The housekeeper, knowing that Seonwoo had just drunk plain water, immediately made him honey water. She prepared it so quickly there was no time to refuse. Before he knew it, Seonwoo was sitting at the dining table holding a mug with both hands. Even though she’d adjusted it to a lukewarm temperature for easy drinking, he didn’t feel like putting it to his lips.
“Come to think of it, Seonwoo, did you lose your phone?”
“It should be in my room. Why do you ask?”
“Junyeong-ssaem called yesterday saying he couldn’t reach you. Oh my, I was going to tell you right away but I couldn’t find you, Seonwoo, so I just left work like that…….”
The housekeeper trailed off, seeming embarrassed that she hadn’t actively searched for Seonwoo and had left work on time. Hearing the story, Seonwoo blinked silently. He had completely forgotten about tutoring, let alone Junyeong’s existence.
“…….”
Seonwoo was lost in thought for a moment, then quickly came to a conclusion and drank the honey water in one gulp. Then he brought the empty cup to the sink and said:
“The kid upstairs. Please take care of his meal.”
The housekeeper whipped her head around. She had an awkward expression as if she’d heard someone’s story she shouldn’t have heard.
“Why? Is Taejeong saying he’s hungry?”
“No. But he hasn’t eaten anything since yesterday.”
“Yees……. Well……. But what about you, Seonwoo? Aren’t you eating together?”
“I’ll get food from Ssaem and come back.”
“…….”
The housekeeper reluctantly answered okay, but it was buried in the sound of dishwashing water and couldn’t be heard well. Seonwoo looked at the housekeeper for a moment, then went up to the second floor. On the way to his room, he glanced once at Taejeong’s room with its closed door and continued walking.
Entering his room, he looked for his phone but it wasn’t anywhere on the bed. It was the same when he searched the floor and desk. Seonwoo wandered around the bed area and lifted the mattress slightly to move it.
Sure enough, the phone had fallen into the gap between the bed and the wall. It was covered in dust and wouldn’t turn on because it was dead. Seonwoo connected the charger and stared blankly at it until it turned on.
A moment later, the phone turned on. When he pulled down the top bar, accumulated notifications poured out. He roughly skimmed through what the Vice Director sent and checked Junyeong’s texts first. There were a few short texts asking how he was. They were sent during the time Seonwoo was hospitalized.
「I heard you were discharged but you’re not answering your phone so I’m leaving a text! The Vice Director said to hold classes outside the house from now on, so I’ll find a place myself. If you’re still sick, don’t push yourself. Contact me when you’re feeling better.」
The most recent text came yesterday. After reading the text content carefully, Seonwoo immediately replied.
「Do you have time now? Let’s meet right away.」
The reply came quickly. Junyeong said he happened to have free time in the morning and was studying at a study cafe. It was some distance from home, but Seonwoo decided to go there. Junyeong thanked him and said he’d move to a study room.
The study room was completely separated from the study space. Seonwoo found the room number Junyeong had texted him. And he opened the door without knocking.
“Ah, it’s been a whi…….”
Junyeong, who was about to greet him happily, trailed off and tilted his head. Seonwoo didn’t even have a bag on his back, and both hands were stuffed in his coat pockets.
“Your workbook?”
“I didn’t bring it.”
Seonwoo pulled out the chair in front of Junyeong and sat down. Even though it was cluttered with books Junyeong had spread out, he chose that spot.
“I didn’t come here to study.”
“Then what did you come all the way here for?”
“There’s something I want to talk to Seonsaengnim about.”
“Uh……. Were we that close?”
Junyeong had a bewildered expression. It was natural to be flustered when someone appeared empty-handed and suddenly said they had something to talk about. Seonwoo just stared intently without further explanation. Junyeong paused for a moment, then soon put down his pen.
“What kind of story? Now that you’re saying it like that, I’m curious.”
“I…….”
Seonwoo, who was about to say something, couldn’t continue and coughed lightly. The sound of him clearing his throat followed.
