TGMND 136

“A ring?”

Yeo-woon clasped his hands in front of his chest, trying to look as desperate as possible, and nodded his head vigorously. The shop owner asked other employees if they had seen anything resembling a ring, then shook his head and approached Yeo-woon.

“What should we do? They say they haven’t seen anything like a ring while cleaning.”

“Ah, is that so…?”

“Oh my, why are you making such a pitiful expression? Is it such a precious ring?”

“Yes. It’s a couple ring.”

“Oh dear, we should find it quickly then. Still, just in case, leave your contact information. I’ll call you if we find it while cleaning somewhere else.”

“Thank you, sir. Where should I write it?”

“Just wait a moment, where did I put those memo pads…”

Yeo-woon wrote his phone number and name on the memo pad the owner handed him, and quickly sketched what the ring looked like.

“What’s this here?”

“It’s my ring.”

“…This?”

“Yes, it’s clearly a ring…”

“…Huh?”

The store owner cleared his throat, seemingly unable to understand how this drawing, which looked more like a caterpillar, could be claimed to be a ring. Yeo-woon bowed to each employee one by one as he left the store.

“Where on earth could it be?”

To waste such a precious weekend like this… This was already the tenth fruitless search. He had checked not only the restaurants and bars he had recently visited, but also walked for two days straight staring at the ground in case he had dropped it on the street, but the lost couple ring hadn’t returned.

Recently, Yeo-woon’s company was going through its busiest days of the year. With year-end company dinners and overtime work almost every day, he found himself lost the ring when he finally came to his senses.

Scratching the irritated skin around the collar of his new shirt, Yeo-woon muttered,

“It’s always the alcohol that’s the problem.”

The last time he had seen the ring was Friday afternoon. After the company dinner on Friday, he returned home, slept, and woke up to find the couple ring gone. He made up an excuse to Yoon Ji-gu about having to work on the weekend, and went around retracing his steps from the previous day, asking about the ring’s whereabouts, and even went back to the company to thoroughly search his desk. After wasting Saturday and Sunday like this, the weekend had already passed.

Yeo-woon never took off the ring except when showering or washing his hands. Where on earth could he have dropped it?

“If Ji-gu finds out, all hell will break loose…”

He remembered how much Yoon Ji-gu had nagged him the last time he forgot to put the ring back on after showering at home. Knowing how much he treasured the couple ring, Yeo-woon couldn’t carelessly bring up that he had lost it. He’d probably be upset for at least a week…

Yeo-woon finally resorted to his last option.

Seon-young: ? Why do you need noona’s contact info lol

Seon-young: You got it a few months ago, scroll up or search

Yeo-woon : Too lazy

Seon-young: ㅡㅡ;; 

He was planning to contact the place where they had gotten the couple rings made and ask if they could make another one with the same design. He wasn’t sure how long it would take for the ring to be made, but if the production time wasn’t too long, he thought he might be able to hide it to some extent.

Anyway, he was busy these days and his meetings with Yoon Ji-gu had significantly decreased. He hadn’t even registered for the swimming pool this month, thinking he wouldn’t be able to go out much. His days lately consisted only of commuting between home and work.

Seon-young: Haneul (View contact details)

Yeo-woon: Why is the saved name like that? Did she change her name?

Seon-young: What name change

Seon-young: Dunno, recently she made me change it saying I should treat her like the heavens in the sky

Seon-young: Total weirdo

…I should tell her everything he said. Ha Seon-young had never once in his life beaten his older sister, yet it was his daily routine to talk recklessly like this and get beaten up. Judging by his complete lack of learning ability, his friend didn’t seem to be a higher life form.

Seon-young: But why suddenly?

Seon-young: Are you interested in noona now?

Yeo-woon: It’s not like thatㅡㅡ It’s because of the ring

Seon-young: You’re getting a ring from noona?

Seon-young: Why suddenly?

Seon-young: Wait a minute, you asked for noona’s number a few months ago too

Seon-young: So you already got matching rings?

Seon-young: Oh crap

Seon-young: Hey fvck don’t tell me you and that bastard next door

Seon-young: You crazy bastard, hey, since when exactly

“He’s like a ghost…always knows everything.”

It was creepy how quickly he deduced the correct conclusion even without a reply. As expected of someone known for his sharp intuition. Without Yeo-woon saying a word, Seon-young had reasoned on his own and immediately figured out that the person Yeo-woon had matched couple rings with was Yoon Ji-gu living next door.

