Jung Sanho sat down in the seat next to Seungyeon without a moment’s hesitation. He crossed his legs in a rough posture and leaned back against the chair. No one could easily speak up, and on this bed of thorns, Seungyeon’s eyes shook violently. Eventually, Yoon Taerim, the eldest, took charge and was the first to open his mouth.
“School’s already over?”
“I skipped in the middle. More importantly, when did you two meet? Why did you already meet? You clearly told me thirty minutes later. What’s the reason you were secretly meeting first like rats, different from the agreed appointment time?”
The interrogation continued endlessly. However, no matter what Jung Sanho said, Yoon Taerim wasn’t particularly shaken. He gulped down the remaining drink in one go and crunched on the ice. Yoon Taerim’s leisurely attitude and Jung Sanho’s expression full of poison formed a perfect contrast.
“But Sanho. You said with your own mouth you’d be the second, but looking at your attitude, don’t you look exactly like the main wife?”
At the main wife debate that erupted again, Seungyeon wanted to hide in a mouse hole. Maybe it was just his feeling, but the inside of the cafe seemed to have become strangely silent. At the two men’s voices echoing loudly, he covered his face while pretending to rest his chin on his hand.
“Are you showing off about being the main wife in front of me right now?”
“It’s not showing off, but let’s establish the order. Don’t you know respect for elders? There’s also the saying first in, first out? The person who called dibs first is the owner. That’s how the rules of the world work.”
“If we’re going by that, I’m first, you know? I fucking contacted him from 6 months ago, you know?”
“You only contacted him. I kissed him before you. I’m the one who licked him first.”
At the childish and terrible conversation, Seungyeon calmly moved his body toward the end of the sofa. With a desperate heart hoping someone would notice, he actively appealed his intention not to be involved in this conversation.
Even during that time, the nerve war between Yoon Taerim and Jung Sanho showed no signs of ending. Unable to listen anymore to the increasingly precarious level, Seungyeon intervened.
“Can you both stop now? If you’re going to do more, I’ll just leave first.”
He shifted his butt as if he’d get up right away. Only then did both of them shut their mouths tightly. Seungyeon let out a sigh while pressing his forehead.
Looking at that mess, it definitely seemed the two were blood-related. One side was colorfully rude and annoying, and the other side acted like someone who only lived for today—the only difference, but their fundamental temperaments were six of one, half a dozen of the other.
‘How did I end up getting involved here…’
Just how unfortunate must his fate be to end up caught between those guys? Or maybe it was something like misfortune? If it was a disaster of this degree, shouldn’t he rely on shamanic beliefs to do something? Talismans, exorcism rituals, anything—if he could get rid of those demon-like guys, it would be a great welcome.
In front of Seungyeon who was agonizing over how to raise funds for an exorcism ritual, Yoon Taerim tapped the table to draw attention. He looked at the two people alternately and brought up the main point.
“The reason we gathered like this is to reach a conclusion about what happened yesterday, right? We need to confirm Seungyeon-ssi’s thoughts too.”
Yoon Taerim and Jung Sanho looked at Seungyeon simultaneously. Tension rushed in for no reason at the suddenly gathered gazes.
“Sanho has no intention of backing down, and I have no intention of backing down either. If Seungyeon-ssi is okay with it, how about the three of us dating?”
From somewhere in the cafe, coughing sounds were heard—cough cough.
Really… even hearing it again, it sounded crazy. If it were his usual self, he would have kicked his chair and left without hearing more, saying “Fuck off, you crazy bastards!” But he was already someone who had completed a deal with Yoon Taerim. Thinking of his mother’s smile who would be happy going on a Mediterranean cruise trip, Seungyeon opened his mouth with difficulty.
“That’s… fine.”
I fucking hate it. I really hate it. I seriously fucking hate it.
He couldn’t help his expression, but anyway, positive words popped out of his mouth. Yoon Taerim, who had been facing Seungyeon, hurriedly turned his head. It was a side view, but seeing his cheekbones rise, he was clearly smiling.
I’m really going to punch that bastard someday.
“Fuck…”
Jung Sanho muttered a curse that rose from his core. It was exactly one word that represented Seungyeon’s feelings. Both Yoon Taerim who was holding back laughter, and Seungyeon who was agonizing over how his fate had gotten so twisted, reflexively turned their heads.
Jung Sanho, whose face was flushed red and blue as if it would burst if touched, looked dissatisfied with all of this. It seemed that even though he’d proposed it first, he was getting angry now that Seungyeon actually said okay. Yoon Taerim and Seungyeon exchanged glances.
