A Perfectly Normal Romance Chapter 1.2 - Encounter

I’ve been feeling a strange sense of déjà vu lately. I wondered what this nagging feeling was. I was pondering it in my cramped studio apartment, sitting on a cramped chair, facing my laptop on a cramped desk. I thought about it as I touched the smooth surface of the trackpad.

I think I felt like this when my life seemed to be going wrong. When right and wrong felt ambiguous. When I wasn’t confident in my choices. Like when I had disagreements at work and had to make a decision, or when I was in a relationship… The strange thing is, life felt more like it was going wrong when I was dating Hyun than when we broke up. It’s odd, really.

Anyway, the feeling these days is similar to back then. Why? Why am I feeling this way again?

Is it because I’ve returned to this studio apartment, where I occasionally stayed during college? Or is it because I’m seeing my college classmates often? Or maybe it’s because I saw Hyun again. I missed the editing point in the video because of that fleeting thought. I rewind the video and play it again. If only life, like editing, allowed you to rewind and review the parts you missed.

I closed my eyes tight and opened them again, trying to focus on the bright screen. I need to send this quickly. If I’m even a little late, I don’t know what Producer Choi will say. It was at that moment, as I squeezed my eyes shut to refocus, that I heard a small vibration. I peeked open one eye and checked my phone.

[Hey guys.]

A message notification popped up on the screen of my phone, which was resting on the side stand. Seeing that the sender was Seungpyo, I figured it was one of the group chats and continued focusing on my work. As expected, Seungpyo elaborated on what he wanted to say.

[What are you guys getting me for a wedding gift?]

I thought it would be the usual “I want to quit my job” rant, but it was something worth responding to. We’ve thought about it, but haven’t actually discussed it yet. Before I could reply, Geonjung’s message flashed up.

[Why should we?]

[Is this all our F4 friendship amounts to?]

Seeing that, I frowned and picked up my phone.

[Are you proud of that?]

If this “F4” thing was some kind of grand, boast-worthy group name, then I might be proud of it. Around graduation, Hyegyeong, slurring her words while drunk, told us very clearly why we were called F4. “You guys, that nickname, F4. It’s Fuck 4. Get it?” I still can’t forget her voice that day.

[No, I believe in you guys. You wouldn’t do that to me.]

Is there still any trust left between us? Seeing Seungpyo’s firm denial and his whining, I couldn’t even be bothered to respond. Left alone, he’s quite talkative.

[I want a projector.]

[Or a custom-built computer.]

[Are you guys there?]

[Hey guys.]

[Hey.]

[Hey.]

[Heyyyyyyyyy.]

This is why we’re F4, I guess. Him, shamelessly demanding presents, and us, not responding.

Just then, Geonjung messaged me in a different chat. It was a chatroom with Hyun and me from so long ago I couldn’t even remember when we last used it. It’s a wonder it still exists.

[Let’s go for a dryer.]

[That dude’s asking for an ultra-beam projector?]

[Let’s go and choose something. Is everyone free this weekend?]

Hyun hadn’t seen the messages yet, it seemed. I waited a bit for a reply, but who knows when he’ll see them. Is he working? A hazy sunlight streamed through the meager window of my studio apartment. It seemed like he would be busy, not just working.

Seungpyo’s messages continued to pop up, clamoring for a response from us. I scrolled through them and sent a short reply. Okay. Which day this weekend? We settled on Sunday afternoon since Geonjung wasn’t free on Saturday.

And then I didn’t check the chat for a while. I checked the effects overlaid on the video and looked back. Hyun’s reply was at the bottom of the conversation.

[Okay.]

I scrolled up. Above it were Geonjung’s detailed explanations. He’d suggested a place where one of his colleagues had gotten married the previous week, saying it would be good to check out, and he’d suggested a place for lunch, things like that. And scrolling up further, I saw my own reply. Sunday, okay. I’ll be there.

He must have replied after seeing my message. Hyun didn’t seem to care whether I came or not anymore. Well, it’s not like he can keep being conscious of me forever. I have to get used to it. From now on, this is how we’ll continue to live, as friends, as strangers. I forced my eyes back to the video to focus.

