MW 26

Having finished his task, Seungmin left Yijae with the man and disappeared the way he had come. Left alone in an instant, Yijae rubbed his awkward cheek.

“Hello, I’m Seo Yijae. I look forward to working with you.”

Realizing he hadn’t properly introduced himself, Yijae stated his name and greeted him.

“Ah, n-nice to meet you. I’m Kim Taehoon, and I’m twenty-five.”

“I’m twenty. You can speak comfortably to me.”

He was going to be learning the work from him anyway, and since he was older, he had no intention of being addressed formally.

“Should I? Then Yijae, you can just call me hyung.”

“Yes… hyung.”

Taehoon’s eyes were full of affection as he looked at Yijae. He took Yijae on a tour of the establishment, slowly explaining the tasks he would have to do starting tomorrow.

While they were doing that, opening time drew near, and new people, upon spotting Yijae, started talking to him one by one.

It was the first time Yijae had been surrounded by so many people, so he was flustered, but they were all kind and friendly. He soon found himself able to relax, a smile gracing his lips.

⁺₊❆₊⋆

Time flew by, and soon it was Friday, the day he was to meet Jaeha. During that time, Yijae had grown accustomed to the work at the bar. He spent a hectic week juggling work and studies.

The busier he was, the more tired his body became, but with his part-time pay steadily accumulating and the fact that he only slept at home, thus avoiding Dohae and Dohyeon, it was actually better for Yijae.

“Huu.”

Except for the fact that Friday, the day he was to meet Jaeha, had arrived so quickly.

Yijae fidgeted with his lips as he waited for Jaeha at the cafe where they had agreed to meet. How hard had he tried all this time to avoid running into him, even by chance?

As if to mock his efforts, he kept running into Jaeha, and each time, Yijae would turn and flee as if escaping.

‘He must be really angry, right?’

Jaeha had been so good to him, and he had suddenly ignored and avoided him. He thought that if it were him, he would be very angry too.

‘But I can’t. If I give him any more of my heart….’

Yijae pressed down on his heart, which still throbbed whenever he thought of Jaeha, and let out a long sigh.

He was fiddling with the end of the scarf, which he had washed clean to return to Jaeha, when a long shadow fell over him, and Yijae looked up.

“……”

It was Jaeha. The moment their eyes met, his heart seemed to drop to the pit of his stomach. Yijae froze on the spot, like a person who had forgotten how to breathe.

“It’s been a while.”

It was Jaeha who broke the silence. Yijae bit the inside of his cheek as he looked at him, noticing how worn out his face had become since he’d last seen him.

“Have you been well?”

“……Yes.”

“That’s a relief. I haven’t been.”

Yijae, who had been avoiding Jaeha’s gaze for a long time, finally looked up at those words.

“Because I was worried about you.”

“……”

“I was worried that you might be off somewhere crying by yourself again, Yijae.”

During the week he couldn’t reach Yijae, staring at his retreating back as he would turn and run away the moment their eyes met, Jaeha hadn’t had a moment of peace, consumed with worry for him.

‘Why does he keep shaking me like this….’

Meeting Jaeha’s sincere eyes, Yijae dug his nails into his soft palm, pressing down the overwhelming emotions.

He couldn’t cry. If he did, his heart would surely weaken again.

He couldn’t continue to be with Jaeha as before, not when he was engaged to Dohae. After long deliberation, Yijae slowly opened his mouth.

“Sunbae. I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can… continue with this class anymore. I-I’ll take responsibility and speak to the professor so that you won’t be negatively affected in any way. ……I’m truly sorry. And this is the scarf you lent me last time. Th-thanks to you, I used it well. And… thank you for everything. I mean that.”

He had tried not to show tears, but he failed at the very last word that concluded his speech. Yijae stared at the drop of water that fell tok onto the table and quickly got up from his seat.

“Then, I’ll be on my way.”

He just had to think of it as a happy dream, that he had made a precious memory he would never forget.

‘You did well. It’s all over now…. All of it.’

Yijae stood up and was about to leave the cafe. Just then, Jaeha, who had approached without him noticing, grabbed his wrist.

“Seo Yijae.”

“Let me go.”

“……”

“Please, just let me go….”

Yijae said in a trembling voice, his head bowed. His pleading voice, filled with the desire for him to just let him go, to pretend he didn’t know because he was barely holding on as it was, sounded so fragile it could break at any moment. Yijae felt the strength in Jaeha’s hand, which was holding him, slowly draining away.

‘Yes. Please, just let me go.’

Just as Yijae was putting strength into his legs, seeing Jaeha’s hand fall from his wrist, Jaeha spun him around and pulled down the collar of his t-shirt, which was up to his neck.

“Heuk.”

“You said you were doing well.”

“Ah…! This, let, let me g-. Hut….”

Somehow, Jaeha’s gaze had landed on his neck. Recalling the bruised skin he had seen in the mirror this morning, he hurriedly pushed his shoulder.

“Heuk, please….”

“You were doing well, so why is your neck like this again?”

How had he hidden it all this time? How hard had he tried to keep Jaeha from finding out? Yijae spoke, his eyes red.

“I just, f-fell.”

“It was Gu Dohae.”

“It wasn’t!”

He answered reflexively, shouting as soon as Dohae’s name was mentioned. Jaeha couldn’t know. If he got angry and went to find Dohae…. He didn’t know what Dohae might do this time.

“Yijae.”

“It’s really not like that, so, heuk, please don’t get involved…. Just, please pretend you don’t know.”

In the end, his sobs spilled past his lips. With a crumbling composure, Yijae sobbed and pleaded with him.

“Please. If you do that, sunbae… heuk, it only gets harder for me. So please just pretend you don’t know… please let me go….”

Even now, he was terrified that Dohae might be watching him from somewhere. He liked Jaeha so much, but he couldn’t give up on his mother.

“How can I do that? You’re telling me to see this and pretend I don’t know?”

Jaeha said, holding onto Yijae with a complicated expression. The situation was getting louder, and the gazes of those around them landed on them. Seeing Yijae shrink away from the attention again, Jaeha took his hand and pulled him along.

“Sunbae…!”

Yijae couldn’t overcome the force of Jaeha pulling him. What if Dohae sees this? What if he says he’ll stop Mom’s treatment because of it….

As Yijae was biting his lip in worry, a jacket was placed over his head. The cool scent told him it was probably Jaeha’s.

“Cover yourself.”

Did he know he was uncomfortable with people staring and whispering? How did he always seem to know what he was thinking? In the darkened world, Yijae felt the hand connected to Jaeha’s and sobbed quietly.

Right. How could he not love this man? Falling for Kang Jaeha had been inevitable.

⁺₊❆₊⋆

“Come in.”

Yijae entered the familiar space, letting out a long breath and relaxing his tension. The inside was quiet today, as if the club members were not there. No, it seemed like some things were missing too.

“The club room moved to the west building, so no one comes here anymore.”

“……”

“So. Do you have anything to say to me?”

Yijae had no intention of telling Jaeha about Dohae. Seeing his stubbornly sealed lips, Jaeha said.

“It’s okay….”

“I’ll help you.”