TWELVE 17

“Isn’t it the injured side?”

Gi Seoin muttered lowly.

Would a fight break out? Considering Jeon Juseok’s temper, it was a scene where a scuffle could easily occur. I tried to rush in between the two of them, but there wasn’t even a need for that. Shockingly, Jeon Juseok backed down.

“Ah, sorry. My eyesight isn’t very good.”

Jeon Juseok replied while rubbing the wrist Gi Seoin had grabbed.

“You understand, right, Seungkyung?”

I just looked down at the floor.

“I’m leaving. Send the money exactly on time.”

Unlike his usual self, Jeon Juseok left without even waiting for my answer. To anyone watching, it looked like he was running away. He had tucked his tail between his legs for Gi Seoin. Cowardly bastard.

And I was ashamed of myself for being so subservient to such a cowardly bastard. It was unbearably humiliating.

I walked past Gi Seoin and went into the room. I could feel him following me, but for this once, I wished he would leave me alone.

“…Go out and do your own thing.”

Gi Seoin didn’t even pretend to hear me and came to sit beside me.

“I’m doing it right now.”

“What are you talking about…”

I didn’t even have the energy to bicker with him, so I buried my face between my drawn-up knees.

“Woo Seungkyung.”

“…”

“I took leave so I wouldn’t leave you alone. This is my ‘thing to do.’”

The touch of his hand as it landed on my back was warm. I felt like I might cry.

I sniffled and finally lifted my head. Only then did Gi Seoin withdraw his hand. However, his eyes were still fixed on me. It was a gaze that, as always, stared intently as if to pierce through me. Sometimes that look was uncomfortable, but right now, I was actually grateful for it.

“You’re a lawyer, so you certainly speak well.”

Does the heart grow weak when the body does? I tried to run away to a place where I could be alone because I was embarrassed, but in truth, it seemed I hadn’t wanted to be left alone. Because the presence of Gi Seoin occupying the space beside me was immensely reassuring.

If he hadn’t been here, I would have been able to cry my heart out. And I would have been just as lonely as the tears I shed.

Actually, I am afraid of loneliness. I realized it the moment I learned what the absence of parents meant as a child; when I heard the sad news that my great-aunt would soon pass away; and finally, on the day when I was the only one left in our house.

Fortunately, my great-aunt was by my side, and after she passed, Gi Seoin was there.

I realize once again how large a portion of my life he occupies. That must be why I can’t let go of him either. Pushing him away to avoid losing him, covering up my heart in a place he can’t see…

I brushed myself off and stood up.

“I feel energized thanks to you. Thanks, Seoin bachelor.”

“Do you want to eat something?”

“It hasn’t even been two hours since we had breakfast.”

Even if I were hungry, there was more urgent business than a meal. Since the negotiation with Jeon Juseok had ultimately broken down, I had to find a job.

“Now really do your work, and I’ll do mine.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I have to try and find work.”

I couldn’t afford to waste time. I immediately searched for labor offices. This time, I intended to look from places close to home to other regions. If there was a job, I was in a position where I’d have to dash there even if it was far. Since I couldn’t visit every single office in person, I started making calls.

—Ah, if you are physically uncomfortable, it doesn’t seem like there will be any work available.

—I’m sorry, but we have no tasks to give you.

—What shall we do? If one of your arms is like that, it won’t work.

I made countless calls and received constant notices of refusal. Now, only one place remained. I crossed out the name of the place I just spoke with using a pen and began entering the next office’s number into my phone. Or rather, I tried to.

“What are you doing.”

I looked up at Gi Seoin, who had snatched my phone away. As if he had done something to be proud of, he held his head high.

“Give me the phone.”

“Stop it.”

“I said, give me the phone.”

“You know it won’t work anyway.”

“Sigh…”

I set down the ballpoint pen and wiped my face. It was an action to calm my bubbling insides.

“Seoin. Give me the phone.”

“Stop this and you rest, too.”

“Rest? Is money going to come out from somewhere?”

“You have to rest to get better quickly.”

Gi Seoin crouched down in front of me. Thanks to that, our eye levels became the same. He handed the phone back to me.

“You have to get better to work. Right?”

“Right now…”

I swallowed the words ‘it’s because I’m desperate for money.’ Even if he knew my situation, I didn’t want to act pathetically in the open.

“Seungkyung.”

“What.”

I know that he worries about me more than anyone. Even knowing that, annoyance kept mixing into my voice contrary to my will. Looking at it this way, Gi Seoin had quite good patience.

“Do you have something to say?”

“I’ll pay back the money you borrowed from Jeon Juseok.”

“That talk again…”

“Just for this month.”

I shut my mouth. I didn’t even look at Gi Seoin anymore.

“If you hate just receiving it, pay me back later.”

I couldn’t bring myself to spit out words of refusal. Coldly speaking, my current situation was not one where I could afford to refuse.

