#052
“Taxi?”
“Yes, taxi. I think we can catch one in front.”
Leaving Woo Dohwan supporting Ban Hajoon the way he had supported Ju Isin behind me, I approached close to the roadside and hailed a taxi. As I waved my arm vigorously, a taxi stopped in front of me as if it had been waiting.
“Woo Dohwan-ssi! Over here!”
When I opened the back seat door and called out, Woo Dohwan quickly approached with Ban Hajoon draped over his shoulder. He easily got Ban Hajoon into the back seat and closed the door.
“Ban Hajoon-ssi! Hajoon-ssi.”
“Yes…!”
“Your home address. You can say it, right? Are you sober?”
“Yes, I’m sober, I understand. I’m not that drunk.”
Ban Hajoon, who had been keeping his eyes tightly shut, opened them wide and said the name of his apartment in a fairly clear voice.
“Get home safely.”
“I’ll call you.”
“Don’t forget to call.”
As Ban Hajoon nodded, the taxi departed. Phew, Ban Hajoon was too weak with alcohol. If I drank two bottles, I should only let Ban Hajoon drink one bottle. Or just make him drink cider. He seemed fine until the meat restaurant… He must have gotten drunk drinking beer at the beer hall. Still, it’s fortunate that he didn’t cry in front of Woo Dohwan, whom he was meeting for the first time today.
“It’s hot, so hot.”
Even though all I did to send Ban Hajoon home was hail a taxi, sweat had formed on my forehead. I tugged at my neckline to fan myself, then wiped the sweat with the back of my hand. When I turned my head, I could see Woo Dohwan also leaning against a street tree with a flushed face from drinking.
“Are you drunk?”
“What about you?”
“Not really.”
When I gently shook my head, Woo Dohwan laughed as if he had expected that.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
It wasn’t that late, but there were no people on the street. Whether it was because the weather was cold, or because it was still prime drinking time, the empty street felt unfamiliar.
“You said he was a friend’s friend, but he’s really handsome.”
“What?”
“His name is handsome too.”
I opened my eyes wide at the random comment and met Woo Dohwan’s gaze. Ban Hajoon was handsome, but… what did he mean his name was handsome too? But if we’re talking about being handsome, isn’t he pretty impressive himself? Doesn’t he have a mirror at home? I tilted my head and answered with a sour expression.
“Hajoon-ssi is handsome. I thought he was an actor when I first saw him.”
“Right. He looks like he’d cause misunderstandings.”
The conversation abruptly cut off at his somewhat cold response. If he was going to feel bad about it, why did he bring it up? Thinking his personality was really strange, I quickened my pace. Since we had eaten not far from the officetel, home was just a little further. It was the moment I was unconsciously adjusting my collar against the seeping wind.
“Did you drink at home too?”
“What?”
“Earlier, you said you drank at home.”
The rainy day. A voice so small it could have been blown away by the wind was added.
“The day you acted coldly toward me and left, right?”
It was so quiet that if I hadn’t been listening carefully, I might have had to ask what Woo Dohwan had said. My steps came to an abrupt stop, and his steps also came to an abrupt stop.
“Back then… we weren’t close, Woo Dohwan-ssi. And you were really bad that day.”
I wasn’t sure why I was trying to give Woo Dohwan excuse-like explanations, but I quickly organized the thoughts that came to mind and opened my mouth.
“Ban Hajoon-ssi is my closest friend’s close friend. That sounds weird. My friend’s friend?”
“Friend’s friend?”
“Yes. My close friend’s, anyway, that. We had never even met before, but on the day my flower shop opened, Ban Hajoon-ssi came to buy flowers. Back then I didn’t even know he was my friend’s friend and sold him flowers.”
“Expensively?”
How did he know?
“I just… sold them normally.”
I mumbled, trailing off to avoid his stare.
“Continue. How did you end up eating separately with that ambiguous relationship?”
“This is a bit long to explain.”
“Even if it’s long, do it. My stomach is really bothering me right now.”
Woo Dohwan placed his fine hand on his chest and playfully frowned while making pained sounds, going “ow ow.” Ah, really. Is it because he’s drunk? Every time Woo Dohwan acted like this, my heart would beat as if it would burst. That man, who had a natural talent for enchanting people, might be a nine-tailed fox hiding nine tails. Looking at the empty air where tails that could never exist seemed to be swishing back and forth, I slowly continued speaking.
“So… Gyoyeon, no, my friend’s name is Gyoyeon. It was Gyoyeon’s birthday and he came to buy flowers again that day.”
“The friend’s friend?”
“Yes, Ban Hajoon-ssi. So I sold him flowers again… and Gyoyeon happened to come to the flower shop. That’s when I found out Hajoon-ssi and Gyoyeon were friends with each other, and since it was a birthday we had dinner together… and then somehow.”
This was the result of trying to organize in my head before speaking. I was rambling so much that even I couldn’t understand what I was saying, so it was questionable whether Woo Dohwan properly understood.
