A call from Senior Yang came the very next day. Saying he’d been stuck on some island for a month filming and had just returned, Senior Yang demanded that Park Hae-jun have drinks with him immediately, and Park Hae-jun promptly agreed.
I just need to answer my phone properly.
Before putting on his shoes, yesterday’s events did cross his mind, but he quickly thought of an excuse. If he didn’t mention they’d be drinking alone, Lee A-gon wouldn’t know, and as long as he answered his phone, there would be no issues.
When Senior Yang asked where to meet, Park Hae-jun naturally told him to come to his studio apartment. He needed to stop by there anyway. He was planning to clear out his place. It was a waste to keep paying rent for nothing.
When he went upstairs to tell the landlady he’d be moving out, she expressed disappointment, “You were such a quiet tenant, barely noticeable.”
Park Hae-jun smiled at this. Of course he was barely noticeable—he hadn’t been there for months. Though she offered not to raise the rent at renewal if he stayed, Park Hae-jun firmly declined. He didn’t know how long Lee A-gon’s treatment would take. He couldn’t keep wasting rent money for nothing.
A little while later, Senior Yang arrived. As soon as he saw Park Hae-jun’s face, he complained loudly about feeling neglected.
“Hey, you should have come to see me first thing after returning to Seoul. And why are you giving up your place? Where are you moving to? Don’t tell me you’ve set up another household?”
“What do you mean, another household? That’s ridiculous.”
Feeling slightly guilty, Park Hae-jun brushed it off.
“Did the film wrap up well? What kind of movie were you shooting on an island for a whole month?”
“Ah, well…”
When the topic changed, Senior Yang enthusiastically launched into stories about the film. It was a mystery thriller about a detective searching for missing women.
“To get to that island, you have to take a boat for two hours, and that’s when I first discovered I get seasick. The lead actors suffered too. When an extra didn’t show up, I even had to step in myself…” and so on. Stories from Senior Yang about film sets were always fascinating.
If not for the incident with Professor Seok, Park Hae-jun would have graduated last year, and instead of just hearing Senior Yang’s stories, he might have been on that set with him. Thinking about this left a bitter taste in his mouth, prompting him to keep drinking.
Park Hae-jun lost track of time as he drank. He eventually forgot about the phone he had intended to check regularly, and didn’t notice the sun setting beyond the basement window. In the end, the two of them, flushed with alcohol, fell asleep sprawled on the bare floor.
When Park Hae-jun heard the knocking on the door, he thought he was dreaming. It was less like knocking and more like someone kicking the door. Or perhaps someone throwing their body against it would be more accurate.
“What the…”
Groaning and rubbing his eyes, Park Hae-jun suddenly felt as if his body had lurched upward, startling him. When he came to his senses, he was already at the door.
“…What’s going on?”
Feeling as if possessed by a goblin, Park Hae-jun looked around bewildered. It felt like someone had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up, but there was no one around.
Well, there was one person. Senior Yang, who had a habit of taking off his clothes when drunk, was lying in his underwear, expressing irritation.
“Ugh, Park Hae-jun. What’s that noise? My head feels like it’s going to split.”
Sensing movement inside, the door-knocking grew louder. As the entire house began to shake with vibrations, Park Hae-jun decided to deal with the noise first. It seemed the house might collapse.
“Who the hell is… Huh?”
As soon as he opened the door, Park Hae-jun froze in surprise at the face he encountered. Standing there was someone he never expected to see here. It was Lee A-gon.
“Why are you here?”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Lee A-gon asked the bewildered Park Hae-jun.
“What phone?”
“Why didn’t you come home?”
“…Home?”
For a moment, the word ‘home’ confused him. After all, this basement studio was home to Park Hae-jun.
Lee A-gon’s eyes grew fierce as he watched Park Hae-jun stupidly repeat his words. His face looked like he was deeply restraining something.
“What’s going on? Who is it?”
At that moment, Senior Yang appeared. Naturally, he was still in his underwear. Senior Yang apparently thought Park Hae-jun was in some trouble and came to help, but he only made things worse.
Messy hair. Reddened skin exposed from the unabated effects of alcohol. And only wearing underwear below. Lee A-gon’s eyes widened in shock when he saw Senior Yang.
“It’s a misunderstanding!”
In that instant, Park Hae-jun realized what Lee A-gon was thinking and quickly shouted. “No, it’s a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding!”
This was the same Lee A-gon who had been crying just yesterday, asking if Park Hae-jun had kissed another man. Now, seeing a man in his underwear emerging from Park Hae-jun’s studio late at night, it was obvious what misunderstanding he would have. Park Hae-jun hurriedly blocked Senior Yang.
“What is?”
Lee A-gon’s pupils turned red in an instant. He glared at Senior Yang with a face that clearly wanted to kill, teeth clenched tight. Though his eyes were clearly filled with tears, his expression was terrifying.
“What misunderstanding do you think I have right now?”
“Well.”
