PA 5

“Did I come here today to have a meal with the Mister, not to make a good impression on you?”

A tense atmosphere flowed between the two of them.

“Right, Jiyun is correct. Jiyun is a guest I invited. You’ve been too rude all this time, Junhyuk.”

“I see. Han Jiyun, but do you know something?”

“What?”

“I like men.”

At that moment, Junhyuk smirked, lifting one corner of his mouth, and grated on Sanghyeon’s nerves with a relaxed expression. From then on, he started to eat his food without another word.

☂︎

The meal, which felt like it would give them indigestion, was finally over. Sanghyeon, who had called his son over on the pretext of dinner, no longer had a reason to keep Junhyuk there.

“Jiyun, take her home.”

“……”

Junhyuk still had a disagreeable look on his face, but he gestured with his hand to show Jiyun which way to go. Jiyun reluctantly accepted Junhyuk’s untrustworthy escort. After they went outside and stood for a moment in front of the mansion’s main building, a large black sedan stopped in front of them.

“Get in.”

Junhyuk said to Jiyun as he got into the driver’s seat. After getting into the passenger seat, Jiyun remained quiet for a long while even after the car started moving. Just as Junhyuk was thinking that this was for the best, Jiyun began to speak while checking her makeup in the mirror that appeared when she opened the sun visor on the ceiling in front of the passenger seat.

“You, is it true that you like men?”

“You heard me loud and clear, so why are you checking again?”

Junhyuk asked back with a casual face, as if confirming the fact.

“I figured you just said whatever since you don’t care about what people think at all.”

“Why would I?”

Junhyuk checked if any cars were coming from the left, just before turning right out of the alley where the mansions were scattered. As he did, he retorted to Jiyun’s words as if they were absurd.

“Still, you need to have a child, don’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

It seemed Jiyun’s persuasion was not over. Junhyuk, too, was now starting to get annoyed. But Jiyun tried to provoke Junhyuk one more time, holding hostage something a man couldn’t do.

“It’s a story for the distant future, but I won’t touch you at all. Let’s just have one child between us.”

“Crazy bitch.”

However, Junhyuk rebuked Jiyun with a short, two-syllable word. After that, only a heavy silence flowed between them. Soon, the car arrived in front of Jiyun’s house, and she opened the passenger door and got out immediately, then tossed out her words as if it were no big deal.

“Think about it carefully. Because only a woman can have a child.”

Junhyuk didn’t even bother to reply to her unreasonable claim and immediately drove the car away. It was just before he dropped Jiyun off, exited the alley, and entered the main road. Junhyuk’s phone vibrated briefly. Junhyuk pulled the car over to the side of the road for a moment, then opened his phone and checked his email.

Lee Yejun (20 years old)

Youngest member and lead vocalist of High Ent.’s group, Serious

Agency address: Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul…

Dorm address: Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul…

Family home address: Cheonho-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul…

Besides that, there were his hobbies, special skills, family relationships, background, and so on. Junhyuk leaned his head back comfortably against the headrest and began to carefully read through the summarized information about Yejun.

“His agency and dorm are near here… Should I go see his face once before I leave?”

Junhyuk entered Yejun’s number, which he had already memorized, into his phone and pressed the call button.

— Hello?

Over the phone, the sound of loud music and spirited shouts, as if counting beats, could be heard, and Yejun’s breathing was slightly ragged.

“It’s me, Junhyuk. What are you doing that’s so loud?”

— Ah, I was practicing the choreography for our new song.

“I see. You’re busy….”

— No, no. It’s almost over.

The surroundings became quiet, as if Yejun had moved to a different place to answer the phone, and his clear, beautiful voice could be heard distinctly.

“I’m in Sinsa-dong, so I thought I’d give you a call. Isn’t your agency in Sinsa-dong?”

Yejun, who didn’t remember mentioning his agency, tilted his head for a moment. Then, wiping the sweat dripping down his neck with a towel, he continued.

— Really? Where are you now?

“I’m near Sinsa subway station.”

— I have to finish practice and wash up… I think it’ll take about thirty to forty minutes, is that okay?

“I’ll wait at a cafe near Sinsa station.”

— Okay, I’ll get ready and come out quickly.

