Chapter 24: Step Into My World

“No, I’m free…. That restaurant you mentioned, Hyung… can I go straight there? If you tell me where it is, I’ll match the time.”

His gushing reply carried a sense of urgency. It was because he was afraid Shin Joowon would misunderstand if he hesitated to answer.

–”Yooha, where are you right now? It’s a bit tricky to get to by public transport.”

“I’m here… in Gyoyeon-dong. It’s close to Gyoyeon Central Station.”

The absence of any hint of disappointment in Joowon’s voice indicated that his mood hadn’t been soured. Once Yooha, relieved, answered the question, a rustling noise was heard instead of Shin Joowon’s voice.

Thinking the call might have gone wrong, he briefly checked the screen, but the call was still connected. When he brought the phone back to his ear, Shin Joowon’s voice finally came through.

– “I’ll go pick you up.”

“I can go straight there. It’s troublesome for you…”

–”It’s not far from my place, so it’s fine. You said you were waiting for the bus earlier, right? Where exactly are you?”

“Ah… yes, the bus stop. The Greenview Apartment stop…”

–”Got it. I’ll leave right away.”

“What? No, I’m really fine…”

While Yooha was still speaking, Shin Joowon abruptly hung up. Yooha, flustered, let his hand holding the phone drop. He stared blankly at his phone, which returned to the lock screen after a few blinks, and gnawed on his lip. He didn’t know how many times he would feel gratitude and apology toward him.

‘Can a person be this kind, considerate, and sweet?’

Shin Joowon was like that yesterday too. Even though he must have been bothered by the sighting post, he worried about Yooha instead, asking if he wasn’t bothered himself.

It wasn’t that he had never received consideration or concern from others before, but the words and warm sentiments from Shin Joowon uniquely filled Yooha’s heart so tightly.

“Haa……”

Even sitting still, he felt as out of breath as if he had run up the hill toward the Business School building.

His chest ached from his violently pounding heart, and his cheeks were flushed hot, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead despite the cool weather.

Yooha let the bus he was supposed to take pass by without regret, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

He quietly waited for Shin Joowon, stealing glances at people getting on and off the buses that briefly stopped and passed by.

He noticed hangnails on his fiddling fingers and pulled at them, making the skin around his nails red and blotchy.

His hands, already rough, looked even more unsightly with the new wounds, so Yooha balled his fists as if to hide his fingertips.

He couldn’t understand why he felt so nervous and anxious thinking about meeting Shin Joowon soon.

“Yooha! Hurry and get in!”

How many more buses had passed by like that? The window of a white car stopped at the bus stop rolled down, revealing Shin Joowon’s face.

When Shin Joowon had driven him home before, the car had definitely been black, but today’s was white and looked different, so he might have continued sitting there if Joowon hadn’t called out to him.

Yooha hurriedly got up and quickly got into the passenger seat.

As soon as the door closed, Shin Joowon immediately stepped on the accelerator, picked up speed, checked the rear-view mirror, and readjusted the steering wheel.

“Sorry, did you wait long? There was some traffic in the middle, looked like an accident.”

“No, I didn’t wait long at all…”

It was already grateful enough that he went out of his way to pick him up, but Shin Joowon instead apologized for being late due to traffic.

Yooha looked at Shin Joowon with wide eyes and even shook his head as he replied.

Shin Joowon, wearing a smile, glanced at Yooha.

“You should put on your seatbelt.”

“Ah… yes.”

Only after confirming that Yooha was fumbling with his seatbelt did Shin Joowon increase his speed a little more.

Yooha, who had vigorously rubbed his forehead, now beaded with sweat again, slowly exhaled.

When they briefly stopped at a traffic light, Shin Joowon entered the destination into the navigation system.

“We’ll arrive a little past five. Is that a bit early for dinner?”

“If it’s okay with you, Hyung… I’m fine.”

“Okay. Then let’s just eat a bit early, I guess.”

“Yes…”

Fiddling with his clasped hands, Yooha furtively glanced at the navigation screen.

The estimated arrival time showed 5:08 PM.

Yooha lowered his gaze again and sat still, unsure of what to do in the silent atmosphere.

Instead, he quietly observed the interior of the car with his eyes.

‘Does this car also cost over 200 million won?’

He wasn’t sure, but if Shin Joowon was driving it, it was definitely expensive.

Worried that he might accidentally scratch the car if he moved wrongly, Yooha stiffened his already tense body even more.

Shin Joowon kept an eye on Yooha even while driving.

“Yooha, are you uncomfortable? Should I adjust your seatback?”

“Oh, no. Not at all.”

Even though he was sitting upright with his knees pressed together, which clearly looked uncomfortable to anyone, Yooha remained adamant.

Seeing his visibly flustered face, Shin Joowon gripped the steering wheel tightly, barely suppressing a burst of laughter.

