It was when Seongjo, left speechless, had his mouth closed for a moment.
– What are you doing this weekend?
“Me? Nothing special. Why?”
Yujeong had thrown out the question first. It was a reaction he hadn’t anticipated. When Seongjo answered with a laugh as if finding it curious, he was silent for a moment. As the silence continued, he somehow felt anxious. Still with a hint of laughter in his voice, but in a tone that seemed slightly pressing, Seongjo asked.
“What, if you have time, use it sparingly…… is that what you mean?”
– What’s that supposed to mean?
A truly puzzled voice. It seemed the joke didn’t get through at all. While Seongjo was at a loss for words, Yujeong added in a calm voice.
– If you have nothing to do, come out.
It seemed it wasn’t just a casual question thrown out, but he really meant to meet that day. Once he realized that, he became curious about what change of heart he’d had. He was clearly a man who would furrow his brow as if even exchanging words was uncomfortable. When asked for his number, he’d refused, saying not to speak so carelessly. Seongjo thought that after that day, Yujeong must have concluded he was a completely unserious person. He might have distanced himself even more than before, so he’d even worried about whether he should make some effort to make up for it. He never expected him to make such a proposal first, though.
“Sure. What are we doing?”
Of course, he didn’t add any unnecessary jokes like asking if this was a date request. In case his mind changed quickly and he acted coy. Yujeong didn’t answer properly even to Seongjo’s consideration that wasn’t quite consideration.
– It’s nothing much. Let’s meet in front of Hyehwa Station at 2 PM on Saturday.
“What? Wait……”
But with those words, the call ended. Seongjo looked down at his phone screen with an unusually dazed expression. Saturday at 2 PM…… Hyehwa Station……. The words Yujeong left behind wandered through his head before finally settling into place.
Questions came belatedly. Since they lived in the same apartment anyway, even in the same building, did they really need to set a separate meeting place? If they were going anyway, they could just leave together from the start. If he didn’t want to go with Seongjo, it would have been right not to invite him in the first place. Moreover, what was with making a promise to meet first and then coldly hanging up the phone……
He really was an unknowable person. However, since he didn’t feel bad about it, Seongjo went ahead and cancelled all his company schedules that had been set for the weekend.
* * *
When was the last time he’d felt the flutter and excitement of waiting for a promised date? While spending an ordinary week, Seongjo often had such thoughts.
His relationship with Yeongbeom had been a full eight years. During the early days of their relationship in their university days, even seeing each other every day felt new each day, but that flutter couldn’t last forever. At some point, he’d become accustomed to dates with him. It wasn’t that he’d felt boredom or that he’d become annoying. He thought they’d moved from the fiery early stages of romance to a slightly more stable relationship.
But he couldn’t say it wasn’t at all habitual.
He thought he’d reached that age, but in fact, too much time had passed since he’d last started a relationship, so he couldn’t know clearly. Whether he’d become such a bland adult past thirty that he could no longer feel such excited emotions, or whether he’d just forgotten because there was no occasion to meet new people……
There probably wasn’t much significance to Yujeong calling Seongjo out. The question of whether it was a date request was a joke he could only make to himself—if he really considered this something like a date, it would just be overinterpretation. He’d already passed the time of being naive enough to think that way.
Even while thinking that, Lee Seongjo, for no reason…… on the day of the appointment, in front of the mirror, chose his clothes with considerable care. If he wore too presentable an outfit, he’d look like someone going to meet a business contact or superior, so not too formal but moderately neat. Following such conditions, what remained in the end was a plain white shirt and black dress pants.
He drove to Hyehwa Station. He didn’t even bring along Secretary Kim, who also served as a driver, and took the wheel himself. Thanks to that, finding a place to park wasn’t easy.
Seongjo was often evaluated as someone who would consider appointments with others as nothing, like mouse droppings, due to his somewhat arrogant and self-centered personality and his chaebol family background. However, in reality, he was thorough about keeping appointment times. Today was a day when that trait was especially clearly demonstrated. Thanks to that, even after wandering for twenty minutes looking for parking, he was able to arrive at the meeting place without being late.
Yujeong was already standing in front of Exit 3 of Hyehwa Station. He seemed not to have noticed Seongjo yet. Seongjo deliberately didn’t call out to him and slowly approached him.