˙✧˖🎥⋆˙

Around the first semester of freshman year, Hyegyeong was obsessed with tarot cards. Nowadays, if you mention that, she’ll get all serious and say she only dabbled in it as a kid and she never really liked it. Yet, every time, it’s Hyegyeong who shares links to famous fortune tellers and birth chart readings in the group chat. I think she even goes to see a shaman every New Year.

Anyway, back then, we’d often gather in the club room, eating jjajangmyeon and killing time, and Hyegyeong would take out her tarot cards. We’d take turns sitting in front of her and listening to her interpretations. We all took it lightly, just for fun. Sometimes we’d even subtly hint at our feelings. Then one day, it was my turn. It wasn’t so much that I was curious; it was more that Hyegyeong had taken out the cards, and there wasn’t anyone else who wanted a reading that day, so I volunteered so she wouldn’t feel awkward.

I don’t remember what the three cards I drew that day were. The pictures looked like European masterpieces I’d never seen before, and it was Hyegyeong’s job to interpret them, pondering over whether they were upright or reversed.

“You’re going to be really selfish in relationships.”

“Me?”

Hyegyeong nodded with an almost pious look on her face.

“Yeah. You skipped your morning class today because you were at the PC bang all night.”

“Hey, I wasn’t the only one.”

But Hyegyeong’s face showed no sign of believing me. I told her I wasn’t the only one playing games. Amused by how she seemed to know me better than I knew myself, I turned my head and saw Hyun walking in. Seeing him fanning the collar of his t-shirt, looking a little hot, I jumped up from my seat.

“Hyun, sit here.”

“Why?”

Before he could protest further, I grabbed his arm and pulled him. Hyun took a step forward. Before he knew what was happening, he sat down as I pushed down on his shoulders, facing Hyegyeong. I pulled a chair close beside him and gestured with my chin.

“Hyegyeong, read Hyun’s cards too.”

“Oh? Should I?”

Hyegyeong wasn’t that close to Hyun at the time. They just knew each other’s names. Hyegyeong looked a little excited as she neatly gathered the cards and started laying them out again. I watched her slightly changed demeanor with a bit of bewilderment and glanced at Hyun.

Even as the cards were being shuffled right in front of him, Hyun was looking at them with a detached, observing gaze. Still, he didn’t immediately get up or tell me to stop. His slightly upturned eyes flicked towards me.

“What are you doing?”

“Hyegyeong is giving us readings.”

“What kind of readings?”

“Anything.”

The corners of his lips curved into a fleeting smile before returning to their relaxed state as the deck of cards was gathered. Hyegyeong spread them out in a long line in front of him. Her fingers randomly picked three cards. Pulling them forward and turning them over, Hyegyeong looked more engrossed than ever.

“Hmm…”

“Why? Is something strange?”

Hyegyeong, who had interpreted my cards with such confidence, tilted her head slightly and said,

“Hyun has very clear boundaries. Inside the line is inside, outside the line is outside. Very sharp. The type to be incredibly good only to those close to him.”

“I see.”

Hearing Hyun’s nonchalant murmur, I nodded slightly. I see. But couldn’t you tell that without drawing the cards? Just by looking at him? I looked at Hyun’s profile and then back at the cards.

“And it looks like he’ll be very possessive in a relationship… what do you think?”

At those words, Hyun glanced at me with a look that said he had no idea how to respond. Not understanding the meaning behind his look, I stared back at him.

“What do you think?”

“About what?”

“Jio, were your readings accurate?”

Hyun, despite his appearance, sometimes had a peculiar habit of addressing people formally. Hearing his low, ticklish voice always gave me a strange feeling.

“I don’t know. I haven’t been in a relationship yet.”

“Me neither.”

This guy, with a face like that, hasn’t been in a relationship? This wasn’t just my question. With Hyegyeong and my gazes fixed on him, Hyun stood up. He shrugged slightly before turning around and answering,

“I haven’t dated.”

“Ah.”

Hyegyeong and I nodded simultaneously. Right. He could have received confessions but not actually dated. That bastard. The moment our doubts were cleared. As he was about to leave, Hyun lightly touched my shoulder.

“Come to the library later.”

“Yeah…”

After receiving my lackluster confirmation, Hyun left. Before someone else took the seat in front of Hyegyeong, I asked,

“Did you say he’d be possessive?”

“That’s what the cards said.”

Hyegyeong’s voice lacked conviction, even though she had been so certain when she said I would be selfish.

