#78
While Choi Hyun-oh was mumbling something like an excuse, the car slowly approached us. Given the situation, he couldn’t just pick me up alone, so it seemed like the three of us would have to face each other, and I had a vague idea of what might happen.
I felt unnecessarily uncomfortable due to the uneasiness. Feeling a calm like the calm before a storm, I glanced at hyung and Choi Hyun-oh who would be in the heavily tinted car.
The window on the passenger side lowered with a whirr. Saheon hyung poked his head out towards us and smiled lightly. It was like the smile of an airline model.
“Did you just finish? I came out at just the right time. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Hyun-oh’s friend too. I think it’s the first time since then.”
A refreshing laugh and a neat voice that easily gave a good impression approached in a pleasant tone. I was inwardly surprised, as I had been imagining something similar to cursing as soon as we met, even if not exactly that.
“Get in quickly, Cheongmyeong. Ah, Hyun-oh, you’re going in the same direction, right? I’ll give you a ride.”
“Thank you.”
Choi Hyun-oh bowed his head slightly in greeting. Perhaps because he had been cursing at the person he didn’t know was Saheon hyung just moments ago, Choi Hyun-oh’s cheeks were slightly red. I put my hand on the handle to open the passenger door. Choi Hyun-oh, who had shown an intense expression, mouthed silently.
‘Weren’t we supposed to ride in the back together? I’m scared.’
I gave an awkward smile and glanced slightly at Saheon hyung. Saheon hyung, unaware of what was happening outside the car, urged us to get in.
“Get in quickly. They say there’s a fine if you stay here for more than five minutes. Hyun-oh, get in comfortably in the back.”
In the end, I took the passenger seat. After we got into the car, Saheon hyung raised the window that had been lowered and slowly started driving. Perhaps because it was impossible to drive fast in the busy downtown area, it felt like a turtle crawling slowly.
For a moment, an awkward silence settled in the car. Choi Hyun-oh, seen through the rearview mirror, was sitting quietly with his hands folded. Saheon hyung, who was driving, was wearing a shirt and dark pants. Just as I was worrying about why he wasn’t dressed more comfortably on his day off, Choi Hyun-oh’s voice was heard, perhaps to break the awkwardness.
“Thank you for giving me a ride.”
“It’s nothing. You’re our Cheongmyeong’s friend.”
Saheon hyung’s right hand caressed my knee before withdrawing. It was a light skinship, but I wasn’t the one to receive it. I flinched, my shoulders jerking as if having a seizure. I belatedly sent a sharp glance to the back seat, but fortunately, Choi Hyun-oh didn’t seem to have noticed.
“Thank you.”
Choi Hyun-oh bowed his head once more. It was an exceptionally polite attitude. Saheon hyung’s sharp gaze, though smiling, scanned Choi Hyun-oh through the rearview mirror. An inexplicable tension rose sharply.
“I see…”
The tone closer to “I seeee” was definitely not a positive signal. I swallowed dryly. The car had now pulled out onto a main road. Saheon hyung, who had increased his speed from earlier, casually ignored Choi Hyun-oh and asked me familiarly.
“What did you do at school today?”
“Just… attended classes. It was ordinary.”
“Good job.”
Saheon hyung raised his hand once more as if to pat my head. I shifted my body towards the window, mindful of the eyes in the back seat. Saheon hyung glanced back, then smiled slightly and grabbed the steering wheel. With his lips raised, hyung was clenching the side of his mouth that I could see.
Silence descended on the car once again. Choi Hyun-oh, who had been fiddling with his phone for no reason, opened his mouth with an “Ah” sound as if he had thought of something to say.
“Ah, that’s right. Cheongmyeong, about our date location. Do you want to go see the cherry blossoms? They say the cherry blossoms will bloom from next week.”
“Date?”
Saheon hyung smiled and softly repeated Choi Hyun-oh’s words. But I had already noticed that hyung’s smile was not really a smile. Choi Hyun-oh, getting a response to his words, answered awkwardly but earnestly.
“Yes, hyungnim. It’s an assignment given at school.”
“Ah, that dating class or whatever it is?”
“Yes, yes. We have to write a report too. Ah, hyungnim. Is it possible for Cheongmyeong to stay out overnight that day?”
