Chapter 21

Unfortunately, Gyu-yeon did not notice Geon-hyuk. He simply didn’t have the mind to look around. Gyu-yeon, who was completely out of it, couldn’t even recognize the person right in front of him.

He hadn’t felt this way even when he broke up with the first girl he’d dated. It was the same when his third girlfriend, whom he’d been with for a while, left. The regret lasted only a short while and he went on as usual, so he couldn’t understand why he felt this way about Naru, with whom he had no relationship.

As he reached the department store entrance, the automatic doors slid open silently. Several people brushed past Gyu-yeon at the same time. Gyu-yeon stood still at the entrance and didn’t take another step.

If he went out this door, he might never see Song Naru again.

Countless people passed by and gave Gyu-yeon odd looks. Their eyes seemed to ask why he was standing there while the doors stayed open. Gyu-yeon, who hated losing face, was unusually taking people’s stares without moving.

What are you doing standing here like an idiot? Go out.

Even after deciding to go out, Gyu-yeon stood for a long time before finally leaving the department store. Outside was cool, unlike the warm air inside. It wasn’t too cold for late autumn, but his hands felt oddly empty.

The car parked on the ground level was still in the same spot. Hoping against hope, he peered into the passenger seat, then shook his head and got into the driver’s seat.

It took a full five minutes to start the engine. A few seconds would have been enough, but he’d wasted five minutes hesitating on what to do. He turned the wheel and entered the road. Usually driving right at the speed limit, Gyu-yeon now drove as slowly as he could.

The late afternoon roads were a nightmare. Especially in central Seoul, the traffic jammed at the drop of a hat. He braked several times at every light, then suddenly glanced to the passenger seat.

The passenger seat, which had been filled with warmth on the way there, was now empty. Now that he thought about it, since meeting Naru he hadn’t driven alone very often.

He was always distracting at his side, but the way Naru kicked at the window was kind of cute. Even as he watched Gyu-yeon drive, he tried not to be a bother, which subtly got under Gyu-yeon’s skin. Gyu-yeon always pretended not to care and pretended not to look while watching Naru.

For a rich kid, he knew nothing about the world; he seemed competent yet somehow naive. Could someone like that really get by in the middle of Seoul?

Maybe he’d managed up until now. But Naru’s parents were indifferent even though their child had gone missing. As if they had wanted it to be that way. Since they’d cast him out, it was clear he wouldn’t be treated properly even if he returned.

This wasn’t really Gyu-yeon’s concern, but now that he knew Naru’s situation he couldn’t help but worry.

‘Um, you’re leaving here now…?’

‘I’m so, so sorry. I introduced you to my precious friends and I blurted it out. I really thought Gyu-yeon was being bullied…’

‘I like Gyu-yeon… I really like him.’

‘I like you. You’re really my owner now.’

‘…I’d like to, if possible. Date.’

Scenes of his time with Naru flashed by like a slideshow. Times he thought were annoying and meaningless had somehow embedded themselves firmly in his mind and seemed unlikely to fade.

Especially he couldn’t forget Naru’s expression when he mumbled that he wanted to have a date in front of the culture hall. Gyu-yeon had deliberately ignored that muttering to avoid giving any unnecessary opportunities.

But was that necessary? Maybe he should have indulged him once. He was fascinated by this kind of department store and wanted to look around more. Now Gyu-yeon felt uneasy thinking he’d only scolded him.

Then something occurred to Gyu-yeon.

“Ah, the 12th floor.”

He had ruled out going all the way up and hadn’t searched the whole department store, but the 12th floor clicked in his mind. The place where Naru had gotten his hair cut today and the place where he ate with Gyu-yeon were both on the 12th floor.

What if Naru was still alone somewhere in the department store?

He remembered the day he had gone to the errand service a while back. When he returned home, he had found Naru crying alone.

He was quietly sniffling, his eyebrows drooping like he was so forlorn, and a tear had plopped from his large eyes. The sight was so tragic that Gyu-yeon still couldn’t forget it.

What if he was still crying like that now?

Thinking of that wet face made something twist in his chest. Gritting his teeth in worry, Gyu-yeon immediately turned the wheel and drove back.

Yes, he could take responsibility. First, find him. Then think.

Honk—!

Because of the sudden U-turn, a car in the opposite lane blasted its horn. Gyu-yeon pressed the accelerator hard without regard for his own safety.

Did I do something stupid?

Naru buried his face between his knees and sighed heavily. He had no sense of how much time had passed, but his squatting legs had gone numb from the pins and needles.

Every time someone came near the vending machine he lifted his head to check, but there was no sign of Gyu-yeon. His heart dropped whenever someone wearing clothes similar to Gyu-yeon’s passed by.

Naru was slowly coming to terms with reality. If so much time had passed and Gyu-yeon still hadn’t found him, it was as good as being abandoned.

He had actually wandered around the department store holding a small hope. Even going down to the lower floors, he couldn’t see Gyu-yeon. He wondered if he’d done something foolish and went down to the first floor as well. As expected, Gyu-yeon was nowhere to be found.

