CH 30

Jang Hyunsung began to approach me, swerving through people. I needed to turn around immediately and avoid this situation. But I couldn’t because I felt someone was holding my ankle tightly and my head went blank.

The distance was narrowing. It was the moment when Jang Hyunsung stared at me and tried to open his mouth, someone grabbed my shoulder and stepped in between me and Jang Hyunsung.

It was Seo Kijoon. I couldn’t even think of greeting him and just opened my eyes wide because the situation was unexpectedly unfolding.

However, Seo Kijoon talked as if there was nothing odd, and as if he was waiting for me.

“Did you come just now? I was waiting for you. Hey, it’s been a long time. Did you come back today or did you come from the hotel?”

The voice that welcomed me was unnaturally loud. Long time no see? Did you come today? Hotel?

When I was about to ask what it was all about, Seo Kijoon whispered to me.

“Play along.”

Seo Kijoon gestured at a man standing in the back with his eyes. The man was of middle age and gave a stern and disapproving look at them. Over his shoulder, Jang Hyunsung was still staring at me. I answered by wrapping my arm around Kijoon’s waist.

“Yeah, yeah, today.”

“Oh, then you must be very tired. Let’s go somewhere a little free and talk.”

Seo Kijoon patted me on the back as if I was having a hard time and snaked his arms around me shamelessly. As he left his position, he spoke to the man standing behind him.

“Uncle, this friend of mine just arrived from New York. I’ll be back after talking. We have to entertain our guests, right? It’s polite.”

Seo Kijoon politely said something briefly and dragged me outside making all sorts of excuses.

Jang Hyunsung was watching me from a distance and tilted his head before returning to where he was before. Did he think he saw it wrong? Or did he think he would deal with me later?

In any case, I was led by Seo Kijoon and was out of Jang Hyunsung’s sight. As we left the crowded lobby, Seo Kijoon sighed as if he was saved.

“Thank you, Hakyung. My uncle is not a bad person but he nags at me a lot. Every time we meet, he starts in the morning saying, ‘What’s with greeting, why are you so nervous? Don’t humiliate me all the time…’ He lives alone in Cheonghakdong. I just escaped it thanks to you.”

I was rather thankful. Seo Kijoon avoided some nags but I avoided something more frightening than that. Instead of saying thank you, I smiled back.

After coming near the back gate, Seo Kijoon stopped and asked if he had forgotten to ask.

“But what brings you here? Just passing by or…”

“Oh, that…”

Only then did I remember what I had forgotten for a while? Once I ran into Jang Hyunsung, I couldn’t dare to go back to that complicated palace and look for Jang Yoonsung. I deemed it would be better to ask Seo Kijoon to deliver the phone instead of me so I flung my arms to find the phone.

“He came to see me.”

Jang Yoonsung was walking towards us. Seo Kijoon’s eyes alternated between the two of us, Jang Yoonsung and me.

“I knew Yoonsung cared about Hakyung but I didn’t think Hakyung did as well! To the point of coming all the way here to meet him.”

It was as if Seo Kijoon was teasing us just like singing a silly rhyme of us kissing in a tree. If he had that kind of attitude while working, it was no wonder why he was scolded by his uncle.

“It’s nothing like that. I have something to give him.”

I quickly took out Jang Yoonsung’s phone in case Seo Kijoon misunderstood the situation. Seo Kijoon asked Jang Yoonsung with a slightly indifferent face as if it was something he expected.

“Why does Hakyung have your phone? Did you go drinking all by yourself again? I even called you!”

Seo Kijoon assumed that he left the phone at the bar but he didn’t know we were living together. Jang Yoonsung wittily came up with something.

“You’ve been busy these days.”

“Well, that I was.”

Seo Kijoon said as if he was sick and tired of working like hell the past few days. Jang Yoonsung winked at me and smiled awkwardly. That was because Seo Kijoon wasn’t leaving. Whether it was because of his uncle, he didn’t seem to go back to the bustles of the crows. In the end, Jang Yoonsung sighed and said,

“Kijoon, the performer is looking for you.”

“Thank you, I forgot.”

Seo Kijoon checked his watch and told me, as he fixed his clothes.

“Hakyung, since it’s still before lunch, have something and go. There are lots of meals prepared for the guests.”

