* * *
Despite having vowed not to be intimidated by threatening messages, Jingyeom had avoided going out.
Since that day, one of the persistent sources of contact had ceased, and the others gradually faded away within a few days. It was so quiet that it felt almost unsettling.
“Did everyone give up?”
While organizing items he had been unable to return, Jingyeom found himself somewhat puzzled by the lack of contact.
It was strange that the people who had threatened him so menacingly seemed to have stopped contacting him all at once, almost as if they had made a pact.
However, he couldn’t figure out why.
Jingyeom listed all remaining items on Carrot Mart.
He sold even those items he had previously kept due to personal preference. He no longer wanted to hold on to things given by others or be entangled with them.
Whenever he went out for transactions, Cheongoh always accompanied him.
It was clear that there was no one around when he stepped outside, but by the time he was aware, Cheongoh was already standing at a slight distance.
It had been burdensome at first, but now he was used to it, and with Cheongoh around, going out wasn’t as frightening as before.
With most of the items organized and contact from them becoming sparse, he felt a growing sense of relief, as if everything had come to an end.
So today, he went out to study at a café, and, as usual, Cheongoh followed.
“I’m fine now. You don’t need to come with me anymore.”
“I am only doing my job.”
“Until when?”
“There is no set deadline.”
Feeling uncomfortable with Cheongoh following him, Jingyeom suggested that they walk side by side.
Cheongoh, who had seemed unfamiliar with this at first, now appeared quite accustomed to walking together.
“Then, how about you come only when I contact you? It’s a waste of time for you to just wait outside until I come out.”
“It’s alright. I am working even while waiting.”
In reality, while waiting for Jingyeom, Cheongoh worked in his car.
Urgent matters were either delegated to a subordinate once Jinwoo returned home and no longer needed supervision or resolved through calls.
“If it’s burdensome, I can watch from a distance.”
“…That’s even more burdensome. Even if you’re hiding, I would still know you’re watching.”
“Then I will hide better.”
“…Never mind. Just continue like this.”
Seeing no point in arguing further, Jingyeom let it be.
“Today, I’m going to the café. I’ve been cooped up at home, and it’s been frustrating and hard to focus.”
With no one else to talk to besides Jinwoo, Jingyeom found himself speaking more to Cheongoh.
Although his responses were brief and blunt, he always answered and had never ignored him.
Cheongoh’s gaze shifted to Jingyeom’s arms, which were laden with a laptop and certification books, looking somewhat burdened.
“I’ll carry them.”
“No, I’ll take it. If you try to take it too, I’ll call Wonbeom-hyung.”
“Then I guess I should take more.”
“…Why?”
Jingyeom, puzzled, wondered if he should have insisted on not taking any at all.
“If you call, I think he’ll be happy.”
“…Wonbeom-hyung?”
“Yes.”
“No, I didn’t mean it in that way.”
“Either way, the Director will appreciate it.”
The serious expression was devoid of any falsehood. Jingyeom was unsure where to start correcting this misunderstanding.
It seemed like Cheongoh had misinterpreted his intention to call as a pretext to be able to take more.
Even though Cheongoh’s gaze occasionally flickered towards Jingyeom’s arm as they went to the café, Jingyeom successfully safeguarded the items he was carrying.
But Cheongoh’s attention wasn’t solely on that.
Although not every day, there was someone keeping an eye on Jingyeom.
Although the frequency had decreased, possibly because Cheongoh was around, Jingyeom still felt the gaze every 2 to 3 days.
Jingyeom had already identified who it was.
The report had been made to Wonbeom, who had instructed him not to take his eyes off Jingyeom.
Thus, he planned to keep watch without crossing the line that would pose a threat to Jingyeom.
When they arrived at the café, Jingyeom quickly took a seat.
Since Cheongoh also needed to sit, he headed to a two-person table inside rather than a single seat by the window.
“What would you like to drink?”
“I’m fine.”
“We’re at a café, so you should order something.”
“I’ll just stay outside.”
“Then it’ll make me uncomfortable!”
