#098
Lee Yeonwoo was leaning against the stone wall in front of his house, dragging his heavy body to greet his guest.
The wet handkerchief that Grandma Kyeong-i had placed on his forehead in the middle of the night had dried completely and was now wrapped around Yeonwoo’s neck like a necklace.
The elderly villagers passing through the alley would stroke Yeonwoo’s head once as they walked by. He felt like he’d become the neighborhood dog. They even left a comment each time they passed.
“Are you trying to become a human CCTV or something?”
[24-hour CCTV surveillance in progress]
It was because of the message written in red paint last time.
Someone even touched the handkerchief wrapped around Yeonwoo’s neck, who had caught a cold.
“Don’t you have any green onions?”
“Green onions? Go check Grandpa Beom’s store.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
The person said they’d show him personally and headed toward Grandma Kyeong-i’s house.
“Grandma Kyeong-i isn’t home right now. She went out to see off Uncle Gyeongtae who’s going to Seoul.”
Hearing that, the elderly person changed direction and walked toward Yeonwoo’s house with their hands clasped behind their back. A few minutes passed. They came out holding green onions in their hands.
“How come your house is so fully stocked with household items?”
“My boyfriend filled it up for me.”
The person must have thought Yeonwoo’s words were a joke, as they smiled kindly and unwrapped the handkerchief around his neck, put the green onions inside, and rolled it back up. Then they wrapped it around his neck like a necklace again.
Yeonwoo raised his hand to touch the handkerchief wrapped around his neck.
“What is this?”
“Stop asking questions and just wear it.”
In the end, he couldn’t get an explanation and just watched the hunched back walking away.
His throat felt warm. Had they grilled the green onions or something?
His throat, which had been bubbling with phlegm, seemed to have calmed down a bit. Folk remedy? Yeonwoo pressed the handkerchief closer to his neck. The scent of green onions wafted up.
How long had he been like that when he heard the sound of a car in the distance.
‘Is it Kim Seungseon?’
He straightened his crouched body.
…Dojun hyung?
[**Me ****]
The car type and license plate number proved it was Kang Dojun’s car. He said he couldn’t come, but did he come anyway?
Suddenly his breathing became rapid. When the car stopped in front, Yeonwoo quickly approached and knocked on the window. The dark tinting that obscured the car’s interior was frustrating.
The window rolled down smoothly.
“…What. Get down.”
“I have to park before I get out. Should I park in your house’s yard? Hey, move back a bit so hyung can drive.”
When Yeonwoo stepped back, the car entered the front yard of the house.
Kim Haseon turned off the engine, got out of the car, and shook his wrists and ankles to loosen his stiff body. Yeonwoo glared at everything he was doing without missing a single detail.
“Why are you driving hyung’s car?”
“I have quite a bit of luggage.”
Kim Haseon went to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Three suitcases and a small bag were loaded inside.
“What’s with all this luggage when you’re only staying one night?”
Yeonwoo grumbled quietly, annoyed that he had borrowed Kang Dojun’s car, and picked up the small bag.
He was curious about what Kang Dojun had packed for him.
“Mmm-mmm, no.”
Kim Haseon shook his head and made a strange sound. Then he held out his hand, asking for the small bag. Yeonwoo hesitantly handed over what he was holding.
“…Why?”
“That’s mine. That’s yours.”
“……”
“Small bag is mine. Three suitcases are yours.”
Yeonwoo blinked blankly. What, why are there so many? If I open the suitcases, won’t Dojun hyung pop out of one as a surprise event?
Having such ridiculous thoughts, Yeonwoo didn’t move the suitcases out of the trunk but opened one right there on the spot. Of course, if three suitcases came, he’d be curious about what was inside them.
“Dog leash?”
Kim Haseon, who had opened the suitcase and was peeking inside to check the contents, muttered. Various pet supplies were packed inside: a dog leash, poop bags, food, treats, and other items.
“Do you have a dog?”
“Ah, Grandpa Jongsu.”
Yeonwoo sniffled due to his cold and opened another suitcase. Kang Dojun’s childhood photo albums and movie posters he appeared in… Various items related to him came out.
The last remaining one was indeed Yeonwoo’s. It contained clothes bought in Seoul, matching couple shoes, and even health supplements.
Even though it was prepared hastily yesterday, he had packed so much.
“Hey, want me to tell you something amazing?”
Kim Haseon, claiming he had incredible news to share with Yeonwoo who was checking the items one by one, opened the back seat door.
“There’s one more.”
It wasn’t a suitcase but a paper bag. Various types of side dishes were neatly stacked inside. There were even ice packs carefully included to prevent spoilage during the long drive.
“Did you… get some dirt on Kang Dojun or something?”
Hehe. Yeonwoo burst into a silly laugh at his question. Soon he took out his phone and held it out to Kim Haseon.
“Take a picture of me.”
It was a kind of proof shot.
Kim Haseon grumbled and stepped back to take a picture of Yeonwoo, who was standing in front of the trunk making a V sign.
“Look at you catching a cold. And you’ve got some weird handkerchief wrapped around your neck.”
“This is what Grandma Kyeong-i gave me.”
“…I really can only see the handkerchief. It’s so pretty though.”
“Just take the picture.”
After taking the photo, Kim Haseon gathered the luggage and went inside the house. It took two round trips to get everything inside. Kim Haseon sniffed the air.
