By Zephyria “Hyung is going to be as successful and famous as Perfect Puzzle Sung Se-han in the future. Then maybe those photos will be uploaded every now and then, and they’ll keep being brought up again and again. Should I have a hard time every time and be afraid of it and watch my step?”
“No? Why should Hyung do that…?”
I watched Mom and Tae-min exchange glances with their arms crossed.
“That’s right. It’s not like I committed a crime or did anything shameful. So why should our family be upset because of those photos? I don’t want to be resentful?”
“Me too, Hyung! That’s exactly it. It’s really unfair. Why should Hyung be upset….”
“I’m not upset.”
I slammed the table with my palm and looked at Tae-min.
“I’m just pissed. So I’m going to eat something delicious today and forget about it all. Let them upload as many photos as they want. The more they do, the more famous I’ll become. Just watch. I’m going to succeed and give those bastards who are trying to screw me over a big fuck you!”
They can’t stop me with something like this. If I keep my balance and stand up straight, Mom and Tae-min won’t waver.
“Tae-min, don’t make excuses and neglect your studies. Hyung is going to work harder too. Let’s do well so Mom doesn’t worry.”
I deliberately glared at him, and it seemed to work a little. Tae-min’s eyes gradually became clearer, and I saw him biting his lip tightly. And he nodded his head vigorously and picked up his bag.
“Hyung, I’ll just wash my hands and come out to help.”
“Okay.”
Even after Tae-min ran to his room, I remained sitting in the chair. Mom, who had been looking at me for a while, turned around and started washing the vegetables.
Our family is peaceful today too. So it’ll pass like this. It’s not a big deal anyway.
Compared to when I lost my father overnight, this is just a minor happening. So it doesn’t affect me at all.
Ding-dong. Ding-dong.
I was sitting there blankly when I heard the doorbell ringing in the distance. I turned my head and immediately met Mom’s eyes.
“Who could it be? We’re not expecting anyone…?”
While Mom was wiping her hands on her apron, Tae-min ran to the wall pad first.
“Who is it… Oh, oh?”
Tae-min made a strange noise as he went to check who it was, so I reluctantly turned my head.
“Tae-min, who is it?”
“Hyung, that, that person…!”
I jumped up and ran to Tae-min as he staggered backward while looking at the wall pad.
“Who is it already….”
“That person is Sung Se-han!”
Tae-min’s shout didn’t even register in my ears. Because at the same time as the loud doorbell rang again, knocking on the front door was heard.
I stared at the front door with wide eyes, then turned my gaze to the wall pad. Sung Se-han was looking at the camera with a brazen smile.
“Crazy!”
Before I could think, my body shot out to the front door. I tried to open the door in a hurry without even putting on my slippers, but my hand slipped several times.
Click. Even as I threw the door open, I couldn’t believe it.
“Sung Se-han!”
Sung Se-han was standing in front of my house.
Wrapped in a black suit that would be suitable for an awards ceremony red carpet, his solid body made him look like a fantastic figure that didn’t seem real.
“Lee Tae-kyung wouldn’t answer his phone.”
Sung Se-han tilted his head slightly to the side and looked down at me with his beautiful brown eyes.
“I came without warning.”
And because he even showed me a pretty eye smile, I felt like my mind was going blank.
It was a scene I had imagined countless times and seen in my dreams several times, but my heart had never beat so hard.
“Sung Se-han…! How did you….”
My head went white and I didn’t know what to say first, so I ended up saying meaningless words.
“How did you know my house….”
I realize anew through Sung Se-han every time how glamorous black is.
The tall man who filled my vision was so dazzling that it was hard to even look at him properly.
“…!”
The moment Sung Se-han slowly brought forward the hand he had been hiding behind his back, I stopped breathing.
In Sung Se-han’s hand was a bouquet of red roses tied with a green ribbon.
“……”
I stared at the red roses that were just beginning to bloom, speechless. Then I finally raised my head and met the gaze of the brown eyes watching me.
“Suddenly…?”
