EX Ch 3

Of all places, and with this kind of connection, to think I would meet Yoon Hyeonjo again. If I had known this would happen, I would have broken up more nicely back then. I guess this is why people say you need etiquette even in a breakup. I pulled at my hair in frustration, regretting my foolish past.

⭑.ᐟ

Yoon Hyeonjo was, quite literally, a boyfriend perfectly suited to my tastes. I am naturally weak against handsome and pretty things, and Yoon Hyeonjo had features that fit my aesthetic perfectly. Was that all? He was as tall and big-framed as most professional athletes. Sometimes, when he pulled me into a tight hug with all his strength, I even worried if my body might burst.

“Babe, you’re too small. How is your body this tiny?”

“I’m not that small… You’re just big.”

“It’s really frustrating. I want to hug you so damn tight, but I feel like you’ll break.”

Of course, Yoon Hyeonjo used to grumble that I was just too fragile. Anyway, Yoon Hyeonjo had other merits as well.

“Do you want that?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Okay, then we have to buy it.”

Yoon Hyeonjo was the only son of a successful construction company owner, and perhaps because of that, his spending was ignorantly lavish. So why did I break up with someone as perfect as Yoon Hyeonjo?

Simply put, I didn’t think it amounted to love. I didn’t think I loved Yoon Hyeonjo as much as he loved me. And I was also getting a bit tired of Yoon Hyeonjo’s one-sided affection.

Ding. After being lost in thought for a long while, the phone by my bedside rang loudly. Fearing that Yoon Hyeonjo might have found out my number to harass me, I snatched the phone up quickly.

“Ah…”

Fortunately, the caller was not Yoon Hyeonjo, but Kim Woosik. I let out a long sigh and checked the message on the screen.

Woosik-ie

Danyeong, haha, do you want to come out for a drink?

It wasn’t much. But a drink, of all things. I wondered if Yoon Hyeonjo was beside him egging him on. I narrowed my eyes and quickly typed out a message.

Are you alone? You aren’t with a friend by any chance, are you? T_T

When I sent the message with a nervous heart, a reply arrived immediately.

Woosik-ie

Yes;;; Of course I’m alone haha I’m asking you on a date

I’m near Itaewon, take a taxi and come haha use my card

What a relief. I let out a sigh of relief, stood up, and prepared to head to the bar. Actually, “preparing” didn’t amount to much. I just applied some makeup and, since it was cold, put on a thick coat. As I opened the closet to put on a cardigan, the one my hand happened to touch was an expensive piece of clothing Yoon Hyeonjo had given me as a gift.

“Oh…”

Come to think of it, my house was still overflowing with things Yoon Hyeonjo had bought for me. The bed, the television, the laptop, the sofa, the dining table, even the curtains. Honestly, it would probably be faster to find things Yoon Hyeonjo hadn’t bought. In that situation, it was ridiculous to fuss over whether or not to wear just one piece of clothing. Besides, nothing else suitable to wear caught my eye. This was my favorite and the warmest one… Well, it’s not like I’m meeting Yoon Hyeonjo, so it shouldn’t matter if I wear it.

Without much thought, I put on the clothes Yoon Hyeonjo had bought and stepped outside. As soon as I left the house, the cold wind brushed through my hair. I curled my body up and quickly moved toward the main road.

“Taxi, taxi!”

Fortunately, since it was a time when there were many taxis, I was able to catch one quickly without much trouble. While the taxi headed toward Itaewon, I leaned against the soft seat and took in the rapidly passing night view. There was a time when I used to drive along this road in Yoon Hyeonjo’s convertible, whispering childish words of love.

“I wish you wouldn’t go home today.”

“You’re like a pervert. Seriously.”

“Ah, don’t play hard to get, babe.”

Back then, it felt so ticklish… Yoon Hyeonjo looked prickly and like a playboy on the outside, but he was so devoted that he would act like he was dying if I told him to, and that was quite charming. At first, I worried that he might push me around as he pleased, but that never happened. Yoon Hyeonjo prioritized my wishes in everything, and no matter what, he did everything I wanted to eat or do.