At the library, Hyun, without any delicacy, kept poking at my sore spots.

“If you don’t submit this one, you’ll have to retake the class from the beginning, you know?”

“I know.”

“If you take it alone without us, there won’t be anyone to do the assignments with you then.”

“I said I know.”

His words, whispered beside me with a playful look on his face, tickled not just my ears but my brain. Even when I pushed his shoulder, telling him to move, he wouldn’t budge. In the library stacks, where only hushed whispers were allowed, Hyun diligently finished his own major coursework and then continued to meddle with my liberal arts assignment.

I’d thought a book report would be easy, but writing 20 pages on the essence of Russian literature, following a specific format, was no simple task. As I busily typed away, a finger moved from beside me, passing over the center of my laptop screen, gently pointing out,

“You spelled the name wrong there.”

“Huh?”

“It’s Oblonsky, not Bronsky.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

How do these guys, with such similar names, tell themselves apart? Grumbling, I hit backspace repeatedly and stood up abruptly. I couldn’t sit still any longer. As I wiggled my toes and got out of the chair, Hyun flipped the glossy page of his thick foreign language textbook, tilted his head, and whispered,

“Running away?”

“Getting some air, getting some air.”

I pushed his tilting chair back to stabilize it and walked outside.

Outside, it was a clear day with lush greenery. Being cooped up in the library’s shade, surrounded by the smell of aging books, made me restless on such a nice day. If it weren’t for Hyun, I would’ve made an excuse and left by evening, or maybe dawn. But since he was staying to work together, I felt bad just taking off.

I was sitting on a low brick wall under the shade of a tree when I saw a familiar face waving at me from afar. Seungpyo, finally intending to tackle his overdue assignments, was approaching with his major textbook tucked under his arm, showing no signs of wear.

“What are you doing there?”

“I was working on an assignment and needed a break.”

“Where are you sitting? Let’s work together.”

Seeing Seungpyo’s gloomy complexion, already radiating a lack of motivation, made me want to kick him and leave. I listlessly pointed with my finger and added,

“There’s a spot inside, between the humanities books. I was there with Hyun.”

“You and Hyun? Is that okay?”

“Why?”

“Just… I didn’t think you two would get along, but you seem to be doing fine.”

“No, it’s good.”

Seungpyo’s wide eyes conveyed disbelief. Did we seem that incompatible? I was the one who found it puzzling, but after thinking for a moment, I explained,

“I feel calmer when I’m around him.”

“Really? I thought you wouldn’t do that assignment.”

“Hyun kept nagging me, saying ‘You’ll end up retaking it alone.’ So…”

“He’s right about that. Let’s go in.”

“Yeah.”

Just like that, with unmotivated Seungpyo tagging along, I went back inside and had him sit across from us. Hyun gave a short wave and went back to his assignment at his own pace. Caught up in the atmosphere, I actually managed to finish my assignment.

When I’d typed nearly 20 pages, my wrists aching, Hyun was in the middle of drawing complex economic graphs for several chapters. While looking at the thin lines of the graph, Hyun leaned over to look at my laptop screen. Our eyes met, and I felt our upper arms brush against each other.

“What? Is something wrong?”

“No,”

He said, without adding any further evaluation. His eyes just narrowed slightly, his gaze shifting before returning to his original position. Such subtle expressions were perfect for creating misunderstandings.

Well, Hyun was certainly more affectionate than I thought. The earlier comment about him being good to those close to him seemed accurate.

˙✧˖🎥⋆˙

The department store on a weekend, especially during a wedding appliance fair, was more crowded than imaginable. Standing in front of the constantly moving escalator, I stepped aside to avoid the crowd.

I absently tapped my toe on the department store floor and glanced sideways to check my reflection in the shiny surface of a large gold pillar next to the escalator. As I kept glancing, I wondered what the difference was between that and looking directly, so I just stared at my reflection.

A black jumper with a large white logo, jeans that fit well down to my ankles, and white sneakers. There was nothing particularly wrong with my appearance. As I was looking, I saw two heads pop up from between the feet of the people. I pretended not to notice and looked away, but Geonjung didn’t miss it. The first thing he said as he stood in front of me was,

“What were you doing just now?”

“What was I doing?”

“You’re dressed up. Do you have a date tonight?”

“No. And I’m not dressed up.”

