Formless Chapter 59

“Let’s have coffee here and then go for dinner.”

“Okay.”

He bought two cups of warm coffee from a small café attached to a convenience store. And they sat side by side on a bench. The view of the entire city of Seoul was spectacular.

“Tell me if you’re cold.”

Heewoon stared at Gangwoo’s expression and then asked.

“So you can hug me?”

“You know me well.”

Gangwoo raised the corners of his mouth. Heewoon just nodded and looked straight ahead. The sky was clear, so he could see far into the distance.

“What did you do at the department store?”

“I bought presents for my mom and aunt, and wandered around a little. Um, I went to a café too.”

Gangwoo nodded and picked off a bread crumb from Heewoon’s clothes. Then he asked naturally.

“Did you listen to your lecture this morning too?”

“Yeah.”

After answering, Heewoon suddenly remembered that Gangwoo had eaten with his family today. Were his two older brothers there too? He had heard that chaebols usually don’t get along with their siblings. Maybe he jokes about killing them because they don’t get along.

Heewoon’s lips twitched as he looked at Gangwoo. If Gangwoo had kept looking at the sky, he wouldn’t have asked, but because he turned his head and looked at him, the question slipped out.

“Were your brothers at the dinner too?”

“Both of my older brothers came, and my aunt’s family came too. My father and stepmother were there as well.”

Gangwoo said in a gentle tone.

“Stepmother?”

Gangwoo nodded. Heewoon thought. Could it be that Seo Gangwoo was also abused by his stepmother, like in the dramas? Is that why he grew up like this? Come to think of it, it’s strange that he lives alone in that big house. Did his stepmother kick him out?

Heewoon had looked up Gangwoo’s father’s company before. There was information about his two older brothers, but it was hard to find information about Seo Gangwoo.

Then are the two older brothers his stepmother’s children?

“He remarried three years ago.”

“…Then what about your biological mother?”

“She passed away when I was in high school.”

Watching Heewoon, who had a complicated expression as if he was thinking, Gangwoo slowly raised the corners of his mouth.

“Why do you live alone?”

“Because I don’t get along well with my father and brothers.”

Why, Heewoon was about to ask, but he was surprised and shut his mouth. How did he end up asking so many questions? It was only a few months ago that he wouldn’t even ask trivial things, trying not to get involved. It was probably because Seo Gangwoo answered well without any sign of annoyance. And because those answers were rather ordinary.

“They all don’t like me learning the business under my grandfather.”

Gangwoo said, as if sighing.

“What kind of business is it?”

“This and that.”

Looking at the brightly smiling face, Heewoon thought he should stop asking questions here. He swallowed the curiosity that kept trying to escape his lips.

Curiosity is always the problem. Starting to stalk him, and following Seo Gangwoo’s car that one day.

In any case, Heewoon erased from his mind the hypothesis that he had grown up like this due to being abused by his stepmother. If he grew up to be so scary because of a complicated family situation, then about three out of ten people on the street would be like that.

When the sky turned indigo and an intense red light burst from beyond the mountains in the distance, Gangwoo suddenly said.

“Let’s go hang out during the day tomorrow.”

“It’s Monday, aren’t you going to work?”

Heewoon’s eyes widened.

“It’s my graduation ceremony tomorrow.”

Gangwoo wasn’t going to attend the graduation ceremony, but he was planning to skip work. He had been busy lately and hadn’t been able to spend time leisurely, so he thought it would be nice to take Heewoon somewhere. Gangwoo, who had been lost in thought, belatedly noticed that Heewoon’s lips were twitching.

“Do you have something else to do?”

“No.”

Gangwoo tilted his head slightly.

“Then. Have you forgotten how to answer?”

It was a quiet tone of voice. But Heewoon was startled and shook his head. It was obvious that if he made a slight mistake here, the gentle atmosphere would turn sharp and hostile.

“I was just curious if other family members were coming to the graduation ceremony…”

At the words Heewoon hesitantly brought up, he gazed at Heewoon. His drooping eyebrows, his unwavering round pupils. Heewoon, who had sniffled, was still staring at Gangwoo.

Before he knew it, the tension had disappeared from his small face, and only curiosity remained. Gangwoo’s lips twitched. He let out a small breath and said.

“None of my family is coming.”

While hiding the fact that he hadn’t planned on going either.

“I see.”

Heewoon nodded his head. It seemed he had concluded that his family was not harmonious. The pale lips, which had been twitching as if about to speak again, were soon firmly shut. Gangwoo found that a bit disappointing. He wanted to see Heewoon fidgeting after being scared. But he suppressed the impulse and spoke gently.

“Will you come, sunbae?”

Heewoon looked at Gangwoo, who had a faint smile, and then nodded. It sounded like a suggestion, but in reality, there was no choice.

“Mom. Here’s a New Year’s present.”

Heewoon handed a paper bag to his mom.

“What’s this present for?”

His mom, who had unwrapped the package, widened her eyes. It was because she had seen the logo on the box.

“Isn’t this expensive?”

