Seongjo denied it with an empty laugh.
“I said it’s not……”
Even so, Yujeong’s gaze didn’t fall away. Originally, Seongjo didn’t really care whether others stared holes into his face or not, but since he kept receiving Yujeong’s gaze, it seemed he should explain more.
“Well, I didn’t eat meals that diligently originally anyway.”
Seongjo, who had been thinking deeply, spat out his words as if it were nothing. Thinking about it, that was true. Seongjo grew up in a materially abundant environment, so he wasn’t the type to be obsessed with food. Especially when he was absorbed in other things, whether work or entertainment, he forgot his appetite even more, so it wasn’t uncommon for him to roughly fill his meals or skip them entirely.
Rather, considering such lifestyle habits, Seongjo’s current physique and muscle mass were maintained surprisingly well. The word “skinny” was an expression he’d only hear from unusual cases like Yujeong.
……Come to think of it, was it true that he didn’t eat properly compared to before the breakup? That was all due to the nature of dating. For long-term dating couples, there was nothing new even when it came to dates. Meeting and eating together was the basic course. So even if he wasn’t interested, he’d end up eating hearty meals.
Of course, he didn’t bother to say that out loud. Wasn’t this someone who already suspected Lee Seongjo was suffering from post-breakup aftereffects?
“That’s why it’s like that, well…… It’s not like I skipped meals because I was sad after breaking up.”
“I see. I understand.”
After hearing Seongjo’s explanation, Yujeong looked at Seongjo for a moment, then nodded his head so easily it was bland. Because he agreed so obediently, it rather made him suspect whether he wasn’t convinced at all.
“That’s it?”
Seongjo asked in a dubious voice. Yujeong raised one eyebrow as if asking what more was needed. Looking at that expression, it seemed like he had no particular thoughts…… He added a question to confirm.
“You didn’t convince yourself in some strange direction, did you?”
“No, I didn’t. Actually, you didn’t make any mistakes last night either. You really just slept. Without even talking in your sleep.”
Yujeong replied calmly. Well, he had heard that his drinking habit was just sleeping quietly. Even if he only had one experience to compare it to. He didn’t immediately show relief by stroking his chest, but Seongjo scolded in a much more relaxed voice.
“Then why are you making me nervous?”
Yujeong was silent for a moment. Seongjo thought for an instant that he might answer, ‘Because it’s fun.’ Because a look that seemed to want to provoke him had risen on his face. However, Yujeong slightly lowered his head and answered calmly while picking up his spoon.
“You said you broke up with trash, so I was curious. Since you said no, then it’s not.”
That was it. Yujeong resumed eating as if it really wasn’t anything, without any concern. Seongjo, who had been looking at him while forgetting to eat, muttered lightly.
“I thought you’d ask more, but you’re not.”
“Do you know the saying about not thinking of elephants?”
He thought he wouldn’t answer that, but Yujeong brought up such a story out of the blue. Since it was a famous saying, Seongjo nodded his head.
“I know. It’s the story about how if you’re told not to think of elephants, you only think of elephants.”
That’s right. Yujeong only said that much, not explaining the more specific meaning. However, that alone was enough for Seongjo to understand what Yujeong was saying.
In other words, the elephant was Jo Yeongbeom.
If he asked about him, it would make him think of him more, so he meant to stop the questions altogether.
Was that consideration for Seongjo?
Seongjo looked at Yujeong with strange eyes. Yujeong didn’t raise his head again. Since Seongjo also didn’t want him to give any answer, he didn’t speak to him anymore. There was no conversation between the two until they finished eating. Only the small sound of dishes clinking could be heard occasionally.
After cleanly emptying his bowl, Seongjo politely said, “Thank you for the meal.” He added a few compliments about the food after that, but Yujeong stood up right away without answering and began clearing the table. Thanks to that, he couldn’t see what expression he made at the compliment.
He probably wasn’t very happy. Still, Seongjo decided to think that he was happy.
“Let’s eat together from now on.”
“What?”
