“Who, Jo Yeongbeom? …No, my ex-lover?”
Yeongbeom’s name popped out of his mouth at the completely unexpected question.
Since referring to Seongjo’s own ex-lover, whom Yujeong didn’t even know personally, by name didn’t seem like something that would feel good to him, he hastily changed the way he addressed him, but Yujeong didn’t seem to care much.
It was Seongjo who was flustered at seeing Yujeong calmly nod his head. Seongjo smiled while slightly furrowing his brow.
“We just confirmed our feelings for each other… isn’t that the kind of situation we’re in?”
Although he had asked him to wait, he hadn’t been passive when it came to conveying his own feelings. Seongjo looked at Yujeong with a slightly troubled face.
“Talking about my ex-lover right after that is a bit much, isn’t it? I feel like it’ll kill the mood.”
“I’ll do my best to hold back even if I feel jealous.”
A chuckle escaped naturally at Yujeong’s calm answer. He wanted to retort that that wasn’t the problem, but looking at Yujeong’s face, those words wouldn’t come out. Seongjo, who had closed his mouth that had been about to move, looked at him with a serious face.
Does he have a reason for wanting to hear this so badly?
Although Yujeong was younger than Seongjo, he was inherently serious in character and someone who thought a lot. It didn’t seem like something brought up out of childish jealousy toward an ex-lover. He had a hunch that there was a separate reason for asking.
And yet to say he’d hold back even if he felt jealous. Seongjo realized that the words “I’ll hold back even if I feel jealous” sounded much cuter than a pledge not to be jealous.
Seongjo, who smiled lightly, gathered both arms as if straightening his collar and folded them. Then he turned his back on Yujeong and began walking ahead.
“Alright. What exactly are you curious about?”
Because he walked ahead, he couldn’t see Yujeong’s face following behind. He didn’t speak right away, as if lost in thought again.
Seongjo recalled their conversation from just moments ago and tried to infer Yujeong’s question.
“Hmm… are you curious what kind of person he was?”
Even as he spoke, he still felt a bit dubious. Of course, Seongjo was also curious what kind of person Yujeong’s ex-lover had been, but he didn’t think he’d feel very good after hearing about it. It seemed like it might be better not to know at all rather than end up comparing with the previous person.
While Seongjo was thinking about this and that, he heard Yujeong respond from behind.
“Yes.”
A concise answer without any other additions. After letting out a brief sigh, Seongjo finally began his story.
“Well… it’s a bit odd to talk about this now, but when we were dating, he was quite an affectionate type. Attentive.”
It didn’t seem necessary to talk about specifically how he was attentive, so he left the words vague. When he glanced back, Yujeong reacted with his still expressionless face.
“Didn’t you say just a moment ago that too many people treat you well, so you’re drawn to people who treat you roughly?”
It was a voice that sounded somewhat curt. Was he sulking? Was he jealous?
He still couldn’t understand what was in his heart at all. Even now, he couldn’t distinguish whether these words were jealousy or simple curiosity.
Seongjo answered with an awkward laugh.
“I meant he was like that when we were dating. Before we decided to date, it was a bit different.”
“So that person also treated Lee Seongjo-ssi roughly.”
“Haha, no, rather than treating me roughly… Hmm, but if you say he treated me roughly, that’s not wrong either? I got criticized a lot. Through written notes.”
Bringing up Yeongbeom’s story wasn’t so painful anymore. Even saying things like “he was an affectionate type back then” felt like a distant story, just floating in the air.
But when he recalled those notes, his heart still ached a little. Although he had succeeded in accepting Yeongbeom’s change from being an affectionate lover, it seemed his heart still couldn’t accept that the owner of those notes had changed like that.
“Written notes.”
Yujeong responded in a calm voice. Seongjo nodded with difficulty and then explained briefly.
“There was a period when we communicated through notes before seeing each other’s faces.”
“Is that what drew you to him?”
“Well, um…”
He was a bit conflicted. While those notes had been the catalyst, it wasn’t quite to the extent that he could say he started dating based solely on those notes.
Although he felt attracted after seeing the notes, if that person had continued to remain as someone faceless in those notes, it wouldn’t have developed into romantic feelings.
