Place to Be Chapter 59

The man, who was just about to turn away, looked at Seo Chiyoung askance, then paused for a moment and muttered in a tone of regret.

“Your eyes look exactly like a gentle calf’s… earlier you looked like a forsaken puppy.”

“Come here,” the man gestured. Seo Chiyoung took a step toward him with a bewildered face, but the man approached Seo Chiyoung first. While lifting his hand to stroke Seo Chiyoung’s hair as if to ruffle it, he momentarily brought his face very close. “Uh,” before Seo Chiyoung could even stiffen his body, a light sensation brushed over his lips.

“…!”

As Seo Chiyoung reflexively took a step back, the man watched him from a step away in the next moment, wearing a playful smirk.

“Forgive me for this much.”

Looking with wide eyes at the man who held up both hands as he spoke, Seo Chiyoung nodded a couple of times, not even knowing what state of mind he was in. His mind became as blank as a clean slate, mirroring his fist that was unconsciously rubbing his lips.

Just then.

A light knock was heard.

Even with his mind gone blank, Seo Chiyoung instinctively turned his head toward the source of the sound, only to freeze stiff upon seeing the person standing there.

How long had he been there? Jang Wigeon, leaning against the open bathroom door, was quietly tapping the door with his knuckles while watching them.

“…—, …”

Not even a short word escaped his lips. Even though he had done nothing wrong, Seo Chiyoung only blinked his eyes, even the fist rubbing his mouth coming to a halt as if he were a criminal.

Jang Wigeon said nothing for a moment. A short silence flowed within the bathroom. Whether it was just his imagination or not, the gaze looking at Seo Chiyoung silently—with eyes devoid of even his usual trace of a smile—felt as if it were piercing him, so Seo Chiyoung stared at him while blinking his eyes with an anxious curiosity. It seemed Jang Wigeon’s silent gaze shifted to the man for a moment. However, after glancing at the man, Jang Wigeon turned his gaze back to Seo Chiyoung. Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“I’m just asking just in case, but I’m thinking of heading back now, do you want to go together? Since we’re going the same way anyway, I’ll give you a ride if you’re leaving. If you’re going to stay a bit longer, then do that.”

“…”

Seo Chiyoung couldn’t give any answer for a split second. The words spat out with a calm face were somehow out of the blue, and only after rolling those words around in his head once did he grasp the meaning.

“Oh, yes, I’ll go.”

Seo Chiyoung, who had been frozen stiff in embarrassment and only rubbing his lips with his fist, quickly nodded his head. The thought of whether they weren’t supposed to head back separately crossed his mind for a moment, but it didn’t matter. He was just about to leave anyway, so it was perfect. Only…

This very moment was extremely uncomfortable. It wasn’t that anything major had happened, and he should have been able to show an indifferent face like the man or Jang Wigeon, but Seo Chiyoung couldn’t manage such a nonchalant expression. He wasn’t nonchalant, nor was he accustomed to hiding his emotions.

Whether he was seeing right through Seo Chiyoung and being considerate, or whether it was because he simply didn’t care, Jang Wigeon turned around but paused for a moment when his eyes met the man’s.

“I’m sorry, it seems I’ve unintentionally interrupted. I’ll buy you a drink next time I get the chance. ――Well then, Mr. Chiyoung, I’ll be out first starting the car, so come on out.”

Leaving a polite greeting behind, Jang Wigeon left the spot. Seo Chiyoung, who had only been staring vacantly at his retreating back, realized with a start—click—after hearing the faint sound of him presumably settling the bill past the hallway in front of the bathroom, and hurriedly moved his feet while clicking his tongue. However, by the time Seo Chiyoung hurried back to the seat, Jang Wigeon had already finished paying even for Seo Chiyoung’s share and had gone outside.

“Oh, Mr. Chiyoung. Mr. Wigeon left first just a moment ago――.”

Barely listening to what the bartender was saying to him, Seo Chiyoung picked up his jacket that had been hanging neatly on the coat rack. The bartender opened his eyes wide as if it were unexpected.

“Why, leaving already?”

“Yes,… it was delicious, I enjoyed the drink.”

