Don’t you think we are going too fast? chapter 22

Just as I was about to leave my room with the hastily packed bag from last night, Taeshin texted me.

After my mom’s birthday, I felt more comfortable with Taeshin, and texting was no longer difficult. When he asked if I was going to the OT today, I hesitated a bit but said yes.

Since realizing that I should leave things to time, things that used to give me headaches for days became much easier.

Although I was still anxious about meeting Taeshin today, I also felt a belief and expectation that I could get along well.

“OT?”

“Yeah. I’ll be back!”

As I ran out, I bumped into Moon Jinwoo, who was coming out after breakfast. I accepted his advice and briefly showed my face to my parents, who were still eating.

“Are you leaving without breakfast?”

“I have to go now. Taeshin is waiting outside.”

“Have a good time.”

“Yes, I’ll be back.”

After greeting in the morning for the first time in a while, I left the house. I ran through the yard and flung open the gate.

As soon as I opened the gate, I faced Taeshin, who might have heard me running. I briefly felt a faint pheromone.

I gulped and moved again, stepping outside.

The pheromone I felt from Taeshin momentarily dissipated like smoke.

“Why are you standing out here in the cold?”

I had persuaded Taeshin not to drive his car, at least for the return trip, because he would be too tired.

University OTs are notorious for starting and ending with alcohol, and since Taeshin couldn’t drink well, the return trip would be exhausting for him.

So we decided to take a taxi, but Taeshin had called a taxi and was waiting outside. When I scolded him, Taeshin shrugged his shoulders with a gentle smile.

“Just because. Your hair is sticking up.”

“Geez… I overslept. Are we late?”

“It’s fine.”

I pressed down my disheveled hair, and Taeshin brushed it back for me. Satisfied that it was somewhat presentable, I was about to get in the car when Taeshin stopped me.

“Why?”

“Here.”

Taeshin pulled something out of his coat pocket and handed it to me. It was a small box, neatly wrapped.

“A graduation gift. Let’s keep doing well.”

“Oh… thanks.”

“I wanted to give it to you on graduation day, but I’m a bit late.”

“No, it’s fine…”

I was surprised by the unexpected gift and felt guilty for not having anything prepared for Taeshin.

“Aren’t you going to open it?”

“Oh, I’ll open it now!”

Feeling flustered and guilty, I quickly unwrapped the gift. Inside was a sophisticated, dark brown leather box.

Inside the box was a wristwatch. It had a silver frame with a white face and Roman numerals. As I admired the sleek brown leather strap and the quietly moving black hands, Taeshin spoke up.

“I actually bought one for myself too, but after seeing it in person, I thought it would suit you as well, so I bought another one as a gift. Do you like it?”

“Oh, yeah! I love it.”

“I even had initials engraved on the back.”

At Taeshin’s words, I checked the back of the watch I had taken out of the box. It had the initials S.W. M engraved in cursive.

“Sunwoo, can I put it on for you?”

“Sure, here.”

Nodding with real appreciation, I handed the watch to Taeshin.

Although he said he bought his first, I noticed a similar watch on Taeshin’s wrist when he took mine. Taeshin’s watch had the same design but with a navy leather strap.

I rolled up my sleeve and extended my wrist.

Taeshin took my wrist and placed the watch on it. His fingers tickled my wrist as he fastened the strap and found the buckle.

The touch of Taeshin’s fingers lightly grazing my wrist felt like grass tickling, causing a tingling sensation in my fingers and toes.

But it wasn’t just ticklish. The palm holding my wrist and the fingertips fastening the strap felt hot and electrifying.

The sensation spread like a jolt of electricity, curling my toes. My heart pounded and my breathing felt a bit labored.

“It’s done. How is it?”

“Oh? It’s good.”

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“No… not at all.”

Taeshin, who had fastened the watch on my wrist, looked up and met my gaze. We made eye contact and chatted for a while before he shyly looked away.

For some reason, my heart was racing too much to meet his eyes directly.

He had given me a watch before, too.

Back when I was trembling so much with nerves that I seemed about to mess up my college entrance exam, Taeshin had put his watch on my wrist.

