Hae-won’s neat eyebrows twitched significantly.
It felt like his mind was becoming clear. Actually, this worked out well. Since Kwon Seo-an had also allowed him territory when it came to Ji-yu, he could gradually expand that space.
“srry abt tht”
A deep smile bloomed on Hae-won’s lips as he left the simple message.
***
“Hae-won-ah”
“Hyung, what are you eating for dinner?”
Weekend evening.
Seo-an, who had played with the child until he was completely drained and had collapsed exhausted, looked at his phone when it vibrated. From the message that arrived from Hae-won, he could almost hear his voice.
“Haven’t decided yet”
“Hae-won-ah”
“BBQ at the apartment bbq place?”
“Meat?”
“Hae-won-ah”
“Gonna feed Ji-yu too”
Seo-an slowly rolled his eyes to look at the child who was sleeping with her belly exposed, making snoring sounds. He did need to feed her dinner on time though….
“Did you make a reservation?”
Seo-an, who sent the reply, slowly got up.
After pulling down the child’s T-shirt that had ridden up to her chest to cover her belly, he tiptoed around the living room so as not to wake her. He thought there would be quite a lot to pack to go to the BBQ place.
“Did you buy the meat?”
He sent another message and Seo-an opened the refrigerator. He bent down deeply to look into the vegetable drawer and made a troubled sound, clicking his tongue inside his mouth. There weren’t any suitable ingredients to go with the meat.
Just when he was wondering whether to take the child out to do some shopping, the doorbell rang from the entrance. At the same time, Ji-yu, who had been sleeping soundly, opened her eyes wide.
“Meat!”
How did she know when I didn’t even say anything.
Seo-an looked at her bewildered, but the child didn’t even glance his way and ran pattering to open the front door.
“Yay! Hae-won samchon, meat!”
“Yay, that’s right. Samchon said let’s eat meat today, didn’t he.”
…Had the two of them already talked about this?
Seo-an was dumbfounded. Hae-won, who strode in revealing himself, had heavy hands. Not only wrapping vegetables, but various meats from pork belly to Korean beef were being held in his hands. He hadn’t thought to bring a separate shopping bag, so they were in the transparent bags you get when buying from the mart, making the contents clearly visible.
Seo-an stood blinking, then quickly took the load and placed it on the island table.
“When did you two plan this?”
“We didn’t plan it. I really wanted to eat meat, but since I live alone, the portions are kind of awkward. I hate grilling meat at home because of the smell, and if I go to the BBQ place, grilling and eating alone there isn’t fun either.”
“…You’re usually fine doing that kind of thing alone though?”
As if hit right on the mark, Hae-won paused for a moment. But then he smiled brightly as if to say what are you talking about.
“The neighbor next door isn’t a stranger, so what’s wrong with eating together.”
…That’s true, but.
“Samchon, samchoon. Ji-yu likes pig. Is there pig?”
“Ji-yu already knows the taste of meat? You’re a complete genius for a little one.”
“Not little one!”
Ji-yu made angry eyebrows.
To touch the pride of a four-year-old child, Yeon Hae-won must have no fear at all. Seo-an shook his head while looking at Hae-won. Watching to see how he would resolve this, Hae-won crouched his large body down fully to meet the child’s eye level.
“Didn’t you say you were a baby before?”
“No-o.”
“Is Ji-yu going to be hyung?”
“Yeah! Ji-yu not little one! Ji-yu angry!”
“You’re angry? But only little ones can become hyung.”
Having heard up to there, Seo-an sighed and began unpacking what Hae-won brought and putting them in dishes.
Seeing how he came all the way to the house as if timing it perfectly, it seemed he had made a proper reservation, and if so, it would be better for him to prepare to go out while Hae-won played with the child at her level.
Hae-won had good nerve. How else would he be able to sweet-talk even a very angry four-year-old child right away? At the ridiculous claim that “the privilege of becoming hyung is given only if you’re a little one, and to grow up like samchon, you first have to be a little one,” the child’s eyes sparkled.
Probably the words “can grow up like samchon” stimulated the child. Should I say they’re on the same level, or should I say he’s cheeky….
Yet Seo-an wasn’t aware of the smile blooming on his own face. He didn’t deeply realize that he was reminded again that he liked Hae-won’s personality like that, nor the fact that he felt comfortable because he was there.
