SLC 50

“Damn. This is delicious. Whoever first thought of eating meat deserves a hug. I want to give that person a hug.”

Seo Sangil muttered with a look of bliss, stuffing two pieces of grilled meat into his mouth at once.

“You read a lot. Who was the first person to eat meat? Do you know anything? If I knew the date they died, I would perform a memorial service for them.”

“…….”

Sangil noticed his friend lost in thought in front of the grill. He waved a hand while stuffing a lettuce wrap into his mouth.

“Huh?”

“Why the blank stare? Did something happen?”

“Nothing happened.”

Kim Jinkyung smiled and pushed the seasoned green onions around.

“Then why aren’t you touching your drink?”

“I have a class tomorrow morning.”

“Really?”

Sangil sent a suspicious look his way. Even with a morning class, Jinkyung’s tolerance made a couple of drinks a non-issue.

Moreover, Jinkyung had barely eaten since they entered the restaurant. He spent the time absentmindedly staring at his own hand, turning deep red, and guzzling cold water.

Something was definitely up.

Sangil has little tact but keen intuition. He watched Jinkyung while pouring himself another shot of soju.

“Hey, listen.”

“I’m listening.”

“This isn’t about me. It’s just something about someone I know.”

That opening move meant it was one hundred percent his own story. Sangil played along.

“This person has an acquaintance. They held hands, and they, uh, they kissed.”

“You’re dating.”

Sangil reached a simple conclusion.

“No, I told you it’s not my story.”

“Okay. Then tell your friend to just date the other person.”

“….The situation isn’t that simple.”

Jinkyung let out a long sigh and drained his glass of cold water. His eyes remained wide as he continued.

“The other person never actually said they liked my acquaintance.”

“Then break up.”

“…….”

Jinkyung’s face turned pale.

The way he reacted to every word despite calling it “an acquaintance’s story” was entertaining. Sangil hid his amusement and prodded for more.

“They did everything together without even saying they liked him? What’s the point of that?”

“So, what should they do?”

“Either date or break up.”

The answer was simple. No other options existed. No matter how many flowery words he used to dress it up, the conclusion always fell into one of those two categories.

“…I suppose so.”

Sangil watched Jinkyung mutter to himself and then asked a direct question.

“How about you?”

“Me?”

“How do you…how does your acquaintance feel about the other person? Do they like him?”

Jinkyung was always a man of integrity. Even in a sweaty classroom, the air around him felt different. He always wore a crisp, unwrinkled uniform shirt and maintained perfect posture. He wasn’t arrogant, either. He was a kind soul, sometimes to the point of appearing a bit slow. Perhaps his standards were too high or his ideals too refined, but he never showed interest in dating. Everyone expected college to change him, but his life became a repetitive cycle of school, home, and the library until his enlistment. He returned from the military even more upright, resuming that same rigid routine.

Jinkyung just laughed whenever people offered him blind dates, warning him that he would regret dying a virgin.

Once, Sangil made a big effort and asked a junior from the department to bring a beautiful girl to a casual gathering. Jinkyung seemed surprised at first, but he treated her with his usual kind and polite face.

…He remained nothing but polite until the very end.

Does this guy have a secret problem?

…Does his equipment not work?

Sangil stopped forcing blind dates on him after that thought. Now, that very same Jinkyung was asking for relationship advice. Sangil kept a straight face, but the sound of dopamine exploding in his head was deafening.

When asked if he liked the person, Jinkyung’s face turned as red as a ripe apple.

Man. His equipment clearly works fine. Why has he been holding back all this time?

Sangil grinned and placed more meat on the grill.

“Ah, no. It’s not exactly that they like that person, it’s more that my acquaintance is worried… they do like him, but… the situation is complicated.”

“Since when do men overthink things like that? If you like someone, you like them. If you want to meet, you meet.”

“The other person never said they liked my acquaintance.”

“But they kissed. Isn’t that enough?”

“You think so?”

Jinkyung’s big eyes sparkled.

People called Jinkyung the “Grass Deer.” With his long neck and large eyes, he certainly looked like a deer, but his personality was too bland and boring to earn a more flattering nickname.

‘I do like salad.’

Jinkyung simply laughed off that mediocre nickname. He lived up to his nickname.

