By Zephyria Lee Do-hyeon frowned at the unexpected answer. Ryu Jeong, not seeing his expression, nodded and continued.
“Yes. I was just thinking about things, and then I thought of President, so I was doing it… I was surprised to hear President’s voice suddenly. I thought I misheard because I was thinking about other things.”
How could he say such things so casually? Or, was he not casual? Even in the dim light, Ryu Jeong’s flushed cheeks were clearly visible. Not quite a bright smile, but the corners of his lips lifted, pushing his round cheekbones upward. Lee Do-hyeon, gazing down at his seemingly shy expression, was puzzled by his unexpectedly pleasant feeling.
“But what brings you here? It’s not Saturday yet…”
“I came because I was thinking of Jeong Darling.”
“Yes?”
Ryu Jeong quickly raised his head. Meeting his surprised, wide eyes, Lee Do-hyeon acted as if there was a problem. It felt like he had just heard something incredible… Ryu Jeong, flustered, moved his lips.
“There’s no rule that we can only see each other on the agreed-upon day, right?”
Right? Ryu Jeong had no choice but to nod at the words that demanded an answer. But the feeling didn’t fade. He came because he was thinking of me? Did he really think of me? Or did I just get tagged along because he was thinking about Wolhyeon-dong?
Lee Do-hyeon, having returned the feelings Ryu Jeong had felt a moment ago, couldn’t help but chuckle softly as he watched Ryu Jeong, confused and flustered. Ryu Jeong’s eyes widened again at the sudden laughter. Lee Do-hyeon shook his head, saying it was nothing. Knowing that he had laughed for a reason, he pretended not to notice the glances he was receiving. He didn’t think about the bomb he had dropped and only wanted to know what he was curious about, which seemed a bit annoying.
Although he expressed it somewhat harshly, because he was so small and pretty, even when he did something annoying, it was still cute.
“By the way, it looks like you’re coming back from somewhere.”
Do Hwon asked, glancing in the direction Ryu Jeong had come from. He also briefly focused on his disheveled hair. It wasn’t windy, but his messy hair meant he had been wearing a hat.
Was he working part-time at that cafe? Wearing a pebble-like beret and a cute bow tie below his Adam’s apple, he looked like a little groom. As he recalled the image he had seen at the cafe, Ryu Jeong answered in a small voice, “Yes.”
“My cafe part-time job just ended… What about you, President?”
“I told you. I came because I was thinking of Jeong Darling.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. But aren’t you going to work again later? At the convenience store.”
“Ah…”
When Lee Do-hyeon mentioned the convenience store, Ryu Jeong trailed off as if he had forgotten.
“Yes… I have to go by 11 o’clock.”
Hearing those words, Lee Do-hyeon checked his watch. There were only about two hours left. He didn’t like the fact that he had just finished his cafe part-time job and had to go to his next job without even resting properly. Did he have time to eat? Or did he even sleep? While others were finishing their day and crawling into bed, he was heading back to work without even resting, which sounded exhausting just to hear.
Lee Do-hyeon lowered his hand, which he had been holding up to check the time, and looked at Ryu Jeong. He hadn’t come with the intention of taking him anywhere, but there wasn’t much time to begin with, so he couldn’t even if he wanted to. Maybe he would prefer to close his eyes for a moment during the commute.
“You have to leave right away.”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
His large eyes rolled around. Um. His voice, murmuring as if he was in trouble, was an innocent and beautiful tone.
“What do you have to be sorry to me for, Jeong Darling?”
At the repeated question, Ryu Jeong glanced at the dark alleyway with a troubled expression.
“You came all the way here, but I don’t have much time now, so I don’t think I can help you.”
“Help me?”
“Ah, I’m okay for about an hour. But… it’s getting dark now, so it won’t be easy to see.”
Because there were no residents, there was no light coming from the houses, and the few streetlights that were there were all broken, so the alleyway was so dark that you couldn’t even enter it easily. Did he have a lantern at home? Blackouts were frequent, but Ryu Jeong usually spent more time at home during the day than at night, so he rarely needed to use a lantern or candles even when there was a blackout.
There was also the option of using his phone’s light, but Ryu Jeong’s old phone had lost several functions long ago. One of them was the flashlight. He didn’t want to add such trouble to President, who had taken the time to come all the way here, especially since he wasn’t just looking around by himself.
“I didn’t come here to see anything today.”
Lee Do-hyeon said with a sigh, realizing what he was thinking. Ryu Jeong cautiously looked at him.
