7MoH 1.16

Another gust of wind swept across the beach. Occasionally, grains of sand would scatter, forcing them to close their eyes each time the wind blew.

“It’s getting cold now that it’s night.”

Jeong-in muttered softly while rubbing his arms. He was wearing a thin shirt over a t-shirt.

The t-shirt was one of those made by the math club for last year’s fundraiser event to generate revenue.

They had created them with various math or physics formulas enhanced with witty phrases, but they sold so poorly that club members ended up having to take the remaining stock. The shirt that had embarrassed him in English composition class the other day was one of those.

The checkered shirt Jeong-in wore over it was one of his favorite items. It was practical—easy to take off when hot and put back on, and didn’t need to be worried about even if it was wrinkled. He could button it up for formal occasions, and stains weren’t very noticeable. It wasn’t too plain or too flashy. From Jeong-in’s point of view, he couldn’t understand even more the people who said that clothes like this were nerdy.

But as the night air grew colder, one thin shirt wasn’t enough. Shivering, Jeong-in glanced at Chase beside him and burst out laughing.

“It feels awkward to complain about being cold in front of you.”

And for good reason—Chase was still shirtless, wearing only board shorts. His healthy tan skin, kissed by the California sun, had a dense sheen and looked flawlessly smooth.

“Ugh, I feel cold just looking at you. Put some clothes on.”

Jeong-in displayed a characteristically Korean concern for others. Chase gazed at him quietly before nodding with a small smile.

“Wait here. Just a moment.”

When he returned after disappearing into the crowd, he had a sweatshirt on over his board shorts. In his hand, he held his varsity jacket.

“Wear this,” Chase said, handing over the jacket.

“What about you?”

“This is enough for me.”

Jeong-in hesitated briefly before accepting and putting on the jacket. The large jacket completely covered his wrists and hung down with sleeves dangling below.

He could smell Chase’s scent from the jacket. A cool yet spicy woody fragrance. The scent of what might be his cologne or deodorant.

Chase looked at Jeong-in, who seemed almost buried in his clothes, and smiled softly.

“You look cute. Like you’re buried in the clothes.”

“It’s not that bad.”

He seemed to be having fun teasing him. Jeong-in frowned and grumbled as he rolled up his sleeves.

The two chatted about various things against the background of gentle waves. Time passed incredibly quickly.

Jeong-in was surprised at how natural and comfortable their conversation felt. He never imagined that he, one of the school’s biggest nerds, would connect so well with the school’s most popular guy.

Then suddenly, a thought occurred to him. Isn’t this a bit strange? Sitting side by side at the beach, drinking cola from the same cup, sharing secrets. Though he’d never done it before, these seemed like things that only dating couples would do.

While Jeong-in was feeling ticklish emotions on his own, the group gathered in the distance raised their voices in laughter as they played a game. Just then, Brian Cole, with his arm around the waist of bikini-clad Ava Winslow, was walking toward them when he spotted the two and stopped.

“What are you two doing sitting so close together? Are you dating or something?”

Jeong-in was startled and looked at Chase. But Chase just laughed lightly as if it were nothing and said,

“Haha, don’t be ridiculous, Cole. Get lost.”

Brian playfully saluted and backed away. Chase’s single remark left a strange resonance in Jeong-in’s heart.

Don’t be ridiculous.

Chase’s dismissive words woke Jeong-in from his sweet dream. It felt like being awakened by an alarm after having a pleasant dream.

Of course, just looking at Chase’s colorful past made it clear he didn’t have even the slightest interest in someone of the same gender.

Jeong-in looked at the ocean and exhaled softly. The rhythmic sound of waves coming and going strangely calmed his excited heart.

Jeong-in told himself. This is enough. Wanting more would be greedy.

Later, Chase Prescott would become a celebrity appearing in TV and magazines. His prom photos with Vivian Sinclair had already been featured in magazines like Teen Vogue. Perhaps in a few years, he might become someone seen more frequently in the media. No, he definitely would.

The memory of once having been close enough to sit side by side at the beach and share secrets with such a person. The memory of this moment will be cherished in his heart. That was enough.

Thinking that, the gloom receded and he felt a warm sense of fulfillment. He could be satisfied with just enjoying this moment.

Meanwhile, the bonfires began to go out one by one. Realizing the passage of time for the first time, Jeong-in checked his phone absent-mindedly and jumped up with a surprised face.

He had three missed calls from his mom, and it was already well past 10 o’clock. He had been here for nearly four hours.

“I need to go. I’ve passed my curfew…”

Chase stood up as he watched Jeong-in hurriedly get up and frantically gather his bag.

“I’ll take you home.”

Jeong-in hesitated briefly but nodded, thinking he needed to get home as quickly as possible.

