BHB 65

Contrary to the expectation of discomfort, the atmosphere was surprisingly good. After devouring over 20 servings of meat, they headed to a bar run by an owner Kim Myungjoo knew well. Although it seemed a bit old for people in their 20s, given the average age of the customers, it was a place known for serving only authentic alcohol. Young entrepreneurs and office workers who seemed to handle decent money were enjoying their drinks in a refined manner.

Anyway, he always had expensive tastes. Despite his flashy and somewhat childish appearance, Kim Myungjoo had high standards since childhood. Both in women and in his social circles. While he might look like a thug who acted without thinking, in reality, he was the type who wouldn’t even associate with guys like Choi Youngdoo.

As they sat down at the oval-shaped round table, Kim Myungjoo engaged in friendly conversation with a man who appeared to be the manager. Then, as if it were natural, appetizers they hadn’t ordered and a bottle of brandy that had been kept arrived.

Yeowon, being a regular drinker himself, knew roughly how much such high-quality alcohol cost. Myungjoo had been shouting about becoming self-made since high school, and it seemed that dream was coming true nicely. All his accessories were pure gold, everything he wore was a luxury brand, and now he was even coming to high-end bars frequented by successful young entrepreneurs.

“You really seem to be doing well.”

As Yeowon said this while shaking a bottle of alcohol that cost in the hundreds per bottle, Myungjoo smiled smugly.

“Watch and learn. Our boss is going to open another club, and I might be in charge of it as the main guy.”

“Oh, a promotion?”

“Something like that. While working here, I handled all the VIPs. To build those connections, I’ve done everything from getting on my knees to cleaning up people’s vomit.”

“I thought you’d quit halfway through.”

“And I sold this bastard a bit too. I told you earlier. I sold Taegang’s number too.” Myungjoo boasted proudly while patting Taegang’s back. 

Hearing this for the first time, Yeowon’s brow furrowed slightly. As he looked at Taegang as if to ask what this was about, Myungjoo immediately continued, “What’s a friend for? This bastard’s family is loaded, so he has wide connections. All the people he knows through others are either chaebol heirs or rich landowners’ kids. It’s good to know them together.”

Myungjoo giggled as he poured drinks for Taegang with both hands. Taegang received the drink with an uninterested face, then casually moved his gaze until it stopped on Yeowon, who was staring at him. Yeowon couldn’t understand why Taegang would do such a bothersome thing for Myungjoo. It was also somewhat shocking that he met people connected to his family, given how much he disliked anything related to his family. But not wanting to be sharp, he swallowed it down. To do so, he downed the full glass of alcohol straight.

Reading the interrupted conversation perfectly, Myungjoo this time opened his mouth while filling Chaemin’s glass with ice balls. “By the way, sunbae. How are our kids at school?”

As he poured the brown liquid over the ice balls, the formless liquid smoothly flowed down, enveloping the round ice. 

Chaemin, who had been awkwardly silent after changing seats, held the glass tightly and smiled awkwardly. “Ah… um… the kids, they’re all doing well, behaving nicely…?”

At his stuttering answer, not knowing how to respond, laughter erupted from here and there.

“Behaving nicely? Who, Han Yeowon? Lee Taegang?” Jin Youngchae, who had just swallowed a cracker topped with thick cheese, chuckled and asked back.

“I still can’t believe Han Yeowon went to college.”

“Oh my god, me neither. I mean, Taegang, well, he’s always been unpredictable, but Han Yeowon was reaaaally far from studying, you know?”

“Really…?” Chaemin listened with interest as Youngchae and Myungjoo spoke in unison. 

Han Yeowon let out a short sigh and unconsciously turned his gaze. Then he caught sight of Taegang silently rolling his glass. Not knowing where he had been or what he had done all day… 

Wait…

“What’s this on your face?” With an expressionless face, Han Yeowon urgently grabbed Taegang’s face. 

Fortunately, the table was wide. The other three seemed too engrossed in talking about their school days to pay attention to this side.

There was a small scratch near Taegang’s eye that Yeowon hadn’t seen recently. It was a small wound that wouldn’t have been visible in the smoky barbecue restaurant, but Yeowon was particularly sensitive to Taegang’s injuries. Because abuse had continued since childhood, he unconsciously always became alert.

“… Don’t tell me you went to your family home today?”

It was a reasonable suspicion to immediately think that way. After all, what else could injure that build besides that household?

