<52>
“How is… hyung doing?”
“About the same as usual. He’s in rehabilitation training right now.”
Was saying “about the same as usual” not welcome news to the person on the other end? A deep sigh came through the receiver. Han Jaekyung, who just thirty minutes ago had been looking through high school graduation albums with Jang Yeonhu and being affectionate in all sorts of ways, felt his chest grow heavy at that sigh.
After being discharged, Yeonhu had been receiving rehabilitation therapy diligently for two hours every day. For his precious grandson, Chairman Noh had even gone so far as to have a rehabilitation specialist stay at the house. Not only that. Having heard that people with amnesia often develop depression, he also called in a psychiatrist every three or four days, willing to do anything and everything possible for Yeonhu.
It had been two weeks since he returned home. People were adapting without difficulty to living with Yeonhu who had “lost his memory.” This was especially true since Yeonhu had always acted quite maturely—as long as it didn’t involve Han Jaekyung.
Unfortunately, the only person not yet ready to accept this situation was Choi Eunseong, who called Jaekyung every day to inquire about Yeonhu’s every move.
“So his memory hasn’t returned yet.”
“…No.”
Another sigh in response. The call continues without any exchange of conversation, until the phone against his cheek feels hot from overheating.
“Attorney Han.”
After a long silence, Choi Eunseong finally spoke. Jaekyung responded that he was listening, so go ahead.
“Let’s… meet. Let’s meet and talk. I have something I want to ask you.”
“…”
“Is that okay? As soon as possible, I mean.”
The time had finally come to deal with a task he had wanted to indefinitely postpone.
“The day after tomorrow, I have to go into the office, so let’s meet before I go in.”
“Good. Then please send me the time by message. I’ll wait for you at the café on the first floor.”
Although he had said he wasn’t in love yet, what kind of conversation would he have sitting face to face with Yeonhu’s boyfriend, who still liked Yeonhu? Even after hanging up, Jaekyung remained dazed for a while. Choi Eunseong had clearly seen Yeonhu naturally kiss Jaekyung while he was crying, so in his own way, Eunseong must have been holding back for a long time, wanting to confront him right away.
This time he would truly have to apologize… but he didn’t want to make excuses. Though he would be terribly unworthy for the thirty-one-year-old Yeonhu, until he regained his memories, he was still—yes—the eighteen-year-old Yeonhu who belonged to Han Jaekyung.
* * *
Although he had distributed the ongoing cases to his team members as much as possible, he had too many projects underway to completely stop working. Not knowing how long it would take, Jaekyung had decided to go to the office once a week until Yeonhu’s memory fully returned, to receive reports on his team members’ work progress and give directions.
Even to himself, it was an absurd privilege. One he couldn’t even dream of without the solid backing of a company like Woojin Group.
Han Jaekyung put on the suit he had brought in advance and picked up his navy briefcase. Perhaps because his body had gotten used to comfortable clothes, the tie that tightly constricted his neck felt strange. It was while he was standing in front of the mirror, checking his appearance one last time. A pair of heavy arms suddenly landed on both his shoulders.
“Do you have to go to work?”
“Move. I’m late.”
“Don’t go, stay with me.”
“Jang Yeonhu.”
Last week, Jaekyung had left quietly while Yeonhu was sleeping, but though he hadn’t said anything, Yeonhu must have been seething inside, because today he had gotten up before six in the morning and had been loitering in front of the guest room where Jaekyung was staying. And now, after breakfast, from the moment Jaekyung started preparing to leave, he kept doing this.
“Are you trying to annoy me? Get off. I’ve told you several times I’m really late.”
As Jaekyung’s voice, which had been casual, began to show irritation, Yeonhu reluctantly took a step back. But though he stepped back, his sulky face already had his lips jutting out several feet. An eighteen-year-old child was definitely too much for Jaekyung to handle. Both emotionally and rationally.
“Then can’t you at least change your clothes before you go?”
“Why my clothes?”
“It’s my first time seeing you in a suit.”
“So what?”
“It’s too…”
Too pretty. Too pretty, and too handsome. So… I don’t like other people seeing it.
The whispered words along with a sigh pierced straight into Jaekyung’s eardrum. Knowing it was embarrassing even to himself, Yeonhu bowed his head deeply without meeting his eyes. Yeonhu’s nape and ears reflected in the mirror were completely flushed red. As if contagious, a faint blush also rose on Jaekyung’s cheeks.
Good heavens. He’s unbelievably cute. This eighteen-year-old Jang Yeonhu, meeting him again after thirteen years.
“…Stop talking nonsense. I’m going.”