“Last time I saw you, you were wearing sweatpants and dragging your slippers.”

“That was in front of my house. This is a department store.”

As we bickered, Hyun’s gaze brushed past me. It wasn’t a rude look. It was a natural glance, like any human interaction. I met his eyes and shook my head more vigorously. It felt embarrassing to discuss whether I was dressed up or not with Hyun standing right next to me.

Hyun always drew attention wherever he went. It was because everything about him was long, befitting his tall frame. Long legs, long, angular fingers, broad shoulders, a long neck, even long eyes. He was wearing a long coat over his frame, and his jet-black hair was neatly styled as always. When he lifted his wrist to check the time, I saw the crisp, neat cuff of his shirt. It made my attempt at dressing up, and my sideways glances, seem pointless.

Whatever. Natural is best. I thought, trying to encourage myself as I stepped into the event hall. The couples, standing close together affectionately, or sometimes standing apart after a small quarrel, made up most of the crowd. The three of us, three men walking in together, drew attention one way or another. Even the staff member who approached us hesitated for a moment, seeing our unusual group. I spoke for us,

“We’re here to choose a wedding gift for a friend, so we’ll just look around.”

“Okay. If you have any questions, please let me know.”

Newlywed couples who would likely buy a full set of appliances were probably more valuable to their sales targets than us. The staff member easily let us go, and the three of us were left alone in the middle of the event hall.

Before we could even awkwardly make a round of the place, we were pushed by the crowd and stopped in front of appliances that reflected each of our individual tastes. Geonjung walked over to the vacuum cleaners, Hyun stopped in front of a TV right behind me, and I was checking the refresh rate of the monitor next to it.

A 32-inch 4K monitor. This is the minimum size that’s worthwhile. I idly traced my finger along the edge of the monitor. Then, as I sidestepped, I saw the item Seungpyo had been clamoring for. Pointing at the price tag proudly displayed beneath the machine, I said,

“Hey, look at this. Is this the one Seungpyo was talking about?”

“What a rip-off. I had a bad feeling when I heard the long name.”

“Me too. What kind of projector costs over five hundred?”

Geonjung, who had approached, leaned his head over my shoulder to look and cursed. This new projector, boasting the latest features like ultra-short throw and automatic horizontal keystone correction, projected a crystal-clear image even on a close wall. It occupied a whole wall of the appliance section and was being heavily advertised. That also meant it was expensive.

The resolution is good though. A music video with vibrant colors started playing. As I stared, mesmerized by the image that seemed to sear every pixel into my eyes, Geonjung nudged my shoulder with his chin.

“Why are you staring so intently? Are you going to buy it for him?”

“No. I want it for myself. But I’ll pass on buying it for him.”

“Let’s look at something else. I contacted Eunjeong, and she asked for a dryer.”

“Alright. Even if we don’t buy it, let’s just sit down for a bit. Wow, it’s really nice.”

There was a sofa in front of the wall where the projector was projecting, and a couple who had just made their decision got up. The three of us squeezed onto the small sofa. We sat down randomly, with Geonjung on my left and Hyun on my right. It felt strangely cramped with three men sitting side-by-side. Trying not to be bothered by the warmth of their thighs against mine, I stared intently at the projected image. Hyun spoke, as if it had nothing to do with him,

“It’s nice.”

“So, are you going to buy it for him?”

Geonjung, on my left, asked again. I shook my head and answered, “No.”

“I want to put this in my house, not Seungpyo’s.”

Geonjung quickly lost interest and stood up. The left side, which had felt heavy with his presence, felt empty. Then I saw him walking towards the dryers, which he said even single people living alone buy these days. As I watched him disappear into the crowd, I shifted my position slightly. I moved my weight to the empty left side, creating a little distance, very naturally. This is hard. It’s not easy to pretend you’re not conscious of someone when you clearly are.

Hyun, seemingly unaffected by my actions, leaned his arm on the armrest and leaned back. His naturally crossed legs brushed lightly against my shins. I flinched and glanced at him. The light from the projected image reflected in his deep, dark eyes, making them sparkle. My gaze lingered on him for a moment. I turned my head back to the colorful bird flying across the screen, showcasing the high resolution.

But my eyes, unable to control themselves, stole another glance at him. Tracing the features I’d first captured on film, I lost myself in memories for a moment.

