# Chapter 36
It was already past 1 PM. It was almost time to head back to the Earth Peace Research Institute.
“I’ll leave after I finish drinking this. I need to be at the office by 2.”
“Office? Oh, right. You said you had a part-time job. What kind of work do you do, Jaeo?”
“Just, um, office assistance work. Nothing special.”
“Where’s your office located? Is it nearby?”
“No, I have to take a bus. You know that café where I gave you my cake last time? It’s near there.”
“I see.”
Ha Suan stroked his chin with a contemplative expression. I was about to ask what he was thinking when I noticed my phone silently lighting up on the table.
“Hold on. I’m getting a call.”
Ha Suan’s eyes fell on the name displayed on the screen. The caller was Heerim.
“I need to take this.”
I didn’t think I needed to leave the table, so I picked up my phone while staying seated. Ha Suan quietly observed my actions with his eyes. Reflexively, I looked up at him when I felt his searching gaze. When our eyes met, he shrugged as if to say I shouldn’t mind him.
“Hello?”
“Hyung, where are you?”
Heerim immediately asked about my whereabouts as soon as I answered.
“Didn’t Jeongmun tell you? I went out for lunch.”
“Ah, I see. I just got to the office and called you right away when I saw you weren’t there, so I didn’t think to ask.”
He’s not an elementary schooler who calls right away when mom’s not home. I couldn’t help but snicker.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay. I’ll wait for you.”
After ending the brief call, I downed the remaining Americano in one go. There was still plenty of time before 2 PM, but after receiving Heerim’s call, I felt like I should head back quickly for some reason. Ha Suan looked at me with a disappointed expression as I prepared to leave.
“You’re going right now?”
“Yeah.”
When I nodded, Ha Suan took something out of his pocket and stood up.
“Then I’ll drive you to your office.”
He showed me what he had taken out of his pocket. It was a car key.
I left the café with Ha Suan and headed back to Hanguk University campus. Ha Suan stopped in front of the College of Natural Sciences building’s parking lot and pressed the button on the car key he had shown earlier. The headlights of a nearby car flashed. It was obviously an expensive car.
“You really don’t have to drive me.”
“It’s fine, really. I have plenty of time until my next class anyway, so I need to kill time. Come on, get in.”
I looked at Ha Suan as he kindly opened the passenger door for me. While it would be convenient for me if he drove me… the problem was…
“Aren’t you getting in? I said it’s fine. It won’t take long by car. Probably only about 20 minutes?”
“That’s not the issue… Sorry to ask this, but have you been driving for long?”
I was trying to indirectly ask, “Are you a good driver?” Though I felt bad about questioning Ha Suan who was trying to be kind to me, remembering my most recent ride in Jeongmun’s car made me hesitant to get in. Seeming to guess what I was worried about, Ha Suan burst out laughing.
“Hahaha. I may not be the best, but I’m at least a good driver. I’ve never had an accident.”
The same was true for Jeongmun. It was incredible that someone with such terrifying driving skills had never been in an accident. It was nothing short of a legendary tale.
“Anyway, don’t worry.”
He gave me a reassuring smile and gestured toward the passenger seat like a gentleman escorting a lady. I couldn’t refuse after all this. Eventually, I got into Ha Suan’s car.
“Did you buckle up?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go.”
Ha Suan’s car smoothly left the university. It had a completely different level of stability compared to Jeongmun’s used car with its loud engine and exhaust noise. Though I rarely had the chance to ride in other people’s cars, I could tell that Ha Suan’s driving skills were excellent.
Finally relaxing, I looked around the interior of the car. I could see an LED dashboard and buttons that looked impressive, though I didn’t know their functions.
Suddenly, I remembered that Ha Suan had said he was the same age as me. Is it possible to drive a car like this at twenty-four? Since his parents weren’t around, it couldn’t be his parents’ car. Come to think of it, the meal we had at the restaurant today wasn’t cheap either. Where did all this money come from?
“Your car looks expensive. How did you afford it?”
“Oh, this was given to me by the relative I was living with, as a gift for entering university.”
“They gave you a car as a gift…?”
“Yeah.”
Ah. So he didn’t grow up eating the bread of shame at his relatives’ house.
I felt embarrassed for assuming he had lived a difficult life like mine and feeling a sense of kinship because he mentioned having no parents. My narrow-minded thinking, making hasty judgments based on limited information, was so pathetic that I couldn’t lift my face.
“He helps other orphans besides me too. He’s really an amazing person. I’m trying my best to live up to his expectations.”
“I-I see.”
Ha Suan, unaware of my thoughts, talked about how amazing the relative who took care of him was while driving. I quietly agreed with his words. Though I wasn’t sure, it seemed like Ha Suan wanted to be recognized as the best by that person.
Soon, familiar buildings appeared outside the window. As Ha Suan had said, we arrived at the destination in less than 20 minutes.
“You can briefly park next to that building over there. If you stop there, that would be great.”
