he had his nails pressed sharp, the person being pinched could only feel pain.
“You, Han Jaekyung, what is this right now…!”
“Yeonu, don’t be annoying and just tactfully shut up and stay still. Who knows who might be listening in this place, hm? Did you get your PhD for free? Why isn’t your brain working?”
The low, fast whispering voice with lips almost touching his earlobe clearly conveyed a definite meaning and attitude. Even during this, his elegant eyes remained curved to the fullest.
Han Jaekyung’s appearance, gently smiling while bringing his lips to Moon Yeonu’s ear, was even somewhat obscene. The people sitting across felt unnecessarily embarrassed and quickly turned their gazes elsewhere with awkward clearing of throats.
“…”
“Hyung, Yeonhu hyung!”
Of course, such a scene between Han Jaekyung and Moon Yeonu was clearly visible to Jang Yeonhu, who was less than 5 meters away.
He was pretending to admire the tapestry behind them while staring intently at the back of Moon Yeonu’s head – or more precisely, at Han Jaekyung’s small head nestled close beside him.
He had noticed Choi Eunseong calling him, but he simply didn’t have the composure to respond. He was barely suppressing the urge to grab Moon Yeonu by the hair and slam his head onto the table repeatedly.
It was too much murderous intent to call jealousy. Even he thought so himself.
Maybe it had been wrong to decide to let him live unharmed. If he got caught doing something shady, Han Jaekyung might cry a lot thinking it was his fault… Instead, he had planned to give him such great success that he’d never miss or think of Han Jaekyung again, making him never return to this country. But Moon Yeonu didn’t seem to be such an easy opponent after all. Seeing how he had no choice but to return to Korea and appear before Han Jaekyung’s eyes.
He had thought that after all this time, Han Jaekyung would have forgotten everything and be living comfortably as he pleased in America. It was damage from a misjudgment in his youth, so there was no one particular to blame. This is why you shouldn’t show mercy.
“Hyung…!”
“…Ah. Sorry. I guess I dozed off with my eyes open for a moment.”
Only when he could barely gather fragments of composure to put on his usual mask did Jang Yeonhu have the presence of mind to look back at Choi Eunseong.
If Moon Yeonu and Han Jaekyung had been in contact while in America, there was no way he wouldn’t know about it. “My boyfriend I mentioned before” – what an infuriatingly cute lie.
“Are you very tired?”
“Not at all. You must be hungry since you couldn’t even eat dinner, Eunseong. Have something first.”
Our Jaekyung… why does he rot my insides like this? Jang Yeonhu smiled softly while skillfully hiding his sinister thoughts. Only the hand stroking Choi Eunseong’s head carried excessive force that he hadn’t fully controlled.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
