#64
“The handsome hyung is here.”
Among them, there were some who recognized Ha-min.
“Hello, I’ve heard a lot about you, hyung.”
It was a good-looking guy, as handsome as Tae-in. The face that greeted him friendly seemed familiar somewhere. As Ha-min looked at him intently, wondering where he had seen him before, Tae-in chimed in.
“This is our drummer.”
As soon as he heard that, Ha-min clapped his hands lightly as if he remembered.
“Hello, I’m Song Ha-min.”
“I’m Park Hee-gyeom. Please speak casually with me, hyung.”
“But we’ve just met…”
“We’re all here to have fun anyway. I heard you’re close with Tae-in hyung, Woo-kyung, and Chae-rin. Let’s be friends too.”
Park Hee-gyeom was polite and sociable. And his gentle smile had something that made people feel comfortable. Ha-min nodded with a slight smile. It would have been impolite to refuse too strongly.
“Okay, then…”
Ha-min answered awkwardly.
“I’ve been curious about you because the others always talk about you.”
“Me…?”
“Yes. I heard you came to see our performance too. I wanted to get to know you better at the after-party, but you didn’t come.”
He continued the conversation as naturally as Woo-kyung. He didn’t seem to feel any awkwardness despite meeting for the first time.
“I had something to do that day.”
“Let’s have a drink together today, with everyone. I’ve been feeling left out when the others always talk about you.”
He grumbled with a genuinely disappointed face. Ha-min nodded with a small smile.
Besides him, there were a few more unfamiliar people. Everyone exchanged brief greetings and boarded the plane. Without realizing it, Ha-min’s heart was pounding as he looked out the window, perhaps because he had been looking forward to it.
It was his first trip. And there was also the expectation that he might be able to see hyung when they arrived.
**
“Wow, this is amazing.”
The resort was a resort in name only; it was no different from a hotel. Everyone’s eyes widened at the intimidating size and jaw-dropping luxury. It was a luxurious accommodation that they probably could never afford in their lifetime. As soon as they entered the lobby, they could see the vast golf course beyond the glass walls. Everyone except Tae-in looked around the lobby with dazed expressions.
“I’ll go check in.”
As Ha-min was looking around with a blank face, Tae-in said this and walked towards the desk.
“Wow, this is really incredible. It’s my first time in a place like this.”
“The lobby is gorgeous. Hey, Shin Woo-kyung, look at that. There’s a white horse!”
Woo-kyung and Eun-soo, who were the most excited, ran around enthusiastically. They clung to the window, pointing at the opposite side of the golf course. The others were busy taking pictures here and there. Ha-min sat quietly in the waiting area, just looking around silently. There was a chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. For some reason, he felt intimidated. The massive and luxurious environment made him feel awkward, as if he had come to a place he shouldn’t have.
“That senior Tae-rim must be really something.”
Hee-gyeom plopped down next to Ha-min and said this out of the blue. Ha-min looked at him with a blank stare at the sudden remark.
“I heard we’re staying here for free thanks to that senior. They even paid for our plane tickets.”
“Ah, yes. That’s what I heard.”
“You know him too, right? Senior Lee Tae-rim.”
“Yes… He’s also Tae-in’s older brother…”
“I heard he’s really handsome. But don’t you think he’s a bit too perfect?”
“Huh?”
“It’s kind of intimidating for other guys. He’s too accomplished.”
Hee-gyeom shrugged and spoke with a nonchalant face. It wasn’t wrong. He had the power to make all other men look inferior. To the point where anyone who saw him could feel a sense of inferiority. But Ha-min was the opposite. When he saw hyung, he only felt reverence, admiration, or affection. Nothing else.
Ha-min just smiled slightly without any particular response and turned his head. Just then, he saw Tae-in returning after finishing the check-in.
“Lee Tae-in.”
There was another person who recognized Tae-in. It was a familiar voice with a moderately low resonance. It was a voice that made his heart flutter just by hearing it.
“Oh, hyung.”
Tae-in, who was collecting the key cards, turned his head towards the sound. Tae-rim was seen wearing golf wear. The perfectly fitting style looked incredibly elegant. He was even pulling off a style that could easily make one look older. Behind him were several others also in golf wear, looking like they had just finished a round. Tae-rim approached Tae-in while taking off his leather gloves, with a very businesslike expression.
“Drop by tonight for a moment.”
“Me too? Why?”
“Why? Because you’re my brother. Just show your face briefly.”
“Ah… I was planning to hang out with the others.”
“Tsk. Just listen to me.”
