“Wasn’t last time also a fusion Korean restaurant? You must like Korean food.”
“Ah… It’s not so much that I like it, but more that I end up coming to these places often.”
“Because of work?”
“Because of work.”
When I followed Jung Yoonseo into the restaurant, employees wearing modified hanbok uniforms guided us to our seats with practiced familiarity. Like last time, all the tables in the restaurant were configured as private rooms, and it seemed like a restaurant Jung Yoonseo used for business meetings.
Jung Yoonseo ordered two set menus named after Korean flowers and even carefully requested traditional tea. While Jung Yoonseo was ordering, I looked around at the windows actually made with traditional Korean paper. I wonder if these would tear if I pressed hard.
“First, take the laptop.”
Jung Yoonseo handed me a black shopping bag. I thought Jung Yoonseo had put the existing laptop in the shopping bag, but when I opened it, there was a package box for the latest model laptop inside. I asked, feeling a bit absurd:
“This isn’t my laptop though.”
“You’re honestly confessing? You’re such a good person. As a reward, I’ll give you a new laptop.”
What is this, the gold axe and silver axe fairy tale? I frowned and said firmly to Jung Yoonseo:
“Give me my laptop.”
“Do you have some kind of memories attached to that laptop?”
“Well… More than that, I have this thing called a conscience that won’t let me just accept this expensive laptop.”
Jung Yoonseo chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as he said:
“It’s in the car, so take it when you leave. Of course, I’ll give it to you on the condition that you take both.”
“Even if hyung has money to spare, don’t you think using it this way is a bit much? How long have we even known each other, and you’re just handing me a laptop like this? What if I turn out to be the kind of guy who keeps asking you to buy me expensive things?”
“To be honest, even if I gave it to someone I just met, it’s an amount that won’t make a dent.”
That’s really annoying but cool. Well, Jung Yoonseo was someone who could bulk-purchase these laptops and hand them out one by one to people on the street without it affecting his wealth. Jung Yoonseo looked at my serious expression and continued:
“And you’re not the type to keep asking me to buy you expensive things. You’re scolding me like this even today for bringing you to an expensive restaurant.”
“But really, when you bring me to such expensive restaurants and hand me expensive things, it makes me feel too uncomfortable.”
“A while ago, I sent a bottle of liquor as a gift to an acquaintance that was ten times the price of this laptop.”
“I know this is a really cliché expression, but was that liquor made of gold?”
“The packaging did have gold leaf plastered all over it.”
“The world of the rich…”
“Don’t feel too burdened and just accept it. And our team member will feel better if I at least do this much.”
Jung Yoonseo said again with a gentle smile. I eventually accepted the laptop. Honestly, I didn’t really need a laptop at this price point. It’s not like I was doing any incredibly demanding work on a laptop.
“I’ll accept it on the condition that you don’t buy me things like this from now on. How about it?”
“What if I can’t promise that?”
“Then take it back.”
When I deliberately answered with displeasure, narrowing my eyes, Jung Yoonseo burst into laughter. Since Jung Yoonseo seemed to be in a good mood, I couldn’t scold him more harshly, and just then the Korean set menu was being set up, so the conversation ended there.
The food had an appropriate mix of meat and seafood, and vegetable side dishes like seasoned greens were neatly arranged. Just looking at it, the price was clearly not ordinary.
“Want to try it? See if it suits your taste.”
At Jung Yoonseo’s words, I obediently picked up my spoon. Every dish had the right amount of seasoning, and nothing was lacking in texture or aroma.
“What if hyung makes my palate expensive?”
Of course, this was just talk, and I was the type of person who could eat ramen right now and find it delicious.
“That could happen. Want some alcohol too? The traditional liquor they sell here tastes pretty good.”
“Not too much though.”
“Can you hold your liquor well?”
“I don’t think so. What about you, hyung?”
“I drink moderately. Enough to take care of drunk people?”
