***
Yeon Woojeong casually lifted his arm and stopped when the cast hit the desk. It had been almost two weeks, so he should have gotten used to it, but it still felt awkward. When he was looking at papers, he often bumped his arm because he took the brace off. Fortunately, it was only a minor one. It would have been taking longer to heal if it was his leg instead of his arm. He rubbed the nape of his neck with his left hand and organized his papers.
By now, he had gotten used to using only his left hand. Still, commuting to work in a taxi was uncomfortable. He couldn’t wait to get behind the steering wheels as soon as his arm healed.
“I’m going home.”
“Yes, Prosecutor Yeon. Have a good weekend.”
On the way out of the prosecutor’s office after exchanging farewells, the phone in his pocket rang. Seeing a familiar name, Yeon Woojeong paused for a moment before answering the call.
“Yes.”
—Where are you? Are you home?
“I’m going home now.”
—That’s good. Do you have any appointments?
“No. Why? You want to have dinner?”
—I’m in Suwon for a dinner appointment. I have something for you while I’m here.
“Okay, I’ll be at the station.”
—Station? I’m close to your office.
“It’ll cause rumors.”
Seok Damwoo laughed, saying okay, and ended the call. Yeon Woojeong slowly made his way to the station. The cool air tickled his skin. He had been going home straight or moving with his car every day, so he had practically never been this way, but it didn’t feel bad to walk after a while.
In front of the station stood a striking car. As though the owner spotted Yeon Woojung, the claxon rang out. Yeon Woojeong hastened his pace a bit and climbed into the passenger seat.
“Eh? What’s wrong with your arm?”
Seok Damwoo screamed as soon as she saw Yeon Woojeong. Yeon Woojeong glanced at his arm and shrugged.
“Accident.”
“What accident?”
“A smash-up. Nothing big.”
“It’s nothing big, but you broke your arm? Does Dad know?”
“I’m not a little kid, so there’s no need to make a fuss. It’s almost healed. What were you wanting to give me?”
“You punk, it’s been a while since you see your older sister yet you don’t ask how she’s doing.”
“I’m sure you’re doing well, right?”
As he asked with a smirk, she scolded him for getting sly before taking a small box from the back seat and handing it to him. Yeon Woojeong opened the box and he found cookies filled inside.
“Cookies, eh?”
“You know Yoonjae, right? My nephew? He opened a cafe, and it’s a new product there. I think it’ll be good for the baby in your home.”
“Oh my, what do I do? The baby is in the military.”
“What? Oh, that’s right. What is wrong with me? You told me then, didn’t you?”
“I’m sure I did.”
Seok Damwoo sighed. When they were younger, they were in frequent contact with each other, so they knew how each other was doing, but after each of them grew older and had their jobs, they were too busy to ask each other how they were doing. Sometimes, she would ask Yeon Woojeong how he was doing while delivering side dishes made by the housekeeper in her parent’s home, but since he lived with Kim Jiho, they seldom met.
“Time’s sure fast. I think it was just yesterday that I was surprised to hear you live with someone.”
“It is. How’s Hyunjin?”
“He’s doing good. He’s growing every day.”
“Well, he’s getting bigger every time I see his pictures.”
“Right? It’s so fascinating. Do you do everything by yourself with that arm? Want me to send someone to take care of your house?”
“It’s okay.”
“Why? They can just clean your house and cook while you’re not home. Just look at your arm. Don’t refuse it.”
“It makes that child uncomfortable.”
Kim Jiho was uncomfortable with the dry cleaner who came once a week, so there was no way he would like someone who came every day or every week. Of course, Kim Jiho wasn’t here, and he could just call someone while avoiding the day he was on vacation, but Yeon Woojeong didn’t want to leave a trace of someone else while that boy was away.
Seok Damwoo stretched her head backward, opened her eyes wide, and looked at Yeon Woojeong as if observing him. Yeon Woojeong closed the box and nodded, and she laughed.