What the hell??Even a bland guy like him can make a face like that.

“Well, it’s fine. People don’t kiss if they hate each other,” Sangil noted.

“But that kissing… there’s a specific necessity for it.”

“What necessity? Is it a disease where you die without kissing? If so, I’ll allow it.”

“It isn’t a terminal illness, but it’s a very special situation.”

“What kind of situation?”

Sangil asked with narrowed eyes. Honestly, he didn’t care much for a guy’s romantic life. However, seeing the innocent Jinkyung look so desperate sent his dopamine levels through the roof.

“I can’t tell anyone about it.”

“Fine, then don’t. Just tell them to date in secret.”

Is the person a celebrity or something?

He really has high standards.

Sangil wanted to dig deeper, but he knew exactly how tight-lipped his friend was. He gave up on trying to identify the partner.

“…But, he said he liked the hands.”

“What?”

Sangil asked while stacking the cooked meat into a mountain on the plate in front of him.

“He likes the hands. He said he finds my acquaintance’s hands attractive.”

“…….”

Did he fail to get it up, so he mastered hand techniques instead?

Sangil pushed the plate of meat toward Jinkyung.

“Eat.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Jinkyung put a piece of meat in his mouth.

“…Is it possible to like only a part of someone?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Then, could they eventually like the whole person too?”

A flicker of hope appeared in Jinkyung’s eyes.

Poor bastard.

“Eat. Eat more.”

Sangil pushed every single piece of meat on the plate toward Jinkyung.

“No, you eat too.”

“I can just grill more. Over here! Four more servings of meat and another bottle of soju, please!”

Sangil finished his shot after placing the order.

“So, that acquaintance has hands very similar to mine. I mean, they just look ordinary like this.”

“Uh-huh.”

Sangil gave a half-hearted reply, glancing at Jinkyung’s hand. He never had a reason to look closely at a friend’s hand before, so it felt like he was seeing it for the first time.

Well. It looks clean and straight. Just like the guy himself.

“A hand like this isn’t particularly special, right?”

“Yeah. Hands are all the same. Five fingers. It would be special if you had an extra finger.”

“….I guess.”

Jinkyung stared down at his hand, his shoulders drooping in disappointment.

“What does the appearance matter? The other person said they liked the hands.”

“I-I suppose so.”

Damn, he looks like a deer that just watched its parents get eaten while grazing.

“Give him the hand. Give it to him whenever he asks. Just do it.”

“Haha.”

Jinkyung scratched his cheek with an awkward laugh.

You celibate fool. This is what youth is about.

Sangil emptied his refilled glass.

“Aah. The soju is especially bitter today. It really hits the spot.”

“Don’t drink too much.”

“Soju is meant to be bitter.”

Sangil placed the newly served meat on the grill. Just then, Jinkyung’s phone rang. Sangil’s face fell the moment he saw the name on the screen.

Mok Seongha.

“What? Your tutoring ended ages ago. Why are you still in touch with this guy?”

“I told him to contact me if there was anything he didn’t understand.”

“What? You’re giving him free lessons. Don’t pick up.”

Sangil snatched the phone away.

“No. Give it back. I have to answer.”

“Stop being a pushover. Why give that guy free lessons?”

Jinkyung quickly reclaimed the phone from Sangil’s hand.

“I’ll be right back after the call.”

“Charge him five thousand won a minute!”

Jinkyung hurried away before his friend’s nagging could continue.

“Hello.”

–What were you doing to take this long to answer?

“I was eating with a friend.”

–Which friend?

“Sangil.”

–Is he the only friend you have?

You don’t have any either.

Jinkyung swallowed the words he couldn’t say and replaced them with an awkward laugh.

–What are you eating?

“Meat.”

–You ate meat last time too. Is that guy possessed by a ghost that died of starvation?

“Maybe. Haha. …He isn’t actually possessed, right?”

Jinkyung suddenly became worried, as he had never seen anyone love meat that much.

–Hahahaha.

Mok Seongha burst into laughter over the phone. Jinkyung’s eyes went wide at the sudden reaction, and he waited for the laughter to stop.

–Do you know you’re actually stupid sometimes?

“….Am I? Haha.”

