PO 48

“Once autumn comes, I’m thinking of slowly fixing up the second floor too.”

“That’s good. Then can you make me a room up there too? Ah… but it might be hard for me to get around the second floor.”

Han Jaehee, who was making a regretful face as she held onto the wheelchair handles, soon smiled and held out her glass. The sound of the glasses gathered in the middle of the table clinking was cheerful.

When Yoon Hyunjun, who had been contacted, arrived, a modest drinking gathering was set up in the garden. After meeting again for the first time in a while, Yoon Hyunjun warmly greeted Han Jaehee first, then greeted Woojeong as well.

“Manager Jang keeps asking when you’re coming back to work, Woojeong-ssi. Is your body still not well?”

“It’s better now.”

“Then how about you start thinking about returning to work little by little? Jaegang is always busy anyway. Don’t stay home alone, come hang out at the workshop.”

“I was already planning to go out soon. Sorry for resting so long.”

“They say your nickname is Parachute, right, Woojeong-ssi? Since you’re called that, you should at least get that kind of benefit.” Yoon Hyunjun joked as he brought up the nickname he had heard at the workshop.

“But how did you end up working at their gallery, Woojeong-ssi?”

“Ah, that’s…”

The conversation naturally shifted to the story of how Woojeong started working at the gallery. While Yoon Hyunjun briefly explained, Lee Doyoung’s name came up here and there, but Han Jaehee, who already seemed to know him, didn’t ask who he was.

Arriving later, Sa Hunmin looked surprised that Woojeong was at the Snow Reflection Residence instead of Lee Doyoung. But after going out to smoke with Yoon Hyunjun, he looked at Han Jaegang and Woojeong and laughed.

“I wanted to visit your house once, noona, but I still haven’t gone.”

“You should’ve come by once.”

“That bastard Jaegang made it so I couldn’t even bring it up, saying why would I go there. Can I really come visit?”

“Come anytime. It’s so nice if you come in the summer. The air is clear, and there’s a stream nearby, so it’s really cool.”

Han Jaegang sat quietly, listening to the conversation going back and forth. Like Woojeong, he didn’t seem to dislike the lively atmosphere he hadn’t felt in a long time.

The quietly exchanged glasses of alcohol and the cool breeze somehow brought to mind the night spent at Han Jaegang’s villa. Even Woojeong, who had been busy watching Lee Doyoung that day, was gradually sinking into the relaxed atmosphere.

Not everyone gathered there was someone Woojeong felt comfortable with, but since Han Jaegang was by his side, it wasn’t as uncomfortable as back then.

“Don’t you have any plans to move back up and live here, noona?”

“Yeah. I like it there. It’s too noisy and complicated here.”

“That’s true. Ah, noona, did you hear that story?”

While glasses were being passed around on the table, Woojeong was busy eating fruit. Normally he didn’t like it much, but today the fruit tasted especially good.

When he put a piece of bright yellow pineapple in his mouth, the sweet and sour taste spread on his tongue. The mango and watermelon were so sweet that his hand continued reaching out for more.

Woojeong, who often skipped proper meals, had recently been eating regularly ever since Madam Kwak began living at the Snow Reflection Residence with him.

Since he ate well, and because he also ate the snacks that Madam Kwak kept bringing him while saying he looked pretty when he ate, even his once gaunt cheeks had gained a little flesh.

Han Jaegang pushed the plate of fruit closer to Woojeong and asked Han Jaehee, who was busy chatting with Yoon Hyunjun.

“When’s your check-up appointment?”

“Tomorrow.”

“But can you drink alcohol?”

“It doesn’t matter. The appointment is in the afternoon anyway. Ah, Woojeong-ssi. If you have time tomorrow, can you go with me to the hospital? I’m a coward, so I’m scared to go alone.”

Han Jaegang scoffed, but she ignored him, grabbed Woojeong’s hand, and asked once again.

“I’ll buy you a good meal instead.”

“…I’ll go with you.”

Woojeong decided to gladly accept her request. It wasn’t that she truly needed someone to help her, but it didn’t seem bad to spend time with her when she had come to the Snow Reflection Residence after a long while. Han Jaegang seemed to think the same, as he didn’t add any words.

The drinking gathering became noisy again with old stories. As they laughed and chatted, making the mishaps and accidents of their childhood into drinking tales, the night grew deeper.

