Chapter 142: Side Story – Monday Blues Have Disappeared (12)

Bodam, while smiling with satisfaction at the rapidly diminishing food, checked his phone frequently.

He alternated between Yi Jun’s text saying he was almost there and Tae Hwan’s text telling him to have fun, keeping the two who weren’t there in mind.

He was especially concerned that Yi Jun, who had been looking forward to today more than he had, was late.

He was worried that he might have gotten into an accident on the way.

“But hyungnim. How much do you have to earn to live in a house like this?”

Yeon Yeok, who was eating a large mouthful of galbi and japchae, asked seriously.

He pretended to be blinded by the sparkling Han River view, saying that he was too successful.

Bodam just smiled affluently and waved his hand.

“I told you I didn’t buy the house. I received it, received it.”

“No, hyung. That makes me even more jealous.”

“Does he bother you for giving you the house?”

Following Yeon Yeok, who had covered his face in envy, Team Leader Kim showed interest.

He had returned to the barrier team, which was suffering from a severe manpower shortage due to the Center’s atmosphere of being heated up with arresting unregistered individuals.

He had been so busy commanding the barrier department and managing the team that he had only exchanged simple greetings with Bodam.

“No. Not at all. He’s never even come in person. He was also out of the country.”

‘Honestly, I thought he would come at least once.’ But Kang Yi Jun hadn’t even asked to be invited.

As if he was doing quite well, he didn’t contact him often and just replied diligently.

The content of the texts they exchanged was also all bright and positive.

The two mainly shared beautiful and cool scenery pictures of their travels.

The conversation of “how are you,” “I’m fine” was mostly repeated.

Bodam gradually had conversations with the slowly stabilizing Yi Jun and set a time to meet.

Bodam, whose heart had become sufficiently healthy, treated Yi Jun with leisure.

Today, he wanted to drink and talk with a relaxed mind.

“I’m going to go call Kang Yi Jun.”

Bodam, who had gotten up while calling Yi Jun, was relieved at Yi Jun’s voice, which was heard as soon as the signal connected.

‘It seems he didn’t get into an accident.’

– Dam-hyung.

“Yeah. Where are you? Are you still far?”

– No. I’m here.

“Where are you?”

Bodam suppressed Ji Oh, who was grumbling with a displeased face, with his gaze and waited for an answer.

– Uh, right in front.

“So where.”

– In front of your house, hyung.

“…You’re at the door?”

He had asked just in case, but there was no reply.

Bodam couldn’t see, but Yi Jun was holding his phone and nodding his head.

He was really at the door.

Bodam, who had tilted his head for a moment, immediately headed for the entrance.

Ji Oh, who was sensitive to Yi Jun, also followed Bodam, and the quick-witted Team Leader Kim had already reinforced the barrier.

And so, the door, which hadn’t even had its doorbell rung, opened.

“Kang Yi Jun?”

Yi Jun, whose arrival time was unknown, faced Bodam with his phone still to his ear.

“Hyung,” he said, smiling.

“When did you get here? If you’re here, you should have rung the bell!”

“You’re the only one who’s late, you bastard. Don’t you live with a clock!”

Bodam, who had pushed back the yelling Ji Oh, looked up at Yi Jun in detail.

‘It’s been a while, and he seems to have gotten taller. His round eyes also seem to have changed strangely.’

“I’m very late, aren’t I.”

But that relaxed voice and smile were still the same.

The slightly more mature impression was quickly hidden by his childlike smile.

Perhaps because of his face, where the large and small scars had cleanly disappeared, his expression also looked brighter.

“Kang Yi Jun, you’re so f*cking late, there’s no seat for you.”

“Ah, just go inside!”

Ji Oh, who had been snapping at Yi Jun and had been scolded by Bodam, took a step back.

Bodam let Yi Jun, who was standing tall and just smiling, inside.

“You haven’t eaten, right?”

Yi Jun, who had given a long nod, answered that he was hungry but didn’t seem interested in the food.

He didn’t even notice the gazes of those sitting around the large table, watching him.

That was how much his attention was focused only on Bodam.

“Why did you bring something so big? Isn’t it heavy?”

“It’s for you, hyung. Unwrap it later.”

The large gift Yi Jun had brought was wrapped, but it looked like a picture frame at a glance.

Ji Oh was looking for a chance to tear or pour water on whatever picture it was.

Though he couldn’t put it into practice, for fear of being scolded by Bodam.

“It’s been a while.”

Team Leader Kim, who had gotten up to get more food, was the first to greet Yi Jun.

Next, Yeon Yeok, who had been watching for the right timing, smiled slightly and bowed his head.

He and Yi Jun were the same age.

Surprisingly.

“Sit here.”

Bodam, who had leaned the large frame against the wall, sat Yi Jun between Yeon Yeok and himself.

He had left a seat empty in advance so that Yi Jun, who had become the only ordinary person here, would be separated from the Espers.

No matter how much of a barrier had been put up, it was more comfortable for both sides to keep as much distance as possible.

“Did you walk here?”

Bodam scanned Yi Jun’s flushed face, which looked as if he had been in the outside wind for a long time.

He had thought he would of course come by car, but a cold energy was transmitted from him.

“I came by car.”

Every time Bodam spoke to him, Yi Jun lowered his head to listen carefully, and when he answered, he smiled, his eyes crinkling.

His bangs, which were longer than he remembered, half-covered his eyes, but because they were curly, they didn’t look stuffy.

His gray eyes, a lighter color than Seung Ho’s, gave a calm impression, perhaps because of his deepened eyes.

“…Why?”