“I’m really curious about that Jiho. Set us up for a meeting, when he’s discharged.”
“Well.”
“What’s wrong? Do you think he’ll be uncomfortable with me? Is he shy?”
“In a few years.”
“Years?”
Yeon Woojeong didn’t want to see Kim Jiho act dignified, forcing himself into an uncomfortable setting. He still hadn’t asked his thoughts, but he believed there would come a time for him to be okay. And he would surely know. No, maybe he already knew; about who was most important to him now.
“When there’s a chance. Thanks for this, I’ll eat it well.”
“Alright. Eat well. If it wasn’t for my appointment, I would have taken you home.”
“Thank you for saying that. Let’s have a meal next time. I’ll call you.”
“Yeah. Be careful on your way home.”
“You too.”
Yeon Woojeong got out of the car, said farewell, and hailed a nearby taxi. He opened the box again and saw cookies with chocolates on top. He believed Kim Jiho would like it. Thinking about sending it, he closed the lid, looked out the window, and closed his tired eyes.
He closed his eyes for a moment, and before he knew it, he was already in front of home. He cracked his tired neck and got out of the taxi. The night was dark, but the apartment complex was relatively bright. Children who appeared to be brother and sister rode by him on scooters. Their energetic laughter lingered in the air. A light breeze swayed the branches of the trees planted throughout the neighborhood. The lights from the street lamps lit up the road. Yeon Woojeong’s pace slowed. He scanned the scenery around him for no reason, then slowly walked inside.
Yeon Woojeong focused his gaze on the number of the ascending elevator. The elevator at night was deadly quiet. There was only the noise of the elevator and his breath. He glanced at the mirror when the elevator stopped and then walked out as the doors opened. The lights in the short hallway were on. Moving his hand slowly, Yeon Woojeong entered the passcode and he stopped in his tracks as he pulled the knob.
A pair of military boots were put neatly in the entryway. Yeon Woojeong slowly looked up and saw the lights inside were lit. He heard some noises from the kitchen. The colorless ground beneath his feet seemed to grow brighter and brighter with colored things. As he kicked off his shoes and entered inside, hurried steps were coming to him.
“Mr. Yeon, you’re…”
Kim Jiho’s smiling bright face hardened. Yeon Woojeong, who took a step forward with the same smile, stopped as he noticed where Kim Jiho’s gaze was. His injured arm. A fact that he didn’t tell Kim Jiho. However, the first thing he felt about the unexpected visit was joy.
“When did you get here?”
“Earlier. What’s wrong with your arm? When did you get hurt?”
“A while ago. It’s not that big.”
Yeon Woojeong approached Kim Jiho and kissed his cheek, but Kim Jiho’s face remained firm. Yeon Woojeong led Kim Jiho inside. Something was boiling in the kitchen.
“Were you making something?”
“Yeah. How did you get hurt?”
“I got into an accident while I was riding a car, and this is only a minor fracture.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that you got hurt?”
Kim Jiho’s voice went completely flat. The warm air turned cold in an instant. Yeon Woojeong gaped, then closed his mouth. He hadn’t expected Kim Jiho to take a vacation so quickly like this without telling him. He must have planned a surprise of his own. Yeon Woojeong completely understood that Kim Jiho was upset. He studied his face for a moment before answering.
“I don’t want to make you worry.”
Seeing Kim Jiho’s face crumpled as he held back his exploding anger, Yeon Woojeong grabbed Kim Jiho’s hand.
“And I guess it was a wrong decision, wasn’t it?”
There were things that at one time felt right but turned out to be not with time. Life was dotted with such things, and Yeon Woojeong didn’t think much about it, but it was a bit different when it came to Kim Jiho. Kim Jiho’s face softened at Yeon Woojeong’s honest reflection.
“First… Let’s sit.”