* * *

Chase’s convertible, carrying Jeong-in, sped along and stopped in front of a two-story house at the end of Willow Street. Jeong-in looked with dismay at the TV light flickering through the first-floor window.

“Thanks for today.”

“Go on in quickly.”

Chase kept his goodbye brief, seeming to be considerate of Jeong-in’s obvious anxiety. Jeong-in nodded and hurried toward the house.

As soon as he opened the door and entered, he faced Suzy sitting on the living room sofa.

Suzy had a bowl of popcorn on her lap and was watching a Netflix drama. Perhaps angry, she spoke without even turning her head toward the entrance.

“I watched Episode 1 without you, the traitor. I’m watching Episode 2 now.”

“Mom…”

The drama playing was one that Jeong-in had specifically asked Suzy not to watch alone, insisting they watch it together when Spring Break started. Today, they had planned to make Korean-style seasoned chicken, eat it together, and watch this drama.

Feeling like he had disappointed her in many ways, Jeong-in’s head naturally lowered.

“I did tell you to break curfew more often, but you could have at least sent a message.”

“I’m sorry. I really didn’t realize how time was passing…”

“Whose jacket is that?”

Only then did Jeong-in realize he was still wearing Chase’s varsity jacket.

“Oh! Right…”

He had forgotten to return it, being preoccupied with getting home.

“It’s a friend’s… I was cold, so I borrowed it, and…”

“…Your friend is on the varsity team?”

Suzy’s expression became peculiar. She had thought Jeong-in only had Justin as a friend and had been quite concerned about her son’s social relationships. A varsity team athlete would undoubtedly be part of a fairly popular group at school.

“Yes. Football team.”

“Football team?”

“I agreed to tutor one of their members.”

Jeong-in witnessed a trace of relief appearing on Suzy’s face. He seemed to know how to appease her anger a bit.

Sitting next to Suzy affectionately, Jeong-in chattered about what had happened today.

“So we got a bit closer, and they were having a party, so I went to the beach. We ate pizza on paper plates, and I might have swallowed a little sand.”

Suzy glared at Jeong-in a while longer before finally sighing.

“…In the future, no matter how exciting things get, contact me. Don’t make me call the police.”

“I’m sorry for worrying you…”

Having just barely calmed Suzy’s anger, Jeong-in went up to his room on the second floor and immediately took off Chase’s varsity jacket, hanging it on a hanger. When he hung it on the louvered door of his closet, it looked like a displayed product.

Though thinking he should go shower, Jeong-in stood there blankly for a long time. That enormous jacket had fit him just right when he wore it. His heart tingled at this trivial fact.

Just then, a message notification sound woke Jeong-in. Thinking it might be Chase, he hurriedly picked up his phone. However, a different name appeared on the screen.

Justin: [How did it go? Did your mom give permission?]

Momentarily puzzled by what he meant about his mom’s permission, Jeong-in suddenly realized.

“Ah!”

He had completely forgotten that he was supposed to get his mom’s permission for the campus tour before applying.

Alarmed, Jeong-in rushed to his desk and turned on his laptop. He accessed the university’s website and found the campus tour application page. As he scrolled through the page with an anxious heart, red letters caught his eye.

[The deadline has passed. You cannot submit.]

Jeong-in stared blankly at the screen before slowly covering his face with his palms. His mind was as tangled as a ball of yarn. He felt at a loss for how to explain this to Justin.

His phone rang again, urging a response.

Justin: [So how did it go?]

I didn’t go home and went to a party without you. And I was so distracted by the guy we used to chew on like a dog treat that I completely forgot our conversation. How could he possibly say that?

Jeong-in bit his nails anxiously before sending a reply.

[Sorry, Mom said she wants to go together during summer vacation]

The moment he put down his phone, his chest tightened. He had lied to Justin. Again.

* * *

Jeong-in’s face was dark, having not slept properly due to the guilt of lying to his best friend the night before.

He was preparing to go out for his scheduled meeting with Darius at the library. Just as he was slinging his bag over his shoulder, he heard a message notification.

Chase Prescott: [Darius is coming to my house today. We planned to hang out here]

Jeong-in paused and looked down at the screen. Just yesterday he’d said Darius absolutely needed to pass algebra, and now he was inviting him to a party? Though he briefly thought it somewhat pathetic, how they spent their time wasn’t really his concern anyway.

[Oh well, have fun. I’ll make plans with Darius separately]

Chase Prescott: [That’s not what I mean. We have homework too, English composition]

Jeong-in turned his gaze toward his desk. The book he had been reading until just now and a page full of notes caught his eye. As he hesitated, another message arrived.

Chase Prescott: [I mean I’m offering a place to study. Plus transportation]

“Transportation?”

