Chapter 11: A Friend, a Promise, and a Dimple

It was past five in the afternoon when Haejun finally escaped the lecture hall, and Kang Hangyeol was still clinging to his side.

“I really don’t want to go. Those seniors there are barely older than me, but they talk down to me like they’re ancient. Why did I even join that club?”

“You said it would look good on your resume.”

“I might end up with a mental breakdown trying to get one line on my resume. Why didn’t you stop me back then?”

“Who was it that got all starry-eyed over that long-haired senior recruiting and completely ignored everything I said?”

Haejun flicked Hangyeol’s forehead as the latter whined.

Back in his naive freshman spring, it was Hangyeol himself who had been captivated by a pretty senior promoting recruitment for the Business Strategy Society and had submitted his application without a second thought. Thanks to his decent looks, eloquence, and social skills, he’d made it through the interview and been accepted, and he’d made a fuss over his own surprise at getting in.

“You think I joined just because of her? I heard Sunbae Moon Sijin was active since his freshman year, so I figured it’d do something for me too!”

“Sijin hyung is Moon Sijin. You’re just Kang Hangyeol.”

“……”

“Still don’t see what the problem is?”

His tone was calm, but the impact was devastating; Hangyeol looked ready to drop to his knees. He was still hanging onto Haejun’s waist, and Haejun, worried his pants might slip, was getting annoyed.

“Seriously, let go.”

“I don’t want to go to the club room! It’s full of old-timers there! Haejun, take me with you.”

“I told you, I have plans. I don’t have time to hang out with you.”

“Don’t you love me? Is this all our friendship means to you?”

“I’ll count to three. One, two.”

He was seriously considering tripping him if he didn’t let go by the time he finished counting.

“Three.”

“Eek!”

The final countdown came not from Haejun, but from behind them. At the same time, Hangyeol, grabbed by the scruff of his neck, let out a short yelp and was yanked away like a weed being pulled.

“Hey, junior.”

Sijin smiled brightly at Hangyeol, who was staring up at him with the crown of his head pressed against Sijin’s chest. They were in the same department, and by club seniority, they were sunbae-hoobae as well, so the title was perfectly normal.

Still being held by the back of his neck, Hangyeol’s face was upside down. One might expect to see a face look asymmetrical or distorted when viewed from below, but Moon Sijin was flawless even then. Even with his neck trapped, Hangyeol kept his personal thoughts to himself as he examined Sijin’s face.

“Tell the others, Hangyeol. Tell them I’ll drop by the club room soon.”

“……”

“Ah. Was it ‘old-timers’ den’ instead?”

Only after Sijin released him did Hangyeol straighten up. A dull ache spread through his neck. He coughed lightly and rubbed his neck, feeling a gaze on him. It was from the one who had grabbed him.

“What are you waiting for? Go on.”

“I-I’m going. I’m going. Haejun, see you tomorrow. Sunbae-nim, please take care. I’ll be sure to deliver your message!”

Haejun gave a dry laugh at Hangyeol’s retreating figure, which had bowed at a perfect right angle before vanishing. When told to go, he’d been stuck like a leech, but after a few words from Sijin, he’d scurried off in a fluster. It was ridiculous.

Sijin, who had taken Hangyeol’s spot beside Haejun, was looking at Haejun, not Hangyeol.

“Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen Haejun’s friend.”

“I never really had anyone to call a friend before.”

It sounded almost self-deprecating, but Haejun was perfectly calm. Even as a child, he had no friends his age and had always sought out Sijin. There was no need to feel embarrassed about something discovered long ago.

“He seems nice. When I’m not around, he could look after my Haejun.”

“Yeah. Hangyeol’s nice. He treats me well.”

Sijin’s eyes narrowed, glancing sidelong at Haejun.

He noticed Haejun’s clothes were disheveled from how persistently that kid had been clinging. He smoothed out the crumpled shirt and adjusted his appearance, and Haejun’s body stiffened with tension. He seemed to be trying not to show it, but that only made it more awkward. Sijin pretended not to notice the younger’s trembling and asked.

“And me?”

“Huh?”

“I’m nice too. I treat you well.”

“……”

“Are you closer with him than with me?”

Haejun had been wondering what he was getting at.

He couldn’t help but burst into a soft laugh. It was the kind of thing seven-year-olds say when testing their friendship, and he was saying it with that handsome face of his. It was hilarious.

He knew he shouldn’t play favorites, but there was definitely one side his heart leaned toward more.

How could you even compare Moon Sijin to anyone else? At least, Haejun couldn’t.

“I’m closer with hyung.”

