We had a typical conversation. I said I was feeling a bit better and apologized for suddenly asking to meet, and Park Min-ah said she was glad and asked about Nam Kangwoo.
"Ah... Kangwoo? He was at home."
"Really? He should have come with you."
There was a clear hint of disappointment in Park Min-ah's voice.
"Yeah. Jaehoon said he was heading out... Come over to our place next time. You used to come often, why haven't you been lately?"
I naturally brought up something I vaguely remembered.
"When I said I was going, Kangwoo, Jaehoon, and Taehee all told me not to come, though?"
"...Oh... Why would they do that?"
"Probably because you were sick, I guess."
"Maybe... Haha... Come over soon. I'm bored just staying home."
"Classes start soon anyway. Once they do, let's all get together often."
So they’re all current students.
At the mention of classes, I aimlessly rubbed the table with my fingertips, then met Park Min-ah's eyes and smiled awkwardly. Park Min-ah looked a little dazed at my smile, then quickly turned her head away. Was I really that unappealing?
With Park Min-ah's head turned completely to the side, I also lowered my head towards the edge of the table.
Just as a rather long silence fell between us, my phone vibrated in my pocket. Startled by my phone ringing for the first time since the possession, I even flinched.
Fumbling in my pocket, I pulled out my phone and saw the name [Roommate 1] on the screen.
...Shit... Who could this be? Ha Yeoul had three roommates, and since one of them is me, it must be Mo Taehee or Nam Kangwoo...?
"Who is it?"
Park Min-ah asked, curious, as I just stared blankly at my phone.
"...Um..."
Instead of answering Park Min-ah, I pressed the call button on my phone.
"Hello."
— Where are you sitting, Ha Yeoul?
"...Kangwoo-ya."
It was Nam Kangwoo.
I stammeringly described where we were sitting. Park Min-ah's round eyes widened even more at the mention of Nam Kangwoo's name from my mouth. When she mouthed, 'Is he coming?', I replied quietly that it seemed so.
— Wait there.
Nam Kangwoo spat out just those words and hung up. If that's the case, he could have just come with me.
I tried to calm my frantically beating heart and ran my tongue over my parched mouth. Seo Jaehoon had been gone for over ten minutes, probably making the coffee himself.
"It's been a while since I've seen Kangwoo. We've only talked on the phone a few times."
Park Min-ah opened her handbag, took out a hand mirror, and checked her appearance.
You're pretty without even looking. I muttered without realizing it, finding her appearance cute.
"W-What... Ha Yeoul."
Park Min-ah giggled, embarrassed.
"What's so funny?"
Was he already right outside the cafe? Not long after the call ended, Nam Kangwoo was visible behind Park Min-ah. And behind him was Mo Taehee.
Mo Taehee, who seemed to be looking for where to order, glanced at the tables, his eyes landing on me for a short, intense moment before he moved on. I felt a sudden chill.
Nam Kangwoo, who was standing with his hand on the back of Park Min-ah's chair, moved slowly. Park Min-ah seemed to be full of expectation, but it quickly faded away. Because Nam Kangwoo sat down next to me.
"Did you have fun coming with Jaehoon?"
"...Huh? Fun, what fun..."
"Mo Taehee and I were just left there, staring blankly like fools.”
I forced my lips into a smile as I looked at Nam Kangwoo and his fierce eyes.
“What are you talking about? Where would you find dogs as handsome as you two? Haha… just kidding…”
I glanced at Park Min-ah, who seemed to think we were strange. As expected, wrinkles formed on Park Min-ah's beautiful brow.
"What's wrong, Kangwoo? It's been so long since we've seen each other. Aren't you going to say hello?"
"Oh, right. How have you been?"
Nam Kangwoo turned his head away and asked how she was doing in a voice that wasn't very welcoming. What's wrong with him again? I felt uneasy and kept glancing between Park Min-ah and Nam Kangwoo.
"...Why are you greeting me like that?"
Park Min-ah's face hardened.
Yeah, shit. It's understandable. They're not usually like this.
I was the only one who seemed restless, and sweat formed on my palms. And at that moment, like saviors, Seo Jaehoon and Mo Taehee walked over with a tray full of drinks and desserts.
"What's wrong with the atmosphere? Did someone bully Ha Yeoul?"
That insensitive bastard... I opened my mouth without realizing it at Seo Jaehoon's tactless words.
Seo Jaehoon scanned the seats, frowned, then put the tray on the table and pulled up a chair. It was clear that he was determined to sit next to me, not next to Park Min-ah, not between Nam Kangwoo and Park Min-ah.
Naturally, Mo Taehee sat next to Park Min-ah. Mo Taehee also had an unhappy expression on his face.
No, what's wrong with these guys, really? Park Min-ah already looked very upset.
Seo Jaehoon placed an iced Americano in front of Park Min-ah and a warm citron tea in front of me. The tangy smell rose with the steam.
"You can't have ice because of your cough."
