Could things really get this tangled when they’re meant to go wrong?
He’d thought it was unusually refreshing when he woke up this morning.
The Saturday schedule Hongdan had looked forward to so much went oddly awry one by one from the start. Among them, the most unexpected was precisely this book talk event.
“It’s already 5:30. Aren’t you hungry? Let’s grab dinner nearby before heading back.”
The author who was supposedly almost never late had an urgent personal matter come up today of all days, and the book talk that should have opened at 2 PM barely started well past 3 PM.
Up to here was fine. There was still leeway to keep his promise with Yeon Seonha to return early. The event was scheduled for 90 minutes anyway, and even if traffic was terrible, he could get from Jamsil to Mapo within an hour.
But that damned moral responsibility was the problem.
Unfortunately, Korea was a representative Confucian country boasting history and tradition, a self-proclaimed land of Eastern courtesy that taught ethics throughout the entire 12-year regular education course. What’s more, even the citizens had been choosing Life and Ethics as their social studies subject the most for the past decade or so, repaying this devoted educational philosophy.
‘I’m so sorry about today… I’ll take one question from everyone here. I know there wasn’t supposed to be something like a signing session either, but I did mention it to the staff on my way here earlier. I asked them to prepare if there are no separate events in the evening. Those of you whose schedules allow can enjoy that as well. Once again, I’m sorry for taking your precious time.’
Damn, damn, damn!
‘Hey, you’re getting a signature before you go, right?’
‘You’re asking the obvious. I spent an hour yesterday deciding which book to bring here.’
Of course, it would be a mistake if it was a mistake that he couldn’t give up the signing despite the time already being tight. But Hongdan dared to guarantee that there wasn’t a single otaku in the entire universe who would refuse a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity just to accommodate an ex-husband’s mood. If he himself heard a similar story on a relationship advice program, he would naturally advise them to get the signature first.
5:30…
Unfortunately, Hongdan hadn’t fully mastered the theory of relativity yet, so he hadn’t developed a time machine. In other words, the best consideration he could give Seonha was to leave a text saying he’d be a bit late.
Hongdan hurriedly pulled out his phone. But before he could even bring up the chat window with Seonha, he was blocked by a large hand.
Thwack-!
“Choi Hongdan, didn’t you hear me? I said let’s eat dinner together.”
It was Hyeonchan. Only then did Hongdan’s brain register Hyeonchan’s existence. Hongdan felt sorry to Hyeonchan too.
“Huh? Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about something else for a moment.”
“What are you thinking about? Do you have something urgent?”
“Uh… it wasn’t really, but it just became urgent.”
Hyeonchan was still holding Hongdan’s phone screen. Of all people, since it was Hyeonchan, he couldn’t even bring up Seonha.
While Hongdan was internally stamping his feet in frustration, Hyeonchan, who’d roughly figured out the situation, snatched the crossbody bag that had been hanging ambiguously on his shoulder.
“Where do you need to go? I’ll take you.”
Hongdan waved his hands in horror.
“No! You’d be going totally out of your way. I’ll just take the subway.”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Ah, I’m really saying it’s fine-“
No matter how much Hongdan tried to pull the bag strap back toward himself, Hyeonchan didn’t budge an inch. In fact, there was no way an omega who’d never exercised once in his life could beat an alpha whose muscles grew just from breathing. Even if Hongdan was on the tall side with a decent frame for an omega.
Hyeonchan pushed Hongdan’s straight forehead with just two fingers and curved his eyebrows.
“Like I could rest easy after putting you on the subway. You keep making people uncomfortable.”
“…Sorry.”
In the end, Hongdan had no choice but to obediently follow Hyeonchan. He tried appealing his intentions two or three more times on the way to the parking lot, but far from pretending to listen, Hyeonchan didn’t even blink.
“Get in, hurry. You’re buying dinner next time instead.”
“Ah, of course! Korean, Western, Chinese, Japanese. Just say the word. I’ll treat you to a course meal.”
“So this is how you say you’re taking someone to a buffet.”
“I’m not!”
While having this bickering that wasn’t really bickering, Hongdan ended up forgetting that he’d tried to text Seonha. There happened to be no contact from him looking for Hongdan that day either.
***
Hongdan recalled Seonha’s existence again more than thirty minutes later.
