ASIAH 45

I was working in the studio when Hyun Jaekyung stood up, and I naturally followed him. Hyun Jaekyung led me to the vending machine, put in money like before, and pointed to a button.

“You bought me bread, so this is in return.”

A ‘what goes around comes around’ situation! It’s a bit of a revelation, but I really had no expectations of Hyun Jaekyung. Without saying a word, we headed to our usual stone staircase.

Cigarettes… Hyun Jaekyung said before that if I told him to quit, he would.

He was probably just saying it, but I felt like I wanted to throw it out there, even as a joke. Because at some point, it became fun to see how he would react when I poked him. Of course, I’m only thinking this because he’s not acting like a complete lunatic like before. Above all, being alone with him in a quiet place gave me a strange feeling, and I felt like I had to say something.

But in the end, I didn’t bring up quitting.

“…Ahem.”

“Did the smoke get in your face? Sorry.”

“Ah, no.”

After Hyun Jaekyung started being considerate of me, I no longer got cigarette smoke blown in my face. But now that he was letting me avoid it, I kind of wanted to run into it. This desire to go against everything someone does, it seems I caught it from that bastard (anyway, all the bad habits I’ve picked up are from Hyun Jaekyung).

If I needlessly move into the path of the smoke, Hyun Jaekyung hastily stops me, like he’s watching a child by the water. This whole situation is novel and amusing.

“Jooyoon, you’re going to get sick of making rings. Are you thinking of going into that field later on?”

He used to go on about ‘Jooyoonie,’ but lately, the fact that he’s been rigidly attaching my surname also bothers me. That means when he used to obnoxiously call me by just my name, he was trying to be a pain in the ass, doesn’t it? It’s good for people to maintain appropriate boundaries, but isn’t consistency the most important thing?

…I must be going crazy from lack of sleep lately.

Pretending to have been mulling over the question, I answered seriously.

“Well… we’ll see? It’s just a simple band. If it’s fun even when I get into it seriously, I might consider it.”

“Hmm.”

“I heard from the sunbaes that when we make our individual rings for finals, a lot of people give them to their families. Some of the girls give them to their boyfriends too.”

“Uh-huh.”

“But usually, guys don’t wear rings unless it’s a wedding or couple’s ring, so there’s a high chance it’ll just get shoved in a drawer.”

“That’s usually the case. But I wear them. Ha Wonjong is always trying to buy the same ones as me. That punk, wearing the same thing doesn’t make him me.”

“It suits you.”

“Uh… huh?”

“I’m saying wearing a lot of accessories suits you.”

Hyun Jaekyung’s wide eyes blinked, and then he blurted out without even breathing.

“You’re only realizing that now, you punk? Of course it suits me better than Ha Wonjong. And accessories, huh? Since ancient times, it wasn’t like men didn’t wear them. Have you seen the royal earrings from the Silla relics? They’re sophisticated and bold golden earrings with an ancient mood. Nowadays, only drag queens would wear something like that.”

“Hmm…”

It sounded like total bullshit, but I took his words seriously.

“Considering the Hwarang used to wear makeup, maybe that era was more open-minded.”

“Whatever.”

Hyun Jaekyung chuckled, then tipped what I was drinking into his own mouth. He drank water straight from the bottle when we were hiking, so why is he trying so hard not to let his lips touch it now? It was easier then because it was a plastic bottle, and now it’s much more of a hassle since it’s a can. He should just put his mouth on it. Then I could also…

I could also what?

Anyway, what I was drinking was the niche-taste beverage that Hyun Jaekyung had given such a bad review.

Even after returning the can, he kept the drink in his mouth with a frown. Then, after a long while, as if he had made up his mind, he swallowed very slowly. He insists it tastes bad, yet he still takes it and acts like that. If I had bought it, I would have said something, but since Hyun Jaekyung bought it, it doesn’t matter.

But from now on, I should drink something he might enjoy too.

What does Hyun Jaekyung like? I know he’s a picky eater, and I’ve seen him drink milk with plain bread. The coffee he used to live on while quitting smoking has decreased since he started again, and at the MT, I saw that he’s practically a bartender when it comes to mixing cocktails.

