Chapter 144: Side Story – Monday Blues Have Disappeared (14)

Bodam, who had finished his call with Tae Hwan, sat on his bed in his room with a worried expression.

He was constantly concerned about Lee Tae Hwan, who was left alone at the Center.

Still, he was a little relieved after hearing his normal voice.

‘Then again, Lee Tae Hwan seems like he would be fine on his own.’ He didn’t need to worry, since unlike the team leader, he ate well, and unlike Min Ji Oh, he didn’t get lonely.

Besides, it was only for two days over the weekend.

“Is Lee Tae Hwan a kid.”

Bodam, who had chided himself with a mutter, put his phone back in his pocket.

‘Since he’s as cool as he looks, he probably wouldn’t be very interested in a housewarming party like this. Lee Tae Hwan also hated being around a lot of people. He would have hated hanging out with Kang Yi Jun even more.’

“He was always fine on his own anyway.”

Bodam nodded his head, recalling Tae Hwan’s ‘my way’ personality.

Only then did he feel a little more at ease.

He was about to leave the room with a renewed cheerful mood when Yi Jun’s painting, which was leaning against the wall, caught his eye and he stopped.

“He’s really good at drawing.”

The more he looked at the painting, which seemed like he wouldn’t get tired of it even after a long time, the more he liked it.

It was amazing that such a calm painting had come from Kang Yi Jun’s hand.

‘Is his condition also finding such tranquility?’

“Bodam-. Let’s eat cake.”

Bodam, who was admiring the painting, quickly left the room at Jo Yeon’s call.

A quite harmonious atmosphere continued in the boisterous living room.

Everyone except Seung Ho, who was sitting alone on the sofa, sat around the living room table and filled their glasses.

The cheerful Yeon Yeok and Team Leader Kim led the atmosphere and emptied five bottles of liquor and twelve bottles of soju in an instant.

“Is he okay?”

Jo Yeon asked Bodam, who had gone to make a call after checking Tae Hwan’s heightened wavelength reading.

Bodam answered that he was thankfully fine and took out the cake with Jo Yeon.

It was a cake Min Ji Oh had bought.

“He bought a lot.”

“He’s a bit of a big spender.”

Seeing the endless stream of dessert boxes, it seemed he had swept up every menu item in the store.

Bodam, who was used to the excessively generous Ji Oh, smiled leisurely at Jo Yeon, who was asking if there was more.

There was still a lot.

“Hyung. Need a hand?”

Yeon Yeok ran over, seeing Jo Yeon placing the desserts on a tray, box and all.

He had been talking with his same-aged peer, Yi Jun.

Though it was more of a conversation where Yeon Yeok would ask and answer himself, Yi Jun at least pretended to listen.

In fact, Bodam had asked Yeon Yeok in advance to take care of Yi Jun.

“Wow. What is all this. Who bought it?”

Yeon Yeok was horrified by the unusual amount and quality of the desserts.

Bodam pointed to Ji Oh, who was in the middle of shouting something at Team Leader Kim with the infused liquor between them.

The two seemed to have gotten quite close.

Team Leader Kim had taken a liking to teasing Ji Oh.

Yi Jun, who had followed Yeon Yeok to the kitchen, stood next to Bodam.

Bodam, who was tasting the colorful dacquoise set as he took it out, glanced at the quietly standing Yi Jun.

“Try some. It’s delicious.”

Yi Jun just held the pink dacquoise with a cherry on top that Bodam had given him for a moment and then put it in his mouth.

Since he seemed to be eating it quite well, he handed him a chocolate one too, telling him to have another.

“It’s good, right?”

“It’s sweet. Very.”

“I like sweet things.”

At Bodam’s gaze, which was asking “you?,” Yi Jun immediately smiled with his eyes, saying he liked them too.

Then, saying he had to taste the others, he just stared at Bodam, who was eating a lot of things while standing.

‘He could just sit and eat, why is he eating standing up?’

“What are you looking at.”

Bodam, who felt Yi Jun’s intent gaze, glared at him while eating a cookie.

Yi Jun’s smile, at the sight of his hyung’s pouty face which he hadn’t seen in a long time, grew brighter as he fiddled with the chocolate dacquoise.

“Because I’m curious.”

“About what?”

“What you’re thinking, hyung.”

He met Bodam’s round eyes even more intently.

It was a familiar gaze to Bodam.

Kang Yi Jun had been staring at people’s eyes like that since long ago.

“I used to be able to hear everything when I looked like this.”

Yi Jun’s low muttering voice sounded just like a thought to himself.

Even before manifesting as an Esper, Yi Jun had read others’ thoughts.

Since he was very young.

Because of that, not knowing others’ intentions after losing his ability was the most unfamiliar.

It felt as if he had lost his hearing.

“Then ask.”

Bodam, who had swallowed his cookie, faced Yi Jun directly.

He told him calmly that if he was curious, he should ask.

That’s how you get to know each other while talking.

“I was just thinking that this cookie is so delicious. And I was about to ask if you’ve gotten taller.”

“…Shall I go measure?”

Bodam, who had chuckled at the sight of the blankly listening Yi Jun asking with sincerity, shook his head.

In all of Yi Jun’s actions and words, an effort to desperately match himself to him was conveyed.

Even while being awkward in a place with a lot of people, he wore a happy expression whenever he met Bodam’s eyes.

“Be comfortable. Go when you want to go. And drink in moderation.”