“Shouldn’t you go home and rest? Your throat condition is really bad?”
“I’m fine now.”
“Mmm……. I don’t think so.”
Junyeong drew out his words, then got up from his seat and went out to the hallway. And he came back in less than a few minutes. Junyeong, who pushed the door open with his shoulder, was holding disposable paper cups in both hands.
“Drink this and when you feel better, talk.”
His own was mixed coffee, and what he handed to Seonwoo had a barley tea bag steeping in it. Seonwoo still looked at Junyeong with both hands in his pockets. Junyeong was skimming through his notes while drinking coffee with one hand.
“Aren’t you busy?”
“Hm? This was originally the time I was supposed to have class with you anyway, so. It’s fine.”
Seonwoo kept fiddling with something inside his pocket, then reached out his hand. The paper cup containing barley tea was lukewarm temperature. He drank it all at once. The tea bag hadn’t steeped enough, so it tasted bland.
“Why are you drinking so urgently? Were you thirsty?”
“…….”
“If it’s not enough, drink one more cup. You saw the lounge right next to the entrance when you came in, right? If you go there, there are drinks besides tea. Ah, if you don’t know where it is, should I go with you?”
“How many years have you been tutoring?”
“Hm? Suddenly?”
At the unexpected question, Junyeong was flustered but answered sincerely.
“I started right after entering university, so it’s been about 3 years? But why that?”
“Then you must have known each other for a long time.”
“Uh……. Known who?”
Junyeong tilted his head as if he really didn’t know. But Seonwoo was keeping his mouth shut with an indifferent expression. He didn’t seem to want to tell him. Junyeong sipped his remaining coffee and thought deeply.
“Are you talking about Taejeong by any chance? No, I started with Taejeong last summer so I haven’t seen him that long. The 3 years is how long I’ve been tutoring.”
“Do you know what he’s doing now?”
“Well? It’s been a while since I last saw him so I’m not sure. Ah, want to eat this? It’s not very sweet and it’s good.”
What Junyeong pointed to was individually wrapped chocolates piled in the corner of the desk. He put one in his own mouth and naturally handed one to Seonwoo as well. Before he knew it, an empty paper cup and one chocolate were placed in front of Seonwoo.
In Seonwoo’s view, Junyeong was a person with basic common sense who knew how to show goodwill. Even though he was talkative and acted annoyingly, he didn’t think his nature was bad.
But when the topic of Taejeong came up, he showed a subtle attitude. He didn’t ask about his well-being nor was he curious. He treated him as if Taejeong didn’t exist in this world.
The same went for the housekeeper. People who had seen Taejeong for longer than Seonwoo were turning their eyes away and withdrawing their interest as if they had made an agreement with each other.
Junyeong had already finished his coffee and was eating his second chocolate. Seonwoo left his share of chocolate alone and put his hand back in his pocket.
“His shoulder blade is broken so he’s confined at home. Their dad hit him with a golf club.”
The hands that were neatly folding the wrapper flinched. The wrapper folded in half returned to its original shape because of the recoil.
“You’re smart, Teacher. Do you know places where he can ask for help? This is domestic violence.”
“……”
The frozen, unmoving hand revealed his agitated heart. Then he slowly curled his fingers and clenched his fist.
“……Was that what you wanted to talk about?”
Junyeong, who muttered weakly, took off his glasses. Between the fingers repeatedly dry-washing his face, eyebrows wrinkled in distress could be seen. A long silence followed, but Seonwoo waited quietly.
“……Sorry. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”
“……”
“Taejeong’s situation is pitiful, but…… I don’t want to be involved as much as possible. I don’t want to know either…… I told you before. I was the only one who got stabbed in the back in the middle. Even if I stepped forward, it was useless……”
Seonwoo wasn’t surprised. He hadn’t expected Junyeong to help. He had asked, guessing that he would appeal about his own circumstances.
But now that he actually heard such words, his chest felt stuffy like he had indigestion. Seonwoo tenaciously fiddled with the key in his pocket.