Seo Chiyoung bowed his head deeply. To the man who followed out behind him, he also bowed his head after a slight hesitation. The man gave a broad smile and waved his hand lightly, saying, “Contact me anytime.” The bartender glanced back and forth between Seo Chiyoung and the man and let out a deep laugh.

“Looks like Mr. Daewon got dumped. Ha-ha, come again next time, Mr. Chiyoung. It was nice meeting you today.”

The bartender said with a cheerful laugh. Although he would never contact the man nor visit this shop again, Seo Chiyoung felt a momentary pang of regret at the thought that he would never see them again, bowed one more time, and then hurried out of the shop.

His appetite felt as bitter as his mind, which was tangled in a complex mess.

Still, once the shop door closed behind him and the atmosphere that had felt like a different world moved further away, a groundless sense of relief washed over him. It felt as if he had returned to a life that flowed calmly and quietly without any incident.

As he climbed the stairs and came out to the parking lot outside the shop, the cold night air immediately enveloped his body. It was chilly enough to make his body shiver for a moment, but it was rather more comfortable than the warm air inside the shop. It felt as though everything from his heart, which had been flickering anxiously, to his tangled head was cooling down calmly.

Seo Chiyoung took a deep breath. The cold air rushing into his lungs slowly stabilized his body. Only after taking a large breath in and out two, three times and calming his chest did he slowly look around. The taillights of Jang Wigeon’s car, parked inside the parking lot, were on. Jang Wigeon’s figure, sitting in the driver’s seat, was reflected in the taillights, albeit dimly.

“…”

The heart he thought had settled calmly went thump-thump and raced again. Seo Chiyoung approached slowly and climbed into the passenger seat.

Beside Seo Chiyoung, who sat with his mouth shut feeling needlessly awkward until he put on his seatbelt, Jang Wigeon likewise said nothing. Jang Wigeon, who had been leaning his elbow on the car window and stroking his chin as if lost in thought, only turned his head slowly when Seo Chiyoung stole a glance at him. The face facing Seo Chiyoung was as calm as usual, which somewhat settled Seo Chiyoung’s heart, which had been anxious for no reason.

Jang Wigeon turned the car key and said with a hint of laughter.

“Did you come out unnecessarily because I called, when maybe you wanted to stay longer?”

“That’s not it. I was just about to leave anyway…”

Since not only his expression but also his voice and tone were the same as usual, Seo Chiyoung’s heart settled even further. When Seo Chiyoung answered while shaking his head, Jang Wigeon muttered with a light laugh, “I see, that’s a relief.” The sign of the engine running smoothly was felt faintly beneath his seat.

Silence flowed again until the car left the parking lot and entered the main road. Only after the car had passed the narrow streets and complex signals to join the main flow of traffic did the thought suddenly occur to Seo Chiyoung that he hadn’t paid for his drinks, so he spoke up with a “Speaking of which.” Jang Wigeon cast a questioning glance.

“It seems you paid even for what I drank, how much was it?”

“Pardon? Ah, it’s fine. It wasn’t much anyway.”

“No, but…”

“You also give me twice as much as other people every time I go to the shop, Mr. Chiyoung. Even though you only take payment for one serving.”

To Seo Chiyoung, who was muttering, “No, but still,” Jang Wigeon cut him off softly with a laugh, saying, “Let’s end that talk here.” Seo Chiyoung hesitated for a moment, but since it didn’t seem like Jang Wigeon would take the money even if he haggled further, he obediently said, “Thank you.” And after a short pause, he added a greeting in a slightly dejected voice.

“I think you worried a lot because of me today, I’m sorry.”

Thinking back, the only reason they went to that shop today was because of Seo Chiyoung. Yet, without any real gains, they were already returning not long after entering. He felt apologetic for some reason. Jang Wigeon gave Seo Chiyoung a brief look and then shook his head with a laugh.

“No. I also enjoyed being there since it had been a while…. Although… well, I suppose I was a little worried…”

However, the smiling face seemed to cloud over slightly, and Jang Wigeon appeared to sink back into thought with an ambiguous expression. Seo Chiyoung looked at him curiously.