My Alpha Era Began with Gongjindan Chapter 98

Before leaving on what was more of a trip than a trip to Japan, I had a ring custom-made, just in case.

Even if Jung Pureum didn’t win a gold medal, I planned to put the ring on him while saying, “I’ll take responsibility for you,” in a grand manner. I had no intention of not dating him just because he didn’t win a gold medal.

But Jung Pureum beat me to the punch with a public proposal.

I knew he’d propose to me outright if he got the chance, but I didn’t expect him to do it so openly in front of cameras with the whole world watching. Who knew Kim Miyoung’s words about him laying the groundwork for a proposal through those interviews would turn out to be true….

Still, he probably didn’t have a ring ready. He must have been busy with the Olympics; where would he have found the time to go buy a ring? He couldn’t even leave the training village.

So, as the hyung, I had to be the one to put a ring on Jung Pureum’s left ring finger first. I have my pride too. Having been proposed to by someone so much younger, I had to at least have a diamond ring ready. That’s the etiquette of the land of Eastern propriety.

Of course, even while ordering the custom ring, all sorts of worries came flooding in. I was concerned that it might be too much. As Kim Miyoung said, my self-esteem hit rock bottom from time to time.

Because of that, I really thought through every possible scenario. If Jung Pureum didn’t win a gold medal and couldn’t avoid enlistment, we’d get married after he was discharged… well, something like that.

I picked up the key card Jung Pureum had left at the hotel lobby and went up to the 14th floor. Standing in front of room 1419 as directed, my heart pounded embarrassingly.

Hearts are supposed to beat, but right now it was racing like I’d just finished a 100-meter sprint. I took a deep breath. How long has it been since I last saw Jung Pureum?

“Pureum, hyung is here.”

I swiped the key card and entered the room. I quickly closed the door behind me and scanned the room. Where are you! Come greet your hyung right now!

“Hyung!”

Jung Pureum literally sprang out and pulled me into a tight embrace. It felt like being welcomed home by a large pet dog after a five-month business trip. Meaning I thought my ribs might crack.

I did want him to greet me, but I didn’t expect him to actually spring out like this. My solar plexus ached. I could tell he’d bulked up; he felt heavier than the last time I’d seen him.

“Ugh, hey… hyung hurts….”

“Ah, sorry… I can’t quite control my strength….”

Even as he spoke sheepishly, Jung Pureum showed no sign of letting me go.

Still in his arms, I took another deep breath. The sensation of Jung Pureum’s pheromones and body heat after so long was absolutely thrilling.

“Hyung….”

“Yeah.”

“I did well, right.”

“You did amazingly well. Winning three gold medals. I’m so proud I could die.”

“Then… hyung has to keep his promise too.”

“Right, that’s why I chased you all the way here.”

At my words, Jung Pureum’s eyes widened. His expression said, ‘There’s no way our hyung would do that.’

Jung Pureum even checked me over, wondering if something was wrong with me. His hands groping around were a little impure, but I just let Jung Pureum have his way with my body.

“Have you felt everything? Hyung is normal.”

“Ah, it’s not that….”

“Did you really think I was a person who says one thing and does another?”

You’re right.

I am very good at saying one thing and doing another. Isn’t it a virtue of modern people to change their tune at the drop of a hat? You have to be flexible to survive in this harsh world.

Jung Pureum, who knows very well what kind of person I am, nodded slightly. Anyway, this kid can’t lie well either. Such an honest child….

“It’s true that I am that kind of person.”

“No, it’s true that hyung is just slightly, a little bit, very cowardly, but…”

“This little brat….”

At my reaction, Jung Pureum let out a small laugh. Since he was still holding me, it wasn’t easy to move.

When I twisted my body to tell him to step back a little, Jung Pureum whined and pushed his head toward me, asking for more praise. I vigorously ruffled Jung Pureum’s hair. The feel of these curly locks in my hand! A deep sense of stability washed over me.

“Let go for a moment. I have something to give you.”

“…What is it?”

“I’ve been ambitiously preparing this since before I came to Japan. So, just let go for a second.”

“Hyung….”

“Just let go, I said.”

“It’s not something weird, is it? Like a new contract, or a lawsuit, or something…”

What does this kid think of me?

I was so dumbfounded I just raised my head and looked at Jung Pureum. He seemed genuinely worried, not joking.

No matter how little trust I’d given him, this is too much. I felt a little wronged and bit Jung Pureum’s shoulder. Let go, will you. Hyung is trying to propose to you.

“Even if you sue me, I’m going to marry you, hyung.”

“I know.”

“Even if you deny it, it’s too late now… Ah, you know?”

“Let’s get married.”

“….”

