I took a nap at Seo Hanryul’s house and when I opened my eyes, it was lunchtime.
[There’s porridge and yogurt in the fridge. Eat that for lunch. I’ll check if you ate it all when I get home later, so eat it all.]
There was a text from Seo Hanryul.
‘Why is he going on about food again?’
I wasn’t particularly hungry since I’d eaten until my stomach was about to burst from breakfast.
‘It doesn’t have to be lunch…. I can just eat it later, right?’
I went out to the living room, turned on the TV, and enjoyed some time alone for once. A happy rest enjoyed in a quiet and cozy home. I felt like I was finally returning to my normal life.
Seo Hanryul seems to be more affectionate than I thought. At this rate, it seems I’ll be able to quickly get through 6 months without problems and go to America. With that kind of personality, he won’t say anything else once the contract period is over.
‘It’s more boring than I thought. At this rate, there won’t be any problems.’
“You’re back?”
When evening came, Seo Hanryul, who had finished his schedule, came home. As if he’d gone grocery shopping, he was carrying something in both hands.
“Thanks to you, I rested well today. I’m all better too.”
“Really? Your face doesn’t look good though. Did you finish lunch?”
I take back what I said earlier about Seo Hanryul having a pretty good personality. As soon as he came home, he looked at someone’s face and called it a ‘face’…. Seo Hanryul came in and without even washing his hands, put down the shopping bags and immediately opened the refrigerator.
“Ah, I ate well. Thanks. You’re pretty good at cooking, huh?”
Actually, I forgot and didn’t eat lunch. That persistent bastard was really opening the refrigerator and inspecting whether I’d eaten everything one by one. I steadfastly continued lying.
“Hah…. Do you know what we call someone like you?”
“What?”
“Mouth. Open. Liar.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Every time you open your mouth, it’s a lie, you bastard. I clearly told you to get better by today, didn’t I? But you didn’t eat and your face is still a mess?”
Wow…. Really…. Even saying the same thing, he can go that far. Listening to his colorful words and actions, I felt like I should learn a thing or two about classy sarcasm. With that kind of mouth, he’d never lose in a verbal fight anywhere.
“Fine, I ate too much breakfast so I skipped lunch. I’ll take care of my own body, so what’s the problem?”
At my reaction, he sighed heavily as if he was even more angry.
“Even all grown up and still like this…. Your mother must have suffered quite a bit feeding you when you were young.”
Why is he suddenly jumping to a random topic?
‘Cha Jaehyun doesn’t have a mother….’
Literally. Cha Jaehyun has never even met the existence called mother. Whether Cha Taesan kicked her out far away, or whether his birth mother abandoned him and ran away after giving birth to him, unfortunately from birth he never received a mother’s touch.
Thinking about it, that bastard Cha Jaehyun is kind of pitiful too. Because of Seo Hanryul, I thought of something I didn’t need to think about.
“Don’t summon someone else’s mom over one meal.”
“Whew…. What’s the point of talking more with a bastard like you? You need to eat well to get better quickly…. Whether you’re going to get better or not. I don’t know if that’s the attitude someone who wants to get better should have.”
Is he some kind of elementary school teacher or something? Seo Hanryul, who had been lecturing me, suddenly went to the kitchen by himself.
Tak tak tak.
Soon the sounds of chopping, fire, etc. started coming from the kitchen. It seemed another bastard crazy about food had started making dinner.
‘This is really terrible.’
“Come out.”
After about 30 minutes, as expected, the terrifying voice calling me was heard. I felt like I’d eaten enough for today, but I trudged out to the kitchen.
‘He’s really something else.’
On the table was millefeuille nabe that you’d see on SNS.
Does he make this kind of thing every day living alone?
“Sit down. Just like earlier, don’t think about getting up if you can’t finish it all.”
“Hey, do you prepare food like this every day living alone? You’re not even a chef….”
“Don’t we all work to eat and live? How important is food? A bastard like you who seems to have never worked a day in your life because money overflows wouldn’t know this pleasure. That’s why you don’t know how precious food is and sit there picking at it.”
He answered with a smirk.
“Right, thanks. Getting fed and insulted, I’m already very full.”
I started eating silently again, and unlike this morning, my nose seemed to have cleared up a bit, so I could gradually taste the food and enjoy the fragrant and refreshing broth.
“By the way, where did you learn to cook?”
Both Seo Hanryul and Han Woojin—where did they learn to cook at such a high level…. I was so curious that I casually asked.
“Isn’t this much basic?”