Jingyeom shouted softly, grabbing Cheongoh’s arm as he tried to get up.
Because Cheongoh had always been there for him, Jingyeom felt reassured enough to go out.
He wanted to show a small token of gratitude this time.
Though Cheongoh had initially refused, he agreed to have an iced Americano after Jingyeom threatened to leave the café himself.
“I’ll be back.”
Jingyeom, pondering what to drink, ended up ordering a warm chamomile tea.
If he had come alone, he might have ordered something different, but being with Cheongoh made him feel like he should opt for something more neutral.
He waited near the counter since the drinks seemed ready quickly, then headed back to his seat with the drinks.
‘Maybe I should have brought a hat?’
Although he was used to being glanced at, his hair was especially messy today because he had hurriedly dried it after a shower, using wax to slick it back.
The attention felt particularly intense today.
Since he couldn’t obscure his view with his hair, the stares were more blatant.
However, once he opened his laptop and book, the gazes became irrelevant.
Not long after, Jingyeom grabbed his head with both hands and groaned.
‘Is this my hair, or Baek Jingyeom’s hair?’
It’s been almost two weeks since he started studying after being discharged from the hospital.
Yet, he still haven’t finished Chapter 1.
The thought of needing to do it keeps swirling in his head, but the text just doesn’t stick. To add some urgency, he set the exam date as the countdown on his phone wallpaper, but it didn’t help.
He definitely saw it with his eyes and recited it with his mouth, but it was only momentary. He know he shouldn’t be like this, but it inevitably turns into “Should I take a short break?”
“I’m definitely finishing Chapter 1 today!”
He was determined when he came to the café, but he still couldn’t focus. At least with Cheongoh in front of him, Jingyeom tried to concentrate more deliberately. But again, his shallow focus quickly gave out.
“It’s so hard…”
Even though he hadn’t done much, just reading the text was draining his energy.
While zoning out for a moment, watching people pass by outside, he noticed a man waving in front of the café. Jingyeom thought he might be greeting his companions and turned his gaze away. When he looked back, the man was still waving, as if waiting for a response.
“Me?”
When Jingyom pointed at hisself, the man nodded. Though there was some distance, his face was not unrecognizable.
“Have we met before?”
He wondered if it was someone he’d met on a random chat before. As Jingyeom frowned, Cheongoh’s gaze shifted outside.
The man slowly lowered his hand and began waving his phone. When he used his phone, he looked strange to Jingyeom.
Before long, the man waved his phone again. Soon, his phone’s notification chimed.
Jeong Sanho: Who’s in front? (1:14 PM)
That’s when Jingyeom realized who the man was. He was someone he hadn’t contacted since receiving a troubling message from him last time.
As he stared at his phone screen, debating whether to reply, another message arrived.
Jeong Sanho : Are you going to keep ignoring me?
I was harsh last timeㅠㅠ Sorry! So I prepared something you might like~ (1:16 PM)
What could he have prepared? Jingyeom had been curious since last time.
Seeing him go to this extent with the messages made him think it might be okay to meet and talk once.
“No, I’ll handle this. If you try to take this too, I’ll call Wonbeom.”
“Well, then I’ll need to take more.”
“…Why?”
Jingyeom wondered if he should be refusing in this situation, looking puzzled.
“If you call Mr. Wonbeom, he will be pleased.”
“…Mr. Wonbeom?”
“Yes.”
“No, I didn’t mean to suggest calling him in that way.”
“Regardless of the reason, Mr. Lee will be pleased.”
The man’s face was sincere with no trace of deceit.
Jingyeom was unsure where to start correcting him.
It seemed he had interpreted it in his own way, thinking he was calling for his own benefit when he meant he didn’t need him to be there anymore.
Although Cheongoh’s attention was on his arm as they headed to the café, Jingyeom managed to secure the items he was carrying.
But Cheongoh’s concern wasn’t limited to that.
Even if not daily, someone had been watching Jingyeom.
It might have decreased since Cheongoh was around, but he still felt those gazes every two or three days.
Cheongoh had already identified who it was.
The report to Wonbeom was complete.
