Chapter 16.3

“Really? I thought there would be! Why am I dressed so sloppily today? What should I do?”

“What do you mean? Ask him to have a meal.”

“He’s young! How old are you if you’re the same age as him? Twenty… is it six? Is it seven? He’s too tender… will I look older if he’s next to me?”

“Why are you like that? Shame on you.”

The boss smiled as if he were having fun, and the composer spoke quickly with her hands on her flushed cheeks. They were making Sang Woo feel very bad even when they did nothing wrong. Sang Woo thought he wanted to mute their voices.

“Sit here, make eye contact, and talk after the meeting. It was love at first sight. Who would hate it?”

“It could be too much. How can you do that?”

“No, I didn’t know she had such a side. She’s the type who is usually very confident,” the boss smiled and spoke to Sang Woo.

So, what do they want him to do? When Sang Woo opened his mouth to answer sharply, the bell on the studio gate rang. The composer sprang up and spoke quickly to the boss.

“I can’t stay because I’m nervous. I’ll leave for now.”

She ran away from the room. Soon after, Jae Young came in and filled the seat next to Sang Woo.

“What did you talk about?”

“Oh, I asked about the game because I was curious about something.”

“Chu Sang Woo, did he explain it well?”

“Oh, of course. Thanks to him, the problem is solved.”

‘Liar.’

While Sang Woo squinted and glared at the boss, the meeting proceeded again. The music story went on for another 15 minutes, and the deadline, work costs, and licenses were discussed, but Sang Woo already lost interest.

An incomprehensible dark cloud caught Sang Woo’s sky and sprinkled rain. So, he couldn’t concentrate at all. Sang Woo tried to recall the composer’s face, but it wasn’t easy. Was she pretty? How would Jae Young react if she asked him out to eat together? Would she be able to take the vacant position of Jae Young’s ‘lover’?

‘I’m upset.’

His heart pounded and a feeling of discomfort welled up. Jae Young poked him with his elbow and asked his opinion about something, but Sang Woo wasn’t listening, so he had nothing to say.

“It’s strange. Why are you so quiet?”

“Sang Woo, were you always quiet?”

“Don’t mention it. I’m usually very picky, but I guess I like all the conditions of the boss.”

Jae Young put his arm around his shoulders and tapped the top of his head with his fingers. Sang Woo felt strangely annoyed and removed his arm.

The two exchanged contracts after confirming the estimate, leaving Sang Woo alone. Jae Young signed with his worm-like handwriting and passed the paper and pen to Sang Woo. Sang Woo wrote his name under Jae Young’s name without reading a single word.

Jae Young glanced at Sang Woo and said, “You can’t flip it later because I’m the only one who decided.”

Surprisingly, Sang Woo had no interest in the contract at the moment and was focused only on the fact that the meeting was almost done. The boss put a copy of the contract in a paper envelope and handed it to Jae Young.

“The work will be interesting, Veggie Venturer.”

“I’ll be satisfied if the quality comes out the same as the sample, but there’s nothing I can ask for if you’ll work harder.”

“You can look forward to it. Are you still working on the game?”

“The big framework is done, but there are some development issues left. I look forward to your kind cooperation, boss.”

“Yes. Call me if there’s any change. Take a look.”

Jae Young rose from his seat. Sang Woo looked at the door’s window with anxiety, but he couldn’t see outside well.

“What are you doing? Wake up.”

Sang Woo stood up stiffly and went out through the door that Jae Young left open. There was no composer in the space with the sofa and table. They needed to get out of here quickly before she came out. Sang Woo walked forward in a hurry.

“She’s not there.”

Jae Young pulled Sang Woo’s shoulder as he was about to open the wrong door handle, in the opposite direction. The boss caught them as they were about to open the studio door and leave.

“Wait a minute, Mr. Jae Young.”

“What?”

“It’s a little personal…”

He smiled awkwardly and fiddled with the back of his head. Then, he continued, pointing his finger behind him, “Our staff said she liked you. I don’t think you have a girlfriend; won’t you have a meal together? She’s a good friend.”

‘What, it’s not your business.’

