#85
After the meal, Saheon hyung tried to chase Chaehun hyung out. The main content was that he was tired from his flight, so hyung should leave now.
“You can go now, hyung.”
“Look at this kid. I took a day off work and rushed here because Cheongmyeong was sick, and you’re just sending me away?”
“I already fed you.”
Watching the bickering brothers, I had to stand awkwardly behind them, rubbing my arms full of muscle pain.
“I need to go on a date with Cheongmyeong.”
“Are you still on about that? You guys really… Never mind. Fine, I’m going.”
A suspicious gaze landed on me standing awkwardly before moving away. Chaehun hyung, wearing his coat and gathering his things, mischievously spoke to Saheon hyung, who had his arms crossed as if urging him to leave quickly.
“Just get married already, geez.”
“Thank you, hyung.”
“Mungmung.”
“Yes!”
I was startled by the sudden call and answered. Chaehun hyung asked me with a gentle smile,
“Can you see me off?”
“Yes, I can.”
“Why bother the kid when he’s not feeling well.”
The cause of my poor condition muttered. But after resting for a day, applying pain patches, and having a good sleep and meal, I felt like I could attend the afternoon classes, so I pushed hyung away.
“I can do it.”
When I spoke quite firmly while glaring at hyung, Saheon hyung’s lips twitched as if looking at something cute, and he was momentarily speechless. Anyone could guess what he was going to say next, but having missed the timing to speak because of that, hyung had to be pushed aside.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay. Let me put on some clothes, just a moment.”
“…Then I’ll come along too.”
Saheon hyung interjected. Chaehun hyung, as if he had caught an opportunity, started responding childishly.
“You were just telling me to leave earlier.”
“I can still see you off.”
“I have something to talk about with Mungmung alone.”
“Then definitely not. I’m afraid you might cheat.”
“You’re still on about that… Fine. Come along if you want.”
Chaehun hyung pushed up his round glasses that gave a gentle impression, concluding the conversation as if he had no choice. While I was putting on the padded jacket I had hung on the living room coat rack, Saheon hyung went into the room and brought out his coat.
“Let’s go.”
As soon as he saw Saheon hyung coming out while hurriedly putting on his outerwear, Chaehun hyung spoke mercilessly. Saheon hyung’s steps quickened a bit. I deliberately took my time putting on my shoes, waiting for Saheon hyung to catch up. Saheon hyung asked Chaehun hyung,
“Where did you park your car?”
“On the first floor.”
With three grown men crowded in the entrance, it was very cramped. Chaehun hyung chose to open the door and partially step outside. I followed behind Chaehun hyung.
After all preparations were complete, we took the elevator down. Chaehun hyung’s car was parked right in front of the main entrance on the first floor.
Chaehun hyung rummaged through the coat he was wearing and took out his car key, pressing it. The headlights flashed on and off.
“Thanks for dropping me off.”
“It’s nothing. Will you come visit again?”
“I’d like to, but the homeowner is glaring at me from behind.”
Chaehun hyung chuckled. I glanced back briefly. Saheon hyung was already pretending to be distracted.
“Shall we do it once for sure?”
True to being brothers, Chaehun hyung and Saheon hyung often still used words they had used since childhood. I smiled and hugged Chaehun hyung. Saheon hyung was watching us askance from behind.
Chaehun hyung, who had patted my back a few times, pulled away. He greeted Saheon hyung, his actual brother, plainly and opened the car door.
“I’m going.”
“Go ahead.”
“Kwon Saheon. Your words.”
With a “tsk” sound, Saheon hyung was scolded and couldn’t erase his sullen expression. Somehow, his childlike appearance was cute, and I had to secretly swallow my laughter despite the situation.
Chaehun hyung, seated in the car, waved once more and started the engine. I stood in place, waving enthusiastically until Chaehun hyung’s car pulled away.
Finally, Chaehun hyung’s car drove off into the distance. From behind, a hand subtly wrapped around me. The owner of the hand on my shoulder was Saheon hyung.
“He’s finally gone.”
I chided hyung who was muttering with a sigh of relief. It was because their constant bickering had been annoying.
“Hyung… You shouldn’t say things like that. He’s your real brother.”
“Okay. I’m sorry. It’s just that I can’t do this in front of Kwon Chaehun.”
Saheon hyung rubbed his forehead against my shoulder as if being coy. I was startled and looked around to see if anyone was nearby. Fortunately, there was no one around, perhaps because it was an odd hour in broad daylight. I chided him once more.
“You scared me.”
“Sorry. But I had planned our date to match when I’d be back. I ended up coming back earlier than expected.”
“Yeah…”
“Well, it worked out. Since you’re not feeling well, it wouldn’t be right to do exactly what we had planned…”
Saheon hyung looked off into the distance for a moment, as if thinking. Following his gaze, I saw a playground there. Despite it being daytime, there was no one at the playground.
“You said before that you wanted to take a normal walk. Shall we spend some time at the playground?”
I opened my eyes wide at the quite couple-like suggestion. Of course, there was no reason to refuse. Expressing my opinion with a nod, I was pulled a little closer to Saheon hyung, who was grinning.
