TPG 16

Since Han Soo-hyeok said he would make tea, Lee Si-woo sat obediently on the sofa and waited. From the moment he heard this was Han Soo-hyeok’s house, he didn’t know what to do with himself. To think that as a secretary, he was visiting his boss’s house.

A little later, two mugs filled with warm tea appeared.

“Thank you.”

He gladly accepted it since he had wanted tea rather than coffee. Han Soo-hyeok set his mug in front of him and drank the bottled water he had brought separately.

“Are you trying to become independent?”

Only now asking the reason for looking at houses.

“Well, I could if necessary.”

Lee Si-woo mumbled his answer. He still hadn’t fully figured out how to escape from his father. Having already run away once, he was realizing even more that he needed preparation.

At that time, he was able to find work because of the village chief grandfather, who took him in, but he learned how limited that was. So even if he escaped, instead of going to the countryside, what if he could stay in Seoul? That was why he had stopped by the real estate office with such thoughts.

“If you’re going to that house, come here instead.”

“You want me to be indebted to you?”

“You’d be paying money, so what debt?”

“That’s true, but it’s strange.”

Why was Han Soo-hyeok going this far for him? Should he say Han Soo-hyeok’s consideration was overflowing? Han Soo-hyeok had already done plenty for him, yet he was trying to give more.

“You don’t like this house?”

So while Si-woo was looking at Soo-hyeok, why did the conversation turn that way?

“Hyung, do you like giving things away?”

“Did I seem like a pushover?”

“A little.”

Since he didn’t deny it, Han Soo-hyeok drank his tea with a serious face.

Was he troubled about being taken for a pushover?

“I know you’re a good person, hyung.”

Perhaps because he drank tea, Si-woo’s chest felt warm.

Honestly, he didn’t mind the house he saw earlier either, but living here would be good in many ways.

But what about Han Soo-hyeok?

No matter that Han Soo-hyeok had brought him here first, if he made this proposal impulsively after seeing that semi-basement, he would regret it later. When that time came, it would become even more awkward than now, so was he really okay with it?

“You don’t want to live with a good person?”

“There’s no need for that?”

“I can handle it.”

“I can’t handle it. The person I’m already being pushed to marry…”

Si-woo blurted out words in excitement, then belatedly closed his mouth. But it was already too late. Han Soo-hyeok’s eyes narrowed and a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

“Si-woo wants to move into this house after getting married.”

“No!”

He strongly denied it.

“It’s not like that, it’s because you’re trying to do everything for me…”

“You think I’d even marry you?”

“I said no. I really mean no, so stop it.”

If he kept getting entangled like this, nothing would work out.

“Even if I do become independent, I’ll live alone.”

“Then you should definitely come here. I’m busy so I can’t come home.”

Is that so?

No, this wasn’t the time to think about that, but Si-woo found himself unconsciously tempted.

“Now I really have no choice but to ask.”

He came to his senses and looked at Han Soo-hyeok. Sitting leisurely while holding his cup, his eyes said to ask anything.

“Did your thoughts about marriage change by any chance?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Like you want to marry me now or something…”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because you keep being so good to me. Bluntly speaking, who asks someone to live together? It’s strange.”

There was now sufficient reason to be suspicious. Han Soo-hyeok was silent for a moment, as if thinking about the questions one by one. As Si-woo waited patiently, Soo-hyeok got up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“To drink beer.”

“Without even answering me, what beer…”

“Do you want to drink too?”

“Yes.”

Since Han Soo-hyeok was offering, there was no way he’d refuse.

“I have beer and wine too, what should I give you?”

“Don’t you have makgeolli?”

Han Soo-hyeok, who was heading to the kitchen, hesitated.

“Makgeolli is the alcohol I’ve drunk the most…”

As Si-woo said before, the place he had entered to avoid his father was the countryside with good air and good water.

***

Bottles of alcohol were accumulating one by one on the table that was lower than the sofa. Si-woo held a drink in his hand and quietly swirled the liquid in the glass.

“Are you drunk?”

Han Soo-hyeok held his glass across from him. Since Si-woo had come down from the sofa and was leaning against it as a backrest, Soo-hyeok’s eye level was higher.

“I don’t think I’m drunk yet. But this is the first time I’ve drunk like this.”

At his answer, Soo-hyeok laughed lowly as if amused.

“If you suddenly get drunk, I’ll remember well and tell you about it.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you have any drinking habits?”

“I’m not sure.”

Si-woo deflected the question. He didn’t want to reveal that just because he became an adult didn’t mean he could freely enjoy alcohol. When he was alone, he was literally alone, so there was no one to tell him what he was like when drunk. The makgeolli he had with the village chief during work breaks didn’t make him drunk. He lifted his glass again and barely moistened his lips.

Then, at the strong alcohol scent circulating in his mouth, he tilted the glass again and sucked in the liquid. Along with the hot sensation scratching down his throat, a slight dizziness rose. Was it because it was strong liquor?

“Your face is red.”

He reflexively raised his hand to touch his cheek. Whether his skin was thin, it reddened even after climbing a small hill, and it was red from drinking too. It was like revealing his condition through skin color before facial expressions.

“It’s gotten quite red today.”

Si-woo was momentarily captivated by the subtle reflected light spreading over the glass surface of the wine glass. Then he snapped back to attention at the gentle voice he heard.

“Hyung.”

He gently shook the glass in his hand. The liquid sloshed and a few drops splashed out of the glass, but he didn’t really care.

“Let’s pretend I didn’t hear about living together.”

Perhaps because of the alcohol, words flowed smoothly. He guessed he needed alcohol because he wanted to refuse.

“If I really move in here, you’ll never be able to escape from me.”

Father wouldn’t let Han Soo-hyeok go.

Si-woo put down his glass and picked up the dried snacks Han had prepared.

“I’ll manage to live well on my own.”

“For people about to get engaged, you’re being quite cold.”

At Han’s joke, Si-woo glared at him.

“You won’t even get engaged with me, yet you say such things.”

Instead of the annoying Han Soo-hyeok, he diligently chewed dried fruit.

“If we get engaged, you’re the one who won’t be able to escape.”

“What?”

He missed Han Soo-hyeok’s words and asked again, but he didn’t tell him.

“Experience it once before becoming independent.”

At Han Soo-hyeok’s advice, Si-woo shook his head.

“I’ve had enough experience.”

He had lived for several years in the house the village chief lent him. He had wiped dust and prepared sleeping spaces with his own hands. Thinking of that time, he was confident he could handle it.

“But only if I can get out.”

“The chairman is the problem.”

Han Soo-hyeok moved his gaze from the glass in Si-woo’s hand to the dried snacks beside it, then back to his face. His voice remained low and calm.

“Getting permission would be difficult, right?”

Si-woo giggled and shifted his gaze to the small dumbbell box placed to one side.

“That’s why I need to get even stronger.”

“Dumbbells are related to getting permission?”

“If my stamina improves, I’ll endure better, right? Watch carefully. I’ll prove myself by showing how much muscle I’ll build later.”

He spoke confidently, recalling past experiences. Han Soo-hyeok looked at him with eyes that seemed hard to believe immediately, but Si-woo didn’t care.

“Alright. I’ll watch.”

At Han Soo-hyeok’s quiet laughter, Si-woo boldly lifted his glass. After the burning heat that seemed to scorch his throat, the tingling sensation felt sweet.