Apparently when expensive foreign cars like this get damaged, the repair period takes a long time because of parts procurement. But thanks to Yeom Cheonho pulling some strings, it had been repaired this quickly and he could see it again. As he polished it with all his heart and soul, Choi Hwan appeared sauntering across the gate. Yeonrok said proudly:
“Look at this. It’s like new.”
Choi Hwan knew well that no matter how shiny the exterior, an accident vehicle’s value drops significantly, but he liked seeing Yeonrok treasure his gift, so he played along.
“It looks like a freshly delivered car. The repair turned out well, huh?”
“Yeah, I should take even better care of it from now on.”
Yeonrok carefully polished the logo part with the horse engraved on it until it squeaked and shined. While glancing at that sight, Choi Hwan anxiously rubbed one foot persistently on the ground. He swallowed dryly and was about to suggest they go for a drive to celebrate the repair. That’s when an unwelcome voice came from behind.
“Were you washing the car?”
Moon Gyeonwoo, who had just gotten out of his car, spoke warmly. At that tone, Choi Hwan sharply turned his head to look at him. Without knowing that Choi Hwan was instinctively on edge, Yeonrok tilted his head.
“What brings you home from work early?”
“Research hasn’t been making any progress lately, so I’m trying to take it easy.”
Then he held out a paper bag to Yeonrok. Yeonrok, who had been conditioned by the snacks Moon Gyeonwoo brought every time he came home from work lately, politely held out both hands quickly to receive it. He’d already swallowed his saliva.
“What did you buy today? It smells delicious…”
Choi Hwan sharply turned his head again to look at how soft and gentle Yeonrok’s voice was when asking that. He seemed so absorbed in the snack that he didn’t even realize it himself.
“Walnut cakes. These days they put fillings other than red bean paste, like custard cream or cream cheese.”
“Wow!”
Yeonrok happily took out what was in the paper bag right away. Moon Gyeonwoo spoke in a friendly voice to Yeonrok, who was opening the box:
“There’s also matcha flavor.”
“I like matcha flavor.”
“I know.”
At the answer that came out immediately with confidence, Yeonrok asked in bewilderment:
“How do you know that?”
“It’s right there in plain sight, why wouldn’t I know? You often eat matcha-flavored ice cream.”
At those words, Yeonrok recalled past events. When he watered his comfort plant Yeonpil or decorated the comfort doll that had been seized in various ways. Thinking about how those aspects had been visible even before they became this close, his attentiveness must be innate. Moon Gyeonwoo familiarly pushed Yeonrok’s back.
“It’s still chilly out, so stop washing the car and come inside to eat.”
“Should I…?”
“I’ll go boil some tea first. It’ll be delicious if we eat together.”
After Moon Gyeonwoo went in like that, Yeonrok asked Choi Hwan, who had been silent since earlier:
“Do you want to eat with us too?”
“No!”
Choi Hwan, who had been watching Moon Gyeonwoo and Yeonrok conversing harmoniously with wide eyes, answered like a scream. Thinking he disliked it that much, Yeonrok answered glumly:
“Oh, okay… If you don’t want to, then don’t.”
“No, it’s not that I don’t want to! What! When, when did you two become so close?!”
Choi Hwan wasn’t particularly perceptive. However, having dated Moon Gyeonwoo, he had grasped the other person to some extent. He wasn’t someone who was kind to people who weren’t his lover. Above all, given Choi Hwan’s own feelings, there were things he could see. Only Yeonrok didn’t understand why Choi Hwan was so excited and answered:
“We didn’t particularly become close. I said he’s been repaying the favor since I helped him last time.”
“Repaying a favor? Anyone can see he’s making a move on you!”
Because Choi Hwan jumped and shouted, Yeonrok became bewildered again. Moon Gyeonwoo making a move on him?
“No way, surely not…”
Yeonrok didn’t think for a moment that Moon Gyeonwoo and Choi Hwan—Yeom Cheonho maybe, but not them—considered him a romantic prospect. Given the track record of how the two had consistently treated him until now, even if their relationship had suddenly improved recently, he wasn’t suspicious. He just thought the two were being nice because they owed him a debt.
“Are you bothered because he’s your ex?”
Yeonrok asked carefully. Even when they were dating, Choi Hwan hadn’t seemed to have any particular romantic feelings for Moon Gyeonwoo, but you never knew what was in a person’s heart. Then Choi Hwan even put on a serious face while strongly denying it:
“No! I’m not bothered at all! Not even a little, not this much, not that much!”
