102

Brushing past Sun-hyung, who was glaring at him and panting in anger, Yu-young casually walked out of the restroom. There was no point in wasting any more time on a pointless argument. He had said everything he wanted to say, and it felt incredibly satisfying.

“Hey! You can’t just say whatever you want and be that rude—!”

Sun-hyung’s furious voice rang out as he stormed after him. Just as he reached out to grab Yu-young’s shoulder and turn him around, a sharp voice cut through the air.

“What are you two doing there?”

“…Ah. Mother.”

Startled, Sun-hyung quickly withdrew his hand. As if suddenly regaining his senses, his voice dropped to a much calmer tone. Mrs. Lee, who had already taken in the situation with a single glance, swept her sharp gaze over both their faces. Slightly furrowing her brows, she spoke in a cold voice.

“Don’t raise your voices outside. People are watching. Do you want this to end up in the news?”

“…I’m sorry, Mother.”

Sun-hyung bowed his head, his face flushed red. Yu-young, standing beside him, gave a half-hearted nod as well.

“Let’s go downstairs. I’d like to stop by the store you mentioned earlier.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Just like that, the argument that could have escalated was put to rest. As much as he had wanted to put Sun-hyung in his place, causing a commotion in a high-end department store wouldn’t have done Yu-young any favors either. So, he figured it was for the best that things ended here.

Despite his polished image, Sun-hyung seemed to have a short temper. Hah. Acting all high and mighty, but turns out he’s just a sewer rat? Muttering to himself, Yu-young trailed after the two as they walked side by side ahead of him. He just wanted to buy a gift and be done with this whole ordeal.

As soon as they entered the store, a staff member approached and bowed.

“Welcome.”

“Here, you pick something.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Ignoring them, Mrs. Lee immediately took a seat on the sofa. Sun-hyung, on the other hand, beamed as if genuinely delighted and began speaking with the staff. Meanwhile, Yu-young wandered around the store, idly glancing at the displayed watches.

Of course, it wasn’t that he wasn’t irritated. His husband’s birthday gift was being chosen by a friend instead of him, and Mrs. Lee didn’t seem to find that strange at all. But if these people had any common sense, they wouldn’t have arranged this meeting in the first place. The true purpose of this gathering was clear—to make him miserable.

Sigh… Don’t get worked up over such an obvious ploy. Just get out of here quietly.

Resolving to stay calm, Yu-young deliberately strolled around, feigning interest in the watches. Otherwise, he might just end up throwing something at Sun-hyung’s smugly grinning face.

Before long, Sun-hyung returned, carrying a small shopping bag and smiling brightly at Mrs. Lee.

“I’ve made my choice, Mother. Shall we go?”

“Hmm. That was quick.”

“I actually had this model in mind for a while.”

As they walked out of the store together, Sun-hyung shot a glance in Yu-young’s direction.

“Yu-young, what were you planning to buy again? A camera?”

“Oh, yes.”

“It’ll be pointless. He’s been into photography for so long that he already owns every camera he wants. His tastes are also incredibly picky. If you don’t know much about cameras, it’ll be hard for you to choose something he’d actually use.”

“Well, if that’s the case, how many watches does Do-won own? It’s just about the thought, isn’t it?”

Matching Sun-hyung’s taunting smile with one of his own, Yu-young fired back without missing a beat. Though both of them were still smiling, sparks flew between their locked gazes. Mrs. Lee, clearly exasperated, waved a hand dismissively.

“That’s enough. What are you two even doing in front of an elder?”

“…I apologize.”

“Apologies.”

“I’m going to have coffee with Sun-hyung. Do you want to join?”

The implication was clear—he wasn’t welcome. But Yu-young remained composed, shaking his head without hesitation.

“No, thank you. Enjoy your time. I’ll stop by the camera store.”

“Suit yourself. Then, I’ll see you at Do-won’s birthday.”

“Yes, have a safe trip home.”

As soon as he bowed to Mrs. Lee, the two turned their backs on him and walked toward the café.

Boarding the escalator alone, Yu-young watched their retreating figures one last time before clenching his fist tightly, pushing down the strange emotions bubbling inside him.

‘You did well.’

He was furious, of course, but he had held back to avoid making a scene. Thanks to that, Do-won, who was still at his company dinner, wouldn’t have to rush over in a panic.

At the same time, he hadn’t just stood there and taken it either. He had made sure to hit Sun-hyung where it hurt—all while smiling sweetly. And he had even gained some unexpected insights about Do-won from his school days.

Yes. He had done well today. There was no point in getting lost in useless emotions.