The car stopped beside the Hangyeong Building.
“Thanks for everything today.”
“So you don’t suspect me of being in a pyramid scheme anymore, right?”
“Ah… sorry.”
“Haha. I’m just joking.”
I glared at Ha Suan, who was giggling at my embarrassment, and then unbuckled my seatbelt.
“Let’s hang out again sometime.”
Just as Ha Suan greeted me and unlocked the vehicle, the passenger door suddenly flew open.
“Wh-what—! Huh? Heerim?”
Somehow knowing I was here, Heerim was standing right in front of the car with his face hidden behind a hat and mask. Heerim was looking down at my bewildered face with an unimpressed expression. In front of me was Heerim; at the back of my head, I could feel Ha Suan’s gaze. Thinking it would be best to get out of the car first, I quickly got out of the passenger seat and closed the door.
“Hyung… why are you so late?”
Heerim whined and buried his face in the nape of my neck.
Why is he being so clingy?
Wondering if he needed Guiding, I pushed Heerim away to examine him. The color of his hair visible beneath his hat remained unchanged, and his complexion looked normal.
“I told you I was going out for lunch. Didn’t you go out with the Director to look for something? Did you find it?”
“No. We couldn’t find it. But who did you have lunch with? With that person?”
Heerim nodded his chin toward behind me. When I turned around, I could see Ha Suan’s car still parked there. Ha Suan had rolled down the passenger window and was staring at us. The gaze he directed at Heerim and me was strangely sharp. Only then did I realize that I was being embraced by Heerim in the middle of the street.
“S-Suan! See you later!”
Pretending nothing was wrong, I waved at Ha Suan, signaling him to leave. However, for some reason, Ha Suan didn’t drive away. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he stared at Heerim standing behind me with a strange expression.
“Hmm…”
Heerim stroked his chin in response to Ha Suan’s gaze, then suddenly bent down and thrust his head through the passenger window.
“What? Heerim? What are you doing!”
Startled by his sudden action, I tugged at Heerim’s clothes, but he didn’t budge. To make matters worse, he even spoke confrontationally to Ha Suan.
“Who are you?”
“Huh? Who am I?”
Ha Suan, who had been looking at Heerim indifferently, let out a bewildered chuckle. He seemed to find Heerim’s question absurd.
“Are you acquainted with Jaeo hyung?”
“Heerim. Why are you suddenly acting like this?”
I was more than just surprised; I was dumbfounded by the situation, and beads of cold sweat appeared on my forehead.
“Yes. I’m Jaeo’s friend, so naturally we know each other.”
“Friends?”
Heerim’s expression soured as if something displeased him. A strange tension flowed between the two. It seemed like an inexplicable fight might break out.
“Heerim! Let’s go back to the office now!”
I practically embraced Heerim from behind to pull him away from the car. I felt like a pet owner pulling on a leash to stop a dog from wandering off during a walk. Heerim only became docile after I held him.
“Jaeo, I’ll be going. Let’s meet again sometime.”
Ha Suan left a brief goodbye and smoothly pulled out onto the road.
“Haah… Heerim. Why did you suddenly do that? You scared me.”
“Is that person really your friend, hyung?”
“Ah, yes. We decided to be friends since we’re the same age.”
“Don’t hang out with him.”
“What? Why? Do you know him?”
“No. I just met him today. But I get a bad feeling. He doesn’t seem like a good person.”
“How would you know that without even getting to know him?”
“You can sense some things without experiencing them. I think he’s not a good person.”
Heerim frowned and badmouthed Ha Suan without any proper reason. As I listened quietly, I felt a bit displeased. Though I had said Ha Suan was my friend, I didn’t really know what kind of person he was either. Regardless, it didn’t feel good to hear someone I called my friend being spoken of negatively without reason.
“Heerim. That’s very rude of you.”
“What?”
“Is it okay to talk about someone you just met like that? And even if my friend really was a bad person, that’s for me to deal with, not for you to interfere with.”
“Ah…”
I spoke to Heerim coldly and harshly, just as the Director had once done to me. Heerim, who had been trying to hold onto me, froze.
“I’m… I’m sorry.”
He hung his head low.
“I overstepped… I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Please forgive me, hyung.”
His voice was trembling. Even though I hadn’t scolded him severely, Heerim was extremely anxious and watching my reaction.
Where did Heerim’s obsession and anxiety come from? Why was he so desperate for me?
Once again, frustration and confusion washed over me to the point where I wanted to run away.
“Heerim. Can you look at me?”
“Yes…”
Heerim raised his head and slightly lowered the mask he was wearing to just below his chin to look at me. His face, seemingly delicate yet firmly molded, was focused solely on me.
Looking at that face, I realized I couldn’t continue to accommodate and be swayed by Heerim’s inexplicable obsession anymore. Now I wanted to clearly understand his feelings.
“This might sound strange, but…”
I took a deep breath before speaking.
“Do you like me?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