“Hyun Jaekyung, what you like…”

“Me? What, what is it? What?”

I hadn’t even finished my sentence, but Hyun Jaekyung was unnaturally startled. Anyone would think it was a forbidden topic.

“I was asking what you like to drink. I feel like I’ve only been talking about what I like.”

“Ah…”

“You even know my favorite drink and my alcohol preferences, but all I know about you is that you’re a picky eater.”

“I’m not a picky eater.”

“You are. Anyway, I asked what you like.”

“You’re asking a lot of questions… Just something that’s not too filling and tastes good.”

He’s fussy, but it suits him. And he’s a picky eater, as expected.

“That sounds like the preference of a middle-aged person with poor digestion.”

“Are you saying I’m old?”

“That’s what my mom and dad say. They say their digestion isn’t what it used to be, so now they have to eat small portions and get the maximum satisfaction.”

“I guess they’re eating well. That’s good to see.”

“It seems you haven’t been going out to party much lately. Have you grown up?”

“I’m tearing it up where you can’t see me, you know?”

Hyun Jaekyung, who had been foolishly quiet all this time, bristled. Was it something that could hurt the pride of ‘the great Hyun Jaekyung?’

“Then you should buy some of the women’s rings I’ll be selling at the market. I’m excited at the thought that I’ll have to make them like a factory to give them to all the people you’re meeting.”

“Ah, there’s no one I want to give them to.”

Hyun Jaekyung rolled his eyes, then added a rhythm to his words, reciting them in a slightly annoying way.

“Who should I give it to~? Maybe I’ll give it to Jooyoon~.”

“There aren’t any sizes that would fit you among the ones I’ve made.”

“Oh~ the confidence.”

There he goes again. I thought about what’s so good about having thick fingers, and I realized it in a second. We’re in the metal craft department, stop making annoying dick jokes with rings.

As I stared at him with a grim face, Hyun Jaekyung suddenly threw his cigarette down, stubbed it out, and said.

“No, and I mean my individual ring for finals, you bastard, not the ones at your market. I’m in the same department as you, you know? Anyway, you’re all alone in your artist world, so damn self-absorbed.”

“Huh?”

Ah, he meant the individual ring Hyun Jaekyung will make for finals, not that he’d buy a ring I’m selling and give it to me. That topic passed a while ago, isn’t this a bit of a stretch?

It was funny for him to say that, even as a joke, considering the fuss he made when the signet ring got stuck on my hand. Not to mention the fact that there’s no reason for me to receive it. And the situation of being bestowed a ring by him seemed like it would be too cringey.

Don’t people usually get attached to the first thing they make? That’s why they give it to someone close or just keep it forever. Thinking that far, I got a little embarrassed, and my answer came out a bit dickish.

“The individual ring… why would I wear one you made? Seeing the state of that brass potato plate back then, I’m not expecting much.”

“Wow, that really hurts.”

“If by some miraculous chance your filing turns out well, give it to your dad to be a good son.”

“…Are you saying that knowing whether I have a dad or not?”

“Uh…?”

Gasp, did I say the wrong thing?

“No, I mean… I’m sorry. If your father…”

“Father-nim? Are you some kind of new bride? Is our Jooyoon-ssi trying to marry me?”

Aargh, I fell for it. I should have just kept my mouth shut. But if I did something wrong, I should endure the consequences. I tried to placate Hyun Jaekyung in the least sharp tone possible.

“No, I’m saying I’m sorry if I misspoke.”

“Uh-huh, apology accepted. And my dad’s latest profile pic shows he’s on another golf trip.”

“Agh…!”

Alright, let’s just consider it karma for openly ignoring Hyun Jaekyung. But why is he so obsessed with giving me a ring?

Ah, right. I was about to make it all about me again. From now on, I’ll make a conscious effort to listen to Hyun Jaekyung’s side of the story too. That’s the only way we can have a healthy friendship.

“…Do you have anyone you want to make one for?”