Yi Jun blinked his eyes at Bodam, who was suddenly looking at him and twitching the corners of his mouth.

Bodam shook his head with a face that was on the verge of a smile.

He had wondered what was different about Kang Yi Jun, but it seemed his baby fat was gone.

That was why his atmosphere felt a bit more mature.

He laughed because it made him seem young anew, that he had had baby fat left to lose.

‘Well. He’s at an age where he would have worn a school uniform until last year.’

“Alright, if you’re not a big eater, you’re out.”

Just then, Team Leader Kim placed a huge amount of heaping rice and a brimming soup bowl in front of Yi Jun.

Yi Jun, whose appetite was as small as Seung Ho’s, looked at Bodam, as if wondering what this was.

Even though it was Team Leader Kim who had served him the rice, only hyung came into his eyes.

“Eat and then eat more.”

At Bodam’s shocking remark that followed, Yi Jun smiled brightly and picked up his chopsticks.

He didn’t even say the portion was large, thinking he was being scolded by hyung with rice.

“There’s still a lot left, so everyone eat slowly.”

Thus, Yi Jun overate, something he had never done even when he was an Esper.

Because there were only people who ate well around him, he kept eating.

Really, without end.

The first round of the meal, filled with exclamations of “delicious” and Bodam’s explanation of the ingredients, was almost over.

Everyone had a satisfied face, except for Yi Jun, who was secretly rubbing his stomach, and Seung Ho, who was drinking a lot of water.

“Hyungnim. We’ll clean up, so you can unwrap your present!”

Yeon Yeok, who ate as well as an Esper, stopped Bodam, who was trying to clear the table to prepare for dessert.

When Bodam said they should clean up and unwrap it together, Jo Yeon also stepped up and stopped him.

“Cleaning is for the guests. You go and look at your present.”

Jo Yeon led Bodam to the living room where the presents were gathered.

Yeon Yeok, who was thus left at the table with the upper-level Espers, quickly rolled up his sleeves and corrected himself.

“I will clean up. I clean up well by myself!”

Team Leader Kim laughed cheerfully at the first-year guide Yeon Yeok, who was surrounded by the representative attack team and the barrier department team leader, and stacked the empty plates together.

Seung Ho, who had emptied his sixth glass of water, also stood up and picked up the largest pot.

“Get up and clean.”

Seung Ho said to Ji Oh and Yi Jun, who were sitting blankly.

The two were young masters who had never washed their own bowls in their lives.

Let alone a bowl, they had never even put a cup in the sink.

But what was the big deal.

Yi Jun, who had gotten up before Ji Oh, just took his own utensils and went to the kitchen.

Ji Oh also tried to follow him with just his utensils, but at Team Leader Kim’s sarcastic remark of how long it would take to move everything, he took the dishes too.

“Hey Jo Yeon. Why did you buy so many things.”

“I’ve received quite a lot from you.”

Inside the large gift box Jo Yeon had brought were a diffuser, a small table lamp, and candles and a book.

Bodam smiled from ear to ear, liking the props that each showed off Jo Yeon’s sense.

It had everything that could be called the standard for a housewarming gift.

“Mine is next!”

Yeon Yeok, who had run over in a hurry, explained, opening his shopping bag himself.

Ji Oh, who had followed him, furrowed his brow at Yeon Yeok’s gift.

‘No, that young punk, right now.’

“Hyung, this body wash is famous. Use this lotion in the summer, and this one in the winter.”

“Oh, it looks good. Thank you!”

Jo Yeon, who was looking at the body wash with Bodam, sniffed the unscented cap and confiscated it, saying the smell was too strong.

Ji Oh also agreed from the side, saying he should use it.

It was annoying that someone else was gifting something that would touch Yoon Bodam’s bare skin.

“Hyung uses soap! Suji recommended this.”

“Tell Suji thank you.”

“Ah, hyung!”

While Jo Yeon was teasing Yeon Yeok, Ji Oh, who had cleared his throat and approached, showed off his empty hands.

Bodam, wondering if he was saying he himself was the gift, averted his gaze, pretending not to see.

Just then, where he had turned his head, was the massage chair Bomi had ordered without a word.

“That’s my gift.”

“What?”

In fact, Ji Oh had secretly contacted Bomi and asked what was needed at home, and fearing that Bodam wouldn’t accept it, he had sent it in advance through Bomi.

“You can’t return something you’ve already used.”

Ji Oh nailed down the pre-given gift, saying thank you for accepting it.

He had wanted to give it to him like this because he would subtly refuse whenever he tried to give him a gift, even though he accepted what Lee Tae Hwan gave him just fine.

“Wow. That massage chair is the most expensive one. At least eight hundred?”

“No! It’s not that much!”

When Team Leader Kim, who had joined the gift-opening ceremony, guessed the price range correctly, the flinching Ji Oh insisted it wasn’t.

He even made the ridiculous excuse that he had bought it for half the price to the surprised Bodam, who was asking if it was that expensive.

Team Leader Kim, who had pushed him aside, handed him a gift in a department store shopping bag.

“I bought you some dishes. Since I heard you’re learning to cook, Guide-nim.”

Bodam, who was touched by Team Leader Kim’s impeccable sense as expected, had his eyes wide at the luxurious dish set.

He liked all the gifts he had received.

In fact, he was so excited that he would have hugged and slept with even a pair of socks if he had been given one.

The fact that he had so many people to invite to his house was happiness in itself.

While Bodam was looking at the overflowing gifts one by one again, the conversation between Seung Ho and Yi Jun was heard from the kitchen.

“Wash it properly.”