Chapter 5: Unexpected Reunions and New Beginnings

‘Other feelings?’

At the unexpected question, Jung-hyun initially wore a puzzled expression. A beat later, realizing the implication, he practically leaped.

“Of course not!”

The shock felt as if it had completely sobered him. After taking a few deep breaths to calm his pounding heart, Jung-hyun met Yoon Tae-yeol’s gaze directly this time.

“Is it because I keep bringing up the past? Or because I was too happy to see you today?”

Silence was as good as an affirmation. Jung-hyun exhaled once more, a slight frown creasing his brow as he added a few more words.

“It’s truly just as I said—I was genuinely happy to see you. Even if we were mere acquaintances, it’s natural to be glad to see someone after several years. And you were my most cherished junior.”

“……”

“It’s true I went a little off the rails in the middle, but as I told you then, I completely shook it off after graduation. That’s why we could live together for a short while afterward, without any awkwardness.”

The more he spoke, the more a sense of injustice washed over him, like someone falsely accused.

“You’ve seen me like that, and you still don’t know? Besides, did I ask to meet you today? You contacted me first, you jerk!”

His voice had suddenly risen, and Jung-hyun felt passersby glance their way. Seizing the moment while Jung-hyun paused, Yoon Tae-yeol finally stated his own position, looking somewhat flustered by the unexpected reaction.

“I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. …I just, truly, just in case… You know. I absolutely detest those kinds of things. Just as you said, we might be meeting frequently from now on, so I thought it best to confirm one more time. I didn’t mean anything else.”

“……”

“Please don’t be mad, Senior. Hmm?”

Perhaps realizing he had gotten ahead of himself, Yoon Tae-yeol leaned in slightly, his upper body blocking Jung-hyun’s view. It was a gesture he made perhaps once a year, meant to placate Jung-hyun when he was rarely displeased or angry.

“Get your face out of here, you punk.”

He pushed Yoon Tae-yeol’s face with the hand holding the ice pop, and Yoon Tae-yeol complained about the cold.

Jung-hyun took the opportunity to resume his steps, which he had momentarily halted. Sensing Yoon Tae-yeol quickly catching up, he spoke offhandedly, his gaze fixed forward.

“I have absolutely no such feelings, and I won’t in the future, so you don’t need to worry. I’m not the person I used to be, is what I’m saying.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means my eyes are on the top of my head.”

“There’s nothing on the top of my head, though.”

“Tsk, don’t look down at me in such an insulting way.”

After playfully elbowing him in retaliation, Jung-hyun started walking toward the parking lot again.

The shock had cleared his mind, and only then did the noisy cicadas, oblivious to day or night, finally register in his ears. A much calmer voice added from beside him.

“I brought it up for nothing; I didn’t even get my investment back. How embarrassing.”

“Could it be worse than having my dark past unearthed? I felt like I was walking down the street, suddenly hit by a splash of water, and stripped naked.”

Yoon Tae-yeol chuckled at the apt comparison. Jung-hyun playfully chided him for laughing, but then a thought, possibly related to the current situation, suddenly popped into Jung-hyun’s mind.

“But you know.”

He had started well, but the next words were hard to follow. As the silence stretched with his 고민 (hesitation), Yoon Tae-yeol chimed in.

“What is it? Why stop mid-sentence?”

“I’m wondering if I should even say it.”

“Go on.”

‘Should I really say it? I feel like I’m digging my own grave.’

But to prevent any potential misunderstandings in the future, Jung-hyun chose to be honest, even if it meant a slight blow to his pride.

“Even if I stare at you sometimes, please don’t scold me for that. I heard from a friend recently that there’s a study showing that just looking at handsome and pretty people is good for your brain or something. It’s not for nothing that people are so enthusiastic about celebrities.”

“……”

“Don’t give me that look, you punk. I didn’t believe it either and told her not to lie, but she showed me an article, and it was true. It’s really true! Don’t you trust me— Ugh.”

Jung-hyun, who had been protesting, grumbled with furrowed brows. He had thought Yoon Tae-yeol was speechless out of disbelief, but looking again, it seemed he was trying to suppress his laughter.

“If you’re going to laugh, just laugh out loud.”

Regret always comes a step too late. He muttered about having said too much as he walked, but Yoon Tae-yeol’s voice broke the short silence once more.

“What was the dream about?”

“What?”

“You said you dreamed about me.”

‘Ah, right, I did.’

Perhaps because the day had been so long, it felt ages ago. Knowing that telling the truth would only invite ridicule, Jung-hyun instead brought up Yoon Tae-yeol’s embarrassing past.

“You know that red T-shirt you wore when you stayed at my place for a bit? It was crying so pitifully, begging me to save it.”

“The clothes cried?”

“Yeah. Tears were streaming down.”

“That’s a silly dream.”

“What did you say? A silly dream?”

Bickering, they arrived at the parking lot before they knew it. As they reached the empty booth with no attendant, Jung-hyun looked up at him and asked,

“Are you going to the hotel?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll drop you off on the way.”

“It’s fine. I can take a taxi.”

“It’s hard to catch a taxi here at this hour. We’re going the same way anyway, so don’t feel burdened.”

Jung-hyun immediately called for a designated driver on his phone. He handed the car keys to the driver, who arrived earlier than expected, asking them to drive carefully, and then got into the back seat.

