“You’re up?”
At the voice he heard, Haeyoung raised his head and discovered Sehee standing at the entrance to the dining room. Having stopped mid-entry, standing in the arched entrance, she meticulously scanned his face up and down. The dimple awkwardly lodged at the corner of Haeyoung’s mouth deepened.
…Even Sehee noona?
What lingered in the gaze watching him was clearly worry. A hollow laugh escaped at the look that was obviously checking if his mood was okay. He let the strength drain from his shoulders as if he couldn’t help it.
“Noona.”
When he called her instead of greeting, Sehee finally moved her steps that had been stopped. She approached Haeyoung with a smiling face and reached out her hand.
“Coffee. Americano with an extra shot, right?”
A takeout cup with a familiar logo was placed on the table Haeyoung was holding onto. His gaze went to the cup placed next to the plate containing sandwiches.
The logo on the cup was from a cafe he’d been to before with Dain. Looking at Sehee’s casual attire, it seemed she’d bought it while taking a light stroll through the neighborhood.
Haeyoung reached out and brought his palm to the cup placed in front of him. Perhaps because the coffee inside the cup hadn’t cooled, warm heat was transmitted to his palm. The face that raised its head to look at Sehee had gratitude clearly rising on it.
“Noona…”
Watching Haeyoung, who called her and then spread his arms without saying anything more, Sehee suppressed her giggles.
“I want to hug you too, but the no physical contact clause.”
“Ah.”
At the words he heard, Haeyoung immediately lowered his arms with a short exclamation. A faint smile lingered on the face that spoke as if muttering softly, thank you so much.
Soon he picked up the cup and brought it to his mouth. The bitter taste of coffee, as warm as the heat touching his hands, swirled on the tip of his tongue. After silently sipping coffee for a moment, he raised his gaze.
Sehee and Soyoon were still looking at him. Having received warm encouragement and worry all at once, Haeyoung removed the cup from his mouth and asked.
“I’m grateful to everyone, but… was today my birthday by any chance?”
At the corners of his mouth that rose playfully, the two people who had been watching him reflexively exchanged glances with each other. He didn’t know what conversation passed through their gazes, but after a brief silence, Soyoon opened her mouth.
“It’s not that, oppa came in completely listless yesterday.”
…Did he look that listless? While he was contemplating how to answer, Sehee continued asking.
“Didn’t you bomb the interview?”
Haeyoung, who had been rolling his eyes looking for words to answer her question, hesitated.
From Dain to Sehee, he’d thought everyone was watching over him and cheering for him too much, but it seemed they’d thought he’d come back after bombing the interview after seeing how he came in last night. Haeyoung’s gaze stayed on the Post-it note Dain had written again. Only then did he seem to understand the meaning of why she’d left sandwiches along with the Post-it note.
It seemed to have been her way of encouragement. So, thinking the interview results were bad, everyone had been taking care of him like this since morning… Haeyoung let out a laugh as if absurd.
“It’s not like that.”
He readily shook his head and headed to the table holding the plate with sandwiches and coffee.
Haeyoung pulled out a chair opposite where the two were sitting and sat down. Having removed the plastic wrapping around the plate, he picked up a sandwich and opened his mouth.
“I think the interview went okay.”
“Even if it doesn’t go well, don’t worry too much. If you submit your resume to our side, I’ll hire you right away.”
“Oh, really?”
Haeyoung exclaimed and put a bright smile on his face. Though he’d answered positively, Sehee, who noticed there was no sincerity mixed in, let out a small snort.
“If you’d bombed the interview, you would have been tempted by my offer.”
She narrowed her eyes, saying she doesn’t make this kind of offer to just anyone.
She’d said she was looking for a decent male model—had she still not found one? He wondered if her standards for choosing models were picky, but looking at how she kept casually throwing out seemingly joking but sincere offers to him, it seemed she had a clear image in mind. Haeyoung naturally threw out a question and changed the subject.
“Now that I think about it, what about work for you, noona?”
“Today I’m going to work in the afternoon.”
Sehee answered while sipping her coffee. At that answer, Soyoon, who was sitting next to her, looked at her with a beaming smile.
“Oh, as expected of the CEO…”
At the playful answer, Sehee also looked at Soyoon with a smile as if she was cute. Having taken his gaze off the two creating a friendly atmosphere, Haeyoung quickly devoured one sandwich. The palm-sized sandwich disappeared in just a few bites.
“Anyway, I’m glad you seem okay.”
Watching him silently munching on the sandwich, Sehee opened her mouth again.
“When you finish eating, drink the juice in the fridge too. Hyuna made it this morning, and she put yours in there too.”
It seemed this wasn’t the end either. Having swallowed everything in his mouth, Haeyoung reflexively turned his head. Having gestured with his eyes toward the refrigerator behind him, he looked forward again and let out a sigh mixed with laughter.
“…I should at least buy them a meal.”
The words he slowly brought out were sincere. Since he’d received so much, shouldn’t he buy them a meal to repay them? Thanks to them, he’d had many things to laugh about on a morning that would have been depressing if he’d been alone.
“Oppa has cooked breakfast and left more times, so what.”
