Going Out (2)
The moment I fed the machine, the basketballs rolled down in front of me. I snatched one up at once.
"Just so we're clear, I'm not going easy on you."
"Who asked you to?"
"Don't throw a fit later when you lose."
The second the game started, I let the ball fly. The first one dropped clean through the hoop.
"Oh."
So did the second. I stole a glance sideways; Joohyuk was firing shots without a pause. At first there wasn't much between us. A little time passed, though, and the scores began to pull apart—and the problem was, I wasn't the one pulling ahead.
"...Hey. Were you always this good at this?"
"Dunno. They just keep going in?"
"Don't say it like that, you smug jerk."
There wasn't much time left. I grabbed the balls faster than before and hurled them. One sank; the next kissed the rim and bounced back out.
"Ah, shit!"
"It's over, you know."
"It is not over!"
As if to mock me for saying so, the buzzer blared. I checked the scoreboard first thing.
"..."
Joohyuk laughed beside me.
"What do you want to drink?"
"One more round."
"Don't wanna."
"Scared?"
"You think that's gonna work on the guy who just won?"
"Ugh, whatever. Just one more!"
"Forget it. Buy the drinks first."
"Tch."
I grumbled as I pulled out my wallet, but I wasn't actually in a bad mood.
"Hey. What are you drinking?"
"If you're buying, something expensive."
"Then die of thirst."
"Pfft. Kidding. There's a cafe on the roof. Let's go there."
We took the elevator up. The doors opened straight onto the cafe.
"Nothing expensive."
"Then I'll have an iced Americano."
"Got it. Go sit down. I'll order and come over."
I ordered one Americano and one iced tea. Pager in hand, I turned around and found Joohyuk already settled in a nicely shaded spot.
"Oh. Nice pick."
"There's a breeze, too. Perfect, right?"
"Yeah. But what kind of place charges twenty-five dollars for one iced Americano and one iced tea?"
"You're paying for the seats, that's all."
The pager buzzed in the meantime, and Joohyuk took it to the counter as if that were only natural, coming back with the drinks.
"That was fun. Been a while."
"Glad to hear it. Let's go out together more often."
"Really? Then how about when that movie comes out?"
"Which movie?"
"You know. The one you wanted to see, too."
"Oh. That historical one?"
"Yeah! It opens next week."
"Sure. If I don't forget, we'll go."
We killed time on the roof in the cool breeze until a click made me turn my head.
"What?"
"I just wanted a picture."
"I feel like I just got photographed in drag. Ugh..."
"Pfft. It's not drag, but... you're not wrong."
"Stop laughing. Before I smack you."
"Sorry, sorry. Still, it came out pretty well. Want to see?"
Joohyuk held his phone out toward me.
Looking at myself on the screen felt like looking at someone else entirely.
"...Yeah. Still feels strange."
"You'll get used to it soon."
"So when are you going to tell me?"
"Tell you what?"
"Why you made me like this."
Joohyuk didn't answer. I waited a moment, but he clearly had no intention of opening his mouth, and a sigh escaped me.
"Clamming up again. Fine. If you don't want to say it now, then don't."
"..."
"But tell me properly later. Don't think you can just gloss over it."
"...All right."
"You really are one shady bastard."
We rested a while longer at the rooftop cafe, then headed down to the first floor.
"Hey. You hungry?"
Joohyuk pulled out his phone and checked the time.
"Now that you mention it, it's already three. What do you want to eat?"
"Hmm... if there's somewhere decent nearby, let's eat and head back."
"There's a restaurant upstairs. Want to go there?"
"How much is it?"
"Why are you asking?"
"Because I learned something today, tagging along with you. When you say 'somewhere decent,' it is not what I mean by decent."
"It's not that expensive."
"And how am I supposed to believe that? Let's just get hamburgers."
"We came all this way for hamburgers?"
"What's wrong with hamburgers! Delicious, cheap, filling—how is that not a perfect food?"
"Come on. The restaurant."
"Did you hear a single word I said?"
In the end, Joohyuk's stubbornness won, and we headed up to the restaurant. Once we were actually inside and seated, he opened the menu.
"Want me to just order?"
"Yeah. I don't know places like this. You order."
He called the waiter and ordered with easy confidence. A little later, dishes began to land on the table one after another, and my mouth watered.
"Don't just stare. Eat."
One look told me the menu was expensive, but I didn't say another word and started in.
"Mmm! This is good!"
The words slipped out with a smile before I could stop them, and I caught Joohyuk watching me with a pleased little grin.
"What are you smiling like that for?"
"I like watching you enjoy it."
"...Seriously, what's with you lately? It's creepy."
"Pfft. I've always been like this. What's different?"
Hearing that, I didn't really have a comeback.
"...Guess so."
"What's that, all of a sudden?"
"Shut up and eat."
"That's what I said a minute ago."
"Then eat twice."
I went back to my food. A little later, finished with the meal, we paid and stepped outside. Joohyuk called the chauffeur. When the car arrived, the two of us climbed into the back seat.
I set the shopping bags at my feet, tucked the black cat plush I'd won earlier against my chest, and leaned back into the seat. Only then did the fatigue come crashing in.
"Haa... I'm dead tired."
"Funny thing for the person who had the most fun running around all day to say."
"You're the one who dragged me out first thing this morning."
"And I'm also the one who bought you clothes and bought you lunch."
"Exactly. Do you have any idea how self-conscious I've been all day?"
"You ate just fine."
"I ate because it was good."
Joohyuk laughed, so I thumped his arm with the cat plush.
"Stop laughing. Seriously, don't buy me expensive stuff like this from now on."
