“Yeah. I’m serious.”
I answered without hiding it. Then Lee Yunjae opened his mouth again with a questioning expression.
“How are you going to deal with the aftermath?”
Since I was also puzzled, I requested an explanation.
“…What do you mean?”
From across the room, I could still hear voices agonizing over whether to break up with a one-day girlfriend, and Lee Yunjae lightly grabbed my forearm.
“Let’s go outside and talk. Here is a bit….”
Just then, as if the deliberation had ended, boisterous laughter burst out.
“Decision made! Haha, I’ll go on the group date with you guys too. It’s only been a day anyway, so breaking up won’t matter. How about tomorrow right away? If you drop my name, tomorrow is probably possible too…, no. Let’s do today, today.”
No matter how little I knew about group dates, it didn’t seem like something you could just go to right away by saying you wanted to. First you’d need to find the other party, coordinate schedules….
“Nam Heejae! If you’re okay with it, I’ll set up the appointment right away.”
But he spoke so confidently that I too became uncertain. As if reading my expression, the guy across from me took off his baseball cap and put it back on while adding.
“Nothing to worry about. When that hard-to-see Nam Heejae comes out, everyone will be scrambling to come to the group date even canceling their original plans. If you don’t believe me, want to see? How the kids react?”
Though I hadn’t even nodded, he took out his phone and started sending messages.
The guy who showed me ‘Nam Heejae and Lee Yunjae joining for group date, time is only tonight ㅇㅇ any major doesn’t matter, other universities ㅆㄱㄴ too’ sent to several group message chats giggled and laughed. Lee Yunjae, whose name got thrown in together unexpectedly, muttered as if displeased.
“Why are you selling my name? I’m not even thinking of going.”
While I was concerned that he got dragged in because of me, the baseball cap guy smoothly countered.
“If you come with us, 100,000 won per hour. Deal?”
Lee Yunjae wasn’t someone struggling for money, and in a situation where he was even called nouveau riche, I wondered if he’d accept that, but surprisingly the answer was quick.
“Deal.”
The moment Lee Yunjae immediately accepted the proposal, he didn’t look like the Lee Yunjae I knew. Eyes that shone as if he’d become a miser, and lips that moved automatically as if he’d become an A.I. Lee Yunjae even moved his seat next to baseball cap and started looking at the phone together. Then he soon gave instructions.
“Since word can’t get out that Heejae-hyung is going on a blind date, only send messages to trustworthy people with a confidentiality clause attached.”
When baseball cap asked back why that was necessary, Lee Yunjae answered simply and clearly.
“If it reaches a certain person’s ears, Heejae-hyung will be in big trouble.”
That ‘certain person’ probably referred to Baek Sahyun. Just as I was admiring Lee Yunjae’s thoroughness, replies must have started arriving because baseball cap held out his phone with a triumphant gesture.
Nam Heejae? For real?
Then would it be fake lol hurry up and find the girls
ㅅㅂ crazy ㄱㄷ how many do you need?
3 people but you absolutely must keep it secret, if word gets out Nam Heejae might be screwed
Okay got it
They were love calls sent from each of the group chats.
Yo yo crazy everyone wants to go what do we do?lol as soon as I said it I’m getting tons of contacts;
The girls are saying they’ll get fully dressed up and go, what time they asking?
ㄹㅇ reaction is explosive, I’ll just send photos so you guys can choose from here
In the situation of the group message chat where many people gathered and chattered noisily, I became a bit embarrassed. Since it was popularity gained by borrowing Nam Heejae’s outer skin, naturally I couldn’t think of it as my own popularity either.
Since I didn’t care at all who came out, I decided to transfer all authority needed for the group date to baseball cap as well.
Baseball cap, who was entrusted with authority, excitedly tapped the phone screen, and Lee Yunjae stared at me with a pensive gaze. Though he was the one who went over to join them, it was a look as if reproaching me, making me strangely choked up.
‘…Why is he looking at me like I’m trash?’
Someone who says okay as soon as money is mentioned and someone who says okay without conditions seem about the same to me. Lee Yunjae, who had been scrutinizing me for a while, began in a light tone.
“I’m going to go smoke, do you want to come with me, hyung?”
❖ ❖ ❖
I don’t smoke. Actually, originally I used to smoke whenever my head was complicated or concentration dropped, but since possessing this world, I’d been quitting smoking.
It seemed the original Nam Heejae also didn’t enjoy cigarettes, because unless I was particularly pissed off, I didn’t even crave nicotine.