It was only natural that my voice trembled at this moment. Sung Se-han took the bouquet, smelled it, and then handed it back to me.
“You wanted it. You said you wanted to receive flowers.”
“I…?”
That day when I left the past behind, I was a little sad that I didn’t even get to see the flowers that Sung Se-han had prepared. I even thought I would do anything if I could have just one. But I had never said it out loud….
“At the hotel, you were drunk and acting up. You told me to give you flowers.”
There was laughter in Sung Se-han’s low voice. I couldn’t meet his gaze anymore and lowered my head.
I guess I couldn’t hide it and blurted it out. I couldn’t give up anything, I couldn’t stand wanting to have everything.
“I really shouldn’t drink….”
Sung Se-han’s finger touched mine as I received the bouquet. He must have quickly realized that my hand was shaking uncontrollably.
“Can I come in?”
I came to my senses only after hearing Sung Se-han’s words. I must have been completely out of it. I had been keeping Sung Se-han standing at the door all this time.
“C-come in. Quickly….”
I opened the door wide and made way for Sung Se-han, and then I realized that I was still barefoot. Only then was I able to check my clothes. It was fortunate that I had worn a shirt and slacks because of the meeting with Auntie.
Ah, I don’t know. I didn’t have time to worry about that right now. Because I was suddenly scared that Sung Se-han’s back as he entered our house might not be real.
“Mom! My friend is here….”
While Sung Se-han was taking off his shoes, I hurriedly ran to the living room. I tried not to be flustered, but my voice came out strangely.
“Mom and Tae-min will know him if they see his face, he’s Sung Se-han….”
I was trying to explain in a hurry, but seeing Mom and Tae-min’s dazed faces, I didn’t think I needed to. Well, there’s no way my family, who knows all the idol groups, wouldn’t know Perfect Puzzle Sung Se-han.
“Tae-kyung….”
“Hyung, you were friends with Sung Se-han? Since when…?”
Since when were I friends with Sung Se-han…? I couldn’t answer Tae-min’s question easily.
“We got close because we kept meeting during the survival show….”
I reflexively turned around at the sight of Mom and Tae-min’s eyes suddenly widening. Ironically, my eyes also widened because of Sung Se-han walking into the living room.
How can I be so excited again after looking at that glamorous man for so long? He doesn’t even know how loudly my heart is beating and he’s just smiling so leisurely. I couldn’t control the sudden surge of emotion and hugged the bouquet of roses to my chest.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time. I’m Sung Se-han.”
I bit my lip tightly the moment Sung Se-han bowed deeply to Mom. Why does my throat feel so tight when Mom’s eyes are sparkling with joy, surprise, and goodwill?
“Oh…! Welcome! It’s such a pleasure to have such a welcome guest…!”
Mom, not knowing what to do, carefully took Sung Se-han’s hand and patted it.
“I was so surprised! To think that Se-han was our Tae-kyung’s friend…!”
Mom couldn’t hide the spreading smile, as if she was more pleased than embarrassed. When Sung Se-han looked at such Mom with affectionate eyes, my vision finally blurred.
“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly and causing trouble.”
“No, what trouble? Don’t say that. Hey, Tae-min. What are you doing? You have to greet Hyung, right?”
At Mom’s urging, Tae-min, who had been in the corner of the living room, hurriedly approached.
“Hello! I’m Lee Tae-min.”
Seeing Tae-min making an awkward greeting with a dazed face, a corner of my heart ached. No matter how much he used to follow and like Sung Se-han like a real Hyung, he must feel unfamiliar now.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Se-han Hyung….”
Tae-min took Sung Se-han’s outstretched hand with both hands and bowed again. Tae-min is taller than me, but he somehow looks smaller when he’s with Sung Se-han. Seeing the two of them together, the old days vividly came to mind.
I was glad that I was three steps away from Sung Se-han. Otherwise, he would have heard my pounding heart.
Our house, which always felt spacious even when all three of us were together. It felt like the house was full from the moment Sung Se-han came in. What is this feeling that I have nothing more to wish for and nothing lacking…?