I first picked up a camera when I was twenty. I fiddled with an ownerless DSLR that was lying around in the club room, adjusted the focus that had been misaligned after repairs, and received a temporary fix-like advice. “These parts are expensive, so I’ve manually adjusted it for now, but if it gets shaken or breaks again, you’re better off buying a new one.” Hearing that, I actually lost the desire to treat it with excessive care.

Fearlessly carrying the camera around, I met Hyun and immediately raised it, pressing the shutter. Hyun didn’t even blink when I suddenly took his picture. His dark eyes reflected the world he saw. The straight road, me blocking his path, even the round lens. He was the one being photographed, but I’m the one who remembers that moment like a photograph.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking your picture.”

“Why?”

“I just got it back from repairs.”

“So?”

“They said it won’t last long and I’ll have to throw it away.”

“I figured.”

Hyun continued walking, and I walked alongside him. I kept fiddling with the camera, adjusting the focus, and then raised it again to take a picture of his profile. New, bright green leaves had sprouted on the street tree in front of the new restaurant, and the shadow of the leaves fell on the bridge of his nose. Click. It was a moment bookmarked in my memory. I took a few more continuous shots of that scene and looked down to check the photos when Hyun asked again,

“Why are you taking so many pictures?”

“Since it’s not going to last, I want to take a lot. Smile.”

Hyun finally changed his expression. A shadow deepened under his eyebrows, as if he was annoyed or embarrassed. With that expression, he looked away for a moment and then back at the front. He slowed his pace a little.

That expression was another bookmark. Thanks to it, I can easily delve into my memories and recall that day.

He usually seems so different, but today he looks the same. Just then, Geonjung, having finished looking at the appliances he was interested in, stood in front of us. Passing me, he asked Hyun, who was standing next to me with a blank expression,

“You said you didn’t have work today, so why are you dressed like that?”

“I have to go in later.”

With that reply, Hyun stood up abruptly as if he was ready to get down to business. Geonjung, curious about something, was wandering around by himself. He was asking for detailed price quotes, making me wonder if he had a secret girlfriend. This time, he left just the two of us standing awkwardly in front of the dryer. Even though two men were standing there blankly, the salesperson approached us with an equally friendly and bright smile.

“Can I help you?”

“Uh… yes.”

“This is our new large-capacity model. It has a sleek metal finish that men tend to prefer. The loading and unloading door is also positioned higher, so you don’t have to bend down too much.”

“Yes…”

“If you look at these features…”

Following the salesperson’s straight finger pressing the buttons, lights came on accompanied by gentle beeps. I had to put in double the effort to keep up a polite smile and listen to the explanations I didn’t understand, all while dealing with Hyun’s disinterest. I was listening politely when a particular explanation caught my attention.

“It has a quick-drying function that minimizes damage to clothes.”

“Yes.”

“With sleek black accents that men prefer…”

“I see.”

Wouldn’t they normally assume we were buying this for a friend? As I forced a smile, a newlywed couple behind me called out to someone. The salesperson excused themselves and turned around. Did that person really think we were looking at this for ourselves? They’re remarkably unbiased. Long live Korea.

Hyun, seemingly unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, muttered,

“Is Geonjung getting married next month?”

“I guess so.”

I replied nonchalantly and then closed my mouth awkwardly. Just as a salesperson approached us, likely to explain the newlywed package, Geonjung walked towards us with a determined look and stood between us. He pointed at the dryer we had just been given a lengthy explanation about.

“Let’s get this one if it seems okay after checking it out.”

Hyun immediately pulled out his card from his wallet. We had already been given more than enough explanations.

˙✧˖🎥⋆˙

The call to see the room came sooner than I expected. I hadn’t even finished organizing my clothes by season in the studio apartment’s closet. My clothes were piled haphazardly in the small closet, and my trunk lay open on the floor. Kicking it with my foot, I sat down on the bed.

Now that I thought about it, it felt like I had gone back to my college days, and I felt strangely okay. This feeling would probably fade away in a few days. I should leave before that happens. In the group chat, Seungpyo was chattering away with Daeun about lunch menus and the tuxedo he was going to wear to the wedding, when he suddenly called me out.

[Jio],”

[Yeah?]

[Want to see the apartment today? Eunjeong’s not there, but I can show you around quickly.]

[Is it okay to go in if she’s not there?]

[I asked, and she said it’s fine.]

