A Thorn in the Side
For some reason, Seung-hyun’s ears turned bright red. He suddenly raised his voice and shouted.
“Man, it’s because of you. You! What kind of outfit is that?”
At Seung-hyun’s words, Dayeon’s expression immediately turned gloomy.
“Again. Is it strange?”
“Huh? Strange?”
“It’s too flashy, isn’t it? It doesn’t suit me after all…”
Hearing her hesitant voice, Seung-hyun suddenly snapped and shouted.
“It doesn’t suit me! Who said that?”
“Huh?”
Startled by the bigger reaction than expected, Dayeon looked at him, and Seung-hyun panicked and tried to explain.
“No, it suits you well. It’s decent to look at.”
“Really…?”
“Yeah. Everyone wears something like that, so don’t be all over the place.”
Hearing Seung-hyun’s words, Dayeon smiled faintly, relieved. Watching her, Seung-hyun let out a big sigh and fanned himself with his hand.
Seung-hyun wore a grumpy expression to hide his strangely excited state and asked.
“Where are you going now?”
“Where to? To the library. Didn’t you forget about the shoe test tomorrow?”
“Yeah? Then I’ll go with you. I need to study too.”
“When do you not prepare for exams like that?”
As the two walked along the path arguing, something caught Seung-hyun’s eye in the distance.
A man leaning against a black sedan parked far away.
Tall stature and broad shoulders. Dressed impeccably in a dark suit, it was Dayeon’s crush, Siheon.
Seung-hyun’s face hardened upon recognizing Siheon’s face, and anger surged like never before.
‘Unlucky bastard.’
With a sharp jawline and cool, downcast eyes. Even if he looked like he could be a model, what good is that? He’s nine years older than us anyway.
‘Jung Dayeon must be pitiful.’
Even after thinking a hundred times, it would be better for Dayeon to meet another man.
For example, a man her age who loves Dayeon much more than Siheon does.
Staring at Siheon in the distance for a moment, Seung-hyun pushed Dayeon’s body slightly to the opposite side of the path to the library.
“What? This isn’t the way to the library?”
“The weather’s nice today. Let’s take a detour this way.”
“I don’t have time. I have a lot to study today.”
“Walk a bit. Why only study?”
“Why all of a sudden, really!”
Seung-hyun persuaded and cajoled Dayeon with various words until he finally pushed her onto a different path.
He quietly turned and stared at Siheon for a long time.
* * *
“Peanut. It’s about time to come out.”
Siheon, who had parked his car in front of the medical school building, glanced at his wristwatch.
If I come, she’ll be quite surprised.
Imagining Dayeon, who would come to the school to see me, smile brightly while being surprised and welcoming me, Siheon let out a soft chuckle.
“But why isn’t she coming out?”
Classes had already ended a while ago. He had seen a group of students leaving the building earlier.
However, Dayeon still hadn’t shown her face.
“What’s going on?”
He had been waiting without contacting her, thinking it would surprise her, but now worry was starting to creep in.
Just as his hand was about to reach for his phone, thinking the paths might have crossed.
“Who are you waiting for?”
Someone approached Siheon and spoke to him. When Siheon turned his head, the man with his hands in his pockets, head tilted at a slant, appeared.
Siheon, who had been about to put his phone away, furrowed his brows slightly as if recalling something.
“…Han Seung-hyun?”
It was a face he had seen a few times at childhood gatherings. Recalling his name after a long time, Siheon looked around and let out an “Ah” sound.
“Yeah. This is Korea University, right? You must be around the age of admission now.”
His tone was as if dealing with a child. At that sight, Seung-hyun gritted his teeth.
‘Annoying bastard.’
Nothing had been pleasing since childhood. The half-baked face that flirted with girls, and even now, his height that’s still a bit taller than mine despite full growth, didn’t please him.
Seung-hyun’s eyes naturally sharpened, and he crossed his arms tightly.
“That aside. You were asking who I was waiting for, weren’t you?”
Siheon glanced at the medical school building once more and nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Who? Jung Dayeon?”
An unexpected name came out of Seung-hyun’s mouth. Then Siheon’s face subtly hardened.
While silently staring at himself, Seung-hyun opened his mouth first.
“Even if you wait, Dayeon won’t come. So go back.”
Siheon, with an odd expression, asked briefly.
“Why?”
“Is it because you really don’t know the reason?”
