CEL 44

Why is Seo Hamin of all people in a noisy cafe like this?

Jaeha doubted if this was really the right place and continued glaring at the glittering heart-shaped sign. Hamin usually studied at the library or at home. Sometimes he went to cafes, but he preferred quiet and empty ones. A cafe in the middle of a busy downtown was not his taste at all.

He opened the door and went inside, but he could not see the face he was looking for. Instead, only a familiar rough face stood out.

The moment their eyes met, both Jaeha’s and Doyoung’s expressions twisted.

“What?”

At the gangster-like tone, Jaeha gave a hollow laugh.

“Is Seo Hamin here by any chance?”

“Are you his friend?”

Doyoung growled like a beast trying to hide its prey, but honestly he looked more ridiculous than threatening. It looked even more so because he was holding a coffee and something like strawberry milk in both hands.

Jaeha looked around searching for Hamin’s trace. It was not hard to spot the bag Hamin always carried, by the window. On the table there was a math workbook, so it seemed to be an extension of tutoring.

Doyoung’s gaze followed Jaeha’s and then his face flushed red with embarrassment.

“Why are you looking for him?”

“Why are you curious about that?”

“What, is it enough just because you’re his boyfriend?”

Jaeha tilted his head with a puzzled look, then let out an “ah.”

So this kid was the culprit behind the ‘honey’ incident last time.

Which meant Seo Hamin himself had told this guy that they were dating.

Jaeha unconsciously smile. It felt like the leniency of being two years older was showing for the first time. Doyoung noticed it, snorted, and crossed his arms.

“Anyone can see you’re not even his type. Do you even know what Hamin-hyung’s ideal type is?”

“What is it?”

“A smart person. Then that means you’re not, right?”

When Jaeha alternated his glance between the rain-stained workbook and Doyoung, the boy got angry and shouted.

“I’m two years younger than you, you know. That means I still have two more years.”

“What, you think while you study I’ll be trapped in some box where time stops?”

In that moment Hamin, who had gone to wash his hands, came back and rolled his eyes at the ridiculous pairing in front of him. Why is this guy here.

“Hyung.”

“Sunbae.”

Both of them called him at the same time. Each voice carried the certainty that they would be the one to be answered first.

Hamin looked around and noticed a few curious glances sneaking their way over here. In any case, it was not a good sign.

I was gone for just a moment, why did things end up like this?

“How did you get here.”

When he asked Jaeha first, the frown on his face instantly smoothed out and he brightly smiled. Of course, Kwon Doyoung’s reaction was the exact opposite. His face was filled with disappointment, and Hamin let out a hollow laugh.

Are they both three years old?

“I just happened to be passing by.”

“I don’t believe in coincidences.”

If he was passing by, then he should just pass by. Saying he just happened to wait for him was nonsense. While he insisted that hr explain the cause and effect clearly, Kwon Doyoung furtively looked around.

“…Huh?”

The young student who opened the door frowned deeply. It was right after he made eye contact with Doyoung.

“Han Siwoo?”

“Ha.”

The boy sighed as soon as he heard his name. Pretending not to hear, he trudged forward, and Doyoung grew restless.

“Hyung, later. I’ll hear the rest later.”

“Later where….”

Before he could finish his words, Kwon Doyoung packed up his things and followed closely behind the man. Watching the two of them raise their voices as they entered the staff room, Hamin made a dumbfounded expression.

Is he going through puberty too?

Anyway, saving time was a good thing in the end, so Hamin also packed up his things. Next to him, Han Jaeha kept moving right and left, trying to catch his attention.

“Sunbae, I really came by coincidence.”

“You didn’t delete the app.”

“That…”

“I told you this is a crime.”

“You knew it was installed and didn’t delete it, so that means you agreed too.”

They say even a school dog recites poems after three years, and Hamin inwardly clapped seeing how Jaeha was improving. If it had not been for that story about imaginary competition he heard last week, he would have genuinely praised him.

When they stepped outside, Han Jaeha followed right after him, and started completely.

“I was bullied.”

“Weren’t you the one who bullied him?”

“His face is violent.”

What kind of insane nonsense is this?

“Don’t bully kids.”

“I told you before, the age gap isn’t even that big.”

At that answer, Hamin lifted the corner of his mouth. Honestly, rather than being annoyed, he felt a little glad that Jaeha had followed him all the way here.

“But I heard your ideal type is a smart person.”

“Ah.”

What kind of reaction is that? Shouldn’t he just say yes or no?

Nervous, Jaeha added.

“Is that true?”

“Well…”

“Then what about me?”

At the strange question, Hamin stopped walking without a destination and looked at Jaeha. He swallowed hard and licked his dry lips with his tongue. Watching him made Hamin waver.

Deep down he already knew what Jaeha felt. Unlike the first time, when he only said he wanted to try, now even with his eyes closed the feelings Jaeha held were clear.

The wind carried the scent of Cherry Noir. It was the perfume he himself had said last week suited Jaeha.

Would it be fine to just let things stay this way?

The more the lines he had drawn again and again to separate himself from others blurred, the more he wanted to meddle in Jaeha’s life.

What had happened in his family, why he came to Western painting, why he wanted so much to look good to others. He wanted to ask these deeply personal things.

But he had no right. When Jaeha needed him most, he turned away. There was no way he could be of help now.

So in the end, there was nothing he could ask.

He pushed aside the gloomy thoughts and tried to lighten the mood.

“You’re at Korea University too.”

“Buy you’re really smart, but me… I’m not as smart as you. I don’t even know law well.”

“I only know it because it’s my job.”

Should law students count as a job too? While Jaeha’s expression subtly changed, Hamin glanced at him and added.

“But you’re good at drawing. You wouldn’t think my drawings are trash, right?”