As he sat there blankly, he felt his eyelids growing heavy. It was due to having eaten and drunk heartily, and the earlier sobriety now gave way to an even stronger wave of tipsiness.

Still, he forced his eyes open, determined to hold on until Yoon Tae-yeol got off, when his loosely held phone vibrated.

He looked down at the screen, and a familiar name appeared. ‘What’s going on? She’s not one to call at this hour.’ Tilting his head, Jung-hyun promptly pressed the answer button.

“Hello?”

–This is Kim Min-seon, Boss. I’m sorry to call so late.

“It’s okay. What’s wrong?”

–Well, I went out to throw away the recycling tonight and accidentally fell down the stairs. The inside of my shoulder hurts too much, so I went straight to the hospital, and they said my collarbone is broken.

Jung-hyun was startled by the sudden news of the accident and expressed his concern.

“Oh dear, what happened? Are you hurt anywhere else?”

–No. But I’ll have surgery tomorrow, so I won’t be able to come to work for a few days. I’m so sorry, Boss.

“No, it’s fine. You didn’t get hurt because you wanted to. I’ll handle the work, so don’t worry and have a good surgery.”

–Yes. I’m sorry, Boss.

With repeated apologies, Jung-hyun told her to take care of herself and hung up.

Only then did he sigh, his face slightly hardened.

Considering the overflowing workload that would continue until the end of the week, and Kim Min-seon’s quick hands, which were almost as fast as Chae Song-hwa’s, it seemed impossible for the remaining staff to fill her absence.

‘Short-term part-timers aren’t ideal, and they’re hard to find. Should I ask around among my acquaintances?’

He sighed repeatedly at the sudden task and turned on his phone. As he was about to browse his contact list, he heard a question from beside him.

“Is something wrong?”

“One of my employees got hurt and won’t be able to come in for a while. But work’s been pretty busy lately, so I’m trying to find someone who can fill in.”

His fingers moved ceaselessly even as he answered. He scanned the names densely packed in his contacts, looking for someone who might have time, when Yoon Tae-yeol’s voice continued.

“Should I help you out?”

“…!”

His head snapped to the left immediately upon hearing that. Interpreting his surprised expression differently, Yoon Tae-yeol added a few more words, as if to say it didn’t matter.

“If it’s something I can’t do… just pretend you didn’t hear it.”

“No, it’s really easy work.”

Jung-hyun quickly reached out, as if fearing the lifeline before his eyes might disappear.

“Can you really help?”

“Yes. I was planning to rest for a while and then slowly look for a job.”

‘So, should I help you?’

Jung-hyun nodded vigorously at the question repeated in Yoon Tae-yeol’s eyes.

“Then I’d be incredibly grateful.”

“But what kind of work is it? I should have asked this first, but the order got reversed.”

“You’ll be inspecting and repackaging items that arrive from the factory. But do you even know what I do?”

“…You run a shopping mall, don’t you?”

“Uh-huh, that’s right.”

Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t just heard it and let it pass but remembered.

Jung-hyun, relieved, continued his explanation. In truth, product inspection was a task all employees shared, and Kim Min-seon’s main duties were product photography and ad design.

However, he couldn’t ask Yoon Tae-yeol to take those on, so he would have to handle them himself for the time being.

Yoon Tae-yeol, who had been listening silently, expressed his admiration with a faint smile.

“This really makes you seem like a genuine boss. I honestly couldn’t quite imagine it.”

“What? Me being the boss?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“…I don’t know.”

“‘I don’t know’ what? Why, what’s wrong with me?”

He playfully grabbed Yoon Tae-yeol’s collar and shook him, but Yoon Tae-yeol merely offered a faint smile, as if he had no intention of saying more.

“Ugh, my head’s spinning from the heat.”

Jung-hyun let go and leaned back against the seat, regretting his actions much too late. ‘I should have reined him in a bit when we were in school, instead of just being nice to him. Tsk.’

He might say that, but the authority he’d never possessed back then certainly wouldn’t exist now. No, back then, he at least had the excuse of being a senior in the athletic club.

Now, if he got into an argument on the street, he’d probably have to grovel.

“We’ve arrived.”

The car, which had been speeding through the night, pulled up in front of the hotel. Yoon Tae-yeol, who briefly said goodbye, thanking Jung-hyun for a fun day, quickly opened the car door and got out.

Instead of turning away without a backward glance, he bent slightly at the waist and met Jung-hyun’s eyes.

“See you tomorrow, Senior.”

“Alright. You must be tired, so get some good rest.”

As Jung-hyun waved his hand idly, the car door closed from outside. He wished he could have watched Yoon Tae-yeol enter the hotel, but the designated driver, unaware of the situation, pressed the accelerator without delay.

Jung-hyun leaned back against the seat again, having straightened himself for a moment, and loosely crossed his arms.

After a while in that position, he stealthily raised a hand and pinched his cheek. He felt the pressure commensurate with the force applied.

So, it was really happening…

‘Starting tomorrow, I’ll be seeing him every day.’

Truly, it was something he couldn’t have imagined when he woke up that morning. Jung-hyun resolved to buy a lottery ticket tomorrow, and then slowly closed his heavy eyes.

The moon, high in the sky, followed him like a shadow.