Foot Worship Chapter 34

As I rubbed my hot, feverish cheek and opened the door, I bumped shoulders with someone coming inside. I didn’t even check who it was and apologized vaguely.

“I’m sorry.”

“…Jin?”

Startled by the familiar voice, I looked up, and standing there—as if it were a lie—was Jerome, wearing a gray suit with a black coat draped over it. Next to him, a middle-aged woman with a refined face, dressed in a navy two-piece suit, was looking at me while arm-in-arm with Jerome.

I stepped back, hesitating, and moved to pass him. But soon, a woman with an exotic appearance followed and wrapped her arms around Jerome’s arm. She called him “Oppa” with an affectionate tone.

In an instant, the incident that had turned the Foot Worship site upside down a while ago crossed my mind. The case where a partner I’d even formed a D/s dynamic with turned out to be a married man. Doubt began to grow behind the thought of “what if.”

The woman standing before me and Jerome looked like a loving couple or a married pair. The woman was blowing on her small hands, chatting away as she clung to Jerome’s arm, complaining that the weather was cold. Ha… A frustrated breath escaped through my lips. The question of who she was surged to the tip of my throat, but I couldn’t bring myself to voice it. I didn’t have the right.

“Jessie, go on inside with Mother first.”

“Why?”

“I have some business to take care of for a moment.”

With a gentle tone, Jerome coaxed the woman—who had a pouty expression—into going inside, then stepped back out of the restaurant. It seemed he was going to smoke or something. I stood there blankly for a moment, then remembered my original purpose and opened the restaurant door. However, Jerome, who I thought had gone somewhere, was standing outside the door. I hesitated, not knowing whether to brush past him or approach him to talk, when Jerome stepped toward me.

“I guess you didn’t remember what I said.”

“…Yes?”

“Well, you were dead drunk, so there’s no way you would have remembered. Have a good time, then.”

Jerome turned, leaving behind words I didn’t understand. I reached out and grabbed Jerome’s arm. My body reacted before my brain could even process a thought. There were so many things I wanted to ask. Who on earth was the woman with him? What was their relationship? Was he seeing me while having someone else?

He stopped walking and looked down at my hand gripping his arm. I pulled my hand away, startled, and he shoved both hands into his coat pockets and faced me.

“Why, do you have something to say?”

“…Oh, so, ah! E-excuse me, did you take me home yesterday? No, did we meet yesterday?”

“If you want the answer, remember what I said. Then I’ll tell you.”

“…Actually, I drank a lot yesterday, so I don’t remember it very well. So, if I caused any trouble, I wanted to apologize and ask—i-if I made any mistakes, please forget all of it.”

“Forget it?”

Jerome’s eyes narrowed. He scrutinized me carefully, then took a hand out of his coat pocket and touched my forehead. A small moan of pain escaped me at the cold sensation against my skin.

“You have a bit of a fever.”

“…”

“Well, it would be stranger if you didn’t catch a cold.”

Jerome scoffed at himself and put his hand back in his pocket. I reached out without realizing it, then let my hand drop back down. I felt such regret at my falling hand that I almost grabbed him again. I had thought that as time passed, my feelings for him were cooling down. But that was just my wishful thinking; this heart hadn’t changed even the slightest bit. Just standing in front of him made my heart race and my breath catch in my throat.

I felt sick because I regretted my mistake so deeply that it pierced my heart. If I had at least tried something, I wouldn’t have had this much lingering attachment, but since I hadn’t done anything at all, I kept feeling full of regret.

Suddenly, Jerome leaned down and pressed his lips to my ear. My fine hairs stood on end, and the scent of his perfume pierced the tip of my nose. Huh? A scene suddenly flashed through my mind. The sight of Jerome looking down at me as I sat huddled somewhere popped into my head.

“Can’t you at least be friends with me? Just contact each other sometimes, eat a meal.”

“…!”

“How am I supposed to eat or talk on the phone with someone whose face alone makes me get an erection?”

“…!”

“I gave you a hint, so think of the rest yourself.”

Jerome turned without lingering and moved away from my field of vision. I just watched him go with a dazed expression. Once he disappeared completely into the restaurant, I wrapped my head in both hands and let out a silent scream. I had never said things like that while sober, so it was definitely something that happened last night when I had no memory. What on earth had my subconscious done? No, wait. Now wasn’t the time for self-reproach.

I forcibly suppressed my emotions and chewed over his words. If I were to guess the hint he gave me, the request to be friends was what I had said, and the latter part was Jerome’s reply. When Jerome had once suggested we be friends, I had rejected him with a similar nuance. Ha, to think those words would come back like this. I couldn’t decide whether to admire his cleverness in remembering those words and throwing them back at me, or to curse him for being cunning.

But if that was the hint, it meant there was more to it—what on earth could it be? What else did I say? As I pondered, tearing at my hair, I slowly lifted my head. Seeing Jerome give me such a hint, it was clear he wanted me to remember what he had said. I resented my brain for not being able to remember what seemed to be right on the tip of my tongue.

Suddenly, the phone in my coat pocket rang. It was Goo Jihoon. I snapped to my senses, grabbed my tumbler from the car, and hurried into the restaurant. On the table, the pre-meal bread, butter, and a starter of ricotta salad were already laid out. Goo Jihoon was grumbling with a pouty face, snapping photos with his phone camera repeatedly.

“What were you doing to get here only now?”

“Sorry.”

“Do you know Director Kwon is absolutely furious right now?”

“Why?”

“Apparently, some crazy person is raising hell at the company. Overtime is guaranteed. And the employee is young and pretty. It’s a complete mess, isn’t it? Poor guy, on Christmas Eve, too.”

I barely listened to Goo Jihoon, my eyes scanning the restaurant. I saw Jerome and his party sitting at a table not too far away. Jerome was in his dress shirt, chin resting on his hand, talking with his party. He wasn’t muscular like me, but he had broad shoulders and excellent proportions overall, so he was quite pleasing to look at. That day when we played, the fact that I couldn’t have sex with him remained my greatest regret. Even normally, I could see the outline of his penis tucked to the left; it must be even more magnificent when he’s erect. I licked my lips and rubbed my ear.

“Hey.”

“Huh? Oh.”

“What are you doing?”

“It’s nothing. So, did he leave work?”

“This bastard wasn’t listening to a word I said. What is it? What are you mesmerized by?”

As Goo Jihoon turned his head to follow my gaze, I quickly sat up halfway and grabbed his face to hold it steady. His face crumpled mercilessly. I chuckled as I saw how funny he looked trying to push away my hand from his face. Then, I suddenly made eye contact with Jerome.

I hardened my expression instantly and quickly sat back down. Goo Jihoon immediately turned his head to check behind him.

“Hmm? There’s nothing back there.”

“…Oh? Ah, right. There’s nothing. Over there—I was just looking at that painting because it was interesting.”

“You’re not the type to be interested in paintings.”

Goo Jihoon muttered dismissively, spearing a cherry tomato with his fork and putting it in his mouth. I had forgotten for a moment. Goo Jihoon didn’t waste brain capacity on things he wasn’t interested in. This was the same guy who not only mistook the road manager who started working with Kwon Haeyi for a stalker but even reported him to the police. So, it wasn’t strange that he didn’t remember Jerome. I shook my head, took the tomatoes, and moved them onto his plate. It was difficult to manage my expression while trying to force back the laughter that kept bubbling up.

“What are you giggling at?”

“Nothing. Just… it’s funny.”

“Are you so thrilled that this Mister is hanging out with you on Christmas Eve?”