CBR 39

Jaewon, who had been walking diligently along the garden’s stone path, came to a halt. Haeyul simply seemed curious without any other motives. However, the attitude of naturally excluding the employee’s intent was not particularly pleasant.

Since there were no limits to his expenses, his way of thinking was bound to be extraordinary. Having lived as high-level human capital with many opportunities to encounter different social classes, Jaewon had a high understanding of the elite. Yet that didn’t mean the moment he faced their core nature was welcome.

Jaewon turned around to face Haeyul.

“Do you think I’d stick by your side for 24 hours just because you give me money? Do I look that easy to you?”

“Aren’t you?”

Haeyul rounded his eyes and asked back. Conflicts surging for a moment, Jaewon ended up missing the timing to reply that he wasn’t.

“So how much are you going to give me?”

“How much would be enough?”

“Name your price first. A person who intends to buy someone’s time ought to prepare at least that much.”

“Hmm, would about… ten times more than now do?”

Jaewon’s heart thumped heavily. Naturally, it was a proposal he wouldn’t think twice about. If this were reality, that is. Feeling a regret as if his cardiovascular system were constricting, Jaewon whipped his head away.

“H-Hmph. Still, no can do.”

“Your ears are flapping like an elephant’s, though.”

“When I say no, it means no.”

“Who are you saying that to?”

Jaewon, who was speaking as if resolving to himself, rolled his eyes up. Haeyul, who had been teasing mischievously, said in a voice holding back laughter, “Alright,” once Jaewon glared at him, and didn’t tease him any further. At the submissive response, Jaewon felt a slight sense of emptiness. It was because he had gotten used to Kim Dojun, who always saw things through to the end with a mutually assured destruction mindset.

Walking in silence, he stole a glance up at Haeyul. Tame, downturned eyes, a brightly smiling face, and even a soft-spoken demeanor—it was an appearance that would win anyone’s favor. Except, despite that, he didn’t look easy at all. That discrepancy made thoughts coil up inside his head.

When their eyes met, the corners of Haeyul’s eyes curved into arches. Looking at him fluttering about like a fox, Jaewon felt as though his liver were being targeted. Jaewon harbored vigilance and walked a little distance away.

‘I must not forget that this guy is an omnivorous human being who doesn’t discriminate between men and women.’

Of course, the book was for all ages. But no one knew what might happen in the story’s blind spots, and securing an extra’s safety had historically been self-service, so Jaewon protected his rear.

“Did you do all your homework?”

“Of course.”

“Look into my eyes and say that.”

[Whenever.]

Suddenly, English with fluent pronunciation burst out. There was nothing as unsightly as a person babbling in a foreign language to a fellow countryman, but Haeyul looked special. Unsightly, my foot—it only reinforced his unique aristocratic image.

“Is your mother at home?”

“No.”

Haeyul, who replied in a short answer, added a moment later,

“She’s usually not home much. Because she’s so busy.”

Jaewon let out a quiet sigh of relief. Haeyul’s mother, who exuded an overwhelming presence like a white lion… In places reached by her Big Brother-like eyes, it was troublesome because he couldn’t play any silly tricks.

“I’m used to it. I’ve been alone since I was young.”

“Hmm… I see.”

“Do you feel sorry for me?”

“No.”

“I said it so you’d feel sorry for me, though.”

At the shameless remark, Jaewon scowled. Haeyul laughed nonchalantly.

“Why would I feel sorry for a bastard whose parents are perfectly alive and well.”

“Ah, minus the father, only the mother.”

The moment Jaewon was rendered speechless and stared, Haeyul gave a single-eyed wink. While standing there like a mute who had eaten honey, Haeyul brushed past his side.

“What are you doing? Come sit over here.”

From a short distance away, Haeyul gestured. Above his head, a giant old tree cast a cool shadow. A wall embroidered with ivy, an antique table, and fresh wild grass flowers harmonized in that place, making it look like a secret garden.

“A picnic is nice. But isn’t studying the priority? You and I both have to earn our keep, after all.”

“Let’s study here today.”

“Why?”

“Because the weather is nice.”

Looking up as Haeyul gestured with a glance, he saw a sky as clear as a painting. Sunlight falling through the leaves created a warm and serene atmosphere.