“…”
“I mean…”
Park Hae-jun couldn’t continue. It was because of Senior Yang standing behind him, looking bewildered, not knowing what was happening.
It’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t kiss the senior. It’s a misunderstanding. The senior didn’t touch between my legs. It’s a misunderstanding. The senior is only in his underwear not because he wants to have sex with me.
These were all things he couldn’t say in front of Senior Yang.
In the end, Park Hae-jun mumbled and closed his mouth. Lee A-gon shed tears, and Senior Yang was flabbergasted. Caught in the middle, Park Hae-jun didn’t know what to do.
“That’s too cruel. It’s only been a day since you promised… and you’re already cheating.”
“Hey, hey. It’s not like that.”
“It’s too much. Hyung, you’re really too much.”
“Cheating?” Senior Yang muttered from behind.
The upstairs neighbors, who hadn’t shown themselves when Lee A-gon was kicking the door, now peeked out curiously as the commotion subsided.
“Come here.”
With no other choice, Park Hae-jun pulled Lee A-gon into the apartment. He wanted to talk to him alone, but there was no separate space for that in the tiny studio.
“Senior, I’m sorry, but could you step out for a moment?”
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Yes, I know him well, but there’s been a misunderstanding. If you could give us a moment, I’ll explain later.”
Senior Yang looked back and forth between Park Hae-jun and Lee A-gon before reluctantly shoving his legs into his pants. Even as he went outside, he turned back several times with concern before closing the door.
Soon, the sound of footsteps on the basement stairs echoed.
When the senior’s presence had completely disappeared, Park Hae-jun spoke, “What on earth are you doing?”
“…”
At the reproachful words, Lee A-gon looked at Park Hae-jun with eyes full of resentment. Tears were still flowing from those eyes.
“How did you know about this place?”
“Secretary Yang told me.”
“If you came, you should have knocked quietly first. Why did you behave like that? Were you trying to wake up the entire neighborhood?”
“I did knock. You just didn’t come out.” Lee A-gon answered with an indignant face, “You didn’t answer your phone, and I was sure you were home, but no matter how much I knocked, you wouldn’t come to the door. The lights were on but it was quiet, so I thought something might have happened.”
“…”
“But then you… when you opened the door, with that half-naked man… how could you do this?”
Park Hae-jun crossed his arms. “Why is that a problem?”
“You promised me. You said you wouldn’t do it again. But just one day later, you’re cheating. It’s really too much…”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Lee A-gon buried his face in his palms and cried. He truly looked like someone who had just caught their boyfriend cheating.
Park Hae-jun felt both frustration and anger.
Looking at the clock, it was only nine o’clock. Wasn’t it too early to show up making a scene about a cheating boyfriend?
Besides, it wasn’t even cheating. Park Hae-jun had simply been drinking with a close senior at his own place.
“Lee A-gon. That’s not cheating. Senior Yang just has this habit of taking off his clothes when he drinks. That’s all. Nothing happened.”
Though he told the truth, Lee A-gon didn’t seem to believe him. Tears kept flowing from his reddened eyes. The teardrops ran down his cheeks, pooled at his chin, and then fell to the worn floor with sounds like raindrops. Lee A-gon stood motionless like a still life, reprimanding Park Hae-jun for his wrongdoing not with words but with tears.
Park Hae-jun felt exhausted. “For now, you go home. We’ll talk later.”
“What about you?”
“I need to talk with Senior Yang first. He seems to have misunderstood, so I need to explain.”
“…”
“Go. Now.”
“…”
“I said go, will you? Haa, please just go home. Then later I’ll…”
“No!” Lee A-gon shouted fiercely. His attitude was almost confrontational. “No. I absolutely won’t go alone.”
“Hey, Lee A-gon.”
“Are you sending me away because of that man? So you can be alone with him in this house again?”
“I’m not sending you away. I’m just asking you to go home first.”
“That’s the same thing.”
“It’s not! Are you going to keep disobeying me?”
“No. Absolutely not!” Lee A-gon practically screamed, “You’re my boyfriend. So why should I leave? No. Make that man leave. Be alone with me. I’m your ‘partner’, aren’t I? So why should I go? I absolutely won’t leave!”
His voice was aggressive and vicious. Seeing Lee A-gon like this for the first time, Park Hae-jun was genuinely surprised.
Lee A-gon roughly wiped his tears with the back of his hand and glared at Park Hae-jun. “I told you I didn’t like it. I told you not to drink alone with other men. And you agreed. How could you betray me after just one day?”
“It’s not a betrayal…”
“Show me your nipples.”
“What?”
“I said show me your nipples.”
Lee A-gon demanded confidently, like someone retrieving an item they had left behind. Park Hae-jun couldn’t follow the conversation. Lee A-gon, who had been crying so sorrowfully until just a moment ago, was now demanding to see his nipples with a vicious expression.
“Why do you want to see them?”
“I need to see evidence that that man didn’t suck your nipples.”
“Hey, say something that makes sense!”
This is really getting out of hand.