The two of them seemed to be talking about some book resting on Huiseo’s lap.
Because of the distance, he couldn’t hear clearly, but he could see Hwan listening with sparkling eyes while Huiseo explained something. In between, Hwan would even clap his hands together, going clap clap in applause, saying how amazing it was.
Even though his face showed he didn’t understand a single thing.
What kind of ridiculous sight was this supposed to be? Yuwon truly couldn’t understand it.
Even Huiseo’s appearance—laughing as if he found it amusing while looking at Hwan like that—was something Yuwon had never seen before.
‘…Dealing with an idiot, what kind of idiotic behavior is this?’
The emotions that surged within young Yuwon, standing there as if nailed to the spot, were truly varied. A sense of futility about what he had been doing until now, a sense of betrayal toward Huiseo who stood shoulder to shoulder with such a lacking thing, feelings of inferiority toward Hwan, shame…
‘I struggled and tried so hard, but it still didn’t work.’
At the end of those storm-like emotions, young Yuwon muttered with a twisted heart.
“…How boring.”
Huiseo, who grew closer to Hwan with each passing day. And consequently, the gifted class where Huiseo’s attendance became less frequent. Everything had become boring.
It had to be boring.
At the time, that felt like the only way to protect himself. That’s why Yuwon let go of everything he had been desperately clutching in his greed. It meant he quit both pursuing Huiseo and the gifted class.
A relationship that would become nothing if only he let go.
To be honest, that was all there was to their childhood days, so it wasn’t unreasonable that Huiseo didn’t remember him. After that, Yuwon could occasionally encounter news about Hwan and Huiseo through broadcasts and such, but that was all.
[By the way, has the Third Prince’s ideal type changed at all?]
[How could it? For me, it’s only Huiseo, unwavering devotion.]
Every once in a while, he would just sneer at how they were still doing foolish things.
But before long, Yuwon would face himself with his heart racing at Huiseo’s name once again.
***
That was precisely when time had passed and their names began to be listed in earnest according to test scores.
Though it goes without saying, Yuwon was also clever enough to have been in the gifted class from the start, and anyway, thanks to Huiseo, he had fiercely studied various fields from a young age, so the content studied at school wasn’t difficult for him.
No, actually it wasn’t just “not difficult.”
Just like Huiseo had been, first place in class, first place in the entire school. That much was a piece of cake.
However, problems arose outside of school. For example, things like nationwide math competitions. When the scope widened like that, Yuwon would once again encounter a “wall” he couldn’t overcome.
Because the grand prize—in other words, first place—was always Huiseo’s.
Ironically, the spot right behind was always Yuwon’s. It was truly an astounding situation.
Yuwon knew Huiseo well. Specifically, he knew that there was no way Huiseo would enter such competitions to build his specs. Nine times out of ten, he probably participated without much thought, simply because it was there.
While someone else risked everything and stayed up for several nights preparing, Huiseo would saunter in without any sincerity, just holding a single pencil, solve everything in a jiffy, and take first place. He was consistently amazing and irritatingly so.
That’s why Yuwon’s heart raced.
‘1st Place: Jeong Huiseo’
‘2nd Place: Choi Yuwon’
Of course, the first-place winner wouldn’t even notice the name of second place. Moreover, Jeong Huiseo, who was indifferent to other people, would have even less reason to pay attention to him. However, conversely, the name of first place that second-place Choi Yuwon saw couldn’t help but hold special meaning.
Each time he checked the results, Huiseo’s name became more deeply etched in his eyes.
‘…That guy is really insane.’
No matter what he did, he couldn’t surpass him.
Only by studying with grim determination, even until his nose bled, could he barely stand on the same level with a tied score. It was astounding. So, just as when he was young, he couldn’t feel simple and childish emotions like inferiority toward Huiseo. It would be more accurate to say he didn’t dare to feel such things.
The admiring heart that had been wounded and pressed down deep in his chest raised its head once again.
On the other hand, he also felt resentful again.
If you’re that outstanding, why not just fly off to some place beyond reach? Then he wouldn’t dream such futile dreams either. Why did Huiseo keep hovering as if within reach, in a place where he could see him… right before his very eyes?
‘When you have no intention of letting me by your side.’
Jeong Huiseo was truly cruel.
However, Yuwon knew the reason why Huiseo had no choice but to be so cruel to him. The reason Huiseo couldn’t fly far away. The cause. No, the culprit. Yes, he couldn’t not know.
The Imperial Family.
‘And Lee Hwan.’
Thinking that way, Yuwon felt anger suddenly surge up.
‘Truly shameless people.’
If even he knew this well, there was no way they didn’t know about Huiseo. Yet they were keeping him tied up just to play the role of babysitter to a troublemaker, so he couldn’t help but be indignant.
