Chapter 7: The First Wedge

“Mom…”

My voice trembled as I called out to my mother, and her eyes widened in shock. Yoo Hae-jung, who had risen from his seat, approached me, taking my shaking hand as he asked,

“How are we supposed to know what’s going on if you don’t tell us?”

Seizing the opportune moment, I subtly extended my phone towards them. Puzzled, Yoo Hae-jung and my mother took the device, their gazes falling upon the comments displayed on the small screen, reading them one by one.

“What in the-”

My mother’s face turned ashen, utterly consumed by shock. Yoo Hae-jung, too, let out a deep sigh, clearly taken aback by the severity of the comments, which were far worse than he had anticipated.

‘This is the perfect time to shed a few tears.’

When I lifted my head, tears I had been holding back streamed down my face, perfectly timed. The moment my eyes met theirs, my shoulders heaved, and I wept like a child. Startled, my mother pulled me into a hug.

“No matter where I go, people recognize me and whisper…”

While this was largely a fabrication, it did contain a kernel of truth. Indeed, a few days prior, when I had gone to meet Han Jung-woo, there had been people who recognized me and whispered.

Even with a news article out, how could people recognize Yoo Seo-jin, who wasn’t even a celebrity? I worried I might have exaggerated too much, but fortunately, the highly offensive comments seemed to have convinced them.

“I’m scared to go outside, Mom.”

As I spoke, my voice thick with sorrow, my mother, who had been comforting me, glared at Yoo Hae-jung. Noticing her gaze, Yoo Hae-jung approached, took my hand, and said,

“I’m sorry.”

Despite Yoo Hae-jung’s heartfelt apology, I did not cease my crying. It was only after a long while, having received comfort from both of them, that I finally managed to stem my tears.

The atmosphere remained somber, with Yoo Hae-jung still at a loss for what to do, and my mother’s eyes growing even more menacing. It was time to drive in the final wedge.

“I want to go away for a while.”

“……”

“I want to go somewhere no one knows me.”

I brought up the main point at the perfect moment, ensuring that a refusal was impossible. As expected, my words seemed to shock them, but soon they nodded, appearing to understand.

“Alright, if it’s that difficult for you, then perhaps that wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Yoo Hae-jung patted my shoulder as he spoke. The quick permission almost made me ask if he was serious, but I managed to quell my rising excitement, simply nodding in response.

Then, I looked at my mother. Meeting my gaze, which was filled with earnest longing, she soon took my hand and spoke in a gentle voice,

“If that’s what you want, Seo-jin, then do it.”

Having easily secured my mother’s permission, I raised a hand to wipe away the tears that had dampened my cheeks. Then, I forced a smile towards them both.

“Thank you, Mom, Dad.”

However, receiving permission did not mean I could simply leave for a foreign country the very next day. My anxious parents spent over a week deliberating where to send me.

I had suggested we just decide quickly, as any place was fine with me, but my parents thought differently. They insisted that an Omega must go to a country with good public safety, refusing to budge from their stance.

Anticipating that my parents’ deliberation would not end easily, I began to organize my life here.

More precisely, Yoo Seo-jin’s life.

‘There aren’t many contacts saved.’

I had planned to inform my friends that I was leaving the country, but thankfully, Yoo Seo-jin’s phone had only a few contacts saved.

Excluding family, perhaps five?

‘Was he really so socially inept?’

The drama, which revolved around the protagonist, never delved deeply into Yoo Seo-jin’s peripheral acquaintances. Even his family members only made occasional appearances.

Perhaps because of this, the only person Yoo Seo-jin seemed to consider a friend was someone named ‘Jae-hyun.’ Given that my mother had also mentioned his name, he appeared to be Yoo Seo-jin’s closest friend.

‘What if he wants to meet?’

I had intended to just send a brief greeting message, but if they were close enough for my family to know his name, a direct meeting might be unavoidable.

As I was searching for a suitable excuse to avoid meeting, a call came from this ‘Jae-hyun.’ Speak of the devil, and he shall appear; that saying proved true.

‘Should I answer?’

The fact that he called at this precise moment likely meant he had already heard the news of my impending departure. In that case, avoiding his call would only make things more awkward.

Hmm, I cleared my throat before pressing the answer button. Before I could even finish saying “Hello,” Jae-hyun immediately exploded.

–Where are you right now!

