“Haah.”
“Haah.”
Watching Taerim and Heegang sigh simultaneously as if they’d coordinated it, Wonyoung smiled awkwardly.
“The ground’s going to cave in, you two.”
“……If only I didn’t have this meeting, I could stay longer.”
“Me too if it weren’t for the drama filming.”
They both had schedules, so they were sighing like that because they had to go back soon. Wonyoung felt embarrassed but also somehow ticklish at their affection toward him.
“Most of all, I feel like I’m going crazy having to leave you alone with that gangster bastard.”
“I agree with that statement, Baek Heegang-ssi.”
Soon Heegang and Taerim’s gazes pinned on Siyeon. Today’s victor Siyeon was tightly hugging Wonyoung’s waist with a relaxed smile. Whether it was to provoke jealousy or what, he seemed to be sticking close by his side especially today.
“Why don’t you hurry and go? You busy people. I’ll be playing with hyung, so work hard at your jobs.”
At Siyeon’s sarcasm, the two men’s expressions twisted even more. Wonyoung poked Siyeon’s side and said to the two.
“Come visit anytime you have time again. Next week I have Tuesday off.”
“Tuesday……”
“Tuesday, you say.”
Heegang and Taerim’s eyes blazed intensely. Unless the world ended on Tuesday, it seemed the two would come. No…… with that much momentum, they might come even if it did end.
“Now now, I don’t want to interfere with your work, so hurry back. Thanks to you, I ate well today. See you next time, Taerim-ssi. See you next time, Heegang.”
Wonyoung forcibly pushed the backs of the two men who wouldn’t budge and sent them outside the entrance. Like that, the two walked away sighing deeply.
“Phew, that was exhausting.”
Wonyoung, who barely sent the two off, flopped down on the bed. Then Siyeon also lay down next to him and smiled at Wonyoung.
He’s pretty no matter when I look at him…….
“Siyeon, have you ever thought about doing something like acting? Or being an idol.”
“If I danced with this build, the stage would collapse. And if I went on TV, how many bastards would recognize me? But why suddenly?”
“Because not making use of that face seems like a great sin to the world.”
At those words, Siyeon burst into laughter and moved closer to Wonyoung.
“Does hyung like my face that much?”
“……I, it’s just for the public good. Pretty things should be shared with everyone.”
“Why share it? Just hyung can have it.”
At Siyeon’s whisper, Wonyoung cleared his throat and moved a bit away from Siyeon.
“Ah, I get it. Anyway, you’re good with words.”
“Am I only good with words?”
“Yeah, you’re good at everything.”
When Wonyoung played along, Siyeon, in a good mood, jumped up from his spot.
“Hyung, how about we have a party?”
“Huh? Suddenly?”
“Yeah, to commemorate me leaving the organization.”
“Ah.”
Dealing with Taerim and Heegang, he hadn’t properly congratulated him on that part. Wonyoung, feeling sorry, quickly nodded his head.
“Good, let’s have a party. Let’s buy a cake too.”
“Wine too!”
“……You and alcohol again……”
“What’s so strong about wine?”
Fine, fine. At that age, that’s how it is. Wonyoung gave up and got up from his seat.
“Then let’s go buy a cake. And wine.”
“Great!”
Watching Siyeon excitedly follow him out, Wonyoung chuckled.
“Hyung, I have a cake I want to eat.”
“Really? What is it?”
Instead of answering, Siyeon pulled Wonyoung’s hand. Where are we going? As Wonyoung silently followed him, soon a familiar sign came into view.
“This is…… where I work.”
“The owner told me. That hyung really loves the milk cream cake here.”
“The owner did?”
“Every time he gave it as a snack, your eyes sparkled so you looked like glass marbles.”
That person’s expressions were also abangsu. With a slightly embarrassed feeling, Wonyoung entered the cafe with Siyeon.
“Welco…… Oh, Rae-ssi, Siyeon-gun!”
The owner waved both arms toward the two with a bright face. Indeed…… he was a model of abangsu-ness.
“What brings you here on your day off?”
“I came to buy a cake. You make the milk cream cake so well.”
“Aha! Is there something to celebrate?”
“A little?”
“That’s great!”
The owner smiled broadly, pleased about something. Broadly. I’m still far from being able to imitate something like that. Wonyoung felt his own limits anew.
Soon the owner, who packaged the cake, held out the cake box.
“I don’t know what it is, but congratulations!”
“Thank you. You’re really a good person.”
“Hehe…… You’re too kind.”
That’s the real abangsu ‘hehe’…… Still admiring the owner’s abangsu-ness, Wonyoung snapped out of his thoughts when Siyeon poked him.
“Hyung, what are you doing? Spacing out.”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Let’s go. Owner, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, see you tomorrow.”
As Wonyoung said goodbye and left the cafe, Siyeon asked with a sullen face.
“Hyung, you don’t like the owner, do you?”
“What?”
At the sudden bombshell, Wonyoung asked back in a daze. Who likes who?
