BHB 135

“Since we’re always together…!”

Taegang visibly flinched, dropping the water bottle he was holding and looking at Yeowon with a clearly crumpled expression.

“What?”

“I said I’ll go.”

“…Ha.” He exhaled in disbelief and stared at Yeowon as if questioning his sanity.

“What’s wrong with me going? You said they invited me.”

“Here we go again.”

“What?”

“…No.” Taegang answered firmly, gritting his teeth. 

At this intense rejection, Yeowon also twitched his cheeks in displeasure. “Why?”

“Why? Are you asking because you don’t know?”

“I know. But I want to go.”

“I said no.”

“Why? Are you embarrassed of me?”

“What?”

“Are you embarrassed to show me to your family and relatives?”

Even knowing this wasn’t the case, Yeowon deliberately asked this shallow question to make things difficult.

“…Don’t piss me off.” Taegang’s jawline trembled slightly. He was trying his best to suppress his rising anger.

“If not that, then what? They suggested it first. I’m just accepting.”

“Damn it, you want to go even knowing what kind of people they are?”

“What, are they going to assassinate me?”

When Yeowon made this joke with a hollow laugh, Taegang let out a deep sigh and roughly pushed his hair back again.

“…No. Just accept that.”

Taegang strongly opposed it. Unable to predict what might happen if they went, he was trying to prevent the situation entirely.

“I’m going. Accept that.”

“Do you want to drive me crazy again?”

“Again? What did I do?”

The atmosphere was becoming increasingly hostile. Though Yeowon understood the reason for his opposition, he couldn’t comprehend why Taegang was reacting so intensely. He didn’t like this opposition that seemed like overprotection.

“I thought I’d meet them eventually anyway.”

“No. You’ll absolutely never meet them. I’ll make sure of that.”

“How can you say that? You’re working under them.”

“That’s separate from you.”

“Separate? This situation is separate from me?”

“Don’t twist my words.”

Feeling like he was talking to a wall, Yeowon exhaled in frustration, “What, are you going to keep me hidden away?”

“Have you forgotten what they did to you?”

“That was then. The situation is different now!”

“They’re obsessed with keeping you away from me!”

“So? Are you afraid I’ll get hurt?”

“Han Yeowon.”

“Let me tell you, I’m dating you, not staying with you for protection.”

It was the most pride-wounding thing. From the beginning, he hadn’t liked Taegang’s choice to stay in Korea to protect him. Though he understood the intention, as a man, it was incredibly humiliating, even devastating. That was why he wanted to go. He wanted to show that he wouldn’t back down no matter how much they tried to humiliate or disapprove of him.

“…Don’t let your pride get in the way.”

“What?”

“I said don’t let your pride get in the way in front of me.”

At Taegang’s words, Yeowon’s hand on the table began to tremble. It was a cold, ruthless statement. He knew. That there was nothing he could do right now. That’s why he hated Taegang’s protection even more, and why he wanted to try something, anything. And yes, it was about pride. But for Taegang to say it like this…

“…Ha. You really know how to say the worst things.”

“Let’s stop talking about this matter.”

“Do you only feel satisfied when you get your way?”

“I said let’s stop.”

Taegang wouldn’t back down easily either. Recently, he had never refused any of Yeowon’s stubborn requests. He had pretended to give in about the investment talk even though he really disliked it, and he had been quite patient about Yeowon coming home late due to increased drinking gatherings.

Yeowon, knowing what Taegang disliked, would usually cut things short and come home, but since he was trying to enter the bar business, consecutive drinking engagements were inevitable. The boss, seemingly taking a liking to Yeowon, continuously arranged meetings to introduce him as a new business partner to influential people who had helped his business, as well as trusted employees like Kim Myungjoo.

Even though Taegang had overlooked all that, this time his resolve was firm not to give in. Unable to contain himself any longer, Yeowon turned away. With heavy footsteps, he went into the dressing room and put on whatever clothes he could grab. Just as he was about to leave with only his phone and car keys, his wrist was caught.

“Let go.”

“Where are you going?”

“Mind your own business.”

“I don’t want to fight.”

“Neither do I. But you’re making it happen.”

“So it’s all my fault?”

“Then is it my fault?”

“Fuck, just—!”

Taegang finally couldn’t hold back and raised his voice. A fiery gaze shot out. Yeowon noticed his trembling fist.

“What, do you want to hit me?”

“…Fuck, stop this. Really.”

“That’s exactly what your face says.”

“Who’s the one driving who crazy here?”

