PO 27

Woojeong tried to relax, but he couldn’t help being constantly aware of Han Jaegang. His fingers that tapped lightly on the steering wheel, the cufflinks that gleamed on his shirt sleeves, his profile focused on driving, and even his scent that brushed past his nose from time to time, Han Jaegang was someone who drew his attention too much.

“Woojeong-ssi. Yesterday….”

When Han Jaegang broke the long silence and opened his mouth, the ringtone started ringing in the car where gentle music had been playing.

Woojeong unconsciously held his breath when he saw the name ‘Lee Doyoung’ on the navigation screen. Han Jaegang stopped speaking and touched the screen to answer the call.

“Hello.”

–Jaegang-ssi. Are you with Woojeong right now?

“Yes. We are in the car.”

–I’m sorry I made you take care of Woojeong too because of me. He’s still young, so he doesn’t know how to refuse properly. I keep causing trouble for you, what should I do?

“Trouble? There’s no need to worry over something like sharing a meal.”

–If you say that, I’m really grateful. I’ll wrap up quickly and come.

“Take your time. There’s no need to rush.”

When he ended the short call, the radio also turned off, and silence fell again. Woojeong turned his head toward the window.

As if he noticed Woojeong’s burdened state, Han Jaegang raised the speed. Then he quickly turned the wheel and entered a parking lot.

Han Jaegang stopped the car in front of the entrance of a restaurant that looked like the destination, and he turned to Woojeong.

“We’re here.”

After he got out of the car, he handed the key to the employee who was helping with parking and waited for Woojeong. Woojeong got out of the car and followed behind him with about two steps of distance.

True to the name [Green Bamboo (45)], the walls and structures of the restaurant were all made of wood, and fresh bamboo was placed throughout. The refined and luxurious interior even smelled of bamboo.

Even though several uniformed employees moved around inside the restaurant where indirect lighting from the ceiling added warmth to the atmosphere, the place felt quiet and serene as if it were empty.

“Welcome, Executive Director Han.”

An employee who recognized Han Jaegang led the two to their seats without any reservation checks. The employee guided them to the innermost room, opened the door, and bowed politely.

Woojeong sat down first in the seat the employee showed, and Han Jaegang sat opposite him.

“Executive Director Han, it has been a while.”

“Yes. Let’s start the meal together when the others arrive.”

“Understood. Then I’ll first bring the tea before the meal.”

The employee soon returned, placed teacups in front of the two, and left. Woojeong wrapped his hands around the cup and looked down at the tea that gave off a gentle fragrance.

<I’m sorry I made you take care of Woojeong too because of me. He’s still young, so he doesn’t know how to refuse properly.>

Lee Doyoung didn’t like that Woojeong was part of such gatherings. But Woojeong didn’t sit here because he wanted to either. Dragged here against his will, bearing this heavy atmosphere was also very hard for him.

Woojeong continued looking toward the door, wishing anyone would arrive quickly. He deliberately fiddled with the teacup and wiped his hands with the wet towel, trying to avoid Han Jaegang’s eyes.

But that effort came to nothing the moment Han Jaegang, who had been sitting quietly, shifted his posture.

He took out his phone, checked something, and delivered unpleasant news.

“Looks like Hyunjun suddenly got caught up in work. He says he’ll be late and told us to start first. The course is already reserved, but do you want to check the menu if you want to change it?”

“……I’m fine with anything.”

“Then I’ll keep it as it is.”

Han Jaegang briefly lifted his eyes and looked at Woojeong, then he called the employee. The employee who entered explained the course and confirmed a few things, and Han Jaegang nodded in reply.

Soon the food started being served, beginning with steamed eggs topped with crab meat and sliced abalone sashimi. The dishes placed on plates with unusual designs looked so pretty and carefully prepared that they seemed too good to touch.

“Eat slowly.”

“Yes…. Enjoy your meal.”

Eating a meal alone with Han Jaegang in a place like this made Woojeong feel like he had an indigestion even before taking the first bite.

On top of that, today Han Jaegang was especially quiet. He concentrated only on the meal in silence as if he had come here by himself.

The food was served at different times. Light dishes in small portions like appetizers were manageable, but as the main courses followed one after another, Woojeong’s chopsticks began to slow.

The seating was uncomfortable too, but in the first place, he wasn’t someone who ate raw food well. In the course that Yoon Hyunjun carefully reserved, most of the dishes were sashimi and strongly scented seafood, so it was hard for him to eat. In the end, the times when he barely took a spoonful just to taste and then pushed the plate away increased.

“Then, enjoy the meal, and if you need anything, please call.”

Several kinds of sashimi were placed like a picture on the dark plate. After the employee explained each type one by one and left, Woojeong lifted his chopsticks slowly and let out a quiet sigh.

If it had been food shared by many, it wouldn’t have been obvious even if he ate less, but when food was served on individual plates like this, the amount he ate was revealed exactly.

Thinking of the effort of the person who brought him here, he had no choice but to eat diligently. Woojeong put a piece of white flesh into his mouth and chewed for a long time. After barely swallowing that, he picked up a piece of fish that the employee had eagerly recommended.

As soon as he put it in his mouth, he felt the soft texture and the strong fish smell. Woojeong held his breath for a moment, then moved his jaw again slowly. Because the texture against his teeth was unfamiliar, his jaw kept stiffening.

Because he tried to swallow food that was hard to eat, he kept reaching for water. When Woojeong picked up the cup, Han Jaegang set down his chopsticks and spoke.

“There is no need to force yourself to eat.”