Choi Hyun-oh was trying hard to be sociable, showing his characteristic friendliness towards seniors, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a good topic for me and Saheon hyung who had just started dating yesterday. I unnecessarily turned my gaze to the window. The gaze touching my profile stung.
“Staying out? If he wants to, he can. Cheongmyeong is an adult too. Even though I’m his guardian, he should try everything he wants to do at twenty.”
Hyung’s gentle answer was heard. My Adam’s apple moved involuntarily. Choi Hyun-oh clapped lightly, pretending to agree with Saheon hyung.
“Wow, hyungnim. You’re so cool. Right? Thank you. Cheongmyeong, then shall we go see the cherry blossoms and then get a motel room that night to write the report?”
“Huh? Uh. Is, is that good…?”
I answered vaguely. Saheon hyung’s intense gaze touched me. Becoming restless on my own, I fidgeted with my hands. The car suddenly swerved. It was because hyung made a left turn, narrowly making it through a yellow light.
I, wearing a seatbelt, only swayed a little, but Choi Hyun-oh in the back seat didn’t. Choi Hyun-oh, whose body had shaken greatly once, urgently steadied himself with his hands. Perhaps because he had momentarily lost his focus, Choi Hyun-oh seemed to have forgotten what he was going to say. Saheon hyung didn’t miss this opportunity.
“Is that good?”
It sounded like he was generously asking for permission as a guardian, but I knew the meaning behind it. It was a declaration that he wouldn’t let it slide if I really went. I cleared my throat slightly and changed the subject.
“Um… That’s right, Hyun-oh. Did you tell Do-jin hyung that you can’t go to the blind date?”
I carefully looked at hyung. He appeared to be concentrating on driving. Hoping he would quickly understand my true intentions, I spoke, and Choi Hyun-oh responded.
“Yeah. But he didn’t say much. He just said okay. He said we should drink at his place after the liberal arts class on Thursday.”
Like how people usually forget about the driver’s presence, Choi Hyun-oh’s voice had become much more casual. It would have been nice if there was no more conversation until we dropped him off, but Choi Hyun-oh, having heard that staying out was possible, asked once more.
“Do you want to drink late that time? It’s okay to sleep over at Yoo Do-jin’s place.”
“We’ve arrived. Should I drop you off here?”
Saheon hyung gently reminded him of his presence. Choi Hyun-oh straightened his posture, tensing his shoulders. Holding his bag tightly, Choi Hyun-oh bowed his head again and greeted.
“Thank you for the ride. Yes, I can walk from here. Cheongmyeong, I’ll contact you later.”
“Okay.”
Choi Hyun-oh bowed his head once more even after getting out of the car. Saheon hyung drove off coldly without any particular reaction. Watching Choi Hyun-oh standing in front of the station getting farther away through the rearview mirror, I pressed my lips inward when Saheon hyung spoke to me.
“That guy.”
The way of addressing had changed at once. Where had the friendly “Hyun-oh’s friend” gone? Saheon hyung cursed at Choi Hyun-oh while smiling.
“He’s the kind of bastard who’d try to get numbers at Blue Club too.”
Considering Saheon hyung’s past, it didn’t seem like something he should say, but I wisely gave an answer that was neither affirmative nor negative.
“That… I’m not sure. Just don’t worry about it.”
“How can I not worry?”
I didn’t quite understand why Saheon hyung was being wary of Choi Hyun-oh, who was just a college classmate. But at the sight of him seemingly jealous, a sense of full possessiveness somehow welled up.
“Staying out overnight? This Choi Hyun-gu bastard…”
“You know I only have you…”
I urgently held onto hyung. If I left him alone, it seemed like I’d have to listen to him cursing Choi Hyun-oh until we got home, but surprisingly, Saheon hyung became quiet. I carefully observed hyung.
The corners of Saheon hyung’s mouth, looking to the side, were trembling slightly. It looked like he was forcibly holding back a smile that wanted to rise. Saheon hyung cleared his throat with a “ahem” and then spoke in a much softer tone.
“As a guardian, staying out overnight is okay, but as a boyfriend, you know it’s not, right?”
