“It’s a tremendous house. Right?”
When he asked Haeju out of curiosity, the guy muttered without any emotion.
“My maternal grandfather’s house was like this too.”
He was a bigger rich person than I thought. Haeju’s eyes looking at the garden outside the window somehow lacked focus. Coming to a place that reminds him of his grandfather’s house, is he thinking of his family? He was about to hold his hand to comfort him, but Haeju grabbed Yeojin’s hand tightly first.
“Hold my hand tight. The house is big, so you might get lost.”
Get lost, my ass. Why did it sound like an excuse to do skinship? When he stared at Haeju, the guy also met Yeojin’s eyes and smiled. How pretty. He’s a guy I can’t hate even if I try to.
After passing through the corridor, the space that appeared was a large living room. Would it be more accurate to describe it as a reception room for guests? When Im Junwoo, who was at the front, opened the door and entered, the people inside welcomed the group happily.
He’d thought it would be a space bustling with dozens of people since it was a hideout, but there were only three men and women inside.
“Junwoo, you’re here? Where’s Seo Haeju?”
“Is that Seo Haeju?”
A woman and a young guy with a buzz cut chattered and approached Yeojin’s group, surrounding them. Haeju seemed to dislike people’s attention. The guy looked at the people surrounding and murmuring around him with a distorted expression. His irritation was obvious.
“Where are the crows? The crows?”
“You suffered a lot. We should have found you first, but Wi Seokwoo’s gang was one step faster.”
“But you’re really big. Kids these days really have good development.”
The only woman in the group affectionately tapped Haeju’s arm. She’s such a beauty that he might be shy, but Haeju got annoyed and swatted the woman’s hand away.
“Don’t touch me. I hate skinship.”
It was an incredibly rude tone. It wasn’t behavior befitting someone meeting for the first time. When the guy showed a serious face, the cheerful atmosphere froze instantly. Yeojin was dumbfounded. Hates skinship? Then what’s this hand still holding mine? Even at the Center, he was touching me ceaselessly.
Yeojin had also done countless skinship with the guy, stroking his head, patting his back, and rubbing his arms. But he’d never been displeased like that even once. Rather, he liked it while grinning.
“Euhaha! This kid lives up to his looks!”
She could be angry from being embarrassed, but the woman laughed heartily. It was a bold laugh that didn’t suit her delicate build.
“A full-grown guy holds hyung’s hand tightly while going around but dislikes other people’s touch?”
The woman teased by pointing at Yeojin and Haeju’s clasped hands. He tried to pull his hand away from embarrassment, but the guy used more strength to hold Yeojin’s hand.
“Not hyung.”
“Then who is it that you hold hands with so affectionately?”
“The one I like the most…”
Before the guy could spout more nonsense, he stepped on his foot hard to stop him. Yeojin smiled awkwardly and greeted the people.
“Hello. I’m Min Yeojin. I’m a doctor at the Seoul Center, and I was Haeju’s attending physician when Haeju was at the Seoul Center.”
While saying that, he quickly scanned the group, but there wasn’t a single familiar face. It meant that unlike Im Junwoo and Han Daesik, they weren’t all quarantined people from the Seoul Center.
“Ah, so you’re Doctor Min from the Seoul Center. You’re so famous that I’ve heard a lot about you. All the Transcendents at the Seoul Center talked about you.”
A man in his 30s wearing glasses smiled and offered a handshake. He tried to clasp that hand, but his right hand that should shake hands was held by Haeju, so he had no choice but to extend his left hand. When they couldn’t clasp hands because they were the same side, the man sensibly extended his opposite hand.
Haeju looked at him shaking hands with the man with disapproving eyes. I think I know why he has that sulky expression. He doesn’t like his doctor shaking hands friendly with other people.
It’s fine to look that way, but please shut your mouth. He tried silent intimidation by stepping on Haeju’s foot like crushing a cigarette butt. Even though his foot was being stepped on, the guy was calm as if it didn’t hurt.
“I’ve heard a lot that you were always kind to us Transcendents. Thank you for your consideration.”
The man said that and firmly grasped Yeojin’s hand that was shaking with both hands. It would be the man’s own expression of friendliness. He could feel Haeju’s sharp gaze. It was the momentum that if he didn’t remove his hand right away, he’d forcibly pull it off.
When Yeojin squirmed his hand slightly, fortunately the man tactfully removed his hand.
“For a brief introduction, I’m Kim Hanseong, this friend is Seo Yul, and the woman is Im Yena.”
At the man’s introduction, the buzz-cut guy and the woman nodded in greeting.
“Let’s do formal introductions later, but first you should rest. You look very tired.”
It was a welcome sound. He was a considerate man as much as his gentle appearance.
“Junwoo. Please escort them to their rooms.”
