But from the outside, Yu-shin looked like he was quite enjoying the taste. It was because he had received thorough etiquette education since childhood. Even if it was acting, he never showed rude behavior in front of others.
While he was eating the cake at a slow pace, the cafe door opened and a tall man entered. Among customers dressed entirely in comfortable clothes, Jun-wan in a suit stood out.
It wouldn’t just be because of his clothes. His pale face exuded handsomeness even from a distance. Attention instantly focused, and Jun-wan, as if accustomed to such gazes, consistently ignored them.
Jun-wan, who briefly scanned the inside of the cafe, quickly spotted Yu-shin. In fact, it would be harder not to find that face. After briefly making eye contact, Jun-wan ordered his own drink. It was a very strong iced Americano with two extra espresso shots.
While walking after picking up his coffee from the pickup counter, Jun-wan quickly scanned his surroundings. The college kids were all whispering without exception. All the attention was focused on Kim Yu-shin. Someone even secretly took pictures with their phone.
That sight was newly irritating. Eye candy should be in moderation—why are they staring at a civilian like that? Did the Eastern nation of courtesy all freeze to death?
Kim Yu-shin himself had a face showing no discomfort. His large hazel eyes had been directed only at Jun-wan from earlier. As he approached closer, Yu-shin’s eyes curved beautifully.
“Why did you bring it yourself? Your hands will get cold.”
“What are you talking about?”
At the out-of-the-blue words, a stiff answer automatically popped out. Yu-shin was about to retort but closed his mouth. He just looked at Jun-wan’s sleek fingers gripping the glass full of ice.
As soon as Jun-wan sat down, he opened his laptop first. In fact, just coming all the way here was him doing his best. Jun-wan tapped the keypad and said:
“I can multitask, so don’t worry about it.”
“Yes. Work comfortably.”
Yu-shin took a more comfortable posture than before. As if appreciating Jun-wan working. Resting his chin, he sent a steady gaze toward the person in front.
Quickly moving fingers, the tapping sound of the keyboard, black pupils looking at the screen as if concentrating, from his smooth lips an occasional sigh escaped. Jun-wan, sitting with his body turned at an angle, was providing good eye candy for Yu-shin.
“Kim Yu-shin.”
“Yes.”
“Did you call out a busy person just to chat?”
Jun-wan unfailingly spat out a sharp remark. Even in the midst of this, his fingers typed rapidly.
“You have a really impatient personality.”
“Don’t you think you’re slow, Kim Yu-shin?”
“Well, I don’t have anything to be busy with. This is my daily life.”
Yu-shin leisurely shot back. After drinking the slightly cooled tea, he slowly rummaged through his bag.
“Then, multitasking and impatient Park Jun-wan. Let’s discuss together.”
Jun-wan briefly glanced to the side. He could see Yu-shin taking out a notebook and ballpoint pen. The two were scheduled to decide several matters related to the marriage at this meeting today.
“The ceremony. My family wants to do it at a hotel, and Jun-wan’s parents want a traditional wedding. We still haven’t booked a venue because of this.”
“I heard.”
“What should we do?”
Jun-wan’s fingers moved quickly. English comments were appearing line by line in the Word window. At the same time, he was listening carefully to Yu-shin’s voice. True to his words about being able to multitask, his thought circuits were divided and running.
“Do you have any romantic dreams about the wedding ceremony?”
“No.”
“Then let’s do it simply.”
“How about we just go to the district office and register?”
The ceaselessly moving fingers paused. Jun-wan’s pupils flowed sideways. Is he serious? But it’s a once-in-a-lifetime wedding?
Yu-shin met his gaze as if wondering what the problem was.
“Too simple?”
“Yes. We should at least keep up appearances.”
“Then let’s only invite immediate family.”
Yu-shin pressed down hard with the pen to write. A long line was drawn across the settled matter.
“The newlywed home. How about a detached house?”
“Do as you like.”
“…You are thinking before answering, right?”
“Yes.”
There was no hesitation in Jun-wan’s answer. At first listen, it seemed like an insincere response, but his resolute expression clearly showed his will.