“If you’re tired, go in and rest first.”

Noticing the weariness on Woojeong’s face as he sat with a glass of beer in front of him, Han Jaegang spoke in a low voice. Woojeong quickly lowered the hand he had been about to rub his eyes with.

“I’m fine.”

“Wow, is it already this late?”

“Yeah. We kept holding on to someone who doesn’t even drink. Go in and rest first, Woojeong-ssi.”

Woojeong, who had been suffering from mild insomnia, had recently often found himself falling asleep early in the evening without. Even when he fell asleep early, there were countless days when he couldn’t get up in the morning and missed seeing Han Jaegang leave for work.

“…Sorry. Then I’ll go in first.”

Woojeong didn’t push himself further and stood up. He could endure the drowsiness, but he thought the others might have things they wanted to talk about more comfortably once he wasn’t there.

Han Jaegang, who drained his glass of alcohol, stood up and followed him.

“Where are you going?”

“To get cigarettes.”

“Smoke this.”

“Not my type.”

Han Jaegang glanced at the cigarette Sa Hunmin offered, shook his head with an indifferent look, then followed after Woojeong. Yoon Hyunjun nudged Sa Hunmin’s side with his elbow, giving him a signal.

“Leave it. Did you eat your sense along with your rice?”

Han Jaehee, who had been rolling ice around in her mouth, quietly looked at the front door the two had gone through, then raised her glass in a good mood.

•••

As Woojeong was about to close the door, he suddenly saw Han Jaegang, who had followed behind, and was startled, putting his hand on his chest.

“To get cigarettes.”

Woojeong’s eyes that seemed to ask what he was doing, Han Jaegang once again used cigarettes as an excuse like before. Taking two packs of cigarettes out of the living room cabinet, he stepped forward to escort him to his room.

In front of the hallway where Woojeong’s door could be seen, he stopped and leaned his back against the wall.

“Noona suddenly came, so you must’ve been surprised.”

“A little. And I was flustered too.”

Woojeong answered and his eyes curved as he smiled. After Han Jaehee came, the house had been noisy all along. He liked the feeling that liveliness had entered the Snow Reflection Residence, which had been quiet and calm. Han Jaegang nodded as if he understood what that meant.

“Noona has always been a bit lively. About going to the hospital together tomorrow, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

“I said I’d go because I wanted to go together. She even said she’d buy me a good meal.”

Han Jaegang toyed with the cigarette pack in his hand as if he wanted to smoke. He added that Woojeong could do as he wished, then he pointed his chin toward the room.

“Go in and rest now.”

Woojeong nodded, but his feet didn’t move. Han Jaegang, who had come in saying he was here for cigarettes, also stayed there and kept looking at Woojeong.

“What’s wrong?”

Woojeong didn’t answer the question. He put his hand on Han Jaegang’s shoulder and stepped closer. He leaned slightly against him, rose on his toes, and softly kissed his lips.

Even when he acted indifferent, Han Jaegang had been paying attention to Woojeong all along. He had pushed the dish of fruit he liked toward him, he had told him to rest when he looked tired, and he had watched his back until the end when Woojeong left first.

Just as Han Jaegang was slowly changing, Woojeong’s heart was also drawing closer to him. A world without Han Jaegang was hard to imagine. It had happened so naturally and so inevitably that realizing it wasn’t difficult.

“My breath must smell of alcohol.”

“I don’t care.”

Han Jaegang, leaning against the wall, pulled Woojeong’s waist with a relaxed look. As the sensor lights that lit the hallway went out, the surroundings darkened.

“I like you…”

In that darkness, Woojeong carefully spoke the words that had been lingering on the tip of his tongue since earlier.

It wasn’t something he had said thoughtlessly or on impulse. Even after hearing the sudden confession, Han Jaegang silently caressed the corner of Woojeong’s eye with gentle strokes. Then he tilted his head slightly and pressed his lips to his.

Their soft tongues tangled between joined lips. He said he would smell of alcohol, but his breath carried only the scent of sweet fruit.

“Ha…”

Woojeong exhaled the breath he had been holding and wrapped his arms around Han Jaegang’s neck. His hand climbed up Woojeong’s back, clasped the back of his head, and drew him closer.

The truth was… saying he liked him wasn’t enough. What he really wanted to say wasn’t that, but he still didn’t have the courage to reveal his true feelings.