“Since you’re a swimmer, your hands will always be in the water, but I’ll take responsibility for everything else for the rest of your life.”

I finally managed to escape Jung Pureum’s embrace and fumbled for the ring case.

But no matter how I thought about it, it was utterly lacking in style. Is this really the right way to bring out a ring so clumsily? Does everyone propose like this? This being my first proposal, I was confused. I couldn’t exactly go and practice this somewhere.

Come to think of it, most of the things I’d done with Jung Pureum had been pretty clumsy. I was still a little embarrassed that the first time we’d slept together happened after eating curry. Why did it have to be curry of all things?

As I opened the ring case, a silver ring with a small diamond set in the center revealed itself. Even I thought I’d made a really good purchase.

When I said I wanted jewelry that was simple yet elegant, modern yet classic, the jewelry store staff had momentarily made a face. But I had no regrets because I’d managed to get the design I wanted. Thank you, jewelers!

“Hyung….”

“Yeah.”

“I love you….”

“I know.”

I resolutely slid the ring onto Jung Pureum’s left ring finger. But there was one problem. The ring stopped before going all the way on.

…Huh? I gritted my molars to avoid showing my panic.

It doesn’t fit?

How could this be! I thought I’d groped Jung Pureum’s hand enough to know it. I lacked the qualifications to be a human measuring device.

The problem was that I hadn’t asked Jung Pureum his ring size because I wanted it to be a surprise. I was afraid that asking would make him too expectant, so I’d bought it based on my estimation. Despite having touched Jung Pureum’s hand so much, I’d gotten his ring size wrong.

“…It doesn’t go on?”

“….”

“Time out. Let’s pretend that proposal just now didn’t happen….”

“Hyung….”

As I hurriedly tried to pull the ring off, Jung Pureum firmly grabbed my hand.

Jung Pureum’s stance was firm that there was no backing out, but no matter what, I couldn’t leave the ring stuck on the middle joint of his ring finger.

“Look at this. It goes on my pinky. It fits perfectly.”

“No, it doesn’t mean anything if it’s not the ring finger.”

“I think it really means something.”

“But it’s the pinky, not the ring finger?”

“The meaning of rings on specific fingers that the world emphasizes means nothing to us.”

“I can’t accept that! I’ll buy a new one! Please, give me the chance to have a ring remade!”

“No! I’m satisfied with this!”

“No! If this continues, I’ll really end up being a worthless bastard who spends his whole life with water on his hands!”

“I want hyung to spend his whole life with water on my hands!”

We started bickering over a single ring. Proposal event, massive failure! This was supposed to be one of life’s main events, but as expected, success wasn’t easy.

“It’s okay that the ring size doesn’t fit.”

“I’m not okay with it though….”

“I also have something to give you, hyung.”

Jung Pureum, who had been going back and forth with me about exchanging the ring size, suddenly blushed like a shy bride.

While I was bewildered by his extreme change in attitude, Jung Pureum also took a ring case out of the bedside table drawer.

“I didn’t know hyung would prepare a ring… I also prepared one to put on you, hyung.”

“…Where did you get the money to buy something like this?”

“I have a lot of money too….”

What do you mean a lot! Compared to the money I made selling Gongjindan, it’s all pocket change.

Whether I was dumbfounded or not, Jung Pureum opened the ring case. A platinum ring set with a blue sapphire displayed a radiant form inside the case.

It might not be as expensive as the diamond ring, but this one looked incredibly costly on its own. I alternated my gaze between Jung Pureum and the ring case with a confused expression.

When on earth did he buy this?

Did he sneak out of the training village? All sorts of thoughts came to mind. There might be great jewelry stores in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province too, but I never thought Jung Pureum, who must have been busy training, would have prepared a ring.

“When on earth did you prepare that ring? You were at the training village. Did you buy it in Japan?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“When I was in high school… I prepared for the future by measuring hyung’s finger size and buying it then.”

What is this kid saying….

“It’s not expensive since I bought it in high school, but I really wanted to put it on you, hyung…”

The ring Jung Pureum had bought all the way back in high school fit my finger perfectly. Especially on my left ring finger, it was a perfect fit.

How on earth did this kid measure my ring size?

As far as I could remember, I’d never told Jung Pureum my ring size. Jung Pureum, like me, had only groped my hand a few times.

But I got it wrong, and Jung Pureum got it exactly right. My pride wasn’t just wounded; I could hear it crumbling to pieces. I’ll definitely get the ring resized. I can’t live like this!

Leaving behind Jung Pureum, who was giggling saying he’d wear one around his neck and the other on his finger, I ground my teeth.

Just you wait. Before the wedding, I will definitely have a perfectly fitting ring made and bring it to you.