Firmly reminding himself of this, Yu-young strode toward the camera store. He was going to buy the best and most expensive model available—marching forward with confidence.

But no matter how much he tried to shake it off, Sun-hyung’s words kept lingering in his mind.

A camera? He already has all the ones he wants. And he’s picky, too.

Recalling those words made Yu-young suddenly uncertain. Was he just wasting money on something pointless? Do-won was considerate enough to eat the octopus soup, even though he didn’t like it, without showing any sign of discomfort. Would he just accept this unnecessary gift with the same unreadable expression?

‘…No.’

Yu-young shook his head lightly, pushing away the creeping doubts. If he kept thinking like this, it would never end. Besides, it’s not like Sun-hyung was buying a watch because Do-won didn’t have one. As a close friend, he should know that Do-won already owned dozens of luxury watches, yet he still bought another one. So why couldn’t Yu-young do the same with a camera?

With that thought, he stepped into the store. When he had searched for the “most expensive camera” the previous night, a century-old German luxury brand had come up. Conveniently, the brand had a store in this very department store.

The shop didn’t look like an ordinary camera store—it felt more like an art gallery. There was even a small photography exhibition on one side, adding to the quiet, sophisticated atmosphere.

“Welcome. Are you looking for anything specific?”

“I don’t know much about cameras. It’s a gift, so just show me the best and most expensive one you have.”

“Of course. May I ask what kind of photography the recipient is interested in?”

“Uh…”

Yu-young hesitated. Then, a photo he had seen earlier came to mind—the raw, untamed waves that had looked as if they were about to surge out of the frame and swallow him whole. Almost entranced, he answered,

“…Landscapes. Nature, things like that.”

“I see. Please, this way.”

Taking out his phone, Yu-young even started jotting down notes as he listened to the staff’s explanations, carefully inspecting various models. The employee’s detailed descriptions were thorough, but to be honest, he didn’t understand half of them. Still, he did his best to absorb as much as possible so he could relay it to Do-won later.

His gaze eventually landed on a newly released special edition camera. Even to someone unfamiliar with cameras, the sleek black body with gold-accented weaving looked incredibly stylish and refined. It was a limited edition, with only 500 units worldwide, each featuring a unique design pattern.

Without hesitation, Yu-young blurted out, “I’ll take that one!”

“Thank you, sir.”

After completing the purchase, the staff politely bowed and handed him the shopping bag. His mood, which had been clouded earlier, seemed to clear just a little.

No matter how many cameras Do-won owned, he wouldn’t have this one—it was brand new. He’d like it, right? Or… maybe it wouldn’t suit his taste.

But even if it wasn’t entirely to his preference, Yu-young was certain of one thing: in front of him, Do-won would never show any disappointment. He would smile and say he liked it, that he was grateful. He was a kind, considerate person. Maybe he’d even smile a little while holding the gift.

The thought of Do-won unboxing the camera made Yu-young’s lips curl into a small smile. Then, suddenly, an image surfaced in his mind—Do-won holding up a camera in the store, pretending to take a photo.

A pang resonated in his chest.

If Do-won were to use this camera to take a picture of him…

‘…I’ve lost it.’

A rush of heat surged from his chest to his head. Just like that time when he had imagined Do-won’s bare skin, his lower abdomen tingled again.

Blushing furiously, Yu-young clutched the shopping bag to his chest and hurried to the underground parking lot. Practically diving into his car as if he’d stolen something, he tossed the bouquet he had been holding onto the back seat but carefully placed the camera bag down as if it were precious cargo.

‘Since when did I have these kinds of thoughts?’

Lately, he had been acting strangely. Ever since meeting Choi Do-won, something about him had changed. And not in a good way.

Suppressing those thoughts, he pulled out of the parking lot and drove home.

But the closer he got, the heavier his heart felt. Do-won was still at his company dinner, meaning the dark, empty house would be waiting for him. He didn’t want to be alone with his thoughts, replaying everything that had happened today.

‘…Maybe I should drink.’

After a quick shower, Yu-young muttered to himself. It had been a while since he drank alone, but if he didn’t, he knew he’d just stew over today’s events and get annoyed all over again.

He deliberately picked a strong wine. Grabbing a bottle and some fruit, he slumped onto the living room couch.

Inevitably, his memories drifted to the moments he had shared with Do-won on this very couch—drying each other’s hair, watching TV, drinking beer together. They had even had wine once. Smirking, Yu-young popped the cork.

It was ridiculous how naturally thoughts of Do-won surfaced, even when he wasn’t around.

What a tragic, unrequited love.

Chuckling bitterly, he poured himself a glass. One sip, then another. As the alcohol went down, his cheeks gradually flushed red.