He had said it with the intention that he didn’t have to force himself to match the mood, but Yi Jun seemed to have taken it differently.

“Are you uncomfortable because I’m here?”

Kang Yi Jun, who was tilting his head with a snack in his hand, was a little cute.

‘My goodness. To think a day would come when that punk looks cute.’ Bodam, who had burst into laughter, confirmed his own relaxed inner self once again.

“I’m not uncomfortable.”

The days when he had ground his teeth at them felt distant.

Bodam hoped to get even further from those memories.

Though he was already far enough away, they were memories he wished would disappear from his beautiful life altogether.

Just as he didn’t want to be hated anymore, he didn’t want to hate anyone either.

Yi Jun, who had closed his mouth for a moment, admired Bodam’s smiling face like a painting.

The sight of his hyung, who had always been gloomy and quiet, smiling brightly was new.

Every time that white face grew brighter, the surroundings seemed to brighten.

‘I made a hyung who smiles so prettily cry.’

“I’m sorry.”

Bodam, who had been eating a cookie and had flinched at Yi Jun’s out-of-the-blue apology, raised an eyebrow.

‘Is he drunk?’

“Hyung. I’m sorry.”

Yi Jun, who was eating the dacquoise by biting off only the edges, repeated his apology.

In fact, he was completely drunk.

“Are you drunk?”

“Shall I get drunk?”

Kang Yi Jun asked with sincerity again.

Saying he would do whatever hyung told him to, he diligently ate the dacquoise, which was as if sugar had been poured on it.

He had quickly emptied the liquor, unable to shake off the habit of drinking he had when he was an Esper, so it was understandable that he was drunk.

“I listen well now. Everything hyung says.”

Bodam observed Yi Jun, who had gone crazy while looking perfectly fine, and watched his drunken habits.

He thought he would have to be careful when drinking with Kang Yi Jun, as he didn’t show that he was drunk.

He wasn’t even slurring his words and was just standing straight and rambling.

“I’m sorry for hurting you.”

“Okay. Stop apologizing.”

“It hurt a lot, didn’t it?”

“Yes, it hurt. If you’re sorry, be quiet.”

Yi Jun, who had covered his mouth, followed hyung’s words, sparing even his breath.

Only then did he look a little like a drunk person.

“Thank you for the house.”

Bodam, who had seated Yi Jun in a chair, poured him a glass of water and said his thanks.

Yi Jun, who had taken his hand off his mouth to drink the water, returned the thanks, saying thank you for accepting it.

He still had a lot to give.

“Because you saved me, hyung. It’s all yours, hyung. Everything I have.”

“It’s fine. You use it sparingly.”

Bodam, who was still well-off thanks to saving the money for a house, drew a line, saying he would be burdened if Yi Jun gave him any more.

The house alone was more than enough.

Yi Jun didn’t press any further and just replied that he understood.

Bodam, who felt that he could communicate with the now calmer Yi Jun, thought that it would be fine to meet him often.

“Let’s keep getting along like this.”

Contacting each other and seeing each other’s faces.

Yi Jun, who had gotten even more drunk at hyung’s gentle voice, nodded his head for a long time and then fell asleep.

His eyes, just before they closed, seemed to have reddened a little.

His appearance, with his back straight and just his head bowed as he slept, looked just like a penguin.

Bodam, who had made Yi Jun lie down on the table, gently patted his soft brown hair.

He hoped that Yi Jun, like himself, would forget the past and live happily.

Since you only live once.

“Our Yoon Bbo-dam.”

Just then, Jo Yeon, who had been a step away, listening to their conversation, opened his mouth.

“Is too kind, even if he’s kind.”

Jo Yeon let out an exaggerated sigh and shook his head.

Bodam, who had patted his arm, acknowledged his own kind personality and winked proudly.

“I’m blessed because I live kindly.”

“That’s true.”

Jo Yeon, who knew of the generous blessing of 4.6 billion won before taxes, gave a thumbs-up in agreement.

Bodam, who knew how to share his happiness with others, was more than worthy of being blessed.

“What is this bastard doing, sleeping here.”

Ji Oh, who had come to the kitchen to avoid the annoying Team Leader Kim, started a fight, pushing the chair Yi Jun was sitting on.

A back-smack from Bodam came down on Ji Oh, who was getting angry, telling him to go home if he was going to sleep.

At the slapping sound, Team Leader Kim, who had shouted a toast, livened up the drinking party.

Bodam controlled his drinking, having beer instead of soju.

Since he would probably have to sleep at the Center today, he only drank enough not to get drunk.

He was fine with Lee Tae Hwan being alone, but Bodam, who had left him alone, was not fine.

He felt like he would only be at ease after seeing Tae Hwan’s perfectly fine face.

“Team Leader-niiim.”

Bodam, who had approached Seung Ho who hadn’t even glanced at the dessert Ji Oh had bought, whispered discreetly.

“Let’s go together when we go back today.”

Seeing him whisper with his hands even clasped together, he wasn’t completely sober.

Bodam was moderately drunk.

Seung Ho, who had taken a sip of whiskey, tilted his head towards Bodam and pretended not to hear.

“I said let’s go together. To the Center.”

Bodam, who had raised his voice, stuck close to Seung Ho so his voice wouldn’t be buried in the noisy atmosphere.

But because of Seung Ho, who shrugged his shoulders as if he still couldn’t hear, he had to repeat the same words several times.

‘Let’s go back together. Together.’