HPK 93

Taejung hummed a tune and shook his crossed legs. A low rustling sound of fabric filled the air.

Although it was a ridiculous question, if he was in a good mood, there was nothing bad for him in it, so Wooseung did not bother to ask why he was asking such a thing.

But suddenly, Taejung’s expression hardened.

“No, wait a minute.”

“……”

“Fuck, they haven’t? Why?”

Just a moment ago he was relieved by Wooseung’s answer, and now he was glaring fiercely. It was impossible to know what rhythm he was supposed to match.

“Why haven’t they? Why?”

His chest swelled from his agitation, making his massive frame appear even more intimidating. Wooseung subtly shifted his body closer to the car door.

“Did you hear it and just forget?”

His face said he would not let it go if there was no one. In the end, after much deliberation, Wooseung reluctantly opened his mouth.

“…Now that I think about it, I think I have been told that before.”

“Yeah, fuck. See, you have.”

Taejung lifted and lowered his chin as if to say, ‘I told you so.’ Then, suddenly, as if something else displeased him, he stared with intensity in his eyes.

“Who?”

Wooseung swallowed a sigh and asked.

“Is there perhaps an answer you want to hear?”

The tip of Taejung’s eyebrow twitched. He rolled his tongue against the inside of his cheek before replying coldly, “No. There isn’t.” And then he leaned back against the seat with a thud. As the stare that had been fixed on him receded, he could breathe a little easier.

After glancing at him fidgeting with his leg and his hand in his pocket, Wooseung shifted his gaze out the window. He had hoped they would travel in silence, but…

“So who said it.”

The topic he thought had died down was resurrected and put back on the table. This time, Wooseung did not hide his sigh.

♡

The car entered the parking lot in front of a building on Dosan-daero. People were moving about briskly between the cars that already packed the lot. Taejung, who got out through the door Junseok had opened, did not go in first but waited, holding the door until Wooseung got out. Wooseung felt strange about his consideration but did not let it show.

He had been tormented the entire time in the car. Taejung, who persistently clung to the question of who had called him pretty, and himself, who had desperately swallowed his answer. In the end, Taejung had gotten thoroughly upset and expressed his state of mind by kicking the front seat or swearing.

And yet he held the door and waited… a truly incomprehensible person, especially with that sulky expression.

“You’ve arrived!”

Manager Han, Jaewon, immediately fell into step beside the striding Taejung. Saturdays were already so busy with a flood of reservations that they had no time to catch their breath. In the midst of that, he had rushed out upon receiving Junseok’s call, so beads of sweat had formed on his forehead. Jaewon kept glancing at Wooseung, who was walking alongside them, but he was perceptive enough not to ask Taejung who his companion was first.

The first and second floors of the building were both nightlife establishments. Taejung went straight through the door under the sign that read ‘Permit 2F’. Everywhere they passed, everyone they encountered bowed deeply to Taejung. Those who appeared to be hostesses either bowed their heads slightly or averted their gaze, pretending not to see. Wooseung walked the entire way with his face fixed on the floor.

Their destination was a room next to the waiting area, from which women’s voices could be heard. It seemed to be a place used only when Taejung came, as it showed no signs of use.

He stepped over the sofa and plopped down in the seat of honor, asking, “Where’s the coke?”

“Ah!”

Jaewon, his face pale, said he would bring it immediately and rushed out of the room. Less than a minute later, he returned with two 250ml cans of Coke. A misty condensation coated their surfaces, as if they had just been taken out of the refrigerator.

Click, clack, pssshhh. Taejung opened both cans and pushed one towards Wooseung. He did not really want it, but Wooseung obediently accepted it and took a sip. He grimaced as the sharp carbonation stung his throat.

“What. You wanna drink?”

Taejung asked with a nod of his head. Jaewon’s gaze also turned to Wooseung.

“Pardon? No…”

“You like to drink.”

“…I told you I don’t like it.”

As Wooseung awkwardly trailed off his sentence, Taejung laughed, haha. Then, as if suddenly trying to control his expression, he wiped the smile clean off his face.

“You really not gonna tell me? Who it was, that person.”

“…It’s because I really don’t remember.”

“You’re lying.”

Confusion clouded Jaewon’s eyes as he diligently tried to gauge the relationship between the two. Not only was it the first time Taejung had brought someone like this, but it was also the first time he had seen him converse so amiably with another person. On top of that, the other person was acting strangely, switching between formal and informal speech. And Taejung was just smirking as he watched.

