Seo Eunho let out a long sigh. Monday evening. It had been just an hour ago that he’d thought he should just laze around at home alone when Tae Shinwoo mentioned he had to go home.
However, Seo Eunho was standing in front of some hotel. It was because his father had said they should have a meal at the restaurant inside the hotel.
His voice, which had called Seo Eunho out of the blue saying it didn’t make sense for family not to have a meal together even once, was full of annoyance. His reluctance was evident.
And yet he was ordering him around. Seo Eunho had naturally tried to ignore it. If Tae Shinwoo hadn’t left the house, he wouldn’t have come out.
Right, just this once.
The woman had been by his father’s side longer than expected. It was impressive enough that his father, who would have been wandering outside by now, was still stuck at home.
On top of that, his father was obedient to the woman’s words. It was true that a slight hope appeared that maybe he might come to his senses.
Even so, it wasn’t really related to Seo Eunho, but right now it seemed okay to at least help his father, who was somehow trying hard to accommodate the woman’s words.
“……”
Now that he’d actually arrived, he was hesitating because he really didn’t want to go in.
Seo Eunho took a deep breath and moved his feet. He half-ignored the uncomfortably polite greeting and headed to the elevator. It was to go straight up to the floor where the restaurant was.
“Eunho-ya!”
But before he could do that, his feet were caught by a familiar voice.
“……Yes.”
It was the woman. Seo Eunho substituted a greeting by tilting his head and looked around the woman. His father wasn’t visible.
“Ah, that person. Something suddenly came up so he couldn’t come.”
The woman, who’d keenly grasped Seo Eunho’s thoughts, explained first. Seo Eunho didn’t hold back the sigh that flowed out.
“I wanted to have a meal together, but I felt sad that we kept not being able to, so I came out anyway.”
“……”
“Sorry. Is it uncomfortable?”
No answer particularly followed. How could it be comfortable? Of course, even if his father were here, it wouldn’t be any different.
“I’ll head back.”
Seo Eunho soon opened his mouth. A disappointed look lingered on the woman’s expression, but the corners of her mouth quickly rose.
It was a subtle feeling. He should feel somewhat guilty, but he just wanted to escape from this place.
“Still, since you came, at least eat before you go. It’s really delicious here.”
But the woman didn’t let Seo Eunho go. She linked arms with him as if they were close and quickly led him to the elevator.
Seo Eunho, who’d been about to shake her off while furrowing his brow, sighed softly and stopped.
Having a meal once wasn’t difficult. There was no reason to refuse so adamantly either. Seo Eunho was weak to that. When someone offered to do something for him and he thought, is there really a need to refuse that much? he’d ultimately give in completely.
“Thank you.”
When Seo Eunho quietly let himself be led by her hand, the woman smiled and offered thanks. Seo Eunho didn’t give any answer.
The hair on his whole body stood on end. Somehow he felt a sense of déjà vu. Even after the elevator door opened and they got inside, that uncomfortable feeling continued.
“Next time.”
In the end, Seo Eunho opened his mouth before the elevator door could even close. He didn’t want to face the woman while continuing to have this uncomfortable feeling.
The closing elevator opened wide again due to Seo Eunho pressing the open button. Seo Eunho removed the woman’s hand and came out first.
“Let’s do it when father is there.”
Since he felt somewhat sorry, his manner of speech naturally became polite. The woman, who’d seemed flustered, immediately smiled. As if understanding him.
“Okay. Let’s do that.”
As soon as the answer came back, Seo Eunho turned around. The uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away.
That couldn’t be. The woman seemed exactly like those people who used to coax him with sweet words to go to his house. Seo Eunho shook his head.
He thought it didn’t even make sense, but still, there was nothing bad about keeping his distance.
***
“I thought Tae Shinwoo was helping him.”
“Tae Shinwoo must be getting tired of him by now too. Didn’t he catch another customer before getting dumped?”
It was really noisy. He kept ignoring it, but it was quite difficult to overlook the voices that grew louder as if demanding to be heard.
School was no different from usual. It just felt a bit awkward to go to school alone for the first time in a while, thanks to Tae Shinwoo not coming from the morning for once.
No, he thought so. Before long, Seo Eunho realized that countless eyes were watching him.
