Can Love Be Transferred Too? 71

#71

The second day in Fukuoka. We all moved together to Dazaifu, a suburban area.

Though we were filming, since we had come all this way, I wanted to spend time that was even a little more worthwhile. I woke up early and brought pamphlets from the hotel lobby to read earnestly, and seeing this, Jeon Yudam explained various things to me.

“It says Tenmangu here, right? That’s where we’re going now, it’s the name of a shrine.”

“A shrine? Who do they worship there?”

“A very famous scholar named Sugawara no Michizane. He’s treated as a god of learning, and quite a few people go to pray before big exams.”

“Like the college entrance exam?”

“Yes. There’s a golden bull inside the shrine. They say if you stroke it, you’ll become smarter.”

At those words, Han Jiwon laughed playfully.

“Bae Taeseong. You should go stroke it hard too. So your head gets better.”

“Are you kidding?”

“I’m serious.”

The annoying nine-year-olds had definitely been getting along well until yesterday, but once the sun rose, they started fighting again. No matter how I looked at it, it seemed like those two were dating just to fight.

“I ate rice cakes there when I was young and they were really delicious. I think Sanho hyung would like them too.”

“Rice cakes?”

“Yes. They put sweet red bean filling inside and press them on a griddle to cook. Kind of like hotteok. Should we go buy some to eat?”

“Yeah. That sounds delicious.”

When I nodded seriously, Jin Woohyeon, who was sitting next to me, fed me a sandwich and said.

“There’s still a lot of time left before you can eat that. First, take a bite of this.”

“Mm.”

“Take a bigger bite.”

After I ate a few bites and shook my head because I was full, he casually finished what I had left over.

“Hyung has a lot of curiosity, so you seem perfect as a travel partner.”

“Really? But I don’t have much stamina.”

The flaw was that despite having great curiosity, my body couldn’t keep up at all. Being slow and having poor stamina, I had never even considered traveling.

“Is that why you’ve never been on an overseas trip?”

“It’s one of the main reasons. Free travel seems scary because I’d have to research everything myself, and I don’t have confidence to keep up with package tours.”

“True, package tours don’t really fit your personality, hyung. So you just need someone to take care of you.”

When I turned my head, our eyes met. Jin Woohyeon smiled brightly and used his thumb to wipe away bread crumbs from the corner of my mouth.

“Pick a country you want to visit. It would be even better if you could make time too.”

Isn’t this him suggesting we go together? Looking at his expression, it seems like it.

As I opened and closed my mouth, Jeon Yudam grumbled.

“The flirting never stops, really. Does Woohyeon hyung like Sanho hyung that much?”

Jin Woohyeon replied clearly and simply.

“Yeah.”

Then Lee Chan, who was sitting behind us, spoke sarcastically.

“Isn’t that too obvious?”

“Should I like him secretly instead?”

Though he answered Lee Chan, his gaze was still directed at me.

“Does Sanho hyung prefer that kind of thing? Like secretly taking care of you from behind like a fairy wife?”

“Mm… I’m fine with just being taken care of.”

After thinking briefly, I answered.

“I don’t think the method matters. But if I had to choose, wouldn’t it be better for both parties if it’s in an easy-to-understand form? It’s easier to recognize.”

I already knew from experiencing it several times how disappointing it was when the other person didn’t notice after you had done so much for them.

Since I didn’t want to give the other person what I had disliked when it happened to me, that’s naturally why I said that.

“I didn’t know Yoo Sanho had such a warm personality.”

I chuckled at Lee Chan’s words.

“You didn’t know? Why didn’t you know?”

I know it’s not a question he’s asking because he really didn’t know. It was probably just an expression of displeasure. Lee Chan disliked it when I was kind to people other than him.

Because it seemed like jealousy. Still, there was a time when I was happy that I seemed to be someone Lee Chan desired.

“Well, someone might not notice.”

Now it was okay.

There was something I realized then. You can’t get used to pain. You can pretend it’s okay, but you can’t really become okay. That’s why pain isn’t something to endure but something to remove.

The lesson I had barely grasped after such a long time seeped into me with a somewhat bitter aftertaste.