“Okay, I got it… So are you going to eat walnut cakes with us or not?”
Yeonrok asked glumly. He was only worried about the freshly baked hot walnut cakes getting cold. As if it were some big question, Choi Hwan answered resolutely:
“I’ll eat. I’m going to eat.”
When he came into the house with Choi Hwan like that, Moon Gyeonwoo had brewed green tea in the drawing room. Choi Hwan quickly went and sat on the sofa conspicuously, demanding:
“Give me green tea too. We agreed to eat walnut cakes together.”
“I don’t want to.”
“…!”
After answering coldly, Moon Gyeonwoo soon smiled brightly as if nothing had happened and said:
“Just kidding. I can give you as much green tea as you want. There’s still boiled water left.”
He went to the kitchen and brought a teacup filled with green tea. Only Choi Hwan wondered why Moon Gyeonwoo was so obediently complying and received the teacup with suspicion.
What he didn’t know was that Moon Gyeonwoo basically disliked everyone except the person who was his lover, and disliked ex-lovers even more. Especially someone who not only went to clubs unfaithfully while dating but was now trying to interfere, and on top of that had dumped him over a mere position dispute issue.
Choi Hwan, who was setting down his teacup, glared at Moon Gyeonwoo with wide eyes.
“Oops, sorry.”
Moon Gyeonwoo was firmly stepping on the tip of Choi Hwan’s foot. It didn’t hurt much since he was wearing slippers, but it was enough to be unpleasant. He clearly didn’t like that Choi Hwan had intruded on their tea time for two.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing, Yeonrok. Hurry and try it. It’ll get cold.”
If there was something Moon Gyeonwoo didn’t know, it was that Choi Hwan was more childish than he thought. Choi Hwan stretched his foot out under the table and stepped on Moon Gyeonwoo’s foot even harder. The glances the two exchanged over the table were cold.
“This is really delicious. Thanks for buying it.”
Even though he said he was buying snacks to repay the favor, Yeonrok was grateful that he looked after him like this. When Yeonrok expressed his gratitude, Moon Gyeonwoo’s eyes became warm. He stomped down on Choi Hwan’s foot with his heel while recommending a different flavored walnut cake to Yeonrok.
“This one has sausage inside.”
Then isn’t it not a walnut cake anymore? Anyway, it was delicious. While diligently eating walnut cakes, Yeonrok looked up questioningly when he saw the table shake with a dull noise. He looked at the two of them, but they were just peacefully eating walnut cakes.
‘Did someone bump their leg on the table?’
Not knowing that the two were grinding their teeth underneath while stepping on and kicking each other’s legs and feet, he tilted his head. It was when he bit into what was said to contain octopus, which no matter how you looked at it could only be seen as takoyaki wearing the guise of a walnut cake.
“Ow!”
Without even eating it, Yeonrok dropped the walnut cake and let out a short scream. It was because he’d casually stretched his leg and got thoroughly stepped on and kicked by Moon Gyeonwoo and Choi Hwan.
“Yeonrok!”
“Ahhh! Are you okay?!”
Yeonrok screamed once more. Because the two suddenly stood up in alarm, this time the hot green tea on the table spilled onto his thigh.
* * *
Was this due to bad luck, or was it a deliberate result?
Yeonrok looked at his leg sullenly. Fortunately, the spilled green tea wasn’t hot enough to cause severe burns. His skin was just a bit reddened. The problem was his ankle and the top of his foot. The bruising and swelling didn’t look good at all. Yeom Cheonho, who had rarely come home early from work and witnessed this chaos, placed a cold handkerchief on Yeonrok’s thigh and asked:
“How did this happen?”
“Those two did it.”
Both physically and emotionally hurt, Yeonrok pointed his finger at Moon Gyeonwoo and Choi Hwan and openly tattled. The two who had been fidgeting anxiously made excuses:
“It’s a misunderstanding, Yeonrok. I wasn’t trying to kick you.”
“Me neither. Really not.”
“Well, I’m not so sure…”
Yeonrok’s eyes glaring at the two were cold. From their reactions, it didn’t seem like they’d deliberately made his leg like this. However, because there was a past of being treated coldly and harshly, they didn’t look good at all. No matter how you looked at it, they were repaying kindness with enmity. After looking once at Yeonrok, who was extremely angry, Yeom Cheonho’s eyes looking at the two were also stern.