“Take your time.”

After ending the call with Yejun, Junhyuk lightly tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and gripped the steering wheel with one hand. Unaware that he was humming a tune, Junhyuk gently pressed the accelerator and started the car slowly.

☂︎

Yejun’s heart grew anxious at Junhyuk’s words that he would be waiting at a cafe. At the leader Suho’s suggestion that they go through the routine one last time, Yejun hurried to his spot and got into position.

“Alright, that’s it for today! Good work.”

“Good work, everyone!”

Yejun couldn’t even remember how he had gotten through the final practice. He quickly showered and went down to the first-floor lobby.

“Ah, right.”

Stopping in his tracks, Yejun rummaged through his bag for a mask, but it seemed he had forgotten to bring it. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should go back up to the practice room, but then just pulled his hat down low and left the lobby.

“It’s nighttime, so it should be fine.”

Yejun muttered to himself and checked the text message Junhyuk had sent. Then he quickened his pace and began to walk briskly.

A short while later, the cute sign of the cafe where Junhyuk said he would be waiting came into view, and Yejun practically ran to get there. As Yejun opened the door and went inside, a small bell hanging above the door swayed, making a tinkling sound.

“Here.”

Yejun, whose eyes met Junhyuk’s as he turned his head at the sound of the bell, smiled brightly without realizing it. In Junhyuk’s eyes, Yejun’s radiant smile looked like purity itself. Yejun sat down in the seat across from Junhyuk and spoke.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No.”

Junhyuk shook his head, feeling as if Yejun’s smile was making him a little dazed. Then he stared intently at Yejun for a very long time.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No.”

“…Really?”

Yejun seemed to not quite believe Junhyuk’s words. Yejun examined his reflection in the window from various angles.

“There’s really nothing on it.”

Junhyuk briskly took off Yejun’s hat and spoke bluntly in a firm, commanding tone.

“I’d rather you didn’t smile so brightly like that just anywhere.”

“Huh, wh-what?”

“……”

“Are you mad at me about something?”

Yejun didn’t properly understand what Junhyuk had said. For a second, Yejun thought Junhyuk was angry, and his heart sank.

“What do you want to drink?”

Junhyuk smiled gently as he ruffled the hair of Yejun, who seemed flustered by his sudden outburst. He stood up and asked Yejun what he wanted to drink.

“It’s late, so drink something other than coffee.”

“Should I? Then I’ll have a warm chamomile tea.”

Yejun returned to his seat with Junhyuk, carrying tea in large mugs. Junhyuk watched Yejun blankly as he blew on his hot tea and drank it, then slowly began to speak.

“It must be quite a distance from here to the university.”

Junhyuk said, fiddling with his coffee cup that had gone cold while he waited for Yejun. Yejun carefully set down his hot teacup and looked at Junhyuk as he replied.

“I guess so. That’s partly why I go to school a little early. The subway gets really crowded and the roads are completely jammed if it overlaps with rush hour.”

“You take the subway?”

“Yeah, I use public transportation often.”

“What do you do if people recognize you?”

“They don’t really know if I wear a hat. Everyone’s too busy on their phones.”

Junhyuk looked at Yejun as if he were surprised.

“Where’s your family home? You could commute from there.”

“My family home is even farther from school. It’s better to commute from the dorm.”

“I see.”

“But Junhyuk, where do you live?”

Yejun asked about Junhyuk for the first time. Junhyuk shifted his position, crossing his legs the other way, and spoke.

“I live by myself in front of the university.”

“So you live alone?”

“That’s right.”

“I live with my members in a dorm. The room I use has one bunk bed and one more regular single-sized bed.”

“So three of you share one room?”

“There aren’t any desks either, so I used to study at the dining table in the living room. That’s why sometimes I’m envious of people who live alone.”

Junhyuk was silent for a moment after hearing Yejun’s words, then he carefully began to speak.

“It must be hard to study then, during midterms or final exams.”

“Well, I studied for the CSAT like that, too.”

“Then when you have assignments or are studying during exam periods, come and stay at my place. You can study at the school library, and if it gets late, you can come over to my place and sleep over anytime.”

“Really? Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

Junhyuk watched Yejun with a pleased expression as he smiled brightly, delighted.