In the middle of routinely clearing the table, Yujeong said. Was there more food left? Was he going to bring out fruit or something? Seongjo, who unusually missed the point, asked. Yujeong replied concisely.
“Dinner.”
Seongjo just stared blankly at the back of Yujeong, who went to the sink and started washing dishes.
Jeon Yujeong swallowed the story about him because he didn’t want Seongjo to think of his ex-lover. Even though he must have had a hard time bringing Seongjo back, instead of making a show of it for no reason, he asked if he’d lost weight. Whether to take care of his meals himself, he even suggested eating dinner together now.
Yujeong was a man whose inner thoughts couldn’t be confirmed just by looking at his expression…… but it wasn’t like Seongjo’s sense had disappeared, so he couldn’t help but formulate such a hypothesis in this situation.
Is he interested in me?
* * *
Whether it was because he became interested in Seongjo, or whether he harbored some other purpose, he couldn’t tell, but in any case, one thing was certain. Yujeong was very interested in taking care of Seongjo’s meals.
Friday afternoon, 5:20 PM. It was a time just before getting off work. Seongjo, who had been diligently reviewing documents, started acting like Pavlov’s dog at some point. Like someone who knew contact would come soon, he kept glancing at his phone before finally grabbing it. The secretary standing next to the desk stole a glance at Seongjo.
Seongjo scrolled up in the chat window. It had already been over two weeks since this peculiar ping-pong started, but because the amount of conversation itself wasn’t much, he quickly reached the end.
April 13
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Have you eaten?] 18:31
It was the first contact from Yujeong. The very next day after proposing to eat dinner together from now on.
18:38 [No not yet]
18:38 [I was about to eat now]
Of course, the words “I was about to eat now” that Seongjo sent at that time were just something he said. He only said it because Yujeong’s words about whether he’d lost weight from heartbreak came to mind.
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Come down] 18:40
18:41 [Where to?]
18:42 [Are you inviting me to your house?]
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Yes] 18:45
Starting with that day, the messages continued.
April 14
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Have you eaten?] 18:18
18:24 [Not yet]
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Come down at 7] 18:26
April 16
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Have you eaten?] 18:01
18:05 [Teacher Jeon, are you like Siri or something?]
18:05 [Are you an auto-responder?]
<Jeon Yujeong>
[I’m not] 18:10
[Have you had your meal?] 18:12
Changing the wording slightly wouldn’t be everything. It was a funny exchange even looking at it again, so he unconsciously let out a chuckle.
Yujeong’s messages generally arrived between 5:30 and 6:30, during dinner time. The time he went down to his house to eat was usually around 6 to 7 o’clock. Yujeong was managing Seongjo with a diet so thorough it wouldn’t be surprising if a professional nutritionist had planned it. To the point where it felt a bit like being raised.
‘I don’t know what he’s thinking.’
April 26
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Meal?] 17:38
17:46 [nn]
[6:30] 17:51
April 27
<Jeon Yujeong>
[Food] 18:01
18:09 [I’ll come down]
Today was April 28. It was Tuesday. The conversation that had continued for two weeks had increasingly changed to a method pursuing only convenience and the main point, and it had finally become this form. If these messages continued, the two would soon be conducting all conversations with only ‘ㅂ’, ‘ㅇㅇ’ and such.
During this time, Seongjo ate with Yujeong almost every day. Almost every day unless there was a truly unavoidable situation for either of them.
During this time, the two just ate together and didn’t particularly have any exchange worthy of being called an exchange. Generally, Seongjo asked something, and Yujeong either answered or didn’t answer. Sometimes Yujeong asked, and Seongjo answered diligently. As a result, he certainly got to know Yujeong better than at first…… but that was only fragmentary information as a meal companion.
Seongjo, who had been looking at his phone, suddenly thought. It was about time for Yujeong’s contact to come. He was somehow in the mood today, so how about suggesting eating out? Seongjo left a message first for the first time.
17:39 [Shall we go out to eat today?]
<Jeon Yujeong>
[No] 17:41
[Come down at 6:30.] 17:41
“Huh……”
What exactly is this guy…….