At some point, Taejung had even changed his posture, resting his arms on the table and turning his body completely to the left. It was a position where he was directly facing the person sitting diagonally from him.

“……”

Jaewon found himself staring blankly at the two. It was unintentional, but it was a disaster brought on by a small bit of curiosity.

“You’re staring quite a bit, huh?”

Not even a few seconds after his gaze had settled on them, an aggressive remark flew his way. The source, naturally, was Taejung.

“Pardon? Ah, that…”

Jaewon was flustered and trailed off foolishly.

“It’s nothing. It’s just that I’m meeting him for the first time.”

“So what if it’s the first time.”

“……”

“Is it okay to fucking glare at someone like that?”

He had by no means glared. It was just an unfamiliar sight, so he could not tear his eyes away without realizing it. He swallowed hard before skillfully putting on a smile.

“I will be more careful. If you were offended, I am truly sorry.”

He looked once at Taejung and once at Wooseung, bowing his head in apology. Despite this, Taejung did not relax his stiff expression. The atmosphere became so unbearably tense that Wooseung, sitting next to him, could not move a muscle from the discomfort.

“I’m, I’m fine…”

“Oh dear, no sir. It was my mistake.”

Jaewon even waved his hands as he offered another apology.

“With your fucking eyes, too.”

“……”

“Hey, go, get out, you’re being fucking distracting.”

Despite Taejung’s one-sided irritation, he did not let his smile falter. He bowed once more and then stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

“I will take my leave then. Please review the books, and if there are any issues, please call for me immediately.”

Taejung did not react at all. Just as before, he leaned comfortably over the table and pestered Wooseung.

“So, was it when you were a minor? Or an adult.”

Jaewon, watching Taejung’s mood, carefully took a step back. Taejung paid him no mind, not taking his eyes off Wooseung.

“Ah, when was it.”

His hand shot forward, grabbed Wooseung’s fingers, and shook them.

At that moment, goosebumps erupted on Jaewon’s forearm with a shudder. He did not hesitate and quickly turned around. Then he swiftly left the room and closed the door. Behind his blinking eyelids, his confusion-filled eyes appeared and disappeared.

“…What was that?”

He was confused about what he had just seen. Who on earth is that person? Could it be that President is on drugs right now? Or did he drink alcohol, which he never does?

“Han Jaewoooon!”

Section Chief Yoon, who was organizing business cards at the counter, called him playfully. However, Jaewon paid no mind to Section Chief Yoon who had called him and ran like a bullet towards Junseok, who was just entering the establishment.

“Junseok, hey, Junseok! What’s with that guy?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, the man who just came in with President.”

“Ah…”

Junseok, holding a paper shopping bag containing a takeaway salad, trailed off with a troubled expression. It was a reaction only someone who knew something could show, and that was enough to fan the flames of Jaewon’s curiosity.

“Is he a new player? He looked quite pretty.”

“Well, hmm. He is a player, but, that is…”

“What is it.”

From behind the counter, Section Chief Yoon also peeked his head out. Junseok switched the shopping bag to his other hand and let out a short, dry cough.

“President is taking care of him separately. That person.”

“Taking care of him separately?”

Jaewon’s face, which had been trying to figure out what that meant, soon turned deathly pale. He smacked his fist into his palm, thwack, thwack, and asked again, “Like this?” Junseok nodded in affirmation, and his jaw dropped in shock.

“President is? For real?”

“Yes…”

Jaewon was so stunned he could not seem to close his mouth. He remained frozen like a statue even as Junseok said he would be on his way and passed him.

Only then did Taejung’s behavior start to make a little sense. The lips that had been uncharacteristically curved into a smile, the eyes that never left the other person, even the way he kept glancing back when they walked together, as if to check if he was following well.

Jaewon raised a hand and clamped it over his mouth. When Taejung had asked the other person, “You wanna drink?”, he had almost said, “Shall I bring him in with a hostess?” without thinking. He had intended to be thoughtful since it seemed like Taejung cared for him. After all, Taejung often brought his close younger friends to the establishment to have fun. He had never imagined their relationship was like that.

Just the thought of it sent a chill down his spine. He rubbed his forearm and comforted himself. You did well. You did fucking well, he thought, and the sigh that escaped his slightly parted lips was one of relief.