Chapter 98: Sweeter Than Americano

As Chaewon found himself newly aware of just how deeply the people around him cared for I-hyeon, he let out a small, unconscious sigh.

Se-jin, who had quietly stepped closer, spoke in a low voice meant only for him.

“Do what you want, Chaewon.”

“…What?”

Caught off guard, Chaewon looked up. Se-jin continued with a gentle smile.

“Min I-hyeon included, everyone at the Center, they’re your colleagues now. When it comes to building relationships, you don’t need to watch other people’s reactions.”

“Ah…”

“Don’t carry other people’s burdens for them. And don’t try to shoulder them in their place. Got it?”

Se-jin’s eyes, meeting his directly, were warm beyond measure.

Facing that gaze, Chaewon felt something unfamiliar stir inside him.

Se-jin was Su-ha’s closest friend and seemed just as close to I-hyeon.

Chaewon felt close to Se-jin too, but it could never compare to the years those two had shared with him.

If he were honest, he had always assumed Se-jin would naturally prioritize them over him.

Of course, Chaewon didn’t believe he held the same weight in Se-jin’s heart as Su-ha or I-hyeon did.

But even so, the fact that Se-jin, who surely knew about the complicated history between Su-ha and I-hyeon, was saying this to him now made Chaewon deeply grateful.

He smiled softly, eyes curving, and nodded.

“Yes. I will. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing… If you’re really thankful, have a meal with me sometime.”

“Yes. I’d like that!”

“You would?”

Just as Chaewon answered brightly, a familiar voice suddenly sounded beside him.

“Like what?”

“Ah, Su-ha, you’re here?”

Recognizing him instantly by voice alone, Chaewon’s face broke into a wide smile before he even turned around.

Watching him with a knowing look, Se-jin chuckled lightly and greeted,

“You’re here?”

“Yeah.”

Su-ha gave Se-jin a brief nod before turning back to Chaewon.

“Yes, I’m here. What were you talking about?”

Se-jin studied Su-ha’s expression. Even he, who had known Su-ha for years, had never seen that particular look before.

Watching the two of them, faces practically glowing, made Se-jin’s earlier worries about I-hyeon seem almost pointless.

Not that he minded.

In the meantime, Chaewon answered with a bright smile.

“Ah, Se-jin said we should have a meal together sometime. I told him I’d like that.”

Perhaps because he felt he was learning so much from him, Chaewon sometimes called Se-jin “teacher.”

It was a title Se-jin still found unfamiliar, but he liked the clear way Chaewon said it, so he never objected.

Su-ha, however, still hadn’t grown used to it. His brows twitched faintly before smoothing out as he nodded.

“Hmm. That sounds nice. Let’s all go together.”

Se-jin cut in immediately.

“All? Why are you inserting yourself?”

“What?”

“I asked him to eat with me. Just the two of us.”

Su-ha scoffed at Se-jin’s blunt response.

Only Chaewon, thinking it was harmless teasing, continued smiling between them.

Se-jin quickly turned to him.

“You know what I mean, right? Just the two of us.”

“Yes, yes. We can eat just the two of us, and the three of us can go eat something good together too.”

Chaewon often thought the two of them were like brothers.

They would even look good as a couple, objectively speaking, but if he ever said that aloud, he was certain they’d both scold him.

The thought made him laugh softly to himself.

Interacting without constantly worrying about others was still unfamiliar to Chaewon, but even that unfamiliar feeling wasn’t unpleasant. It made his heart flutter.

“Chaewon has training to do. Stop bothering him and go work out.”

After exchanging a few more petty jabs with Su-ha, Se-jin firmly pushed him away.

Su-ha, unable to interfere with training any longer, turned to Chaewon with a faintly sulky expression.

“Then finish up safely. I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Yes. You be careful too.”

For two people who had just been together and would continue being together shortly, it was an overly affectionate farewell.

“I’m heading out,” Su-ha said briefly to Se-jin before walking off.

