LCL 10

The west gate where I was supposed to meet Lim Dae-han took a 20-minute walk from the Economics and Business Department at the main gate. Since it was a road carved out of a mountain, it was no different from hiking. The west gate was close to the Medical Department, so usually only people from related departments came and went.

Even though it wasn’t really hot yet, I rolled up my sleeves. Walking up the high hill was taxing.

“Whew…”

I unconsciously let out a deep breath. Lim Dae-han was standing in front of the west gate. Since he didn’t seem to have anything to do while waiting, he was just quietly looking at his phone.

After climbing up the slope, I looked up at the sky and brilliant spring sunlight poured down. Gripping my bag strap, I quickened my steps toward Lim Dae-han. When I got close enough, he sensed my presence and looked up.

Lim Dae-han shoved the cell phone he was holding into his pocket.

“What were you looking at?”

“Yong-i told me to check something out.”

“What was it?”

It was Lim Dae-han’s younger brother, Dae-ryong. Although his name is a bit mature, they couldn’t help it since they wanted to use all the good Chinese characters that worked with the generational syllable.

His nickname is Yong-i. He was five years old when I first met him, but now he’s already seven. He was already excited about starting school next year.

Daeryong was shy, but gentle and had a lot of aegyo (cuteness). In short, he was too cute. Since I was young, I wished I had a younger brother instead of an older brother, so I was really happy to meet Daeryong.

Daeryong: [Hyung, look at this surprised cat on Youtube]

I burst out laughing as soon as I saw the message.

“Haha, that’s funny. He sent the title instead of a link because he doesn’t know how to send links yet?”

“…Yeah.”

Daeryong, who still didn’t know how to attach links on messengers, just typed out the title. Even the typo in the middle was adorable.

“So cute…”

I stared intently at the message like I was going to bury my head in the screen. Lim Dae-han eventually cupped my forehead with his palm and gently pushed me back. Then he nonchalantly wiped the screen before putting the phone back in his pocket.

“So did you see it?”

“I heard more than one cat was surprised.”

We continued down the street, exchanging the usual conversation. It was definitely different from being at school. Here, there were no familiar faces, which made it comfortable.

There was no need for people from Sangkyung University to look for studio apartments in the direction of the main gate. The rent for studio apartments near the main gate was twice as high.

And whether it was fate or coincidence, the apartment where Lim Dae-han and I lived together was close to the main gate. It still took about 30 minutes to walk from the main gate, but it was only a 10-minute drive. Of course, today we opted for walking.

“I should bring the car tomorrow. It’s almost an hour of walking.”

Lim Dae-han said as he accepted my textbook. Not having a car or a driver’s license, I had nothing to say. I failed the driving test twice.

I passed the skills test on the second try, but driving on the road was not easy. My heart would pound heavily as soon as I got on the road, making it difficult. I guess driving just doesn’t suit my aptitude.

If not driving or sports, then what does suit my aptitude…Probably studying…

Lost in these kinds of thoughts while walking, we didn’t converse. But it wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable.

We were comfortable enough with each other to accept this stillness. From the start, neither Lim Dae-han nor I were very talkative, and we had spent a lot of time together.

When we got near our homes, Lim Dae-han stopped me.

“Let’s stop by the convenience store. We’re out of snacks at home.”

“Ah, okay. Let’s go.”

We entered the nearby convenience store. I immediately headed for the refrigerator and stared intently at the drinks. I hesitated between two drinks that caught my eye.

It was a drink I’ve been into lately. Rice or pear? That is the problem. Hmm… As I silently watched, Lim Dae-han grabbed a few bags of snacks, pushed me aside, and opened the fridge door.

I was pushed aside by him and watched his actions quietly. Without hesitation, Lim Dae-han took both the pear and rice drinks with one hand. So that my worries become meaningless.

By the way, how did he know what I was thinking about?

