“Mm.”
Is this really okay? Wonyoung looked at Taerim’s rotting expression and agonized before asking.
“Taerim-ssi, these days ingredient delivery is good too, so couldn’t we just order delivery……?”
Taerim bit his lips tightly as if resentful, holding onto Wonyoung’s jacket as if he really didn’t want to let him go, then finally said.
“……No. It would be good for Wonyoung-ssi to get some fresh air too.”
“But Taerim-ssi can’t go because of work, so going without only Taerim-ssi is a bit……”
“Ah, hyung. Leave him alone. What can you do about his fate being like that?”
Siyeon, who said that, was grinning. And as if to show off, he linked arms with Wonyoung and pulled him along.
“Let’s hurry and go. The nouveau riche will work once we leave.”
“Ah, still……”
“Let’s go, Wonyoung-ah.”
When even Heegang stepped forward, the hesitating Wonyoung had no choice but to turn around.
“Then, I’ll be back.”
“Guard the house well, nouveau riche.”
Taerim clenched his fist and saw them off. Among them, the most annoying was Baek Heegang, who was just smiling contentedly without saying anything.
“……Come back safely.”
If it weren’t for Wonyoung, who kept looking back several times as if sorry, he would have overturned the birthday party and everything.
After the three left like that, Taerim was completely alone.
It was a feeling of loneliness he’d felt after a very long time.
Probably after Wonyoung left, he’d never see Heegang or Siyeon again either.
‘……Already feeling empty.’
Taerim smiled bitterly and prepared for what would be the first and last party.
* * *
“Guys.”
Wonyoung, who had been shopping for a while, suddenly stopped, then called Heegang and Siyeon more seriously than ever before.
“You guys……”
The two, who didn’t know what was going on, looked at Wonyoung with slightly tense faces. Could it be, did he find out about the party plan?
Soon Wonyoung’s lips opened.
“Should we make tuna kimchi stew or pork kimchi stew?”
“……What?”
“Tuna-kim or pork-kim. This is an important question.”
“……”
Heegang made a deflated face. Of course, that Heo Wonyoung.
Siyeon also made the same expression, then soon replied brightly.
“Hyung, I want pork-kim!”
“Taerim-ssi said before he didn’t care, what about you, Heegang?”
“I don’t care either.”
“Then pork-kim it is.”
At the successfully unified menu, Wonyoung happily put the meat in the cart. Heegang chuckled watching that. Really, sometimes he had odd quirks.
Soon Wonyoung, who had added a few more ingredients, said a bit urgently.
“We’re pretty much done shopping now, right? Let’s head back.”
“Why. Worried about Kyung Taerim?”
“Yeah. I feel so bad leaving him alone.”
When there wasn’t much time left to be together, Wonyoung wanted to spend even a little more time with the three of them.
But whether he knew that heart or not, Heegang said calmly.
“Let’s eat lunch and then go back. I’m hungry.”
“Huh? Then what about Taerim-ssi?”
When Wonyoung asked in confusion, Heegang replied in a tone without any interest.
“He’ll eat on his own.”
They’d already been living together for several days, so still no attachment had formed? Wonyoung grabbed Heegang’s sleeve and shook it.
“Don’t be like that, let’s go home and all eat together.”
“When will we prepare and when will we eat. I’m hungry.”
“If you get photographed or something……”
“I’m wearing a hat and even a mask, what more do you want?”
At Heegang’s stubbornness, Wonyoung made a troubled expression, but even Siyeon, who would normally have taken his side as if there was no choice, wasn’t on his side today.
“Hyung, I’m hungry too. Let’s eat and then go back.”
No, why are these guys like this? Wonyoung looked at the two, but couldn’t figure out why beggars suddenly entered their stomachs.
Eventually, unable to overcome the two’s coercion, Wonyoung headed to a nearby Japanese restaurant with them all.
“What should we eat?”
At Heegang’s question, Wonyoung, who had roughly scanned the menu, quickly pointed at a menu item.
“I’ll just have the assorted sushi. What about you guys?”
But for some reason, the two were hesitating, looking at the menu half-heartedly.
“This is really hard to decide.”
“I’m looking at whether the special or the premium is better.”
Isn’t the special and premium pretty much the same? Wonyoung shook his legs and waited a long time for the two to decide on a menu.
How much time had passed like that? They ate so slowly too, and Wonyoung, who had barely finished his meal, stood up abruptly.
“Now let’s really go home……”
“What do you want for dessert?”
“Let’s go to a café first?”
“Let’s look around here and then go.”
No no, wait wait. What’s with these guys?
“Why did you suddenly become close?”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s eat dessert and go, hyung.”
At Wonyoung’s question, the two were playing dumb and feigning ignorance. At this point, Wonyoung couldn’t help but be suspicious. These two, something was strange today.
“You guys……”
At Wonyoung’s eyes flashing this time for real, the two looked around cautiously. Soon Wonyoung shouted.
“Did you fight with Taerim-ssi?!”
Of course, it was off the mark.
Heegang shot back irritably.
“Ah, are we kids? Fighting?”
“For that, you fight whenever you have time.”