–You know so much, yet you’re so incredibly naive. Fuck. I miss you.

Jinkyung’s grip on the phone tightened. His heart began to race again at the sudden remark.

He said he liked my hands, so he must mean he wants to see them. …But I’m the owner of the hands, so maybe he includes me too. …I shouldn’t get ahead of myself, but I’m going to die of excitement.

“Is the Chairman doing any better?”

Jinkyung asked as calmly as he could.

–The same. His consciousness comes and goes. When he’s awake, he keeps talking to me, so I can’t leave the room.

The Chairman likely had many things to say. He probably had many things he wanted to tell his grandson.

“You’ll have to stay at the hospital for the time being.”

–Yeah.

No one knew when Chairman Choi’s condition might improve or if it would take a turn for the worse. A heavy weight settled in Jinkyung’s chest. He felt pity for Mok Seongha, who had to endure all of this alone without any parents by his side.

“Is there really nothing I can do to help?”

He asked again, even though he knew his help wasn’t really needed. He simply couldn’t help himself.

–There’s nothing. You know that.

“Yes. Well, I…”

–Yeah?

“It’s nothing.”

Jinkyung wanted to tell him that he had something to show him when he returned, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Seongha was likely distracted enough already. He didn’t want to add any unnecessary pressure.

–Hey.

A cold voice vibrated against his eardrums.

“Yes?”

–Then…

Just as Mok Seongha was about to continue, someone tapped Jinkyung on the shoulder.

“Oh.”

Jinkyung turned around and his face brightened as he recognized the person.

“It’s been a long time, Teacher.”

This was a former student he used to tutor. The boy had entered the same university as Jinkyung, and they crossed paths occasionally.

“Yunjae! It has been a long time. Hang on a second.”

Jinkyung wanted to tell Mok Seongha he would call him back later before hanging up.

–No.

“Pardon?”

–Don’t hang up.

Jinkyung blinked in surprise. He covered the microphone with his hand and slipped the phone into his pocket.

“How have you been? I heard you enlisted.”

“I’m out on leave for a bit. I was grabbing a drink with some friends over there when I spotted you.”

The young man’s hair was cropped short as proof of his military service. He smiled at Jinkyung, who felt a strange mix of awkwardness and pride.

“You really grew up. You were only this tall before.”

Jinkyung laughed and gestured toward his own shoulder.

“That was ages ago. Are you still a student here?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Jinkyung began to feel anxious about the phone in his pocket. He even felt a phantom sting at his fingertips.

“I was actually in the middle of a call. I’ll contact you later. Let’s grab a meal sometime.”

“Sure. You have my number, right? Give me a call.”

“I will.”

Jinkyung waved at his departing student with a smile. He quickly turned away and pulled out his phone.

“Hello?”

“…….”

“Hello?”

Jinkyung checked the screen to see if the call was still connected. He called out to the other man again.

–Who was that?

“A student I used to tutor. He goes to the same school as me, so we see each other every now and then…”

–It’s been ages since you taught him. Why does he still call you ‘Teacher’?”

“I suppose he’s just used to it.”

–What? Did your lips get ‘used to’ his, too?”

Jinkyung held back from screaming and walked toward a corner.

“Please, it’s nothing like that. How could I ever do something like that to a student?”

–Wasn’t I your student?

“Your case was special. Anyway, I would never do that.”

–What does he look like? Is he ugly? Is he your type? Fuck, I bet he’s incredibly ugly.

A headache began to throb in Jinkyung’s temples. He didn’t even know where to start clearing up this misunderstanding.

“I don’t like ugly people. I mean it.”

–What kind of bullshit is that? Everyone knows you have low standards.

“…….”

–He probably looks even worse with that military haircut. I bet you were thrilled.

“Seongha. I’ve taught Yunjae since he was a sophomore in high school. He’s just a kid.”

–How old is he?

“Twenty-tw…”

Kim Jinkyung froze mid-sentence. The young man was the exact same age as Mok Seongha.

–Twenty-two? Did you say twenty-two?

“Twenty-one! He is twenty-one. Yunjae has an early birthday, so he started school a year early. I just got confused for a second.”

–…He is young, then.

Fortunately, the man across the line was a traditionalist cat who placed great weight on a single year’s difference.

