Acknowledging that he was broke, Chaehun looked at Seunggeon. The guy who had arbitrarily dressed in a stiff suit that didn’t seem like even a needle could penetrate didn’t look like a scammer.
His atmospheric face was still his type. Though with that face, he’d probably fall for it even if he were scamming him.
Thinking that far, Chaehun gave up exploring. Anyway, he couldn’t know anything before he was told properly. He was confident he could flatly refuse multi-level marketing, religion, or investment solicitation. Chaehun decided to eat dinner first for now.
Not long after the staff disappeared, the door opened and food was set on the table. Though it was Korean traditional cuisine, the food came out in courses like Western food. First was light alcohol with accompanying food, next was clear porridge. All the food was delicious. Light conversation was exchanged while cleanly emptying the bowls.
After the porridge bowls were cleared away, the Korean traditional meal was neatly arranged like an individual table setting. Nutritious rice and soup, stew, tofu, vegetable side dishes, meat skewers, and so on. The portions weren’t large, but the food arranged cleanly without lacking was all not overly stimulating and delicious.
“This is delicious. Try the soft tofu first.”
Chaehun, who personally liked tofu, took a spoonful of the piping hot soft tofu that seemed freshly made and admired it. Both the savory tofu and the not-too-salty soy sauce all went well together.
Chaehun watched Seunggeon bring the soft tofu to his mouth. Soon after, seeing a satisfied air form around his lips, Chaehun smiled.
“It’s good, right?”
“Yeah. It’s decent.”
“Did they make it themselves? Making tofu requires a lot of work.”
Swallowing the words “so that’s why it’s expensive,” Chaehun ate all the tofu first instead of the rice.
During the meal, they naturally talked about each other’s recent situations.
“So you came to Korea completely?”
“It’s not decided yet. But I’ll be here for a long time this time. I have a lot of things to take care of.”
“You’re not thinking of living in Korea?”
“There are complicated things entangled here. That’s why I don’t like it.”
Seunggeon’s voice was so firm when saying he didn’t like it that Chaehun inwardly gave a bitter smile.
The Seunggeon he remembered didn’t express emotions much about most things. He didn’t laugh much and he’d rarely seen him get angry. However, what he really disliked, he would flatly say he disliked.
It was a bit funny that even after ten years had passed, Seunggeon’s personality hadn’t changed much.
Still, many things had changed. They’d reached an age where they talked about life and future whereabouts. From the not-long conversation, Chaehun learned quite a lot about Seunggeon.
Seunggeon had attended university in America, majored in business administration, and worked at a company. He said he’d temporarily come to Korea because of family matters, and he was affirming that he would return to America.
Putting all that together, it seemed Seunggeon wasn’t a scammer. But that made it even harder to guess the reason for creating this meeting.
Suppressing the expectation that kept trying to burst out, Chaehun also told his own story. He also briefly conveyed how the high school classmates who’d been close with Seunggeon were doing.
In the meantime, the meal ended. Chaehun found it strange that his own bowl was almost completely empty while over half of Seunggeon’s remained.
“You’re not eating more?”
“I’m done.”
“That? Over half is left though?”
“This much is enough.”
“Enough?”
“I don’t particularly enjoy eating.”
Chaehun was shocked by the words that he didn’t enjoy eating. Chaehun liked delicious food. He was the type who believed in eating delicious things if you were going to eat anyway. Since he started earning money and living alone, that tendency became even more pronounced, so his food expenses and dining out costs were relatively high compared to his living expenses. He avoided overeating, but still, the fact that Seunggeon left over half of such delicious food was surprising.
More than anything, it seemed like problems would arise with Seunggeon, who had a better physique than average, eating so little. He also wondered why the guy who’d eaten lunch and snacks normally in high school was like this.
“Still, it seems like you’re eating too little. Are you okay with this?”
“I’m okay. I’m supplementing what’s lacking with nutritional supplements.”
When he said he was okay, it was a situation where Chaehun couldn’t tell him to eat more or less.
Recalling last night, Seunggeon wasn’t underweight or anything. No, his body was very good. If he was supplementing with nutritional supplements, that was fortunate at least.
When they finished eating like that, the dishes were soon cleared away and dessert came out. It was snacks made from fruit and tea.
“We finished eating.”
After swallowing a snack in one bite and drinking the sweet tea, Chaehun broached the subject. Since they’d finished eating, now it was time to talk about the main topic.
When he looked challengingly at him, Seunggeon’s expression changed very subtly. However, he’d been a guy who didn’t show emotions outwardly since high school. He couldn’t read what he was thinking.
“I have a proposal.”
A proposal, he says. At the ominous word, Chaehun tensed slightly. If he wasn’t a scammer, he was a cult member. He firmly resolved to run away without looking back if things seemed bad.