Seo-an left the child with Hae-won and prepared to go out much more comfortably. No matter that it was a BBQ place and even though a heater was running inside, he couldn’t completely ignore the chilly outside weather, so he packed a thick coat and scarf for the child to wear.
Meanwhile, Hae-won, who had picked up the child in one arm, looked into the basket Seo-an had packed and added a few spoons, chopsticks, and tongs.
When he picked up the bag with his other arm, Seo-an, who had finished preparing, also came out of the room.
‘Kind of looks like an acorn… though a bit big for an acorn.’
The moment he saw Seo-an, that was the thought that crossed Hae-won’s mind. Hae-won held back the laughter that was about to burst out and carefully looked Seo-an over with his eyes.
It was because he looked neat and was smaller than himself, but Seo-an, who had a handsome face and a good build, wore a thick coat and looked especially sturdy today. That looked so good to him. Though he was a body that wouldn’t fit easily even if he tried to embrace him in one armful, the way he knew how to nestle in was exactly like Ji-yu in his arms.
“We’re like this, you know.”
“Mm.”
Seo-an replied lightly while wrapping the scarf around Ji-yu’s neck. It would be good if she came down from Hae-won’s arms, but at the appearance of the child who wouldn’t budge because she liked being held, Seo-an had to dress her with an awkward smile.
“Like a married couple.”
As if being considerate of the child, at the sound whispering in his ear, Seo-an paused. Seo-an, who instinctively checked on the child first, frowned and scolded Hae-won.
“The kid’s listening, don’t joke around like that.”
“Who says it’s a joke?”
“…If it’s not a joke, then what. Is it serious?”
Seo-an spoke casually while looking at Hae-won. Right now, since the kid was there, he wanted to finish the conversation appropriately, but the smile blooming on Hae-won’s lips showed no sign of easily fading.
“If it’s serious, will you take responsibility?”
Following the playful words, a phrase he’d heard before rose up in his mind.
‘If my score crashes, hyung, you’ll take responsibility.’
What responsibility does he keep trying to take every day like that. At the thought that nothing had changed, the laughter that burst out couldn’t be held back anymore.
In fact, he himself was the same in not having changed. From the beginning, he had been strangely weak when it came to Yeon Hae-won. As he had been realizing continuously both before and recently, he thought it would be best to avoid awkward situations altogether.
Seo-an snatched Ji-yu from Hae-won’s arms and covered his ears that must have turned red. The emotion he wanted to avoid rushed to his ear tips making them burn hot, but he ignored it to the end.
The rule that the BBQ place in the apartment could only be used with a reservation was meaningless as it was always deserted.
Hae-won entered the BBQ place boldly, holding Ji-yu as if it were natural and carrying meat in one hand. Seo-an, who followed in, looked around while firmly closing the door in case cold wind might blow in.
Though he hadn’t been living here long, it was also his first time coming to the BBQ place. There hadn’t been any reason to come in the first place. When eating meat with the child, it was much more convenient to just go to a restaurant, but because Hae-won was there, he thought the BBQ place was worth coming to.
“Have you been here before?”
Seo-an asked while still carefully scanning the interior.
“What would I do coming here alone.”
Hae-won answered indifferently while putting Ji-yu down. Since gravel was laid down and it was a place where she could get badly hurt if she fell, he sat her on a chair, but the child struggled saying she wanted to get down.
“Daddy, daddy.”
“No, Ji-yu-ya. See these stones? If you fall, your knees will really hurt.”
“Won’t fall! Carefully!”
Ji-yu looked up at Seo-an saying “pwease.” The adults would be standing to grill meat and set the table, so it seemed quite boring for her to sit there alone during that time.
“Then Ji-yu-ya, if Ji-yu falls, samchon and you go straight home, okay? If you want to keep staying here, you can’t fall. Got it.”
Seo-an looked at Hae-won who, instead of him making a troubled expression, coaxed the child and let her down from the chair. He thought what kind of threat is that, but it worked well on the child, which was absurd.
“She might get hurt….”
Seo-an made a worried voice while looking back and forth between Hae-won and Ji-yu. The two people standing side by side making the same expression seemed to reproach him as being “overdramatic.” Seo-an scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
She wasn’t a particularly careful child. As if proving she was an energetic boy, on days when she played even a little roughly, she would always come in with injuries from falling, so he was anxious, but Hae-wan had eyes that said so what.