For the first time since the meal started, their eyes met. Han Jaegang asked Woojeong with a calm voice when he saw his flustered state.

“You look like eating is difficult. Ah….?”

“Is Japanese food not to your taste? Or is it that the food here doesn’t suit you?”

He asked as he had already noticed that Woojeong was struggling.

“No. It is delicious. It is delicious, but…. I cannot eat raw food well.”

As soon as he heard Woojeong’s words, Han Jaegang immediately called the employee back. He kept the employee standing beside them and asked Woojeong while checking.

“What about meat? Is cooked seafood fine? Do you prefer warm food?”

He asked Woojeong’s preferences, and he spoke with the employee while looking at the menu together. When the employee noted everything carefully and left, silence once again filled the room.

Once you put down your chopsticks in the middle of a meal, your appetite usually disappeared. Woojeong distraught as he watched Han Jaegang drink water.

“I am sorry. I troubled you unnecessarily.”

“When I come here, Hyunjun usually changes the menu as he likes, and I forgot. If you don’t like sashimi, it must have been hard to eat.”

When Woojeong apologized, Han Jaegang defended him by saying it was his own mistake. He leaned back against the chair and exhaled a long breath. The look in his eyes that briefly met Woojeong’s seemed softer than before.

“Woojeong-ssi.”

“……Yes.”

“I will apologize for yesterday.”

Woojeong stopped while holding the cup. He looked at Han Jaegang’s eyes, trying to see if he was angry. For Woojeong, being in a situation where someone apologized to him felt awkward.

Was that even something that deserved an apology in the first place? When he remembered the moment he kissed him, Woojeong turned red.

“The reason I called Woojeong-ssi to the Snow Reflection Residence was separate, but I kept creating problems.” Han Jaegang pressed his hand against his left chest as he continued.

“Since I’m indebted to Woojeong-ssi, I should have repaid first.”

The words felt as bewildering as the apology. Woojeong shook his head.

“I didn’t do anything that deserves repayment.”

“You even came to the Snow Reflection Residence that day. Even though I made a big mistake toward you while I wasn’t in my right mind, you didn’t abandon me and leave.”

Woojeong’s nape flushed red in an instant. The words echoed in his heated ears.

But what happened that day wasn’t something for which Han Jaegang should feel grateful or feel he owed a debt. From the beginning, it was nothing more than something that should never have happened. Woojeong calmed himself and inhaled.

“So tell me whatever you want. A thing you want to have is fine, and something you want to do is fine.”

“I really don’t need anything.”

“I received help, so I cannot just let it pass. What kind of gift would be good for you? Whenever I bring this up, people around me only call out product model names, so it is a little difficult. …Then how about this?”

“……”

“I will help you get out of that house.”

Woojeong, who didn’t understand what he meant, had a blank look. Han Jaegang lifted his hand and brushed his own nape.

“Even if I don’t know what mistake you made, a family that makes your neck like that… seems too dangerous. Don’t you think so?”

Woojeong hurriedly covered his neck. When he woke in the morning, his nape was blotched. It was a bruise that came from Lee Doyoung almost strangling him last night.

Fortunately, when he put on a thin outer layer over his T-shirt, it wasn’t visible from outside, and except for the discomfort in his neck, there was no serious pain, so he had forgotten it.

Because he carelessly took off his outer garment when he came into the restaurant, his nape was exposed, and it seemed he had seen the bruised skin. Woojeong, flustered, couldn’t say a word and only bit down on his lips.

“If you keep biting like that, your lips will get worse.”

It felt like he had been caught with a bare face that he never wanted anyone to see. The fact that it was Han Jaegang who saw it made him even sadder.

But what in the world did he mean by saying he would help him leave the house? Whatever happened to him in the house, it had nothing to do with him. The person he should care about wasn’t Woojeong.

Han Jaegang waited for his answer with a look that said he could grant whatever Woojeong wanted.

“…If I ask for something, will you really grant everything?”

“Of course.”

Woojeong clasped his hands tightly under the table. If not now, he felt he would never again have a chance to say such words to Han Jaegang.

He couldn’t cut off this abnormal relationship with his own strength. He couldn’t decide if this was really what he wanted, but thinking this was the best choice, Woojeong made up his mind.

Woojeong finally opened his mouth.

“Then… please act as if the mistake I made at the Snow Reflection Residence never happened. I also want to stop being called there separately.”

“…….”

“I am sorry for not finishing what I promised. But I really had no bad intentions. Even if I didn’t know at first, now you know as well as I do that we are hyung and dongsaeng. If anyone sees me going in and out of the Snow Reflection Residence… it will be a disaster.”

His voice, which sounded more like pleading than a request grew smaller and smaller. The smile slowly faded from Han Jaegang’s face as he listened to Woojeong’s words.

In that moment, Woojeong grew frightened, thinking he had said something he should never have said. But the words were already spoken and couldn’t be taken back. Han Jaegang stared at him lost in thought for a while, then opened his mouth.

“……Let’s do that. If there is something else, say it too.”

“I don’t want to meet separately in the future. Please don’t treat me kindly. You don’t need to take care of me without my hyung knowing. …Doing this toward me is not right toward hyung.”

“…….”

“If hyung finds out… I, I….”

Woojeong feared himself who kept getting entangled with him. Even Woojeong, who was clumsy with relationships, instinctively felt that this emotion was dangerous. That was why he wanted to put distance between himself and Han Jaegang no matter what.

“So what you mean now is, don’t cross the line?”

He believed that if they lived like that, this strange feeling would naturally disappear.

“……Yes.”

“I understand.”