“At home…”

–Damn it, I don’t care about anyone else, but how could you do this to me?

Jae-hyun relentlessly chastised me for not contacting him for weeks. Listening to his profanity-laced tirade, I could tell just how close their relationship was.

Given Yoo Seo-jin’s personality, he wouldn’t tolerate anyone being rude to him. So, for him to overlook this much, Jae-hyun had to be a truly close friend.

‘Meeting him in person would be a hassle.’

Even the same person can present different facets depending on who they’re with. Yoo Seo-jin would undoubtedly act differently with his parents than with his friends.

I couldn’t possibly meet Jae-hyun, who undoubtedly knew Yoo Seo-jin better than anyone, without understanding how Yoo Seo-jin behaved around his friends.

My initial plan was to appease him and try to schedule a meeting for later, but Jae-hyun cut me off first.

–You’re home, right? I’m coming over now.

“Wait-”

In the end, the call ended before I could even finish a single sentence. I let out a wry laugh as I stared at the dark, blank screen.

‘What kind of jerk is this?’

I tossed the phone onto the bed and ran my hands through my hair, messing it up. Judging by his tone, it seemed he would burst through the door any minute. This situation was incredibly baffling to me.

‘Calm down. If I think about how Yoo Seo-jin usually acted, the answer will come to me.’

As I mentally reviewed Yoo Seo-jin’s personality and background, an unfamiliar voice reached me from outside. Opening the door and stepping out, I found a strange man in the living room.

‘That person is…’

Now I remembered. The character who clung to Yoo Seo-jin like a limpet in the drama was named ‘Jae-hyun.’ Back then, a famous idol had been cast in the role, causing a buzz, but his terrible acting meant he only had a few lines.

Was that why my memory of Jae-hyun was so hazy? After all, minor characters who just pass through tend to fade from memory over time.

“Yoo Seo-jin!”

Jae-hyun looked up at the second floor and called my name in an angry voice. Facing his furious expression, I hesitated, then awkwardly waved my hand and greeted him.

“Hi, Jae-hyun.”

After that disastrous greeting, an uncomfortable silence stretched for several tens of minutes between Jae-hyun and me as we sat side-by-side on the sofa.

Jae-hyun, who had been angry since arriving, glared at the cooling tea, his lips pressed shut, while I, wary of his mood, found myself unable to do anything.

Since no actual conversation was taking place, I didn’t need to worry about how Yoo Seo-jin would act in front of Jae-hyun. However, this, too, was its own kind of hardship.

In the suffocating atmosphere, I took a sip of the tea brought by a servant. The tea, which had been steaming hot, was now completely cold.

“Explain what happened.”

Only after more time had passed did Jae-hyun finally speak. Setting down the empty teacup, I subtly avoided Jae-hyun’s gaze, drawing out my words.

“Ah, well…”

“Just say it quickly. You’re making my blood boil.”

A person needs time to think, he’s so impatient. I pulled my hand away from the teacup and, after a brief deliberation, chose the simplest and easiest method.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Considering Yoo Seo-jin’s personality, I wondered if apologizing, even if he was in the wrong, would seem out of character. Yet, given their close friendship, I figured they were honest with each other.

In that case, Jae-hyun’s anger was understandable. He likely felt not just disappointment, but also a sense of betrayal upon hearing that Yoo Seo-jin was leaving.

However, unfortunately, I was not Yoo Seo-jin, so I couldn’t fully grasp Jae-hyun’s emotions. I could only comprehend it intellectually, thinking, ‘Yes, that must be how he felt.’

Nevertheless, one thing was certain: apologizing to Jae-hyun was the quickest way to navigate this situation.

“I was actually going to contact you.”

“When? After you’d already left?”

Though his words struck a nerve, I immediately denied them, refuting Jae-hyun’s claim. Jae-hyun, who had been staring intently at me as I desperately continued my excuses, spoke with deep hurt in his voice,

“Even if you didn’t tell those other jerks, shouldn’t you have told me?”

“It’s just that the timing…”

“Just shut up. You’re making me angrier.”

I clamped my mouth shut as Jae-hyun wished. It was a relief not to have to rack my brain for more excuses, but I carefully feigned an apologetic expression.

Jae-hyun gulped down the cold tea in one go, as if trying to calm his surging frustration. Wiping the tea that had trickled down his chin, Jae-hyun asked,

“Where are you going?”