Chapter 17
It was just another ordinary day, nothing special about it.
A peaceful, even slightly boring morning in March.
As always, they quarreled about waking up, ate breakfast together while bickering as usual, finished getting ready for work as they always did, and got into the car together.
The only difference from normal was that it was Junghyun’s last day at work.
“How does it feel to be going to work for the last time?”
“I don’t want to go to the office.”
That too was the same as always.
Since about ten days before his resignation, Junghyun had one constant phrase:
“I wish the company would go bankrupt…”
Every morning, Jaehyuk had to coax and persuade Junghyun to go to work, saying things that would cause a major problem if Yoonho heard them.
Today would be the last time for that as well.
“Hang in there, it ends today. You have a farewell dinner tonight, right?”
“Yes. At the beef ribs place near the office.”
“Meat again?”
“Yes. Meat. Nothing but meat.”
“You seem to have put on some weight recently.”
As Jaehyuk pressed the accelerator and casually threw out this comment, Junghyun nodded with his face that had somehow become as round as the moon.
“I have gained a bit. I’m eating well and sleeping well.”
“I don’t think it’s just a bit.”
“Well, a lot then.”
“You were so skinny compared to how much you eat, so gaining weight isn’t a problem, but sudden weight gain can cause health issues.”
“If I wasn’t gaining weight despite eating this much, I think that would be more concerning.”
Come to think of it, that was true.
Sudden weight loss might be a problem, but weight gain wasn’t.
And honestly, he hadn’t gained enough to call it a problem.
Now he looked just right.
“…That’s true.”
“Don’t worry about my health. What time will you finish today?”
“Around 10 PM? Midnight if it runs late.”
“Preparing for the shareholders’ meeting, right?”
When Junghyun subtly probed about the shareholders’ meeting scheduled for next week, fatigue washed over Jaehyuk’s face.
His expression showed he disliked even thinking about it.
Seeing his emotions so clearly displayed in his expression, Junghyun returned a response.
“That’s exactly how I feel about going to work now.”
A person facing resignation is not much different from rice cake softened and melted in heat; they drag themselves to and from work as if soulless.
If the usual dislike for going to work is like an iced Americano, the intensity after deciding to resign is like an espresso.
“But you don’t have to go in starting tomorrow.”
“If you’re jealous, you should resign too, hyung.”
When Junghyun half-jokingly suggested they both become unemployed together and go surfing, Jaehyuk hesitated.
Then he immediately began to self-criticize.
“…I hate myself for thinking that might be nice for a moment.”
Jaehyuk was feeling self-loathing for becoming more and more like Junghyun as they lived together, though their temperaments were similar to begin with.
Beside him, Junghyun laughed freely as if pleased by this.
“So even the major shareholder dislikes going to work? That makes me feel strangely good.”
“No normal person enjoys going to work. And I’m not the major shareholder yet.”
“But you said ‘yet.'”
“Anyway, I’m not right now.”
At his words telling Junghyun to be careful about using the term “major shareholder,” Junghyun stretched as if to say “whatever.”
“I’m tired. Ah… now that I think about it, starting tomorrow, there won’t be anyone waking me up for work. That’s one good thing.”
“Even if you don’t go to work, you still have to get up with me and have breakfast together.”
“Do you really think I’ll do that?”
“You will.”
In response to his persistent strategy, like a water ghost refusing to let go, Junghyun casually looked out the window and replied as if to say “try if you can.”
“Yes, fighting.”
Along with this perfunctory reply, he looked out the car window to see scattered green leaves beginning to appear on the street trees.
“…It’s really spring now.”
“It is March.”
“So it is…”
Muttering “already” under his breath, Junghyun took in the now-familiar commute route.
The sunshine was moderately warm, and the breeze was cool.
The cold wave that had briefly acted up in early February had quickly receded, and forecasts suggested summer would begin from April this year.
Perhaps that’s why it was warm despite being early March.
Time was flowing swiftly, as always indifferent.
“Is hyung-nim doing well?”
“…Huh?”
“Suhyuk hyung-nim.”
It had been two weeks since Suhyuk and Yeonwoo had left for an overseas assignment combined with study abroad.
They had just finished unpacking and were starting to adjust to the place.
Though they would have to leave there soon anyway.
“Yes. He seems to be adapting now. Since they’ll have to move again soon anyway, he’s just pretending to adapt.”
“The timing is good. Since the weather is nice, they can use a honeymoon as an excuse to travel.”
“It’s perfect timing for anyone to see.”
“This should keep things quiet for a while.”
“It doesn’t matter. People who want to gossip will gossip even if I just drink water.”