At that time, I didn’t think much of it, but now my heart was pounding uncontrollably.

Calm down, Moon Sunwoo. He just gave you a watch, that’s all, it’s nothing special.

As his hand left the watch, I swallowed my tense breath and quickly glanced towards the back door of the taxi.

“We’ll be late!”

I shouted loudly as I passed by Taeshin and hurriedly got into the back seat of the taxi, pressing myself against the opposite window to hide my possibly flushed face.

“To Korean University, please.”

“Alright, we’re off.”

Taeshin, sitting next to me, began to explain where we needed to go and what we needed to listen to upon arrival at school.

But none of it registered. My heart kept racing and my face felt hot. I secretly pressed my flushed face against the window to cool it down.

The journey from home to school took longer than I expected. Maybe it was because it was rush hour, but my racing heart had calmed down, and my flushed face had cooled off by the time we arrived.

“Maybe I should start taking the subway instead.”

“If it’s too far, it might be better to find a place near the school.”

“I’d love to, but Moon Jinwoo is dead set against it.”

“Oh, I see.”

I still couldn’t believe it.

When I got accepted to university and said I wanted to live on my own, Moon Jinwoo vehemently opposed it.

He scolded me, saying what nonsense was this about living on my own.

My brothers all lived independently during university, so why couldn’t I?

I shook my head, thinking about Moon Jinwoo interfering with my housing issues.

“Then should I move out?”

“What?”

“I could stay near the school, and you can come over whenever it’s convenient for you. You can even treat it like your own home if you want.”

It was a good idea. Since Moon Jinwoo was standing firm, it might be a good plan to stay at Taeshin’s place for a few days when commuting from home becomes too tough.

I could even beg my parents to let me stay next door to Taeshin because it’s too hard.

As I was getting excited by the plan unfolding in my head, I came back to my senses. Normally, I would agree right away, but I wasn’t mentally prepared to execute it immediately.

If I stayed alone in the same space with Taeshin, I might only have strange thoughts and not be able to handle it.

“Alright. Get my room ready in advance.”

“If it’s a one-room apartment, Moon Sunwoo will have to sleep on the floor.”

Unlike me, who was trying to sound calm while feeling a bit tense, Taeshin seemed to have no particular thoughts and was even making jokes.

Even if Taeshin had a one-room apartment, he would definitely give up his bed for me and sleep on the floor.

“What are you talking about? We’ll buy two beds, one for you and one for me.”

“Then there won’t be any space for other stuff.”

“Try to fit it in.”

We bantered back and forth, discussing whether a bed or a desk was more important for Moon Sunwoo, and eventually arrived at the designated lecture hall.

It was a large, tiered classroom that could accommodate hundreds of students, with some people already seated.

As more people arrived, a student wearing a management department jumper introduced himself as the department president and checked attendance.

Following the student council, the professor gave a brief greeting, and then it was time to move to the buses.

“What bus are you on? I’m on Management C.”

“I’m on Management A. Different buses.”

“What? When did you get here?”

Someone suddenly appeared from behind as we were mixing into the long line for the bus. It was Park Kangseop, who went to the same high school and was Taeshin’s cousin.

“When did you get here?”

“I just barely made it. They were calling names as I came in.”

“You should come earlier.”

Of course, if it wasn’t for Taeshin, I would’ve been late too. Park Kangseop answered indifferently, ignoring my comment.

“Yes, yes. Which bus are you on?”

“Management C.”

“A.”

“Damn. Same bus as Taeshin.”

Park Kangseop frowned at Taeshin.

“Moon Sunwoo, should I switch buses with you? I’m on the Management A bus. Being separated from him will be hell. I’ll even grant you the honor of being Park Kangseop for a day.”

“Taeshin isn’t troublesome at all. Stop talking nonsense and take good care of him.”

“If there’s one thing in this world you don’t need to take care of, it’s Lee Taeshin. Taking care of him is as pointless as interfering in a couple’s fight, Moon Sunwoo.”

Park Kangseop protested strongly.

Hitting him on the back for persistently claiming since elementary school that worrying about Taeshin was useless, I warned him not to leave Taeshin alone and got on the bus.