Yoon Taerim slightly shook his head. It seemed like he was saying to just leave him be. Since he didn’t particularly want to provoke him either, he quickly lowered his eyes. In the awkward atmosphere, this time Jung Sanho was the first to speak.
“I’d like to set rules.”
He took out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. The shabby paper was placed on the table. Yoon Taerim, who leaned over to read the paper, let out a hollow laugh.
“What’s this?”
“Rules.”
Yoon Taerim took the paper and examined it closely. He carefully read down from the first clause.
“Article 1. Meeting time is calculated quantitatively. Meet the other person for the same amount of time as you met one person. No exceptions.”
Yoon Taerim, who stroked his chin, glanced at Jung Sanho.
“When did you prepare this?”
“Mind your own business. There are up to 9 articles, so read through and sign below.”
Jung Sanho took out two ballpoint pens from his pocket and tossed them on the table. His preparedness alone was thorough.
“Article 2. Time spent alone together must be shared in advance. Post-notification not recognized.”
After that, gem-like clauses continued at length.
Article 3, Contact frequency is applied equally. Differences in the number of messages and calls per day are not allowed.
Article 4, Anniversaries are not made individually. Birthdays and other anniversaries are celebrated jointly.
Article 5, Use of pet names is restricted. Nicknames that remind of a specific person are prohibited. If used, must be applied equally to others.
Article 6, Physical contact level is according to step-by-step agreement.
Article 7, No secrets. Absolutely prohibited.
Article 8, When all three are together, side seat seating is by rotation. Sitting by the same person more than twice is prohibited.
Article 9, If the above rules are violated, the relationship will be re-discussed.
Either it was childish, or if not that, then it was persistent. At the clauses that achieved both, no laughter came out. Yoon Taerim seemed as shocked as Seungyeon who was at a loss for words. Yoon Taerim, who had been silently pressing his brow, placed the paper on the table with complicated gestures.
“You want me to sign here?”
“Yeah. I’ll do it too, hyung too, everyone has to.”
Jung Sanho’s urging didn’t stop at words. He kindly fitted the ballpoint pen between his fingers and tapped the table. Just looking at his attitude, you’d believe him if he said he was a gangster collecting interest.
“You really… if you put this effort into your studies…”
“I go to a prestigious university so don’t worry, just sign.”
“Fine, I’ll do it.”
Yoon Taerim reluctantly scrawled his signature on the paper. Jung Sanho, who had been staring intently at the pen tip, snatched the paper away before he could even put a period.
“Then I’ll reach an agreement with this side on my own, so hyung, don’t follow.”
Jung Sanho, who swiftly added an excuse, led Seungyeon’s arm just like that. The chair dragged on the floor making a loud sound, and the attention of people in the cafe was drawn. Soon after, Seungyeon was led out of the cafe by Jung Sanho’s hand. From behind, Yoon Taerim shouted something, but the more he did, the faster Jung Sanho’s steps became.
He stuffed Seungyeon into a taxi that was waiting on the shoulder with its hazard lights on. Following after him, he slammed the door shut. Through the car window, the silhouette of Yoon Taerim urgently chasing could be seen. Jung Sanho calmly ignored his cousin hyung.
“Driver, let’s depart.”
Soon the car accelerated, and from some point on, neither the cafe nor Yoon Taerim’s figure could be seen anymore. In the space that became instantly quiet as if isolated, the presence of Jung Sanho sitting in the next seat approached intensely.
What on earth is this guy thinking when he lives? If he had a taxi waiting, it seems like he came with a plan…
The silence was awkward, but there was nothing particular to say to Jung Sanho. They say compliments are good for icebreaking—should I say something like ‘you seem to have a talent for escaping’?
“I didn’t expect hyung to do that.”
“Huh?”
At the dazed response, Jung Sanho irritably swept back his hair. Annoyed, temper flaring. Still, at the sign of trying to forcibly hold back, even Seungyeon who was watching felt sorry for no reason.
“I didn’t expect you to say let’s do even this kind of thing. What dating among three people. Fuck, is love a joke? What are you, Mother Teresa? Love your neighbor as yourself, right now?”
In the pouring criticism, Jung Sanho’s feelings were completely revealed. He also seemed to really dislike this situation and think it was crazy.
A fundamental question welled up—when both the person suggesting it and the person agreeing to it are dissatisfied, why are we sitting here doing this? Seungyeon cautiously broached the subject with a hopeful heart.
“Then should we cancel it even now? There’s also the method of making everything like it never happened and breaking up cleanly. Honestly speaking, you can’t say this relationship is normal.”