But Hyun Jaekyung asked the question I was about to ask, and since I’m the diligent type who can’t multitask, my attention was solely focused on the answer. The first individual ring will probably suck, so I could either wear it myself or just melt it down and give a few less-polarizing simple bands to my mom or noona.

As I was lost in thought, the impatient Hyun Jaekyung pestered me.

“Hey, is there anyone you want to give it to?”

“There is.”

“Who.”

That bastard… But his expression as he questioned me demandingly was not good. Relax, I have no intention of fishing in your pond. How can you be so sensitive when I’m not even wearing my glasses off? If I took them off, I’d be dealing with his territorial bullshit from morning till night.

“It’s not you, so don’t worry.”

At my attempt to soothe him, Hyun Jaekyung suddenly shot up and hit my arm. Because of that, I dropped the can I was holding, and the little bit of leftover drink made a stain on his pants. It was colorless, but it would be sticky from the sugar.

“Oops.”

I quickly took Hyun Jaekyung to the nearest bathroom. I turned on the water and splashed it on his pants, and every time my hand touched, it made a slapping sound. It was kind of funny, and I thought it was a chance to legally hit Hyun Jaekyung, so I kept patting him down under the pretense of removing the stain.

“…”

But after doing that for a while, I started to feel a bit strange. Would it have been better to absorb it with something like a dry paper towel? What am I doing? But isn’t it reflexive to wash a stain with water?

Then, my wrist was suddenly grabbed.

“That’s enough, what the hell are you doing hitting another man’s dick? My underwear is all wet now too.”

“Ah.”

Hitting his dick…? His underwear is wet?

No, well, I’m the one who wet it.

I wet it…? Get a grip. Unlike when he was talking about the ring, Hyun Jaekyung’s tone didn’t sound like a dick joke at all. He just calmly stated the fact of what had just happened, so this time, I was the one with the dirty mind. Hyun Jaekyung pushed me, who was lost in confusion, away.

“I can just change in the dorm, so move…”

“Uh, uh. Should I walk you there?”

Why would I suddenly offer to walk him there? Don’t waste your chivalry on Hyun Jaekyung. Hyun Jaekyung also looked at me with a strange expression, then waved his hands and turned away.

But after I returned to the studio, he didn’t come back no matter how long I waited. In the end, for the first time since I got his number, I messaged him first.

Me

You not coming?

Hyun Jaekyung

I’m just gonna sleep. I got sleepy after taking my clothes off.

Why does he get sleepy on and off? I felt like Hyun Jaekyung was being a bit clingy with me, and a smile crept onto my face.

Me

Okay, have a good escort to sleep.

Hyun Jaekyung

What are you talking about? Moron.

Me

I’m an 8-head figure, you know.

The conversation, which seemed to be going well, paused for a moment. Until I hit the send button, it was so funny that I cackled as I sent it, but the silence that fell over the chatroom made me feel like a lost child.

I guess I really am a moron, why did I send such bullshit? My face suddenly turned completely red. I was about to just say good night to cover up my mistake when a reply came.

Hyun Jaekyung

I’m a 10-head figure, you know?

Ah, that little kid! But it’s a very Hyun Jaekyung-like answer. At least he didn’t say a thousand-head figure. The fact that he chose a close number must have been to give me a realistic sense of defeat.

Me

So Hyun Jaekyung was a 10-head moron. You’ll be an 18-head moron soon. Not interested in being a 28-head moron?

This time, even I thought I went overboard. Why can’t I, as a person, improve even after reflecting just a moment ago? The situation I had caused made my vision swim, and I thought I shouldn’t look at my phone until I saw Hyun Jaekyung tomorrow. I had turned off all notifications except for calls, so I should be able to ignore it.

But what if Hyun Jaekyung replied to that? The thought of ghosting Hyun Jaekyung, it’s only natural to be afraid of the consequences. I turned on the push notifications for my chat with Hyun Jaekyung and glanced to see if anything new had come.

Ah~ the school is stuck in a mountain valley, so the data connection is bad.

In the end, I just stared at my phone until the sun was fully up. I went to my studio apartment to at least wash up and go to school, but I ended up completely skipping the morning cleanup after trying to get a little shut-eye.