“……Seeing your reaction, you don’t.”
“Yeah, not at all.”
“Just, you kept staring at him as if entranced. Just in case……”
“Oh my.”
Wonyoung burst into laughter, amazed. Anyway, he was still a kid. At Wonyoung’s reaction, Siyeon’s ears turned slightly red as he pouted.
“If not, then fine. I absolutely hate you adding more people you cherish.”
“That won’t happen. Three is already overwhelming for me.”
“Then hug me.”
Such a whiny kid. Wonyoung checked that there were no people around and hugged him.
“……Wonyoung hyung.”
Wonyoung was about to say something, then changed it.
“Yeah.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Thanks to hyung, I even thought about leaving the organization. I also got the courage to try living properly.”
“How is that thanks to me? It’s because you’re a good kid.”
Wonyoung patted his waist as if praising Siyeon. Soon Siyeon asked.
“Hyung. You’ll stay by my side from now on too, right?”
“……”
“You can’t go anywhere. It’s okay if hyung doesn’t choose me, as long as we can continue being good hyung and dongsaeng like this, so don’t go far away.”
Does Siyeon feel something too? But he can’t tell him honestly. If he, who was just about to make a new start, learned that he would disappear, he would be very distressed.
With a complicated heart, Wonyoung ultimately spoke a lie.
“Yeah, I will.”
Sincerely hoping that could be true.
* * *
“Hyung, so then, Junseok……”
This guy’s drunk. Watching Siyeon pour out words with a flushed face, Wonyoung let out a chuckle.
Well, he had reason to be drunk. What was scattered around them now were wine bottles, beer bottles, soju bottles, all kinds of alcohol bottles. Of course, Wonyoung only drank exactly one glass to avoid getting drunk.
“Hyuuung, you’re handsome.”
“What?”
“Handsome.”
With Narae’s face, he’d heard cute or pretty, but this was the first time hearing this, so Wonyoung thought Siyeon must be really quite drunk.
“Your mole is pretty too…… Hyung, where are you going?”
“I’m just going to the bathroom.”
Soon after entering the bathroom, Wonyoung froze in place. What was reflected in the mirror wasn’t Narae but Heo Wonyoung.
‘Wh, when did this happen?’
Did Siyeon see? No way, that comment about being handsome earlier too…….
‘Since he’s drunk, it might still be okay. Quickly to restoration mode……’
That was the moment Wonyoung was about to take out the button. Siyeon, who had appeared before he knew it, snatched the button away.
“Siyeon?!”
“Don’t turn it back, hyung.”
“……What?”
“This turns back time, doesn’t it?”
“You, how do you know that……”
Wonyoung was truly engulfed in enormous shock. How did Siyeon know all of this…….
“I had memories remaining. Before hyung turned back time, the memory of going to hyung’s house. Twice. The second time, I definitely met hyung and even called you Wonyoung hyung, but suddenly I returned to before going to hyung’s house.”
“……”
“Then, differently from just before, hyung came to me first and told me not to say Wonyoung hyung. That Kyung Taerim mustn’t know. So I understood. That hyung turned back time for Kyung Taerim.”
How could this be? Wonyoung tried to organize his mind, which had gone blank at Siyeon’s confession.
First of all…… if Taerim and Heegang knew, they wouldn’t have stayed still. Then in the end, the only one who knows about restoration mode is Siyeon…….
‘How on earth? And why Siyeon of all people?’
Anyway, he had to give Siyeon some explanation. Wonyoung forcibly opened his lips that wouldn’t open.
“Si, Siyeon, I…… this appearance right now……”
“It’s hyung’s real appearance, right?”
Siyeon reached out and cupped Wonyoung’s cheek. Soon, stroking the mole under Wonyoung’s eye, he said. The one that wasn’t there when he was Narae.
“Wonyoung hyung. Don’t turn back time. It’s useless even if you do.”
“Useless?”
When Wonyoung asked with a trembling voice, Siyeon calmly explained.
“Hyung has been in this appearance for a while now. From what I see, you can’t turn back time for very long, so even if you do, you’ll be in this appearance anyway.”
“You…… then you knew everything……”
“Because I like hyung’s real appearance. Because I want to be the only one who knows.”
“Siyeon, this is……”
He couldn’t say it was a bug. But how was he supposed to explain his appearance suddenly changing? How was Siyeon understanding this situation? Wonyoung fell into confusion beyond measure.
“Do, do you understand this situation? Even though my appearance suddenly completely changed, you……”
“Hyung doesn’t want to talk about it. Then it’s okay to pretend not to know.”
“How can that be? You.”
You’re a game character, and this is all just virtual. To say he’ll pretend not to know…….
How can he do that? Why is he trying to understand?
If only he’d get angry like Heegang.
‘I have to turn back time after all.’
He has to insist it’s not true no matter what. Even if not right now, the time will come when Siyeon feels doubt someday. To prevent that time from coming.
Wonyoung boldly reached out his hand toward Siyeon.
