Chapter 103
Seo-jung finished preparing for work and stepped out of his room onto the stairs. As he descended halfway, the previously hidden kitchen came into view.
Seo-jung couldn’t help but pause. The message he received last night came to mind. Although it didn’t include a name identifying who it was from, everything from the use of “hyung” to the content of the message pointed to Cha Yoon.
Seo-jung pressed his sore eyes, reddened from lack of sleep. He hadn’t been able to sleep last night either. How could he, when something he had been denying as impossible was becoming a reality?
Even when Cha Yoon came into the room after finishing his interview and approached him, when he briefly looked down at Seo-jung’s closed eyes, when he pulled up the blanket covering him, and when he fixed Seo-jung’s bangs tickling his forehead with trembling hands, it was the same.
A little while later, when Cha Yoon’s breathing became steady after lying down on his own bed, Seo-jung finally opened his eyes. In the room darkened even by the mood light being turned off, he spent the night with his eyes open, unable to calm his complicated feelings.
He shouldn’t have seen it. He should have remained ignorant forever. Why did he have to check it… As Seo-jung was recalling these regretful thoughts that had filled his early morning, he let out a sigh.
“Hyung?”
Seo-jung flinched at the voice calling him. Turning towards the source of the sound, he saw Cha Yoon looking up at him from right in front of the kitchen. He was even wearing an apron, as if he had just come out of the kitchen.
Seo-jung’s expression turned to one of dismay. Why was Cha Yoon at home at this hour? Wasn’t it time for him to be out exercising? Seo-jung had intentionally left his room earlier than usual to leave the X House when Cha Yoon would be out. But all that effort seemed futile now, as he encountered Cha Yoon right after leaving his room.
Unaware of Seo-jung’s feelings, Cha Yoon simply greeted him with crescent-shaped eyes, like welcoming a dear friend. Whether he ignored him or not, Seo-jung was destined to go downstairs. He looked at Cha Yoon’s smiling eyes before descending the remaining stairs one by one. As Seo-jung, who had been much taller, stepped off the last stair, their eyes met at the same level.
“You’re already ready for work? Didn’t you leave later than this after getting your car fixed?”
As soon as Seo-jung’s feet touched the first floor, Cha Yoon bombarded him with questions. Seo-jung stared blankly at Cha Yoon’s face. His excited expression and voice full of anticipation. It was clear what Cha Yoon was thinking. It was obvious. He probably thought Seo-jung had checked his message and woken up early to have breakfast with him.
“Yes, it just happened that way.”
“What do you mean ‘it just happened’?”
Cha Yoon frowned briefly, seemingly dissatisfied with Seo-jung’s answer, then leaned in close as if he had noticed something. Seo-jung tried to quickly back away from the sudden waft of Cha Yoon’s cologne, but there was nowhere to retreat.
“What’s wrong with your eyes? Didn’t you sleep well?”
“But no, hyung, you went to bed early last night,” Cha Yoon continued, sounding puzzled. It was true that Seo-jung’s eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, but since he had pretended to be asleep, he couldn’t tell the truth.
“It’s just dry because of the changing seasons. I’m fine, so please move aside, Cha Yoon.”
“Were you always like this? I don’t think you were…”
“I said move aside.”
Seo-jung tried to push Cha Yoon away, who kept talking without heeding the request to move, but he didn’t budge. As Seo-jung sighed, Cha Yoon, who had been muttering to himself, slowly stepped back. Just as Seo-jung was about to exhale in relief…
“Alright, let’s go to the kitchen for now.”
Cha Yoon pointed towards the kitchen while keeping his eyes fixed on Seo-jung.
“Why the kitchen?”
Seo-jung pretended not to know. Cha Yoon raised one eyebrow, as if the response was different from what he expected.
“I said we’d have breakfast together.”
“When did you say that?”
“The message. Didn’t you see it? I sent a message saying let’s have breakfast together. Don’t tell me you didn’t see it?”
“Did you really not see it?” he asked again. Seo-jung maintained his silence, neither confirming nor denying.
Taking his non-response as affirmation, Cha Yoon pouted, looking disappointed. His plump lips protruded more than usual before he spoke in a sulky voice.
“Wow, you really didn’t see it. I even told you to make sure to check it before going to sleep.”
“…”
“That’s where I first said good night to you.”
“…”
“I even wrote that if you don’t read that message, you’ll be mine forever. Well, I guess it can’t be helped. You’ll have to be mine forever now, right?”
