Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 5

“Been well? Seeing you win medals, I figured you were,” Taehyun asked, shrugging awkwardly. Sejin looked up at him silently. Well, he hadn’t expected a cheerful, “Yes, hyung! How have you been?” Taehyun chuckled, looking down at Sejin, who seemed unchanged in demeanor despite having grown taller.

“It’s weird just standing here. Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”

The best way to get a quiet person to open up was through food. Taehyun slipped his arms into his jacket, which he’d hung by the entrance. Sejin hesitated, then followed him up. Seeing Sejin’s physique with a clear head, Taehyun realized he’d grown, both taller and broader.

“You’ve grown a lot. Like, 10cm?” Taehyun asked, averting his gaze as he reached for the doorknob. Sejin, now close beside him, covered Taehyun’s hand on the knob, opened the door, and replied, “Yes.”

He hadn’t expected a detailed answer about weight gain or precise height, but the curtness caught Taehyun off guard. Right, this was just how Sejin was. It shouldn’t have been surprising, yet it was.

Four years ago, when Taehyun was twenty-four and Sejin eighteen, Sejin had been slightly shorter. Taehyun had been around 183cm, so Sejin must have been between 179 and 181cm. He hadn’t checked the exact numbers, but now Sejin was at least 188cm, maybe even taller than 190cm, considering his broad shoulders and slender frame, like a volleyball player or a model.

Walking towards the lobby, a few steps behind Sejin, Taehyun felt a pang of envy.

‘It must be nice to fence, where weight isn’t an issue.’

This honest thought stemmed from his own struggles with weight management. It was unavoidable. His height meant heavier bones, and even a slight increase in weight training bulked him up, pushing him close to his weight class limit. He was constantly nagged to replace weights with cardio. It was only natural to envy Sejin, who was tall and agile, benefiting from both height and a strong physique.

“You’ve been eating well, haven’t you? Seeing how tall you are, I doubt you’ve been starving yourself,” Taehyun asked again, opening the door to the hotel lobby. Sejin remained silent.

“Yes.”
“…….”

He shouldn’t have expected anything different, knowing Sejin’s personality. But Taehyun, still unsure why Sejin was even here, felt a sudden urge to flee.

‘You should’ve grown some social skills along with your height.’

Complaining internally wouldn’t change anything, so Taehyun sighed and asked, “Anything you want to eat?”

Taehyun looked at Sejin, making eye contact. Sejin hesitated before answering, “Anything is fine.”

He still acted like he was eighteen. Not only had he grown significantly, but he was now seeking a mating partner. Ignoring the strange discomfort, Taehyun said, “Let’s have gamjatang. There’s a great place nearby.”

Sejin must have eaten plenty of Western food in France. True to his word, he didn’t object to the local dish and followed obediently. The restaurant, a short walk from the hotel, was nearly empty at this late hour, save for a few lingering drinkers. As Sejin looked around the quiet interior, his gaze settling on Taehyun, Taehyun greeted the older man at the counter.

“Sajangnim, I’m here. Can we have the room in the back?”

He pointed towards a table separated by a paper screen. He smiled brightly, his voice familiar. The man practically leaped out from behind the counter.

“Oh my, look who it is! Our star athlete! Of course! Come in, come in. What will you have? The medium gamjatang?”

Taehyun smiled, looking down at the man, who seemed unaware of Sejin’s presence.

“No, large, please. No alcohol, just any zero-calorie soda.”

“Ah, I have to give you extra service. You’ve brought me so many customers.”

He clapped Taehyun on the shoulder, seemingly unconcerned about potentially injuring an athlete. Sejin watched, intrigued. That kind of force probably wouldn’t cause serious injury, but shouldn’t he be more careful with someone whose body was their livelihood? He glanced at Taehyun, but Taehyun seemed unfazed.

“They come back because the food is good, not because of me. Thank you! We’ll enjoy our meal!”

He tugged Sejin’s sleeve and led him past the screen. Sejin followed without resistance and sat down. The old wooden table bore the marks of time, with scratches and a worn burner. The side dishes consisted of a few pieces of kkakdugi, a simple, unpretentious setting. But Taehyun seemed oblivious, humming as he set the table.

“I got the utensils, you pour the water.”

He pushed his cup towards Sejin, his actions so natural. Was he trying to dispel the awkwardness, or was this just him? Probably the latter. Sejin silently filled Taehyun’s cup. Taehyun gulped down the water and set the cup down.

“I ordered a large portion, so eat a lot. I’ll eat moderately.”

He then filled his own cup, as if one refill for Sejin was enough. His brazen, casual attitude hadn’t changed. While he’d been momentarily flustered in the hotel room, he’d quickly recovered, just like their first meeting. Back then, Taehyun had been almost aggressively friendly, barging into Sejin’s life and then treating him like any other acquaintance. He had countless close friends, and even more who wanted to be close to him.

Today was no different. Sejin sighed, watching the server stealing glances at Taehyun, hoping for an autograph.

“I’m a huge fan! I’ll be cheering for you at the Olympics!”

Perhaps new to the job and excited to meet Taehyun in person, the server couldn’t contain their enthusiasm. Taehyun readily obliged, signing an autograph before they started their meal. He was a strange, intriguing person who drew people to him effortlessly. Sejin, too, couldn’t take his eyes off him.

“Thank you. I’ll do my best.”

“Oh, no problem! Thank you for the autograph! Enjoy your meal!”

Even while eating, he didn’t seem bothered by the interruption. After seeing the server out and closing the door, Taehyun looked at Sejin with a sheepish smile.

“They usually don’t bother me. I’ve come here a few times with friends, and some of the athletes are regulars now, so the owner just greets me and doesn’t ask for autographs or pictures.”

That didn’t seem to be the case just now. Sejin remained silent, his gaze alternating between the bubbling pot and Taehyun. Taehyun cleared his throat.

He had something more pressing to ask. How Sejin had been. If he’d been disappointed or angry with him. They hadn’t made any plans after the Olympics, so it wasn’t as if Taehyun had betrayed him. Still, after cutting off contact and disappearing, he’d been met with a lot of, “I thought you were dead! I was so worried,” from friends and acquaintances, leaving him uneasy.