After spitting out those words, during the time until Yujeong’s answer came, Seongjo felt once again as if he’d glimpsed into Yujeong’s inner self. In that brief moment, embarrassment, bewilderment, and an angry look flashed busily across Yujeong’s face as if the fast-forward button had been pressed. In fact, they also looked like expressions where fatigue and anger were mixed together.
But why? He had an intuition that it wasn’t that. Those emotions seemed to take on a completely different aspect from the raw fear he hadn’t been able to hide in the situation where Seongjo’s life was in danger, yet they were very similar.
Soon Yujeong let out a fleeting sigh. It was a breath as light as a feather.
“Don’t say such things so easily.”
His hand covered his own face. It looked like he might be dry-washing his face from fatigue, but it seemed more like an intention to hide his expression. Yujeong continued speaking in a voice that had become calmer but showed signs of exhaustion.
“It’s not like you’re joking around… It’s unpleasant.”
With those words as his last, Yujeong turned his back without lingering attachment. He moved his feet quickly as if not wanting to give any chance to be caught. Seongjo also wasn’t foolish enough to hold him and repeat the same words in this atmosphere.
Did I make a mistake?
If he’d really wanted to get his number, he should have at least approached from a different direction. He regretted that point a little, but it didn’t feel like there was no gain at all. Because Yujeong’s expression that he saw today remained as a strong impression on Seongjo… making him look forward to next time.
* * *
He didn’t visit in front of the school again. Instead, Seongjo quickly made moving plans. Without even thinking to hide it, when he moved his belongings out of the main house, his father called several times a day in a rage asking if he was staging a protest, but he ignored them all.
Seongjo completed moving into his new house in less than a week. It was a tight schedule, but it wasn’t something that couldn’t be solved with money.
Seongjo, who had taken a look around the neatly cleaned house, fell into thought. Since he’d failed to get his number last time, he didn’t have Yujeong’s contact information. While preparing to move, he’d learned which building and unit number he lived in, but since he hadn’t heard it directly, he didn’t want to visit suddenly. It seemed like it would add a bad impression, as if he was even stalking now.
Then he remembered what Yeongeun had said. When he told her that he’d run away from home at this age and seemed to be moving to this neighborhood, Yeongeun had insisted that he must invite her to a housewarming.
Well, Yeongeun was included in the reasons for moving here anyway…
Reaching a conclusion was easy. He immediately left a message.
13:01 [Want to come over? Building xxx, Unit xxx.]
As befitting someone at an age glued to their phone, Yeongeun’s reply arrived swiftly.
<Jo Yeongeun>
[You really already moved?!] 13:03
[(Shocked rabbit emoticon)] 13:04
[I’ll get ready and come!!] 13:04
[I’ll bring a housewarming gift too!!!] 13:09
She probably informed her mother of this fact during those 5 minutes when there was no answer. The words about bringing a gift must be her mother’s influence. Looking at that message, Seongjo recalled the conversation he’d had with Yeongeun’s mother not long ago.
‘With my son… it ended badly, right? You probably don’t want to hear this, but I’m truly sorry on his behalf…’
Until now he hadn’t had a chance to face her directly so he didn’t know, but it seemed she too knew about the relationship between her son and Seongjo. Hearing her apologize on his behalf didn’t feel very good. It was uncomfortable, and also unpleasant, and in a situation where she’d been essentially betrayed by her son, the sight of her apologizing on his behalf felt pitiful.
‘Yeongeun, do you know she’s having problems at school these days?’
‘…’
That was her answer. Though Yeongeun didn’t say anything, she’d intuitively sensed that there were kids bullying Yeongeun. But because life was so tight right now, she was in agony because she couldn’t directly help her daughter. When Seongjo said he would help, she firmly declined saying she couldn’t be so shameless, but at the words “for your daughter,” she eventually bowed her head.
From Seongjo’s position, paying attention to the mother and daughter wasn’t difficult at all. Rather, recently, seeing Yeongeun had become one of his pleasures.
‘Is it because she doesn’t resemble her oppa at all? What she does is admirable.’
While he was thinking such thoughts and resting, Yeongeun arrived. It was about an hour after he called. Since it was a sudden notice, he thought it would take a bit more time, but she seemed to have prepared quite diligently.
“Are you alone?”
