The Probability of Meeting Your Ex on a Straight Dating Show Chapter 15

Jua gestured with her chin toward the seat next to her. It seemed to mean “sit down.” Ah…. Seojeong let out a faint exclamation and took the seat beside Jua. His gaze briefly flicked to his wristwatch and then away.

“If we’re going in the same direction, let’s go together. I heard your car broke down.”

Which way did Ms. Song Jua say she was commuting to work…. With a faint smile, Seojeong rolled his eyes gently.

Seojeong had no intention of borrowing Song Jua’s car and heading off to work. And that wasn’t simply because Song Jua was Cha Yoon’s X. It would have been the same even if the other person weren’t Song Jua. Not handing the wheel over to anyone else was one of the compulsions he’d developed after the accident.

Desperately trying to recall in order to refuse naturally, Seojeong came up with nothing. The sound of Jua crunching on her crispy cereal came across as particularly cheerful.

“Mr. Seojeong, aren’t you going to tell me?”

“Ah, I’m going to Seoul Station. I can take the subway from there and get there directly.”

So you don’t need to worry about me—Seojeong quickly added.

“Then let’s at least go comfortably as far as Seoul Station. Taking public transit is exhausting, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Okay? It’ll be fun—we can chat about all sorts of things on the way.”

Even when he tried to refuse indirectly, Jua wouldn’t back down. Pushing back any further seemed impossible.

“…You really don’t have to go this far for me, but thank you.”

Ki Seojeong forced his eyes into a crescent shape and smiled. He even covered his mouth and added his characteristic hearty laugh. From here to the station was ten minutes by car. It was early, but just in case there was traffic…. Ki Seojeong’s mind was working quickly. Whether she knew what was on his mind or not, Jua said with a grin.

“If you’re grateful, grant me one wish later.”

“A wish?”

“Yes, I won’t ask for anything hard.”

Not only an unwanted ride, but now he also had to grant a wish. What a losing deal. But he didn’t want to make Jua uncomfortable by saying no. In the end, Seojeong nodded, saying he understood.

Clack—

Just then, at the sound of a door opening, Ki Seojeong and Song Jua’s gazes simultaneously turned toward one spot. The person who appeared from beyond the door was Cha Yoon.

What a disaster. Ki Seojeong’s expression stiffened in an instant. At the same time, his gaze met Cha Yoon’s, who had been sweeping his hair back.

“What the… hell?”

An awkward voice that anyone could tell was strained, and a posture that anyone could see was hesitant. At twenty-two, Cha Yoon was transparent. So much so that his insides were plainly visible. Ki Seojeong pretended to adjust his position and sat a little farther away from Song Jua.

“Looks like you’ve been working out?”

In the quiet living room, the only one maintaining composure was Song Jua. Cha Yoon trudged into the living room. There was a faint furrow between his brows. A face that didn’t even seem to think of hiding his displeasure. Ki Seojeong immediately turned his head away. No matter how handsome the face, it was easier on the mind not to look at it.

“Yes. The bed was a bit uncomfortable.”

“Oh dear. What to do. Looks like you’re a little sensitive.”

“I was raised delicately, just as I look.”

After throwing out that brazen answer, Cha Yoon naturally plopped down onto the head seat sofa beside Song Jua.

“I don’t recall ever saying you could sit there.”

“I never intended to ask for permission either.”

What kind of relationship did they have that they could treat each other so casually like this? Whatever it was, it surely hadn’t ended as badly as the relationship he had with Cha Yoon. Ki Seojeong fixed his gaze out the window and sank into thought. Or rather, he tried to sink into it.

“So what were you talking about?”

“Ah, we were going to carpool.”

“Carpool?”

Even though he tried not to listen, the conversation between Cha Yoon and Song Jua kept snagging at his ears. At the same time, he could feel Cha Yoon’s gaze darting toward him occasionally.

“Seojeong said his car broke down and he’s getting it repaired.”

“You two work in completely different directions… looks like you would.”

Cha Yoon abruptly changed the direction of the conversation. What the hell was “looks like you would”? Jua barely suppressed a scoff at the way he was clumsily covering his slip of the tongue in his own way for the broadcast.

