Formless Chapter 48

Jihwan, who was talking with the other people, brought up Heewoon. Heewoon looked at Jihwan, whose eyes were unfocused, and thought.

What happened here is something Seo Gangwoo cannot know.

Whether it was accidentally drinking one sip of alcohol, or drinking more than that.

Heewoon’s gaze turned to the soju bottle.

A moment later.

“Wow, look at that. This is why you can’t trust people who say they’ve quit drinking.”

Jihwan cackled and pointed a finger at Heewoon. Heewoon had mixed a beer and soju, chugged one glass, and was in the middle of filling his glass again.

“Mr. Heewoon, is it okay for you to drink?”

one of the women asked worriedly.

“Yes. I ended up drinking alcohol a little while ago thinking it was water anyway. Someone poured alcohol here….”

Heewoon tapped the glass cup next to him, his words trailing off. The people thought for a moment and then simultaneously glared at the group leader.

“No way, group leader. You acted so tough about holding your liquor, but you were dumping your drinks?”

“No! What are you talking about!”

The group leader, his face red, jumped up and denied it. Jihwan’s eyes sparkled as he chimed in.

“Wow, I’m disappointed, hyung-nim.”

“No. I just….”

“Have a drink. In this.”

Jihwan looked very happy as he brought over a glass cup. Their eyes met, and Heewoon gave a small smile and sipped his beer and soju mix. Even while doing so, he felt a bit anxious, so his gaze kept going to his phone.

However, that was only for a moment. As he drank, he gradually relaxed, and soon the phone was out of his mind.

“What, you got someone you’re waiting to hear from too?”

Jihwan, who had sat next to him at some point, asked abruptly. No. Heewoon shook his head.

“Don’t just drink, eat some side dishes too. I can’t take you home today, you punk.”

“Who asked you to take me home?”

Jihwan had taken a completely drunk Heewoon home just once when they were 20, and he talked about it over and over. Heewoon put down his glass and speared a rabbit-shaped apple with a small toothpick.

“Why isn’t Mr./Ms. Yeonji here yet?”

The others were busy with their own conversations and paid no attention to this side, but Heewoon lowered his voice to ask. It was because he thought their budding romance was a secret.

“I don’t know. I haven’t sent a KakaoTalk message.”

Heewoon, who had bitten off half the apple slice, looked at Jihwan strangely. Jihwan shook his head and said.

“This is what you call playing hard to get.”

Playing hard to get…. Seo Gangwoo hates playing hard to get.

Heewoon thought unconsciously and filled his glass again. He kept downing drinks as if to relieve the sorrow of not being able to drink. He got drunk just as quickly.

“I think Mr./Ms. Yeonji is here! I’ll go get her!”

Jihwan looked at his phone and hurried out of the room. The people stared blankly at Jihwan’s back for a moment, then whispered.

“They’re seeing each other, right?”

“Looks like it.”

“It’s a good time for them.”

Heewoon, who saw even the group leader shaking his head, widened his eyes.

“How did you know they were seeing each other?”

Seeing Heewoon covering his mouth, the people snickered and laughed.

“You can just tell by looking.”

Heewoon remained flustered, surprised that people knew about their relationship when he thought it was a secret. He had been so careful today in case he accidentally let it show.

“Ah, so cute. Mr. Heewoon.”

“We’re the same age, but why do you seem so much like a younger brother?”

Looking at the smiling women with displeasure, the group leader grumbled.

“Like a younger brother. To get by in society, you need to be more perceptive. Earlier, I mean, huh? If you say it like that….”

“Ah… so it was yours, group leader.”

“……”

As Heewoon muttered quietly, the group leader seemed at a loss for words for a moment. Then, the two women next to him burst out laughing. The sound of their high-pitched laughter echoed in the room. It sounded so much like a ghost’s wail that Heewoon hunched his shoulders and looked around. It seemed like the microphone was on.

“Hey. What are you doing.”

Jihwan, who had come in at some point, pressed down firmly on Heewoon’s head. Next to him was the person Jihwan was seeing.

“Ah. The microphone is….”

Heewoon answered vaguely and looked around, steadying himself on the sofa.

The punk’s drunk. Jihwan clicked his tongue and patted Heewoon’s shoulder.

“I think you’re getting a call.”

“Huh?”

As Heewoon just blinked his eyes blankly, Jihwan, having found it somewhere, placed the phone in his hand. After checking the caller ID, Heewoon’s eyes flew open. He sobered up in an instant.

“Uh, uh… I’ll go take this call!”

Heewoon hurried outside. He went all the way to the relatively quiet restroom to answer the phone.

“Hello.”

—Why are you still out.

The main point came out immediately. It gave him goosebumps. He said he wasn’t watching him, so how did he know. Heewoon placed a hand on his wildly pounding chest and glanced at the clock. It was already 12 o’clock.

“I’m at a singing bar now, so I guess it got late while I was having fun.”

—A singing bar?

The slow repetition of his words sounded like an interrogation, making Heewoon want to make excuses, but he firmly shut his lips. Because he had sobered up a lot the moment he saw Seo Gangwoo’s name, he was able to stop himself from rambling.

“Yeah. But I’m going to go now. It’s not fun since I’m not drinking….”

—…Are you whining right now because I told you not to drink?

“Ah, no! That’s not it!”

As Heewoon denied it in surprise, Gangwoo laughed lowly.

