Chapter 62
Si-yul exhaled forcefully, causing his bangs to flutter. As he roughly combed his disheveled hair with his fingers and opened the changing room door, a black head suddenly popped up. Startled, he jumped in place before looking down, pressing his hand against his pounding chest.
“Hyung!”
It was Woo Tae-joo. Seeing Si-yul’s wide eyes, Tae-joo smiled brightly, his eyes nearly disappearing.
“Come here for a second.”
“I need to start work now.”
“It’ll just take a moment. Really, it won’t take long.”
Ignoring Si-yul’s reluctance, Tae-joo grabbed his wrist and pulled him. Re-entering the changing room, Tae-joo revealed a box he had been hiding behind his back. He presented it with a “Ta-da!” sound effect, but Si-yul’s expression became gloomy upon seeing it.
“This is…”
“Yes, it’s a health tonic. I specially searched for a good place to buy this for you, hyung, to boost your health.”
Even the package shape was identical. The intense bitterness that lingered in his mind, which even Woo Hyun-se’s candies couldn’t completely erase after taking the tonic, was still vivid. Just seeing the packaging made that astringent taste scratch at his tongue.
“It’s a secret from the others.”
Tae-joo whispered, putting his index finger to his lips. Si-yul swallowed hard, feeling acidic bile rise in his throat, and pushed the box back towards Tae-joo.
“I’m already taking this. Someone I know gave it to me.”
Tae-joo paused and looked down at Si-yul. His eyes clearly showed that he hadn’t expected this.
“Oh… Really? This place is known for its effectiveness, though…”
“I’m fine, you should take it.”
Tae-joo’s shoulders slumped upon hearing the rejection. His disappointment was evident. As Si-yul was pondering how to escape this awkward moment, Tae-joo forced a smile and pushed the box back towards Si-yul.
“Just take this, hyung. They said it would take over a month to get it, but I paid extra to receive it early. I’m healthy enough without these things.”
“Can’t I just accept your thoughtfulness? This is really bitter.”
“Good medicine is supposed to be bitter. Accept both my feelings and this.”
They went back and forth, with Tae-joo insisting that Si-yul must take it or he’d throw it away. Si-yul rarely encountered such forceful kindness and didn’t know how to handle it.
Even when Si-yul showed his reluctance, Tae-joo wouldn’t back down. Left with no choice, Si-yul surrendered. Seeing Tae-joo looking around for a trash can, he couldn’t refuse.
Reluctantly accepting the box, the burden felt ten times heavier than its actual weight. While dark clouds gathered under Si-yul’s eyes, the victorious Tae-joo chattered cheerfully.
“You shouldn’t stop taking tonics after just a month or two. When you finish what you have, take these.”
“I really don’t need it.”
“Oh, this too.”
Tae-joo reached into his pocket and placed a bag of chocolates on top of the box, saying it was to cleanse his palate after taking the medicine.
“You’re quite stubborn, aren’t you?”
Si-yul smiled wryly. Tae-joo quietly observed Si-yul for a moment before suddenly leaning in close.
“Can’t you call me Tae-joo instead of ‘you’? Try it, say ‘Tae-joo-ya.'”
“I’ll do it next time.”
“What’s so hard about it? Just once, Si-yul hyung. Please?”
Tae-joo insisted, even holding up his index finger to emphasize ‘just once.’ Si-yul thought, what’s the big deal about calling his name after receiving an unwanted gift? He agreed and pushed away Tae-joo’s face with his palm as it was getting too close. Their lips might have touched at this rate.
“Tae-joo-ya.”
It was just a simple call, but Tae-joo’s smiling lips froze. His expression gradually stiffened. Si-yul wondered if he was supposed to add an honorific. Confused by the unexpected reaction, Si-yul awkwardly scratched his cheek, thinking he might have said it wrong.
“Did I say it wrong? Isn’t your name Woo Tae-joo…?”
It took Tae-joo a while to come to his senses. He shook his head, rubbed his face vigorously with both hands, and slapped his cheeks. Si-yul was more startled by this violent self-flagellation, as if Tae-joo was trying to chase away sleepiness.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. I was just surprised to hear you call my name.”
“But you asked me to.”
“Right. I did ask you to. Yeah… That’s right.”
Tae-joo kept his head down, repeating the same words like a drunk person. Suddenly, he lifted his head. He quickly grasped Si-yul’s hand and spoke rapidly.
“From now on, just call me Tae-joo. Don’t say ‘you.’ I don’t like it, it feels distant. We’re not strangers, are we, hyung?”