"I'll think about it."
"Don't think about it. Say okay."
"Don't wanna."
"This bastard, I swear..."
The conversation didn't last. As the car rolled on, my eyes began to drift shut.
"If you're sleepy, sleep a little. I'll wake you when we get there."
"Yaaawn— then I'm counting on you..."
I leaned back and let myself fall asleep.
How much time had passed? The car took a curve, and Sia's sleeping body slowly tipped to the side.
Before he realized it, her head had come to rest against his shoulder. Joohyuk looked down at her for a moment.
"Driver."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Take the long way around. We've still got time."
"Understood."
The chauffeur drove on without a single question.
The car came to a stop in front of the estate.
"Sia. Wake up."
"Mmm..."
"We're here."
Someone touched my shoulder. I opened my eyes, and a familiar face was right beside me. Still half-asleep, I stared blankly at Joohyuk, and only when I realized what I'd been leaning on did I sit up.
"Ah. Sorry, sorry. Bet my head was heavy."
"It's fine."
"Why do I keep falling asleep on your shoulder..."
"Guess my shoulder's comfortable."
"Bullshit."
Joohyuk laughed and got out first. I started to follow, then spotted the shopping bags at my feet and reached for them again.
"Leave those. The driver will bring them in."
"Still, they're mine. I should be the one carrying them..."
"Just get out. You said you've been tired all day."
"...Then I'll leave them to you."
I bowed to the chauffeur and went inside with Joohyuk. We parted at the entrance, and I headed straight for my room. The moment I was in, I changed out of the uncomfortable clothes I'd been stuck in all day and stepped into the bathroom. Warm water, and only then did I feel human again.
"Haa... yeah. Nothing beats this."
There was still a little time before dinner. I'll lie down for a minute, then head down, I thought, and threw myself onto the bed. That was the last thing I remembered.
How long had I been asleep? A touch on my shoulder eased my eyes open, and through the blur a face hovered in front of me. Way too fucking close.
"...?"
It was Baek Joohyuk.
"Aaaaah!"
"Gah! Hey!"
I bolted upright, and Joohyuk jerked back in surprise.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing in someone else's room?! I nearly died of shock!"
"I came to wake you up! Who starts with a scream?"
"Shove your face right up against someone while they're sleeping and of course they're gonna freak!"
"It's getting to be dinnertime and you weren't coming down, so I came to check."
"Dinner?"
That snapped me fully awake.
"Ah, shit, dinner prep! Yujin's going to chew me out again."
I moved to get off the bed, and Joohyuk spoke at once.
"Forget it. Take today off."
"What are you talking about? I haven't done any work since this morning."
"I told you. Your job today was coming out with me."
"...You actually count that as work?"
"Your employer says so. What's the problem?"
"Hell of an easy job."
"Nice, right?"
"I mean, sure, but I still get paid like this, right?"
"Is that the most important part?"
"Obviously. Why else would I be working here?"
Joohyuk looked dumbfounded, but I ignored him and climbed out of bed.
"I'm still going down for dinner."
"You ate past three."
"That was that, and dinner is dinner."
"You sure can eat."
"Don't come at me about food."
I left the room with Joohyuk and headed downstairs. As we made for the kitchen, Yura, working inside, spotted us.
"Oh my, Sia! Did you have a good time?"
"Yes. We did!"
"And the clothes? Did you buy a lot?"
"Ah... yes. More than I expected, actually..."
Yura's eyes sparkled.
"What did you get?"
"Just pants, hoodies, things that are easy to wear."
"...That's all?"
"Yes."
The brightness on her face wilted in an instant.
"...Why that look?"
"What about skirts?"
"Didn't get any."
"Blouses?"
"Why do you only ask about the things I didn't buy?"
Looking thoroughly unimpressed, Yura turned on Joohyuk instead.
"Young Master, what on earth did you do?"
"Why are you suddenly on my case?"
"You went to buy Sia clothes, didn't you!"
"Sia picked what she wanted to wear. What was I supposed to do?"
"I suppose that's true, but..."
She still looked disappointed.
"The outfit I picked out for you earlier suited you so well, though..."
"I'll give you that. It was pretty. It was just way too uncomfortable."
"Then I'll have to come with you next time!"
"No. I'm fine."
"I'll pick things that are comfortable and pretty!"
"I really am fine."
"Look forward to it!"
"You are hearing me, right?"
Joohyuk started laughing beside me.
"Pfft."
"Don't you laugh."
Just then the chauffeur came in behind us, carrying the shopping bags we'd brought home. Perched on top of them was the black cat plush I'd won at the arcade. The moment Yura spotted it, she came straight over.
"Oh my! This is adorable!"
"Right? I won it myself."
"The Young Master didn't win it for you?"
"No. I won it with no help from that bas— I mean, from him."
"You should've seen how much money Sia burned just to win that one thing..."
"Hey!"
I tried to shut him up, but it was already too late. Yura looked at me, fighting a smile.
"How much did you spend?"
"Not that much."
"Enough to buy the plush outright and still have money left."
"Baek Joohyuk, will you shut up?"
In the end Yura burst out laughing.
"Still, it's better because you won it yourself."
"...That's true."
I took the plush from the chauffeur. I'd blown some money, but I did like it.
"Anyway, I'll take this up to my room."
Plush in hand, I went back upstairs. I thought for a moment about where to put it, then set it on the nightstand beside the bed. The black cat sat neatly, facing the bed.
"Still, I'm glad I won it."
I pressed a finger once against the top of its head, then opened the closet. Starting with the next time I went out, at least I wouldn't have to walk around in clothes as uncomfortable as today's.