True. I didn’t need to rummage through her things, just a quick look around would do. I agreed, and the plans were made swiftly.

[I’m leaving work on time today, so come out now. Let’s see the apartment and then grab some meat.]

[I thought you were on a diet.]

[I’ve been enjoying all the good food at these wedding invitation gatherings.]

Seungpyo, who had just been talking about how his tuxedo fit in the wedding photos, ignored my question and changed the subject. I’m starting to get curious about how the photos will turn out, both from the photoshoot and the actual wedding day.

I left the apartment wearing a light short-sleeved t-shirt layered with a loose shirt. The narrow hallway was dark, unbelievably so for the middle of the day. I walked through it and out into the street. Even though light came in through the studio apartment window, outside was on a different level of brightness. I took a deep breath of the cool air, stretched, and started walking, looking for the way.

The streets and subway were starting to fill with people getting off work. I felt like a salmon swimming upstream against the flow of people.

Seungpyo was standing near the subway station with his briefcase tucked under his arm. Seeing me, he pointed in the direction we needed to go.

“Did you come straight from home?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s nice there. You finish work early.”

“I left the office yesterday and came back in this morning.”

Seungpyo couldn’t say anything to my sad reply.

“Let’s see the place quickly and get some food.”

“Which way is it?”

“The alley to the left of the pharmacy up ahead.”

“It’s really close.”

Hearing my comment, Seungpyo changed the subject completely.

“Those bastards. They haven’t gotten me a wedding gift yet.”

“I’m not getting married.”

“You know the ones who say that get married the fastest, right? Just you wait.”

“Yeah, I’ll let you know if I do.”

“You just said you weren’t.”

At this point, Seungpyo was still unaware of the wedding gift we had painstakingly chosen for him. Geonjung had contacted the bride’s side separately and told them not to buy a dryer. Daeun and Hyegyeong had secretly bought a soda maker, another item Seungpyo had been ranting about wanting.

Seeing his eyes gleam with anticipation, I wanted to tell him right away. Did we really have to surprise him with it at his new apartment to make him feel touched? What good was his gratitude to us anyway?

I deliberately walked ahead to avoid saying anything. He quickly followed, chattering away.

“Why are you walking in front? You don’t even know the way.”

“Then lead the way, sir. Where is it?”

“That alley over there.”

The studio apartment was exactly as described and as shown in the photos. The entrance to the old five-story building was wide open. As I walked up the gray concrete stairs, I grabbed the thin black metal railing. Despite its flimsy appearance, it was firmly attached to the wall. I was surprised it was actually functional.

The entire building gave off that impression, from its exterior inwards. It was shabby, but unlike the poorly constructed new buildings these days, it felt like it had aged appropriately.

We reached the fifth floor and stood in front of the apartment at the end of the unnecessarily wide hallway. The old gray-painted door had a modern digital door lock that seemed out of place. Seungpyo went inside first and turned on the lights with a familiar gesture.

“Come in and check if the water works.”

“I’m sure it’s fine. Since the owner’s not here, I’ll just look around. Are there any bugs here?”

“Not really.”

“So you’re not saying there aren’t any. Thanks for the honesty.”

“I saw one. Just once. Is it okay? You can be honest if you don’t want it.”

“No, this is really good.”

Standing at the shoe rack, I looked around the room. The spacious rectangular room was much better than I had imagined. The walls were nicely painted white, and the shoe rack and closet were in their proper places.

After looking around, I finally took off my shoes and stepped inside. I turned on the faucet at the sink and then opened the large window next to it. The rusty hinges creaked, but the view that unfolded before me made me forget about that minor flaw.

The building across the street was also an old, dilapidated four-story building, so I could see over it to the green-painted rooftop beyond. I could see layers of buildings and a wide expanse of sky. Thin clouds, spread out like waves in shades of red, were a sight that calmed my mind.

It would be nice to set up my desk here and edit. Editing can be frustrating, so looking at the sky often is good for my mental health. I shrugged and stepped back.

“Thanks. I’ll buy you chicken and beer.”

“Just chicken and beer?”

“Yeah, I thought you were on a diet.”

“Chicken is diet food.”

“Sure.”