My arm touched hyung’s shoulder with a soft bump.
We reached the playground in no time. The playground, surrounded by cherry blossom trees, was empty.
“The flowers will bloom soon.”
There were already some flowers that had carefully bloomed, but most were still white buds. However, from a distance, it looked as if they had already blossomed.
“Yeah.”
I casually agreed. In the center of the playground was a swing. Saheon hyung cleared his throat with a “ahem” sound and, creating a strange atmosphere, tried to seat me on the swing.
“Sit here. Come on.”
Seeing Saheon hyung’s somewhat rushed appearance, I thought that coming to the playground might not have been a coincidence but rather hyung’s plan. Suddenly, my heart started pounding strangely. For now, I obediently sat on the swing.
The swing was basking in warm sunlight. But for some reason, a strange thrill was running through my body. Perhaps there was a memory coming to mind. However, this time something was different.
Saheon hyung took a seat on the swing next to me. The thought that it would look funny to see two grown men on swings passed briefly, but Saheon hyung, who was twisting his body towards me even while on the swing, opened his mouth with a rather serious attitude.
“I actually had something ordered in Atlanta…”
The opening words were something I couldn’t have guessed at all. I stared blankly at hyung. The wind blew, brushing past some of the bloomed cherry blossom petals. A few petals with fine lines fell in front of my eyes.
“Since you got sick this time, I hurriedly bought something at duty-free after changing my flight, but I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”
Saheon hyung was uncharacteristically rambling a bit. I stared at hyung with wide eyes. Under Saheon hyung’s slightly lowered eyelashes, long shadows were cast.
Hyung put his hand into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, square mint-colored case. Just from its shape, I could guess what was inside. I looked at hyung with even wider eyes. Hyung smiled awkwardly.
“I never thought I’d be thinking about a military girlfriend at my age… But I wanted to leave some kind of token as proof that you’re mine.”
Smiling somewhat shyly, Saheon hyung opened the case. Inside, as I had expected, was a pair of rings. They were simple in design.
“Will you take it? No, will you accept it?”
Saheon hyung stared at me, saying something so obvious. I stared blankly at the rings. Perhaps reading affirmation in my silence, Saheon hyung kindly instructed,
“Give me your hand.”
Too surprised and dazed, I extended my hand as Saheon hyung told me to. I had given my right hand, but at Saheon hyung’s amused reprimand, I hurriedly changed hands.
“Not your right hand, give me your left hand.”
“Oh, okay…”
The strange thrill running through my body intensified. I had to try not to let my hand shake too much. The whole situation was unbelievable. Saheon hyung, who took my left hand, slipped the slightly smaller sized ring onto my fourth finger.
The ring fit perfectly, as if the size had been measured before purchase. I stared blankly at the ring on my ring finger with disbelieving eyes. Meanwhile, Saheon hyung, who had put the ring on his own fourth finger, grinned playfully.
For some reason, I felt like I might cry. I pressed my lips inward, and to avoid crying here, I had to ask a question that suddenly came to mind.
“But how did you know my ring size when you bought it?”
I had never worn a ring myself and had no concept of sizes, but Saheon hyung seemed to have bought it knowing exactly. Saheon hyung mumbled evasively,
“Just… There’s a way. It suits you well.”
Somehow, I thought that method might be related to hyung’s promiscuous past love life. I glanced sideways at hyung briefly, but considering that my tears had dried and that he had given me a ring, I decided to be lenient. I straightened my glancing eyes. Suddenly, laughter burst out.
Whether it was because I was too happy or for some other reason, I couldn’t understand my own feelings. As I started laughing softly, Saheon hyung also smiled lightly. Hyung asked,
“Do you like it?”
Suddenly, I remembered the confession that happened in a cold winter between my sixteenth and seventeenth year. That too had happened at a playground.
But this time was a little different. Because over my cold, chilly, and frosty memory, a warm and fluffy new memory was being layered.
‘I like you, hyung.’
I opened my mouth as if to clearly recall this situation. My voice was already tinged with moisture.
“…I like you, hyung.”
I, who had been quietly looking at the ring, raised my head to look at Saheon hyung. I smiled brightly as I faced hyung. Saheon hyung, who had been gazing at me intently, took my left hand with the ring and lightly kissed it. Saheon hyung’s answer came,
“I like you too, Cheongmyeong. No,”
As our affectionate gazes met, hyung’s lips curved into a refreshing smile. Saheon hyung opened his mouth once more and whispered words as sweet as candy,
“I love you. I love you, Cheongmyeong.”
A deep sense of fulfillment welled up in my chest. It was like something had been bound, a firm and solid belief. On the fourth fingers of me and hyung, who were holding hands, identical rings sparkled in the sunlight.
It’s perfect. A smile spread automatically. Once again, a gentle breeze blew, and the cherry blossoms swayed slightly.
Only then could I fully rejoice that my first love had come true. It was on a spring day when cherry blossoms were blooming, with a man as sweet as candy.
