# Chapter 26
After explaining how future lessons would proceed and outlining a simple curriculum, the first lesson ended.
Yeomin wanted to leave this house as quickly as possible. Of course, it was ironic that the place he’d be going to after leaving here was also Jiho’s house.
“Goodbye, teacher.”
Since Jiwoong was the tutoring student, it made sense that he’d politely come out to see his teacher off.
‘Seol Jiho, what about you?’
Yeomin glared at Jiho who was following him closely. Then, treating Jiho like he was invisible, he said goodbye to Jiwoong.
“See you next time, Jiwoong.”
“Yes.”
After saying goodbye, he stepped out of the entrance and walked through the well-maintained garden. Soon, Jiho’s footsteps followed closely behind him.
Yeomin deliberately walked faster. As soon as he went through the gate, he closed it with lightning speed, causing Jiho, whose body got caught, to cry out.
“Ah! That hurts!”
“Is backstabbing people your hobby?”
Strangely, he felt bad and angry. It was probably because he’d been backstabbed before.
He felt like he’d been played in the palm of Jiho’s hand again.
‘And I even thought about buying chicken to bring home today, not knowing any of this!’
Seeing Yeomin’s clearly angry expression, Jiho backed down a bit.
“When you said you were looking for a part-time job during the break, I thought it would be better if it was someone you knew… Hyung? Where are you going? Let’s take my car!”
Jiho hurriedly grabbed Yeomin’s arm. But right now, Yeomin wanted to go alone, even if it meant walking.
“I’ve been thinking, we should keep our distance.”
Right. I never really liked people much anyway. Human hatred MAX. Especially, I didn’t like people like Seol Jiho.
Self-centered, selfish, only caring about his own feelings.
“Hyung…”
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“That ‘hyung~’ thing.”
Don’t call me hyung with that expression on your face.
‘He’s the oldest in his family and he even has such a sharp younger brother, so why does he act like a child with me? Is this also a strategy?’
Despite being the youngest in his own home, Yeomin had never acted like Jiho did to anyone. He didn’t even know how to act that way.
He understood. It must be the difference in upbringing. That guy probably lived a life where making a sad face solved everything.
Having always lived in harsh and tough environments, Yeomin’s approach to problems was bound to be different.
But that didn’t mean he had to indulge all of that guy’s whims.
“I’m going to eat dinner before coming back, so wait at home.”
“No. I want to eat with you, hyung.”
“If you don’t like it, starve alone.”
Yeomin shot Jiho a warning look that said ‘follow me and you’re dead.’
But no matter how much he walked, the large mansion refused to disappear into the distance. Yeomin kept feeling helpless.
It felt like even if he walked, ran, or sprinted until he was out of breath, he couldn’t get even 1cm away from Seol Jiho.
* * *
It was fortunate, or perhaps unfortunate, that he’d decided to contact Taeyang just in case.
He thought Taeyang would be with his girlfriend, but Taeyang had fought with her again, canceled their trip, and showed up within 30 minutes.
They met at a samgyeopsal restaurant. After changing the grill plate twice, the two were finally catching up for the first time since the end of the semester.
“Joo Yeomin, you look different today?”
“What are you talking about?”
“That shirt is super expensive!”
Taeyang flipped Yeomin’s collar to check the brand tag and got excited.
“Where did you get it? Is it fake? But the quality looks real.”
“What are you… oh.”
‘Come to think of it, I’m wearing Seol Jiho’s clothes.’
Yeomin suddenly felt awkward. He carefully examined his clothes, worried that oil might have splattered on them.
‘Blinded by meat, I almost made a big mistake… I should stop stress-eating.’
Taeyang eyed Yeomin suspiciously as he belatedly put on an apron.
“Your skin is brighter, and your cheeks are plumper… Joo Yeomin, you’re suspicious.”
Even Yeomin himself had noticed his face looked much better. And that was after staying at Jiho’s house for just a few days.
Maybe it was from waking up to sunlight in a bright living room after living and eating in a half-basement with no sunlight?
Since there was no reason to hide it from Taeyang, Yeomin began:
“Lee Taeyang, actually I-“
“Don’t tell me you won the lottery? But you don’t buy lottery tickets. You’re too broke.”
“You know me too well. I should kill you.”
Yeomin threateningly raised the meat tongs and quickly flipped the sizzling pork jowl.
Yeomin confessed:
“I’ve been staying at Seol Jiho’s house lately.”
“Seol… who?”
“Seol Jiho. From our department. The one who bought us meat.”
“Wow. Why all of a sudden?”
Taeyang reacted dramatically.
“It’s a long story. Anyway, I did him some favors. Then my place flooded, so I ended up staying at his house.”
“Joo Yeomin! Why are you only telling me this now?”
Taeyang looked quite surprised. No, on second glance, he looked offended.