“…As you said earlier, it’s true that we’re in an ambiguous relationship.”
“Really?”
“It’s ambiguous. We don’t know each other well enough to call each other friends… Just, acquaintances?”
At my answer about an ambiguous relationship, Woo Dohwan’s expression was a bit strange. He looked at me intently as if thinking deeply about something, then moved his lips that were particularly red today to make a sound.
“Then what kind of relationship are we?”
“What?”
“You and me. You and that friend earlier are at least in an ambiguous relationship, but you and I.”
The gaze looking at me was deep. His already handsome face worked magic, appearing even more elegant under the bluish moonlight. His black pupils sparkled as if filled with moisture, and the lips that voiced the question were crimson. The rustling night breeze that blew stirred his fine hair that had nothing applied to it before moving away. With less than thirty steps left to the officetel, an illusion arose that even time was trapped between me and Woo Dohwan who had stopped.
“Babe, what kind of relationship are we?”
“……”
The blowing wind scattered my hair, covering my eyes. Faster than I could blink, Woo Dohwan’s hand reached toward me. His lukewarm hand gently swept the disheveled hair back. As the hair that had been blocking my view went behind me, my vision became clear. Without time to feel his gentle touch, Woo Dohwan’s expression I saw was entirely mixed with seriousness and anxiety.
“Hmm? Ranho.”
The hand that had been sweeping back my hair rubbed my earlobe, came down, and cupped my cheek as it was. My gaze rose not by my will but by his.
“…You’re being too hasty.”
At the single word that escaped through lips filled with hesitation, the strength left Woo Dohwan’s hand. In that gap, I slightly twisted my head to escape his touch. I moved my stopped feet to create distance. What kind of relationship are we? If I had to define it right now, it might be something like a relationship that’s too hasty. When things are this rushed, you’re bound to get indigestion. I still couldn’t be certain exactly what kind of emotions I had toward Woo Dohwan. As he said, I really do like his face. It didn’t seem like I only liked that handsome face, but I wasn’t sure if I liked him enough to become serious about it.
Moreover, Woo Dohwan’s feelings toward me might also be, as Yeo Dongju said, interest from thinking “how can a man be so pretty?” I didn’t want to think that, but even I had more than 80% favorable feelings based on his appearance, so Woo Dohwan wouldn’t be different.
I wish it were different, but thinking back to Woo Dohwan’s words, it probably wasn’t. When I asked why he liked me, a man who lacked nothing, Woo Dohwan had definitely said this:
“A pretty person making pretty things, how could I not like it?”
Since most of the words I’ve heard since becoming Seo Ranho were like that, I keep having different thoughts. The suspicion that maybe he wants to try it once. Woo Dohwan has no experience with men. In other words, he might seduce me out of curiosity, and after seeing everything with me who fell completely for it, he might coolly say goodbye. Because his curiosity would be resolved.
“Ranho.”
Woo Dohwan, who grabbed the arm of me walking ahead, stopped my hurried steps.
“You look like you’re going to fall. Why are you in such a hurry?”
“……”
“Did you dislike that I was hasty?”
Woo Dohwan grabbed my clenched hand, bent his waist, and met my eyes with his downward gaze. His deep black pupils were still filled with an anxious look.
“Sorry.”
“……”
“It’s my first time being like this, so my heart keeps getting impatient.”
With the hand not holding me, he pressed down on his eye area as if truly troubled, with a look full of distress. A faint sigh leaked out between his slightly parted lips. Then he took his hand away and persistently met my eyes with an unfocused gaze.
“Ranho.”
“……”
“Can’t you be a little understanding? Even if I act hastily?”
Woo Dohwan, who had let go of my hand, took off the muffler that had been around his neck and put it around mine. One loop, two loops. After wrapping it so it wasn’t too tight, he tied a knot, albeit clumsily. Instead of urging me who gave no answer, he grabbed my wrist again and walked toward the officetel.
“Go in.”
“…You go in. This,”
“Keep it and wear it. It’s cold, wear it tomorrow too.”
Woo Dohwan took his hand away, which lingered with regret, stepped back, and moved his chin as if telling me to hurry and go in. I blinked slowly and impulsively voiced a question toward the man standing like a picture.
“…Would you like to come up for tea?”
At my trailing question, Woo Dohwan opened his eyes wide as if surprised, rubbed the area near his heart, and laughed, wrinkling his nose bridge.
“My heart just skipped a beat.”
“……”
“But if I go up there…”
Woo Dohwan, who had stepped back, came a step closer again and reached out his hand. He naturally held my cheek, gently rubbed around my eyes, then opened his previously straight-pressed lips to indirectly convey his refusal.
“I think I’ll make a mistake. So I’ll just go today.”
When I nodded at his words that he would leave, the warm temperature moved away from my cheek. Without further insistence, I turned my body toward the officetel entrance. I deliberately didn’t look back. Woo Dohwan wouldn’t have left anyway. I pressed the elevator button and closed my eyes while leaning my back against the wall.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