“That’s just bickering. You think I’m angry and leaving Kyung Taerim alone to make porridge?”
But after saying it, Heegang hesitated because it seemed quite plausible. Kyung Taerim was annoying.
Heo Wonyoung singing “Taerim-ssi, Taerim-ssi” all day long was also grating.
Wonyoung looked at Heegang’s displeased expression, then seriously straightened his posture as if he really thought they’d fought.
“I don’t know what it’s about, but I want to be with everyone longer, together. I know it’s my greed. But…… I’ll be just a little greedy. Just a very little.”
“……”
“Still, can’t we somehow work it out? Just for today? Today is…… my birthday.”
Looking at Wonyoung holding their hands one by one and pleading, Heegang and Siyeon were in trouble. We didn’t fight, I tell you…….
Eventually, the two raised a white flag to Wonyoung.
“……Fine. Let’s go home.”
“Yeah. Let’s buy sushi for Taerim-ssi too!”
Looking at Wonyoung standing up excitedly, Heegang and Siyeon were at a loss for words.
Now all the two could do was hope that Taerim had finished everything in this short time.
* * *
―Coming now.
At the message from Siyeon, Taerim’s heart became urgent. Taerim, who had sent out all the event company employees who had been decorating the house efficiently, hurriedly started cleaning up.
Soon at the sound of the door lock opening, he quickly stuck the balloon with Y written on it to the wall and turned off the lights.
‘I’m doing all sorts of things…… Anyway, Heo Wonyoung. Amazing.’
Taerim, who hid his body in the darkness, chuckled to himself in disbelief. He thought, so Kyung Taerim does this kind of thing too in life.
“Taerim-ssi, we’re here. We bought sushi for you too…… Taerim-ssi?”
But the moment he heard Wonyoung’s bright voice, even the brief self-mockery melted away and disappeared. Taerim turned on the lights and set off fireworks.
“!”
Meanwhile, Wonyoung, who had been confused by the dark interior of the house, jumped in surprise with his shoulders when there was a loud noise and the surroundings suddenly brightened. Soon Siyeon and Heegang smiled brightly and said.
“Happy birthday, hyung!”
“Congratulations.”
Soon Taerim also appeared and handed Wonyoung a bouquet.
“Happy birthday, Wonyoung-ssi.”
Wonyoung received the bouquet in a daze and asked fumblingly.
“……Wha, what is all this?”
“Can’t you tell by looking?”
Wonyoung looked around in a daze. The balloons on the wall, the flower decorations placed here and there, and even the cake placed in the middle of a splendid feast.
He was dumbfounded.
“My…… birthday celebration?”
“Then whose birthday would it be?”
Wonyoung stared at Taerim, who was smiling confidently, then asked again.
“Did you prepare all this, Taerim-ssi?”
“It’s not like I did it alone, but it’s true that I prepared everything.”
Then Siyeon quickly chimed in.
“We all planned it together. The nouveau riche lost at rock-paper-scissors so he stayed alone.”
“Rock-paper-scissors……? Wait, then you two kept stalling for time too……”
Only then did Wonyoung realize the whole story. From the beginning, these three hadn’t fought but had conspired together to throw a surprise party for his birthday.
Yet Wonyoung still blinked and said in a daze.
“We agreed not to celebrate my birthday.”
“Hyung, of course that was a lie to surprise you! Well, the psycho seems to have had no thoughts about it though.”
“I came all the way here because I was willing to congratulate you.”
Heegang, who deflected Siyeon’s attack, pulled Wonyoung’s hand.
“I prepared a gift too. Come here.”
Soon numerous shopping bags were placed in Wonyoung’s arms as he was dragged to Heegang while still in a dazed state.
“Wha, what is this?”
“I had my manager clean out all the new season items from the department store. Do you know what it means to give clothes?”
“……I don’t want to ask.”
“Suit yourself. Anyway, now that you’ve received them, there’s no taking them back.”
At Heegang’s meaningful smile, goosebumps rose on Wonyoung’s nape.
I should be careful from now on. When will I even wear all these expensive things? As Wonyoung was blankly thinking that, this time a small box was placed in one of his hands.
“Wonyoung hyung, this is from me.”
When Wonyoung opened the box, a sophisticated wristwatch that matched Wonyoung’s image very well revealed itself.
“Well, it’s not like I coordinated with Baek Heegang, but they say giving a watch means you want to share your time. It seemed like a good meaning so I bought it. It’s not terribly expensive.”
“Ah…… Thank you.”
He said that, but the watch was from a quite expensive luxury brand. For a moment he thought he should refuse, but Wonyoung showed a smile instead of refusing, thinking to accept Siyeon’s feelings.
Soon Taerim made eye contact with Wonyoung.
“Now it’s my turn. Though you don’t have empty hands for that.”
At those words, Wonyoung quickly asked Heegang and Siyeon for permission.
“Ah, guys. Can I put this down for a moment?”
Wonyoung, who had put down the gifts he received beside him, looked at Taerim. What kind of feeling is this? He was waiting for a gift, but strange emotions were bubbling up from one corner of his heart.
Taerim also approached with an awkward expression, perhaps a bit embarrassed.