I silently looked up at him, and he closed the fridge door with the back of his hand holding the cans. He raised his hand holding the can.

“Right?”

“Yeah, that’s right but…”

Leaving me behind, Lim Dae-han leisurely went to the cashier. I scanned the store racks. Since it was a residential area, the household goods section was empty. There were many more things like that at the convenience stores near school. But here, only the basics were stocked since there were many large marts around.

“Oh…”

At that time, there was a small box that caught my eye. It was a condom used by Dae-han. The condoms that are rarely seen offline were available at this residential convenience store.

The ones Lim Dae-han uses could only be purchased in areas with high foreign populations or online. Sometimes it was sold at pharmacies, but there were also many places where they weren’t available. The condoms didn’t seem to sell well as they were tucked away in a corner. Without realizing it, I stopped Lim Dae-han. He paused and shifted his gaze slightly.

“I… I’ll have this.”

I didn’t know why I stopped him. Of course, we were running low at home. Did I just want to tease him?

I awkwardly added,

“Don’t you need it?”

I looked up at the quiet Lim Dae-han. He was looking at me with a slightly furrowed brow. He used to get easily embarrassed before, but I guess he’s past that shy stage now…

Well, we have been dating for 3 years now, so it would be strange if he was still shy and embarrassed. We even live together.

“Yah.”

Lim Dae-han belatedly called out to stop me. Hm? Instead of answering, I looked up and Lim Dae-han met my gaze with his lips tightly sealed.

No, it wasn’t nothing. Usually, he didn’t show much on his cheeks, but his ears were the only place that would turn red.

His ears were flushed red. Feeling embarrassed myself, I hung my head down. Lim Dae-han grabbed three boxes of condoms with his remaining hand and headed to the counter, taking long strides.

Of course, the part-timer at the register was around our age. I stood at a distance watching them. For a moment, I was conflicted. Should I just confidently stand next to him? Or should I walk past?

But doesn’t it also look strange for two guys to be buying condoms together? Ah geez. I shouldn’t have stopped Lim Dae-han. And why is he…buying three boxes?

To get out of the situation, I quickly schemed to casually mention that I’d wait outside while he paid, and then we’d leave immediately.

As I plotted, I discreetly started walking. Passing by Lim Dae-han who was inserting his card into the terminal, I mumbled:

“I’ll wait outside first.”

I definitely wanted to go out with confidence, but I couldn’t. I muttered in a low voice and with extremely garbled pronunciation.

Unfortunately, Lim Dae-han, who did not understand what I was saying, grabbed my arm and stopped me. The clerk who was putting the items in plastic also raised his gaze.

“What?”

Of all things, he was putting condoms into the bag. Oh sh*t… I felt like dying of embarrassment. I could feel the heat rising in my face. I managed to calm my trembling jaw.

His grip on my arm was so tight it felt numb. But escaping this situation was more important than enduring the pain.

“That… I said I’ll wait outside.”

“Oh, okay.”

Only then did Lim Dae-han let me go. Once outside, the fresh air cooled me down. Children rode by on bikes, laughing and chattering noisily. In contrast to their lively voices, I felt utterly mortified.

What am I doing in the middle of a residential area… I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. So embarrassed and ashamed. Unable to control myself, I stomped my foot hard on the ground.

 Lim Dae-han, who came out, briefly grabbed my shoulder before letting go.

“Who picked a fight with you for you to be kicking the ground like that?”

No one picked a fight. I’m just embarrassed by myself.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Lim Dae-han let out a resigned sigh and laughed, moving his hand to grip the back of my neck. He squeezed hard with his thumb. Ouch. I barely kept from collapsing to the ground and twisted my shoulders instead.

“Let’s go home.”

Lim Dae-han, who had actually completed the purchase, didn’t seem bothered at all, making me think I was the one being overly sensitive. I waved my hand dismissively and followed behind him.

“Let’s go together.”

As soon as I finished speaking, his footsteps slowed down.