“I figured as much.”
While Junghyun laughed, saying “you’re similar to me in that way,” Jaehyuk glanced sideways at him.
Then, carefully, he spoke again.
“So, what’s your schedule for tomorrow?”
“I believe it’s considered impolite to ask someone who’s resigning what they’re going to do after.”
“Then, I won’t ask, I’ll tell you. Have dinner with me tomorrow.”
“Since we live together, wouldn’t we naturally have dinner together, even if I didn’t want to?”
Junghyun added the condition “if you come home from work,” but the “dinner” Jaehyuk was talking about was a bit different from that, an idiomatic expression.
“Not at home, but out.”
“…Out?”
“Yes.”
“…Will you have time? The shareholders’ meeting is coming up soon.”
“I’ll have time for dinner.”
“…Well…”
Junghyun let the words trail off ambiguously without giving a definite answer.
But Jaehyuk took this evasive attitude as an affirmative response.
As he always did.
“What time do you expect to come home tonight?”
“…After we finish and have the company dinner, around 10 PM? I’m not sure. If we go for a second round, it might be until midnight.”
“Send me a message if you’re going to be late. I can come pick you up after work.”
“I will.”
While they were talking, the car had already arrived in front of Junghyun’s company building.
Somehow today, they hadn’t been caught at a single red light.
Thinking that such days exist too, Jaehyuk stopped the car in front of the building, and Junghyun unfastened his seatbelt. After opening the door and getting out, he stood there for a moment, looking at Jaehyuk.
As Jaehyuk looked at Junghyun standing there without even a small bag, as usual, as if asking if he had something to say, Junghyun waved his hand with a strange smile.
“Go on.”
Oddly concerned about that smile, Jaehyuk didn’t leave immediately and asked whatever came to mind.
“Going on a business trip today too?”
“Yes. My last business trip.”
“Yoonho is working you thoroughly until the end, huh?”
“There hasn’t been much work lately. I’m out doing sales.”
“…You?”
At the question of whether someone with his personality could possibly handle sales, Junghyun laughed.
“I’m a rare sociable Chihuahua. Well, I’m going now.”
After finishing this mundane, predictable conversation that was no different from any other day, Jaehyuk shifted gears and released the brake.
Then, as he slowly moved the car and turned on the left signal to merge into the lane, Junghyun’s figure entering the building was reflected in the right side mirror of the car.
Everything was the same as usual.
Nothing had changed at all.
Nevertheless, Jaehyuk ignored the growing uneasiness.
He just thought that everything would be fine going forward.
No, he wanted to believe so.
At that moment.
* * *
Repetitive daily life dulls the senses.
Following the set schedule, proceeding with the usual work after the morning meeting, but somehow today, he couldn’t concentrate.
Even though it was work he always did, after repeating several mistakes and coming to his senses, it was already almost lunchtime.
Perhaps it was the spring that had made him a little lax.
Massaging his neck with a slight drowsiness and fatigue, Jaehyuk checked the time and sent a message to Junghyun.
[Lunch?]
Since Junghyun had said he would be going quite far on a business trip this afternoon, Jaehyuk asked what he had for lunch, and a reply arrived immediately.
It wasn’t a message but a photo.
Grilled shellfish and knife-cut noodles.
It was a good menu. The only dissonant part was that it looked like enough for five or six people, though there were clearly only two people seated.
The moment he saw that photo, Jaehyuk suddenly had a thought and opened his desk drawer.
On the right side of the long drawer was a small box that had arrived last week.
He had been hesitating about when to give it, but the timing seemed good now.
Determined to have a proper conversation and propose this time, he was handling the box when the intercom rang.
<Attorney Jang Junyoung has arrived.>
The guy who was always vaguely late was right on time today.
Inwardly criticizing Junyoung for having such bad timing by coming on schedule, Jaehyuk told him to come in and put the box back in the drawer.
Then, closing the drawer, he quickly sent a message.
[I’m having lunch too. Call me when you’re done eating.]
[Chihuahua] Enjoy your meal. I need to go straight into a meeting, so I’ll call when I’m done with work.
Just after checking the message that arrived immediately, he heard the sound of the door opening. Raising his head at the sound, Junyoung, who was entering the office, asked instead of greeting:
“Do I need to wait?”
He suggested having a coffee if so, but Jaehyuk shook his head saying that wouldn’t be necessary.
Then he immediately got up from his desk and put on his coat.
Until that moment, everything was the same as usual.
It was a busy and hectic day, as always.
That’s why he didn’t notice.
The fact that he hadn’t been able to talk with Junghyun.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
