DI Ch 106

“…”

I don’t want to ruin it, but I don’t know what’s ahead for people. So, I should consider getting insurance.

“Do you have clean money?”

His scrutinizing gaze was quite intimidating, so I hid my face in the pillow.

“Just kidding.”

“Sometimes, your words don’t sound like jokes.”

“Isn’t it a problem with the ears that hear them?”

“Oh, so it’s my mistake then?”

“If people were innocent, they wouldn’t hear those twisted words.”

“Am I not innocent?”

“Hyung, how can you say something like that out of your mouth! Hyung, stop, don’t do it!”

Also, the hand groping my side tickled me, so I quickly ran away to the end of the bed. He got up with a faint smile and took his outer clothes. It’s already cold season without outerwear.

“The season will change soon. It’ll snow before you know it.”

“If it snows, the view outside the window will be nice. With the camellia flowers, it’ll be beautiful.”

“There are camellia flowers?”

“You’re the one who likes flowers, yet doesn’t know the names of the flowers.”

Well, I just like them in general; do I need to know all the names?

“Come home today and rest. Let’s have dinner together.”

“I’ll try.”

He couldn’t even come home when he was really busy, so there were days when I slept alone, making those evenings lonely, but it wasn’t unbearable. When he made a video call and told me not to hang up, he kept nagging. If it’s going to be like this, I’d rather he just come back without all the nagging. Anyway, I wondered if his subordinates were not happy. Maybe he’s a workaholic.

I sent him off since I was already awake, then returned home, took a shower, and took some empty stomach medication. Midterm exams for the second semester have begun. There were many coming exams as the schedule was filled, but having taken the college entrance exam twice, I felt confident enough.

Today’s exam was at 11 a.m., but it wasn’t even 5 a.m. yet, so I figured I’d review briefly, eat breakfast around 6 a.m., and then do some light exercise. However, a notification rang as someone texted me at the same time.

You sleeping? [04:58]

I checked and it was Lee Hyun-wook. This guy was particularly reserved among Seo Seung-won’s friends. Even though he didn’t say much, this made him the most comfortable person to be around.  One thing for sure was that he wasn’t the type to contact like this. I wondered if something happened.

1 [05:03] No.

I finally sent the message after some thought, and the number 1 disappeared immediately, most likely because he was checking it. But there was still no response after a while. I was so concerned that I dropped the pen I was holding.  Just as I was checking the country he would be in and the time difference, he suddenly responded.

I’m in Korea now. [05:17]

Wait, wasn’t it supposed to be in July? Didn’t he come once back then? It’s almost the end of summer, and he’s in Korea again. Do foreign schools have such long summer vacations? While pondering this strange thought, the following message shook my heart.

Because my father passed away. [05:17]

I’ve finished the funeral and I’m going to organize everything and go back tomorrow. [05:17]

“…”

It was my first time hearing about someone’s death, so I was more flustered than sad. I couldn’t bring myself to give words of comfort after being taken aback by the unexpected news, but my fingers moved first as a memory suddenly came to mind.

[05:17] As far as I know, I heard your father is missing.

[05:17] Did you find him?

Yeah, he was found. [05:17]

[05:17] Are you okay?

Yeah. [05:17]

Oh, I should’ve just asked if he’s okay.

I got up and sat on the bench in the yard, enjoying the breeze. The cool air entering my lungs seemed to gradually calm the initially pounding heart. Despite being a quiet guy, I remembered how much he cared for his family.

Lee Hyun-wook’s profile picture on KakaoTalk was his mother. However, he was extremely reserved about his father, which was understandable given the circumstances, so even the talkative Park Kang-woo was careful with his words.

I felt very strange as the circumstances of an acquaintance I had long forgotten about rose to the surface and became realistic. If he had held a funeral, he would have invited his closest friends, Park Kang-woo or Kwon Jung-hyuk. I guessed that they would be of some comfort since they were good friends, but I received an unexpected reply.

I haven’t told anyone yet. [05:18]

For now, you’re the only one who knows. [05:18]

[05:18] Don’t you tell the other kids?

Later. Not now. [05:19]

“Why…”

Doubt leaked into my voice but was quickly suppressed as I ran my fingers through my hair. I was just a friend with no apparent memories on the surface, so why was he sharing this news with me alone? I was curious, but I couldn’t ask such inconsiderate questions to someone who was already going through a difficult time.