Their conversation was incomprehensible, as if they had separate business. It was a conversation between brothers. Ha-min couldn’t easily join in and stayed quietly. It was also embarrassing to approach first and act familiar. It wasn’t just Tae-rim; there was a group he was with, and among them were familiar faces. His ex-girlfriend was there.
“Tae-in, it’s been a while?”
“Oh, noona. Hello.”
Suddenly, Ha-min felt strange. His throat felt bitter, as if stomach acid was refluxing.
“You came too, noona.”
“Yeah. I don’t want to see this bastard’s face, but what can I do? It’s a place where I have to show my face.”
Hee-jae elbowed Tae-rim’s waist. At her words, Tae-rim just smirked nonchalantly. They seemed very close for a couple that had broken up. It felt like their relationship wasn’t just a simple romantic one. Ha-min unconsciously felt the bitterness in his mouth and pressed his fingertips hard. It was to suppress the petty feelings that seemed to be bursting out.
He had heard that Tae-rim was coming with friends, but he never imagined that his ex-girlfriend would be among them. And he never thought that seeing them would make his stomach churn like this.
“Hyung, are you okay?”
Hee-gyeom asked worriedly, noticing Ha-min’s face turning pale. But Ha-min didn’t hear him. He was just surprised at his own state. He was disgusted with himself for feeling sick to his stomach as soon as he saw that scene. How much, how much had he been expecting? Ha-min spoke with difficulty, with a bewildered face.
“Oh, I’m fine…”
“You don’t look fine at all. Your complexion suddenly got so bad?”
Surprised by Ha-min’s sudden paleness, Hee-gyeom held his face. At that moment, Ha-min felt gazes flying towards them. Hee-gyeom’s worried voice was quite loud. It was enough to echo through the spacious lobby. He didn’t want to catch Tae-rim’s eye right now, but he frowned, feeling like he had received his gaze.
“Did you get motion sickness? I have some medicine…”
“Ha-min.”
Along with the soft call, a dark shadow fell over him. A fragrant scent immediately pricked his nose.
Thud.
With a dull sound, the hand touching his face was removed. The removed hand awkwardly hung in the air. Surprised by the rejected hand, both Ha-min and Hee-gyeom blinked with dumbfounded eyes. However, in contrast to this scene, a gentle voice was heard.
“You should have come to see hyung first when you arrived.”
Tae-rim’s elegant hand touched Ha-min’s face. His eyes, curved like crescent moons, were still captivating but subtly hardened.
At that moment, a brief, subtle silence lingered.
The gesture of knocking away Hee-gyeom’s hand was harsher than expected, and the excessive affection towards Ha-min also played a part. As inexplicable gazes suddenly converged, a heavy atmosphere momentarily lingered. It wasn’t just him and hyung here. Ha-min flinched as if coming to his senses and avoided the touch on his face. Blinking his surprised eyes after unconsciously avoiding it, he opened his mouth, pretending nothing was wrong.
“I was going to greet you.”
He smiled awkwardly and kept his distance as much as possible. It was partly because of people’s gazes, but for some reason, he kept feeling smaller in front of Tae-rim.
“Are you sick?”
As if he had heard Hee-gyeom’s words, Tae-rim examined Ha-min’s complexion with slightly furrowed eyes. Ha-min waved his hands in denial.
“No. I’m just a bit tired…”
“Are you sure you’re not sick?”
Tae-rim asked again as if to confirm. Ha-min nodded, forcing a smile.
“I’m fine, really.”
“That’s good then.”
Only then did Tae-rim withdraw his suspicious gaze. He then tilted his head slightly to check the identity of Hee-gyeom sitting next to Ha-min.
“A friend?”
He asked, looking at Hee-gyeom sitting next to Ha-min. The topic naturally shifted. Hee-gyeom nodded his head, fiddling with his rejected hand with a dazed expression.
“Hello.”
“Hi.”
Tae-rim received the greeting lightly and asked again. Ha-min nodded slowly at the subtly persistent question. As he had felt before, Tae-rim had a persistent side unlike his appearance. It usually didn’t show, but it stood out in bed, and his smiling face now felt similar to those times. At Tae-rim’s insistent question, Ha-min awkwardly added an explanation.
“Yes. From Tae-in’s club, Hee-gyeom…”
“Ah, I think I’ve heard about him.”
He replied nonchalantly with a face that showed no recognition.
“I’m Park Hee-gyeom.”
Hee-gyeom, who had been watching carefully from the side, greeted politely following Ha-min’s introduction.
“Alright, have fun while you’re here.”
