Chapter 20: A Sudden Revelation

“Let’s have a drink.”

Yoon Tae-yeol seemed taken aback by the sudden invitation. Yet, perhaps due to Jung-hyun’s noticeably different demeanor, he didn’t refuse the glass offered to him.

Snap! Jung-hyun ruthlessly twisted open the soju bottle, first filling Yoon Tae-yeol’s glass, then his own to the brim.

The rapid gulp sent a flush to his face, making his blood thrum. Not stopping there, he downed another shot before slowly parting his lips.

“It feels a bit strange to bring this up now, but I’m curious. ……Why did you leave without a word eight years ago? Did I make a mistake or do something wrong?”

A bewildered expression settled on Yoon Tae-yeol’s face, wondering what Jung-hyun was getting at. Not only was he suddenly bringing up such an old matter, but the question that followed was astonishing. Did he do something wrong? Impossible.

“Not at all.”

If anything, recalling that time filled him with gratitude. Jung-hyun had accepted him without question, understood his flaws, and, most importantly, had reassured him that he wasn’t alone.

However, the reason he had left so abruptly was a lack of emotional fortitude. Drowning in self-pity and despair, he hadn’t had the luxury of thinking about anything else.

When he finally came to his senses and reached out later, Jung-hyun had simply replied, ‘Understood,’ without much fuss. Yoon Tae-yeol had felt relieved, thinking everything had worked out. But now, it seemed his assumption had been entirely mistaken.

Jung-hyun was looking at him as if searching for an answer. Seeing that unfamiliar, humorless face and those dark, captivating eyes stirred an emotion difficult to describe.

Slowly, Yoon Tae-yeol averted his gaze, finally bringing the glass he’d been holding to his lips. Feeling the sharp burn as it slid down his throat, he reminisced about the past before speaking slowly.

“You went to work, and I was just watching TV like a jobless bum. ……Then an advertisement for an overseas tourist destination came on.”

The beautiful scenery, the blooming flowers, the people smiling brightly with hopeful faces. Those images, contrasting sharply with his dark, unlit room, became seared into his eyes, feeling like a lifeline to escape his current miserable existence.

“It suddenly occurred to me that if I went to a place like that, I could start a new life. I just felt like everything would go well, that only good things would happen. ……That’s why I did it.”

As he fell silent, an uncomfortable quiet lingered.

Jung-hyun, who had been listening intently, finally parted his lips. It wasn’t exactly a reprimand, but a hint of disappointment was undeniable.

“Even so, leaving without a word was too much, you jerk.”

“……I’m sorry. It might sound like an excuse, but when I contacted you later, and you accepted me and treated me the same as before, I never dreamed you’d still be thinking about it.”

“……”

“It’s too late now, but…… I was truly grateful back then. From now on, I’ll pay you back everything, with interest.”

His voice was calm and composed. Though no effusive emotions were revealed, it was precisely that understated sincerity that resonated with Jung-hyun.

Unlike himself, who couldn’t hide his feelings, Yoon Tae-yeol’s unwavering composure, like a towering tree, sometimes made Jung-hyun feel as if he were the junior, not the senior.

It was also surprising that despite being an Alpha, he was far from arrogant or hot-headed.

That’s why, even during their prime, despite their frequent bickering, they never truly fought or harbored ill feelings.

Even when Jung-hyun was determined to scold him, a quiet ‘I’m sorry’ from that face would always melt his resolve.

After a sigh, Jung-hyun slowly continued.

“So, you weren’t dissatisfied with me, then?”

“No. If I had been, I wouldn’t have contacted you first. I wouldn’t have come to your house again this time, either.”

“……”

“I’m only saying this now, but…… when I came back to Korea this time, you were the first person I called. Even before my sister. So please, let it go. Okay?”

Hmph. Did he think that apologetic smile on his face would make Jung-hyun give in?

“Alright. Well, I was just curious, there’s nothing to let go of.”

He gave in immediately. ‘Don’t smile like that, you punk. I’ll get attached.’ Jung-hyun grumbled indignantly, then poured another shot of soju and downed it.

His expression brightened considerably. The only lingering, long-standing resentment had finally been resolved, leaving him feeling unburdened.

As his body began to relax under the influence, Jung-hyun simply flopped onto the sofa, lying flat. His eyelids quickly grew heavy.

“Please sleep comfortably in the room.”

“I’m not sleeping.”

“But your eyes are closing?”

“My eyes are firmly attached to my face…… What?”

He was joking back when he suddenly gasped and opened his eyes. It was because he felt his body abruptly lift into the air.