—Go straight home right now.

“…Okay.”

Fortunately, Seo Gangwoo did not seem to be in a bad mood. Heewoon’s eyes darted around for a moment before he spoke.

“Did you arrive safely?”

A laugh was heard before the answer.

—Yes. I arrived safely and am on my way to the hotel now.

“Ah… sleep well, Gangwoo.”

—…Yes. You sleep well too, sunbae.

His voice was incredibly warm. After hanging up, Heewoon let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it seemed he had not been caught drinking.

Heewoon slapped his cheeks a couple of times and returned to the room. As he fumbled into his padded jacket, people stared at him with wide eyes.

“You’re leaving now?”

Jihwan’s eyes also widened.

“Yeah. I’ll get going first. Have fun.”

“Uh, uh, wait, wait. Let’s at least take a group picture before you go!”

His arm was grabbed, so Heewoon sat back down on the sofa. An employee who had just come in with bottles of alcohol took the picture for them. Heewoon smiled awkwardly with his arm around Jihwan’s shoulders.

After taking the picture, he said goodbye to everyone, hurried outside, and took a taxi home. The thought occurred to him that he really should not be doing things to deceive Seo Gangwoo.

🧸

Gangwoo arrived in Korea the next night and called Heewoon. Since they had not seen each other for a few days, he thought he would be asked to sleep over, so Heewoon told his mom in advance that he was sleeping over at a friend’s house.

“Heewoon, you’re sleeping out a lot lately.”

“Ah… sorry, Mom.”

“Pfft, you’re a grown-up son, so what does it matter.”

It’s cold, so dress warmly. his mom said with a smile. Heewoon looked at his mom for a long moment, then nodded his head. It will be okay, he thought.

Heewoon went out to the main road and hailed a taxi. He was a bit nervous that Gangwoo might find out he had been drinking yesterday. While trying to relax by repeatedly telling himself that there was no way for Seo Gangwoo to know what happened inside the room, the taxi arrived in front of the mansion.

“Thank you.”

Heewoon paid with his card, got out, and went into Gangwoo’s house.

The housekeepers seemed to be leaving work, coming out of the front door, so Heewoon gave a slight bow. After taking off his shoes at the entrance and changing into slippers, he went to the living room, but Seo Gangwoo was not there.

Heewoon, looking around, found Gangwoo on the stairs. He was in a robe with wet hair, as if he had just washed up. As Heewoon approached him, a smile appeared on Gangwoo’s face.

Gangwoo, who had come down the last step, wrapped his arms around Heewoon’s shoulders. Then he pulled down the scarf that covered up to his nose and peck, kissed the tip of his nose.

“Would you like something warm to drink?”

“Yeah.”

As Heewoon unconsciously followed behind him, Gangwoo let out a small laugh. Don’t follow, go sit down. The touch as he lightly kissed the top of his head and patted his bottom was affectionate and caring.

Heewoon sat on the sofa, took off his coat, and let out a slight sigh. It seems Seo Gangwoo really doesn’t know. He’s not a god, there’s no way he could know that. Once he thought that, his mind felt at ease.

However, Heewoon became tense again at what Gangwoo said as he set down the teacup.

“Sunbae. Would you like a drink?”

“Huh?”

“You were whining yesterday that you couldn’t drink by yourself.”

Gangwoo said, looking amused.

“Ah, no. That’s not….”

As Heewoon became fidgety, Gangwoo chuckled and went back to the kitchen. It seemed he was going to get some alcohol.

Just then, his phone vibrated. When he checked, Jihwan had posted a picture on social media and tagged him. It was the group photo taken at the singing bar yesterday. While he was looking at the photo, a comment was already posted.

Yesterday was really fun!

He did not know who it was, but it seemed to be a study group member. Heewoon looked at the picture again. In the background were pork belly and a line of alcohol bottles.

“What are you looking at?”

Gangwoo, holding a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, poked his head in from beside Heewoon’s, and Heewoon turned around in surprise. The tip of his nose bumped into Gangwoo’s chin.

“Did you see something X-rated? Why are you so surprised?”

Gangwoo said with a laugh.

“Ah. Jihwan posted the picture from yesterday on social media.”

“Hmm… let me see.”

Gangwoo placed what he was holding on the table and sat down next to Heewoon. Heewoon, feeling a bit tense, showed the picture to Gangwoo. Gangwoo, who was looking at the group photo for a long time, muttered. I shouldn’t have looked. Gangwoo zoomed in on the picture and asked.

“Why does this bastard have his hand on your shoulder, sunbae?”

He was talking about Jihwan.

“A sign of friendliness, I guess….”

As Heewoon spoke without confidence, Gangwoo laughed as if in disbelief. His crooked expression also seemed to dissipate out of sheer absurdity.

“Tell me about yesterday. It must have been so fun for you to stay out that late.”

I’m just asking, so tell me. Misunderstanding Heewoon’s tense state, Gangwoo ruffled his hair and spoke softly.

“Uh… for the first round, we had pork belly, and um… it wasn’t as good as the place you and I went to last time.”

Was that so? Gangwoo said with a smile on his face as he poured alcohol into a glass. He took a sip and then gestured with his eyes for him to continue.

“They said they were going to a singing bar for the second round, so I wasn’t going to go at first, but Jihwan kept holding onto me, so I just went with them.”

“Why did he hold onto you?”