Yu-shin recorded it in a slightly dubious state. The ceremony could be done simply with just family gathering, and even the newlywed home that both families had fought so fiercely over was easily decided. Then there was only one thing left.
“We at least need wedding rings and engagement gifts.”
“……”
“Jun-wan, you pick the rings and I’ll buy the watch.”
“……”
“Each handle our own. How about it?”
In his own way, he was being considerate of someone busy. Yu-shin thought his proposal was quite efficient. He looked at Jun-wan, confident that he would like it too.
But contrary to expectations, Jun-wan had a dumbfounded face. The fingers resting on the keyboard also stopped moving. He stared at Yu-shin for a long time without blinking once.
“…Is it not good?”
“Kim Yu-shin.”
Jun-wan opened his mouth after a long while. The sentence wasn’t properly completed and cut off abruptly. As he pushed the inside of his mouth firmly with his tongue, his cheeks bulged and then subsided.
“You really have absolutely no romantic dreams about marriage.”
Yu-shin felt slightly dismayed. Romance… do I have to have it?
This was a kind of performance. It wasn’t a marriage done out of love, just a formality to show others.
And he thought the same was true for Park Jun-wan. Although he didn’t know him well yet, he seemed like the type who would pursue practicality over sensitivity.
“Should I change it? I don’t mind picking the ring.”
“…Never mind. Let’s do it as Kim Yu-shin said.”
“Pick without pressure.”
Yu-shin deliberately made a joke. He wanted to ease the stiff atmosphere. But despite his efforts, Jun-wan turned his head without a response. He returned to his original indifferent face and devoted himself to work again.
Yu-shin indicated that the discussion was over by closing his notebook. When he lightly tapped the phone screen, only 10 minutes had passed.
There was nothing more to talk about, and the tea had cooled to lukewarm. He could just stand up and say he’d leave first, but somehow he didn’t want to do that.
Maybe it’s because the university district I’m visiting for the first time is interesting. Yu-shin spent the remaining time looking out the window.
Jun-wan was also stubbornly keeping his butt planted. In fact, he had pressed the send button on the urgent email earlier. Right now he was just doing meaningless data searches.
Kim Yu-shin’s gaze was stolen by the outside scenery. The hand supporting his completely turned head was long and slender.
What ring size would that be….
I should know if I’d bought a ring before. For Jun-wan, who had never even worn a couple ring despite all his relationships, a huge task had arrived.
He carefully observed Yu-shin’s fourth finger. It was a beautiful hand that seemed to have never touched water except when washing his own body since birth. The bones were straight and slender, seeming unable to even meet the average male size.
The gaze that had been on the finger gradually moved to Yu-shin’s face. Even while looking outside distractedly, his expression looked bored. Was this time tedious? Well, there’s no way there’d be interest in a marriage done haphazardly.
Jun-wan surveyed even the cake plate in front of Yu-shin before turning his gaze back to the laptop. Although it was a formal meeting, he intended to fill the full 30 minutes they had promised.
***
Wedding preparations proceeded smoothly. Of course, with the parties getting married cleanly excluded.
Both mothers were busy meeting every day to set up a home for their precious children on their behalf. Especially Madam Hong, Yu-shin’s mother, was burning with determination since this was her first wedding ceremony.
Jun-wan’s mother showed obvious displeasure, but after learning of Madam Hong’s circumstances, she was in a position to concede a lot. She had at least gone through her first son’s wedding ceremony. Knowing how valuable and fulfilling that experience was, she tried to respect Madam Hong as much as possible.
The two families pooled money equally to purchase a detached house in Seongbuk-dong and furnished it for the newlyweds. On behalf of their sons who had no interest in marriage, they tailored wedding attire and proceeded with wedding preparations steadily. Living so hectically, the ceremony had already approached just two weeks away.
At Korea University’s Engineering Innovation Research Center, zombie-like figures wandered around today as well. Most were people with darkened under-eyes. Among them, those with matted hair and homeless appearances were graduate students, while those with relatively neat appearances could be called postdoctoral researchers.
“Senior, the experiment report is out. Please review it.”
A graduate student with darkened under-eyes came carrying thick documents. Jun-wan spun his chair around and put down the coffee he had been drinking—his fourth cup today.