Seo Jaehoon also placed a piece of cake in front of me with neat hands. He scattered the macarons, cookies, and the remaining piece of cake haphazardly in the center of the table and leaned the tray against the chair leg.
"I have to leave now, so Ha Yeoul, eat your cake quickly. Let me see you eat."
Seo Jaehoon mumbled as he gulped down the drink in front of him.
"No, I don't want c-cake... Um... What about l-lunch... What do you like, Min-ah?"
I asked awkwardly, trying to gauge Park Min-ah's somewhat subdued mood.
"Korean food, Let’s get Korean food. Yeoul hasn't been eating well lately, so no Japanese, Western, or Chinese."
"That's right. Ha Yeoul hasn't been eating well lately. If it's okay with Min-ah, let's go to a good Korean restaurant."
I asked Park Min-ah, but why were Mo Taehee and Nam Kangwoo answering? Park Min-ah's face hardened even more than before.
This was driving me crazy. I had wanted to meet her alone, but now all these freeloading bastards had tagged along. Forget asking about the past. At this rate, she would never agree to meet me alone again.
"Okay. Hey, you eat Korean food. You too, Park Min-ah."
"I want to eat pasta."
Park Min-ah balled her fist tightly and answered as if she had been provoked by Seo Jaehoon's last words.
"I said I want to eat pasta."
Once again, firmly.
"O-Okay. Whatever Min-ah wants to eat—cough, cough! Co-cough."
A cough suddenly burst out. I covered my mouth with my hand and coughed, shaking my body. I coughed so much that I wondered if I should get a tuberculosis test. Mo Taehee, who was sitting across from me, and Nam Kangwoo and Seo Jaehoon, who were sitting next to me, all flinched.
Among them, Nam Kangwoo moved first. My Roommate 1 pulled me towards him. He hugged me, who was bowing my head, to his chest and slowly stroked my back. Just like at dinner a few days ago.
I couldn't see my surroundings because my body was shaking. Only Park Min-ah's trembling fingertips were in sight. As the cough gradually subsided, I moved out of Nam Kangwoo's arms. I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, my face pale.
"Sorry... Sorry..."
I offered an apology that I didn't know who it was for. And then.
"Ha Yeoul should go home."
Park Min-ah's quiet voice rang in my ears.
At Park Min-ah's voice, the three of them turned to look at her at the same time. Park Min-ah's expression, staring intently at me with slightly reddened eyes, was firm.
"...Oh. Okay, then I'll just... I guess I'll just go home—"
"Then have lunch with Kangwoo. I brought the car, so I think Ha Yeoul can go in with me."
Mo Taehee said without missing a beat. My tactless Roommate 2, or maybe 3, Mo Taehee, gathered his belongings on the table as if he was about to get up right away.
"Hey, I can just take him home. You haven’t seen Park Mina in a while, so have lunch together. Kangwoo will need a car to get back later anyway.”
"Jaehoon, you have to go to work, right? Go. You're late."
Mo Taehee cut him off as if telling him not to worry and smiled as she checked the watch on his wrist. He added, "Don't worry and go."
Seo Jaehoon stared at my face with a very displeased expression, then got up annoyedly, probably because he was late.
"Somebody make sure you take Ha Yul home.”
" I said I’m taking him.”
Mo Taehee answered casually to Seo Jaehoon, who was tactlessly worrying about me until just before leaving the cafe. Seo Jaehoon still had an expression that he didn't like something and roughly patted my head. Then, he cursed under his breath, probably because he was late, and quickly left the table.
I glanced at Park Min-ah for no reason. What's wrong with these guys? Why are they like this? Even Nam Kangwoo, who seemed to have left his tact somewhere, was still slowly stroking my back even though my cough had subsided.
"Min-ah, I'll go back with Yeoul first. Have lunch with Kangwoo."
Park Min-ah seemed to be a little relieved by Mo Taehee's soft tone and nodded, puffing out her cheeks slightly. I hesitated and reached for my phone on the table. All I had brought was my phone.
"Ha Yeoul."
"...Huh, huh?"
It was Nam Kangwoo's quiet voice that stopped me from grabbing my phone. I reflexively turned my head and met his eyes.
"Drink some more while it's warm."
"Ah... I'll drink it at h-home..."
"I'll go with you."
Home.
Nam Kangwoo reached out and picked up the glass in front of him. The black, murky liquid flowed between Nam Kangwoo's lips. Elegantly and neatly.
"Min-ah, you should go home too today. Ha Yeoul's condition is like this, so I don't think I'll be able to eat well."
"...What?"
"These days, all three of us are interested in Ha Yeoul. He was weak to begin with, but he's gotten even weaker lately."
What is this crazy bastard saying now!
I swallowed and stupidly choked, coughing again and shaking my body. Nam Kangwoo looked at Park Min-ah with a gaze that didn't contain a single emotion and slowly patted my back again.
At least Park Min-ah and I didn't expect my Roommate 1's words and actions, and Park Min-ah's face twisted for a moment.
Comments Box