CH 7.8

“Wait a minute.”

He excused himself and left. I chased after his receding back, then I turned my gaze back to my plate.

“Hey.”

The man called me. I tried to ignore him since this was such an occasion, and I didn’t want to cause any trouble because they are Yeon Woojeong’s friends, but the man uncaringly continued to talk.

“What kind of family do you come from that Yeon Woojeong is so gentle like that?”

I turned my head to look at the man. Did he say Yeon Woojeong is gentle? That’s only the usual him. This man would never know how annoying Yeon Woojeong is when he’s acting gentle for real. He shouldn’t know either.

“Be careful. That fellow is pretending to be kind now with his prosecutor badge, but do you know how many troubles he has made before?”

“Hey, what are you talking about to a kid?”

Ah. I wanted to stab the fork in my hand into the man’s neck. If he knows about Yeon Woojeong, how well does he know to talk knowingly like that? They don’t even look close.

I had to hold back even if I got annoyed. I didn’t know about this man, but I could meet again with that woman named Jang Heemang, and anyway, I’m now Yeon Woojeong’s family.

“What’s wrong?! He’s not truly a kid, so he has to know. He acts kind in front of you, right? He’s actually a servile bastard. Even though he’s being despicable like that now—”

“You’re noisy.”

“What?”

“I said you are noisy. My ears hurt.”

I couldn’t hold back eventually. It’s obvious of me. While I couldn’t hold back, I decided to just not hold back.

“I know Mr. Yeon better. No matter how bad he is, he is better than you, so please stop.”

But in order to talk as politely as I could, I had to clench my fist. It was the best I could, but it could stain Yeon Woojeong’s name.

I heard pft, a laugh, so I moved my gaze, and there was Jang Heemang holding back her laughter with a red face.

“Hey, Woojeong. This kid is very cute.”

I immediately turned my head to where the woman’s gaze was headed to. Yeon Woojeong, who put his hand in his pocket, was looking down at me right behind me. I was stunned. The corners of his lips smoothly went up.

Yeon Woojeong put his hand on my shoulder, then caressed it down to my forearm. My neck was stiff because of that touch.

“Our Jiho can’t stand injustice.”

He said nonsense and then sat across from me. My face felt hot somehow.

There was still remaining food on my plate, but I didn’t feel like eating more. When I put down my fork, Yeon Woojeong asked.

“You’re not eating more?”

“No.”

“Alright. Then shall we leave early?”

His questioning tone was just like treating a child. I didn’t like it, but I quietly nodded because there were people around.

“We will go first then.”

“Okay. Buy the kid some delicious things. See you later.”

“Yeah.”

Yeon Woojeong said farewell to his friends, then stood up. He extended his hand to Kim Jihun as well, but he was ignored. He pulled back his hand nonchalantly.

We went down to the parking lot, then got in the car. I was looking ahead after fastening the seat belt, and Yeon Woojeong’s gaze was directed toward me.

“Grumpy, I see.”

He said that and drove off. I couldn’t help but lose my temper if he talked like that.

“Why did you stay quiet hearing that?”

“…”

“You’re not even a fool.”

I got annoyed again as I recalled the day Yeon Woojeong returned home in a sad mood because of an irrelevant bastard. Did he also only listen without talking back like that back then? His other friends were also ridiculous.

“Well, it’s not completely wrong.”

I was dumbfounded because he acted uncharacteristically meek. Why did he stay quiet even after hearing such words? What does he mean by not wrong?

I didn’t say anything more because it was just yesterday that something uncomfortable happened after I talked as I pleased. He must be doing well on his own. He’s smarter than me, after all. I’m only getting angry on my own, and he’s not bothered by it. Having such thoughts, I soothed my anger.

“I guess I will stay quiet from now on as well—if you get mad on my behalf.”

There was playfulness in his voice. I wondered if he was teasing me, so I turned my head, and Yeon Woojeong smiled softly.

He looked like he was in a good mood, senseless. I had more to say, but I closed my mouth because I didn’t want to break the sudden peacefulness.

Yeon Woojeong turned on the radio. Coincidentally, the music playing was also calm. It was cold outside, but looking at it inside a warm car, it only looked clear and nice. The restless feeling slowly calmed down. 

After driving for a while, I saw a lake. The glistening water added liveliness to the landscape of leafless and dry trees.

“How about we take a walk for a moment?”

Yeon Woojeong stopped the car nearby. We walked down the stairs connected to the lakeside.

Perhaps because the water was right next to me, it felt colder. The sky was red as the sun went down. It also looked closer to pink than red. The clouds floated in the sky, did not clump together, but unraveled.

“Have you tried that?”

I looked at where Yeon Woojeong pointed with his finger. There was a Ferris wheel. The small and colorful ride was running even in this winter.

“No.”

“Wanna try?”

I stared at him, wondering if he was being serious, and it didn’t look like he was joking.

“Have you tried it, Mr. Yeon?”

“Neither I.”

Then it meant it was the first for both of us. I nodded. We then walked toward the Ferris wheel. There were duck boats nearby. As we stepped up the stairs, there was a café. Café, Ferris wheel, duck boats. They all seemed to be one business, but there was no one except in the café.

When we walked closer to the Ferris wheel, someone came out of the café.

“Are you going to ride it?”

“Yes.”

“Please come this way.”

Looking up close, the Ferris wheel was really small. It seemed like it would be full if Yeon Woojeong and I rode it. Arriving there, the staff opened the door of the Ferris wheel. We got inside.

“Enjoy your time!”

The door was closed and the Ferris wheel slowly rotated. Yeon Woojeong’s knee and mine touched each other. I looked down at the touching knees, then I turned my gaze outside the window. It wasn’t that high, but the lake view entered my sight. As it was combined with the sunset sky, it made me think it was beautiful.

I stole a glance at my side, and Yeon Woojeong was also looking at the same scenery. What is he thinking now? I wanted to intrude on his thoughts.

“Mr. Yeon.”

“Yeah.”

“Did you make a lot of trouble in the past?”

Yeon Woojeong turned his head to look at me, drawing a light smile.

“Mhm.”

“I see.”

“Why? Are you disappointed?”

“No.”

It looked like that man absurdly thought of me as a rich person, but actually, I was penniless. Nevertheless, Yeon Woojeong took me in, and he doesn’t expect anything in return. 

He wasn’t detestable when he met that teacher. It would be better if he had been faking himself. Yeon Woojeong in my eyes is Yeon Woojeong. It didn’t matter to me at all what kind of person he was in the past. Still, I wanted to know every moment of him that I didn’t know. Will he tell me if I ask him? I would like it if he told me instead of me asking about it.

“I will never be disappointed in you, Mr. Yeon.”

Yeon Woojeong said he wouldn’t assess me, but it was the same for me too. I couldn’t assess him. Because he wasn’t someone from that category to me. No matter how annoyed I am with him and how harshly I talk to him, I would never be able to hate him. Even though I couldn’t do anything for him, I could promise that one thing for sure. Even if there would be a day when everyone hated Yeon Woojeong, I alone would never do that.

Maybe I wish for such a day to come—I hid the thought that I shouldn’t have thought of.

Yeon Woojeong looked at me without blinking, then he smiled briefly.

“Don’t be so sure.”

“I’m being serious here. I will never do that.”