Cocky bastard. He snorted unpleasantly and got up as if to do the dishes, starting to clear the empty bowls.
“I’ll do the dishes. I have at least that much sense of shame too.”
“The Young Master who looks like he’s never gotten his hands wet is going to do the dishes? Perfect for breaking all the dishes. Don’t ruin someone else’s household and go sit nicely over there.”
‘Dishes aren’t allowed, but he makes me do manager work? Ridiculous bastard….’
In the end, after eating, I had no choice but to return to the living room. Seo Hanryul, who quickly finished the dishes, also returned to the living room, and as if by appointment, we watched TV for quite a while without saying anything.
“Hey, sleep over again today. And tonight, sleep in my room.”
He’s telling me to sleep at his house again. And even offering his room. Is his house some kind of lodging business or what?
“I don’t want to occupy someone else’s bed instead of the homeowner and sleep. If I have to sleep here, I’ll sleep in the living room.”
“You want your mouth to go crooked sleeping in the living room? Don’t be unnecessarily stubborn and sleep in the room.”
Seo Hanryul clenched his fist as if threatening me and hit my leg once.
‘Right. Who could beat you?’
In the end, I had no choice but to go to the room according to Seo Hanryul’s words.
* * *
Cha Jaehyun was sleeping peacefully on the bed in his room.
Hanryul quietly looked down at the sleeping Jaehyun. In a dark room with not a single ray of light entering, the silhouette of a man quietly watching a sleeping person.
From a distance, it could be a frightening situation, but in reality it wasn’t.
‘He’s still hot.’
He touched his forehead, but a slight fever still remained. Hanryul’s mind became confused as he looked at Jaehyun.
‘Weak bastard. I guess he really is the son of a precious family. Getting sick right away just from overexerting himself a bit….’
He made this ridiculous demand to get satisfying revenge on Cha Jaehyun. But Cha Jaehyun was really doing his best every single day as if he’d actually become a manager.
Moreover, yesterday he mentioned the Youth Entertainment audition first without him even hinting at it. In the past, he would have only felt disgusted thinking he was being followed or something, but seeing eyes showing only pure curiosity, he only thought ‘How did you find out?’
Also, when he said ‘You’re doing it, right?’ his eyes were sparkling. What does it matter to him which agency he goes to?
A month’s time had passed in a flash. During that time, Hanryul’s plan had thoroughly crumbled. Watching what Jaehyun was doing, it didn’t seem like he would cause any trouble during the remaining period either. Rather, if he did his work perfectly, he did it perfectly.
‘What should I do with you?’
Watching Jaehyun sleeping and breathing in front of him, Hanryul was confused about how to deal with this bastard before his eyes.
* * *
[Young Master, good morning. How are you feeling? Please let me know your schedule anytime and I will come pick you up right away.]
As soon as I opened my eyes, Han Woojin’s refreshing text greeted me.
‘Please…. Please just leave me alone….’
I thought carefully about why Han Woojin was so desperate to see me. Thinking about it, Han Woojin probably doesn’t want to stick to me either, so in the end it must be because of Cha Taehan….
‘If I keep unilaterally avoiding him…. will he cut off this bastard’s money source…?’
I don’t need to think about Han Woojin’s circumstances, but having lived in the same house for a short period, perhaps even hateful affection had developed, and I suddenly felt worried.
Even though he’s a bit persistent, he’s capable and makes good breakfast…. I don’t know why I should worry about Han Woojin, but I thought that if I kept unilaterally ignoring him, he might suffer greatly from the nasty-tempered Cha Taehan.
I know it’s really unnecessary meddling. But thinking of the face of the bastard who came home yesterday, made food, and brought medicine, I kept feeling soft-hearted.
‘Haah…. I can’t meet him often, but I should meet him occasionally. I can’t cut off someone else’s livelihood….’
Anyway, since Seo Hanryul gave me permission to rest until today last night, I thought I’d call Han Woojin to go home.
“Seo Hanryul, I’m going to head home now. And thanks for yesterday. See you at tomorrow’s schedule. I’ll work even harder to make up for letting me rest.”
“How are you going to get home when you don’t even have a car?”
He should let me go nicely, but suddenly he asks how I’m going to get home. This bastard also seems to have meddlesomeness as wide as the Pacific Ocean.
“Don’t worry. I’m going to call Secretary Han.”
“What?”
As soon as he heard the words ‘Secretary Han’, Seo Hanryul’s complexion instantly darkened. Since when did he start hating Han Woojin like that….