I couldn’t help but look forward to his wedding photos even more after that comment. As I walked down the central staircase, the smell of delivered food wafted past, making my stomach rumble. Seungpyo, who must have been hungry after working outside all day, hurried down the alley. He fiddled with his phone and said,

“The guys are here already.”

“The guys? Who?”

“Over there.”

I casually looked in the direction he indicated. On the narrow street of Euljiro, a trendy hotspot these days, I saw two silhouettes leaning against the wall under the colorful signs. My eyes were drawn to the taller one. Even in his relaxed posture, with his jacket slung over one arm and his hand in his pocket, he looked composed.

We’ve been running into each other a lot lately. I still felt awkward greeting him, so I just waved at Geonjung, who was standing in front of him. Geonjung greeted us.

“Did you see the apartment?”

“Yeah.”

“How was it?”

“I decided to take it.”

We walked together as we talked. It seemed like our timings had coincided by chance. If that was the case, they could’ve at least told me they were meeting up.

The four of us entered the restaurant. Geonjung, with his sturdy build, sat across from me, and Seungpyo, who seemed to be getting rounder by the day, sat next to him. I wasn’t sure if I was the only one intentionally choosing this seating arrangement, sitting diagonally across from Hyun, as far away as possible, or if he was doing the same.

The chicken arrived, and I took a sip of my beer. As I was enjoying the cool, fizzy sensation, Geonjung asked,

“How was the apartment?”

“It was spacious, and the view from the window was nice.”

“That’s good.”

“I’m going to count down the days until I move in. It’s D-Day for my escape.”

“How’s the studio apartment?”

“It’s a typical studio apartment. It’s so typical it could be featured on the news tomorrow as an example of the hardships faced by young people in their twenties.”

“Is there anywhere you can stay, even for a short while?”

“It’s fine. It’s just for a short time.”

The chicken arrived. Seungpyo was busy dismantling a drumstick, so Geonjung and I continued the conversation. How was I going to move? How was my day? Things like that.

Meanwhile, Hyun’s gaze kept tickling my cheek. I pretended not to notice and stubbornly chewed on a pickled radish. What was it? I didn’t know why he was staring at me like that today. I was the one who suggested leaving first, and he was the one who joined us later. I hadn’t even said anything to him; I was completely innocent.

I had just finished two pieces of chicken, barely tasting them, when Hyun suddenly stood up, holding his phone. Without thinking, the words slipped out of my mouth.

“Where are you going?”

I immediately regretted saying that. Hyun’s dark eyes looked directly at me. He pushed his chair back and gave a short reply.

“I have to show my face at a work dinner. I’m going.”

Seungpyo, his hands still greasy from the chicken, simply waved. As Hyun’s back disappeared and the restaurant door closed, I asked Geonjung, who picked up his fork again after a casual farewell,

“Why did he come here if he had to go to a work dinner?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he had a meeting nearby.”

I didn’t reply to Geonjung’s unconvincing explanation. Seungpyo nodded and added an even less convincing comment,

“You guys really don’t know him. Hyun might seem like that, but he’s very sentimental.”

“Oh, yeah, yeah.”

I brushed off Seungpyo’s comment and clinked glasses with Geonjung. Geonjung, who had been in the same class as Hyun in high school, didn’t seem to agree either. Lee Hyun, sentimental? No way. In my entire life, I’ve never met anyone more suited to a capitalist society than him.

Seungpyo seemed to have just said it casually, as he didn’t argue back. Instead, he took another sip of his beer, pointed his chin at me, and said,

“But Jio, I bet Hyun came here because he has something to ask you.”

“Me? No way.”

“Seriously, about work.”

“…Then it’s probably not about me.”

What could Hyun possibly need to ask me about his work? What could Lee Hyun, a consultant at a top-tier consulting firm, following one of the most prestigious career paths for a business graduate, possibly need from me? But today, even Geonjung nodded in agreement with Seungpyo.

“He does.”

“What is it?”

“That company you worked at since college. Link, right?”

“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”

The name hit me like a blow to the back of the head. It’s much better now, though. For a moment, I felt like I was going to throw up. I lifted my beer glass to hide the sigh that escaped me. I gulped down the beer, letting the cold liquid soothe my throat and stomach. After a while, when I finally composed my face, Seungpyo and Geonjung were still looking at me. They tried to offer words of support.

“Yeah, you were really stressed back then.”

“Those bastards. They pushed you out and are doing well without you.”