“Mr. Cha Yoon, do you read faces too?”

“…No, that’s not—”

“You’ve got quite a few tricks up your sleeve.”

Cha Yoon, looking sheepish, lowered his head and rolled up his sleeves. As a brief silence fell, Jua added something she didn’t really need to say.

“Anyway, since I’m giving Mr. Seojeong a ride, he said he’ll grant me a wish, so I’ll take him.”

Cha Yoon, who had been staring at his sleeve hem, lifted his gaze again. His brow was deeply furrowed.

“What kind of nonsense is that—you’re granting wishes over something like that?”

His tone was as if to say, “Who are you to say that to Song Jua?” Even though none of this was what Seojeong wanted, he felt like a criminal. As Seojeong stood there speechless, Song Jua naturally cut in and took his side.

“People usually get closer this way, you know? Mr. Cha Yoon, looks like you haven’t dated much.”

Even at the teasing aimed at him, Cha Yoon showed no reaction. Jua, apparently unbothered by the non-response, went back to spooning up her cereal. By the time she had nearly finished her bowl—

“I have some business in that area too, so let’s go in my car.”

It was Cha Yoon’s first words in a long while.

“Business? At this hour, all of a sudden?”

At Cha Yoon’s nonsense, a laugh escaped between Jua’s lips. It was clearly a mocking laugh, but Cha Yoon didn’t even bat an eye.

Seojeong was equally puzzled. It was barely past 7 AM. What business could he possibly have at this hour? A question arose in his mind.

“Why, is there a problem?”

“No. Well, I suppose when you’re living life, urgent business can come up suddenly.”

Song Jua’s voice cracked as she tried to suppress her laughter. Clearing her throat, she set the empty cereal bowl down on the table and said:

“But what kind of business?”

Cha Yoon’s pupils remained fixed on Ki Seojeong’s profile. The dark eyes that never once looked at him, the thick lips that had remained tightly sealed ever since he entered—on Cha Yoon’s smooth forehead, faint veins began to show.

“After my morning workout, driving around that neighborhood is part of my daily routine.”

At such an absurd reply, Jua finally burst out laughing. Who on earth goes for a drive when the sun hasn’t even fully risen? What a hilarious bastard.

In contrast to Jua, Seojeong’s expression, listening beside her, quickly hardened. Cha Yoon behind the wheel. Suddenly, a screeching—that ear-splitting sound of friction—pierced his ears, along with the roar of everything shattering to pieces.

The horrific memory crashed over Seojeong as if to devour him. He pressed his nails into his palm hard enough to leave bruises. Only after repeating that several times could he escape from the nightmare-like memory.

Having barely come to his senses, Seojeong bit his lip. He knew that talk about enjoying a drive after morning exercise was a lie. It was probably to prevent him from carpooling alone with Song Jua. Cha Yoon, after all, found it utterly abhorrent for Seojeong to be entangled with her.

If that was all, then Seojeong just needed to step aside. He stood up right there.

“I think I’ll be late, so I’ll just head off now.”

“Why are you leaving first? Let’s go together.”

“No, it’s fine. You two have your date.”

Ki Seojeong curved the corners of his mouth up and gave a nod of courtesy. He turned around and walked straight toward the entrance.

Because of Mr. Cha Yoon, I lost my chance to have a cozy chat with Mr. Seojeong. Excuse me? Cozy? Yes, cozy. Cozy can freeze to death. Why are you picking a fight? Like you’re jealous? But are you really going to give him a ride? Hey there, Mr. Cha Yoon, who suddenly has business. Why aren’t you answering?

The conversation between the two continued in murmurs without stopping. Even so, Ki Seojeong didn’t stop walking. He just walked blindly.

“…”

Only after the front door closed behind him did the voices tormenting Seojeong cease. Ki Seojeong also stopped walking. He let out a deep sigh.

∞ ∞ ∞

Had there ever been a time when he dreaded going home this much? From the moment he arrived at work until now, Ki Seojeong had been consumed by one thought.

I don’t want to go back.

And of all times, because of his day shift, he got off earlier than usual. Seojeong looked at the sun that hadn’t yet set and sighed.