As we exchanged words one by one, silence came again. Normally I would have changed the atmosphere even with a joke, but I couldn’t think that far. Shortly after, the representative and team leader began exchanging additional talk about the scenario. Well, even if not this scenario, there would be many stories that could be newly adapted with this opportunity.
However, more than anything, I was bothered by the writer staring intently at me. The writer seemed both scary and a bit angry, but I couldn’t define it.
“Hyun-ssi.”
My eyes met the writer’s. While the representative and team leader next to us talked amongst themselves, the writer called me in a small voice.
“Shall we talk separately?”
It was the writer’s suggestion.
***
The writer and I exchanged contact information. After that, the discussion naturally centered on other works. I pretended to listen attentively, answering and responding at appropriate timing, but in reality, none of the conversation entered my ears.
“Then we’ll be going. Everything we talked about today was really good.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work. We’ll be in touch!”
After the representative and team leader finished their greetings, the team leader and writer disappeared side by side. The representative was silent for a moment, then asked me:
“Was it Hyun-ssi who brought the scenario to Team Leader Jung?”
I weighed between telling the truth and lying, then honestly admitted it. If someone had any sense, whatever I said would clearly look strange in this situation.
“Yes.”
“And you know Team Leader Jung personally?”
“…Yes.”
“I thought so—Team Leader Jung isn’t the type to be interested in something like this.”
Unable to find words, I bit my lip, then bowed and apologized.
“I’m truly sorry. There were some personal circumstances. I’m really sorry. Team Leader Jung heard about my situation and talked about it. I practically begged like a tantrum.”
The representative listened to my apology, sighed for a moment, then shrugged their shoulders.
“You don’t need to apologize to me. I received investment money anyway, and it was true that Team Leader Jung—no, Yoonseo seemed interested.”
“…Yoonseo?”
There were almost no people who would call Jung Yoonseo by “Yoonseo.” They seemed to be on much closer terms than I’d roughly expected. At my questioning tone, the representative who chuckled said:
“Well, this industry is small, so you’ll know. Yoonseo and I do know each other personally. When Yoonseo came to Korea and couldn’t speak Korean well, I taught him. I was like a tutor. Back then Yoonseo had no one to rely on, so naturally he relied on me a lot.”
“Ah…”
“It’s not bad for me, but… since it didn’t work out well, try talking to Yoonseo properly, okay?”
“Yes. I understand. Then I’ll be going first.”
“Yes.”
Unintentionally, I learned one more fact related to Jung Yoonseo. Of course, rather than thinking about such facts, I was more bothered by the fact that Jung Yoonseo had done all this after hearing my ridiculous request. After parting with the representative, I thought for a moment, then called Jung Yoonseo.
[How was the meeting?]
The call connected before it even rang a few times. At Jung Yoonseo’s question, my mouth wouldn’t open easily.
“…First, I’m sorry for starting with an apology when you arranged things with difficulty.”
[It didn’t work out?]
“It was a meeting with your name on it, hyung… Yes.”
[It can’t be helped.]
Jung Yoonseo’s tone really seemed nonchalant, but knowing this whole thing was a meeting with Jung Yoonseo’s name on it, I didn’t feel good. I was silent for a moment, then asked:
“Hyung, are you feeling okay?”
[Better than yesterday.]
“…Don’t get sick.”
[Well… I’ll try.]
Jung Yoonseo paused briefly, then asked:
[Why didn’t you hang up the phone yesterday?]
“I didn’t hang up in case hanging up would wake you, hyung. I fell asleep not long after you did too.”
I heard laughter mixed with a slight cough.
“Why are you laughing?”
At my question, Jung Yoonseo sighed, then said after a long while:
[Do you have time sometime next week?]
“Hyung is busier than me. I probably will? I’ll check my schedule and contact you.”
[Yeah. Contact me. I can pick you up if it’s evening.]
“Hyung, let’s meet when your condition gets a bit better though.”
Jung Yoonseo was silent again for quite a while. I quietly waited until Jung Yoonseo answered.
[I’ll contact you later.]
“Yes. Thank you again for today.”
[Get home safely.]