Wonbeom had only instructed to keep an eye on Jingyeom and not to let him out of sight.
So, Cheongoh planned to observe Jingyeom without crossing the line where he would feel threatened.
When Jingyeom arrived at the café, he quickly secured a spot.
Cheongoh, needing to sit as well, headed to a two-seater inside rather than the single seat by the window.
“What would you like to drink?”
“I’m fine.”
“We’re at a café, so you should order something.”
“I’ll wait outside.”
“That’ll make me uncomfortable!”
Jingyeom shouted quietly, grabbing Cheongoh’s arm as he tried to get up.
He felt reassured to go out knowing Cheongoh was with him, so he wanted to offer a small token of gratitude this time.
Although Cheongoh had initially refused, he agreed to have an iced Americano under Jingyeom’s insistence that he would leave the café otherwise.
“I’ll be right back.”
Jingyeom debated what to drink and settled on a warm chamomile tea.
If he had come alone, he might have ordered something different, but with Cheongoh accompanying him, he felt compelled to choose something neutral.
He waited near the counter for the drink, thinking it would come out quickly, and then headed back to his seat with the beverage.
‘Maybe I should have brought a hat?’
There were already many people glancing, but after roughly drying his hair following a shower yesterday and sweeping it all back with wax, the stares felt especially piercing today.
Since he couldn’t block his view with his hair, the gazes felt more direct.
However, once he opened his laptop and book, the attention no longer mattered.
Before long, Jingyeom held his head in his hands and groaned.
‘Is this my head or Baek Jingyeom’s head?’
Jeong Sanho: Contact me when you feel better. I’ll be waiting. (1:18 PM)
Jingyeom looked up to check outside the window, but Sanho was already gone and couldn’t be seen.
‘Contact you when I feel better…’
It seems there’s something going on between Jeong Sanho and Baek Jingyeom.
After all, such a message wouldn’t be sent otherwise.
Moreover, there was a call log, but there were no messages exchanged between them. That was odd too.
‘Did Baek Jingyeom and this person have a fight and delete all the messages?’
While Jingyeom was lost in thought looking at his phone screen, Cheongoh quickly sent a message to someone.
The recipient was Soohyuk, who was waiting outside. Soohyuk checked Cheongoh’s message and immediately went after Jeong Sanho.
So, Jingyeom ended up going to a café to study, and all he did was drink warm chamomile tea.
“Don’t you want to see me?”
“You said you’d come next week.”
“I’d like to come right away…”
Jingyeom stifled a laugh by covering his mouth with his hand at Soohyuk’s sulky voice.
“You remember the day I’m coming, right? I’ll be going straight from the airport, so don’t go anywhere and stay at home. Got it?”
“I know. How many times do I have to say it?”
“I’m worried you might forget. You ignored my message last time.”
“That was because the message didn’t go through!”
There was once an error where a message didn’t send as expected.
Jingyeom found out later, and after hastily contacting Soohyuk, he had been fussed at for ignoring the message.
He spent over an hour on the phone calming down the sulking Soohyuk.
Moreover, the whole time Jingyeom was on the phone, Jinwoo’s gaze felt so intense that he thought his side would be pierced. So today, he was outside sitting on a bench during the call.
“What did you do today?”
“I went to the café and… studied.”
“You said the certification exam is coming up soon. How’s the studying going?”
“…”
Jingyeom had only drunk chamomile tea at the café, so he couldn’t honestly say the studying was going well.
He wiggled his toes outside his slippers without answering.
Soohyuk seemed to catch on and gave a faint smile.
Jingyeom, feeling a bit awkward, started to smile too.
Their laughter intertwined, and since it wasn’t a hearty laugh, Jingyeom felt an inexplicable tickle in his chest.
* * *
Thanks
Who is this guy 🙁
I got confused with this chapter..
Wait, I’m confused
Who’s the endgame im curious
Yo this chapter is messed up🤧
Do something please 🍑
Who!?
This chapter are confusing and finally Soohyuk back
New character.
Woooo😱😱
Im confused now
I’m confused 😕
Confusing chapter