Yujeong was wearing a light blue shirt and beige pants. His silver-framed glasses were nowhere to be seen and his face was bare, so he almost didn’t recognize him for a moment. The way he was gauging the time by looking at the watch on his left wrist rather than his phone was somehow impressive.
“Teacher Jeon Yu-.”
Just as he was about to call out, Seongjo paused for a moment. He saw two women approaching Yujeong. When he stopped briefly to watch, they cautiously spoke to Yujeong. He couldn’t hear what they were saying well due to the crowd, but seeing one of the women hold out her phone, it seemed they were trying to get his number. Yujeong shook his head with a face that looked not just indifferent but even cold. The woman who had tried to get his number left looking embarrassed, being comforted by her friend.
Seongjo, who had been watching that scene with a subtle expression, finally moved his feet and approached him.
“Oh, Teacher Jeon. Getting your number asked for and all.”
“……Did you arrive?”
Perhaps feeling awkward, Yujeong’s answer flowed out a bit slowly. Seongjo grinned and added another comment.
“Those girls just now looked like college students at most. Still in your prime, huh?”
Yujeong, who had been looking down at his watch for no reason, finally raised his head to face Seongjo.
“You want to tease me as soon as you arrive? Like someone who caught something……”
Was he really embarrassed? He didn’t even give his number, and when he rejected them, rather than being embarrassed, he reacted as if he had no emotions at all.
Somehow in a novel mood, Seongjo approached right up to Yujeong and, crossing his arms, looked him over from head to toe. The atmosphere was definitely different from when they’d met as Yeongeun’s teacher and guardian. Seongjo asked casually.
“You look a bit young today. If I checked, wouldn’t you be around college student age?”
“It seems you still have regrets about your age.”
He’d said this thinking he might tell him how old he was, but the quick-witted Yujeong only saw through Seongjo’s intentions instead of answering. Seongjo lightly shrugged his shoulders.
“Every time I ask something, you never tell me right away and you’re stingy about it.”
“……I’m younger than Lee Seongjo-ssi. Not around college student age, though.”
Yujeong, who replied with slight hesitation, started walking ahead.
Should he consider it generous that he answered even that much? Somehow it felt like he wasn’t simply acting cold, but was continuously feeling embarrassed, so he didn’t feel angry at all. Rather, once he confirmed that he was younger than him, mischievousness welled up for no reason. Seongjo followed closely behind him with a beaming smile.
“Where did your glasses go? Did you dress up?”
At the playful question, Yujeong turned around with an expression of disbelief. Then his bare face, uncovered by anything, came fully into view. He definitely hadn’t noticed when he was wearing glasses…… his face seemed to look a bit younger, and also his features seemed sharper.
“Taking off glasses isn’t…… I’m wearing contacts.”
Having said that, Yujeong immediately turned his head back. It seemed he was trying to cut things off first in case Seongjo kept teasing him. Seongjo smiled again softly and obliged by changing the subject.
“Where did you park?”
“I took the subway. Parking is a hassle.”
Yujeong pointed at the Hyehwa Station exit with his finger as he replied.
“Alone? I went through the hassle of parking.”
“Where did you leave your driver?”
“I don’t take a driver with me all the time.”
At Seongjo’s seemingly resentful tone, Yujeong was silent for a moment. He was lost in thought about something, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I came alone today because I had business nearby from the morning.”
With those words, Yujeong closed his mouth. Seongjo tilted his head and asked as if probing.
“Does that mean let’s go together next time?”
“If there’s an opportunity.”
Yujeong nodded readily. Seeing that, he finally felt like he understood Yujeong’s pattern. Seongjo restrained the corners of his mouth that wanted to rise for no reason and asked in a nonchalant tone.
“By any chance, is Jeon Yujeong-ssi someone who’s quite shy?”
“……”
Yujeong turned his head with a face that had gone cold. Following closely behind him again as he strode ahead, Seongjo spoke. His tone was as if soothing, but he couldn’t hide his laughter.
“Alright, alright. So, where are we going right now?”
At those words, Yujeong’s finger pointed in one direction. Seongjo naturally raised his head and followed the tip of his finger with his gaze.
