* * *
The man explained the situation, and after a pause, the caller asked icily, “Where are you guys?”
He barely finished giving the address before the call cut off.
The man frowned in annoyance.
“Geez, that guy was rude as hell.”
“Is he coming here?”
“Yeah.”
“Guess we’ll see some action, then.”
“What, should I show him the fists of steel? This’ll be epic.”
“Hah, I’ll uppercut him the second he walks in.”
Pretending to throw punches, the guys laughed to themselves.
Roughly an hour later, Jihoon burst into the bar, scanning the room.
Seeing Yeongdeok slumped over the table, Jihoon made his way over, and all talk of fights or uppercuts quickly died down.
No one dared mess with him.
“You’re Seo Jihoon?”
“That’s right. Hey, Cha Yeongdeok.”
Ignoring the guy’s introduction, Jihoon grabbed Yeongdeok’s shoulder and shook him, but Yeongdeok remained unresponsive, deep in his stupor.
Jihoon muttered a curse under his breath.
“He drank way too much…”
Even without further explanation, the situation was clear.
Jihoon hoisted Yeongdeok’s arm over his shoulder and tried to walk him out, though Yeongdeok was hardly able to stay upright.
“Take care of him!”
The group awkwardly bid Jihoon goodbye, and he gave them a quick nod before exiting the bar.
ꔚ
“I really don’t understand what goes on in your head.”
Jihoon muttered to himself, frustration and a familiar scent accompanying his words.
“Am I really that unreliable? Huh? Hyung. Quit sleeping so soundly and give me an answer.”
Yeongdeok’s eyelids fluttered slightly before he managed to open them.
All he could make out was Jihoon’s broad shoulders and the fiery color of his hair.
“Would things be better if I were someone you could lean on more? Older, maybe, and financially secure.”
Realizing it was Jihoon carrying him, Yeongdeok let his head rest back on his shoulder and closed his eyes again.
The murmurs around him faded away.
ꔚ
Two weeks later, after a deep, thoughtless sleep, Yeongdeok jolted awake, recalling only fragments of his last memory before blacking out.
Looking around, he wasn’t at home, but the surroundings were familiar.
Slowly, he got up and left the bedroom, spotting Jihoon in the kitchen, stirring something on the stove.
“Finally awake, delinquent.”
Jihoon’s tone was both teasing and vaguely irritated as he stirred a pot of dried pollack soup, glancing over at Yeongdeok.
“I ditched studying during exam season to pick you up. The least you could do is free up some time.”
“I already have plans.”
Yeongdeok had plans to meet someone named Eunkyeol.
With over three hours left before the meeting, he quickly put on his shoes and headed out.
“Hey, Cha Yeongdeok!”
Jihoon’s loud voice echoed as he called out to Yeongdeok, but Yeongdeok pretended not to hear, hurrying down the stairs.
He wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t want to face Jihoon.
Seeing him only made Yeongdeok’s already tangled feelings churn even more.
Trying to avoid Jihoon, Yeongdeok wandered aimlessly for three hours, unable to return home.
Finally, around midnight, he made his way to Daehan University, where he was supposed to meet Eungyeol.
Since he had nowhere else to go, he arrived early at their meeting spot, only to find that Eungyeol was already there, looking at his phone.
When Yeongdeok approached, Eungyeol looked up.
“Oh, Yeongdeok!”
“Have you been waiting long?”
Yeongdeok waved at him cheerfully, but Eungyeol, though friendly, couldn’t shake the sense that Yeongdeok was still… different, somehow.
He noticed this but didn’t let it show.
“No, not too long.”
“What do you plan on buying me? I’m curious.”
“I’ll get you something really delicious.”
Eungyeol grinned confidently, assuring him he’d take care of it.
He led Yeongdeok to a pork belly restaurant as a treat.
Sitting at a round table, Yeongdeok wondered if this was all he’d meant by “something really delicious” but cleared his mind, deciding to enjoy it.
“Eat as much as you like. I’m paying!”
“Sure, I’ll eat well.”
After the side dishes—bean sprouts, green onions, and kimchi—came out, the main dish, fresh pink pork belly, finally arrived.
