By Zephyria “Hey, Yeong-su, what happened to your face?”
“I don’t know. He’s completely crazy! That bastard!”
During breakfast, where everyone was present, Kim Yeong-su pointed at Ahn Seo-myeong and raised his voice, rubbing a raw egg on his bruised eye socket. The children’s gazes all turned to Ahn Seo-myeong. However, even with the numerous gazes stabbing at his cheeks, he silently continued to shovel food into his mouth.
“Hey, why are you fighting?”
As expected, the disciplinarian Kim Ju-won stepped in.
“Fighting? Hyung, does this look like fighting to you? This is justifiable self-defense against an unprovoked assault!”
Kim Yeong-su protested his innocence and glared at Ahn Seo-myeong.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. That crazy bastard just rushed at me out of nowhere, you know? Suddenly, he hit me with a leg sweep! Then he got on top of me and started punching!”
“Didn’t you do something wrong? Seo-myeong isn’t the type to pick a fight for no reason.”
“That’s right. Look back on yourself.”
“Didn’t you provoke him for no reason?”
However, contrary to Kim Yeong-su’s expectations, public opinion naturally leaned towards Ahn Seo-myeong’s side.
The power of his usual reputation was proven once again.
And among them, only Ki Jae-eon, who knew the whole story, felt uncomfortable and kept fidgeting in his seat. His butt felt like it was on fire. It was a complete bed of thorns. He fiddled with his water glass, stealing glances at Ahn Seo-myeong.
But since earlier……
‘I can only see, his lips.’
He could only see the guy’s lips, chewing on his food.
‘So, yesterday’s, that-.’
Not a kiss……
Ugh, just as his heart was becoming troubled again.
“Jae-eon-ssi.”
“……”
“Jae-eon-ssi?”
“……”
“Jae-eon-ssi!”
“Ah, e, yes?”
“Ahahaha, you must have been lost in thought.”
“Ah……”
Kim Yeong, who was sitting across from him, gave him a kind smile, saying, “I guess my voice wasn’t loud enough.” Only then did Ki Jae-eon realize that he had been rude and offered a polite apology.
“I apologize.”
“No, it’s okay. More importantly, I announced it to the kids-.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Master Ki Tae-ho, it seems like he’ll be leaving soon.”
At the sudden mention of his father’s name, Ki Jae-eon’s movements came to a halt. Ah, so I was wondering if we could all eat together for dinner tonight. I thought it would be a good opportunity for the kids too. And it’s better than just the two of you eating alone-. Kim Yeong’s voice, stammering out excuses, was heard, but there was no response.
“Or…….”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
Ki Jae-eon, cutting off Kim Yeong’s words, lowered his gaze and replied. His expression held no emotion, making it very difficult to read its meaning.
“Yes?”
“I enjoyed the meal.”
Ki Jae-eon picked up his bowl, which was not even half empty, and stood up from his seat. He could feel the gazes following him, but he had no room to care. Squeak, squeak-. He walked down the hallway with slow steps, as if his feet were stuck to the floor. Ah, why did I forget? The beginning was the discord with my father. Ki Jae-eon recalled last night with a short sigh. Father, nightmare, Ahn Seo-myeong. Only now did he understand why his time with Ahn Seo-myeong had been so sweet. It was an escape. To escape from his father and the terrible dream…… He ran to the boy who liked him so much, without asking anything, and tried to forget that moment. It was a cowardly and weak self-defense that had no room for excuses.
‘There are two people I need to apologize to.’
To his father, and to Ahn Seo-myeong……
He stopped walking and gave a bitter smile.
“Hyung.”
Ahn Seo-myeong, who he didn’t know when he had followed, was standing there. Compared to this morning, his hair and clothes were still a mess. To think he was walking around like that…… What a waste of his naturally good looks. Ki Jae-eon chuckled and raised the corners of his lips.
Just as he was about to say, ‘Instead of chasing after me, tidy yourself up.’
“Do you remember what you said yesterday?”
Ahn Seo-myeong beat him to it. There wasn’t a single tremor on his face.