“What…”
Seo-jung, who had been quietly listening, reflexively opened his mouth at Cha Yoon’s last words but quickly closed it again. He had almost confessed to checking the message.
Judging by the hint of amusement in Cha Yoon’s expression, it seemed like he had said that just to gauge Seo-jung’s reaction.
“Why did you stop mid-sentence?”
“It’s nothing.”
Seo-jung shook his head, pretending to be nonchalant while internally feeling like he had aged ten years. Cha Yoon scrutinized Seo-jung closely as if trying to find something, then shrugged.
“Okay. Well, let’s just say you didn’t see that message then.”
“It’s not ‘let’s say,’ I really didn’t see it.”
“Yes, okay. You absolutely didn’t see it. Happy now?”
Seo-jung was about to retort again but held his tongue. What am I doing arguing with him? He felt like he had fallen into Cha Yoon’s pace after just a few exchanges. When Seo-jung didn’t respond, Cha Yoon filled the silence.
“Anyway, I kind of regretted it after sending it.”
At the word “regret,” Seo-jung involuntarily flinched. What did he regret? Does he regret sending me the message? As these thoughts crossed his mind, Cha Yoon didn’t give Seo-jung any time to dwell on negative thoughts.
“It’s the first time I’m saying good night since coming here, and it’s better to say it in person than through text. So I regretted it a bit, but since you say you didn’t see the message… it’s actually better for me.”
“I’ll make sure to tell you in person today.” His playful tone made the thoughts brewing in Seo-jung’s mind dissipate instantly. The tension that had unknowingly built up in his body suddenly released.
Feeling a bit dejected, Seo-jung stared at Cha Yoon’s eyes, which had curved into a pleasant smile, before snapping back to his senses. It seemed unwise to continue the conversation with Cha Yoon any further.
As he tried to leave without saying anything more, Cha Yoon quickly blocked his path, having noticed his intention.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“I’m going to work.”
“It only takes an hour from here to Incheon Airport. I know you still have plenty of time.”
“…”
“I made something you like, so let’s have breakfast together before you go to work.”
Just as Cha Yoon’s hand was about to touch Seo-jung’s shoulder, Seo-jung moved back, avoiding the contact. It almost looked like he was avoiding something dirty.
Cha Yoon froze with his hand in mid-air. As he alternated looking at his hand and Seo-jung’s shoulder, Seo-jung let out an audible sigh, making sure Cha Yoon could hear it.
“Why should I do that?”
“Well…”
“I don’t know about you, but I have no intention of having breakfast alone with you while looking at your face.”
Seo-jung deliberately answered with an annoyed tone. Knowing Cha Yoon’s pride, he thought seeing Seo-jung act bothered would upset him enough to stop persisting.
Cha Yoon didn’t show any particular reaction to Seo-jung’s cold words. Seo-jung observed him blinking slowly for a moment before brushing back the hair that had fallen onto his forehead. It seemed like this would be enough to deter him from pursuing further.
But there was one fact Seo-jung had overlooked. For Cha Yoon, who was in love, Ki Seo-jung ranked higher than his pride.
“So it’s fine if you don’t see my face?”
Just as Seo-jung thought the situation was resolved and was about to leave, Cha Yoon’s voice caught him.
“What?”
“You said you have no intention of eating while looking at my face. So if you can’t see my face, will you eat the breakfast I made?”
Seo-jung’s voice betrayed his surprise at the unexpected question. In contrast, Cha Yoon, seemingly unaffected, simply repeated what he had said more clearly than before.
What on earth is he talking about now? As Seo-jung silently frowned, Cha Yoon nodded, interpreting the reaction in his own way.
“Wait here for a moment.”
“Don’t go anywhere,” Cha Yoon emphasized again before disappearing into the kitchen. The sound of busy movement could be heard from inside.
Seo-jung listened to the noise absentmindedly for a moment before shaking his head. Just because he was told to wait didn’t mean he had any reason to stand there dazed.
He quickly turned and walked to the entrance. Seo-jung swiftly changed his shoes and opened the door lock to leave the X House. Whatever Cha Yoon was planning, it was better to leave quickly rather than be caught and have further conversation.
Walking across the garden faster than usual, Seo-jung had just exited the main gate and was opening his car door when he heard hurried footsteps from inside the gate. Then, with a harsh sound of hinges, the door opened.
“Why can’t you just wait when I tell you to?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