Even though I didn’t mean it, I answered with a nod. I didn’t want to create a situation where it would be annoying to refuse someone and they would pester me and it was something Seo Kijoon said out of courtesy anyway.

“I’ll see you at the bar next time. Yoonsung, I’m heading in first.”

“Yeah.”

Seo Kijoon walked back to the venue with a bounce in his heels. After he was gone, I handed back the phone to Jang Yoonsung.

“Your phone.”

“Thanks.”

When Jang Yoonsung received the phone and put it back in his pocket, I was prepared to leave. I didn’t want to be here anymore.

“Then I’ll head out. See you at home.”

“Hakyung, wait a second.”

Jang Yoonsung caught me once I dared to take a step. He opened the door to a nearby emergency exit and pulled me in. I thought it would be nice to be in a place where people couldn’t see us, so I moved inside accordingly to have a chat. The emergency exit seemed to be of little use because the outer wall was made up of glass. Still, there were not many people coming in and out of the building since it was the back of the building but it was a place that was suitable for conversation anyway because of how bright it was inside.

“What?”

I urged to say what the matter was but before answering, Jang Yoonsung’s hand brushed my shoulder. As if he was trying to shake something off.

“What do you have on you?”

“On me?”

“Hm, here and here.”

It was strange to see him smiling even though he seemed angry at first. The hand was shaking something off my shoulders, slipped to the back and it was as if he was hugging me. I tried to push him back because I was afraid someone could see us but Jang Yoonsung firmly pulled me back.

“What’s on you really?”

I thought it was an excuse to touch me but I realized the intention of his touch when I mulled on the matter and realized it was the place where Seo Kijoon felt me.

“You’re not trying to shake off your friend’s trace, are you?”

A small chuckle tickled my ears and his hands were moving as if trying to wear down my clothes, stopped. But then, as if he still had some lingering feeling, he crawled his hands and hugged me before letting me go.

“Don’t let anyone touch you so recklessly.”

“You’re the only one who touches me with crude thoughts in the entire world.”

“I know and one is enough.”

Whether it was because he was really confident, Jang Yoonsung didn’t deny how his touches were from improper sentiments.

“From the beginning, Kijoon…”

If you think about it, even though his intentions were impure, Jang Yoonsung was different. As he tried to argue about something, I realized something.

“Wait, since when have you been watching us?”

The only time Seo Kijoon tapped me was on my back when Jang Hyunsung was looming over his shoulder at a distance. On the way out of the lobby and the emergency exit, he just put his hand on my shoulder.

Jang Yoonsung answered with a calm face.

“Since Kijoon pretended to be close to you.”

It meant that he didn’t see that I almost ran into Jang Hyunsung. My mind, which calmed down for a second, became agitated again.

If Jang Yoonsung’s memories happened to return, which one would Jang Yoonsung choose? Would he let us run into each other or help me avoid them? But that depended on whether Jang Yoonsung noticed that Han Jiyoung and I are the same person. Plus, many other variables affected the situation.

“You didn’t bring a car, did you?”

“Huh? Oh yeah.”

Even though there was nothing I could do right now, I thought about various things and finally came to my senses when Jang Yoonsung popped a question. He swept my hair with his hand as if he was happy hearing my answer. Jang Yoonsung’s touch felt strangely good so it was hard to retort anything about touching someone else’s hair.

“I’m going to be out until afternoon anyway, so wait for me for a while. Let’s go, shall we?”

“Wait inside with you?”

“No, you can stay somewhere else for the time being and I’ll pick you up after.”

Jang Yoonsung fished out his wallet and held out a card. As if he was asking me to use that.

“I have money.”

“I know. But use mine. I’m curious.”

What was he curious about? When I looked back at him suspiciously, Jang Yoonsung pushed the card into my hand and continued to say,

“I’m always curious about what you are up to and where you are going, but you can let me know if you want to, that is.”

Ah, so I could spend money for such a reason as well. I chuckled.

“I won’t take responsibility if your bank account ends up broken.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Jang Yoonsung put his wallet back with a smile. It was a strange luring smile. I was afraid I couldn’t even put a scratch on his card even if he told me to. I greeted him briefly and imagined how it felt having 150 million won in my hand.