PSY CH 102

Jooyoung blinked slowly.

“Is it true you’re dating Hwangdo?”

He repeated Hangyeol’s question in his mind. The fact that he asked meant he had already talked to Dohyun about it. Jooyoung, who had planned to brush it off with a vague lie, changed his mind. 

“Yeah, we’re dating.”

Hangyeol didn’t look surprised.

“Why?”

Instead, he asked a question of his own.

“Why are you dating Hwangdo?”

His demeanor was unexpectedly confrontational, as if he hadn’t come here on a whim. No matter what Jooyoung said, he didn’t seem like he’d accept it easily.

“Do I have to tell you the reason?”

At Jooyoung’s indifferent gaze, Hangyeol pressed his lips tightly together. Then, as if steeling himself, he said firmly, “I saw everything that day.”

“…”

“You don’t like Hwangdo.”

There was no need to ask what day he meant.

That night in the alley, when Dohyun broke down and poured out all his emotions. The bar door had opened mid-conversation, and Hangyeol had appeared. But sensing the tense atmosphere, he’d backed off—then must’ve come out again afterwards.

Jooyoung had expected it to some degree. Hangyeol’s attitude had completely changed since then, and that was the only event that made sense as a trigger.

At the time, Jooyoung was so focused on Dohyun that he couldn’t pay attention to anything else around him. It never even crossed his mind that Hangyeol might be nearby, overhearing their conversation. Dohyun probably hadn’t realized it either.

“You really saw everything?”

At the low question, Hangyeol hesitated. He narrowed his eyes as if trying to figure out Jooyoung’s intent, but Jooyoung spoke again before he could.

“If you saw it all, then you should know.”

“…”

“That Dohyun likes me.”

A soft gasp escaped through Hangyeol’s slightly parted lips—whether in disbelief or shock, it wasn’t clear. He seemed quite shaken by Jooyoung’s words. For a while, he only opened and closed his mouth, unable to speak, then clenched his fists and glared.

“You don’t like him though.”

“So what?”

“…”

“What does that have to do with you?”

It wasn’t accusatory—Jooyoung was genuinely curious.

“Our relationship and you—”

“After all… after all…!”

Hangyeol suddenly closed the distance between them. Since he was about the same height as Dohyun, Jooyoung had to tilt his head back to meet his gaze.

“You’re going back to Seoul! Then Hwangdo’s going to be alone again…”

Hangyeol clenched his fists and breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling as unfiltered breaths burst from him.

“You don’t even like him—so, why…!”

“That’s none of your business.”

Jooyoung’s tone remained detached. Despite the rising tension, he wasn’t intimidated. He even checked the time on his phone, his calm demeanor starkly contrasting Hangyeol’s agitation. He almost seemed composed.

“I’m curious about something.”

At Jooyoung’s steady gaze, Hangyeol flinched.

“Are you doing this just because I’m a guy… or is it because I’m the one he’s with?”

From Jooyoung’s perspective, Hangyeol suddenly showing up and saying all this felt like an ambush. If it was just homophobia or discomfort with same-sex relationships, that would be one thing, but that didn’t seem to be it.

“Why are you dating Dohyun if you don’t even like him? You’re going to leave anyway.” From beginning to end, he had only been blaming Jooyoung.

“…”

Like someone who’d been hit where it hurt, Hangyeol said nothing. He repeatedly licked his lips, his expression uneasy and anxious. Emotions rippled across his stiff face—worry, fear, concern—all tangled together.

“I don’t know why you’re doing this.”

Whatever the reason, Hangyeol had clearly crossed the line. If he weren’t Dohyun’s friend, Jooyoung wouldn’t even be having this conversation.

“I, I just…”

Hangyeol flinched and started to stammer. He knew. He knew he had no place in this. But still…

“…I don’t like it. I’m against you two dating.”

Jooyoung scoffed, like it was too ridiculous to take seriously. Opposed? It sounded like a child throwing a tantrum.

“Are you his guardian or something?”

Even though it was clearly sarcastic, Hangyeol didn’t back down.

“Because I’m his friend.”

“…”

“I know better than you how that bastard lived—that’s why I’m saying this.”

“Then go tell Dohyun.”

“…”

“Don’t come to me with this.”

