* * *
I sat on the sofa, dazed, feeling completely drained.
The heat showed no signs of abating.
This summer felt exceptionally harsh and long.
I’ve been staying at Kim Chanyi’s place for over two weeks now.
Life there was peaceful and monotonous.
Nothing unusual happened.
Kim Chanyi was a master of acting.
In these two weeks, he never once brought up our high school days.
He didn’t even give off a hint that he liked me.
Gradually, I was fooled by Kim Chanyi’s act.
It truly felt like we were people meeting here for the first time.
Our relationship was nothing special, just plain and ordinary friends.
Even when Kim Chanyi contacted me occasionally, it was nothing significant.
At first, I was determined to ignore all his messages, but soon I didn’t feel the need.
Most of the time, he just asked when I would be home.
By now, I was getting confused.
Initially, I didn’t fully believe Kim Chanyi’s words that he had no intention of hitting on me.
I thought he was just saying it. I believed that someday he would reveal his hidden intentions.
But now… maybe Kim Chanyi really doesn’t like me anymore.
Maybe he found me unappealing after living together.
Or perhaps he confirmed that I’m not gay and gave up.
There were moments when our bodies accidentally touched while living together.
Every time, I was the only one who got startled.
I couldn’t find any tension in Kim Chanyi’s eyes directed at me.
He was always calm.
No matter how much I looked, his face did not resemble that of someone who liked me.
Although it was a distant memory, I remembered that I was always at a loss for what to do in front of someone I liked.
Maybe Kim Chanyi had no thoughts at all while I was unnecessarily wary.
I started to relax.
Even when Kim Chanyi sat right next to me, I wasn’t particularly uncomfortable.
Kim Chanyi was always there like a harmless plant.
Whether it was an act or if he truly lost interest, I couldn’t tell, but either way, I was at ease.
Tonight is Saturday.
It’s one of the few times I can see Kim Chanyi’s face for a long while.
After closing the store, I checked my phone.
There was a message from Kim Chanyi.
“When are you coming?”
“I’m on my way.”
I rubbed my stomach with my palm.
I felt oddly hungry. It had been an unusually hectic and busy day.
A group reservation from one of the departments caused the closing to be a bit later than usual.
Though I had a simple meal at the store earlier, I got hungry quickly.
I typed a reply as I walked through the sticky early morning air.
“But I’m hungry.”
As soon as I replied, Kim Chanyi called me.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“Should I order some late-night snacks?”
“You’re not sleeping?”
“I can stay up a bit later today.”
“Even if you order snacks, I’ll end up eating alone.”
“I’ll eat with you.”
“Alright.”
“Tell me what you want.”
“Then… vegetable gopchang (grilled intestines).”
“Should I get some soju too?”
“Just a couple of bottles.”
After hanging up, I quickened my pace a bit.
The thought of eating gopchang made me a little excited.
When I got home, Kim Chanyi was setting the table.
“Change your clothes and come out.”
“Okay.”
After changing into comfortable clothes and washing my hands, I sat on the sofa.
Kim Chanyi naturally came and sat beside me.
We talked while lounging on the sofa, both unguarded.
“Did you have any troublesome customers today?”
“Hey, a bunch of your school kids came as a group and left a mess.”
“Really?”
“University students are even worse. What do they even learn at college?”
Kim Chanyi laughed softly.
“They usually learn useless stuff.”
“Even you?”
“Even me. It’s all pretty useless in real life.”
I straightened my back a bit, which had been buried in the backrest.
“Really? But you’re different from them.”
“Am I?”
“You manage well. You do housework well and exercise every day.”
“It’s nice that you think so highly of me.”
Kim Chanyi’s round eyes curved into a smile. Feeling embarrassed, I mumbled for a moment.
“No, well… It’s not just me; everyone would think so.”
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
Kim Chanyi shrugged and went to get the delivery.
I quickly went to sit at the table. Kim Chanyi unpacked the gopchang, and I poured soju into the glasses.
Come to think of it, it was the first time Kim Chanyi and I were drinking together.
Kim Chanyi raised his soju glass in the air.
In a cheerful voice, he said, “Cheers.”
I hesitated, then clinked my glass with his. After taking a sip, I spoke.
“Kim Chanyi, but you’re not good with alcohol, right?”
“Am I? I can handle up to three bottles of soju.”
“What? You’re stronger than me. Why did you get so drunk before then?”
“Ah, that time during the department gathering? The seniors made me drink a lot.”
“You should have said no.”
“Yeah, I should have.”
Kim Chanyi smiled innocently.
I shook my head.
Whenever he made that face, I felt uneasy.
It seemed like he could be tricked into guaranteeing even a distant relative’s loan.
He didn’t seem to know how scary people could be.
I wanted to say something but held back, fearing it would look like I was worrying too much.
I started eating the gopchang in silence.
I was hungrier than I thought.
My chopsticks kept moving without pause.
The soju glass was emptied and quickly refilled.
* * *
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