“What is it?”
“I want to keep meeting you.”
“……?!”
“But I don’t want emotions to get entangled.”
Chaehun was at a loss for words for a moment. Unlike what he’d worried about, Seunggeon wasn’t a scammer or a cult member. But it was also different from what he’d expected.
Seunggeon’s expression proposing a meeting without emotions getting entangled was only calm. Chaehun opened his mouth, hoping his own face would be the same.
“So? You want to be fuck buddies or something?”
Chaehun thought his own voice sounded quite cynical.
“No. I want a more specified relationship than that. I should call it a transaction.”
“Don’t just convince yourself.”
“What I’ll propose is 2 billion won. What I want is one full day during the weekend, and if needed, one day during the week too. The term is one year. We’ll write a contract and get it notarized to maintain confidentiality, and there will be a penalty if the contract is broken.”
Seunggeon’s monotone voice rang out clearly. But Chaehun was just dazed. The information that entered his head wasn’t properly organized and just floated around.
To sum up what Seunggeon was saying, he’d give money in exchange for meeting and having sex. The words “sponsor” and “prostitution fee” came to mind simultaneously. He felt so bad he was about to feel nauseous.
Chaehun exerted force to keep from contorting his face.
“You, do you even know what that means?”
“I proposed a transaction.”
Unlike Chaehun whose voice trembled with anger, Seunggeon’s answer was cold.
“What kind of transaction is that? You’re saying you’ll sponsor me with money.”
“Ah, there was that term.”
Because Seunggeon spoke as if he’d only just remembered it now, Chaehun’s head nearly exploded. However, Chaehun had lived too gently until now to explode in anger.
The urge to hurl curses, splash water on him, or slap him across the face surged up, but he held back. His pride was too wounded to do any of that.
“Fuck. My body’s worth 2 billion won a year. How expensive.”
“So?”
“What do you mean ‘so’? Let’s never see each other again.”
Chaehun grabbed his padding jacket and stood up from his seat. He tried to fling the door open without looking back. But Seunggeon, who had approached at some point, grabbed his wrist.
“Kang Chaehun.”
“Let go.”
Chaehun reflexively tried to shake off Seunggeon’s hand, but he couldn’t. Unintentionally, they ended up glaring at each other with Chaehun’s arm caught in Seunggeon’s grasp.
Even after grabbing his arm, Seunggeon remained silent for a long while.
“I said let go. Choi Seunggeon.”
“You still don’t get it.”
Chaehun couldn’t understand what Seunggeon was saying. So his irritation shot up. He didn’t need to understand why this bastard was acting like this. He didn’t want to exchange any more words.
“Right. I don’t know why you’re acting like this. Happy? Now let go.”
When he shook his hand off once more, this time Seunggeon obediently backed down. Without saying another word, Chaehun left the private room.
“See you later.”
Seunggeon’s voice came from behind. Whether he did or not, Chaehun closed the door and walked toward the entrance with long strides. He left the establishment while receiving greetings from the waiting staff.
* * *
Even while riding the elevator down, his anger didn’t subside. It was the same even after he came outside the building and the cold winter wind hit his cheeks.
Crazy bastard.
Walking with heavy breaths, Chaehun hurled every curse he knew at Seunggeon. Having sex with his unrequited love and first love after meeting him again after 10 years was like a drama, but receiving a sponsorship proposal was the worst of the worst melodrama.
And it was 2 billion won at that.
Chaehun, trying to gauge the magnitude of 2 billion won, stopped dead in his tracks. Fury welled up. He wanted to peek inside the head of that crazy bastard who offered an amount of money he couldn’t earn even if he worked at the hospital until retirement and then retired.
“I should’ve hit him once.”
Unable to release his directionless anger and sense of injustice, Chaehun trembled with his fists clenched tight. Whether he got sued or not, he should have left at least one bruise on that handsome face. It was already too late for regrets.
Before it was too late, Chaehun took out his phone, blocked Seunggeon’s number, and deleted the messages. Watching Seunggeon’s name disappear, Chaehun grimaced.
He felt bad, but he also felt wistful. A sparkling memory had ended in a mess. That made him even angrier.
“Haa.”
In the end, Chaehun let out a sigh. The saying that memories should remain as memories didn’t exist for nothing.
They say in ten years even mountains and rivers change, and too much had changed.
That felt bitter and a little sad.
* * *
It was well past 9 o’clock when Chaehun returned to his officetel. To relieve stress, he walked from the restaurant to the officetel. Since it was a distance of more than five subway stops, it ended up taking over an hour.
Thinking he should quickly wash up and sleep, he opened the front door to find flashy sneakers greeting him. The unfamiliar sneakers belonged to his younger brother.
