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Part 1. My Sucker’s Man
Jang Yeonhu had many nicknames. “Clingy” or “Goldfish Poop” were among the cuter ones, while in worse cases, he was often called “Lackey” or “Errand Boy.” These nicknames seemed quite unfitting for the heir of a massive corporation known to all, but neither those who called him these names, nor the recipient of these almost insulting nicknames denied them. This was because everyone knew that three characters—”Han Jaekyung”—were implied before all those titles.
Indeed, as his numerous nicknames suggested, Yeonhu was generally a sucker. A sucker exclusively for Han Jaekyung. Anyone with even the vaguest understanding of their relationship would agree. Thanks to this, Han Jaekyung, who in crude terms “had nothing special besides a decent face,” was able to enjoy a very comfortable school life.
Unlike other scholarship students who were desperate to hide the fact they were receiving support, he proudly advertised that he was “that” Han Jaekyung who received full backing from the Jang family.
This too was all thanks to Yeonhu, who very explicitly volunteered to be Jaekyung’s sucker.
With Yeonhu behind him—who wouldn’t hesitate to even pretend to die at his word—thirty-one-year-old Jaekyung had become a lawyer at a prestigious firm and lived boldly without ever having to humble himself to anyone. He thought it would always be that way.
‘Jaekyung, I… I like you. You don’t have to accept my feelings. Just… just know that’s how I feel.’
From that winter day at seventeen when the precious only son of a wealthy family stuttered out his one-sided love, Jaekyung had baselessly convinced himself that his life was as good as settled.
Even though he couldn’t secure the position as Yeonhu’s lover, Yeonhu never stopped his pathetic sucker behavior. No, instead he became an even more devoted follower, circling around Jaekyung.
During that time, Jaekyung’s bad habits grew worse. Though Jaekyung himself wasn’t even conscious that they were bad.
But doesn’t the only fish in an aquarium eventually escape when the food runs out? In some ways, the shattering of Jaekyung’s arrogance was an inevitable conclusion.
“Say hello, Jaekyung. This is my boyfriend, Choi Eunseong.”
And at this very moment.
“You’ll support me, right? No matter what others say, you’re still my best friend.”
Looking at Yeonhu as he brightly introduced the unfamiliar man sitting beside him, Jaekyung realized painfully that the time had finally come for his arrogance to be completely shattered.
* * *
Just a month—no, even a week ago—Jaekyung had been in quite a good mood. So good that he was almost scared of how smoothly his life was going.
The law firm he’d joined before the ink had even dried on his attorney license was ranked within the top three in the industry. Famous law firms were desperate to scout the fresh graduate who was rumored to have close ties with the Woojin Group’s heir, and he had carefully chosen and entered the one that offered the most favorable conditions.
After working for a few months with the title of associate, the company pushed him to go for training in America, and he had just returned from that trip only about 3-4 months ago.
Even during his American training period, Jaekyung’s sucker—that is, Yeonhu—frequently booked flight tickets and rushed over several times a month, despite the disapproving glances from his family.
Initially, he was supposed to stay in a studio arranged by the law firm, but thanks to Yeonhu making a fuss about how shabby it was, he was able to comfortably stay in a mansion with staff throughout his two-year training period in America.
“Congratulations, Attorney Han.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t forget to treat us when your assignment ends. Got it?”
“Of course, absolutely.”
And finally, next quarter. His promotion to partner attorney was confirmed. It was clearly an unprecedented speed. This too must be thanks to his faithful sucker, Yeonhu. Not bothering to hide his pleased expression, Jaekyung smiled brightly. While inwardly thinking that he should throw a little food to the sucker in his net for once.
The upcoming assignment to Woojin Group’s legal team next month was also Yeonhu’s doing. Yeonhu had beautifully planned it out without Jaekyung even asking, saying that since he had just returned from America, he shouldn’t overwork himself, and that it would be good to take a few months’ rest under the pretext of this assignment before starting full-fledged work. Meanwhile, Yeonhu himself had already been sweating for a year as an entry-level employee under the excuse of management training.
< [Hey sucker] 1
< [Still busy?] 1
Yeonhu, who said he had been put in charge of training new interns for the past few days, was uncharacteristically pretending to be busy and not responding well. There was still no sign that he had read the messages sent more than three hours ago.
Is this why timing is so important? When someone finally decides to show some generosity, what can be done if the rhythm is off like this? Grumbling with dissatisfaction, Jaekyung quickly typed another message.
< [I’ll buy you dinner, so come pick me up soon] 1
Yeonhu, who was expected to arrive on time, didn’t show up at the building parking lot even as the evening passed into the dark night. Jaekyung, who had packed his bag and was sitting alone waiting sullenly for Yeonhu, called several times around nine-thirty, but all calls went unanswered.
“…How annoying. The nerve of Jang Yeonhu pretending to be busy.”
Though irritation was burning inside him, Jaekyung maintained an outwardly calm demeanor as he left. Regretting that he should have accepted his colleagues’ invitation for drinks if he had known this would happen.
The downtown roads were completely jammed even at this late hour, as if everyone was out for company dinners. Even while driving, he checked his phone at every red light and occasionally tried calling, but Yeonhu remained unresponsive until the end.
This, this! How sorry is he planning to be to me tomorrow? Jaekyung, oblivious to what lay ahead, gritted his teeth and roughly threw the phone he was holding onto the passenger seat. Of course, both the white sedan he was driving and the officetel he was heading to were personally provided by Yeonhu.
Ignorant people sometimes marveled at how Jaekyung didn’t prostrate himself before Yeonhu. But Jaekyung never worried about when his luxuries might end, or feared Yeonhu’s change of heart… because Yeonhu liked Jaekyung too much. To the point where simply saying he “liked” him would be an understatement.
Even after arriving home, taking a cold, mind-clearing shower, and gulping down two cans of beer from the refrigerator, Jaekyung’s irritation wouldn’t subside. He kept nibbling his fingernails and checking the chat window with the contact saved as “My Sucker,” finally falling into a light sleep as dawn approached.
> [Sorry. I had the phone on silent while working overtime yesterday.]
> [I’ll be busy for a while… weekday evenings will be difficult.]
> [Shall we meet on the weekend?]
The message that arrived the next morning as he was preparing for work was incomparably dry compared to his usual tone.
“What’s with this guy… Is he going through a tough time these days…?”
In Jaekyung’s world, a Yeonhu who changed his heart was an impossible setting from the start, so it was reasonable from his perspective to worry about Yeonhu’s health based on that dryness. But this time, he was completely off the mark.
Jaekyung should have realized it then.
With whom Yeonhu, unusually uncontactable, had spent the previous night.
Why his one and only sucker, who had diligently answered calls even in the ICU when his grandfather was on the brink of death, didn’t answer the phone specifically on that night.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