Soyoon wrinkled her nose and objected to Haeyoung’s low murmur. Sehee, who was drinking coffee next to her, also nodded in agreement, so he didn’t add more words and picked up the remaining sandwich with a smile. The tip of his nose stung for no reason, so Haeyoung stuffed the sandwich fully into his mouth.
The house was as warm as before he’d gone outside yesterday, and everyone was unchangingly cheerful and kind. Even though he’d just come back a bit depressed from yesterday, the hearts of these people trying to comfort him like this were warm.
He was well aware that all the warmth he’d felt while living here was thanks to those who’d lived with him. The power of a space isolated from reality was great enough to cross the line he’d drawn with his own hands. However, he was also aware that the time was approaching when he had to wake from the dream and return to reality.
Everything was the same, and there was only one thing that had been taken away again. He, who had unconsciously been watching someone’s empty seat, closed his mouth. Throughout munching on the sandwich, a corner of his heart stung.
‘I’m nothing to that hyung anymore.’
A stiff smile hung on Haeyoung’s face as he chewed over the words he’d spat out.
His indifferent gaze watched the glass window in front. Snow that had fallen during the early morning was thinly spread over the garden unfolding outside the window. The cold he hadn’t felt since some point had approached with large strides.
***
In the evening, another letter arrived at the house. To Soyoon, who was looking forward to opening it when everyone gathered, Haeyoung nodded his head. Each time people arrived at the house one by one, her face brightened more and more.
Dinner was prepared and eaten among those at home, and because ingredients happened to have run out, they even went outside to the mart to shop. Though saying they went shopping was nothing more than buying ingredients to cook and eat right away.
It was when they were finishing cleaning up after dinner and leaving the dining room. Haeyoung discovered Dain entering the house and stopped for a moment.
“Dain-ah, you’re here?”
“Huh?”
Dain, who had been crouching at the entrance taking off her shoes, raised her head as if startled. She lightly bumped heads with the guitar bag that had been tilted forward. Watching her briefly grimace, Haeyoung let out a small laugh and moved his steps.
He went to the entrance and lifted Dain’s guitar bag for her. A small voice expressing thanks was heard from his feet.
When she, having taken off her shoes, stood up, Haeyoung naturally took a step. At the sight of him taking the lead without returning her guitar case, Dain blinked for a moment, then let out a shallow laugh and walked side by side.
“Give it to me now.”
Dain, who had crossed the hallway and stood in front of the girls’ room, held out her hand. However, Haeyoung set down the bag he was holding against the hallway wall and placed a small piece of paper on top of her palm.
Dain’s eyes widened at the neatly folded paper the size of a fingernail.
“I ate well this morning, the sandwiches.”
Before the question of what it was could return, Haeyoung opened his mouth first. At those words, Dain’s shoulders flinched. At the shy smile that quickly rose on her face, Haeyoung slightly waved his hand and turned his body.
“See you upstairs later.”
Having confirmed that Dain was nodding her head, he took a step. Coming out of the hallway leading to the girls’ room and turning his body to go up the stairs, Haeyoung ended up freezing in place.
“…”
Just then, his eyes met directly with Seonwoo, who was entering the house. At the end of briefly meeting eyes, it was Haeyoung who averted his gaze first.
“You’re here?”
Fortunately or not, the greeting that popped out of his mouth was natural. At the calm voice, Seonwoo, who had been silent for a moment, soon readily sent a greeting.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
Hearing the affectionate voice falling on his ears, Haeyoung gripped the stair railing. The conversation that would have naturally continued normally was awkwardly cut off.
Unfamiliar with that gap, Haeyoung, who had thought about smiling for no reason, gave up and silently took a step.
A body imbued with cold air clung to his back as he climbed to the second floor. Every time Seonwoo climbed the stairs, it was as if the winter scent that had clung to his outerwear from outside was falling off in patters.
And even within that, at the familiar fragrance that couldn’t be hidden, a strange tension arose and his neck stiffened. Throughout heading to the room after going up to the second floor, he could feel the presence closely following right behind his back. All the way until after he entered the room first and he, who followed, closed the door.
It was before he’d even decided how to look at him. Haeyoung, who had been walking aimlessly into the room, raised his head in surprise at the weight he felt on his shoulder.
“Since yesterday, continuously…”
“…”
“I’ve been thinking about why you cried.”
Before he could refuse, his body was turned and placed under Seonwoo’s gaze. The quiet voice brought out like a soliloquy was closer to a monologue than conversation, as if revealing worries that were still continuing.
And his doubt was concluded from Haeyoung, who avoided his gaze. A short sigh that could have been a hollow laugh or a sigh leaked from Seonwoo’s mouth. It was right after that low breathing sound was heard.
A question like a whisper flew toward the hesitating Haeyoung.
“…Is it because of me?”
The question that came out after a brief hesitation took the form of a question, but it wasn’t asked because he truly didn’t know.
“Tell me, Haeyoung-ah.”
A somehow restrained voice called him gently as if coaxing and soothing. As if infected by the tension that couldn’t be hidden, Haeyoung also bit his lips.
Cha Seonwoo, with a slow touch, grabbed the chin of Haeyoung, who had turned his head away avoiding his gaze. Without applying force, he easily lifted his face. Haeyoung saw Seonwoo’s eyes rippling with a deep light in the gaze that met his.
“Did I make you cry?”