For a moment, Se-jin considered telling him that I-hyeon had come looking for Chaewon earlier.

But he shook his head.

It was Chaewon’s choice to make.

Concern alone wasn’t reason enough for him to interfere.

“Alright. Let’s continue.”

“Yes!”

Chaewon answered energetically, climbing back onto the equipment and settling into position with surprising ease.

Whenever Se-jin saw Su-ha held back by his long fixation on I-hyeon, his chest felt heavy.

He had wanted to say something for a long time, but it wasn’t easy to make someone let go of something they’d clung to for so many years.

And yet, someone who had appeared out of nowhere had changed Su-ha in such a short time.

Life really was unpredictable.

With that thought, Se-jin refocused on Chaewon.

****

“Here. This is yours, Su-ha.”

“Thank you, Chaewon. I’ll enjoy it.”

Sitting by the window of a café in the park in front of the dorms, Su-ha smiled as Chaewon set down coffee and cake on the table.

It had been Chaewon who suggested grabbing coffee after training.

It was the first time Chaewon had asked Su-ha to do something personal together.

There was no way Su-ha could refuse.

“You could’ve ordered something more expensive…”

“It’s fine. I like Americano.”

“Still…”

“There’s cake too.”

Chaewon, cheeks faintly flushed, sat across from him with a shy smile.

Naturally, in front of him was a café mocha piled high with whipped cream.

Whipped cream in the drink, fresh cream on the cake, Chaewon clearly liked creamy things.

For some reason, discovering even that small preference made the corner of Su-ha’s lips twitch upward.

Even after sitting down, Chaewon didn’t take a sip. He simply stared at Su-ha, waiting for him to try it first.

Chaewon had paid for everything.

He had even carried the tray himself, firmly stopping Su-ha from doing it.

He had a clear goal today.

It was his first payday since joining the Center.

The first person he wanted to treat was Su-ha.

Originally, he had planned to take him somewhere nicer for a proper meal.

But passing the park café, the words slipped out impulsively.

To Su-ha, it might have been ordinary.

But to Chaewon, the time they had spent in cafés together, brief as it was, had become special memories.

He had simply wanted to buy something there with his own money.

A proper meal could come later.

Su-ha watched the bright eyes fixed on him, found them adorable, and took a sip of coffee. Then he cut a neat bite of cake and tasted it.

Truthfully, he hadn’t liked the idea of Chaewon paying or carrying the tray.

But after hearing the reason, he couldn’t refuse.

More than anything, the fact that he had been the first person Chaewon wanted to treat made his heart race.

After chewing thoughtfully, Su-ha smiled.

“It’s good.”

“Really? It suits your taste?”

“Yes. It’s really good. You should try yours too.”

“Yes!”

Though he hadn’t made it himself, Chaewon looked genuinely happy at the praise.

Only then did he take a sip of his mocha.

Sitting across from him, Su-ha reflected on how Chaewon was growing brighter by the day, more expressive, more varied in emotion.

The distant, deep-sea stillness that once surrounded him was rarely seen anymore.

Su-ha didn’t believe he was solely responsible.

There were many people who made Chaewon smile.

Still, he hoped he was part of it.

No, he hoped he was the greatest influence of all.

“Are you that happy?” Su-ha asked softly.

There was no teasing in his tone.

If anything, he looked even happier than Chaewon.

Chaewon nodded earnestly.

“Yes. It feels strange. I’ve earned money before… but this is the first time I’ve spent it this freely on someone other than my grandmother.”

There was no sadness in his voice.

But the words made something ache beneath Su-ha’s ribs.

He should have been used to it by now.

And yet, whenever fragments of Chaewon’s past surfaced so casually, Su-ha still felt a guilt-like pain.

A fierce urge rose within him, to reach out and hold his hand.

Not just sit across like colleagues exchanging understanding smiles.

He wanted to sit beside him.

Wrap an arm around his shoulders.

Press a kiss to his cheek, to his lips.

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