Taeyun, who had answered bluntly, stood up while holding the protected rabbit.
Seeing him head toward where Moon Domin was, it seemed he planned to find a case so the napkin rabbit wouldn’t get damaged.
He didn’t really have to go that far….
It was just a rabbit I had folded haphazardly in a moment of frustration, but seeing him treasure it so much made me feel strangely guilty.
Looking at the way Taeyun cherished it, I felt a bit of regret, wishing I had folded it more neatly.
Joohwan, who was sitting next to me, watched intently before suddenly asking.
“Is there nothing for me?”
“Huh?”
“You said Taeyun looks like a rabbit. What animal do I look like?”
He didn’t even need a napkin folding; he just wanted me to name an animal, and his eyes sparkled.
His round eyes were so full of expectation it felt almost overwhelming.
I slowly avoided his gaze and scratched my cheek.
“Well. I haven’t really thought about it.”
“Then think about it now. What animal do I look like?”
Joohwan’s persistent gaze made it clear he wouldn’t stop until he got an answer, which put me in a difficult spot.
I felt like I had been handed a very hard homework assignment.
After thinking deeply for a moment, I cautiously opened my mouth.
“An elephant…?”
I couldn’t forget Joohwan’s “equipment” that I had seen recently because it was so massive.
I spoke while thinking of a cock as sturdy as an elephant’s trunk, and Joohwan’s face crumpled as if he had just heard something bizarre.
He had probably been expecting a small, cute animal.
“From what angle… do I look like an elephant?”
The shock seemed quite large, as Joohwan couldn’t easily find his words.
I couldn’t possibly tell him I said that because of his center part, so I just laughed awkwardly.
“…Elephants are my favorite animal, so I guess the word just came out without me thinking.”
“That sounds like you just made it up on the spot.”
“No. I really like them….”
“So what you’re saying is, I look like an elephant, but it’s because it’s your favorite animal? Doesn’t that mean you like me? You’re basically saying you like me, aren’t you? You really took the long way around to say it.”
Joohwan, who asked and answered his own questions while choosing to think the best of it, had a faint smile on his lips.
He seemed to be in a great mood; his cheekbones rose high over his deep dimples.
Just as I thought I had escaped the situation, Joohwan leaned in close and whispered.
“Do you know that elephants have a scary side too?”
“…A side?”
“Yeah. When an elephant is in musth and can’t find a mate, they say it will even violate a rhinoceros. I heard that rhinoceroses often die from a broken back because of it.”
“…That is scary. But why are you telling me that?”
“Because it didn’t feel like you meant it in a good way. Do you think I wouldn’t know that? Well, thanks to that, I got to hear that you like me, so it’s not all bad, but be careful.”
Hearing those words from Joohwan right before his rut made my blood run cold.
My back suddenly felt sore for no reason, so I straightened up.
Joohwan, with a playful face, wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.
“If you like elephants that much, should I wear elephant underwear that day?”
My eyes widened at Joohwan’s secret whisper.
Beyond just being flustered, my face turned so red it felt like it might explode.
I felt like I had tried to tease Joohwan only to be the one defeated.
I wondered how he could come up with such unique thoughts, but I didn’t want to show my face that was bright red from embarrassment, so I pushed him away.
“Are you crazy? I like normal things!”
“Why are you so worked up? Did you imagine it?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“Liar. Your face is so red.”
Joohwan laughed mockingly and kept poking my cheek. I was pushing back against him as he teased me about having dirty thoughts in a wholesome cafe, when I spotted Taeyun entering through the window.
Taeyun, dressed in warm-colored clothes, approached the cafe entrance and opened the door.
Ring—.
As the clear sound of the bell echoed through the cafe, Moon Domin stopped his work and turned his head.
It looked like he was washing his hands to go greet him, but Taeyun seemed to be looking for someone instead.
He looked around, spotted us, and smiled brightly.
“What. It’s Taeyun.”
Joohwan replied indifferently, as if the good atmosphere had been ruined.
He rested his chin on his hand with a bored face, but his eyes looked like he was glad to see Taeyun.
He was a real tsundere.
“Taeyun!”
Moon Domin called out to Taeyun, who was about to walk this way, and approached him quickly.