* * *

I ended up getting a really good opportunity by chance.

Following Bae Taeseong’s advice that we should diligently eat egg dishes and dairy products in Japan, I was busy eating bottled milk and pudding I had bought, when suddenly a card arrived announcing that they would be conducting a mini game.

The mini game events were different for each group. The Alpha group had seated thigh wrestling, and the Omega group had arm wrestling. As soon as he heard the events, Han Jiwon asked with a serious face if he could forfeit, probably judging that he couldn’t beat Choi Eungi and Bae Taeseong, who had physical jobs.

I became the winner of the arm wrestling. It seemed to be because among those five people, I was the one who used my arms most frequently.

The privilege I gained that way was a private accommodation usage pass for the third day. I could designate a desired partner and enjoy a one-day date.

“Tomorrow we’ll be staying in Yufuin. It’s a suburb like Dazaifu, but it’s famous for hot springs.”

As Kim Sehyeong said, the privilege included a private outdoor bath and special home-style meals to enjoy at the accommodation.

Hearing that story, Hwang Yeonwoo’s eyes sparkled as he desperately grabbed my arm.

“Sanho hyung. I don’t have any desire to do anything with you… but what if I really want that private outdoor bath? Could you think of it as saving someone’s life and nominate me?”

“Mmm.”

“Please. I’ll make you laugh all night. I’ll become your personal clown. I’m being serious right now, really.”

Kim Sehyeong, who couldn’t listen anymore, grabbed the back of Hwang Yeonwoo’s neck and pulled him back.

“You bastard. Don’t you have any conscience?”

“I don’t. If I had one, would I be doing this? Can there be a conscience greater than a private outdoor bath? Ah, let go. Sanho hyung is interested right now. I need to show my special skills.”

“There are several Alpha hyungs lined up for Sanho hyung, so don’t cut in line. You should target Eungi hyung instead.”

“But there’s no opening there. Look at that!”

Hwang Yeonwoo shouted in frustration.

“Eungi hyung’s face doesn’t contain even 1 percent of conflict! It’s already decided!”

Hearing that outcry, Jeon Yudam struck a triumphant pose with both arms stretched diagonally.

“There’s still one day until the decision. Sanho hyung! Candidate number 3, Hwang Yeonwoo! Please remember Hwang Yeonwoo!”

“The number seems too shabby compared to your desperate heart. Why number 3?”

“Number 1 is Jin Woohyeon hyung, number 2 is Han Jiwon hyung, and number 3 is Hwang Yeonwoo.”

Bae Taeseong, who had been listening quietly, asked with a sour expression.

“Hey, then am I number 4?”

“Would you like to be number 2?”

“Mm. That won’t work. I don’t want to lose to Taeseong.”

“Since only one person goes together anyway and the rest all get eliminated, do numbers 2, 3, and 4 have any meaning… Yeonwoo, you should give up too. You’ll be comfortable if you give up.”

“Sehyeong hyung has already given up!”

I decided to quietly slip away from the noisy commotion. Though I felt a bit sorry for the desperate Hwang Yeonwoo, I wanted to use this privilege’s nomination right on Jin Woohyeon.

I still didn’t know too much about Jin Woohyeon. From trivial things like his favorite season to his food preferences, views on love, and how his feelings or impressions about me had changed.

Relationships aren’t composed only of emotions. So I needed to know more about the other person and match them more delicately.

I needed time to be with him since there were many stories I wanted to share and many things I wanted to learn about.

“Sanho, where are you going? They say we’ll decide tonight’s date partner with rock-paper-scissors.”

“To the bathroom. I’ll draw after I come back.”

“Okay.”

It was just when I had entered the quiet bathroom. I felt a shadow fall behind me, then heard a familiar voice.

“Yoo Sanho.”

“…Huh?”

Lee Chan grabbed my arm and pulled me sharply.

“Let’s talk for a minute.”

Before I could say anything to stop him, my pulled body entered a narrow stall. Lee Chan, who had pushed me in, moved his arm behind him.

Click. At the same time as locking the door, Lee Chan said.