“Then am I uncomfortable?”

Shin Joowon tilted his head and casually threw out a remark.

At the words, which were clearly laced with mischief, Yooha was greatly agitated and shook his head vigorously.

Shin Joowon swallowed another near-burst of laughter and deliberately lowered the corners of his eyes, looking glum.

Yooha even waved his hands in exasperation.

“No, that’s not it…”

“If not that, then what?”

“I was worried that I might move and scratch it…”

“Ah, you were afraid I’d ask you to pay for the scratch?”

Yooha, now clearly flustered, once again mumbled, “That’s not it…,” as if making an excuse, then buried his head.

Now Shin Joowon could no longer hold back his laughter.

‘Is he only worried about money?’

‘And yet, he confidently boasted that day that he would definitely treat me to a meal, without even knowing where I would take him?’

A thought suddenly struck Joowon as ridiculous, and he suppressed a sneer inwardly, then glanced at Yooha, who was fiddling with his fingers.

If he was trembling so much over a few coins, Joowon wondered how shocked he would have been to learn that the shoes cost 60 million won.

He felt a slight regret for not having seen that expression firsthand.

“I won’t make you pay for it. Relax.”

“Yes…”

Seeing Yooha obediently reply to his every word, Joowon grew even more curious whether this was his true self or just an act.

Although he had decided to observe Jin Yooha without suspicion today, his ingrained prejudices weren’t easily erased.

While being wary on one hand, he also tried to remember Yooha’s current expression, thinking that this might indeed be the real Jin Yooha.

Since Shin Joowon didn’t speak first, Yooha became quiet again.

Shin Joowon, who didn’t bother to continue the conversation, focused on driving.

He found the current quietness not unpleasant.

As they got closer to their destination, the traffic seemed to slowly thicken, and they arrived about 10 minutes later than the estimated time.

Shin Joowon handed the keys to a man who approached the car and got out, and Yooha also discreetly followed.

The restaurant, situated in a quiet, secluded neighborhood, was surrounded by a stone wall, which made it blend well with the atmosphere of the place.

“Let’s go in.”

Shin Joowon skillfully led Yooha.

As they opened the entrance door, a neatly dressed staff member immediately came out and bowed to Shin Joowon and Yooha.

“I will guide you inside.”

Yooha swallowed hard as he followed the staff member, who didn’t ask about the number of people and simply led the way.

With each step down the quiet corridor lit by a soft orange glow, the worries he had momentarily forgotten resurfaced.

‘Exactly how much would a meal at a place like this cost…?’

He didn’t know for sure, but it would certainly be much more expensive than the pasta restaurant near the school.

It might even require using all the tutoring money he had just received to cover the cost of the meal.

As his mind raced with money worries, the staff member opened a door at the end of the corridor.

At the end of a not-so-wide gravel path was a detached annex.

“Please go inside.”

The staff member who opened the sliding door to the annex gave a light bow to the two of them.

Yooha followed Shin Joowon, who went in first, and stepped into the room.

The staff member who followed them in took their coats and hung them on the wall, and also took Yooha’s bag, placing it aside.

“Shall I prepare it immediately?”

“Yes. Ah, you can just come in without knocking when the food is ready. For dishes other than the main course, please bring them out as soon as they’re prepared.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The staff member, who had poured water into an empty glass, said in a gentle voice to Shin Joowon.

Even though the room was filled with the same warm lighting that illuminated the corridor, Yooha couldn’t shake off his tension.

The gleaming silverware already set on the table, the overly deferential attitude of the staff, and the perfectly secluded, highly private space—a sinister premonition told him this would be an unimaginably expensive restaurant.

“If you’re not particularly picky, it should suit your taste well. The food here is quite good.”

“Yes…”

After the staff member left, Shin Joowon took a sip of water and spoke to Yooha with a smile in his eyes.

Though Yooha responded reflexively, the price was more important to him than the taste of the food right now.

He felt anxious that the cost of the meal might exceed the money he had on hand.

But Yooha tried his best to act nonchalant and took a sip of water.

After a brief break in conversation, a vibrating sound broke the quiet air.

Yooha was so preoccupied with other things that he didn’t notice, but Shin Joowon, who did, checked his phone first.

Seeing no new messages, it seemed the sound was coming from Yooha’s phone.

“Yooha, I think your phone is vibrating?”

Yooha, who snapped to attention at Shin Joowon’s words, quickly fumbled in his clothes pockets.

When he found nothing, Yooha remembered that his phone was in his coat, asked for understanding, and got up from his seat.

[Woo Tae: Hyung, when are you coming home??]

[Woo Tae: (Photo)]

[Woo Tae: I bought ramen, tee hee hee ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[Woo Tae: I’m hungry!!!! Come quickly!!!]