He even told Yeo-woon that it was certain Yoon Ji-gu liked him. At the time, Yeo-woon couldn’t believe it, but now, recalling those words, it gave him goosebumps.

Yeo-woon: I’m busy. Stop texting me

Seon-young: Wow

Seon-young: Wow. Straight to the point…

Seon-young: You’re a real friend

Yeo-woon: Yeah yeah

Seon-young: So you’ve become gay now? lol

“…”

Technically, that’s what it amounted to. He had become lovers with Yoon Ji-gu, a man, so if this wasn’t being gay, what was it? But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say such things to his long-time friend, and just stared at his phone with a sour expression.

Seon-young: You said it wasn’t like that lol

Seon-young: But it ended up like this after all

“Is he really a shaman…”

How could someone have such good intuition? Yeo-woon couldn’t even count how many times this had happened.

Seon-young: Hey, buy me some beef

Yeo-woon: Why should I?

Seon-young: ? Because I was right

Seon-young: That bastard likes you

Yeo-woon: Don’t call him “that bastard,” you asshole

Seon-young: Already taking his side?

Yeo-woon: And the beef

Yeo-woon: Only my lover gets beef

Seon-young: Your change of attitude is disgusting

Seon-young: Just go away, I’m not that curious anymore

Seon-young: But thinking about it again, it’s unfair?? I definitely need to get that beef. Buy A-grade and send it to my house

Yeo-woon: I’m only buying beef for my lover^^

Yeo-woon: You want to date me???????

Yeo-woon: Trembling

Seon-young: lololololol Really go away damn it, you’re annoying

He decided to go away as Seon-young wished. Yeo-woon left a message to the contact he received from Seon-young. Asking if it was possible to remake just one side of the couple ring…

010-****-****: Yeo-woon, it’s been a while~ If I still have the design, it’s possible, but it’ll be difficult within this month~ It’ll have to be after the new year. It’s too busy with the year-end^^;;;

“…”

It was a desperate answer. He wasn’t confident he could hide the fact that he lost the ring within this month.

010-****-****: Did you lose it?

Yeo-woon: Yes ㅠㅠ I lost it recently

010-****-****: Well, if we remake it, the position of the engraved text might be slightly different from last time. It’s on the inside of the ring, so unless someone specifically looks for differences, most people wouldn’t notice…

010-****-****: Did you tell your partner you lost the couple ring?

Should he… really tell?

Yeo-woon: Not yet

010-****-****: Then don’t think about secretly remaking it and just tell them. If someone cancels their reservation and a slot opens up, it might be possible within this year, and if that happens, I’ll contact you first. If you find the ring before then, make sure to let me know.

Right, he might still find it. Maybe a store would miraculously discover the lost ring and contact his number, or he might belatedly find the ring he dropped at home. Yeo-woon concluded that he wouldn’t necessarily tell Yoon Ji-gu that he lost the couple ring. He had no idea what consequences this careless decision would bring.

And so, Yeo-woon rolled a small snowball.

***

There’s something strange about Lee Yeo-woon. Yoon Ji-gu couldn’t shake the feeling that his attitude had suddenly changed lately.

Yeo-woon hyung♥: Ji-gu

Yeo-woon hyung♥: You’ll have to eat dinner alone todayㅠㅠ

Yoon Ji-gu: Again?

Yeo-woon hyung♥: Yeah sorryㅜㅜ Suddenly busy again

“…”

Why? Why suddenly so busy? Did someone make a mistake? It’s not you, is it? Didn’t you say all that busy work was finished last week? Why do your words keep changing? Is that Mr. Kim from your department still meddling in your work? Why does he do that when he’s so old? And why are you working overtime so often these days? I could understand weekdays, but why give up your weekends too? Without even telling me? That’s my time.

Yeo-woon hyung♥: But if I work hard just for today, I don’t have to go to work this weekend!

It seemed Yeo-woon had forgotten that weekends were originally days off because he was being squeezed too much by the company.

Yeo-woon hyung♥: After I finish later

Yeo-woon hyung♥: If it’s not too late, I’ll contact you

Lies.

