By Zephyria 
===
-I should get home quickly and hear what my mom has to say.
“Are you… leaving now?”
-Yeah. It wasn’t an important appointment anyway. I just stopped by for a bit.
At Cha Se-jin’s answer, the sounds of a few people around him seemed to be jeering, as if telling him to look at himself.
-Ah, damn. So noisy. Shut up. Ah, Darling, I wasn’t talking to you. The people next to me are just acting out. Anyway, get some good rest, and let me know when you find out what time you finish tomorrow.
“Yes, I will. Get home safely…. Driving…. Ah, did you drink?”
-No, I don’t like alcohol. I didn’t have a single drop.
“I see…. Then I’ll contact you tomorrow.”
-Yeah. It’s a bit early for a goodbye, but good night.
This time, the sound of someone gagging and vomiting could be heard. Eun-won smiled at the sound and lowered the phone from his ear. He had only been on the call for barely two minutes, but in those two minutes, his mood had shifted.
He no longer felt as though his father and the madam would burst through the door and scream that he had ruined everything.
Placing the phone on the desk, Eun-won headed toward the bathroom, picking out clothes to change into with a gently fluttering heart. He hoped that the sense of stability Cha Se-jin had given him would last until he washed up, lay down, and forced himself to sleep.
* * *
Kang Seo-hoo and Do Hae-jun, who had been playing billiards, approached and sat beside Cha Se-jin while he was on the phone. They couldn’t just overlook the way he was speaking so affectionately—with an expression that looked disgusting from a friend’s perspective and a voice that sounded disgusting to hear.
“No, I don’t like alcohol. I didn’t have a single drop. Yeah. It’s a bit early for a goodbye, but good night.”
After pretending to be all sorts of nice throughout the call, Cha Se-jin hit the peak with his final greeting, prompting Kang Seo-hoo to cover his mouth as he made a gagging sound. Do Hae-jun also frowned deeply, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.
“Hey, you piece of shit. Why are you guys acting out while I’m on the phone?”
“Hey, you’re the one who’s crazy. Do you even have the right to criticize Gi Jae? Hey, I was right. I told you Cha Se-jin was following the Gi Jae-hyeok route. No, he might be even worse than Jae-hyeok.”
Seeing Kang Seo-hoo and Do Hae-jun recoil in horror as if they had witnessed something forbidden, Cha Se-jin leaned back as if asking what they wanted him to do about it and took a sip of his drink.
“Doesn’t like alcohol? Didn’t have a single drop? Wow, he’s playing the innocent act so hard. What the hell is this?”
“Why worry a kid?”
Deciding he would only finish what he was currently drinking and then go home, Cha Se-jin checked the time. Normally, he would have started now and gone home at dawn, or met whichever of the people who contacted him first was the most appetizing and had sex. But lately, he had no desire to do that. No matter how much of a slut he was, shouldn’t he be washed clean and even bleached when it’s time to marry?
“A kid? How old?”
“Twenty.”
At Cha Se-jin’s nonchalant answer, Kang Seo-hoo and Do Hae-jun’s gazes met as if by appointment. Though they said nothing, a conversation of shared thoughts passed between them.
“…Wait, is that son Baum brought in already twenty?”
“Yeah.”
“Why the hell are you marrying someone who just took off their school uniform? What suddenly got you hooked on this? Ah, have you done it? Is he freaking good? Like, amazing?”
“Your thoughts are exactly what I’d expect from a guy whose brain is just a dick.”
“Fuck, what are you talking about? If not that, then what? Does it make sense for a guy who blocks anyone the moment they say they like him to suddenly be this happy about getting married?”
“You’ll know when you come to the wedding.”
Having given an answer that couldn’t be clearer, Cha Se-jin emptied his glass and stood up. Do Hae-jun and Kang Seo-hoo’s heads snapped up simultaneously.
“You’re really leaving?”
“Clear your schedules for the 22nd of next month.”
“Why?”
“You have to come to the wedding.”
“What? Hey, that fast? Hey, sit back down. Ah, don’t go, come back! Say something before you go!”
“I only know the date because that’s what my Darling told me. I’ll let you know once things are settled. I’m out.”
As Cha Se-jin walked out the door, sending a message to the waiting chauffeur, loud jeers and gagging sounds echoed behind his back once more.
* * *
After finishing his afternoon classes, Eun-won hurried toward the cafe next to the central library. Until the morning, it seemed the group project meeting would be postponed until tomorrow, but since the group leader’s final lecture was canceled, the appointment was suddenly rescheduled.
