PAO 38

“Manifestation, Pheromone Over-secretion Syndrome, Yoo Taeha, Sung Hangyul…….”

Now alone, Seowon started fitting the words that came to mind one by one, as if they were a puzzle. He used to wonder what on earth had happened, but now the outline of the puzzle’s picture was slowly starting to emerge. But there was just one thing that bothered him.

‘Not everything connects.’

There was something that could not be explained simply by the fact that Junghoo had been sick. So, having only the schedule information left him feeling just as uneasy as knowing nothing at all. Lost in thought as he walked, Seowon looked up when he noticed someone standing in front of him.

“Seowon.”

“Father?”

It was Han Soochul.

“How did you get here?”

Perhaps because they had met at such an unexpected moment, his surprise came before his delight.

“You too…….”

Han Soochul stroked Seowon’s hair.

“Has it been okay living with Junghoo all this time?”

“Oh, yes. It’s been fine.”

Seowon trailed off slightly before nodding. Junghoo had been good to him. It was just that Seowon had been uncomfortable, worrying about his traits on his own.

He felt a pang of guilt and could not answer right away, and perhaps noticing this, Han Soochul patted his shoulder.

“You’ve been through a lot. Let’s go home.”

“Home……?”

They were certainly nice words, but Seowon, who was on the receiving end, just felt bewildered. He meant they should go back to his original home. Normally, since living at Junghoo’s place was uncomfortable, he should have eagerly followed him, but…….

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. Just a moment. I’ll pack my things and come out.”

Seowon quickly shook his head, then pressed the passcode and went inside. He moved as if nothing was wrong, but once he was alone, he let out the breath he had been holding. He massaged his aching heart, wondering how long he had been holding his breath.

“It’s better this way.”

Rather than confronting Yoo Junghoo recklessly, it might be better to take a step back, even if it took a little more time.

“Just this once.”

Rest today. I’ll let it slide just for today.

When Seowon came out with his bag packed, Han Soochul and Junghoo, who were together, turned to look. He did not know how long they had been together, but Han Soochul lightly patted the back of Junghoo’s hand, which he had been holding, and let it go. He had not overheard their conversation, but it seemed like he was thanking Junghoo for lending him the money.

“Are you all packed?”

“Yes.”

Even as he obediently nodded, he could not shake the strange feeling.

“Let’s go now.”

Han Soochul took Seowon’s bag and gently pushed his back with his other hand. Seowon, as if unable to resist the force, moved forward and walked past Junghoo.

“See you again.”

Leaving a lingering note for the next time.

He returned to his family home. The place where he had lived with his mother, and which had now become a home for just his father and himself. Although he had gotten his own place when he started university, the house he had lived in his whole life felt strangely unfamiliar. He had not felt this way even when he was packing his things at Junghoo’s house.

“Why are you just standing there? Ah, as for your own place, I’ll get you a new one.”

Seeing Seowon act as if he had come to a different house, Han Soochul asked why he was being that way before belatedly bringing up his rented room. However, that was not what Seowon was thinking about.

“Father, has the company issue been resolved?”

He asked without hiding anything, as he was sure his father did not think he would be unaware. Even if his father apologized, he had no intention of blaming him.

“Not everything is back in its place yet. But I found a place to do business with, and I also got a new loan from the bank.”

He stared intently at his father’s face as he said he had found a way out. He had become gaunt, showing how much he had suffered during that time. Looking at his father like that, Seowon impulsively hugged him.

“You’ve worked so hard. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of any help.”

Although he was now taller than Han Soochul, his heart felt like that of a child as he clung tightly to his embrace.

“What do you mean you weren’t a help? I know you waited quietly so I wouldn’t have to worry.”

Han Soochul stroked Seowon’s head. He was proud of and grateful to his son, who had trusted him and waited without a word. In fact, there was one more person to be thankful for.

‘I’ve found that person. It seems he was trying to smuggle himself out of the country, but no chance. I’ll be able to catch him soon, so just bear with it until then, Mister.’

He had not only lent him money but also found the CEO who had run away. He was also indebted to Junghoo, who had known he was in a situation that was overwhelming enough just trying to sort out what had happened to him, and had taken action.

‘Thank you. I seem to only be receiving help from you.’

‘Then, could I ask you for one favor, Mister?’