“That’s right, but it’s not just that.”
“I see.”
Yujeong nodded with an expressionless face. Seongjo added a casual remark.
“If there hadn’t been those notes, we probably wouldn’t have dated.”
“I see…”
Watching Yujeong repeat the same words like AI, Seongjo burst into laughter. How could he tell whether he was satisfied or troubled by this?
“So, has your curiosity been somewhat satisfied?”
At Seongjo’s question, Yujeong quietly nodded his head and even added words of thanks for cooperating.
‘It’s not like this is a police investigation…’
“I answered because you said you were curious, but don’t… compare yourself with my ex-lover. I don’t like him because he’s similar to you, and I don’t like similar aspects. You don’t need to act like him. You understand what I mean, right?”
“You’re stating the obvious.”
Yujeong retorted as if dumbfounded.
Was it an unnecessary comment after all? Seongjo, who chuckled softly at his expression, hesitated for a moment. He couldn’t even tell if Yujeong was displeased or not, so adding more words might be creating unnecessary trouble. But this situation felt like he had only praised Yeongbeom’s merits, which he didn’t like.
Seongjo spoke while moving his feet as if to take the lead.
“Well, thinking about it now, he was kind of pathetic. Considering how he criticized me so much through those notes, then acted all affectionate as soon as we met face to face.”
Having finished his brief criticism, Seongjo shoved his hands in his pockets and walked forward. When there was no sign of him following even after several steps and he turned around, only then did Yujeong start moving toward Seongjo.
Soon, Yujeong stopped at a distance similar to before and calmly leaned his body toward Seongjo.
At the close distance, everything about Yujeong was felt vividly. Things like his height that was slightly taller than Seongjo’s own, and his solid build compared to his intellectual atmosphere.
Originally, Seongjo wasn’t the type to be shaken just by close contact with someone, but right now he couldn’t suppress the sudden tension.
Yujeong opened his mouth without caring about Seongjo’s reaction. In a very serious tone.
“Lee Seongjo-ssi was dating someone unsuitable for you.”
The voice that pierced like a whisper right by his ear stimulated his peripheral senses. The ticklish sensation bloomed from his ear and spread throughout his entire body in an instant.
Is this jealousy?
His spine tingled. And in a very positive way at that.
“So there’s no reason for me to imitate that person.”
Hearing the voice that drew a firm line, a smile naturally rose to Seongjo’s lips. Even trying to hold it back, he couldn’t hide the smile that crept out through his lips.
“That person wasn’t right for you”… Even though it clearly contained a check against his ex-lover, the story coming from Yujeong didn’t sound shabby. Rather, it was a tone that could only be taken with conviction.
Seongjo, who had been quietly looking into his eyes, slowly replied with a smile.
“Is that so? Then what kind of person suits me?”
“Someone who isn’t fake.”
The answer came immediately.
A close enough distance to read all his expressions.
The time was the middle of the night. If they drove back now, the roads would be quiet so it wouldn’t take as long as when they came, but they’d still have to drive for a good two or three hours.
Seongjo was too tired to hold the steering wheel for that long. But he didn’t want to pass that tiring task onto Yujeong either.
More than anything… the biggest reason was that it felt too soon to go back right now.
“It’s late, shall we stay the night?”
After a long silence where only gazes were exchanged, Seongjo spoke.
There was no need to explain the reason. Yujeong nodded without any sign of hesitation or reluctance.
Seongjo looked at Yujeong’s hand as if contemplating for a moment, then started walking while holding that hand. Yujeong didn’t let go of that hand.
Where the two headed was the closest place to the beach, a beach motel with flashing neon lights on its sign. If they’d been a bit less tired, they might have wandered around looking for the best place among the nearby accommodations, but both were already drained of energy.
Although it was late, the owner standing at the counter had an alert face without any drowsiness. The owner, who discovered the two tall men entering through the door, looked at the two with a curious expression.
“Can we get a room now?”
The owner, who looked over Yujeong who calmly asked the question, answered.
“We only have a double bed room left, is that okay? If it’s two men, the bed might be a bit narrow. You’re both very tall.”
Sleep in one bed?
Seongjo’s gaze reflexively turned toward Yujeong. He wanted to know his reaction to these words.