Why don’t you contact me often when you come home? Actually, I’d be happy even if you contacted me at any time in the early morning. But it seems like you don’t feel the same, and that irritates me. Didn’t I tell you? For me, not hearing from you is worse. You think you’re being considerate, but it’s not.

“…Haa.”

There was a mountain of things Yoon Ji-gu wanted to say, but if he poured all those words onto someone who was already busy, Yeo-woon might get tired and grow sick of him. Yeo-woon growing sick of him – that was worse than death. Yoon Ji-gu suppressed the words that seemed about to burst out of his mouth and said what Yeo-woon wanted to hear.

Yoon Ji-gu: Okay lol ㅠㅠ

Yoon Ji-gu: Fighting, hyung >_<♥♥

Yoon Ji-gu: (emoticon)

Yeo-woon hyung♥: Thanks

Yeo-woon hyung♥: You eat a delicious lunch too

Despite the tone being no different from usual, Ji-gu’s heart felt heavy these days. If Yeo-woon, who spent half his day at the company, had a change of heart, this relationship could fall apart in an instant.

As soon as he imagined the worst-case scenario he didn’t even want to think about, he felt his heart drop to his feet. Ji-gu hurriedly raised his hand and clutched his chest tightly. It wasn’t really like that, it was just a thought, but his heart ached as if it was being torn apart.

A cold wind heralding the beginning of winter blew in through the wide-open window. Ji-gu sighed, clutching the blanket on his shoulders tightly. Before meeting Yeo-woon, he had never had these worries, nor felt the need to. Now he was finally realizing what the emotion of loneliness was.

“Damn, why am I like this when I have a lover.”

To neglect me this much, you’ll really regret it, hyung. Why are you doing something you’ll regret? …You will regret it, right? Yoon Ji-gu grumbled to himself and then flopped down limply on the sofa. It was all because of this cold wind. He hated winter. If he closed the window he left open for ventilation, the wind wouldn’t blow in and he wouldn’t have these useless thoughts. So… he should close the window first…

“Yoon Bbosong. You earn your keep too. Close that window over there and do the dishes.”

Meow!

“So-sorry.”

Meow.

“You forgive me quickly.”

Even if he made up his mind to try and get up, his body wouldn’t listen. He felt lethargic and didn’t want to do anything. After spending the past few days diligently digging into the ground while awake, now even walking felt bothersome. Loneliness was such a dangerous emotion. Yeo-woon had taught him about numerous emotions he hadn’t known before, but he questioned whether he really needed to know about this kind of emotion.

Ji-gu knew that he tended to worry unnecessarily about things. But this was his innate nature. It meant that it wasn’t something he could change even if he wanted to.

…And you know I have this kind of personality, right? If you know, and if you think I’m acting strange, shouldn’t you notice it and come running to hold me? If you did that, I think all these silly emotions would melt away like snow.

I swear I wouldn’t get mad.

“…It’s cold.”

He couldn’t understand why he had to feel lonely when there was someone who could share warmth with him on this cold winter night.

The weather gradually got colder and December arrived before he knew it. Perhaps because it was the end of the year, everyone seemed busy with various things.

It seemed that Yeo-woon had experienced a change of heart.

***

It was a few days ago when Yoon Ji-gu started to sense something strange from Yeo-woon.

“Why aren’t you coming, hyung?”

-Oh? Didn’t I tell you yesterday? Company dinner today.

“Again? A company dinner from Monday?”

-I know. They must be crazy.

He had accepted that Yeo-woon’s work had gotten busier. However, there was a problem with losing even their dinner time together to the company. Every day with overtime work and company dinners, there were too many elements in his daily life that made Yoon Ji-gu worry.

“What happens if you don’t go to the company dinner?”

-…Huh? The food here is delicious. Let’s come together next time.

“Next time?”

-Yeah, next time.

“When is next time?”

-Anytime. Where are you now?

“At mom’s cafe. I came straight here after swimming.”

-What about school? Isn’t today a school day?

“Yeah. I attended classes.”

-Our Ji-gu is so diligent.

His face heated up at the voice tinged with a faint smile. Just hearing his voice made him feel like he could see his face.

“But hyung, will you be home before eleven? If so, I’ll wait here instead of going home.”

-No, go home first. I’ll call you when I’m done later. I love you.

“…Me too.”

With just one “I love you,” his small complaints melted away like snow. However, by midnight that day, there was still no contact from Yeo-woon.