Naru returned to the vending machine and despaired. He wanted to beat the version of himself from a few hours ago and ask what confidence he’d had to act like that.

He had even lost the owner he thought he could be with for life.

Naru didn’t know where he belonged or how to live in this huge place. When he was with Gyu-yeon the world had felt wondrous rather than frightening, but now the unfamiliar world terrified him.

Strangers, a world too big for Naru, the thickened air—nothing felt comfortable. For the first time in a long while, Naru thought about wanting to die.

When he was trapped living in the basement, he had thought about it many times a day. Back then death had seemed acceptable. Now, thinking about death made his hands tremble. He had no confidence to keep living, and dying was frightening. There was no answer.

While he was deep in gloom, a shadow fell over Naru’s head. Long legs in shoes that looked expensive. He looked up quickly at the figure, who was dressed similarly to Gyu-yeon, and showed a look of disappointment.

“Ah…”

“Long time no see?”

“…”

The person who spoke to Naru was not Gyu-yeon but Geon-hyuk. He’d been running into him repeatedly since before, and he wasn’t a welcome presence.

Geon-hyuk, with a couple of buttons undone on his white dress shirt and light brown dress pants, looked even more cocky than when they’d last met. He appeared neat on the surface, but that odd insolence was irritating.

With tears still clinging to his face, Naru quickly wiped his eyes so Geon-hyuk wouldn’t see. He didn’t want to show himself crying to Geon-hyuk, even if he wouldn’t mind Gyu-yeon seeing.

“We’ve seen each other a lot, so at least say hi when you can.”

“We’re not close.”

Naru, on alert, coldly slapped away the hand that reached out to him. Geon-hyuk, who always smiled cheekily, frowned as he rubbed the sting from the back of his hand.

Geon-hyuk wasn’t in a bad mood today. He’d found something quite entertaining. Gyu-yeon, who always lived in his own arrogance, was completely out of his mind, and Naru, who had clung to Gyu-yeon like a shadow, ended up alone here like an abandoned puppy. What an amusing situation.

Moreover, Geon-hyuk had just discovered something even more interesting. Just yesterday, at a close senior’s party, he had seen the ‘rich kid’ who supposedly badmouthed Gyu-yeon.

Why would someone who should have been at Gyu-yeon’s house appear at a party? Geon-hyuk asked people about the rich kid and, seeing the face, let out a hollow laugh.

It wasn’t Naru. The rich kid who had badmouthed Gyu-yeon was someone who looked the exact opposite of Naru. Then who the hell was the Naru who had been going around with Gyu-yeon?

“I really wanted to see you.”

“I didn’t want to see you.”

“You’ll regret it if you do this to me, you know. You okay with that?”

“…”

Naru’s gaze shifted strangely. He knew Geon-hyuk always sneered at him, but today the nuance felt slightly off. The way he casually acted as if he’d found a flaw made it even more repulsive.

Geon-hyuk knelt down in front of Naru and stared him straight in the eyes. Sitting like that he really looked like a thug. Naru widened his eyes and glared back sharply to avoid being cowed.

But even with that fierce stare, Naru’s gentle eyes couldn’t look threatening. Finding him laughable, Geon-hyuk let out a deflated laugh and reached out his hand.

“Shall I guess why you’re sitting here like this?”

“…”

“Yu Gyu-yeon finally dumped you.”

“…”

“Yu Gyu-yeon finally dumped you.” Geon-hyuk’s words flew like a knife and pierced his chest. It was a fact he had been stubbornly denying, but the words dug into him and a single tear fell.

Grabbing Naru’s chin, he smiled broadly. This was the reaction Geon-hyuk wanted—not the sassy, clawed-cat attitude, but for him to realize his situation and fall into despair.

Though he had acted kind while hanging around Gyu-yeon, Geon-hyuk was actually worse trash than Gyu-yeon. Playing with people and tormenting someone—Geon-hyuk led all of it. Unfortunately, Naru had become his plaything when things went poorly.

“No, he didn’t, he didn’t dump me…”

“Who’s saying that? That he didn’t dump you?”

“Gyu-yeon wouldn’t dump me.”

“Poor thing. Sorry, but I saw it. Yu Gyu-yeon leaving the department store alone.”

Naru, who had refused to believe Geon-hyuk until the end, finally broke down. He could have ignored the claim that he’d been dumped, but if he’d been seen leaving the department store alone…

Naru’s eyes reddened. The tears that had been falling one by one had turned into a torrent. He sobbed silently, shoulders and chest heaving pitifully.

Geon-hyuk, who had been smiling calmly, maintained his detestable attitude and stroked Naru’s hair. When Naru, unable to swat his hand away because he was crying, tried to pull away, Geon-hyuk grubbyly grabbed the back of his head and whispered.

“What should we do about this. I haven’t even gotten to the main point yet.”

“Ugh, uup…”

“Don’t cry, listen. The backstory is even more fun.”

His mouth was certainly smiling, but his eyes were cold and emotionless. Overpowered, Naru was held fast and forced to listen. Every time Geon-hyuk prowled around and picked a fight, Gyu-yeon had always stepped in to look after him, but now he couldn’t, and it stung.