4.
“Are you ready?”
“Yeah……”
In the end, this day had come. Anyway, Cheon Jaerim, who achieved whatever he wanted no matter what, was a detestable creature. After their last time in bed, he’d managed to secure this promise from Sunjo, who was exhausted from fatigue and barely starting to fall asleep. Sunjo stood in front of the full-length mirror attached to the dressing room. Before going out, he checked his outfit one last time. A soft angora knit wrapped around his upper body, and a cashmere coat with a famous brand logo wrapped around the knit.
“Then hurry up and come out.”
If it had been his old life, he probably wouldn’t have even tried on these clothes, let alone had any reason to go near the store. However, now Sunjo’s personal closet was filled with many clothes from brands others would envy. The knit and coat he was wearing now were also clothes he’d bought recently when he went to dinner with Cheon Jaerim. Just from trying it on his shoulders once and putting his arms through once.
Sunjo rubbed the chest and stomach area of the knit in circles. The texture of the knit touching his palm was warm and soft. Knock, knock. Impatient hands knocked on the dressing room’s sliding door again.
“I’m coming out, coming out now.”
Sunjo hurriedly left the dressing room. Cheon Jaerim was standing diagonally right in front of the door with his arms crossed. At a glance, Cheon Jaerim gave off the distinct feeling of a rich family’s young master, a precious family’s son. At first, Sunjo thought Cheon Jaerim wore more expensive clothes than himself when he looked at what he wore. But that wasn’t it. Cheon Jaerim only shopped at brands he liked. Therefore, Sunjo’s clothes were almost the same as the clothing brands Cheon Jaerim preferred. The conclusion was that Cheon Jaerim looked better in clothes because he was taller and had broader shoulders.
“Let’s go.”
Cheon Jaerim put the car keys in his pocket and walked ahead. Sunjo followed behind with a complicated and heavy heart.
“How long will it take?”
“Since it’s rush hour traffic… about 30 minutes?”
Even with traffic, they would arrive at the meeting place in just 30 minutes. The meeting place was a high-rise restaurant with a clear view of the night scenery. Cheon Jaerim and Sunjo, who arrived at the meeting place first, went and sat at the reserved seat following the server’s guidance. On the table was a white envelope decorated stylishly with sealing wax. When he opened it, the simple names of dishes that would come out in order according to the course were written in English cursive.
The time approaching 8 PM.
If they ate the dishes listed on this letter in order, the meal time would easily exceed two hours. Sunjo inputted the names of the two desserts into his head and put the letter back in the envelope. Although he’d come to restaurants like this following Cheon Jaerim many times and should be quite used to it, his behavior felt awkward for no reason every time he came to upscale restaurants.
The window seats were seats many people coveted. In fact, there were more reserved seats by the windows than in the center of the restaurant. It seemed popular with everyone because the night view was visible. At this time, there were already people finishing their meals and leaving, and people who had just entered and were taking off their coats. Sunjo looked at the outdoors, which gave a completely different feeling from viewing from below, while waiting for the person who hadn’t arrived yet.
“Am I late? I came right on time though.”
Just then, a clear voice was heard from behind. You’re here? Cheon Jaerim got up from his seat. Sunjo also got up from his seat. Cheon Jaerim and Han Gyeonghee exchanged affectionate greetings. It was like a scene from a harmonious family in an American drama. Like someone who’d lived abroad, the two kissed each other’s cheeks. Sunjo bowed his head toward Han Gyeonghee.
“Hello.”
“Hi. You’ve gained some weight.”
Han Gyeonghee said as she handed her coat to the server. Sunjo smiled awkwardly. The price for the day he was photographed for the school magazine interview without saying anything and decorated the cover had come today. To the day of having dinner with ‘Han Gyeonghee,’ Cheon Jaerim’s mother, which he’d kept postponing.
Sunjo had once suspected, experiencing and feeling Cheon Jaerim’s way of thinking, whether there was some deficiency or memories of being abused. Whether he was broken like a wrongly grown branch. However, the suspicion remained just a suspicion. The relationship between the two mother and son was sufficiently harmonious and affectionate, if not ‘heartwarming.’
The last time he’d seen Han Gyeonghee was around this time last year. Last year’s Han Gyeonghee and this year’s Han Gyeonghee weren’t different. Her skin seemed better, and her hair seemed dyed a slightly softer color…… When he first saw Han Gyeonghee, he thought she resembled Cheon Jaerim tremendously. However, when he met her again several times after that, it was a different feeling. The two mother and son didn’t so much resemble each other in facial features as they were very similar in the atmosphere emanating from their appearance.