But I did follow Lee Yunjae out of the department room. I wasn’t sure, but he seemed to have quite a lot to say, so I had no choice but to move my feet.
“Aren’t you worried about Baek Sahyun, hyung?”
As expected, Lee Yunjae didn’t even light his cigarette, just clicked his lighter and asked. Before I could answer, Lee Yunjae continued speaking.
“Last time, when hyung appeared bringing that guy along. Back then Baek Sahyun clearly gave a warning. That Nam Heejae is the possession of alpha Baek Sahyun, so don’t touch even a fingertip.”
No matter how I thought about it, I didn’t think he gave such a warning…, but Lee Yunjae didn’t correct himself.
“…I don’t think he did?”
Even when I stated my opinion, it was the same.
“No, he did. He introduced hyung in front of all those people saying you’re the alpha he likes, so if it wasn’t a warning, what would it be? It’s an action no different from openly appealing that you’re his person.”
“……”
“So I was wondering if hyung and Baek Sahyun really had something going on…, but a group date?”
Lee Yunjae let out a hollow laugh.
“Aren’t you worried we’ll all get screwed if it’s discovered?”
Perhaps because it was a question thrown by someone who immediately agreed to the group date saying he’d take 100,000 won, it didn’t really hit home. If he was worried about getting screwed, why did Lee Yunjae say he’d go on the group date?
Moreover, the person who insisted it should proceed secretly to avoid Baek Sahyun’s eyes was also Lee Yunjae.
“…Now if only you, Yunjae, maintain confidentiality thoroughly, it won’t be discovered, so don’t worry.”
When I countered, Lee Yunjae smiled broadly.
“That’s true.”
It was an answer with a somewhat unsatisfactory feeling, but Lee Yunjae pushed my back saying let’s return to the department room, so I missed the timing to think more about it.
Baseball cap, who had been waiting for us in the department room, seemed to have found group date partners and was in high spirits. As soon as I opened the door handle and entered, baseball cap’s rough voice filled my ears.
“Let’s meet at 8 PM today at a bar near Exit 2!”
He left the department room as soon as we arrived, saying he’d skip his next class and go home. He said he’d wash his hair and change clothes, and Lee Yunjae muttered harsh words next to me like ‘Even so, where would that ugly face go….’ making me startled.
After baseball cap disappeared, Lee Yunjae started picking up and eating the remaining sweet and sour pork, and I sat blankly on the sofa fiddling with my phone.
‘Baek Sahyun….’
Baek Sahyun said he’d come pick me up when class ended, but I couldn’t think of a suitable way to make excuses. Should I say I’ll stay at school to study?
No. Then he’ll definitely say he’ll do it together too and ask me to tell him the location…. While I was agonizing with my head in my hands, Lee Yunjae, who had cleanly eaten up the sweet and sour pork, spoke.
“Say Chairman Nam summoned you.”
“Huh?”
“If you say your father called you because of the new business issue, even Baek Sahyun can’t help it. He can’t butt into Intol business matters saying ‘father-in-law.'”
As expected of a Korea University student, Lee Yunjae seemed quite exceptionally smart.
“That’s a really good idea.”
I entered the excuse as recommended and sent a text message. The reply came back in less than a minute.
New business?
“…Now what should I say?”
When I looked at Lee Yunjae with eyes seeking help, I heard a hmm sound as he pondered for a moment, then a crisp answer followed.
“Try saying it’s confidential so it’s hard to tell him. Moreover, since Haseon Group is also a competitor of Intol, if you roughly send a few crying emoticons along with it, he’ll understand.”
I again faithfully followed Lee Yunjae’s instructions. Lee Yunjae, who was poking at the empty sweet and sour pork box with wooden chopsticks, casually opened his mouth.
“I thought it was mutual feelings, but it’s unbelievable that it’s one-sided love on Baek Sahyun’s part.”
Whether I was shocked by the words ‘one-sided love’ or not, Lee Yunjae continued speaking straightforwardly.
“Hyung has no feelings for Baek Sahyun, right? Looking at your actions, it seems you’re humoring him because you’re scared of Baek Sahyun….”
It seemed Lee Yunjae was the insightful type. Struck by my own guilt, I made a dumbfounded expression, and Lee Yunjae set down his wooden chopsticks with a thunk and added.
“That’s good. The results will be good. Originally, human suspicion and anxiety bring in money.”
Lee Yunjae, who only muttered things I couldn’t understand at all, soon looked at me and smiled.
“Have fun at the group date today, hyung.”
Though it was a clear and youthful face, for some reason I only felt an increasingly ominous premonition.