Although he’d never been to a place like this, seeing the grill and raw meat, Yeongdeok figured he’d just cook it himself, so he grabbed the tongs and placed the meat on the sizzling grill.
“Oh, let me handle that!”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll do it.”
“But…”
Eungyeol watched anxiously, half expecting him to burn the meat, but with Yeongdeok being so firm, he didn’t argue further.
As the meat began to sizzle and juices appeared, Yeongdeok flipped it over.
Contrary to Eungyeol’s worries, he was grilling it perfectly.
Watching the pink meat turn a golden brown made his mouth water.
‘Is it because he ran a fried chicken place that he’s good at grilling, too?’
“You’re good at everything, aren’t you, Yeongdeok?”
It was a simple compliment, but it made Yeongdeok freeze.
Being naturally skilled at everything… that was Cha Dowon’s trait.
For a moment, his eyelids twitched before he went back to flipping the meat every five seconds.
“Yeongdeok?”
Eungyeol called out, wondering what he was doing, but Yeongdeok ignored him, keeping his eyes fixed on the grill.
Thanks to his constant flipping, it took longer than usual for the meat to cook fully.
Once the meat was done, Yeongdeok cut it into bite-sized pieces and placed some in front of Eungyeol.
After all that waiting, Eungyeol muttered in a tired voice.
“Well… thanks for the meal.”
He took a piece of meat and bit into it, savoring the hot juices that filled his mouth.
Maybe it was the wait, but it tasted even better.
As he enjoyed his food, Eungyeol glanced over at Yeongdeok, who was chewing away, hamster-like, with his cheeks full, showing no trace of his usual elegance.
“How is it? Tastes good, right?”
“Yeah, it’s good.”
“By the way, did you change your way of speaking for good?”
Eungyeol was curious, noticing that Yeongdeok was speaking much more casually than he used to.
He’d thought Yeongdeok’s proud tone was something he’d never give up, even as an old man.
But maybe, being skilled at everything, he’d adapted quickly here, too.
“Why? Is something strange?”
“No, your way of speaking sounds natural. It just feels… unfamiliar, that’s all.”
“……”
“I’d gotten used to the way you used to talk.”
Curious, Eungyeol cautiously asked why he’d changed his speech.
But Yeongdeok’s answer was already decided.
“It’s not how regular people speak.”
“Well, maybe, but… if it’s not someone you need to be formal with, can’t you just speak normally?”
“No, it’s fine.”
He was resolute.
That way of speaking was simply a part of the persona PetitRolang had created for Cha Dowon.
To Yeongdeok, it didn’t feel like his own.
While they chatted, Yeongdeok kept flipping the meat every five seconds until Eungyeol finally took the tongs from him.
“At this rate, we’ll be grilling all night. Let me handle it.”
“No, I’ll—”
“I don’t have time for this. I have another appointment after this.”
Hearing that, Yeongdeok reluctantly let him take over.
Once the meat was cooked, Eungyeol sliced it up and suggested adding lettuce, perilla leaves, ssamjang, and garlic for a wrap.
“Try it with some greens and sauce—it’s even better.”
Following his lead, Yeongdeok made a wrap and took a bite, prompting a small laugh from Eungyeol, which made Yeongdeok pause.
“What’s funny?”
“Oh, it’s just… back when we first met, you said eating with your hands was filthy, dirty—something like that. It just reminded me of that.”
Hearing this, Yeongdeok glanced at his hand, now slick with sauce.
He hadn’t even thought twice about it, but it left him feeling oddly conflicted.
Before he could dwell on it, though, Eungyeol nudged him to try more combinations of food.
“So? Isn’t it better with all the extras?”
“You’re right. It’s my first time trying it this way, but it’s good.”
“Your first time? What was Seo Jihoon doing all this time, not showing you something this good?”
Hearing Jihoon’s name, Yeongdeok flinched.
He soon regained his composure but couldn’t resist asking something that weighed on his mind.
“Eungyeol.”
“Yes?”
“Do you… like Seo Jihoon?”
* * *
The question
🧐🧐🧐🧐
…
Thanks