Sang Woo clenched his fist and glared at the boss. He didn’t say anything wrong, but he suddenly became irritated. Jae Young clearly said that he would have a meal with Sang Woo. But it was only a verbal promise, so he wondered how binding it would be for him, who was selfish.

“Tell her I’m sorry. I’m seeing someone.”

However, Jae Young answered in a way that was beyond Sang Woo’s expectation with a calm attitude. His eyes returned to Sang Woo.

“What were you doing earlier?”

“…”

Jae Young opened the door and pushed Sang Woo’s back. Even while going down the iron stairs, the unpleasant pounding of his heart showed no sign of calming down. Sang Woo stepped hard on the ground.

“Look at your expression. Don’t you like this studio?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the matter? You were very distracted at the end of the meeting.”

“I don’t know,” Sang Woo said honestly.

What on earth did he hate so much? What was he so afraid of? He felt even worse because he thought he only knew vaguely. His mouth opened irritably.

“The person you’re dating, is it me?”

“Aren’t you stupid?”

“Is it me?”

“You’re a funny guy. You don’t have to give time to meet other people or not. Let’s eat something first. I didn’t eat yet”

“I already ate.”

“Eat again.”

Jae Young turned and walked fast in front of the crosswalk. Sang Woo, despite his impulsiveness, followed his lead. There were a lot of people on the main road in the dark. Loud music flowed from clothing stores, bars, and restaurants lined up on the street, and signs flashed on top of shopping malls, which in turn made it distracting.

“Do you like Mexican food?”

“I told you I already ate.”

Jae Young seemed to take the answer positively. Before he knew it, Sang Woo was already sitting in a small taco shop on the second floor. The store hardly had room to step on and was run by two foreigners with large eyes and dark skin. They had to wait for more than 10 minutes to order two menu items with strange names.

Sang Woo sat quietly and tried to calm himself down, but it wasn’t easy because of the hectic atmosphere. The small store was so noisy that he had to scream to communicate, and two serving clerks passed by and knocked on the chairs. The water was lukewarm and the table was sticky.

Sang Woo was acting as sensitive as a person who was anxious to find something to complain about. He didn’t like all the odd number of chopsticks in the spoon box, the fact that the tissue wasn’t folded to the corner, or the picture on the wall that was crooked. But what he didn’t like the most was the eyes of other people.

The distance between tables was so close that he could easily see what other people were doing. Everyone seemed to be looking at Jae Young. The woman at the next table, the clerk who received orders, and the person who stood up to pay – they were all watching him as if he was out of place.

Jae Young put his chin on his palm and stared at Sang Woo’s face, whether he didn’t know or pretended not to. When his eyes met his, he spoke.

“What are you so dissatisfied with?”

“There’s no such thing.”

Sang Woo quickly lowered his eyes and realized that something was wrong. There was a strong urge to flip the table upside down and climb onto Jae Young’s lap and kiss him roughly. If there was a folding screen, he wanted to put it around them so no one could see Jae Young. Irrational emotions that were hard to explain wriggled in his stomach. Feeling stuffy and thirsty, Sang Woo gulped down water.

“Carne Asada Taco, enchiladas are here.”

Two plates were placed on a narrow table. Even though Sang Woo had had enough of foodl, he picked up the cutlery and stuffed himself. After chewing without having any idea of what he ate, he took a white flour wrapped in colorful ingredients with a fork and took another bite. He broke it with his molars, thinking that the pungent taste was just like Jae Young.

“Were you hungry?”

Jae Young looked at Sang Woo with a fork in hand. Sang Woo didn’t like the gaze, so he cut the flour food rolled up like a gimbap into large pieces, dipped it with a fork, and put it in his mouth.

“What?”

Jae Young slowly opened his mouth and looked suspicious. Sang Woo waited until he finished eating, but he just ate and ate. In that way, he had no rest, and he finished the meal for two in thirteen minutes.

“Let’s get out of here quickly.”

Sang Woo was panting a little when he emptied all the plates. When he wiped his mouth with a napkin, a red seasoning came out.

“Uh…. All right.”

While Jae Young stood up and paid for the meal, Sang Woo was already out in the narrow, dark alleys. And when he came into the hallway where there was no one, he pulled his shirt and kissed his lips recklessly.