By Zephyria 
And so it was June. The end of the university semester was approaching. Eun-ha was genuinely worried at this point. Things like Yeon-jun’s school assignments and grades, when he was happily playing around at the cafe for an hour or two every day.
From what he’d briefly checked, it seemed like Yeon-jun was staying in the school studio until late every night, but since the scenery he saw when they met almost every day was so peaceful and leisurely, he couldn’t help but feel like an old man.
“I wonder where he heard to go to school diligently.”
Does this kid not have any friends at school? It seemed like he had one friend from another department… Then, he suddenly remembered the fact that bad rumors about him were circulating within the department. Ah. Could it be related to that? Is the kid being ostracized in his department…?
Eun-ha, who had become serious, was hugging his knees and fiddling with a half-wilted leaf when Yeon-jun, who was sitting in a chair at a nearby table, replied.
“It’s my free period.”
“Even during your free period, you should have something to do.”
“…They said it’s okay to play a little in the first year.”
“I’m saying this because I went to university too. You’ll regret it if you play in your first year.”
“What school and department did Hyung graduate from?”
“He went to Yonhee University, Business Administration.”
It wasn’t Eun-ha who answered. When he turned his head at the sudden interjection, he saw Gu Hae-bin standing at the entrance of the terrace. Eun-ha, taken aback by the sudden appearance, stood up from his seat.
“What is it, Gu Hae-bin?”
“Do you see each other often?”
This time, it wasn’t an answer to Eun-ha. Gu Hae-bin gave Eun-ha a cursory glance and then turned his gaze to Yeon-jun, addressing him. Yeon-jun blinked quietly and then opened his mouth neatly.
“Hello.”
“Yeah. Good greeting.”
“…What’s wrong, again.”
Eun-ha nudged Gu Hae-bin’s arm as he casually approached, throwing out a mischievous joke. He didn’t care and dragged a chair over, plopping down. Why did that look so delinquent?
“What’s with you two? What are you doing?”
“What do you mean? Why did you come?”
“I didn’t ask you.”
“Why did you come? Don’t bother him.”
Eun-ha blocked Gu Hae-bin, who kept trying to talk to Yeon-jun. For some reason, Gu Hae-bin next to Yeon-jun felt like a villain. He looked very evil and jaded. He felt like he had to protect Yeon-jun from him.
It was a sense of duty that he himself didn’t quite understand. If you think about it, they have similar physical builds.
Fortunately, Yeon-jun didn’t seem to think much of the appearance of the stranger. However, his eyes became more attentive, as if observing him. The calm, expressionless face that had lost its expression gave a rather prickly impression. It was that incredibly glamorous appearance that had once caused Eun-ha’s misunderstanding. Of course, Gu Hae-bin had good social skills, so he didn’t pay much attention and just pushed his business forward. He said they seemed to meet often, so they should exchange numbers.
What are you doing? He looks harmful no matter how you look at it. Eun-ha blocked Gu Hae-bin once again and sent Yeon-jun back, using school as an excuse.
Yeon-jun looked up at Eun-ha, who was holding his shoulder, with a slightly sulky expression, briefly held his wrist, let go, and left the terrace with a greeting saying he would contact him.
“Why did you come? Without contacting me.”
Eun-ha asked as soon as he disappeared, but it wasn’t a question that particularly needed an answer. He was the type to show his face from time to time without contacting him. Sometimes he had business, sometimes he didn’t.
It seemed like he did today. Gu Hae-bin placed a photo on the table. The appearance of an unfamiliar woman was neatly captured inside. It seemed like Mom had found out about a position somewhere again without getting tired. While Eun-ha, sitting in his chair, looked at the photo without emotion, a brief explanation followed about whose daughter from which family under what restrictions she was.
“So I came to tell you to meet her this time… the situation is fucking interesting.”
He muttered in an interesting tone, as he said. As if the original business had been pushed to the back burner. Eun-ha turned his gaze to a distant direction.
“Who is he, really?”
“What do you mean.”
“You’re chatting with a fucking hotshot in broad daylight, here?”
“…Don’t talk like that. He’s a kid, he is.”
“So, what are you doing with a kid?”
That’s right. What am I doing? Whenever his discipline was disrupted, Eun-ha tried several times to recall the initial content. So, this is, if I had to define it.
…An act of playing with him for a while?
If you think about it, it’s not a wrong expression, it’s probably the closest expression to the truth, but Eun-ha had to be buried in the feeling that he himself had become a terrible piece of trash just by thinking that in his mind.
The nuance is a bit… But there was no other suitable definition he could find. It’s not like we’re going to date. It’s just a passing thing.
“Come to think of it, it seems like it’s your first time meeting a younger guy.”
Gu Hae-bin muttered as if looking back on the past. It wasn’t the same, it was the first time.
Soon, a sharp gaze reached him. Eyes narrowed as if suspicious.
“No way, Lee Eun-ha. Dating?”
Eun-ha immediately said firmly.
“No.”
“It sounds fucking right?”
“What… no.”
“If not, why are you sitting here chatting? You’ve never done that before.”
Eun-ha closed his mouth. He couldn’t think of a suitable excuse. He knew everything about Eun-ha. If he didn’t know at all, it would be one thing, but what could he say to him, who had directly witnessed the situation like just now?
After dragging out the time, Eun-ha, who had finally given up halfway, spoke in a nonchalant voice.
“I don’t know… he says he likes me.”
It was the first time he was talking about it out loud, and somehow it felt very embarrassing. Eun-ha, who pressed his tongue against his teeth once for no reason, added softly.
He’s a strange kid… Gu Hae-bin’s face became more curious at the listless muttering. He leaned his upper body forward, supporting the table with his clasped hands. Like a detective interrogating.
“Tell me in detail.”
“What should I tell you.”
Eun-ha waved his hand roughly, dismissing it. Even with the gesture to back off, Gu Hae-bin persistently clung to it. Starting with how they met, he suddenly interrogated Yeon-jun’s personality and character, and even asked for Eun-ha’s evaluation of him. He had been more interested in Eun-ha’s love life than Eun-ha himself for a long time, but even so, the content of the questions was too specific. As if knowing that was meaningful to him.
What are you going to do knowing that? Eun-ha, who didn’t know what the pursuit was for, consistently maintained a bothersome attitude throughout, and reluctantly gave answers to some items. Gu Hae-bin collected information for a long time and then crossed his arms as if he was almost done, nodding his head meaningfully, “I see…” Why did that feel so suspicious?
What’s his ulterior motive? He looked at him suspiciously, but he couldn’t figure out his clear intentions.