Irresponsibility Chapter 4.8

But the doctor had told him his name without hesitation when he asked in the afternoon. He even easily added personal stories.

“…That’s right.”

Baek Geonhyuk slowly opened his mouth.

“He said the doctor entered medical school e, early. I’ve n, never seen a genius before, me.”

“Ah. He even told you that?”

Baek Geonhyuk asked back and was silent for a moment. Then he muttered lowly. You guys talked a lot….

“Huuh?”

Looking at Joo Yeoun who had widened his eyes, he shook his head.

*

Spring passed by quickly.

These days, he would break out in a sweat while cleaning. So, finishing the cleaning in the morning, taking a shower, and then drinking a cool coffee became his daily routine.

“Haa….”

A refreshing breath escaped.

Joo Yeoun, with his lips on the rim of the can, opened the drawer of the TV stand. The once-empty drawer was now full of various games.

He had already finished two games with Baek Geonhyuk. He had played another game in between, but it was too violent, so he quit quickly, and he had just finished the game he picked up after that yesterday.

Slurp, drinking his coffee, Joo Yeoun rummaged through the drawer. Yesterday, they had played games until past midnight, so he had gone straight to bed. That’s why he hadn’t chosen the next game to play, so he thought he would look for one before Baek Geonhyuk came.

This one looks a bit scary… I don’t think Baek Geonhyuk would like this one.

Joo Yeoun sat in front of the drawer and pondered. A farm management game probably wouldn’t be Baek Geonhyuk’s taste, right? It was also a game that didn’t necessarily need to be played by two people.

After putting down his coffee and choosing for a long time, he took out two and placed them on top of the TV stand.

After lunch, he glanced through the book he was using as a trivet for a bit before taking a nap.

He couldn’t sleep for long. He had a nightmare and shot up, completely awake.

His heart was pounding anxiously. To distract himself, Joo Yeoun picked up the game console. He thought he would try the farm management game that had been rejected as a candidate for a game to play with Baek Geonhyuk.

Since it was a game with calm music, he turned the volume up as much as he wanted. When he played other games, he would get startled when there was a sudden loud noise, so Baek Geonhyuk would lower the volume a lot, but he didn’t have to do that with this game.

That was the only good thing. Since it was a static game, his thoughts kept straying. His mind became complicated with various faces, past memories, and things to come.

“……”

In the end, he put the game away and sat on the sofa. He glanced at the clock and it was 4 o’clock. Is Baek Geonhyuk coming soon?

Joo Yeoun turned on the TV and put on a variety show. His gaze soon turned to the clock. 4:12….

While he was looking at the TV for some time, he heard the sound of the door opening. Whip, as he turned his head, Joo Yeoun’s eyebrows rose in a curve.

“…Ah, hello.”

The raised eyebrows slowly came down.

“Yes, Mr. Joo Yeoun. An elderly patient at the hospital brought some rice cakes, so I came to share some.”

“Thank you,” Joo Yeoun said as he approached him.

After receiving the black plastic bag and staring blankly inside, he darted his eyes slightly. He felt it wasn’t polite to just say thank you after receiving food. He had also gotten beer from him before.

“Then I’ll be going.”

“W, w, wait a moment.”

Joo Yeoun turned around and opened the refrigerator door. After his eyes darted around, he picked up two of the juices he drank every day.

“Th, this….”

“Ah. Thank you.”

Lee Hyeonkyu received the juice with a bright smile. He felt awkward, as if he were taking credit for something Baek Geonhyuk had bought.

After Lee Hyeonkyu left, Joo Yeoun placed the plastic bag on the side of the table. He picked up and ate only one small piece of the injeolmi coated with soybean powder. He felt that if he ate more, he would be too full to eat dinner.

Munching, Joo Yeoun sat on the sofa again.

Baek Geonhyuk usually came home before dinner time, but sometimes he was late. Since there was no way to contact him, Yeoun would wait for him for a while and then eat dinner first at 7 o’clock. It was a promise he had made with Baek Geonhyuk.

It was 7 o’clock now.

He must be coming late today. Thinking that, he prepared to eat dinner. The preparation was quick. He scooped the rice, took out the side dishes from the refrigerator, and the table was set in no time.

Joo Yeoun was slowly sitting at the dining table and putting a spoonful of rice in his mouth. He heard the sound of the door opening. Joo Yeoun widened his eyes and lifted his head.

“Were you eating?”

This time, it was really Baek Geonhyuk.

Joo Yeoun, with a spoon in his hand, stared at him quietly. At that, Baek Geonhyuk, who had come closer, placed his hand on Joo Yeoun’s head and looked at the rice bowl.

“You haven’t eaten much yet.”

His tone sounded relieved. When he looked up, he was rustling something and lifted his other hand. A plastic bag was hooked on his fingers.

“Let’s have chicken and beer.”

More alcohol…? Drinking alcohol with Baek Geonhyuk is a bit much.

“Because we couldn’t have a celebration party yesterday.”