“That means you drink well.”
Jung Yoonseo’s lips curved up. After Jung Yoonseo requested alcohol, shortly after, an obviously expensive-looking bottle and glasses were placed on the table.
“Ah, it’s a bit stronger than soju.”
“Wow, then I’ll drink even less than soju.”
Jung Yoonseo paid no attention and filled my glass. I took the bottle from Jung Yoonseo and filled his glass too.
“Cheers?”
“Cheers.”
We clinked our glasses and immediately brought the alcohol to our lips. The liquor was smooth and clean, but when it went down my throat, my throat burned intensely. It definitely had a taste that felt strong.
“It’s stronger than I thought.”
“Tell me if you feel like you’re getting drunk.”
“But what about your car, hyung?”
“I’ll have to call a designated driver. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you get home safely.”
Jung Yoonseo refilled his empty glass.
“Eat it with the food.”
“You too, hyung. But is it okay that you have work tomorrow?”
“Ah, I’m not going to work tomorrow. I have an event in the afternoon, so I’ll rest in the morning and participate in the event from the afternoon.”
“An event?”
“There’s a charity event. My attendance is mandatory.”
“…Your life seems pretty tough too, hyung.”
“Does it?”
Jung Yoonseo finished another glass of liquor with those words. I filled Jung Yoonseo’s glass while observing his expression. Jung Yoonseo was smiling faintly, but that smile made it harder to discern his mood. I added:
“Of course, I don’t mean to judge your life. It’s just that work is tiring, you know. I practically pass out after work too.”
“What kind of work do you do?”
“I work part-time at a cafe. I haven’t been doing it for that long.”
“Hmm… Don’t you have to start preparing for job hunting once you write your graduation thesis?”
“Actually, I applied to a few places but just quit.”
“Why?”
It was extremely difficult to find the right words. I don’t want to get a job since I’ll only be here for a year was my true feelings, but I couldn’t just say that outright. I just silently ate my rice. Jung Yoonseo looked at me for a moment, then said casually:
“If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”
“Um… It’s nothing major, I just wanted to rest a bit. You might not understand since you’re still young, but I felt like if I didn’t rest now, I wouldn’t be able to.”
And this was also genuinely true. Before becoming a broadcast writer, I had never lived even a single month without doing anything. It was natural since my income stopped the moment I quit working. Living alone in Seoul without any support was no easy task. I’d been experiencing that reality since high school.
“You must have lived hard until now.”
“I did my best. Though I didn’t always succeed.”
Honestly, I had no intention of completely denying my life or blaming myself for my own life, but objectively speaking, it wasn’t exactly… a life worth emulating, I thought. That said, I didn’t think I could live a better life than now even if I went back to the past.
Jung Yoonseo listened to my words, let out a short laugh, and drank another glass. As I refilled Jung Yoonseo’s glass, I started to worry that he was emptying his glass too quickly. He said he could hold his liquor well, so was this nothing to him?
After emptying his glass, Jung Yoonseo was silent for a moment, as if lost in thought. Knowing that Jung Yoonseo somewhat enjoyed silence, I quietly waited through his silence. While Jung Yoonseo remained silent, I silently ate the food and occasionally checked his expression. After quite some time passed, Jung Yoonseo spoke:
“I think that sometimes too.”
“Think what?”
“That I want to rest?”
Jung Yoonseo lightly laughed after those words. It was laughter mixed with an intention to make his words sound lighter, but it didn’t seem that light. Since I knew Jung Yoonseo’s past, I understood why he looked inwardly tired.
“Of course, I know it’s a privileged complaint, so don’t scold me.”
“I didn’t really think it was a privileged complaint.”
Jung Yoonseo let out a short, broken laugh.
“I thought you’d say that. You’re kind, after all.”
I playfully teased Jung Yoonseo:
“By the way, you told me to call you hyung, but are you going to keep calling me ‘you’?”