It wasn’t his imagination. Yoon Tae-yeol, as if showing off his strength out of nowhere, had unceremoniously scooped Jung-hyun up and was walking away with him.

“What’s with the sudden move?”

“Delivery service.”

“Am I a chicken?”

Yoon Tae-yeol paid no mind to Jung-hyun’s bewildered protests. Eventually, the place he set Jung-hyun down was in front of the bathroom.

Jung-hyun was utterly dumbfounded when Yoon Tae-yeol even courteously opened the door for him. His sleepiness vanished instantly.

“You want me to sleep here?”

“No. I want you to brush your teeth first.”

“……”

“You should wash up before you sleep.”

Yoon Tae-yeol’s expression was 100% earnest, not playful at all. *Sigh*, of course. He’d almost been fooled by the handsome exterior.

“Thanks, I guess.”

Jung-hyun let out a hollow laugh, shook his head once, and then entered the bathroom.

As he roughly washed up as requested and emerged, Yoon Tae-yeol, who had been standing in the living room, turned around as if sensing his presence. He smiled contentedly and said,

“Sleep well.”

“Yeah. You too.”

As if taking turns, Yoon Tae-yeol entered the bathroom, and Jung-hyun started to head to his own room. But then, a sight caught Jung-hyun’s eye. The living room, which had been littered with soju bottles and snack bags, was now spotlessly clean.

A chuckle escaped him.

‘Is he like a fairy helper? I like this.’

Jung-hyun entered his room and flopped onto the bed. Though a little tipsy, his mind was clear.

He blinked occasionally, staring blankly at the ceiling. Through the slightly ajar door, which hadn’t been properly closed, the sound of the shower could be heard.

Perhaps it was due to the vivid presence of another person, felt so keenly after a long time. The thought, ‘It would be nice to have a partner,’ which he had forgotten amidst his busy life, suddenly came to mind.

This was not a momentary whim or caprice. Perhaps influenced by the early deaths of his parents, followed by his grandmother, Jung-hyun had always wanted to marry quickly and start his own family, if circumstances allowed.

However, reality was not as easy as he thought. He had met someone he believed to be good, only to be thoroughly betrayed.

There were also relationships that gradually distanced themselves and eventually ended the moment he subtly brought up marriage.

Without realizing it, he seemed to have hit a plateau, having been single for nearly a year since breaking up with his ex.

‘No, I can’t let this continue. I need to make a fresh start.’

Fortunately, Jung-hyun possessed an unexpected trump card: he had joined a matchmaking agency. He immediately found his phone and turned it on.

For the first time, he meticulously read every single word of the matching messages sent by the agency, which he had previously only skimmed, using busyness as an excuse.

After all, to pick persimmons, one must first go to where the persimmon tree stands.

***

One summer day, when the heat was at its peak, the scorching sun in the cloudless sky was so intense it seemed capable of melting everything in the world.

Jung-hyun, too, was exhausted by the sweltering heat. Leaving his house in the morning and barely unlocking his front door late at night, he was more withered than parched grass.

He dropped his bag weakly and collapsed onto the bed. After breathing listlessly for a moment, he finally managed to roll over to turn on the air conditioner, but something he saw made him frown.

‘Ah, the window.’

Through the half-raised blinds, he saw the wide-open window. It suddenly occurred to him that he had opened it for ventilation on his way to work that morning.

He clicked his tongue, irritably ran his hands through his hair, and reluctantly got up.

He slammed the window behind his desk shut with a frustrated gesture, simultaneously turning on the air conditioner and frantically lowering the temperature. He stumbled back to lie down, but this time, his phone vibrated loudly.

“Ugh……”

The small bag he had carried all day was unceremoniously tossed aside the moment he entered the house. In other words, to answer the phone, he would have to get up again, open the door, and go out.

It should have disconnected if he didn’t answer right away, but the phone stubbornly continued to ring, asserting its presence.

He wanted to ignore the call, but it might be related to a business project he was preparing. Jung-hyun cursed his own short-sightedness and rose once more.

“Coming, coming.”

He rushed out and pulled his phone from his bag. The number on the screen was unfamiliar, not saved in his contacts.

However, it didn’t feel like a spam or advertising call, so he hesitated for a moment before finally pressing the call button.

“Hello?”

–This is the XX Precinct of the Seobu Police Station.

His nonchalant expression instantly changed the moment he heard ‘Police Station Precinct.’

The thought immediately ran through his mind: ‘What? Did I do something wrong?’ Jung-hyun quickly adjusted his grip on the phone and cautiously asked again,

“Police station?”

What followed was even more unexpected.

–Are you acquainted with Yoon Tae-yeol?