A rough snort escaped. It was because I was so happy. I pressed down on the corners of my mouth that were rising uncontrollably. Habitually pressing my sunken eyes, hiding my expression, I answered as calmly as possible.
“…I know. I know. If I think about you staying out overnight too.”
Suddenly, I remembered hyung coming home late during his college days. Young me would rub my sleepy eyes and wait for hyung at my aunt’s house, but I remember Saheon hyung only coming home the next morning.
The memory was very clear because when hyung stayed out overnight, I would hear the sound of him tiptoeing in and then getting smacked by my aunt. As I trailed off, Saheon hyung laughed softly and repeated my words.
“If I stay out overnight?”
“I’ll, I’ll kill you.”
Caught up in memories of the past, I blurted out violent words without realizing it. Saheon hyung burst into laughter. With the expression of someone who had heard an interesting story, hyung asked:
“What?”
Saheon hyung giggled. I became embarrassed at his mischievous smile. Hyung shook his head and whispered affectionately.
“Baby, I didn’t know you had this side to you. I love it.”
Unlike when he was with Choi Hyun-oh, his face was full of vitality. At the response that seemed to ask for more, I thought hyung might actually be a pervert, then realized hyung had always been a pervert.
There was a reason he liked such words. I looked at hyung with fresh eyes. Saheon hyung continued driving with a smile on his face.
Since he was the person I chose, it couldn’t be helped, but was I also a pervert for liking that side of hyung? I chose to fidget with my hands for no reason.
“I pretended to be cool in front of Choi Hyun-gu and said okay, but since it’s an assignment, I can’t stop it either.”
Saheon hyung muttered to himself. I realized he was talking about the “date assignment” Choi Hyun-oh had mentioned.
“Are you going to see the cherry blossoms?”
“I, I won’t suggest anything. I’ll just be there. I only want to do everything I want to do with you, hyung.”
I hurriedly explained. Saheon hyung’s hand, laughing softly, reached out. It seemed he was trying to pat my head. This time, I didn’t avoid it. My crown was enveloped in the familiar, large palm.
“Good boy.”
The car slowly came to a stop at an intersection. Hyung’s hand, which had lightly messed up my hair, also fell away. My head still seemed to feel the warm body temperature. Saheon hyung asked in a voice as if inquiring about today’s weather.
“If it’s cherry blossoms, will he suggest going to the Han River? The Han River is right in front of us, what overnight stay is Choi Hyun-dol talking about.”
“Yeah…”
“You’re so pretty that I can’t let my guard down no matter where we go.”
“I don’t think that’s true…”
The signal to turn left came on. Saheon hyung smoothly turned the steering wheel. It was soon time to reach the apartment entrance. As hyung looked around for an empty spot to park, he found a parking space.
Watching him park skillfully without a moment’s hesitation, I had an unnecessary thought about whether it was because of hyung’s job. After finishing the gear operation, hyung unfastened his seatbelt.
I got out of the car following Saheon hyung. There was a subtle chill seeping into the parking lot. As I walked matching hyung’s steps, Saheon hyung reached out as if to hold hands. After unnecessarily looking around and confirming that no one was there, I quietly interlocked our fingers.
Our joined hands were warm. While entering the passcode for the front door and waiting for the elevator inside, Saheon hyung spoke words of confirmation once more.
“Don’t tell Choi Hyun-oh what you want to do on the date.”
“Okay.”
“Only do it with hyung. Only with hyung.”
I nodded. A low laugh followed, as if praising me. It was always a good sound that I thought made me tremble. Hyung, who had tightly held our interlocked hands to the point of pain, loosened his grip and shook them lightly as he asked:
“Then what do you want to do with hyung?”
I remembered thinking at school that I wanted to make future plans with hyung first. Receiving the sudden question, proposals, marriage, dates, and such got all mixed up, causing confusion. As my face heated up, a suspicious gaze followed.
“What is it? Why are you like that? Did you think of something naughty?”
“Plans, I want to… make our future plans.”
“This quickly?”
Saheon hyung suddenly burst into laughter. Feeling more embarrassed, I swallowed dryly and hurriedly mumbled as if making excuses.
“No, I don’t mean getting married right away…”
“You’ve already thought about marriage? What on earth were you thinking, husband?”