“Then why…”
Other than the promise to show him around the neighborhood, there was no reason for Lee Do-hyeon to come looking for him. Ryu Jeong looked up at him with a completely clueless expression. Lee Do-hyeon, gazing at his clear eyes filled with bewilderment, opened his mouth calmly.
“Have you eaten?”
“Eat…?”
“Yes. Eat.”
In the short span of a few minutes, Ryu Jeong’s eyes widened several times. Not knowing what context the meal story came up in, Ryu Jeong blinked rapidly and averted his gaze diagonally.
“No, not yet…”
“That’s good. I thought so. Jeong Darling. Can you wait here for a moment?”
Lee Do-hyeon turned around without waiting for an answer and went back to the car. Ryu Jeong, curious about what he was going to do, stared intently at his back.
He went around to the passenger seat instead of the driver’s seat, leaned his upper body into the car, and seemed to be doing something. Perhaps because the alley was so quiet, the rustling sound from inside the car was loud. He closed the door and came back, and Lee Do-hyeon, who had been empty-handed until just now, was holding something. Ryu Jeong’s gaze naturally went to his hand. A white plastic bag, with its contents hidden from view, rustled as it swayed.
“I packed something from nearby on the way here. Do you like pork cutlet?”
“Ah… Yes. I like it, a lot…”
It was something, and what was inside was none other than food. A hint of anticipation appeared on Ryu Jeong’s face.
Seeing his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly, as if saliva was gathering in his mouth just from imagining it, Lee Do-hyeon smiled. He had been badgering Chief Yoon, who had a younger sibling of a similar age, to decide on a menu, not knowing what he would like, and he thought he had done well. Of course, he had almost vomited several times because of the smell of oil that had been vibrating in the car the whole time he was bringing it, but seeing that Ryu Jeong liked it, he secretly thought he had bought it well.
“I’m glad you like it. It’s a little cold, but you can heat it up and eat it.”
Ryu Jeong, who had received what he was offering, opened the bag and looked inside. Then, surprised by the words as if he was telling him to eat it alone, he widened his eyes and looked at Lee Do-hyeon.
“Only me? What about President?”
“What about me?”
“Aren’t you eating together…?”
At the cautious question, Lee Do-hyeon pursed his lips and stared intently at Ryu Jeong’s face. His gaze first went to his lips, which were slightly chapped as if he was tired. He glanced once at the white teeth that were slightly visible between his slightly parted lips, then at the tip of his round nose, and then steadily at his large, unblinking eyes. Their gazes intertwined at once, as if he had been looking only at him from the beginning. He knew what kind of answer would come out of his mouth, but it was obvious that he hoped it wasn’t. Feeling a strange pleasure at seeing the clinging regret, Lee Do-hyeon firmly tightened the corners of his lips, which kept twitching.
“Why? Are you disappointed?”
“Ah… I thought we were going to eat together…”
“So, you’re saying you’re disappointed now?”
Ryu Jeong bit his lower lip with his front teeth. The words “Let’s eat together since you came all the way here” were right under his nose. But he couldn’t easily express his wish. He thought it would be too much to ask. Ryu Jeong, finally swallowing his disappointment, forced a smile and shook his head from side to side.
“…No. President must be busy…”
“……”
“I’m really grateful that you came all the way here. But even with something to eat… Thank you so much.”
He repeatedly said thank you and bowed politely. Lee Do-hyeon lightly swept the inside of his cheek with the tip of his tongue. He had been making an expression as if he would stomp his feet in anxiety in case he left, and after persistently asking him several times, he was now just spouting such answers, which he didn’t like at all. He wasn’t honest. He was making such words with eyes that were dripping with regret, eyes that looked like they would shed tears if you touched them, so how could he possibly believe him?
Muttering inwardly about how well he was saying things he didn’t mean, Lee Do-hyeon moved first. A man who was already tall and large moved without a word, causing Ryu Jeong’s surprised body to jump.
“Are you going…?”
See? How could he just leave when he was asking with such a tearful voice?
“No.”
The answer came first, and the gaze came next. Lee Do-hyeon put one foot on the stairs where the Wolhyeon-dong Moon Village began and looked back at Ryu Jeong. Pure white moonlight poured down on his face, which seemed to be asking why he was going that way instead of the car. Perhaps that was why his eyes, which were much brighter than before, were so pretty.
“Jeong Darling has to go to work soon, but I’ve already left work.”
“You’re busy…”
“I’m not busy. I have plenty of time.”
Lee Do-hyeon, gesturing briefly to hurry up, went up the stairs first. Ryu Jeong, who had been standing there blankly, quickly followed him, as if afraid of missing him.