The time was already heading toward 6:10, and Hyeonchan’s car had even stopped momentarily by the roadside. It was a distance that would easily take an hour just going normally because of weekend congestion, but a collision accident had occurred on top of that.
It really seemed like a day God had deliberately twisted up.
They were even more wronged since they were the position that got hit while sitting still. Hyeonchan himself was calm, but Hongdan nearly got out to fight with the at-fault vehicle.
“Ah, fuck. Should I just get out?”
If he got out of the car now and took the subway, he could still go before 7 o’clock. However, he couldn’t abandon Hyeonchan who’d come all this way essentially for him. What Hongdan ultimately chose was to ask for understanding from the easy target, Seonha.
Looking at the chat window stopped on yesterday’s date, Hongdan sighed once more.
[Me] Sorry
[Me] There was an accident on the way back so I think I’ll be pretty late
[Me] Will you just eat dinner first? I’m really sorry
Even while waiting for a reply, Hongdan couldn’t turn off the screen and kept staring at it. Foolishly, perhaps because he seemed to be preparing dinner, a reply didn’t come right away. When the screen gradually began to darken since nothing was happening, Hongdan finally tried to press the phone-shaped icon. At the same time, a short vibration rang and a message window popped up.
[YSH] It’s okay
[YSH] You’re not hurt anywhere, right?
Hongdan quickly moved his fingers.
[Me] Yeah
[Me] Don’t wait for me anyway
[Me] I don’t know when I’ll arrive
Seonha also rewarded Hongdan’s shortened patience. This time a reply came back quickly.
[YSH] Okay~ Be careful coming😊
[YSH] I’m really fine so don’t worry!!
[YSH] It’ll be a bit cold in the evening and I’m worried because you went out in thin clothes earlierㅠㅠ
“…Worrying about all sorts of things and shit.”
At the excessive fuss that followed without fail, he put away his phone without bothering to send a reply. Then he grabbed the handle to get out and follow Hyeonchan, who would be calling the insurance company. However.
“…Ah, shit.”
The bastard’s face showing through the text came to mind, so Hongdan stopped opening the door and buttoned up his jacket first. After hesitating a bit, he even took back out the scarf he’d put in his bag. Only after arming himself thoroughly like that could he pull the car handle.
Perhaps because he’d been fiddling with it all morning, a subtle coconut scent wafted from the beige scarf. Hongdan buried his face in it and avoided the winter wind that had gotten quite cold.
***
Beep-beep-beep-beep.
As soon as he opened the door, the smell of browned food enveloped Hongdan. He hurriedly took off his shoes while looking around. Even though he’d caught a taxi and rushed over as soon as Hyeonchan’s car issue was wrapped up, it was already too late to call it dinner. The couple of texts Seonha sent after that looked docile at a glance, but honestly, he’d run over thinking it wouldn’t be strange even if he threw a tantrum at him while shedding chicken-shit tears.
Hongdan tiptoed and stealthily walked toward the kitchen where signs of life could be heard. But as always, the quick-witted Seonha turned around first.
“You’re here? You must be hungry.”
Contrary to expectations, the face he encountered didn’t contain even a bit of dissatisfaction, let alone disappointment. Flustered, Hongdan hesitated and just scratched the back of his head.
“Huh? Uh… no. But didn’t you eat dinner?”
“Nope. If I ate first, you’d eat alone too, Hongdan. I don’t particularly want to make you do things I don’t like either.”
Seonha skillfully pulled out a dining chair. But unlike this morning, Hongdan couldn’t easily sit in that seat. Then Seonha slowly approached and carefully examined Hongdan’s complexion.
“Why? Are you feeling unwell after all… Should we go to the hospital even now? They say traffic accident aftereffects come late.”
Thump-
For a moment, Hongdan’s heartbeat rang out explosively loud.
Aftereffects or whatever, Hongdan’s face repeatedly flushed bright red then cooled.
Because Seonha’s touch was similar to when he’d tied the scarf this morning yet strangely different. He could clearly feel the tenderness he held at his fingertips. It was ticklish yet at the same time uncomfortable.
Just be disappointed instead…
It was more so because he’d ended up breaking his promise with him today of all days.
Before he knew it, Hongdan hadn’t even noticed that Seonha was staring intently at him and had deeply bowed his head. There was a large hand gently cupping it upward.
“Hongdan, your complexion really doesn’t look good.”