I was just trying to go back quietly [05:19]

I have something to tell you. [05:19]

Let’s meet once before I leave tomorrow. [05:19]

Can’t we? [05:20]

Reading his messages, I reminisced about high school, specifically the memories from April, more than four months in the hospital. If my memory serves me right, the school was filled with vibrant forsythias.

Back then, I was struggling with frequent headaches more than the boredom and despair of returning to high school, which I had only graduated from a few months prior. If I just didn’t think about it, it would have been fine. However, I found myself caught in a cycle of thinking about how to stop those thoughts.

The news of memory loss and an incurable disease worried my homeroom teacher and other teachers, and the curious glances from students in other classes were all within the expected range of reactions. The same goes for Park Kang-woo, who was a friend and willing to help in any way he could, and Kwon Jung-hyuk, who stayed by my side silently.

However, Lee Hyun-wook was a little different. Of course, his initial attitude was just like the other guys, snooping around as if he had a lot to ask. But the day I had a nosebleed in the middle of the classroom, he kept his mouth shut.

Lee Hyun-wook kept his distance with a strange attitude. It was different from others who waited with consideration, seemingly wanting the other person to speak first. But it was undoubtedly an attitude that cared for the other person, and I found comfort in the silence.

1 [05:24] No. Let’s have lunch together.

Upon hearing that there was an exam in the morning, he replied, “Then I’ll go to your campus.” The paused conversation allowed a moment to gaze at the clear sky.

I put my legs up on the chair, played with my knees, and called Tae Seong-je. The call was answered before it even rang twice.

“Hyung. It’s me. Have you arrived?”

[Not yet.]

“At the rest area?”

[I haven’t left. I’m briefly meeting someone on the way.]

“I see…”

Given his profession, my imagination tends to lean towards the negative side. However, in order to avoid such assumptions, I shook my head.

[Seems like you have something to say. Why the hesitation?]

“Well, after my exam today, I’m going to have lunch with a friend.”

First, give a heads-up.

“Where’s my card? Can’t you return it now?”

The real point I want to make comes afterward. I feel like I’m learning how to communicate with him and maturing with each passing day. Of course, it’s not perfect.

[Why are you looking for your card from me?]

Just like this. Even though he said people should speak plainly to feel intimacy, he’s doing it again. I don’t know if he’s doing this to become closer to me or not.

Just aimlessly talked, gazing at the sky, admiring flowers, and taking a stroll in the yard to pass the time. Even though he’s not my close friend, hearing about his family’s bereavement made my heart feel uneasy. Death is a word that carries a dark and eerie presence.

As I was talking about something meaningless, I noticed a dog house in a corner of the yard and glanced around.

“But when will we get a dog?”

[What dog.]

“What do you mean, ‘what dog’? Didn’t you put a house in the yard to raise a dog?”

[Oh, that. That’s your room. If you don’t listen, I’m going to kick you out there.]

“…”

I had some hopes of being able to hold the puppy in my arms, but I couldn’t even get my fair share. After fiddling with the doghouse roof, I pulled my hand away and stepped back.

[If you don’t want to be kicked out, listen to me well. Take your medicine. Get counseling. Don’t starve yourself.]

“If anyone hears it, they will think that I don’t do any of those. All right. I’ll have breakfast then. Take care of yourself.”

[Sure. Do well on your exam today. Love you.]

“I love you too.”

My tingling chest made me absentmindedly scratch it below the collarbone, and I ended it by patting it like a comforting gesture. As much as he nagged until my ears rang, I felt like it was time to stop.

I went into the house and then headed to school when the time came. Setting up such an oddly uncomfortable appointment made the time fly inexplicably fast.

After the exam, I received a text from Lee Hyun-wook. When I heard that he was outside, I looked around and saw a large figure sitting on the bench in front of the liberal arts college. This guy stands out in many ways.

I approached the guy resting under the shade of the tree. Then Lee Hyun-wook stood up and gestured with his hand.

“Let’s go. I’m hungry.”

Without time for greetings or awkwardness, he abruptly spat out the words and turned his back. He was still expressionless and blunt.

When trying to find an all-you-can-eat restaurant knowing he would eat a lot, he told me he had found a good place, so I followed him, and guess what? It was ‘the’ curry restaurant.

“Aren’t you going in?”

“Ah…”

“Why. Is curry not your thing?”

“No. Let’s go.”

How did I end up eating with three men at a restaurant that has become a popular date spot? Now, I don’t have any concerns about liking guys, but still, this situation feels somewhat peculiar.