Other people were the same. To their eyes, Hwan and Huiseo sticking together seemed rather amusing, but it was absurd. Even the difference in level should be reasonable. The two didn’t suit each other at all.
In this day and age, what’s so special about being a prince? What’s so great about that?
‘Aren’t I actually more impressive?’
To begin with, Yuwon couldn’t understand Huiseo doting on Hwan like that. In Yuwon’s eyes, Hwan was greatly lacking, irritating, and so.
‘…I want to separate them.’
He wanted to separate Hwan from Huiseo. No, he truly had to separate them.
But it seemed he was the only one who thought this way.
‘This is right for Huiseo’s future too.’
No one else knew.
When such thoughts were added, he even felt as if he were intoxicated by some unknown sense of mission. If Yuwon had shown a bizarrely obsessive attitude toward Huiseo all this time, that was probably the reason.
‘I’m the only one who truly cares for you. Huiseo-ya.’
Yuwon truly thought that way.
***
The place they arrived at, riding in a car that Yuwon had personally sent right in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace, was none other than the company his family was managing. In other words, Myeongwoon Group headquarters. It was a completely unexpected place, so Huiseo, who got out of the car, kept blinking his eyes as he looked up at the extremely tall building.
“You’re going to give me a tour? Of this place?”
Yuwon seemed quite pleased with that expression of Huiseo’s. He shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
“Well, did you think I called you out to eat ice cream together or something?”
Not a chance. He knew that such childish behavior would absolutely not work on Jeong Huiseo.
This time, Yuwon’s thoughts seemed to have hit the mark. Though Huiseo’s slightly pouting lips were a bit sulky, deep down it wasn’t an expression of dislike. As expected. There was no way the curious Jeong Huiseo could turn down such an opportunity that he couldn’t easily access.
Of course, he still hadn’t shed his suspicions though.
“Why all of a sudden? Is this also part of showing off your money?”
“I can’t say it’s not.”
“What?”
“It’s good to see it in advance while you’re at it.”
That statement somehow seemed meaningful, so Huiseo frowned and looked up at Yuwon.
He was about to continue arguing about what that meant, but Yuwon held onto Huiseo’s shoulder, saying they should go in first and talk after looking around. Of course, Huiseo didn’t have the temperament to leave that alone, so he coldly swatted Yuwon’s hand away.
“Don’t touch me carelessly.”
While sending a sharp glare, Huiseo ultimately followed obediently into the company.
For Yuwon, just that alone already felt like more than half a success, so he simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled with satisfaction. His steps following Huiseo were lighter than ever.
***
[Huh? What’s this? I’m at work right now and I saw Huiseo at our company. Huh? What’s this? What is it?]
[↳ Aren’t you crazy for coming to work on a Sunday?]
[↳ Lmaooooooo]
[↳ Are you seeing hallucinations from the shock? lololol]
[↳ Sunday work is this dangerous]
[Why would Huiseo go to a company? He must be studying at the palace]
[No, it’s real! Do you think I’d be confused? Huh? When it comes to kids, my eyesight is 5.0!]
[↳ Isn’t it just someone who looks similar?]
[↳ Do you think there’s someone who looks like Huiseo?]
[↳ Convinced]
[Who’s with him? Is he alone?]
[↳ No, someone big… ㅠㅠ but maybe someone important? People are following behind]
[↳ So it’s not Hwan]
[↳ Hwan’s in an interview right now. By chance, is the company where the interview is happening?]
[↳ What? Who is it? The only big person next to Huiseo should be Hwan, though?]
[Nah, you probably saw wrong]
The car returning to the palace after finishing the interview was noisy.
It was none other than because of Kang’s nagging.
“How can you say such things without consulting in advance?”
“It’s not like I lied or anything. And listening to what the PR office said, the reaction was good too.”
“You were lucky this time! You’ll be in trouble if you think it’ll be like that every time!”
He tried to argue back, even bringing up the feedback the PR office had given with pleased expressions after the interview ended, but Kang’s nagging showed no signs of ending. Though he had anticipated this from the moment Kang insisted on riding in the same car as him.
“That’s how mistakes happen! You should think about the person who has to clean things up…!”
Hwan shook his head from side to side.
Kang would continue nagging until he was satisfied. That’s why Hwan took out his phone and entered HwanHui’s Garden, letting the subsequent words flow in one ear and out the other. Since he’d revealed an episode with Huiseo, he thought everyone must be enjoying themselves, adding all kinds of imaginations.
But when he actually went in, though the atmosphere wasn’t different from what Hwan had thought, there was one post that had gone viral with comments overflowing.
What fun thing are you all doing without me? Hwan’s expression became subtle as he hastily clicked and read the contents of the post.
‘Huiseo at a company? Suddenly what company?’
