Woonghee knelt with one knee on the cheap street. Whether ant colonies crawled in a line or earthworms wriggled, it didn’t matter at all. The black walkers he wore like tattoos crumpled.
“I’ll become the cheapest thing you own.”
Even if it wasn’t a splendid hotel like others, he wanted to propose at a more wonderful restaurant. How could he end up proposing on this crumbling, worn-out street in the Philippines?
Right, I’m someone who has nothing and doesn’t know anything about mood. Compared to you, I’ve lived a life like mud stuck on shoe soles. You probably know that well too, right?
“Still, I’ll take responsibility for you and support you like crazy for the rest of my life.”
His voice trembled pathetically. The ring in his hand looked hopelessly shabby. Like a coward, his courage kept hitting rock bottom. It felt like you were sticking a straw in me and sucking me dry.
“You eat so damn well.”
His tongue kept getting longer, but still, what he wanted to say was one thing. Gulp, he swallowed his saliva with difficulty. Because he was vomiting out his words like this, it felt like the poison was finally leaving him.
As if hiding his feelings for you in his throat had been poison to Woonghee, it felt like detoxification.
“The future’s unpredictable anyway, isn’t it?”
Who could have predicted it?
That the cruise he boarded to threaten Director Hwang for money, or to ruin that shitty party of yours, would end up stranded like that.
Who would have known that you, who were so arrogant, would end up begging me for love?
Right now, that truck zooming past us could suddenly break through the guardrail and hit both the man and me, and this road could collapse into a sinkhole and our heads could crack open.
Anyway, if we don’t know what’s ahead even one step, fuck it, shouldn’t I just turn the helm and sail as I want?
“So trust me just once.”
Swoosh, the wind blew. The riverside visible in the distance swayed. The sunset light rippled like a red carpet.
“Live with me.”
Please, accept or reject, do something. Why are you just spacing out like someone hit on the head with a hammer? Swoosh, warm and damp wind blew. The man’s dark hair like the deep sea became disheveled. He should obsessively fix it like usual, but the man just stood frozen as if he’d seen Medusa.
Why is he like that, what’s your heart, so! Woonghee felt anxious and wanted to grab his collar and shake him.
“Um, Gi Junhyuk-ssi.”
He muttered to please do something, whether rejection or acceptance. Only then did the man ask, as if waking from a hazy dream.
“You’ll stay by my side?”
“Yes, I will.”
He looked distant, like someone who had wandered through the dark universe for a very long time and finally returned to Earth’s ground, landing on two feet.
“You won’t run away anywhere?”
“You’ll always come back to my bed at night?”
“Yes.”
He threw out questions desperately. He wasn’t the one who reigned trampling others’ heads with his shoe soles. It was closer to desperately clinging as if his breath would cut off right away if he didn’t hear answers from Woonghee. As if he’d hung his lifeline on those hook-shaped question marks.
All his questions were struggling to fish up one thing—Woonghee’s heart. Without any leisure, he was trying to throw his everything.
“I’ll love Gi Junhyuk-ssi for life.”
The man grabbed Woonghee’s cheeks. Urgently, like a shark out of water, the man panted. As if his breath would cut off if he didn’t take Woonghee’s lips right now, he pulled desperately.
The two kissed under the red sunset. The red crimson light covered Woonghee’s light brown hair like a veil.
The wish the man had made to the meteor shower pouring across the night sky sometime ago had come true.
***
The quiet weekend airport had very many coming and going passengers. Among them stood those who sucked in the attention of passing people like a vacuum.
Woonghee nervously shook his legs. Unable to sit still in one place, he was spinning around holding Jjokko in his arms like a dog that needed to poop.
When exactly are they coming? The luggage has already arrived according to the display. Could something have happened to the plane on the way? What should I do, fuck, should I ask the man to charter a plane right now? I should go find them myself…!
Just as Woonghee was about to spring up from his seat. Among the crowds pouring out in droves, something with a color as light as Woonghee’s hair shimmered and appeared. Eyes full of curiosity, as if the airport they were visiting for the first time was very unfamiliar and awkward.
“Woongju…!”
At Woonghee’s single shout, Woongju, who had been turning her head left and right, quickly found Woonghee. Woongju came running at full speed, even throwing away the carrier she was holding.
“O-oppa, oppa…!”
Woongju, with tears welling up in her large eyes like shine muscat grapes, rushed into Woonghee’s arms.
“Oppa….”
Held in Woonghee’s arms, she cried with her back trembling. Her small, thin, trembling back was very pitiful. Woonghee silently held that body. Although compared to that bastard Gi Junhyuk it was nothing, he was about half a span taller than Woongju. He used to carry her on his back or hold her often when she was young too.
“That’s why I said I’d go to Korea.”
She acted so strong on the phone, but the moment she saw Woonghee, she collapsed like this. Woonghee, who had returned to Cebu, contacted her right away. Woongju, who had been waiting only for Woonghee’s call at the news that the island people had been rescued, was sobbing even over the phone.
– Oppa, I’m really fine, please don’t act like someone with fifteen lives, just rest first. I’ll come quickly during vacation.
Woonghee wanted to book a ticket and fly to Korea right away. However, Woongju reassured Woonghee several times that she was okay.
‘Still, Woongju….’
– I’ve never traveled abroad anyway, and since you said it’s where you were, I really wanted to go, don’t worry about me, okay?
She spoke so bravely that he thought she was okay….
In fact, Woonghee had also tried to go to Korea several times. But there was one problem. That damn airplane. Post-traumatic syndrome, what the hell is that damn thing? Just thinking about being trapped in something large and floating in that high sky made his body stiffen.
“No, thanks to oppa I got to ride a plane and come all the way to Cebu, I’m really happy.”
Woongju clenched her fists and rubbed her eyes with her forearm. Then she added quietly, thank you for staying alive. After carefully wiping her tear-soaked eyes, she smiled awkwardly but slightly.
“Is this the baby oppa mentioned?”
Looking at Jjokko held in Woonghee’s arms, she even touched her cheek slightly, saying she was cute.
“Oh, right, I bought this to give to the baby.”
Saying she bought it as a gift in Korea, Woongju opened the backpack she carried on her back. What she took out from inside was a pink doll with pigtails.
“It’s super hot among Korean babies these days, they say they can’t buy it because it’s sold out.”
Jjokko stared at it for a long time. Then she hugged it wrigglingly in her small arms. Woongju smiled showing her overlapping teeth slightly, saying she must like it. Even in the midst of that, Woongju’s eyes were glancing behind Woonghee.
“B-but, oppa, is that person…?”
Ah, Woonghee let out a small sigh and stared behind him. Right, she couldn’t help but pay attention. Right there stood a man dressed sharply in a gray suit like a groom. Holding a large, lush bouquet of roses in his arms.
“D-don’t tell me it’s that person?”
Smack, smack, excited Woongju hit Woonghee’s forearm. Woonghee laughed awkwardly, haha, raising the corners of his mouth.
“He’s really like a prince on a white horse.”
Saying it’s crazy, how did he meet such a person, Woongju made a fuss. Jumping in place, she also hurriedly adjusted her appearance, saying she should have come wearing cleaner clothes.
“Crazy, he’s insanely handsome, he’s like an actor?”
He walked over step by step, dressed sharply, as if he’d torn out of a men’s magazine, and handed over the bouquet.
“Welcome, you have similar eyes to Woonghee-ssi.”
Then he displayed a thoroughly crafted smile, tied beautifully like a ribbon. At the surprisingly enchanting and splendid smile, Woongju stood with her mouth wide open in a daze. Without even thinking to accept the bouquet.
“Wow….”
