Chapter 2. So, This Is Romance?
Making plans with Park Min-ah wasn't difficult. What was surprisingly difficult was deciding whose car to hitch a ride in out of the three guys.
These crazy bastards always exceeded my expectations.
The moment I finished getting ready to meet Park Min-ah and stepped into the living room, Seo Jaehoon approached as if he'd been waiting. Mo Taehee rose from the sofa, looking ready to leave immediately, and Nam Kangwoo leaned against the dining table, dangling his car keys between his fingers, staring intently at me.
I don't want to go with any of you, not even a little bit.
I wanted to say it bravely, but as always, I glanced timidly at the three guys and lowered my head.
"Um... I'm going to meet Min-ah..."
"How are you going, Yeoul-ah? I'll give you a ride."
Mo Taehee was the first to speak.
"I'm heading out that way, so come with me."
Next was Seo Jaehoon.
"Let Ha Yeoul choose. Who he wants to go with."
Nam Kangwoo made the most reasonable statement.
What happens if I don't choose anyone?
I hesitated for a moment, then mumbled, "The bus..." But none of them seemed to hear me. Seo Jaehoon, especially, muttered right in front of me, "As if a weakling like you could."
I wanted to ask if being weak meant I couldn't take the bus, but I held back. I couldn't waste my energy here.
"Then... Jae... Jaehoon..."
I carefully watched Mo Taehee and Nam Kangwoo's expressions and mumbled Seo Jaehoon's name, who was right in front of me. He was right there, and Seo Jaehoon was more comfortable than the other two. Plus, he said he was heading out that way.
"Let's go. Where are you meeting?"
Seo Jaehoon, emboldened by my choice to go with him, asked with a beaming smile about the meeting place.
"Um... the cafe we used to go to often."
That's exactly what Min-ah said. The cafe we used to go to often.
At that moment, I pretended to understand and stammered, as if I couldn't recall the name.
"Where is that?"
Nam Kangwoo didn't miss my faint voice and asked as if testing me. That thorough bastard.
"...Levant."
I spoke the correct answer, tilted my head slightly, and met Nam Kangwoo's eyes. A look of surprise subtly spread across his face, followed by a faint smile.
I tried to figure out the meaning of that smile but gave up. Just being caught by the three of them had already drained me.
"Min-ah and I are having lunch. Jaehoon, do you want to eat with us...? If you have time."
I glanced at Seo Jaehoon and mumbled, not forgetting to move as if urging him to hurry.
I grabbed Seo Jaehoon's sleeve and crossed the living room, passing Mo Taehee and Nam Kangwoo. Their gazes were fixed on the spot where my hand was holding, not anywhere else. The end of Seo Jaehoon's sleeve.
Both Mo Taehee and Nam Kangwoo couldn't hide their displeasure and showed their expressions as they were.
"Sure, it's been a while since I've seen Park Min-ah."
Ah... I nodded my head with a blank face as I listened to Seo Jaehoon's reply. This clueless bastard didn't notice my empty words at all and gave a sly answer.
Seo Jaehoon shrugged, pulled the end of the sleeve I was holding away, and grabbed my wrist instead. He didn't forget to scold me softly for staggering while putting on my shoes. Seo Jaehoon knelt down in the entryway with a familiar gesture and put shoes on my feet.
Was Ha Yeoul originally someone who received so much care? I don't know.
I tilted my head slightly and shifted my gaze to Seo Jaehoon's fingertips as he neatly tied my shoelaces. He's foul-mouthed but kind, huh.
Feeling my gaze, Seo Jaehoon looked up and smiled, making eye contact. A mischievous face. It was such a radiant smile that my heart skipped a beat.
I raised my head, trying to hide my flushed face.
"It's okay. You can just tie them roughly..."
"I'm done. I tied them so you wouldn't fall."
Seo Jaehoon tapped the toe of my sneakers and stood up. Then, he greeted the two who were standing there dumbfounded.
"See ya, punks. Your big bro is out.”
A heavy and familiar sensation touched my wrist. Led by Seo Jaehoon's hand, I left the entryway, got on the elevator, and until I got into his car again, my wrist was never released.
Seo Jaehoon seemed to be in a good mood. He hummed a tune all the way to Levant. His tone wasn't bad, so I quietly listened to his humming. Occasionally, he checked the route, estimating the location of Levant.
As if it were a place he frequented often, Seo Jaehoon didn't even set the navigation. He changed lanes without hesitation and even when he spat out the curse words that were stuck to his mouth, he had a smiling face.
Watching that strange sight, I swallowed dryly for no reason. He seemed too happy, so... it was scary.
"What time are you planning to go home after meeting Park Min-ah? Should I pick you up?"
At his gentle voice, I gave a vague answer, "I don't know." I wanted to go home alone, and I wanted to hear as much as possible about the past when I met Park Min-ah. Even if I couldn't hear about my past, I wanted to know about the past I had with the three guys.