“Yes. He is very young. You shouldn’t see him that way.”

–Twenty-one is young. He is a damn brat.

“…….”

Pot calling the kettle black, Jinkyung thought.

–But the tutoring is over, so why do you keep calling him your student?

Seongha repeated the same question from earlier.

“That is just how I refer to my former students. You still call me ‘Teacher’ too, Seongha-ssi.”

–I…

Mok Seongha failed to find a quick retort, seemingly realizing his own logic had hit a dead end.

“If you dislike it, I will tell him to call me ‘Hyung’ instead.”

–No. Just don’t give him the chance to call you anything. Don’t meet him. Don’t even share a single meal with him.

Jinkyung could almost see the image of a giant cat hissing and clinging to his leg with unsheathed claws.

“He just said that to be polite. He is on military leave to see his friends; he won’t actually come to see me.”

–He will meet you eventually.

“We go to the same school, so I can’t really avoid…”

The campus was vast, but they were bound to cross paths at least once. That was not something Jinkyung could control through willpower.

–…You promiscuous bastard.

“Excuse me?”

The line went dead. Jinkyung called out into the phone, but he only found himself staring at a dark screen. He held back a dry laugh. He tried to call Mok Seongha back, but only the automated message informed him that the customer could not be reached.

He tried a few more times with the same result. Giving up on the call, Jinkyung headed back inside the shop.

“What kind of long-winded phone call was that with your former student?”

“I ran into Yunjae just now and said hello.”

“Yunjae? Oh, that smart kid?”

“Yeah. He already enlisted and is out on leave now.”

“Whoa. Already? Wasn’t he just a tiny little thing? I remember him being about this tall.”

Seo Sangil gestured with his hand near his own shoulder.

“He grew a lot. He shot up during his senior year of high school, and he seems even taller now that he is in college.”

“Well, some guys keep growing even after they join the army.”

Jinkyung suddenly thought of Mok Seongha. It might have been his imagination, but the man seemed taller every time they met lately. His eye level definitely used to be different.

“What are you thinking about now? Your acquaintance’s lover?”

“I told you, he isn’t a lover.”

Sangil chuckled and downed a shot of soju as soon as Jinkyung corrected him.

“They held hands and kissed. That makes him a lover.”

“…I suppose so.”

They had actually done much more than that. They had done it several times, in fact. Jinkyung simply could not bring himself to say that out loud.

“Why? Does he say he won’t be your acquaintance’s lover?”

“…The other person might have to get married later.”

“Are you crazy?”

Sangil’s expression turned serious.

“Maybe he will get married, or maybe he won’t. You lunatic. How old are you? Better yet, how old is this ‘acquaintance’ of yours that they are worrying about a future marriage before they even date? What a frustrating guy. I mean, the acquaintance.”

Mok Seongha’s marriage had a clear purpose. He believed that if he fathered a child, he could control his transformations at will. But since he is practicing those things with him now, is it actually fine?

“Just ask them.”

“Huh? Ask what?”

“Ask if they want to date or not. Don’t be a coward and overthink things in the shadows.”

“Is it really okay to do that?”

“Of course it is. You have nothing to…well, there might be a few things you lack, but….”

Jinkyung failed to notice that the subject of the sentence was himself. He fiddled with his water glass, lost in thought.

“Sangil.”

“Yeah.”

“How did you ask Ahyeon-noona out?”

“…….”

Sangil’s chopsticks froze in mid-air as he reached for a piece of meat. He frowned and sighed.

“First of all, don’t confess in a crowded place. It is the absolute worst.”

“…….”

So he did it, Jinkyung realized.

“Singing while playing the guitar at a fast-food joint is also banned. Never do that.”

“Why would anyone do that? …Right.”

“Honestly, if the person likes you, even a single flower is enough. Don’t do anything grand. You can save the big events for after you start dating.”

Jinkyung nodded and etched his friend’s advice into his mind.

“And platonic love can last a long time, too.”

“Oh? …Yeah.”

“Here, eat this.”

Sangil began to pile meat onto Jinkyung’s plate. Jinkyung felt a bit flustered by this sudden display of generosity from a friend who usually never shared food, but he soon picked up his chopsticks.