Furthermore, he loved even my flawed parts without exception. (My sleep-talking, my drunken habits, even my sticky fingers…) There are many times when even I don’t understand myself, but Yoon Hyeonjo always carried me around in his arms, wondering what he liked so much about me. Sometimes, rather than a romantic relationship, it felt like I was carrying my dad around.

Looking back, he was a bit extraordinary. Did I break up with him too coldly? It makes sense that he would have been shocked. Yeah, I guess I was a bit harsh…

“Ah…”

Shoot, why am I thinking about Yoon Hyeonjo again… We already broke up. Besides, I’m in a state where I have another lover. I shook my head vigorously like a crazy person and quickly pulled out my phone. Then, out of habit, I turned on the mobile game I was into lately.

Would you like to start the game? [YES] [NO]

I pressed the [YES] button without hesitation. Then, the screen brightened up and loud sound effects rang out. Beep, beep, beep. Before long, Yoon Hyeonjo, who had been lingering in my mind, vanished in an instant as if nothing had happened.

It was around midnight when I arrived in Itaewon. I pushed through the massive crowds, hurried toward the bar I saw in front of me, and climbed the stairs. When I reached the very top floor, a familiar bar revealed itself under dim lighting.

Ah, here… I had been here once before with Yoon Hyeonjo. As expected of friends, it seemed the bars they frequented were similar. I stood at the entrance and scanned the inside with eyes full of anxiety. One never knew. All of this might be a trick by Yoon Hyeonjo to catch me.

I held my hands together over my stomach like a meerkat, staying on high alert. Just then, a staff member lingering by the door spotted me and spoke immediately.

“Are you with a party?”

“Ah, yes. Over there in the back…”

“Danyeong, over here!”

Before I could even answer, Woosik, who was in the back of the shop, called out to me loudly. I immediately waved my hand and made my way toward where Woosik was.

“Woosik, what’s going on this late in the evening?”

When I asked as I sat down, Woosik immediately smiled, his eyes curving happily.

“Why else? I called you because I missed you, Danyeong.”

“…”

“By the way, weren’t you cold?”

“Just, you know…”

Before I could even finish my sentence, Woosik reached out and grasped my cold, frozen hand.

“Oh my, your hands are cold.”

Then, he immediately began to massage my hand tenderly. I looked at Woosik without saying anything and let out a sigh. I had come with the intention of breaking up, but somehow it felt a bit regrettable. Woosik had a gentle personality and it was comfortable to be with him. How should I put it—it wasn’t heart-fluttering or exciting, but he was just extremely comfortable, like a friend.

“Anyway, what’s with the drinks?”

I subtly pulled my hand away and spoke to Woosik. Then, Woosik, who seemed quite drunk, rubbed his eyes and spoke.

“I told you my brother living in the US came for a bit. He really gave me a proper earful this time.”

“What did he say?”

“I mean, he said I’m pathetic. How long am I going to live half-heartedly like this in Korea? That sort of thing… I felt frustrated, so I had some drinks.”

Is living in Korea living half-heartedly? I couldn’t sympathize at all, but I just nodded roughly and toyed with the glass sitting in front of me.

“He asked how I’d feel about going to the US to study a bit, but I’m not attracted to it at all. Honestly, Korea is well-developed enough these days.”

“Uh, yeah… That’s true.”

“I just wonder if going to the US is necessarily the answer.”

Honestly, for me, it was a concern I couldn’t understand. If someone offered to send me to the US, I would pack my bags and fly off immediately, so I wondered if children of wealthy families had nothing else to worry about that they worried about things like that. Is it because they have a lot of money? While I was just blinking with a disinterested face, Woosik continued speaking.

“Anyway, my mood was troubled. I didn’t want to leave you behind, either.”

“…”

“Oh, Danyeong, and this.”

Hmm? When I turned my head, Woosik pulled a jet-black box from his pocket and slid it toward me.

“What is it?”