Jaeha turned his gaze away. Watching him avoid it, Hamin quietly raised his eyebrows.

Look at that.

“Did you?”

“What should we eat for dinner. Sunbae, do you want Chinese today?”

“Did you?”

“How about the place we went the first time? Their yuxiang shredded pork is good.”

“Han Jaeha.”

Seeing him desperately avoid the topic and smile brightly, Hamin sighed and smiled.

Well, for now. This much was fine.

•••

“The term ‘lawsuit object’ is not a word found in the Civil Procedure Code, but it is a core concept in procedural law that serves as the standard at various stages of civil litigation. So you must never not know this…”

The boring lecture dragged on. The class time was almost over, but the professor kept saying just one more, one more, stretching it out. Students started casting resentful looks.

Hamin, who was writing diligently without regard for others, brushed away the fingers tapping his shoulder without looking.

Tap tap.

Tap.

Tap tap tap.

As the finger movements continued like Morse code, Hamin finally lost patience, frowned, and turned his gaze. Jaeha whispered with a bright face.

“Is that professor always this talkative?”

“If you’re going to disturb me, get out.”

“Go out where?” He sighed.

Is this kid not busy?

He regretted nodding without much thought when Han Jaeha said he had a nightmare and didn’t want to be alone, so he insisted on crossing the river with him. If he had known Jaeha wouldn’t stay still for even a second during class, he would never have said it was fine.

Han Jaeha drew strange cat-like doodles on blank paper and laughed, saying, “This looks like you, Sunbae.” He rested his chin on his hand and openly stared at him, behaving like someone desperate to get any kind of attention.

Even when people cast puzzled looks, he only showed slight discomfort. Compared to before, his face was much better, with his attention fixed completely on Hamin.

Hamin narrowed his eyes and glared at him. The professor loudly cleared his throat.

“Ahem. We’ll stop here for today.”

Their eyes met. He saw the professor’s betrayed look, as if he asking how even he could act like that, Hamin sighed.

“Do you want to eat samgyeopsal today?”

“I don’t like noisy places.”

“There are quiet ones.”

“…Hey, Hamin-ah. We have our Administrative Litigation Law presentation, remember?” As he stood up, a classmate from the seat behind him spoke.

“Yeah.”

“We’re planning to get together next week to organize it, are you free?”

“Sure. Send me the time on messenger.” Did she really have to say this out loud?

Looking at her face in puzzlement, he noticed her gaze wasn’t on him but on Han Jaeha. He turned his head and saw Jaeha with a wide smile on his lips.

In the same frame were his classmate’s ears, tinged red, and Jaeha. The thought that they looked good together crossed his mind, but immediately after, he felt an unpleasant feeling.

“You really organized the materials well. Everyone said they’re glad to be in the same group with you…” She dragged on words she didn’t need to say. The more she spoke, the more uncomfortable it became. His fingertips tingled with a strange feeling.

What is this feeling?

Maybe because his silence was strange, the classmate awkwardly left. Even when she said, “See you next time,” he kept his mouth shut. It felt like someone had glued his lips shut, and he didn’t want to open them.

Noticing his mood, Han Jaeha carefully asked.

“Sunbae, what’s wrong?”

“……”

“Is something bothering you?”

“You…?”

Why are you smiling?

Fortunately he came to his senses before saying more. He realized what he was about to say was strange and absurd.

He finally found the reason for his bad mood, but it didn’t feel good. He couldn’t understand why he was thinking this way.

Confused, he kept his mouth tightly shut. Then a large hand grabbed his and pulled him somewhere.

Without a word, Han Jaeha walked him into an unfamiliar room and locked the door.

“Where is this?”

“The Go club room.”

“…Are you in the Go club?”

His look said, Do you really think so? When Hamin asked, “Then what is it,” Jaeha shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ve got good connections.”

Hamin let out a laugh, thinking that if Jaeha were caught by the wind he’d be so light he’d reach the clouds.

Jaeha cleared his throat.

These days Seo Hamin was too beautiful. So beautiful that sometimes sightings of him were posted on the school community board. Just last night Jaeha had gnashed his teeth reading one.

Free Board

Anonymous XXXX

Wow, did anyone else see that handsome guy in the central library? Handsome? Beautiful? Anyway, he’s really gorgeous…

He was wearing a black T-shirt layered with a beige shirt. How could someone look like that. What’s your secret?

Anonymous 1

Why are you the only one who saw him?

Anonymous 2

I know who that is lololol

L Anonymous (OP)

ㄴWho?

L Anonymous 2

It’s SHM

L Anonymous 3

Even if it’s anonymous, don’t mention real names.

L Anonymous 2

It’s not a name… ;;

Well, anyone with two working eyes would fall for Hamin.

. He couldn’t stand leaving Hamin alone. What if, while he wasn’t watching, someone confessed to him? Just imagining it made him feel like he’d collapse from stress.

He grew impatient. He wanted Hamin to look beautiful only to him.

He kissed his soft lips. He heard him sigh but Hamin didn’t push him away.

“What if someone comes…”

“No one comes here at this hour.”

Hearing his carefree words, Hamin closed his eyes. With his sight cut off, his focus went to what his body felt.

Soft lips pecking like a bird. Hands restless like it was their first time, not knowing where to go. And the loud pounding of his own heart like a driving engine.

A sudden ominous thought flashed through his mind, and his shoulders shook. Han Jaeha slightly pulled back and asked.

“Ha… did it hurt?”

Like a puppy tending a wound, his wet tongue licked over Hamin’s lips. Hamin clenched his fist without answering.

No, right?

Just the thought made it hard to breathe and his stomach turn. No, this absolutely could not be true.

He looked into the light brown eyes. The reflet was ‎ face he had never seen before in his life.