Haejun answered with a bright smile, dimples sinking into both cheeks. It was the kind of smile that made anyone who saw it think he was adorable.

“Dimples……”

Sijin murmured softly and reached out a calm hand. His hand, large enough to fully cup Haejun’s cheek, gently stroked the spot where the dimple sat. Haejun had seen it often when he was little, but it felt like he was seeing it for the first time in ages.

Sijin easily guessed why he was suddenly feeling sentimental. It meant Baek Haejun had finally smiled at him.

Realizing the gap of time, he suddenly pinched the soft cheek and pulled it.

“Euh…… Huhng?”

His cheek stretched, mangling his words. Sijin, who had felt a fleeting mischievous urge, gave up his mischief, defeated by the still-soft texture and the innocent eyes looking up at him.

Of course, hyung seemed to live a much busier life than when he was a high schooler.

Some days, Baek Haejun was part of his schedule broken down by the hour; other days, he wasn’t, but Sijin tried to keep his word. He’d told him not to eat at the student cafeteria, and whenever he had time, he brought Haejun home and cooked for him himself. That was proof enough.

Today’s welcome drink was apple juice. Haejun had already poured himself a second glass and was sitting at the island table, blankly watching Sijin cook.

He was tall. His toned, lean body looked well-maintained, and his posture was upright. Haejun couldn’t see his face from behind, but he guessed Sijin was focusing and wearing no expression at all.

Haejun liked his expressionless face, too. His porcelain-doll-like features were refined, even elegant. His nose and jawline traced perfect lines, his lips were neither too thin nor too thick, and his calm, blinking lashes were dense like a neatly spread fan.

His shirt collar covered half his neck. The skin peeking out between his neatly trimmed nape and the collar was fair. With his head slightly bowed, the vertebrae at the back of his neck stood out, making his broad shoulders and upright posture look even more solid and firm.

His thick chest held volume, his waist curved like a mountain ridge, and his arms, showing clear muscle definition, looked dense enough to resist a needle. His hands, with prominent bones and veins, were so large that the carrot he was holding looked like a toy rather than an ingredient. Haejun had wondered a few times whether Sijin’s single hand could completely cover his own head when he stroked his cheek or ruffled his hair. Of course, hyung would never do something that rough.

Haejun, feeling a sudden thirst, took a big gulp of apple juice.

Maybe it was because he knew he’d never be taller than hyung or bigger than him, no matter what. Discovering adult qualities in Sijin was genuinely enjoyable. His features had already been sharp and mature since high school, and the way his eye level was far above his own, and the fact that he could lift Haejun into the air with one arm, were all things he liked.

Of course, aside from the physical aspects, there were plenty of reasons to admire Sijin.

When he seemed upset but softened his fierce expression upon seeing him, that meant he could separate his emotions from his attitude. When Haejun brought homework, Sijin explained it in a way an elementary school kid could understand, seeming smarter than his homeroom teacher. His tone wasn’t particularly warm compared to his actions, and he often played pranks, but when Haejun pouted, he’d quickly apologize and soothe him. Having a father who never apologized or even realized he’d done something wrong, Haejun found Sijin’s traits refreshing.

Hyung is really a well-brought-up adult.

Haejun, suddenly self-conscious about having such thoughts when he was five years younger, quietly turned his head. Fortunately, Sijin himself was unaware of it. If he’d caught on, he would have teased him again.

“I’ll eat well.”

He’d just picked up his spoon. The phone on the table lit up with an incoming call. Sijin set the spoon down and picked up the phone instead. After checking the caller, he told Haejun to eat first and left the dining room.

Haejun sensed the call would be long. If it were a short call, he wouldn’t have left the room. But he didn’t expect Sijin not to return even after Haejun finished eating and soaked the empty bowls in the sink.

“Sorry. I think I need to step out for a bit.”

Sijin came out of the bedroom, having grabbed a jacket, and picked up the car keys from the living room. Haejun didn’t know what was going on, but the call must have been important.

Haejun glanced at Sijin’s untouched meal, then packed his own bag. It felt awkward to stay alone when the owner of the house was leaving. When he was a clueless kid, maybe not, but now, it felt that way.

“Then I’ll head home too.”

“Why? Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

Sijin looked genuinely puzzled. Since Haejun didn’t have any pressing plans today, he felt his mind change the moment he saw that face.

“Then…… maybe I will?”

He didn’t refuse twice and set his bag back down. Sijin patted his head a couple of times, and the tingling at his roots made Haejun tense up. He almost let out a burst of pheromones without realizing it.

As he saw Sijin off and came back in, Haejun had the embarrassing thought that their relationship had somehow grown even more special.