Right now, my bank account only had enough money to pay the electricity bill, and by next month, I would be in a position where I had to pay all sorts of utility bills, bank debts, and the money borrowed from Jeon Juseok.

But every hole where money could come from had been blocked. The shoulder pain persisted, and I was in a state where even simple movements were difficult. Who would give me work like this?

If I refused even in this state, it would be mere stubbornness.

“Then, just once, just for this month…”

It felt like a thorn was stuck in my throat.

“I’m asking you. And I will definitely pay you back.”

“Good choice.”

Gi Seoin smiled brightly. He had the face of a person who had finally resolved a long-standing worry.

It was understandable. It was the first time I had accepted his proposal.

However, I felt like I hadn’t resolved anything yet. That was the reality. Even if I got through this month by borrowing Gi Seoin’s strength, it didn’t mean the months after that would disappear.

The doctor expected the shoulder treatment period to be at least six months, but I hoped to be in a condition to work by next month. I had to be.

Having thought that far, I lost my strength and sprawled out on the floor. Gi Seoin’s face popped into view from above.

“Woo Seungkyung.”

“Whaat…”

“Now play with me.”

‘Play.’ 

A hollow laugh escaped me.

“Did our Seoin want to pway?”

“Yes, with you.”

“What shall we play? House? Hide-and-seek? Leapfrog?”

At that, Gi Seoin flopped down next to me. It must be hard and uncomfortable since it’s the bare floor…

Regardless of my worry, a faint look of excitement was visible on his face.

“Do whatever you like.”

“Wow, I think I’ve heard that before.”

‘What should we do?’ 

‘Let’s do what you like, Seungkyung.’

As a child, Gi Seoin was always like that. No matter what I asked to play, it was ‘Let’s do what you like, Seungkyung’; no matter what I asked to eat, it was ‘Let’s eat what you like, Seungkyung’; no matter where I asked to go, it was ‘Let’s go where you like, Seungkyung’…

“Who did you hear it from?”

But it seems Gi Seoin doesn’t remember.

“Someone. A kid who answers like that no matter what I ask. A kid who followed me around everywhere, and would just cry if he fell down…”

“When did I ever cry?”

“So you knew it was you?”

I chuckled and turned my body toward Gi Seoin. My face contorted for a moment as pressure hit my injured shoulder and caused pain. Still, I felt the corners of my mouth remained turned up.

“Gi Seoin was really cute when he was little, being so tiny.”

“You were small back then, too.”

“I was bigger than you.”

“You’re small now.”

“…Seoin, your eyesight is getting bad because you’re always looking at books!”

I couldn’t be called small even as a joke. My height was 181cm, well above the average for South Korean men, and my frame and muscle mass weren’t bad either. Of course, I was smaller compared to Gi Seoin, but that was strictly a story of comparison with him.

“If I’m small, are more than half the people in South Korea fairies?”

“That’s not it.”

“See. By the way, how tall were you?”

“188.”

He’s damn tall.

As expected, the world was unfair. A guy who was handsome and even smart was tall to boot.

“You, wouldn’t it be okay to be a little shorter?”

“Do you want me to be short?”

“Yeah, about… this much?”

I held up my pinky finger. Gi Seoin squinted and laughed.

“Is that your type?”

“As if. A ‘type’ has to be within common sense to be called a type.”

“Then what is your type?”

“Ideal type?”

“Yeah, ideal type.”

I wondered why he was asking such a thing for once. Since it wasn’t a boring question, I pondered the answer. My type…

“It’s hard. I’ve never thought about it, so I’m not sure.”

“Just roughly.”

“Hmm. Since it’s an ideal type, is it okay if it’s unrealistic?”

“I suppose.”

Then honestly, really honestly, I’d like the face to be pretty. The skin would be white, the eyes moderately large, the eyelashes long, the bridge of the nose high yet the tip delicate, and if the lips were moderately red, they would harmonize with the white skin for perfection.

As I drew the imagined picture in my head one by one, something was strange. It was a face I had seen somewhere. As for where I saw it—at home. Right now, in front of my eyes…

It was completely Gi Seoin.

I couldn’t let this shocking result out of my mouth.

“Uh, well, I, I’d like the skin to be tanned. You know, healthy beauty. Small eyes are better. Oriental beauty, you know? For the nose, a bulbous nose is said to be the face of a rich person. It would be the best if it was really as big as my fist. The symbol of wealth! Kuu. For face size, maybe about the size of a Mudeungsan watermelon so I can see it clearly from far away? Wow, just imagining it makes my heart flutter.”

“…You have unique taste.”

Of course it’s unique; there wouldn’t be many people in the world whose nose is the size of a fist and whose face size can rival a Mudeungsan watermelon!

Even if I became a person with strange taste, I simply couldn’t confess honestly. How could I say it? That would be like confessing, ‘Gi Seoin, your face is my ideal type.’

“Then what about you, what is your ideal type?”

I quickly shifted the topic to him.