Seung-hyun twisted his lips in exasperation.
“You don’t suit Dayeon.”
At his words, the air suddenly grew heavy. Receiving Siheon’s sharpened gaze, Seung-hyun continued.
“She still has a face like she’s dying to love only you, but you’re not.”
“You speak as if you know the situation well.”
“I saw it from the side.”
As soon as the words ended, Seung-hyun poured out what he had been waiting for. Siheon’s eyes narrowed slightly as if urging him to continue.
“Dayeon has liked you for how many years, right?”
“……”
“But you disappeared without even contacting her once.”
No matter how much he thought, he couldn’t understand why Dayeon still liked this man.
If Dayeon couldn’t be, it would be better to cut ties with Siheon.
Seung-hyun clenched his fists tightly to hide his tension. And with a voice filled with more strength, he continued.
“After all, Dayeon was only that much to you.”
“……”
“So, if you don’t have the mind to accept her, don’t torment her hopes for nothing and just let her go.”
Siheon’s silence was lengthening.
An ominous premonition brushed his back. Could it be that Siheon also has feelings for Dayeon?
“Or do you really have the intention to take responsibility until the end?”
At that moment, Siheon’s gaze stopped for a moment.
It was a very short moment.
As if touching something, a thick shadow passed under his eyes.
But that was just a moment; soon, Siheon returned to his usual indifferent face as if nothing had happened.
“These words right now don’t sound like something a child who knows nothing should hear.”
“A child who knows nothing?”
Seung-hyun, who had been incensed by being treated like a child, suddenly crumpled his face. However, Siheon just looked down at him without saying a word, as if listening to a child’s tantrum.
“You brat.”
“……”
“Don’t misunderstand.”
Siheon’s eyes, which had been lowered lightly and then raised, were sharp.
“About Dayeon, I know much more than you.”
A faint smile remained at the corner of his mouth, but his gaze was as if it held a knife.
To Seung-hyun, who had frozen momentarily, Siheon showed an even smoother smile.
“Moreover, you don’t even have the qualifications to talk about Dayeon in the first place.”
Sending a downward gaze as if to face his position, he soon turned around.
“Qualifications…? What do you mean I’m nothing?”
Seung-hyun, who had been overwhelmed by Siheon’s momentum and couldn’t say anything, belatedly realized the meaning of his words.
“Why am I unqualified! I’m Dayeon’s friend!”
Seung-hyun, his face flushed red, followed after Siheon and shouted. However, Siheon was already opening the car door and entering inside.
Soon after, the car he got into slid and raced down the road.
Watching the tail of Siheon’s departing car, Seung-hyun ground his teeth.
It was unfortunate that Dayeon was suffering alone, and he wanted to give her something, but in the end, he had received the blow instead of Siheon.
“Sigh, damn it!”
Seung-hyun spat out a curse and roughly scratched the back of his neck. The gaze of Siheon that seemed to belittle him kept coming to mind, and anger bubbled inside him.
* * *
Siheon, gripping the steering wheel, stared straight ahead with cold eyes.
His gaze was cold like ice, but his mind was burning like a volcanic eruption.
The words Seung-hyun had said earlier kept repeating in his mind.
“Or do you really have the intention to take responsibility until the end?”
These were just childish words, but he couldn’t easily brush them off because there was an undeniable truth in those words.
From when had it been?
The time when he hadn’t pushed away that child who started naturally crossing the line he had set.
The time when he had smiled along with her, comforted by her smile.
Was that right?
He had nailed down that he wouldn’t think about romance or marriage, yet he kept taking care of her, going to her, and giving her his side. He knew she would start expecting things.
At twenty years old, an age too fresh and pure to be entangled with someone as emotionally worn as him.
Was it right to let her wither beside him, beside his side, in that brilliant and shining period, with no hope or value?
As Siheon’s worries deepened, the phone connected to the car rang.
“Yes. What is it?”
When Siheon answered the phone, Director Myeong’s voice came from the receiver.
“Executive Director, the contract review with Jung Dayeon has been completed as instructed earlier.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes. The contract will be sent via email.”
Just as he was about to end the call, Siheon grabbed it.
“Director. Can I add a few contents to the contract?”
“Add contents? Of course. It’s possible.”
Siheon calmly told Director Myeong what additional content to add. Hearing the contents, Director Myeong was greatly surprised.