“Did you cook? I smell green onions somewhere.”
“In here. Grandma put them in before she left.”
Yeonwoo pointed to the handkerchief around his neck as he spoke. Kim Haseon’s eyes sparkled as he approached closer. He carefully examined the village elders’ thoughtful collaboration.
“Wow, this handkerchief is totally a rare item. Sorry for calling it weird.”
Ignoring Kim Haseon, Yeonwoo headed to the kitchen to put the side dishes Kang Dojun had packed in the refrigerator.
Several side dishes, beef soup, refreshing bean sprout soup, seaweed soup. Most were soups that were easy to swallow and could be eaten with rice. There was even barley tea in a thermos.
…I miss hyung. Would he come if I collapsed from being so sick?
Unfortunately, his healthy body had been taking medicine for two days, and his cold symptoms were gradually subsiding.
Today’s physical condition was naturally the worst, but compared to yesterday, he couldn’t help but notice it was much better. At this rate, he’d be completely recovered by tomorrow or the day after.
“But why did he pack his own photo albums?”
Kim Haseon muttered while rummaging through the luggage. Cough, Yeonwoo gave a shallow cough and quickly retrieved the album from his hands.
“Don’t touch it.”
“I already saw everything. But he was already perfect even as a kid.”
Despite Yeonwoo’s sharp glare, he continued examining the other items.
“This leash is… which grandpa?”
“Grandpa Jongsu. The farmer.”
“Ah, the red roof. I know where that is. Should I just drop it off?”
“Yeah. Please do me that favor.”
Yeonwoo placed the back of his hand on his hot forehead. He had taken medicine in the morning and his fever had gone down, but it had risen again.
Did this guy bring germs from Seoul? Talking with Kim Haseon seemed to make his cold symptoms surge back. Still, he felt sorry for Kim Haseon, who had come all the way from Seoul to play but would end up nursing him instead.
I should at least prepare a meal.
Yeonwoo moved to wash the rice.
“Let’s eat first.”
“Hey, I’ll prepare it. You just keep wearing more handkerchiefs.”
Kim Haseon forcibly sat Yeonwoo down on the floor, then headed to the kitchen. The older brother should move when the younger one is sick. Although he’d never heard the word “hyung” from Yeonwoo, he secretly considered him a younger brother in his heart.
Of course, Yeonwoo might not feel the same way.
Kim Haseon chuckled at Yeonwoo’s ant-like voice saying “Thank you” and headed to the kitchen. There was no need to cook anything special – he just had to heat up the side dishes and soup that Kang Dojun had prepared. It wasn’t particularly difficult work.
Meanwhile, Yeonwoo sent the photo he had just taken to Kang Dojun along with a text saying he had received everything well and a bee emoticon bowing its head in gratitude. He’s probably practicing his script right now.
After sending the text, Yeonwoo slowly opened Kang Dojun’s old photo album.
It started with a baby’s appearance.
‘Hyung was pretty even then.’
His eyes, nose, and mouth – all his features were already complete. Next to him, his parents holding baby Kang Dojun were smiling brightly.
Yeonwoo sharpened his gaze to find resemblances between them.
The deep double-lidded eyes and firmly closed red lips were from his mother, while the high, straight nose bridge and pretty facial structure were from his father.
Kang Dojun was a face that had received only good genes, evenly mixed.
Turning the page, he saw photos of various kindergarten activities.
‘He even wore hanbok back then.’
Come to think of it, Kang Dojun had never filmed a historical drama. Yeonwoo briefly wondered if there might be a work he didn’t know about, but knowing that was impossible, he turned to the next page.
I should call later and ask why he’s never filmed a historical drama.
An elementary school entrance photo appeared, and on the next page was Park Daeho’s childhood appearance, who was supposedly a childhood friend. He even had band-aids stuck all over his face.
Fortunately, Kang Dojun only had one band-aid on his young cheek.
Did they fight? With whom?
“Hey, the food’s ready.”
Seeing Kim Haseon poke his head out from the kitchen, Yeonwoo closed the album. Since Kang Dojun wouldn’t be here for a few days, this precious thing would help ease his loneliness and boredom, so he had to save it and look at it slowly.
Kim Haseon set up the table and transferred the prepared side dishes one by one. Yeonwoo helped a little too. Looking at the arranged food, there wasn’t a corner that hadn’t been touched by Kang Dojun’s hands.
Meanwhile, a large hand roughly pressed against Yeonwoo’s forehead.
“Seems like you have a bit of a fever.”
The thermometer that Grandma Kyeong-i had given him was only used when Kang Dojun told him to take his temperature; most of the time he gauged his fever by hand.
“Take medicine later and sleep.”
“Ugh, I have to check on the bees and play with Kim Seungseon too.”
Yeonwoo spoke as if lamenting his overwhelming daily schedule.
“I can play with the bees. But they say idiots don’t catch colds, so why did you catch one?”
Kim Haseon tilted his head in puzzlement.
“Everyone said I was smart though.”
Yeonwoo answered with a small cough, then picked up his spoon. When you’re sick, you need to eat well. It was to carry out Kang Dojun’s instruction to make sure to eat properly.
“Hey, you got a call?”
Yeonwoo snatched his phone from Kim Haseon’s grasp. Is it Dojun hyung? Looking at the screen with excitement, it showed [Oksu Gisinhyeon].
…Did they call to ask me to bring corn?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