Thinking he could make it on time if he walked a bit faster, Eun-won was hurrying when he felt a vibration in his hand. He checked the screen and came to a dead stop.
“Ah….”
Seeing ‘Husband’ on the screen, he remembered that he had sent a message during lunch saying he might be free this afternoon. Eun-won quickly answered the phone.
“Hello?”
-Where are you going? I’m right in front of you. Look behind you.
Turning around, he saw a black car slowly rolling down. After confirming it was Cha Se-jin in the driver’s seat, Eun-won approached the car. As Eun-won got closer, the pitch-black driver’s side window slid down.
“I’m sorry. A group project meeting was suddenly rescheduled just now…. I should have contacted you immediately….”
“Really? Is it urgent?”
“Everyone else is coming, so I think it would be difficult for me to be the only one to skip…. I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would turn out like this….”
“Will it take long?”
“Yes…. I think it’ll take about two hours.”
“It can’t be helped. Get in. I’ll drop you off.”
Seeing that Cha Se-jin wasn’t angry or displeased, Eun-won waved both hands, feeling terribly sorry.
“No, it’s okay. I can walk.”
“It’s faster if you ride. Don’t rush; just get in. I came all this way just to watch your back and then be told to piss off? I need to give you at least a minute’s ride, so get in, quickly. If you don’t, I’ll make you sit on top of me.”
“…What?”
Not immediately grasping what ‘sitting on top’ meant, Eun-won stood still. Seeing this, Cha Se-jin opened the driver’s side door, grabbed Eun-won’s arm, and lightly pulled him toward himself. Then, he patted his own thigh.
“Want to sit here for the ride?”
“…Ah…… I’ll… sit in the side.”
Having understood the meaning, Eun-won hurried around the car to the passenger seat as if escaping. Cha Se-jin smiled, closed the door, and turned his head toward the warmth climbing in beside him. For a moment, he thought about locking the doors so he couldn’t get out and just driving away wherever he wanted, but he knew that would surely make him hated. Since there was nothing good about being hated by a pretty thing, he figured it would be better to keep pretending to be nice for the time being.
“Tell me the way.”
“Ah, if you go straight down, the library is on the left. I’m going to the cafe there… you can just drop me off in front of the library.”
“I don’t want to. I’ll go all the way to the cafe.”
Rolling the car slowly through the crowds of people walking down the street, Cha Se-jin soon arrived in front of the library and looked at Eun-won. In response to that gaze, Eun-won pointed out the cafe located to the side of the library.
Having insisted on going right up to the front and parking in the lot, Cha Se-jin watched Eun-won unbuckle his seatbelt and then leaned forward, resting his head on the steering wheel.
“Can’t you just not go?”
“…….”
“Am I really leaving?”
Eun-won seemed to contemplate for a moment at the question, which was half-serious and half-joke. If he had replied ‘Yes, please leave’ without a second thought, Cha Se-jin would have been annoyed, but the fact that he even considered it was so cute that he didn’t feel slighted at all, even knowing he wouldn’t be chosen.
“I’m joking. Hurry and go.”
“…I’m really sorry. You wasted your time because of me….”
“Forget it, just go. Weren’t you in a rush to get there?”
“Ah…. Then I’ll be going. Please drive safely.”
“Yeah.”
As Cha Se-jin straightened up and waved his hand, Eun-won bowed and got out of the car. After closing the door and bowing once more, he hurried off toward the cafe. Watching his retreating figure, Cha Se-jin pondered for a moment before reversing the car. He figured he should think about how to fill the sudden gap in his schedule while he drove.
* * *
While discussing the project, someone brought up the topic of dating, and the reason for the gathering shifted far too easily. However, no one complained. They had already finished the necessary discussions, and stories of someone’s failed romance always brought a certain vitality to everyone’s mind.
Only after two full hours did the voices of those competing over who had the weirder dating history fade away. Eun-won, who had only listened with curiosity since he had no experiences to share, suddenly thought of Cha Se-jin while looking at the darkening sky outside the window.
Although it was an unavoidable situation due to the sudden change, he didn’t feel at ease having sent the man who came all that way back like that. Being in a situation where they spent more time talking about other things than the project made his guilt grow even larger.
The people, exhausted from talking, stood up to head their separate ways. Eun-won also packed his bag and left the cafe with them. Once he was left alone after exchanging goodbyes, his mind was filled with Cha Se-jin once again.
“…….”
Should I try calling him…. Would it be better to call later tonight instead of now? Should I just send a text…. No. Saying sorry via text is a bit too lackluster….