The call with Jung Yoonseo ended like that. I stared at my phone for a moment, then got on the bus. Today especially, the day had been unusually long.
***
I arrived home almost collapsing, and when I woke up, it was 30 minutes before I had to go to work. I quickly got up, showered like I was in the military, and hurriedly went to work.
“You’re here?”
Cha Hyunwoo was wearing a mask again today. Thinking about how the face under that mask would be marred with injuries didn’t make me feel good.
“Did you apply the medicine yesterday?”
“Yeah. I did, but it still doesn’t look good.”
I lowered my gaze to look at Cha Hyunwoo’s smooth hands without any injuries. It seemed like he’d been hit one-sidedly rather than getting into a fight. Well, Cha Hyunwoo wasn’t the type to get into fights anywhere anyway. Without pressing Cha Hyunwoo for the full story, I went into the staff break room and changed my clothes.
“Doesn’t it hurt? Your face was completely… mottled with bruises.”
“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt that much. It just looks serious because it’s my face.”
“It is serious because it’s your face.”
Cha Hyunwoo didn’t really respond to my words. It felt like Cha Hyunwoo’s mood was also subtly depressed.
Yesterday and today were both chaotic days, but daily life itself flowed peacefully. With so many people and so much work to do, time passed in an instant. Maybe because it was Sunday, even after peak time passed it was still busy enough that there wasn’t even time for a short conversation.
After my shift ended and I briefly greeted the part-timer who would take over, I changed my clothes in the break room and came out.
“Should I wait here?”
“Go home. I’ll contact you.”
Cha Hyunwoo must have smiled, but I couldn’t see the corners of his mouth hidden by the mask.
“I’ll come here when your shift ends.”
Cha Hyunwoo nodded at my words.
On the way home, I replied to Bae Taehyun’s message. Bae Taehyun asked when my schedule was free, but I replied that I didn’t particularly have any free time right now. After exchanging contact information with the writer, I immediately sent a greeting message, but there was still no reply.
I looked at my phone with a complicated feeling, then just put it in my pocket. There was a lot to think about in many ways.
***
After sleeping briefly at home and tidying my appearance, I headed back to Cha Hyunwoo’s cafe. It was still before Cha Hyunwoo’s shift ended, but 30 minutes was plenty of time to wait.
In case it would be distracting if I was inside the cafe, I waited outside until Cha Hyunwoo came out.
After about 40 minutes passed meaninglessly, Cha Hyunwoo called me. As I answered the phone, I entered the cafe. I ran into Cha Hyunwoo who was just coming out, and I lowered my phone.
“How long have you been waiting?”
“About 10 minutes.”
Cha Hyunwoo looked at me with worried eyes for a moment, but then asked in a cheerful voice:
“Should we go eat? Is there anything you want to eat?”
“Should we go to your place, hyung? I’m fine with it, but I’m worried you might be self-conscious.”
At my words, Cha Hyunwoo adjusted his mask and nodded.
We got in the car side by side and headed to Cha Hyunwoo’s place. Since his place was really close by car, we arrived quickly after exchanging just a few light words.
Even while riding up the elevator, I kept glancing at Cha Hyunwoo. Cha Hyunwoo looked at me like that and laughed like a sigh.
“Why are you staring like that?”
“This wasn’t from a fight, was it?”
While pressing the door lock, Cha Hyunwoo tilted his head slightly as if he didn’t know. I followed Cha Hyunwoo into the house and asked:
“If you’d fought, there should be injuries on your hands too, but your hands are clean and there are only injuries on your face.”
At my words, Cha Hyunwoo looked down at his own hands for a moment, then shrugged.
“Who hit you?”
“Why? Are you going to get revenge?”
Cha Hyunwoo asked back playfully. However, since Cha Hyunwoo’s atmosphere had been completely subdued since yesterday, it didn’t really sound like a joke.
I stared at Cha Hyunwoo silently for a long while. Cha Hyunwoo looked into my eyes for a moment, then took off his mask. In just one day, the bruises had gotten much worse.
“Shouldn’t you at least be icing it or something? Who hit you?”
Cha Hyunwoo hesitated for a long while, then said:
“The day before yesterday, I had a family gathering after a long time.”