“…No. The mother of the student I used to tutor gave me a gift certificate for the New Year, so I bought it with that.”

Heewoon got goosebumps at the smooth lie coming out of his mouth. Watching his mom, who was happily taking out the scarf and trying it on, two emotions arose at the same time. Guilt and hope.

If he just endured a little discomfort, perhaps we could be happy.

“How do I look, Mom?”

“It suits you well.”

His mom, asking as she looked in a small mirror, was like a girl. Heewoon smiled slightly. His mom, who slowly stroked the scarf as if feeling its texture around her neck, suddenly muttered.

“I don’t have anyone to meet while wearing this.”

“…”

Heewoon bit the inside of his cheek. He was sad, and he was angry. He could understand his mom’s feelings. But why she had to say that right now was a different matter.

Heewoon took a deep breath when his mom wasn’t looking and let out a bright voice.

“Hyung is coming back soon. Let’s go to nice places together and stuff.”

“That’s right. Hyung will be bringing back a lot of money. The way he boasted about how he would let me live in luxury.”

His mom’s complexion brightened a little. The hyung who boasted he would let her live in luxury wasn’t here now. Heewoon kept his eyes on the scarf around his mom’s neck and said.

“Did you get a call from hyung recently?”

“Yes. But he said it would take about two more months.”

It would have been nice if he had come just in time for the New Year. His mom said to herself, sounding disappointed.

“Did he say he made a lot of money?”

“Of course. He said things were going so well that it was hard to handle.”

“I really hope so.”

Heewoon said, looking at his mom’s scarf. His voice was as small as a whisper.

It was the next morning. He was getting ready to leave after breakfast when a call came from his aunt.

“Huh? A scarf?”

His mom, who answered the phone, turned around and her eyes widened. Heewoon felt very tense under her direct gaze.

“Ah, ah. It seems the family he tutors for gave him a gift certificate. Have you eaten breakfast?”

His mom said, turning her head away. Her words were short. Normally, she should have been bragging about how well Heewoon must teach to receive something like that.

Maybe his mom had finally noticed that something was strange. Heewoon wrapped his scarf and looked at his mom’s back. Looking at the back that was much smaller than in his distant memory, he thought. Then I have to be more careful.

“Mom. I’m leaving now.”

“Okay. Off you go—.”

As he was stepping out of the room, he heard his mom’s voice.

“He said he’s going to a junior’s graduation ceremony. Oh. Right.”

When he said he was going to a junior’s graduation ceremony, his mom had said this morning.

Is it that junior you’ve been friendly with lately? The one who introduced you to the hospital?

He had pretended it was various people like friends and classmates, so it wouldn’t look strange that he was meeting one person continuously, yet his mom had guessed it right away.

As he put on his white sneakers, Heewoon reminded himself. Let’s be a little more careful.

Perhaps because it was morning, it was chillier than yesterday. Heewoon adjusted his scarf and headed for the bus stop. It felt like it had been a long time since he had taken the bus.

Heewoon peeked his head out from behind the two people standing at the bus stop and confirmed that the bus would arrive in 10 minutes. Mmm. As he made a sound as if in thought, a white puff of breath rose. It wasn’t very cold. But Heewoon took a taxi.

It was a quick ride to the school. The road was blocked with cars lined up to enter the main gate, so he got off a little early.

“Come take a look at the bouquets.”

Someone who looked like a student shouted, holding a bouquet. Heewoon stopped for a moment and looked around. The bouquet stalls continued all the way to the main gate. They all seemed to be selling similar things.

“I’ll give you this for fifteen thousand won.”

Something white suddenly entered the corner of his vision and swayed. It was a bouquet of dried sinensis flowers.

“It was originally twenty thousand won.”

“…”

So people buy things that aren’t even alive for twenty thousand won. Heewoon glanced around. Everyone heading towards the main gate was holding at least one bouquet. He was conflicted. Would Seo Gangwoo be happy if he bought a bouquet? But was he hoping that Seo Gangwoo would be happy right now? Heewoon’s brow furrowed slightly.

Perhaps thinking he wasn’t going to buy it, the man put the bouquet down. Rustle, a sound was made. The delicate flowers swayed slightly in the brown wrapping paper. Heewoon’s gaze lingered there.

“I’ll take this.”

Because it’s proper etiquette to give a bouquet at a graduation ceremony.

He carried the bouquet and headed for the campus. A foxtail grass that was sticking out tickled the tip of his chin. As he rubbed his chin and readjusted the bouquet, the wrapping paper rustled. The sound wasn’t bad.

He gently poked the cotton flowers tucked in between, then took out his phone. A message had just arrived.

[Come to the front of the College of Business Administration.]

Okay, he replied, and passed through the main gate.

There were far more people inside the campus. The people taking pictures wearing graduation caps all looked happy. Celebrating and being celebrated with family, friends, or lovers. Heewoon’s pace quickened a little.

Near the College of Business Administration, he ran into many juniors he recognized. Heewoon’s eyes darted around, looking for Gangwoo who must be somewhere around here.

And he found Gangwoo quite easily.