Not just passing glances, but blatant ones. He couldn’t help but notice the gazes filled with mockery and contempt.
“Well yeah. If you’ve made some money selling your face, how could you go back to before?”
Since there was no one to ask what was going on, he was a bit frustrated at first. While he wasn’t the type to step forward and make excuses about himself, he was curious about what rumors were going around for everyone to look at him with these eyes.
Moreover, seeing that everyone was hostile toward him, it didn’t seem like good rumors. He wanted to know what it was first. At least before it reached Tae Shinwoo’s ears.
“It was a joke at first, but he really is a parasite.”
At the giggling laughter, Seo Eunho slowly closed his eyes and opened them.
Fortunately or not, figuring out what rumors were going around wasn’t difficult. It was because there were always people everywhere who shouted loudly as if demanding to be heard.
Just yesterday, he’d gone to a hotel with the woman. Of course, the destination was the restaurant and he’d even come out without going in, but everyone seemed to have no interest in the facts.
Seo Eunho couldn’t find a reason to step forward and explain either. If it was talk like this, Tae Shinwoo would just let it pass too. Because it was talk that didn’t even make sense.
From then on, he didn’t care how anyone viewed him. He thought there was no need to pay attention to a story that Tae Shinwoo wouldn’t believe even if he knew about it.
There’s no way he’d misunderstand like that.
He was someone who knew almost all his every move. Was that all? It was Tae Shinwoo who’d given him money. Tae Shinwoo knew better that he’d gained financial freedom.
Bang!
“You know.”
So he wanted to completely stop caring.
“Selling your face, selling your body. Good for you finding your calling. But how much do you make doing that?”
Those around him didn’t help. As expected, the ones most excited to react to such nonsensical rumors were Kim Junseong and Jang Hoyoung.
As if they’d been waiting for an opportunity all along, the two were very excited. They looked desperate to spread this rumor everywhere.
Seo Eunho thought anew while watching Kim Junseong acting threatening as he slammed down on his desk. Just what did they want from him?
He could just ignore them like last semester. What were they so dissatisfied about that they were dying to devour him? It was almost amazing how hard they tried to find fault somehow.
“You’re too interested in me.”
Words completely unrelated to the question popped out of Seo Eunho’s mouth. Kim Junseong’s face immediately contorted.
While others glanced at him, whispered, and then avoided him, deliberately approaching and talking to him was nothing less than proof of excessive interest. Seo Eunho shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s none of your business.”
Since he originally had no interest in what rumors were about him, Seo Eunho’s reaction was plain. If there was something that had changed a bit, it was that he cared about Tae Shinwoo, but this matter would be nothing to Tae Shinwoo too, so he had no choice but to be uninterested no matter what anyone said.
“I’m curious though.”
So whether Kim Junseong smirked and picked a fight or not.
“Why. If you make a lot, will you try it too? Don’t even hope. Who would buy you?”
“What?”
Seo Eunho looked Kim Junseong up and down. Kim Junseong, who’d raised his fist as if offended, soon giggled and laughed.
“I won’t do such dirty things. I’m better off.”
It was a great mental victory. Seo Eunho neither denied nor affirmed it. He’d never done what he called dirty things, nor had he ever thought about it.
However, even if he explained in detail, it wouldn’t work at all. Knowing that, there was no need to bother opening his mouth.
“Right. Since all you have is your body, at least use it well.”
Jang Hoyoung added from the side. Giggling as if deliberately trying to get on his nerves. Seo Eunho nodded indifferently.
“Yeah.”
“Ha, fucking bastard. Acting so tough.”
“Leave him. When was he not like that?”
Seo Eunho turned his head sharply. The petty mind games were tiring. They were also annoying.
Seo Eunho, who’d sprawled on his desk just like that, just fiddled with his phone. Since the message this morning saying he couldn’t stop by, there’d been no contact from Tae Shinwoo at all.
“……”
Should he do it first? Seo Eunho, who’d thought carelessly, quickly put his phone into his pocket.
If Tae Shinwoo wanted to contact him, he would. It was ridiculous for him to send a message first as if urging him.
Seo Eunho squeezed his eyes shut. All his nerves were concentrated on the pants pocket containing the phone.