Kim Jiho turned around. Yeon Woojeong touched the end of his eyebrow and then followed him to sit in front of the dining table. The thing that was boiling was bean sprouts soup. He’d complained about the cultivator being empty the other day, so he must have bought it. Yeon Woojeong set the box he was carrying down on the table, and Kim Jiho’s gaze fell on it.
“What’s that?”
“Ah, this.”
When he told the truth, Kim Jiho, who had put down his bowl of soup and sat down, immediately raised his voice.
“Then I’m the only one who didn’t know you’re hurt, huh?”
“…”
“Does that make sense?”
As if he could no longer hold back, Kim Jiho crumpled his face. Seeing his face which was not simply angry but seemingly hurt, Yeon Woojeong felt his fingertips tingled. Kim Jiho’s black eyes quaked. His lips trembled as though he had many to say but didn’t know what to say first.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Isn’t it natural for me to worry?”
“…”
“Was it because I couldn’t come even if you told me?”
“Jiho.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t because you couldn’t trust me?”
“You know it’s not like that.”
Hearing Yeon Woojeong’s calm voice, Kim Jiho closed his mouth and shut his eyes tight before opening them back. It wouldn’t have been much comfort to Kim Jiho to explain the reasons or feelings behind not telling him. Kim Jiho was chastising himself for being away. He was angry that he wasn’t being helpful, not just because Yeon Woojeong didn’t tell him.
It wasn’t like that. But Kim Jiho would feel that way, and there were certain aspects of his relationship with Yeon Woojeong that he would have to deal with. Such as feelings that Yeon Woojeong was more mature and that he had a long way to catch up with him. However, Yeon Woojeong believed a time would come when he would be okay. When he would know. After all, Yeon Woojeong wouldn’t have left Kim Jiho alone with those feelings.
Yeon Woojeong waited for a while before speaking.
“You know it. I eat and take my medicine well because I don’t want to get scolded by you.”
He reached out his hand for Kim Jiho’s fingers on the table. It had been a long time. No, technically, it hadn’t been that long, but still, he always missed him.
“If it weren’t for you, I would have worn this for a longer time.”
He lifted his cast arm, and Kim Jiho’s gaze went there. The anger slowly subsided, and a sorry, loving gaze traced the injured arm. Yeon Woojeong didn’t exaggerate. He was not the most cooperative and compliant patient.
The fog in Kim Jiho’s eyes cleared as though he thought about something. After a while, he spoke.
“How did you eat?”
“With a fork, like a kid.”
“… Are you bragging?”
Kim Jiho said bluntly with a somewhat bashful look on his face. Yeon Woojeong smiled and playfully tapped Kim Jiho’s foot. Soon, a big foot stepped on Yeon Woojeong’s foot.
“Eat.”
Yeon Woojeong searched Kim Jiho’s face, who avoided his eyes, and then quietly picked up his spoon. Kim Jiho paused before picking up a side dish and putting it on Yeon Woojeong’s spoon. Yeon Woojeong stared at him intently and then said.
“Thank you.”
Kim Jiho didn’t reply and ate his share. Yeon Woojeong brought his spoon to his mouth and chewed a bit faster following Kim Jiho. How strange. It was the same meal, but it felt different. How different the colors looked before he came home and after he came home.
Usually, they would eat while talking about many things, but the two didn’t say anything. Kim Jiho focused on putting the side dishes on Yeon Woojeong’s spoon promptly, and Yeon Woojeong watched Kim Jiho’s face the whole time.
TN: Maybe some of you forget or didn’t catch the hint, but Seok Damwoo is the daughter of President Seok, Woojeong’s teacher and benefactor. They thought Woojeong as their family, so that’s why she said she’s Woojeong’s older sister. Woojeong kept a bit of distance with them, tho. Hyunjin is her son, so basically he’s Woojeong’s nephew.
And this is my personal guess from the vibe around Woojeong when he talked about her: She might be Woojeong’s first love. And that must be why Woojeong’s taste is older women⚆_⚆.