Chapter 55.
Eejun asked with an angry face, “Jihoon Kang, are you sure you don’t know where Woojin is?”
“… My head is pounding, so stop talking to me and go over there. Get away from me.”
Eejun stared at Jihoon for a long time. After a sigh, he moved to sit on the nearby sofa. Jihoon massaged his temples with his eyes closed and asked finally, “Any chance she moved him?”
“None.”
“… Are you sure?”
Eejun looked at Jihoon who seemed to be suspicious of him and his mother as well. Jihoon could be rough, but he also was easily scared.
Eejun said to him, “You are a sad bastard.”
“… That was uncalled for.”
“Stop pretending to be calm and tell me everything you know.”
“I don’t know anything. That’s why I called you, obviously.”
Jihoon smiled sadly and asked, “Do you have any proof that it wasn’t her?”
“You know as well as I do that she isn’t in Korea.”
“That can change anytime, isn’t it? She can do whatever she wants.”
Jihoon looked at Eejun as he scratched his neck. Eejun frowned and sighed before replying, “Per the Chairman’s order, she is with my father in Sweden.”
“… He is there to watch her?”
“Something like that.”
“Is your father going to be ok? That woman is crazy…”
Jihoon hated and admired his mother. It was a very complicated relationship. He rubbed his eyes angrily before grabbing a bottle of water and throwing it at Eejun, who caught it.
Eejun said to him in annoyance, “Stop taking those pills.”
“If you are going to nag me, you better leave right now.”
“You need to tell me what you know first.”
“Promise me you won’t tell that old man, then I will.”
“… I promise.”
“Your words mean little, so what’s the point?”
Jihoon smiled bitterly. Eejun knew Jihoon had many different faces. When Jihoon was little, he used to be a shy boy. As he grew up, however, Jihoon turned angry. He was able to hide it very well, always looking calm, but it was like there was a storm inside of him. The calm before the storm.
When Eejun frowned, Jihoon grabbed Eejun’s cheeks.
Eejun ordered, “Let me go.”
“Do you like Woojin Choi, or me?”
“Are you serious?”
“You like me more, don’t you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The fate of this fateful dog…
Eejun looked at Jihoon who believed he knew what was best for Woojin. Jihoon thought he knew how to make Woojin happy. Jihoon was naïve, stupid, and desperate for affection.
When Jihoon swallowed the pills, Eejun asked, “Let me ask you something.”
“What?”
“Why did you do that to Shin Kim?”
“… I don’t understand what you are talking about.”
Sometimes, Jihoon showed Eejun his true side. The sharp and cruel side of him. Even Woojin’ didn’t know about it. When Eejun flinched, Jihoon smiled slowly and said, “That old man doesn’t plan on letting me inherit the family wealth.”
“I know that.”
“Do you think Woojin will get it?”
“…”
“I want Shin Kim to be well and remain in Korea.”
“…”
“But I don’t want him to cross the line.”
“…”
“My guess is that Woojin was thinking about returning to Germany.”
“What?”
Eejun’s eyes widened. Jihoon massaged his shoulder. His face paled as he continued, “I don’t think he will remain with Shin Kim.”
“…”
“Because Woojin likes Shin.”
“…”
“I am sure Woojin doesn’t want to hurt him anymore. Not again.”
“You…”
“Where do you think Woojin went, Eejun?”
Jihoon covered his face with his hands. Was he crying? Eejun turned around, away from him. Eejun hated it when Jihoon became this emotional.
The healthy and shy boy who used to cover his mouth whenever he laughed… He was gone.
Into the darkness.
***
Siwoo walked to Shin quietly, “Why are you sitting alone like this, you idiot?”
It was empty in the RS, which was rare. Hidden was cleaning the glasses when he nodded towards Siwoo, who just walked in. Bartenders were often very good at reading people’s emotions. They also were excellent at keeping secrets.
And Hidden was a very good bartender.
Siwoo sat down next to Shin, “Hey, did you just order a Bacardi?”
Siwoo gestured to Hidden to take away the bottle of rum. Hidden quietly grabbed the bottle, making Shin smile.
Shin replied to Siwoo, “I’m not a child.”
“Then why are you acting like this?”
Shin’s face could be very expressive. It was often easy to see the storm that was brewing inside of him. But today, Shin looked blank. Siwoo could see or feel nothing from him. Shin looked like he was too weak to show any emotions. This was the first time Siwoo had seen him like this since the horrible car accident.
Siwoo took a deep breath and emptied his glass of Bacardi. It was very strong.
Shin mumbled, “It has been 2 weeks.”
“…”
“I don’t know where he is.”
“Upperclassman Jin Yoo?”
“He isn’t Jin.”
“…”
“His name is Woojin Choi.”
After a long silence, Shin whispered, “Anyway, it doesn’t matter who he is.”
Shin has lived the last two weeks like everything was ok. It was a shock to even himself how he was able to act so normally.
Their relationship was very young, but their memories of the past were about to be awakened. And when the mystery of their lives was about to be revealed, Woojin Choi disappeared.
Jihoon Kang refused to answer Shin’s questions and Eejun Bae avoided him altogether. For the past 2 weeks, Shin had been working during the day and constantly calling Woojin’s phone, which was never answered. But Shin had to keep trying or else he was not going to make it.
They didn’t even get to really start their relationship.
Shin said to Siwoo, “Woojin said we should date only for a month.”
“What?”
Siwoo was receiving an olive from Hidden when suddenly, he turned to Shin in shock. Siwoo asked, “The Shin I know wouldn’t have agreed to something like that.”
“But I did. I was desperate.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Love always starts like that, doesn’t it? People basically lose their minds when they fall in love, right?”
Shin smiled and patted Siwoo’s hair.
“Shin, you look calm and relaxed.”
“Do I really?”
“Don’t the people at work talk about him? I mean, he just disappeared, right?”
“Everyone at work was told that he went on a business trip. It’s strange how there was no report of it. No plan or nothing.”
The winter came too fast. Last week, it snowed heavily. On his way back home, Shin just stopped and stared the snow falling on the ground.
He hated the winter. He was hit by the car in winter. Shin remembered his blood reddening the puddle. Siwoo suddenly grabbed Shin’s hand and squeezed.
“My little Shin finally had his very first love.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Do you think you will be able to find him?”
“I have a feeling that he is going to reappear. But waiting is… very hard. I’m tired.”
Shin drank some water.
“Shin, what are you going to do if he doesn’t come back?”
“Then I will keep waiting.”
“And if he still doesn’t come back?”
“Then waiting will become part of my life. Like a long-term hobby.”
Like waking up in the morning and falling asleep at night… Waiting for Woojin Choi will become a normal thing.
Shin still had so many things he wanted to ask Woojin. He also wanted to explore his memories and remember what Jin Yoo looked like.
But for now, all he could do was wait.