“Yes.”
Even though he doesn’t seem to differ by many years from Im Junwoo, Im Junwoo greeted the man politely as if treating an older elder.
“As rumored, Seo Haeju follows the doctor well.”
“It’s not just following well, it seems like he loves him insanely? Did you see earlier? Seo Haeju’s eyes when Hanseong oppa and Doctor shook hands? He was totally going to devour Hanseong oppa.”
At Im Yena’s giggling, Yeojin couldn’t even lift his head properly. Right. Spread the rumors all around the neighborhood. At this rate, people all over the world will know.
Han Daesik remained in the reception room, and only Im Junwoo guided Yeojin and Haeju to the guest room. Following behind him up the spiral staircase, Haeju didn’t let go of Yeojin’s hand the entire time.
“Why don’t you let go of my hand?”
“I don’t want to.”
“You’ll be scolded.”
“Even if you scold me, I don’t want to. I won’t let go of your hand.”
Saying that, Haeju was stubborn. He could hear Im Junwoo walking at the front chuckling. Fine. Anyway, everyone here already noticed, so what’s the point of being self-conscious now? Yeojin gave up and walked with his hand held. At first Yeojin walked ahead, but soon fell behind and it became this state of being dragged up.
“Doctor, you can rest in this room.”
Im Junwoo said while opening a door in the second-floor hallway. He’d thought it would be a place with just a bedroom since it was called a room, but one room was the size of Yeojin’s entire house.
“The bathroom is over there, so wash up. I’ll prepare clothes for you to change into.”
When they came into the room and were standing dazed with Haeju, Im Junwoo spoke.
“Haeju, your room is next door.”
“Why is mine next door?”
“I was going to let you use the same room as Doctor, but that won’t work. Seeing what you’re doing, I don’t know what you’ll do to Doctor. You go to that side.”
Im Junwoo accurately pointed out the point that Yeojin, exhausted from fatigue, hadn’t thought of. Only after hearing Im Junwoo’s words did Yeojin also think, Ah. He didn’t know what he’d suffer if he was in the same room with this young wolf cub.
“I don’t want to. I can just use the same room with Doctor.”
“Haeju. Doctor is tired to death, you know? He wants to sleep soundly alone, you know?”
“Please sleep. I’ll just stay still next to you, Doctor.”
Sure, he’ll stay still. He’ll lie next to the sleeping person and stare intently while fiddling with his face and arms. “Doctor will be angry,” “You’ll be scolded”—these words don’t seem to work. He thought that kind of thing wouldn’t be enough to break that guy’s stubbornness.
“Haeju, it’s a request. Let me ask you a favor, Doctor. Go to the next room.”
Even though he was asking this much, the guy didn’t easily break his stubbornness.
“Hmm?”
When he coaxed softly once more, only then did Haeju say “Okay” with a sulky face. Even so, he slowly, so maddeningly slowly, let go of the hand he’d been holding and refusing to release.
“If anything happens, call me.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“If you can’t scream, at least bang on the wall.”
“Yeah, okay okay.”
I get it, so please just leave! Fortunately, just before his irritation surged up to his throat and he was about to yell, Haeju turned around and trudged out. Like a large dog being kicked out, he went out with his shoulders drooping, then turned around once more at the door.
“I’ll come by later.”
Yeojin squeezed out his last patience and smiled. Even after Haeju left, Im Junwoo, who was still standing at the door, let out a short sigh and offered words of consolation.
“Doctor, you really have it hard.”
Im Junwoo was the only one who understood Yeojin’s hardship.
“Haeju really likes you a lot, Doctor. Frighteningly so.”
It was a statement that contained a lot of meaning. Saying “Rest well,” Im Junwoo closed the door and left.
I didn’t know when he was at the Center. That Haeju was a guy with such severe obsession, stubbornness, and neediness. He also learned today that he acted coldly and ruthlessly with people other than Yeojin.
Thinking about it now, I understood that he took a hostile and aggressive attitude toward Center staff, and that other quarantined people avoided him saying he had a bad personality. I shouldn’t have unconditionally taken Haeju’s side. He really does have a bad personality, that kid. He only acted like an angel in front of me.
I’ve been fooled. Really completely fooled.
Only chuckles came out. Even knowing he’d been fooled, it was just funny. During the four months spent at the Center, even if all the behavior Haeju showed was completely false, it didn’t cause Yeojin any harm. Would there be some grand conspiracy to fool Yeojin? It’s just that a kid acted good to be loved by an adult. That’s all it was.
When tension was released, insane drowsiness rushed in, so Yeojin went into the bathroom first. While stripping off his dirty clothes, he flinched and looked toward the bathroom door. In case Haeju had secretly come in. Thinking about it, it was funny. Why am I treating the kid like some pervert?