Baek Geonhyuk, who had added in a low voice, placed the chicken and beer in the paper bag on the table. R-r-rip, when he tore open the paper bag, it was old-fashioned whole chicken. Didn’t he buy rotisserie chicken before too?

He seems a bit like an old man. He didn’t say it out loud and was just thinking it, but Baek Geonhyuk said.

“There are franchise chicken places, but they don’t taste good.”

“Yeah….”

“You don’t look like you believe me.”

Joo Yeoun ignored Baek Geonhyuk’s words and poured the salt that came with it into the paper bag. Baek Geonhyuk said, “Ah, this is unfair,” and then chuckled.

A moment later, the draft beer from the plastic bottle was poured equally into two glasses. Baek Geonhyuk placed one glass in front of Joo Yeoun and lifted his own. At the gesture to toast, Joo Yeoun also lifted his glass.

The glass cups clinked lightly.

Perhaps because of the early summer heat, Yeoun’s Adam’s apple moved several times. When he opened his slightly closed eyes and put down his glass, Baek Geonhyuk was looking at him.

“Why?”

“No reason.” Baek Geonhyuk shook his head dismissively and reached for the chicken. He cut it into appropriate pieces with scissors and even cut through the bony parts with force. Hearing the crunching sound, Yeoun felt a slight shiver and fidgeted with his arms under the table.

“It’s a little hot.”

Baek Geonhyuk said as he placed a chicken leg on his plate.

“Am I a, a kindergartener?”

“You’re a college student. What’s wrong, Yeoun-ah.”

“So annoying….” As he muttered, Baek Geonhyuk chuckled. Hearing the now-familiar laughter, Joo Yeoun bit into the chicken.

“Is it good?”

“Yeah….”

Joo Yeoun ate quite well. He ate a few pieces from different parts and also had several helpings of the salad with ketchup and mayonnaise. Baek Geonhyuk watched him with smiling eyes, then glanced at the rice bowl that he had taken one spoonful of and not touched at all.

“You probably can’t eat the rice.”

“Yeah….”

“Give it.”

Since it was the rice he had been eating, he hesitated, but Baek Geonhyuk reached out and took the rice bowl. Joo Yeoun glanced at him taking large bites of rice with his chopsticks and reached for his beer glass. He rubbed the cold condensation on the surface with his fingertips, then grabbed the glass and finished his beer.

Baek Geonhyuk, who had glanced at the empty glass, opened the plastic bottle he had capped and poured him more beer. Joo Yeoun held the glass with both hands and tilted it slightly. At the polite gesture that came out reflexively, Baek Geonhyuk’s eyes curved into crescents.

“We have to toast.”

When Baek Geonhyuk held out his glass, Joo Yeoun also held out the glass he was holding with both hands. Only after clinking their glasses with a dull thud did he seem to realize he was holding it with both hands, and he slowly took one hand away. Then, when he brought the beer glass to his lips, he put his other hand back on it again, then darted his eyes and put his hand down.

He seemed to have a lot of worries in that short moment. Baek Geonhyuk covered his lips with the hand he was propping his chin on. The gaze he had rolled up to the ceiling to hold back his laughter landed on the end of the table.

“Hm? What’s this?”

Baek Geonhyuk lifted the plastic bag to look.

“Ah, that. The d, doctor gave it to me earlier.”

“The doctor?”

“Doctor Ihye, Hyeonkyu.”

“Ah, the doctor.”

Joo Yeoun frowned at his insistence on correcting him. Baek Geonhyuk picked up a piece of rice cake with a nonchalant face and put it in his mouth.

“An elderly patient g, gave it to the hospital.”

“Really?”

“Ah…. I felt bad just receiving it, so I gave him juice…. I g, gave him juice.”

Baek Geonhyuk, who had been nodding, suddenly stared intently at Joo Yeoun. His head tilted to the side.

“When did you two get so close?”

“……”

We’re not close.

“Yeoun-ah, your housemate is me.”

Thinking he was about to spout more nonsense, Joo Yeoun drank his beer without responding.

“That guy clearly lives in a different house. He’s a total stranger, is what I’m saying.”

“You’re a st, stranger too, right?”

A total…. Joo Yeoun added.

Baek Geonhyuk was silent for a moment. Tap, tap. He was tapping the table, lost in thought, and then feigned indifference at the puzzled look in his eyes. The gaze that had been scanning the living room with his arm draped over the back of the chair landed on the object placed on the TV stand.

“Did you pick out a game?”

“Just….”

Joo Yeoun mumbled his words. Looking at the face that was staring only at the table as if playing innocent, Baek Geonhyuk pressed his lips firmly against his palm. Only after doing that for a long time could he sit up straight.

“Do you also drink things like soju?”

“Yeah….”

“Really? Then should we have some raw fish and soju before it gets hotter?”

Joo Yeoun looked at Baek Geonhyuk for a moment, then shook his head. It was because he felt he had gotten too close to him.

“Why?”

“M, my stomach might hurt if I drink alcohol….”

He had just blurted out whatever came to mind, but Baek Geonhyuk’s expression hardened.