“They’re probably better off without me.”

Why wouldn’t they be? Even low-level employees would have received hundreds of millions of won in stock options. Jaesung, who remained as CEO, probably made several billion won by taking over my shares. My only consolation was the meager comfort that the stock price had plummeted after going public, significantly reducing the amount. It was a bitter thought. I’d also been hearing bad rumors about them lately. I pretended to rub my eyes to manage my expression, and Seungpyo, after a moment of hesitation, spoke again.

“Should I not talk about it?”

“No, I’m curious. What is it?”

“A private equity fund seems to be interested in Link. They contacted the consulting firm where Hyun works, and I joined the project after receiving an offer from Hyun’s company.”

“He only works with big companies, right?”

“Right.”

“Has Link gotten that big?”

“Not in this case. I think they want to take a gamble, buy it cheap because it’s a unique situation. But the fund that wants to buy it is still in the top ten.”

“Bigger than the one Hyun’s grandfather runs?”

“No. The one his grandfather runs is top three.”

As he spoke, Seungpyo lined up the three beer glasses on the table. His fingers moved from one to the next as he explained.

“Remember what I told you? Just remember the three core private equity funds in Korea. One is VIC, established by Chairman Ilshin’s son-in-law. Its size is around 4 to 5 trillion won. Another is BBK Partners. Its main office is in Hong Kong, and it covers Asia, so it’s around 10 trillion. And the last one is Hyun’s grandfather’s, former Minister of Information and Communication, Yoo Kwon-ho’s U&Company. That’s about 8 trillion.”

Although I’d heard it several times and gotten used to it, at first, it was information that just bounced off my ears. A few hundred million, a few billion, I could understand. But the scale of trillions was a vast, intangible entity I couldn’t even grasp.

Seungpyo placed a few pieces of popcorn in a line in front of the beer glasses, picked one up, and popped it into his mouth before continuing his explanation.

“There are a few other trillion-won scale funds, but the one that wants to buy Link is called Line Investment, and it’s still in the top ten. Because it’s smaller, it tends to buy various things. They recently acquired a shared e-scooter business, and last year, they bought a health supplement brand that’s sold in drugstores.”

“Okay.”

“Should I explain more?”

Geonjung asked after hearing my unenthusiastic reply, but I shook my head.

“I get it. Link is now comparable to e-scooters on the street or health supplements on store shelves. So, what exactly did Line ask Hyun to do?”

The three pieces of popcorn that had been lined up moved again across the slippery table, following Seungpyo’s finger.

“The private equity fund wants to buy Link and asked Hyun’s consulting firm for a valuation, and Hyun took the project and asked our accounting team to analyze the financial statements.”

“I see.”

“Apparently, there was internal skepticism about the project. They didn’t think it would sell well, and it was obvious it would be a lot of work. But I heard Hyun insisted on doing it, so it went through.”

“Oh…”

Why would he go so far? Did he want to dissect the company I’d cobbled together when I was younger, seeing it as an opportunity? Did he want to see how flimsy it was?

What was the point of thinking about it? It wasn’t my company anymore. Thinking about it now would only give me a headache.

Even though I was one of the founding members, not receiving proper compensation for my shares was a problem. A huge problem, of course… But, how should I put it… That company was my first real taste of the harsh realities of society.

Not some trivial failure like small projects or carrying freeloaders in group assignments, but a real failure. The bitter regret over my choices, the disillusionment with people. Could people be this petty? Where was the trust? What was money? Could people really turn their backs so easily when they no longer needed you?

It was only after swallowing all that bitterness that I felt like I finally understood this capitalist world, even just a little. I began to understand why Hyun viewed the world with such detachment. “There’s no such thing as inherently good in this world, Jio. Kindness is as rare as a miracle.” Hyun’s words, spoken as he watched me work, came to mind. He was such a jerk back then.

Ugh, these thoughts again. The combination of a bad past and bad memories was agonizing. As I frowned, Seungpyo, who had been so enthusiastic in his explanation, shifted his eyes.

“They’re desperate to sell it, apparently putting their lives on the line for this.”

“I can imagine.”

I said, taking a swig of beer. Seungpyo asked,

“Are you going to drink a lot?”

“I drank because you were being annoying.”

“Take it easy. Hyun… he’ll probably come back after the work dinner. I think he intends to ask you about it.”