ETP Ch 28
by soapa“Hooh?”
Sunjung, having heard a rough summary of what had happened with Bokseung, let out an unintelligible sound.
“Tell me more! And then what?”
“There’s nothing more. That’s all.”
“Liar! I can see you’re hiding something.”
Sunjung’s intuition was clearly only activated at times like these.
Yoohyun pretended not to know what he was talking about. No matter how close they were, he absolutely did not want to discuss Bokseung’s pheromones with him.
“Anyway, just drop it.”
“Fine! I’ll hear the rest from Bokseung.”
“What?”
Yoohyun’s eyebrows twitched at Sunjung’s words. Seeing his reaction, Sunjung picked up his phone and searched for Bokseung’s name.
I knew a day like this would come, so I got his number in advance!
Sunjung cackled. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he lived for Hwang Yoohyun’s reactions these days.
“Ouch!”
His laughter turned into a shriek not even three seconds later. Yoohyun had snatched his phone and deleted Bokseung’s number.
“You crazy bastard! You really deleted it?!”
Sunjung took his phone back from Yoohyun and frantically searched his contacts, but Bokseung’s name was nowhere to be found.
Sunjung’s eyes filled with indignation.
“This jerk!!”
Sunjung stamped his foot and lunged for Yoohyun’s phone. Of course, Yoohyun easily dodged him and turned away. Then, he added in a blunt voice,
“I already memorized his number. It’s pointless.”
“Whoa, hey.”
“……?”
Yoohyun stared blankly at Sunjung, who had abruptly stopped.
He was lunging at him like a bear whose honey had been stolen, and now he was this quiet?
“Did you memorize my number?”
“No.”
Yoohyun’s answer came in less than 0.1 seconds. As if that wasn’t enough, he even had the audacity to look like he couldn’t understand why he’d even ask.
Sunjung, hurt in succession, stared at his best friend in disbelief.
“Then what about our parents’ numbers?”
“What.”
“Do you have them memorized?!”
“No?”
Why would he memorize those? Their numbers changed all the time, and it was more convenient to contact them through the house staff than directly.
He didn’t understand why he was getting so worked up about this.
“Wow, you’re unbelievable.”
“What now.”
“A jerk who doesn’t even know his own family’s numbers has memorized Kim Bokseung’s number? If your mother heard you say that, she’d cry for three days and four nights!”
Yoohyun closed his mouth at Sunjung’s words.
His mother wasn’t the type to cry for three days and four nights over something this trivial, but he knew for certain that if he argued with Sunjung about this, he would sulk for three months.
What a dramatic pain in the ass.
Yoohyun glared at Sunjung before entering Bokseung’s number into his phone.
“Happy now?”
“Yeah!”
“Don’t contact him unnecessarily.”
“Hmph!”
Sunjung hid his phone behind his large frame, letting out a huff. It wasn’t intimidating or cute. It was just disturbing to see someone who had served in the military acting like that.
🍑‧₊ ⋆˙
[Sunjung Sunbae-nim: (Emoticon)]
[Sunjung Sunbae-nim: Bokseung! Are you going to work at your part-time job today?]
Bokseung stared at the text, which had an incongruously cute emoticon.
Why is he curious about this? Is he planning to come to the PC bang?
Tilting his head, he dutifully replied.
[No, the owner gave me time off this week because of exams. I’m studying right now ^^]
A reply arrived shortly after.
[Sunjung Sunbae-nim: Our Bokseung is studying for exams all on his own, so admirable! Great! I’ll buy you dinner! Come out!]
What? Bokseung’s eyebrows furrowed at the abrupt message.
Hwang Yoohyun and Sunjung were both equally random. Like best friends often are.
Bokseung pouted but sent another meek reply.
[Thank you for the offer! But I just had dinner, so I’m full ㅜㅜ Could you buy me dinner next time?]
[Sunjung Sunbae-nim: But I haven’t eaten yet ㅠㅠ I’m lonelyㅜ.ㅜ Eat with me!]
“Ugh……!”
So he just didn’t want to eat alone. Bokseung grumbled as he tidied up his messy table.
Actually, I haven’t eaten either. Surely he wouldn’t actually make me just watch him eat? With the hope that he might at least order him some side dishes, he quickly put on his jacket.
The weather had turned so that he needed a light cardigan in the mornings and evenings. With Bokseung’s frail constitution, catching a cold during this change of seasons would be disastrous.
Not long after he’d started waiting in front of his building, a brightly colored coupe pulled up.
“Bokseung!”
