* * *
And so it was June. A time when university final exams weren’t far off. By this point, Eunha was genuinely worried. About things like Yeonjun’s school assignments and grades, considering how well he played around at the cafe for an hour or two every day.
From what he’d briefly confirmed, it seemed like he stayed at the school practice room until night every day, but since the scene he saw meeting him every other day was entirely carefree and leisurely, he couldn’t help but feel like a nagging old man.
“Where did my words about attending school properly go?”
Does this kid have no friends at school? It seemed like he had one friend from another department… Then he suddenly remembered the fact that bad rumors about him had circulated within the department. Ah. Could it be related to that too? Could the kid be getting bullied or something in his major…
It was when Eunha, having grown serious, was fiddling with a half-withered leaf while hugging his knees. Yeonjun, sitting in a chair at a nearby table, answered.
“It’s my free period.”
“Even during free periods, you’d have things to do.”
“…They said it’s okay to play around a little in your first year.”
“I’m saying this because I went to university too. If you play around in your first year, you’ll regret it.”
“What school and what major did hyung graduate from?”
“That guy? Yeonhui University, Business Administration.”
It wasn’t an answer Eunha had given. Turning his head at the voice that suddenly butted in, he saw Gu Haebin standing at the terrace entrance. Eunha stared blankly at the unexpected appearance before standing up from his seat.
“What the. Gu Haebin?”
“You see each other often?”
This time it wasn’t an answer directed at Eunha. Gu Haebin gave Eunha a perfunctory glance and nod in greeting, then turned his gaze to Yeonjun and spoke to him. Yeonjun quietly blinked his eyes before opening his mouth neatly.
“Hello.”
“Yeah. Good greeting.”
“…Why are you being like this, again?”
Eunha tapped the arm of Gu Haebin, who was approaching casually while throwing out mischievous jokes. He didn’t care and pulled over a chair and plopped down. Why did that look so delinquent?
“What are you two? What were you doing?”
“What do you mean? Why are you here?”
“I wasn’t asking you.”
“I’m asking why you’re here. Don’t bother the kid.”
Eunha blocked Gu Haebin, who kept trying to talk to Yeonjun. Because somehow Gu Haebin next to Yeonjun felt like a villain. He looked extremely wicked and tainted by the secular world. He felt like he had to protect Yeonjun from him.
It was a sense of duty he didn’t quite understand himself. If you think about it, they had similar physical builds.
Fortunately, Yeonjun didn’t seem to have any particular thoughts about the appearance of the unfamiliar person. He just seemed to be observing him, his eyes becoming intent. The calm expressionless face that lost expression in doing so gave quite a prickly impression. That remarkably gorgeous appearance that had once caused Eunha’s misunderstanding. Of course, Gu Haebin had good social skills, so he didn’t particularly care and just pushed forward with his business. Suggesting they exchange numbers since it seemed like they met often.
What exchange? No matter how you look at it, he seems harmful. Eunha blocked Gu Haebin once more, then used school as an excuse to send Yeonjun away.
Yeonjun looked up at Eunha, who was touching his shoulder, with a slightly fresh expression, then briefly held his wrist before letting go and left the terrace with a farewell saying he’d contact him.
“Why did you come? Without even contacting me.”
Eunha asked as soon as he disappeared, but it wasn’t really a question expecting an answer. He was a guy who showed his face from time to time even without contact. Sometimes he had business, sometimes he didn’t.
Today it seemed he did. Gu Haebin fluttered down a photo onto the table. The figure of an unfamiliar woman was neatly contained within it. It seemed like his mom had tirelessly found another match from somewhere again. While Eunha sat in the chair looking at the photo without interest, a brief explanation followed about her being the daughter of some pharmaceutical company’s family.
“So I came to tell you to meet her this time… but the situation is fucking interesting.”
He murmured in a tone that was, as he said, interesting. As if the original business had been pushed to the back. Eunha turned his gaze in a distant direction.
“What the hell is that kid really?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re chatting away here, in broad daylight, with a kid you’re totally into?”
“…Don’t talk like that. He’s a kid.”
“That’s what I’m saying, what are you doing messing around with a kid?”
Right. What am I doing? Whenever discipline loosened, Eunha tried several times to review the initial content. So, this is, if we had to define it…
…The act of playing around with him for a while?
If you think about it, it wasn’t a wrong expression, it was probably the expression closest to the truth, but just thinking such thoughts to himself made Eunha feel buried in the feeling of being a terrible piece of trash.
The nuance was a bit… But it wasn’t like he could find any other appropriate definition either. It’s not like we’re going to date. We’re just like this for now and then done.
“Now that I think about it, I think this is the first time you’re meeting someone younger.”
Gu Haebin muttered as if retracing the past. It wasn’t just ‘I think,’ it was correct that it was the first time.
Soon a sharp gaze reached him. Eyes narrowed as if suspicious.
“Don’t tell me, Lee Eunha. Are you dating?”
Eunha immediately said flatly.
“No.”
“It fucking seems right though?”
“What… I said no.”
“If you’re not, why are you sitting here shooting the breeze? You’ve never done that before.”
Eunha closed his mouth. He couldn’t think of an appropriate excuse. He was someone who knew all about Eunha. If he didn’t know at all it would be one thing, but what could he make up to him who had directly witnessed a situation like just before?
After stalling for time, Eunha, who had finally half given up, spoke in a listless voice.
“I don’t know… He says he likes me.”
It was the first time talking about it out loud, and somehow it felt extremely embarrassing. Eunha, who unnecessarily pressed his tongue with his teeth once, added quietly.
He’s a weird kid… At the lifeless murmur, Gu Haebin became even more curious-looking. Supporting the table with his clasped hands, he leaned his upper body forward. Like an interrogating detective.
“Tell me in detail.”
“What should I tell you?”
Eunha waved his hand roughly in dismissal. Even at the gesture to back off, Gu Haebin persistently pressed on. Starting from how they met, then suddenly interrogating about Yeonjun’s personality and character, and even asking about Eunha’s evaluation of him. He’d been more interested in Eunha’s love life than Eunha himself for a long time, but even so, the content of the questions was excessively specific. As if knowing it had meaning to him.
What are you going to do with knowing that? Not knowing what the interrogation was for, Eunha consistently maintained an annoyed attitude throughout, but reluctantly answered some items. Gu Haebin collected information for a while, then crossed his arms as if he had enough and nodded meaningfully saying “So that’s how it is…” Why did that feel so suspicious?
What scheme is he plotting? He looked suspiciously but couldn’t tell the clear intention.