“Flood? You should have told me first! Am I worse than Seol Jiho to you?”
“You seemed so preoccupied with your girlfriend at the time, so I was going to tell you but didn’t.”
“That’s… I’ve committed a mortal sin. Anyway, what happened to your place?”
“When it rained heavily last time, it was flooded, and they said I need to replace all the wallpaper and flooring.”
“How could such a thing happen?”
‘Yeah. How could such a thing happen? And why does it only happen to me…’
Whenever such thoughts came to mind, Yeomin would try to pull himself together. Once you start thinking negatively, there’s no end to it.
Even if the sky falls, there will be a way out. Or maybe I’ll just live under the collapsed sky until I die. That kind of thinking? Optimistic pessimism, if you will.
“So you’re staying at the Ian Group?”
“No, at Seol Jiho’s house. More precisely, Seol Jiho’s uncle’s house.”
“I’m super curious. What’s it like? Amazing?”
“Want to come see?”
“Can I really?”
“Of course not.”
Though he looked disappointed, Taeyang still comforted Yeomin, saying it was good that he had a place to stay. He also added that if Yeomin ever needed a place to stay, he could always come to his house.
That assurance was strangely comforting. Having such a friend was truly a fortunate thing amidst misfortune.
* * *
He shouldn’t have fallen for Taeyang’s suggestion to have just two more shots of soju…
After having two shots each, they felt one more was needed, so they ordered another bottle, and then they needed just one more, so they ordered yet another bottle. Before they knew it, there were already one, two, three empty bottles…
Yeomin barely managed to lift his heavy eyelids.
Ring, ring, riiing-
When he came to his senses, what he saw was Taeyang collapsed on the table. And beside him, a phone ringing like crazy.
It was Yeomin’s. The blurry name on the screen gradually became clear as he focused his eyes.
<Sundoli>
“…I should change that name.”
Sundoli is too good a name for Seol Jiho. He’s not gentle at all. This is an insult to Sundoli.
‘But what time is it now?’
The phone clock showed 10:02. The tutoring had ended at 6:00, so more than three hours had passed.
The vibration continued. Yeomin answered the phone, cradling his throbbing forehead.
“Hel…lo…”
– Tell me where you are.
“…What?”
– You told me to wait, hyung.
Did I say that? It’s hazy. Yeomin wasn’t in his right mind right now.
– Why didn’t you answer the phone? It’s driving me crazy.
Jiho’s low voice came through.
Haah… Yeomin exhaled with difficulty. His stomach was churning.
“Ugh, I think I’m going to throw up…”
The thought escaped his lips before he realized it.
– Have you been drinking?
Jiho’s voice became even colder, but Yeomin was too drunk to notice.
Jiho urged:
– Just tell me where you are first. Quickly.
“I don’t know… I’m in a neighborhood I don’t recognize…”
– Send me your location. I’ll come get you.
“No. Don’t come.”
Silence flowed through the phone.
“I’m with Lee Taeyang. He’s drunk too, so I’ll just sleep somewhere around here tonight…”
– Leave him behind.
Yeomin doubted his ears for a moment. At first, he thought he misheard because he was drunk, but Jiho confirmed that he hadn’t misheard.
– What does it matter if Lee Taeyang is drunk or not? Leave him behind. Sleep here.
“I might throw up in the car on the way there. I’ll just come back when I sober up.”
– I’ll come to you, so throw up in my car.
Are you crazy? Do you know how much that car costs? I’m afraid to even sit on those leather seats.
It seems like he’s the one who’s drunk, not me. Did he drink alone at home?
Seeing that conversation wasn’t working, Yeomin wrapped it up.
“My battery is low. Anyway, I’ll find my way back, so go to bed first.”
– You’re too harsh on me, hyung.
“…What?”
Yeomin was so dumbfounded he readjusted his hold on the phone. Is this what they call ‘the pot calling the kettle black’?
– You only greeted and smiled at Seol Jiwoong earlier. And then you told me not to follow you. Despite all that, I listened to you and waited patiently like a good boy…
“…”
– Then you meet Lee Taeyang without saying a word, get this drunk, and say you’re going to sleep outside and come back?
He’s talking without even taking a breath. Seol Jiho would be good at rapping.
Having this random thought, Yeomin suddenly felt absurd. The more he listened, the more ridiculous it sounded.
“Are you misunderstanding something right now?”
– What misunderstanding?
“Why are you making such a fuss about whether I come back late or not? You’re not my boyfriend.”
Those lines just now, they’re the kind that would typically come from a dating couple.
Although Joo Yeomin had never experienced a proper relationship, he knew that what Jiho had just said was typical dating dialogue.
As evidence, Yeomin touched his arm where goosebumps had formed.
Suddenly, he heard laughter from the other end of the phone.
– If I were your boyfriend, would it be okay then?
Jiho’s question was as cold as ice.