His upright gaze was firmly fixed on Ki Jae-eon, shining brightly.
“You said that one time is a mistake, but two times is a choice.”
“……”
“Hyung, did you draw a line with me?”
He couldn’t answer.
Because he knew best what he had said.
“You can’t take it back now. It’s not a midsummer night’s dream, and it’s not a light-hearted fling either.”
“……”
“At least, that’s how it is for me. I value myself too much to treat myself carelessly. What I gave you yesterday wasn’t cheap. I gave you my most precious thing because I like you. That’s what feelings are like……”
He respected and loved the other person, but he was also full of confidence and affection for himself. He was someone who knew how to love properly.
“So, hyung, be fair too. Don’t avoid me, and don’t dismiss it as if it never happened. Instead, if it’s really hard, just stand there……”
Ahn Seo-myeong paused for a moment and took a breath. His Adam’s apple moved. But the hesitation ended there. The moment he straightened his back and met his gaze again, there was no wavering in his eyes. His determination started from his toes. He straightened his back and took a step forward.
“Please wait for me to come.”
Ahn Seo-myeong had already closed the distance.
He opened his mouth with his usual calm expression.
“I told you before. I’ll take responsibility and prove it.”
“……”
“But if it’s still not enough, then-.”
“……”
“I’ll end it at the moment when I can’t reach you even if I run with all my might.”
“You……”
“Of course, I’ll do my best. I’m confident in my own way. But it means that I won’t resent you even if the result doesn’t meet your expectations. Not everything goes the way you want it to.”
The corners of Ahn Seo-myeong’s lips slightly lifted.
“Jae-eon hyung, if life is about things not going the way you want…… choose the happiest one among them.”
It didn’t seem like he was just talking about himself.
“Even if it hurts someone else… if that’s hyung’s true feelings, there’s nothing I can do. It’ll be hard and painful in the moment, but it’s better than living while deceiving yourself.”
He didn’t know why his father’s face came to mind at that moment.
“It’s hyung’s life.”
Ahn Seo-myeong slowly reached out and gently stroked Ki Jae-eon’s cheek.
“I hope there are more days when you smile.”
It would be even better if it was because of me. Ahn Seo-myeong smiled mischievously.
I hope there are more days when you smile.
“Days when I smile……”
Ki Jae-eon repeated those words as if rolling them around in his mouth. The way they lingered on the tip of his tongue felt somehow unfamiliar. He was a kid who always said things he never expected.
“……Ah.”
Lost in various thoughts, he realized that the clock hands were already pointing to six in the evening. It was dinner time, which he had hoped wouldn’t come. Ki Jae-eon roughly wiped his stiff face and slowly got up from his seat. Squeak-. The sound of the chair scraping against the floor echoed briefly.
Would his father be here already? If so, he couldn’t dawdle any longer.
In the end, he dragged his tired steps towards the dining hall.
“Oh! Jae-eon-ssi!”
Come this way-. The first person to greet him was Kim Yeong. He stood up from his chair and greeted him with an overly bright expression. Seeing the corners of his lips forced upwards, he seemed to catch a glimpse of his tearful efforts. Ki Jae-eon gave a brief nod and headed to the seat he was guided to.
It happened to be a seat facing his father.
‘I find it disgusting.’
Seeing his father’s face, he was reminded of that day again.
There was no such thing as filial impiety.
It felt like a heavy stone was falling from his chest.
Should he apologize after all?
No, that would be the right thing to do.
Yes…… Let’s apologize.
After making up his mind, he was just about to open his lips.
‘Even if it hurts someone else… if that’s hyung’s true feelings, there’s nothing I can do. It’ll be hard and painful in the moment, but it’s better than living while deceiving yourself.’
Ahn Seo-myeong’s words, telling him to choose the happiest thing, suddenly came to mind.
Then, surprisingly easily, the guilt he had been feeling towards his father disappeared.
Instead, another emotion clearly emerged.
It was hatred.
Yes, that was his honest feeling.
He hated his father.
He didn’t want to apologize.
He wanted to shed the shell of the obedient son and be stubborn.