Jeong-in tilted his head in confusion. Just as he was about to type and send a message asking what he meant, a car horn sounded from outside.

With a hopeful heart, Jeong-in slightly lifted the curtain and looked down. He saw a silver convertible and Chase standing in front of it, waving at the second floor. Dressed in jeans and a shirt, he looked like the main character who had just jumped out of a youth movie.

He could clearly see the shape of his mouth saying, “Come down quickly!”

The complicated feelings of guilt he had been harboring about Justin instantly evaporated. Jeong-in’s heart began to beat uncontrollably.

***

Crestview Drive, winding along the hillside overlooking the beach, was exactly the kind of place that comes to mind when you think of an affluent neighborhood. Though he had been here before with Steven for a charity event, the scenery in broad daylight was new.

Well-maintained gardens and classic gateways lined the wide-open road. Beyond them stood magnificent mansions, each impossible to casually pass by.

Under the bright sunlight, their display of luxurious lifestyle was starkly visible. Everything looked clean and gleaming. Did the sun shine more intensely in wealthy neighborhoods?

The car slowed down and the engine noise subsided. A huge iron gate opened automatically, revealing Chase’s house.

The mansion felt even more enormous than he had remembered. The building, supported by marble columns, looked like a cultural heritage that should be preserved for its historical value.

In the center of the circular driveway, water jets from an intricately sculpted fountain sparkled in the sunlight.

Chase drove around the fountain and stopped the car. He casually opened the door and got out without even thinking about turning off the engine. Who would park it? Jeong-in wondered as he belatedly got out of the car and followed him.

Looking back at the rumbling car sound, he saw a uniformed staff member, who had appeared from somewhere, taking his car to the garage.

He instinctively thought it looked like Tony Stark’s family home but resolved never to say that out loud. He didn’t want to appear any more nerdy here.

Passing through the massive double entrance doors, he felt both familiarity and unfamiliarity simultaneously. The security guards who had blocked the corridor that day were nowhere to be seen. Instead, housekeepers dressed in light blue uniforms with white aprons nodded slightly in greeting as they passed by.

The two walked down the corridor and entered the reception room. The enormous space showcased the epitome of luxury and splendor.

At the center of the open space stood a marble fireplace adorned with delicate carvings. A Persian carpet that seemed to embody tremendous labor was spread on the floor, and classic furniture pieces placed throughout created an antique atmosphere.

But what dominated all this was a huge family portrait occupying one wall. Jeong-in approached the photo as if entranced.

“Oh, that? We take a photo every Thanksgiving. A boring tradition.”

Chase spoke dismissively as he approached from the side.

The image of the family, preciously contained in an elaborate gold-plated frame. It was the epitome of an old money family. The wealth and authority passed down through generations were clearly evident not only in the expensive suits and dresses of the people in the photo but also in their picture-perfect smiles and impeccable postures. It was like looking at royalty from a classic film.

In the center of the sofa below the picture sat an elderly couple with dignified smiles. Their presence seemed to encompass everyone in the photo.

“Are those your grandparents?”

“Yes. My father’s side.”

At his brief answer, when he glanced sideways, Jeong-in witnessed something unexpected. He discovered cynicism in the eyes of Chase Prescott, who had always been relaxed and friendly.

“Grandfather Albert Prescott and Grandmother Eleanor Prescott. My grandfather spends his time hunting in Jackson Hole, Colorado, and my grandmother is mostly in France. They only come back when they feel like it.”

Chase explained like a museum docent. Despite it being his family photo, he showed no emotional attachment, as if introducing an unrelated painting.

Next to his grandmother was a boy who looked about six or seven years old, and beside him stood a slightly older girl in a neat black and white dress.

“The little one next to Grandmother is my cousin Lucas. The very one who keeps the marimo. And next to him is Lucas’s sister, Olivia.”

Behind the two children stood a tall, neat blond man, and next to him was a beautiful brown-haired woman with a soft smile, arm in arm.

“Standing behind is my uncle, Kyle Prescott. And next to him is my aunt.”

Chase’s uncle had blonde hair and gray eyes.

He thought blond hair was a recessive gene, but was it not? Judging by the unusually high percentage of blond hair among the people in this family, the Prescott family seemed to have a great attachment to their genes.

“On the opposite side are my parents. You met my father before, right? The person holding a wine glass next to him is my mother, Lillian Prescott.”

Jeong-in had already met Lillian at the previous party. She had smelled strongly of wine then too, and seeing her with a glass even in the family photo, she seemed quite the wine enthusiast.

“Your parents? They’re not home?”

“Father is at our New York house, and Mother, well, who knows where she is.”

Chase answered in an indifferent tone. Being alone in this big house seemed just a normal part of his daily life.