"I’ll call you. If the timing works out, we can go back together,"
I chose an appropriate answer and mumbled. Seo Jaehoon briefly turned his head towards the passenger seat, quickly scanned my face, and said, "Sure, whatever."
"But... where are you going?"
"They said the schedule came out. I'm going to check it."
"Schedule?"
I tilted my head towards Seo Jaehoon with a puzzled expression. At my expression, Seo Jaehoon also made a slightly puzzled face and chuckled.
"Photoshoot. It's that season again. I have to make a lot of money to get Ha Yeoul herbal medicine."
"...Ah..."
At Seo Jaehoon's playful words, I couldn't find a suitable answer and just moved my lips. It didn't seem like my body would get better with medicine anymore.
"Thank you."
I looked out the window, turned my head, and mumbled towards Seo Jaehoon. A little quietly. Perhaps my answer was unexpected, the white hand gripping the steering wheel tightened, and his knuckles protruded.
"Ha Yeoul."
"...Yeah."
"Don't worry about what the guys are saying."
"..."
He said it so casually. I found those words a bit funny and chuckled softly. He seemed to have completely forgotten that he was the one who made the biggest fuss in the beginning, saying that Ha Yeoul was strange. At my burst of laughter, Seo Jaehoon looked confused, not knowing why I was laughing.
We arrived at the cafe not long after. The cafe, located in the center of the city, was packed with people. The crowd filling from the first to the third floor was already making me dizzy.
"Are you okay?"
Before getting out of the car, Seo Jaehoon noticed my slightly disgusted face and reached out to grab my chin. He moved my face back and forth, examining it thoroughly, and sighed.
"You should have told Park Min-ah to come home."
"..."
It was a voice that didn't know who it was blaming. Me, or Park Min-ah, who had called us here.
I gave an awkward smile and got out before Seo Jaehoon. A chilly wind blew, shaking my hair and clothes and drifting away.
The foul-mouthed but kind Seo Jaehoon cursed lowly and took off his jacket, putting it on my shoulders. If I were a woman, I would have been flustered, but unfortunately, I was a man. I didn't like any of Seo Jaehoon's actions.
"I'm okay, cough! Cough, cough—"
And my body happened to burst into a cough. As I coughed so violently that it drew the attention of those around me, Seo Jaehoon couldn't stand it and pulled me into his arms. As if protecting me from the gazes of those around me.
I was feeling embarrassed.
"The hell you looking at? Haven’t you ever seen someone cough before?”
Seo Jaehoon's voice, which seemed to have swallowed a train's firebox, echoed loudly, making me even more embarrassed. Thanks to that, it drew even more attention from those around me.
People stole glances at the ill-tempered, handsome guy and the frail guy in his arms with quite curious eyes, and since I didn't know Park Min-ah's face, I had to stay in Seo Jaehoon's arms until he recognized someone.
I was pretending not to be embarrassed and quietly breathing in Seo Jaehoon's arms.
"What are you two doing?"
A voice that resembled the sound of a bird I heard over the phone was heard from behind. Is it Park Min-ah? I pushed Seo Jaehoon away and slipped out of the arms wrapped around my back.
"Ha Yeoul burst into coughs. But people are staring like they're watching a monkey in a zoo. Damn, it's annoying."
"Even if it's annoying, Yeoul-ah should be the one who's annoyed, you idiot. Jaehoon, you're too empathetic."
Park Min-ah, who was laughing in a ticklish voice, lightly touched my shoulder.
"Yeoul-ah, long time no see. What's going on? You're the one who contacted me first. I was surprised."
She had shoulder-length bobbed hair and distinct features. Big eyes without double eyelids, a high nose, even teeth, and well-defined lips. There wasn't a single ugly spot. You could say she had an excessively pretty face.
Mo Taehee, Nam Kangwoo, Seo Jaehoon. And she was the woman that even Ha Yeoul couldn't help but admire.
"Long time no see, Min-ah."
"How's your health? Are you okay? I met Taehee, and he was very worried about you."
Park Min-ah naturally linked her arm with mine and said to Seo Jaehoon, "iced Americano, ." Seo Jaehoon didn't even ask about my drink and walked towards the ordering place.
I... I, I want iced drink too... I followed his back with desperate eyes, but Seo Jaehoon never turned around.
Park Min-ah quickly found an empty seat on the first floor. There was only one table empty in a secluded spot. Park Min-ah and I sat facing each other.
"Is your health really bad? Taehee was only talking about you in front of me. So I thought you were bedridden."
I gave an awkward smile at her tone, which felt like worry and a bit of cute jealousy.
"Did you go on a date with Taehee?"
"A date? We just had lunch because our schedules matched."
Park Min-ah smiled, her eyes curving. Her crescent-shaped eyes were attractive.
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