‘A favor?’

‘Yes.’

Han Soochul looked at his son, who was hugging him tightly and not letting go.

‘Please don’t let Seowon come to me.’

It was a request not to let him come, even though he had liked him so much.

Lying in bed, Seowon tossed and turned.

“This is strange.”

Why is it so uncomfortable?

“Is it because it’s been a while since I’ve slept here?”

In the end, he could not find a comfortable position and ended up on his stomach. He buried his face in his pillow and let out a sigh when his phone, which he had placed by his head, suddenly rang.

“Who could be calling at this hour…….”

Seowon, who had been grumbling, had his eyes widen. He quickly grabbed his phone, and as soon as he checked the name on the screen, his expression darkened.

“What was I thinking?”

Why did he think Junghoo would be the one calling?

“Hello.”

—You’re alive?

“If you’ve confirmed, shall I hang up?”

—Can’t do that. Come out. Let’s grab a drink.

After pondering what to do with his middle school friend who was bluntly telling him to come out, Seowon sighed and got up. If his bed had not been so uncomfortable, he would not have gone out.

“Where are you.”

“Han Seowon! Over here!”

As soon as he entered the bar, someone called out to Seowon loudly. He was waving his long arms about, and his already noticeable build made him look particularly conspicuous. Seowon gave him a nod as a greeting and pulled out a chair to sit down.

“Why the sudden call?”

“I just got this crazy feeling that I had to call you. So I did, and here we are, seeing each other.”

Lee Changho raised his hand to order another beer and then picked up his own glass.

“Have you been well? I don’t think we’ve seen each other since last year, right?”

“Just so-so.”

Seowon replied, picking up his beer that had been brought to him in no time. As the cold beer scratched its way down his throat, the upset feelings from today calmed down just a little. It was not that the bed was uncomfortable; it was that he was feeling unsettled because not even a full day had passed since that incident with Junghoo.

“Nothing going on?”

“……”

“Looks like there is.”

“There’s not.”

If he had said no right from the start, Lee Changho would not have given him a suspicious look. But he could not bring himself to say no right away because Junghoo came to mind.

“I get why.”

“What are you talking about? How would you know?”

“Yoo Junghoo.”

Seowon paused for a moment, holding his beer. He put the beer glass back down and picked up a puffed rice snack, but he had already been caught by Lee Changho.

“I heard he showed up again. The guys were talking about it.”

He had forgotten how well-connected Lee Changho was.

“So it finally reached your ears too.”

“It’s not like that face of his is common on the streets, so word does get around. And didn’t you say you set him up on a blind date?”

That was right. There was a high school alumnus who had seen me and Yoo Junghoo together and asked for his number. It was not just one person, and after giving it out a few times and realizing it was useless, he had not given his number to anyone since. It was right around then that Minhee had asked to be set up.

Seowon, who had played a part in revealing that Junghoo was in Korea, took it out on his innocent beer.

“Where has he been all this time? Is he back for good?”

“I don’t know either. Just…… that he’s in university now, that’s all.”

“Really?”

Lee Changho showed a somewhat ambiguous reaction to Seowon’s words.

“Which university does he go to?”

“That is…….”

He had not asked. He was not in the right mind to. Every time they met, he spouted strange nonsense, so he never even thought to ask something like that.

“Then where was he? He went to high school abroad, right? Do you know where that was?”

He did not know. When Seowon just shook his head slightly, Lee Changho scratched his chin as if he had expected as much.

“Actually, a friend of mine said he saw Yoo Junghoo in Korea a few years ago. At the time, I was skeptical and let it go, but when he heard about Yoo Junghoo recently, he mentioned it.”

“That’s Yoo Junghoo’s business. He could have come to Korea for a short while, or maybe he came for vacation.”

“You think so? But it’s a little strange.”

“Ugh, what is it? What are you trying to say?”

As he kept beating around the bush, Seowon was now the one rushing Lee Changho.

“The place he saw Yoo Junghoo was at a hospital.”

Lee Changho had already pushed his beer glass to the side and was leaning his upper body closer to Seowon, across the space between them.

“It’s not weird to go to the hospital while visiting Korea for a bit, but still, it’s just something about it, you know? The fact that he saw him at a hospital in a provincial area, not even Seoul…….”