The passenger window rolled down, revealing Hwang Yoohyun’s face, but Sunjung’s voice called out.
Bokseung, intimidated by the young alpha Sunbae-nim’s car, awkwardly bowed his head.
“Uh, hello.”
Yoohyun glanced at Bokseung, and seeing the low neckline of the t-shirt under his cardigan, clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
Of course, the other two had no idea what Yoohyun was thinking.
“Get in quick! I’m hungry!”
“Okay.”
Urged by Sunjung, Bokseung opened the back door and got in.
Ooh, the smell of high-quality leather. Bokseung sniffed the air. He didn’t really know much about cars, but he liked the smell of leather. It was natural for a male creature to be excited by such things.
Sunjung cackled, watching Bokseung cautiously touching the leather in the back seat.
“Bokseung, are you scared? Don’t worry, I won’t crash!”
“No! I’m not scared…!”
It’s just that the car looks really nice, so I’m envious.
Bokseung swallowed the rest of his words and placed his hands neatly on his lap.
“Is there anything you want to eat? Ah, you said you ate already, right?”
Sunjung asked as he sped down the relatively empty road. Bokseung just smiled. He felt like he could eat a rock right now. Why did he say he’d eaten?
Yoohyun, who had been intently observing Bokseung from the start, quickly caught on.
He hasn’t eaten.
The way his eyes had lit up at the mention of food, and then his eyebrows drooping when he remembered he’d said he’d eaten, clearly showed he’d lied earlier because he hadn’t wanted to come.
Bokseung tilted his head, his eyes meeting Yoohyun’s persistent gaze in the rearview mirror.
Now that he thought about it…
“Sunjung Sunbae-nim, you weren’t eating alone?”
Then why did you say you were lonely and asked me to eat with you? Bokseung asked, belatedly realizing the discrepancy.
“Hmm? I didn’t say I was eating alone?”
“Huh?”
“Even if Hwang Yoohyun is here, he only makes me feel lonely. It’s better if he’s not here at all.”
Sunjung pointed at Yoohyun while waiting for the left turn signal. Yoohyun, annoyed by his finger, swatted it away and looked back.
“Kim Bokseung.”
“……?”
“Rice or noodles.”
“Rice.”
Bokseung answered without hesitation.
One way or another, Koreans relied on rice for strength. Hearing Bokseung’s answer, Yoohyun operated the navigation system.
“Go here.”
“Huh? Here? I prefer noodles.”
Sunjung whined, but no one paid him any attention.
Only silence filled the car, where no one responded to him. After several attempts to express his desire for noodles, Sunjung eventually gave up and followed the navigation’s guidance.
“Wow, it’s been so long!”
The person who wanted noodles was nowhere to be seen. As soon as they arrived at their destination, Sunjung flung open the car door and rushed inside.
“That jerk is paying, so eat a lot.”
“Ah, I…”
“It’s obvious you haven’t eaten, so don’t just drool in front of the food. Eat as much as you want.”
This guy is like a ghost.
Bokseung shuddered, watching Yoohyun walk ahead, and quickly followed behind him.
The restaurant was so large it couldn’t be taken in at a glance.
To think such a palatial place existed in the heart of Seoul. Bokseung’s eyes widened as he took in the opulent and grand interior. It seemed like the perfect place for a formal meeting between families.
Oh, I should memorize the name of this place. Who knows, maybe I’ll be sitting here with a pretty girlfriend for a marriage meeting someday.
Bokseung chuckled inwardly, indulging in wishful thinking. There seemed to be a lot of staff, and the owner, who was among them, rushed over upon seeing Yoohyun and Sunjung.
“Oh my, welcome! It’s been so long since you’ve visited!”
“Hello!”
Sunjung greeted the owner with a wide smile. Yoohyun also bowed his head in greeting. Bokseung followed suit. The owner looked at Bokseung, sandwiched between the two familiar faces, with a curious gaze. However, sensing Yoohyun’s displeasure, she quickly suppressed her curiosity.
“A private room would be better for dining, wouldn’t it? Please follow me.”
The owner personally led them to their seats.
“Please wait a moment. I’ll have everything prepared and brought to you shortly.”
The owner closed the door quietly behind her with a gentle smile. Bokseung, the only one unfamiliar with this situation, looked around.
There’s no menu, what did they order? Did they order in advance?
No one was there to answer Bokseung’s questions. Sunjung was busy contacting someone on his phone, and Yoohyun simply looked uninterested. So Bokseung quietly reviewed the material for his exams on his phone.