The call connected, and not long after the ringtone sounded, Seunggeon’s voice was heard.
—What’s up?
His reaction was utterly cold, to the point where it was hard to believe this was the same person who had left smiling just moments ago. Chaehun warned himself once more that this was why he needed to quit this.
“My clothes are gone. I was going to ask you earlier, but I forgot.”
—Ah, that. I sent them to the cleaners. They were wrinkled and all. The clothes will come back in the afternoon, so take something comfortable from the closet. New underwear is in the bottom right drawer, and socks are in the left compartment right next to it.
Seunggeon explained kindly. At times like this, he was so sweet again that it needlessly made Chaehun’s stomach ache.
Chaehun thanked him, ended the call, and headed straight to the dressing room.
He tried to put on suitable casual clothes, but perhaps because of the height difference, both the pants and sleeves were too long. It definitely looked like he was borrowing someone else’s clothes.
Looking in the mirror, Chaehun became very, very slightly depressed. Since applying to the National Police University, he had tried to build a tall stature and solid physique. He had eaten a lot without being picky and exercised diligently, but everything remained around average.
Normally, he didn’t think about it. But now, comparing himself while wearing the clothes of Seunggeon—whose height he had resolved to catch up to during their school days—he felt annoyed for some reason.
“What exactly do you have to eat to grow taller?”
His growth period had long since passed. It was better for his mental health not to cultivate an inferiority complex, but still, he muttered the provocative words for no reason.
After neatly putting the casual clothes back in their place, Chaehun picked out a tracksuit to wear. The fit was still big. He had to roll up the cuffs and leg hems twice.
Finally properly dressed, Chaehun sat at the dining table and took a sip of the prepared orange juice first. As he caught his breath, the scenery of the house properly came into view.
On the first day, he had left without looking back, so only an image remained; after that, he only remembered the scenery after sunset. Now the living room shone brightly in the cheerful April sunlight. It was still a barren living room with nothing in it, but the fact that it looked spacious because of that was somewhat amusing.
Chaehun didn’t have much desire for possessions. However, his cramped studio apartment was filled up even with his few belongings, so he liked this kind of empty space.
Spacious, quiet, neat, and bright.
For the first time, he thought it would be nice to live in a place like this.
“The heating bills must be expensive.”
He didn’t have the money to buy a residential-commercial complex apartment, but recalling the reality that maintenance costs were also considerable, Chaehun took another sip of orange juice. And out of habit, he recalled today’s schedule. Seunggeon would return at 10 o’clock, they would take care of some business briefly, and then go out for lunch. After that, nothing was decided.
He had a feeling it would be a relaxed and leisurely Sunday.
* * *
Three hours later, Chaehun narrowed his eyes and looked down at Seunggeon, who was sitting in a very expensive-looking chair. It was practically a glare, but Seunggeon responded as if nothing was wrong.
“You said you’d accept everything I give you.”
“Even so, not this.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Choi Seunggeon.”
“You have a good physique, so classic suits will look great on you. I want to see you dressed smartly in a suit.”
At the exceptionally smooth persuasion, Chaehun was taken aback. He had advised Seunggeon to speak gently. But just saying something suits you well doesn’t make everything okay.
“You think just saying that makes everything work?”
“I’m trusting that you’ll keep your word.”
Saying he trusted him, Seunggeon looked up at Chaehun and smiled brightly. It was clearly a manufactured smile, but because he was so handsome, it suited him well enough. So Chaehun just smiled back.
Seunggeon arrived right on time at 10 o’clock, and as promised, they moved together. The place Seunggeon drove Chaehun to was a tailor shop located in Cheongdam-dong. When Chaehun asked what this ominous atmosphere was about, Seunggeon said it was a place they needed to stop by briefly.
Naively, Chaehun thought Seunggeon had business at the tailor shop. Even when he followed Seunggeon into a very stylishly decorated lounge.
Only after a tailor appeared and asked Chaehun—not Seunggeon—to go to the fitting room did he realize it was a trap. When he asked why they were doing this, Seunggeon said: Didn’t you say you’d accept everything I give you?