Jooyoung turned away coldly, as if he no longer saw any need to keep listening. He stepped into the hallway, grabbed the handle of the metal door, and looked back at him.

“Can you step outside?”

Hangyeol, grumbling to himself, finally moved. He stomped past Jooyoung like an angry child, muttering under his breath.

“I really didn’t think you were this kind of person.”

They had only known each other for a few short months. If it had been the usual Jooyoung, those words wouldn’t have affected him in the slightest. But Jooyoung’s hand, about to lock the door, hung midair.

Hangyeol had already walked far off. His footsteps echoed loudly down the hall. It was as if he were deliberately walking that way to make sure Jooyoung heard them.

“…”

It wasn’t that he was upset or shocked. Hangyeol wasn’t someone who could affect him like that.

But the fact that he was Dohyun’s closest friend and…

“I know how that bastard lived better than you do. That’s why I’m saying this.”

That last comment lingered with him for some reason.

***

It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered telling Dohyun about what happened. But somehow, he felt like Dohyun would be furious with Hangyeol if he found out. And Jooyoung didn’t want to feel like he was sowing discord between them. He hated that kind of thing, so he decided to just play dumb.

Ding, the adult arcade door swung open. Hangyeol came bouncing in with the sunlight behind him.

“Hwangdo! Hwangdo!”

He sounded bright, like something good had happened. But the moment he spotted Jooyoung behind the counter, his expression hardened.

“Dohyun stepped out to the bank for a bit.”

Jooyoung said flatly, eyes on his phone.

Hangyeol didn’t respond. Silence naturally settled between them. He tapped the floor under the counter with his foot and looked around the arcade as if he wasn’t interested. He even approached Mr. Kim from the hardware store to make small talk. But his gaze kept drifting toward Jooyoung.

“…”

It didn’t seem like his warning had made any impact. Jooyoung was as calm and composed as usual, completely unfazed. Hangyeol pouted to himself.

Thankfully, Dohyun returned not long after. In one hand was an envelope with a bank logo; in the other, a grocery store plastic bag.

He walked behind the counter and took out an ice cream from the bag. After unwrapping it and breaking off the top, he handed it to Jooyoung.

Jooyoung put down his phone and accepted the ice cream. Then he casually held out the broken-off top for Dohyun, who took it and popped it into his mouth.

“Hwangdo! Hwangdo!”

Watching the two, Hangyeol jumped up and rushed over to the counter. He nearly knocked over a paper cup filled with cigarette butts, earning a click of the tongue from Mr. Kim, but he ignored it.

He frantically held out his phone to Dohyun, who was counting bills from the envelope. Seeing how natural the two looked together—and realizing Jooyoung was wearing Dohyun’s clothes—he suddenly felt a sense of urgency.

“This girl wants to be introduced to you. What do you think?”

A part of him knew this wasn’t the right timing, but it was already too late.

“Here, take a look.”

Dohyun’s hand, which had been counting the bills, froze.

“Is she not your type?”

“…”

“Then how about this one?”

Photos of girls appeared on the phone screen. Hangyeol kept flipping through them despite Dohyun’s stony expression.

After a brief silence, Dohyun grabbed the phone and slammed it down.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

Even with Dohyun’s furious glare, Hangyeol didn’t back down.

“What? I’m just telling you because there’s a girl who wants to meet you.”

“Have you lost your fucking mind?”

Jooyoung stepped in to stop Dohyun, who looked ready to lunge. He grabbed Dohyun’s sleeve and shook his head.

“…Haa.”

Dohyun looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh before speaking in a voice clearly strained with self-restraint.

“Don’t pull this kind of shit again.”

“…”

“You know I don’t say things twice.”

If Jooyoung hadn’t been there, Dohyun would’ve grabbed Hangyeol by the collar without hesitation. Hangyeol knew it too. He did it anyway.

His gaze shifted from Dohyun to Jooyoung. Still calm. Not the slightest flicker of emotion. Somehow, he felt like the one ruining things.

“…I’m still going to do it.”

“What?”

“I said I’m going to keep doing it!”

Hangyeol shouted and turned on his heel. When he was making the plan, he didn’t think it would feel like this. It didn’t make him feel any better.

Ding. The bell that saw him off sounded annoyingly cheerful.