They must not have seen each other in a long time; he looked happy and opened his arms to hug him, but Taeyun dodged him easily, leaving Moon Domin waving his arms in the air.
“Wow, isn’t that a bit much? To a friend you haven’t seen in ages.”
Moon Domin showed his disappointment, but Taeyun only gave a bright eye-smile and didn’t answer. Sighs could be heard from everywhere around the room.
Not only his handsome face but also the soft smile on his lips was enough to stir the hearts of the women nearby.
However, I knew better than anyone that his smile was artificial.
Seeing the surrounding reaction, which was like they were looking at a celebrity, I felt a prickle of jealousy deep down.
‘This is crazy. What do you mean, jealousy.’
As I lightly slapped both my cheeks, Joohwan’s gaze followed.
His eyes narrowed slightly into a smile, as if he knew exactly why I was doing that.
“I think we’re done talking.”
Taeyun replied concisely and sent a cold look toward Moon Domin.
Moon Domin scratched the back of his head at the wary look that drew a hard line to keep him from crossing it.
“Right. What about the menu?”
“Nothing in particular.”
Taeyun ended the conversation by saying there was nothing he especially liked and started walking toward where the group was.
Watching Taeyun walk over while commanding the absolute attention of everyone around him, the thought that he was incredibly handsome wouldn’t leave my mind.
His neat, sharp features and the elegance ingrained in his body created an aura that made it impossible for people to even approach him, even without pheromones.
That was Taeyun’s charm.
Despite the many eyes on him, Taeyun didn’t seem to care and approached us.
Joohwan crossed his legs as if he had been waiting and looked up at Taeyun.
“You’re later than I thought.”
“There was some business I had to handle urgently.”
“Are you a student or an office worker? If you don’t play at this age, when will you?”
Joohwan grumbled quietly about how annoying Chairman Kang was.
I wondered what he would do if someone overheard him.
As I looked around at the surroundings because of what Joohwan said, Taeyun leaned down and caught my chin.
“Your eyes are swollen.”
It was a smile as soft as fresh sunlight.
His eyes crinkled beautifully today as well, and he was so pretty to look at that it left me breathless.
As I sat there half-dazed and unable to speak, Taeyun asked once more in a gentle tone.
“Who made you cry?”
I had only cried for a little bit before coming here, but it seemed my eyes were slightly swollen.
I thought to myself that he really notices everything in detail.
I shook my head while looking at Taeyun, who delicately picked up on even the smallest things.
“No. I didn’t cry?”
Even as I said that, I couldn’t easily control my expression as I thought of how Taeyun had just left yesterday.
No matter how angry or disappointed he was, I pouted slightly, thinking about how he could just vanish and leave me in an empty studio apartment.
“Even if I did cry, it doesn’t matter to you, does it? You just left me abandoned like that yesterday.”
“Were you disappointed?”
“Did you think I was having fun?”
“Even so, you wouldn’t have cried just because of that.”
Taeyun asked persistently.
It was actually the talk about the past that made me cry, but since it was because of Taeyun that I ended up crying, I just nodded.
Taeyun’s lips curled up softly as if he was satisfied with that reaction.
“Usually, the one who likes the other more is the one who gets disappointed.”
He smiled kindly, telling me to just accept that I liked him now, and kissed me lightly on the cheek.
To do something so blatant in a crowded cafe… I could see the people who were stealing glances looking shocked.
“What are you doing. Just sit down first.”
Joohwan spoke bluntly in a jealous tone. Taeyun gave a short laugh and sat down across from me.
That was Taeyun’s seat.
Just as I was thinking he might say something, Taeyun, who was now empty-handed as if he had finished putting the napkin rabbit away, approached the table.
“When did you get here?”
“Just now.”
Taeyun answered insincerely without taking his eyes off me, but Moon Dowon didn’t even care.
With a stoic face, he pulled a chair from an empty table.
Since it was a round table, he saw that the seat next to me on the other side was empty, so he pulled the chair right up there and sat down.
“It’s been a while since the three of us met outside.”
“It’s the first time since we went to Busan.”
Joohwan answered Moon Dowon’s words with a wide grin. He seemed very satisfied with this gathering.
Watching Joohwan be so happy, unaware that this would be the last time the four of us gathered together, made my conscience prickle.