No wonder his disappearance without any contact seemed strange.

“Forget it. Don’t worry about it.” Taegang pulled Yeowon’s hand from his face, lowered it, and replied indifferently. But he didn’t let go of the hand he had grabbed. 

The contradictory action was bewildering, but concerned about others’ eyes, Yeowon tried to pull his hand away, though it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t simple to extract his hand from the grip that was as big as a basketball. So when he looked at him irritably, the guy mischievously picked up a piece of fruit with a fork and gently brought it to Yeowon’s mouth.

“What are you doing?”

“Just eat some appetizers.”

“… Let go of my hand.”

“What? I can’t hear you. Say it louder.”

At this absurd playfulness, Yeowon automatically glanced across. The guys were still telling Chaemin about their high school days, and Chaemin was still listening attentively with eyes full of interest.

“Stop messing around and tell me honestly.”

“Is everything I do just messing around to you?”

“Don’t change the subject. Did you go to your family home? Why?”

“They called me.”

“You’re not the type to go obediently just because they called.”

“Are you worried?”

At the question thrown back at him, Yeowon furrowed his brows as if to say ‘Is that even a question?’

“Of course I’m… No, if you’re going, shouldn’t you at least say you’re going?”

“And then?”

“What?”

“If I tell you, are you going to hold my hand and come with me?” Taegang drank all the liquid gently settled at the bottom of the glass while smiling crookedly. 

Momentarily at a loss for words at the somewhat skewed question, Yeowon hesitated as the guy slowly got up. 

As one big figure stood up, Kim Myungjoo, who finally took interest in this side, asked casually, “Where are you going?”

Yeowon, who had been about to ask the same question, hesitated again, losing his words. As he briefly pondered whether to stand up too or to retort, a nonchalant voice spread lowly.

“Smoking.” Taegang answered briefly and smoothly slipped out of the building.

As one person left, it seemed everyone needed a break. Both Kim Myungjoo and Jin Youngchae followed Taegang out, and Chaemin excused himself to the bathroom. Left alone at the table, Yeowon exhaled shortly and ran his hand over his face.

He considered following, not understanding the sarcastic comment at all, but knowing the others were outside too, he swallowed it down. Due to the heat suddenly boiling up from inside his stomach, he downed the half-full glass of strong alcohol in one go and frowned deeply.

No, shouldn’t he be the one feeling upset? This situation wasn’t exactly welcome to begin with. How could he be happy about having to drink with both Taegang and Chaemin together? Moreover, he had just learned about Taegang’s day-long silence and his mingling with family connections without his knowledge. If anyone should be in a bad mood, it should be him.

He was swallowing down his own occasional discomfort and enduring, so why Taegang? After all, it was Taegang himself who didn’t say a word about going to his family home.

Yeowon repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist, keeping his seat and sighing repeatedly. Soon after, as Kim Myungjoo and Jin Youngchae who had gone out returned, Yeowon looked around for the remaining one.

“Where’s Taegang?”

“Don’t know. Didn’t he go in first?” Jin Youngchae, emitting a mix of tobacco and strong perfume, answered with a puzzled face.

At that answer, Yeowon unconsciously stood up and headed towards the bathroom. The square blind spot in the far corner of the first floor. Clearly, Chaemin, who had gone that way, hadn’t returned either. Yeowon didn’t know why he was heading towards the bathroom as if possessed. It was just an instinctive movement.

“…I like you.”

It was the moment just before crossing the glass partition that reached the ceiling. A voice trembling like glass beads resonated gently from the other side. The owner of that clear voice was recognizable without much deduction.

“Was it not enough?”

Unlike the anxiously trembling voice, the other party was careless and composed, but Yeowon, who had known the other for nearly 20 years, also read the deep sigh and subtle irritation permeating that short sentence.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you want me to do it again?”

“…What?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand.”

“…Taegang.”

“You like me.”

“…”

“Even to the point of begging not to pull out.”

Yeowon, confused about whether what he was hearing was correct, tried to gather his muddled thoughts and quietly glanced beyond the partition, turning his body. Quietly, without making a sound, he was curious about how the two looked, how they were gazing at each other while conversing. Curious to the point where his stomach ached.

“…Then.”

“…”

“If I ask you to come today, will you?” Jeon Chaemin looked up at Taegang as if he was about to cry, while Taegang looked down at him calmly with his characteristically cold face.