Sunjo spread the thick white napkin on his lap with composed hands. The food at the upscale restaurant that supposedly only accepted a few groups per day was meticulous from the plating, as if cooking for one person. There were several dishes that came out as appetizers. The time until the main dish came out was also considerable. The chilly winter night sky was pitch black, and the night view of the sparkling buildings was like the Milky Way.
There were no words exchanged throughout the meal. The expression that they’d gathered just to eat was right. As if they’d made a promise not to speak until someone spoke first. As if they were people who moved with the single-minded determination that only food should enter when opening their mouths at the meal.
“Does the food here suit your taste?”
“Yes. It’s delicious.”
“If you like that, you can order another plate.”
“What? No, I’m fine.”
Sunjo said while wiping his mouth. The atmosphere at the meal was not as bad as he’d thought. Although he couldn’t get used to it feeling like two Cheon Jaerims were sitting in front of him. Han Gyeonghee, who said she’d brought her car directly, drank a beverage instead of wine. Only Sunjo, who wasn’t driving alone, sipped wine.
“I’ll just take a call and come back.”
Cheon Jaerim got up from his seat holding his vibrating cell phone. Sunjo stared at Cheon Jaerim disappearing beyond the entrance. He suddenly became curious about who had called him. Usually, Cheon Jaerim wouldn’t be satisfied unless he checked not only the contacts coming to Sunjo but also delivery texts and bank advertisement texts. However, it was truly unfair treatment since Sunjo couldn’t freely ask what he was curious about.
“I was honestly a bit surprised since it’s the first time you arranged a dinner appointment first. What wind blew between you two?”
“……”
“Ah, of course, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to tell me.”
Han Gyeonghee was still cool. Like when she’d answered “okay” to the strange request to hospitalize him at the hospital at first. Sunjo liked Han Gyeonghee’s way of not prying into people’s affairs. He had a hunch that she wouldn’t be someone to sulk even if he really didn’t feel like talking about it.
“I was in a university magazine interview. Because of that, Jaerim got… should I say upset…… So that’s how it happened……”
“Ah.”
Han Gyeonghee cut off Sunjo’s words cleanly. She frowned as if she could roughly guess without hearing it at length. Even her frowning face was pretty.
“Jaerim has some parts where he’s a bit excessive.”
“……”
Sunjo worried whether Han Gyeonghee would take offense at the decision to choose a meal with her as a means to appease Cheon Jaerim’s mood. However, contrary to his concern, Han Gyeonghee accepted it lightly.
“I think it’s fortunate just not seeing that kid’s face on the news.”
“Ah……”
Sunjo couldn’t find words to answer since this was the first person who spoke about their son like that. Instead, he tore the bite-sized steak that had just come out into small pieces and chewed it thoroughly. While doing so, he checked the path Cheon Jaerim had taken to leave again. Han Gyeonghee, who was drinking the water in her wine glass, smiled slightly while looking at the face that seemed complicated through the transparent glass.
“Are you anxious?”
“What? No……”
“Then am I making you uncomfortable?”
“What? No……”
Sunjo was grateful his nose wasn’t growing long. Han Gyeonghee also glanced at the seat where Cheon Jaerim had left.
“If you want something, be confident.”
“……”
“And don’t hover around the edges. If you don’t, the other person will immediately catch your weakness.”
Han Gyeonghee smiled brightly when her eyes met Sunjo’s. Sunjo took the words to heart and sipped his wine again. Soon Cheon Jaerim reappeared. A thick, soft carpet was laid on the restaurant floor, so there was no sound of approaching footsteps.
“What were you talking about?”
“Life talk.”
Sunjo almost spurted liquid through his nostrils at Han Gyeonghee’s nonchalant reply. Cheon Jaerim looked at Sunjo with a puzzled gaze. He shrugged his shoulders instead of answering. Well, Han Gyeonghee’s words weren’t wrong. To summarize Han Gyeonghee’s meaning, it was to live as if you have a lot even if you have nothing. In a way, living that way externally was the cruel logic of the world.
“He looks… a bit like a child left by the water.”
Han Gyeonghee added a comment while gulping down her non-alcoholic mojito. Cheon Jaerim picked up the newly served steak plate from his seat and switched it with Sunjo’s plate. Then he started cutting the remaining pieces of steak that Sunjo had been eating sparingly with a knife. Sunjo also picked up his fork and knife again. Then he cut the new steak into bigger pieces than before. The experience of dining with two Cheon Jaerims wasn’t a very worrying matter. As expected, the experienced reality was better than hasty imagination.
The End of Sunjo’s University Life