He’d secretly thought she might come with her mother. Well, even if she had, it would have been awkward and strange… Both Yeongeun with her truly excited face who’d volunteered for a housewarming, and Yeongeun’s mother who trusted Seongjo and sent her child alone, worried him in different ways.
Seongjo quietly looked down at Yeongeun’s excited face.
‘I guess she’s gradually become comfortable with me now.’
Come to think of it, even during elementary school days when they met together with Yeongbeom, Yeongeun had shown quite a bit of favorability toward Seongjo. At first she’d been very shy, but he recalled her young face as her guard gradually softened. Of course, since they hadn’t met from then until now, a distance worse than the beginning had formed.
Seongjo received the toilet paper Yeongeun brought as a housewarming gift. It was almost the size of Yeongeun’s torso, who knew how many rolls it contained.
“Mom said that no matter how rich you are, you need toilet paper.”
“So you prepared this much.”
He headed to the kitchen holding the toilet paper. When he opened the refrigerator, he saw the ingredients his secretary had stocked. Since he’d told them to put in things he could use roughly, it would be enough for cooking. The problem was that Lee Seongjo was someone who’d never cooked in his life.
That problem could be sufficiently solved.
“It would be a bit disappointing to have a housewarming with just the two of us.”
“Huh? Then?”
“Do you have your math teacher’s number?”
Seongjo grinned mischievously. Perhaps even if Yujeong was displeased, he wouldn’t refuse this proposal.
‘I can’t watch the kid by myself.’
However, unlike Seongjo who was laughing happily, Yeongeun hesitated as if troubled. Seeing her hesitate while holding her phone, it seemed she was wondering if it was okay to call her teacher.
“Why, is that teacher uncomfortable?”
“No, it’s not that he’s uncomfortable… Yujeong saem is good. But I’m wondering if it’s okay to call…”
“Just dial and give it to me.”
In the end, Yeongeun seemed to conclude that Seongjo’s words were more important than the burden of calling her teacher on a holiday. Yeongeun soon held out her phone with the words “Math Yujeong Saem” displayed to Seongjo.
— Hello?
Yujeong’s puzzled voice was heard. Was it unexpected that Yeongeun called on a holiday? Or had he inwardly guessed the situation? Seongjo shamelessly replied.
“Yeah, hello. Teacher Jeon?”
— …
“Why no answer? Teacher Jeon Yujeong?”
— Haah…
A deep sigh came through without any thought of hiding it. Seongjo didn’t care and instead laughed. Soon Yujeong spoke in a reluctant voice.
— Do you need to go so far as to borrow a student’s phone to contact me?
“Well, I couldn’t get your number, could I?”
He replied as if it was obvious. Yujeong was silent again for a moment. Was he offended by the shameless answer, or was he choosing his words? Seongjo struck first before his thoughts could continue further.
“Where are you? What were you doing just now?”
— Do I have to answer that… I’m at home.
Though he acted contrary, he did give an answer. Soon his words continued.
— Are you with Yeongeun?
“Yes, I moved today, you see.”
— …You’re quick.
It was a voice with a strangely reluctant yet bewildered tone mixed in. Seongjo lightly brought up the main point.
“What’s there to drag out? Anyway, so she’s here for a housewarming right now, so you should come too, Teacher.”
— Why would I…
“Yeongeun wants to see you so much, Teacher.”
— …
Silence continued. There was no need to add other words. Perhaps he judged it was a bit much to leave Lee Seongjo alone with a student, or he was weak to students, or maybe he had an intuition that refusing would only drain his energy—who knows.
— Which building and unit?
In the end, the person who would raise the white flag was decided.
* * *
Seongjo and Yeongeun sat awkwardly facing each other at the dining table, sharing recent news while waiting for Yujeong. It took a bit of time before the sound of him pressing the bell was heard. When he opened the door at the bell sound, Yujeong standing in front was empty-handed. It would have been strange in its own way if he’d brought a housewarming gift, but Seongjo nitpicked anyway.
“Even the kid brought toilet paper, but the adult comes empty-handed.”
“…”
Yujeong turned his eyes away with a tired face. Where that gaze landed, Yeongeun was standing. Seongjo, who naturally followed Yujeong’s gaze, saw Yeongeun making a somehow embarrassed yet proud expression and chuckled.