“When will you be back?”
“I don’t know. I’ll have to see. I’ll be back before dinner. Wait or don’t, do as you please.”
“Jaekyung!”
Han Jaekyung forcefully shook off Yeonhu’s hand grabbing at his collar and quickly walked to the front door. If he stayed any longer, he felt he might end up skipping even the one day a week he went to the office, playing along with that immature kid.
It was just as difficult to concentrate at the office. He received warm greetings from team members he hadn’t seen in a long time, and gave appropriate responses to a few words of comfort saying they’d seen the article about his friend and that he must be having a hard time… While reviewing several documents, Jaekyung’s mind was completely filled with thoughts of Yeonhu.
He had decided to cut it off, he had tried so hard to convince himself that it would be enough if Yeonhu was happy with Choi Eunseong. But it took less than a month for Jaekyung’s resolve to shatter. Yeonhu in his mouth was too sweet to give up and return.
Could it be possible that his memory might never return? At the thought that suddenly crossed his mind while drinking coffee, Han Jaekyung stiffened his shoulders with a start.
“Get it together, Han Jaekyung. Let’s get it together.”
The reprieve granted to him could not become an eternal paradise. That was a fixed fact. Jaekyung gulped down the little coffee left and compulsively washed his hands. It would soon be time to leave work.
“Over here!”
“…Choi Eunseong.”
As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he heard a voice calling him. It was Choi Eunseong, who had agreed to meet at the café on the first floor. Despite having typed and sent the time himself, he had hoped until the elevator doors opened that Choi Eunseong might forget their appointment or that something more important might come up for him, but it was all in vain.
He led Jaekyung, saying he had already secured a table in the innermost part of the café where they could avoid people’s attention. Two iced Americanos were already prominently placed on the table he followed him to.
“It’s been a while, Attorney Han. Have you been well?”
A subtly bristling tone. As if accusing, how could you not be well after taking Yeonhu away from me? No. It must be a misunderstanding. Jaekyung blamed his guilty conscience and nodded calmly. And you, how have you been? he asked in return.
“I haven’t been well. How could I be? They said he would recover soon, but his memory shows no sign of returning… At least when he was in the hospital, I could see his face as much as I wanted, but now even that is difficult…”
If it’s going to be like this, if it’s going to be like this, then rather… The face immersed in melancholy seemed to mutter these words before biting his lip hard, as if surprised at himself. Jaekyung could easily guess the words omitted after those ellipses. That it might have been better before he woke up. He felt somewhat angry, but from Choi Eunseong’s perspective, how frustrating must the current situation be to make him say such things? It wasn’t completely incomprehensible.
He knew it was time to offer some words of comfort, but being naturally devoid of talent for such embarrassing words, Jaekyung simply asked if he didn’t say he had something to ask.
Honestly, facing Choi Eunseong was extremely uncomfortable, and he strongly wanted to just briefly address the matter and leave quickly.
“Right. I know you’re a busy person, unlike me. I won’t take up more of your time.”
Despite saying he wouldn’t prolong things, when it came time to speak, Choi Eunseong seemed unable to get the words out, drawing out his sentences with “So…” and “Well, you see…” Jaekyung decided not to wait for Eunseong’s question.
“We dated. In our second year of high school, for about a hundred days.”
“What?”
“Isn’t that what you wanted to ask?”
“…!!”
Yeonhu and I, we did date. Han Jaekyung enunciated clearly toward the wide-open eyes. Would it be too unscrupulous to say that he had wanted to say this from the restaurant where he was first introduced to Choi Eunseong?
“Then indeed…”
“Yes. As you suspect. We didn’t date for long, just three or four months. But it happens that the time Yeonhu remembers is exactly when he was dating me.”
The clear eyes trembled mercilessly as if struck by a painful rod. The jealousy and suspicions that had been deliberately buried each time something seemed dubious—because Jaekyung had been told he was Yeonhu’s best friend—were now belatedly beginning to raise their heads. It seemed quite unfair, judging by how tightly he was gripping the coffee cup.
“Ha, it must have been amusing? Watching me bow my head in gratitude, saying thank you for taking my side when you knew everything. Listening to nonsense about how I finally understand what a special friendship you two have.”
It wasn’t amusing at all. It couldn’t have been amusing. But Jaekyung decided not to make excuses. He had come today firmly resolved to accept everything Choi Eunseong said.
Han Jaekyung had something left to do—to ask permission from Choi Eunseong before it was too late, so that he could remain by Yeonhu’s side, even if only as an insignificant friend, after Yeonhu regained his memory.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