“What exactly did I do wrong?”

“Do I need to list everything?”

“…Ha. You must have a lot built up?”

“Would it just be one or two things?”

Sensing the fight spiraling further into the mud, Yeowon exhaled in disbelief and looked at him sarcastically. “Tell me. Let’s hear what’s bothering you so much.”

“Stop twisting my words again.”

“You started this.”

“Do you really want me to tell you everything?”

“I said tell me.”

“First off, meeting that boss is shitty. I’ve repeatedly told you that if you wanted to open a store, I would do it for you.”

“So it’s about that again?”

“Every time I smell his cologne on you, I want to kill him.”

“That’s because we’re always together…!”

Taegang flinched at Yeowon’s remark. “I’m sure that’s it. With his arm around your shoulders too. Pretty close, wasn’t he?”

“What…what’s that?” Yeowon, who was about to make an excuse, hesitated and frowned as if squeezing his eyes. “You’re talking like you saw it.”

“I was really going crazy watching him subtly touching you while holding you.”

“…Are you monitoring me?”

“Is that what you’re curious about?”

“I wondered. You suddenly appeared yesterday… Now I understand how you knew where I was.”

“Don’t you think it’s worse for me, watching you every day with some guy who casually touches you?”

“Did you hire someone? Or are you tracking my location?”

They were continuing their circular argument with eyes wild, both interrogating each other with different conversations and different words.

“Do you… trust me that little?” Yeowon spoke haltingly, as if he’d been struck. He was quite shocked by what seemed like surveillance. 

Taegang sighed deeply at his reaction and wearily ran his hand over his face. “I don’t trust anything around you.”

“…You know that’s a sickness, right?”

“I know. I’m a pathetic bastard.” Taegang retorted through gritted teeth.

“Want to talk more?”

“……”

“Fuck, do you answer your phone when you should? Do you call when you change locations like I asked?”

At the continued questioning, Yeowon felt dizzy and clutched his head. These were things Taegang always urged him about, but he hadn’t realized Taegang was harboring such feelings to the point of interrogating him. He was rather indifferent about keeping in touch. It had been a recurring issue when dating women too. But he hadn’t expected to have this problem with Taegang, who knew him so well.

“What’s the big deal… ha.” Yeowon exhaled roughly with an incredulous face, completely failing to understand why this would cause such fiery anger.

“…Are you always like this?” Yeowon looked at Taegang as if observing something bizarre, unable to comprehend. 

Taegang met his gaze fiercely instead of answering.

“In relationships, are you always this exhausting?”

The direct question contained many implications, and it left Taegang speechless. 

Exhausting? His face turned livid at words he’d never heard in his life.

“I didn’t see you that way.”

“……”

“You’re incredibly exhausting.”

That’s exactly what his behavior was—obsessing over the other’s contact, trying to interfere with and control their social life. This was the style Yeowon most avoided. Taegang froze for the first time at the shocking statement filled with contempt.

Yeowon opened his mouth to say more but stopped. He looked at the equally speechless Taegang, then sighed deeply and walked past him. It was an escape plan, feeling that staying would only escalate the fight.

His destination was the school where he was supposed to meet Do Yeongjae that evening. It was earlier than expected, but he planned to go ahead and wait. He would use the time to collect his emotions and think.

There was no particular sentiment in visiting the school after so long. Whether it had been a while or not, Yeowon was busy suppressing his rising anger. He needed to stop driving aggressively and abusing the innocent steering wheel, but strangely, whenever he fought with Taegang, his emotions became uncontrollable. Despite consciously trying, they always ended up fighting, making him wonder if this was just their inevitable fate. And yet, they had been quiet without fighting for a while.

‘You’re incredibly exhausting.’

…Was that too harsh?

‘…Don’t let your pride get in the way.’

But then the memory of that one cutting remark washed away his momentary guilt like a wave.

But is that really his dating style? Surveillance? It’s unheard of. He couldn’t be sure whether Taegang had hired someone or tracked his location, but the very idea was absurd. 

‘Why should I have to worry about this?’ 

He had always been persistent even as a friend, but lately, it had become more noticeable. It felt like he wasn’t even trying to be subtle anymore.

Yeowon got out of the car and put a cigarette in his mouth. It must still be class time, as there weren’t many students outside the college building. While moving to find a suitable place to smoke, he spotted a familiar figure from behind.

“Noona.”

When Yeowon called out, a woman with somewhat haggard features turned around. She was one of Taegang’s ex-girlfriends, the teaching assistant.