“I’ll try.”
Si-yul answered dazedly, overwhelmed by Tae-joo’s intensity. Despite this seemingly positive response, Tae-joo still seemed unsatisfied and pouted. He was about to say something more when a voice from outside the changing room called for him, interrupting. Seizing the opportunity, Si-yul quickly pulled his hand free from Tae-joo’s grasp.
“I’ll leave the box here. You go ahead.”
“Next time, you must call me Tae-joo-ya. Promise me, hyung.”
Tae-joo solemnly insisted before leaving the changing room. Si-yul laughed it off, deflecting the request as he often did to avoid Kwon Yuwon’s nagging. As soon as Tae-joo’s gaze left him and the door closed, Si-yul flung open his locker.
As he put the box in the locker, he couldn’t help but sigh. Apart from the problem of carrying this heavy thing home, the thought of continuously taking bitter medicine made him feel nauseous already.
Maybe he should give it to Kwon Yuwon instead. He could store it at the inn and give it to him later. If Woo Hyun-se found the medicine, he might increase the daily dosage to four packets, saying it was good that Si-yul got more.
“Ugh.”
The mere thought made him shudder. Si-yul shoved the box of herbal medicine deep into the locker and closed the door. Out of sight, out of mind – he felt slightly better.
By the way, Tae-joo was quite friendly, calling him ‘hyung’ so easily. Si-yul still found it difficult to change how he addressed Woo Hyun-se. Even when ‘hyung’ was on the tip of his tongue, looking at Woo Hyun-se’s face made him unconsciously revert to calling him ‘CEO.’ He had no problem calling others ‘hyung’ or ‘noona’ at the orphanage or school, but for some reason, that word became difficult in front of Woo Hyun-se.
It didn’t seem to be because they weren’t close enough yet. Maybe it was simply that the title ‘CEO,’ which he had used from the beginning, had stuck so firmly that it wouldn’t come off.
“Next time, I must call him hyung.”
Hyun-se hyung. Even practicing out loud, it still felt unfamiliar. Thinking that someday, with time, he would naturally call him ‘hyung,’ Si-yul repeatedly practiced in his mind as he hurriedly left the changing room. Thanks to Tae-joo, his preparation time had dragged on.
There was still no contact from Kwon Yuwon. Before spending the rut with Woo Hyun-se, Yuwon had said he might not be able to contact Si-yul due to low phone credit, but not even a single text message? He could have used a public phone if he wanted to, but Yuwon hadn’t made even that much effort.
Should he consider no news as good news? Geez. Si-yul cursed his emotionally distant childhood friend in his mind as he tapped on his phone. His message inbox was filled with texts he had sent one-sidedly, piled up like a tower.
[I’ve prepared the tonic for you]
He had put the box in a subway station locker. The store was close to Woo Hyun-se’s house, but to get to the inn, he’d have to take a bus and travel quite a bit further. They say once you’ve tasted convenience, you can’t go back, and that was exactly his case. The alley he used to walk through even in the dead of night now seemed far, rough, and bothersome.
[They say it’s good for your health]
[It doesn’t taste good]
[When are you coming back?]
Frustratingly, none of the messages, including the ones above, had lost the number 1 next to them, indicating they were unread. He stared at the screen intently, as if the numbers might disappear if he looked hard enough, then tossed the phone onto the sofa with an “Ugh” and flopped down.
What Kwon Yuwon had muttered before leaving was bothering him. He had heard apologies all day, so he thought the “I’m sorry” was for the same reason, but thinking back on it now, Yuwon had said “something even more to be sorry about.”
What could that be?
“No way.”
Si-yul covered his mouth after blurting it out. They say “no way” is what gets people in trouble. He was more than a little worried that Kwon Yuwon might be causing some massive, unstoppable trouble. Even though Yuwon had always been unparalleled in his shrewdness since childhood. Overwhelmed by anxiety, Si-yul picked up his phone to call, but as expected, there was no answer.
It couldn’t be.
It’s probably just needless worry.
To quell his nervousness, he opened a mobile game. There was nothing better for clearing his mind and killing time. However, his mind was so distracted that he repeatedly failed to clear levels, even though there was no time limit.
The five hearts he had quickly disappeared. Even when he turned on the TV, all the programs seemed uninteresting. Si-yul sprawled on the sofa, mechanically pressing the remote control, but finding no channel engaging, he flopped back down.
However, the last channel he stopped on was the news. He had turned his attention back to his phone disinterestedly, but a familiar word caught his ear, making him look back at the TV.