It was indeed amazing to be able to enjoy such sunlight inside a private estate. Jaewon took a short breath and set his bag down on the table.

“Give me the homework you did. Let’s grade it.”

“Okay.”

Jaewon began grading, looking back and forth between the question sheet and the answer sheet. Moving his colored pencil out of habit, his face gradually contorted.

“It’s raining, it’s raining. It’s a complete downpour on the Honam Line.”

He clicked his tongue with his eyes narrowed. Answers that didn’t even come close to the ballpark rendered grading meaningless.

“I asked you to solve questions, and you brought back a Sudoku puzzle, you bastard.”

“It must be nice that there’s so much to teach.”

“Is that something for you to say?”

“That way, we can see each other for a long time.”

Haeyul rested his hands under his chin like a flower pedestal and gave an eye-smile. Jaewon set down the colored pencil with a thud and tilted his head crookedly.

“Your speech is getting shorter and shorter.”

“When is your birthday?”

“February.”

“Wow, that’s fast.”

“Since you know, hurry up and show some respect.”

“I’m January.”

“Right. Let’s move on with the lesson. Open your book.”

“We’re not even a year apart, yet you’re called the teacher.”

“I came to teach you, so I’m the teacher. Then what should I be called? The oppa next door?”

“You don’t look like it, yet you speak so bluntly.”

“I hear that often.”

Jaewon replied razor-sharp and opened the workbook. As he contemplated what to input into a brain white as fresh snow, Haeyul rested his chin on the desk and blinked. His large pupils stared intently at him. Irises transparent like glass beads sparkled like stars, and Jaewon looked at that sight as if spellbound.

“You said you’ve never missed 1st place in your life.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“For real?”

Red lips slowly parted and closed. That luscious mouth brought fresh-picked cherries to mind. Jaewon put power into his brain to snap back to his senses.

“Your suspicion is on the level of an aardvark. Want me to show you my report card?”

“You don’t study at all, so how do you always get 1st place?”

“Because I’m a genius.”

“Ayy, why would a genius live in Korea?”

‘This bastard is more logical than I thought.’

Having run out of words to say, Jaewon glared at Haeyul suspiciously.

“How do you know whether I study or not?”

“What’s the capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis?”

At the blind-spot question, Jaewon’s mouth lagged. But he soon handled it calmly.

“In the age of civilization, the information we can access is infinite, while human memory capacity is limited. We need to use our brains efficiently.”

“And so?”

“Do you know what the capital of the United States is?”

“Washington, D.C.”

“Wrong. It’s Wall Street.”

Jaewon said solemnly. Bringing his clasped hands to his mouth, he let his eyes shine sharply.

“We don’t need to memorize that many pieces of real estate in our lifetime. We only need to properly grasp the prime locations.”

When Jaewon finished speaking, Haeyul, who had been listening quietly, broke into a bright smile.

“Hyung, you make nonsense sound so cute.”

Light brown eyes looked at him as if he were beyond lovely. Jaewon felt like he had become a pet beetle, but he brushed it off as if he didn’t notice.

“The secret to getting 1st place without studying? It’s nothing special. It’s the effect of repetitive learning.”

“Aha.”

“Along with simple rote memorization, it’s a study method that formed the two main pillars of the domestic education world, though these days it’s criticized for being ignorant and inefficient and is being phased out. Still, you can’t deny that it’s the most classic method.”

“Do you talk this much to other people too?”

“The point is, if you are taught the exact same thing thirty-forty-one-hundred-million-seventy times, you can become like me too.”

“You really just say whatever comes to mind.”

Haeyul smiled while knitting his brows as if he couldn’t be stopped. But Jaewon was dead serious.

He was sick and tired of private tutoring. He had done it consistently to enrich his livelihood, but he was always plagued by the urge to quit. Trying to bring about an improvement in grades with airheads who didn’t even know their ABCs was no ordinary hardship.

“Now then, shall we start with finding the concentration of saltwater?”

“What do I need to know the concentration of saltwater for?”

“Don’t ask a Korean things like that.”

“Hyung.”

“Teacher.”

“Where were you hiding before appearing just now?”

The hand turning the workbook page paused. Jaewon slowly raised his head. The smile on Haeyul’s face had vanished before he knew it.

“Why would I hide? I’m someone with nothing to be ashamed of.”

“Then why didn’t I know about you?”