Chapter 6: The Eve

October 14th, 3 PM.

I had already been sitting in the shabby boxing gym for two hours.

To anyone else, I probably looked spaced out, like a person who’d lost their mind.

But inside my head, it was pure chaos.

Could I call tomorrow the day of reckoning?

Like a passenger trapped on a train of anxiety, I rattled endlessly, yet felt confused by the perfectly ordinary world in front of me.

If tomorrow came and the world remained exactly the same as today, then I would continue being close to Han Jun like this.

I prayed and prayed that tomorrow would pass just like the past two months—carefree laughter, nothing happening at all.

“If you’re not going to work out, go home. This isn’t a sauna.”

Oblivious to the fact that I was mentally praying to every god imaginable—God, Buddha, Allah, even koalas—Han Jun tapped my back.

When I still didn’t respond, he waved a hand in front of my face and let out a deep sigh, placing his hands on his hips.

“Are you sick?”

“No. I’m perfectly fine.”

Tomorrow, I’d finally get answers.

I’d resolve every doubt.

I’d stop being confused.

I’d been dragged this far by one strange book, but it would all end tomorrow.

From tomorrow on, I’d return to being completely sane.

“Then stand up.”

Han Jun grabbed my arm and pulled me up.

I looked up at him with desperate eyes.

If I could just endure today.

Then why was my heart pounding like this?

Was this a heart attack?

Should I have gone to the hospital instead of the gym?

I clung to the only person who could calm me.

“Let’s drink.”

“Again?”

“Hang out with me. You don’t have any friends anyway.”

“I have to work.”

“I’ll wait. Please. I have something to tell you.”

My serious expression made his eyes shake violently.

He stared down at me, brows furrowing.

His lips parted several times before he finally nodded, as if making a difficult decision.

“…I’ll ask to leave early.”

I only needed him to eat with me, but he was even trying to leave work early.

I watched his retreating back as he went to talk to the coach.

The tips of his ears were red again.

Around 6 PM, Han Jun got off work earlier than usual.

“Let’s eat something good. The best thing in the world. Anything you want.”

Just in case.

For the worst-case scenario.

On the eve of the decisive day, I had decided on a grand feast.

Han Jun looked at me like I was crazy.

“Why are you setting the mood like this? Let’s just eat normally.”

“No. It has to be expensive. It has to be amazing. A place we won’t regret.”

“…Do whatever you want.”

He responded lazily but followed along.

It almost looked like resignation.

I dragged him into a fancy restaurant in a busy district.

Soft classical music played.

The interior was both luxurious and nature-themed.

I shrank a little at the atmosphere.

I’d come for a last supper without regrets, but it was awkward.

Han Jun looked just as uncomfortable, glancing around and whispering.

“Damn. If we were coming somewhere like this, you could’ve told me. I look like a beggar.”

“It’s fine. You’d look good even in rags. Have confidence.”

“Seriously.”

We were guided to our seats.

Our clothes definitely didn’t match the vibe.

I straightened my back and lifted my chin.

“Act confident. We’re the ones paying.”

But Han Jun was already growling at the menu.

“It’s expensive.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got a card. I’ll pay in installments.”

I didn’t have much savings left from part-time jobs.

It was embarrassing to ask my mom for money at this age, so everything went on installments.

“Who pays for one meal in installments? Are you insane?”

He had a point.

No one planning to live long would do that.

But I was someone living only for today.

“Ah, young master. You don’t understand the world. Everyone does this nowadays.”

“….”

I snatched the menu from him and called the waiter.

“Excuse me! Two of the most expensive dishes here. And wine.”

Han Jun covered his eyes with one hand and lowered his head in embarrassment.

The waiter approached us with a strange look.

I decided to double down.

“…Would you like the course menu?”

“Yes. And make the steak large. Whatever the chef recommends.”

“How would you like it cooked? And the wine?”

“Cook it deliciously. Medium, I guess. And the wine—”

I glanced at the menu.

Why is this bottle over 500,000 won?

Even for someone living only for today, that price made me gasp.

“Give us the 100,000 won one.”

“…Medium is fine then?”

“Yes, yes.”

The waiter asked more questions, but I brushed them off vaguely.

When he left, Han Jun finally lifted his head.

His face was red.

“…I want to die of embarrassment. You don’t even know medium and well-done?”

“I do. I just said it casually. They’ll handle it. People order casually all the time. Stop watching so many dramas.”

My family wasn’t rich, but we were comfortable.

I’d eaten steak before.

I just wanted him to feel less intimidated.

If one of us had to look foolish, it could be me.

“…Really?”

“It’s just a restaurant. Eat well and leave. Medium, well-done—whatever. My mother’s ancestors were related to Heungseon Daewongun, so I tremble at English. Foreign culture has infiltrated too deeply.”

“What nonsense. Then why are you eating steak and wine?”

“…We have to survive.”

Still, my shamelessness seemed to ease him a bit.

He glanced around, sipping water.

When the bread and appetizers arrived and we began eating slowly, Han Jun stared at me.

“You said you had something to say.”

“Hm?”

Should I say it?

Should I not?

We were close now.

Maybe I could risk sounding crazy.

But my throat felt blocked.

Just then, the waiter performed a little show with the cork and poured wine.

I gulped it down to calm my nerves.

It was barely a sip.

The waiter looked startled and poured more.

I drank it again.

After repeating that three times, I felt slightly tipsy.

“Stop it, you drunk.”

I swallowed and looked at Han Jun.

He looked half worried, half embarrassed.

I was the one drinking.

Why was his face red?

“I might sound crazy.”

I finally spoke.

“You already do.”

He shot me down immediately.

Still, I continued seriously.

“…If the world ended tomorrow, would you believe me?”

“….”

His jaw tightened.

Veins bulged on the hand holding his fork.

He closed his eyes tightly, took a deep breath, then opened them slowly.

“Stop joking.”

He spoke through clenched teeth.

I wasn’t joking.

I’d called him here to say this.

But he looked like he’d expected something else entirely.

“No, just listen. What if a dimensional rift suddenly opened—”

Bang—

He slammed his hand on the table.

The sound startled me.

People glanced over.

“There’s a reason you dragged me here. What is it?”

If I kept going, he might grab my collar.

“…What I’m trying to say is.”

I couldn’t meet his sharp gaze.

My mouth went dry.

My skin trembled.

Maybe I shouldn’t say it.

This wasn’t just being called crazy.

It felt like I’d get punched.

I was the one paying for this expensive meal.

Why did I feel like a criminal?

My head drooped.

“Forget it.”

Han Jun leaned back with a heavy sigh.

“Check, please.”

He waved the bill at the waiter.

“Huh? Hey, put that down. I said I’d pay.”

“I was going to pay today.”

“Why?”

“You paid last time.”

“Hey, the price is different. Give it.”

I stood up to snatch his card, but his eyes flashed dangerously.

“Hyung. Sit down.”

He was younger than me.

But when he spoke like that, I listened.

I sat back down quietly.

“…Now I feel bad.”

“Yeah. Reflect on that.”

He ground his teeth, not even looking at me.

Why was he so angry?

Was it because I brought him somewhere expensive without warning?

Or because I embarrassed him earlier?

“Don’t be mad. You’re scary.”

“…You keep scratching at my insides.”

“What did I even do?”

“You really don’t know?”

“If I knew, why would I ask?”

“That’s the problem.”

Seriously.