Chaehun, who very much wanted to beat up his past self from ten days ago, looked around the tailor shop’s lounge with an aggrieved feeling. The antique furniture and carpets decorated with toned-down floral wallpaper emphasized in a subtle way that this was a very expensive place. Even the tailor waiting with a perfect business smile was like that.
Chaehun had no interest in fashion. He was far from trends or what was popular. He preferred to try things on directly before purchasing when possible, and he chose plain designs. Sometimes he would even buy the exact coordination that a mannequin was wearing. For Chaehun, that was the best way not to fail at shopping.
Though he lived a life far from fashion, there were still various things he picked up here and there while living in society. Custom-made suits also had wildly varying prices depending on the fabric. If it was a private tailor shop in Cheongdam-dong, it was definitely going to be expensive. Of course, for the guy who told him to do as he pleased with watches worth millions or tens of millions of won, it probably wasn’t a big deal.
Chaehun, separate from his fondness for Seunggeon, was now seized by the desire to grab him by the collar and shake him. He was curious what on earth the guy was thinking.
“I’m curious what on earth you’re thinking.”
The words that had been inside came out as sound. But Seunggeon’s answer was unexpected.
“If I answer that here right now, you’ll hate it, won’t you?”
“……?”
“Should I really say it?”
“……?!”
Only then did Chaehun catch on to what Seunggeon was trying to say. There weren’t just the two of them in the lounge. The tailor was waiting behind Chaehun. Even without directly mentioning the extremely explicit matter below the waist, he would have figured out what Seunggeon was trying to say. Chaehun couldn’t muster the courage to turn around.
Whether he knew how Chaehun felt or not, Seunggeon continued speaking.
“Should I say it?”
“Do whatever you want. If you can.”
“The lighting here is good, so instead of at night, I’d like to see your naked body during the day—”
“Hey!”
Chaehun yelled at Seunggeon, who actually made a lewd comment when told to do as he pleased. This time, he really was about to break out in a cold sweat. But Seunggeon was serious.
“I don’t like power struggles. And once I start one, I have to win to be satisfied.”
“So?”
“So I don’t want to fight with you.”
The statement that he didn’t want to fight so Chaehun should give in was quite honest, so it didn’t sound annoying. Rather, Chaehun wondered if Seunggeon had always had this kind of personality.
During high school, Seunggeon rarely showed his own opinions. If someone suggested doing something, he would just go along with it. However, he would clearly say no to things he disliked.
They said even mountains and rivers change over ten years, so Seunggeon could have changed too. And he himself had also changed quite a bit.
Let’s see how far he can go.
Even knowing it was childish, a competitive spirit arose for no reason. Whatever Seunggeon gave him, he just had to accept it. He had a feeling this wasn’t the end. He was also curious what and how much the guy who claimed to be rich would give. But separately from that, the desire to grab Seunggeon by the collar didn’t disappear.
“I also want to say something you’d hate to hear.”
“……?”
“Sometimes I want to grab you by the collar.”
Chaehun deliberately said something Seunggeon would hate to hear. At the violent confession that he wanted to grab him by the collar, Seunggeon’s eyes widened before he soon laughed.
“That’s fine. I sometimes feel that way too.”
Because Seunggeon casually said he felt the same way, Chaehun just laughed. The fact that they were having a childish argument now that they hadn’t even had ten years ago was funny. It felt like they had become elementary school students instead of high school students.
As they faced each other and laughed, the first to come to his senses was Chaehun.
“I’ll keep my word. Let’s go to the fitting room.”
Chaehun said, turning to the tailor who had been waiting until now. The tailor, who had been standing quietly like a folding screen until now, smiled brightly and led the way. But Seunggeon got up from his chair and followed.
“Why are you following?”
“I’m going too.”
“Why you? I’m the one getting measured, right? Are you getting measured too? You can do it later, can’t you?”
“I want to be next to you when you get measured.”
“……?”
“It’s better to have someone next to you giving advice.”
