Chief Kim and Assistant manager Choi

“Sush! Speak quietly, will you?”

“OMG! Even I haven’t tried living with anyone, yet Shin Kim is doing it? Before me? I can’t believe it!”

“You are in your 30’s and you still haven’t lived with anyone before?”

Shin curiously watched Siwoo, who seemed to look much brighter. Before Joowan, Siwoo suffered from depression after breaking up with another guy. Even when he was dating Joowan, Siwoo was the type that subconsciously waited for the relationship to end. Siwoo never lived with anyone because he wanted to remain independent, keeping a distance from his lovers. Siwoo seemed secure but still lonely even when he had a boyfriend.

Shin asked, “Siwoo, are you seeing someone?”

“... Your boyfriend asked me the same question. That’s funny.”

Siwoo frowned and Shin watched him quietly. Generally, people either liked Siwoo a lot, or completely hated him. Even though he looked sharp, Siwoo was a warm person who got hurt easily. Unfortunately, Siwoo has been dating the “bad guys,” until he met Joowan. Joowan was an unusual choice for Siwoo, and Shin thought that Siwoo’s taste in men was finally changing.

But when Siwoo and Joowan broke up, Shin became worried for him. Shin asked, “So you are seeing Joowan again?”

“I don’t want to talk about Joowan Kim.”

Siwoo replied firmly, but he didn’t seem upset, making Shin even more curious.

“But you don’t date anyone right away after breaking up.”

“I am not dating anyone. I already told your boyfriend too.”

“But you look like the way you do when you start dating someone.”

Shin looked at him sharply, but Siwoo remained calm.

“Shin, it’s only Monday evening and I am very tired. Could you stop talking nonsense?”

“Hmm...”

“Just eat your dinner and go home. It’s your first night living together, so you don’t want to be late, right?”

“Assistant Manager Woojin has a family meeting tonight, so it’s okay.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

“What do you mean? How did you know about it?”

Siwoo suddenly looked awkward. After a short pause, he replied, “Shin, let’s just eat dinner.”

“You hate it when I pried, don’t you?”

“Yet you still keep doing it.”

“Fine, fine. By the way, it’s so strange that we were both free tonight and get to eat dinner together.”

Shin studied Siwoo carefully, hoping to see something in him. But Siwoo remained calm. He set down his chopsticks on the table and asked Shin, “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“You aren’t planning on letting go of the recent car accident, right?”

“Never.”

“And you think it was Jihoon Kang who was behind it?”

“... What?”

Shin expected Siwoo to know a little about his situation, but it seemed Siwoo knew much more than he let on. Shin became pale.

“Siwoo, how do you know that?”

“I am seeing Jihoon Kang.”

“... What?”

“But I’m not dating him or anything.”

“Then what are you guys? Friends?”

“Well, something like that.”

Shin suddenly felt cold.

“Do you know what kind of man Jihoon Kang is?”

“I think I know him better than you do, Shin.”

“... That man’s mother... she...”

“She hates Woojin Choi. I know.”

“... Did Jihoon Kang tell you that?”

“Yes.”

It had been such a long time since Jihoon saw Shin looking this serene. Feeling confused and shocked, Shin stammered, “H-have you lost your mind?”

“I am telling you that Jihoon Kang told this to me.”

“Do you know what kind of bastard he is?”

“Do YOU know what kind of man Jihoon is?”

“... What?”

“Isn’t it true that you only want to know about Woojin? You aren’t interested in learning about anyone else.”

“... What are you talking about, Siwoo?”

“I’m not blaming you for it. It makes sense that you should only care about Woojin. And Jihoon Kang... ”

After contemplating for a while, Siwoo added, “Jihoon Kang will have to do his best to fix his misunderstanding with Woojin Choi.”

“What if it isn’t just a misunderstanding?”

“Perhaps, but...”

“...”

“I thought you already knew that Jihoon isn’t the one who committed the hit-and-run.”

“Siwoo, how did you get involved in all this?”

“Just answer me, Shin. You know that, don’t you?”

“It was just a guess. I find it very suspicious that the police won’t tell me anything.”

“How so?”

“Like someone high up is making sure the truth doesn’t get out.”

“You have an animalistic instinct. I will give you that.”

“I know.”

“...”

After studying Siwoo for a long time, Shin finally said again, “But no matter what, Jihoon Kang isn’t the right guy for you.”

“And I am telling you that we aren’t dating.”

“Don’t be so naïve, Siwoo. You know how these things happen. Just be careful and don’t do anything you might regret.”

Shin thought of Woojin. There was a time when Shin was happy to go to an empty house, but now, thinking of having someone wait for him made him feel happy. Everything was going to be okay. Shin had to believe this.

***

“I will take you home. Let’s take my car.”

Eejun spoke to Woojin as they walked the path in the large garden. They just finished dinner and Jihoon was walking a little ahead of them. It had been a long time since Eejun attended Woojin and Jihoon’s family meeting. When Eejun offered, Jihoon turned around. It was normally Jihoon who drove Woojin home after dinner.

Woojin’s eyes met with Jihoon’s. Jihoon didn’t seem bothered by Eejun’s offer. Jihoon replied, “Go ahead, Woojin. Eejun lives in the same direction, right?”

Eejun said to Jihoon a little coldly, “I wasn’t asking for your permission, Jihoon.”

He was clearly picking a fight, but Jihoon again seemed indifferent. He didn’t say anything.

Woojin watched the two for a little while before turning away to look at the stone walls that surrounded the garden. The house was located in the middle of the garden and it was massive. When Woojin was little, this house felt like a prison to him. He remembered the very first family dinner. Afterward, Woojin ended up throwing up everything he ate that night. His mother caressed his head gently while his father went into his room without a word. At the time, Woojin thought his father was ignoring him, but now, he wondered if his father just felt apologetic towards him. Perhaps that was why his father came into his room and watched him sleep for a long time that night.

Perhaps... Perhaps Woojin grew up more loved than he believed.

Woojin finally said to settle this issue, “Jihoon must be tired, so I will take up on Eejun’s offer. We are going in the same direction anyway, so it makes sense.”

“... Alright.”

Woojin watched Jihoon, who had a subtle frown, for a long time. Despite the long time they knew each other, they barely understood each other. Because they were forced into this odd relationship, countless misunderstandings existed between them. It was impossible to tell how twisted their relationship was, but now, Woojin felt like the truth was finally beginning to surface. When Jihoon walked far ahead of them, Eejun said to Woojin, “Jihoon Kang was so annoying even during the dinner.”

“...”

“How is Shin Kim? Has he recovered fully?”

“He is doing okay.”

“Injuries from car accidents take time to heal I guess.”

When Eejun pouted, Woojin slowly grabbed his wrist and said to him, “Eejun...”

“Yeah?”

“I need a favor. I need you to look into something.”

“What about?”

“... About Shin’s car accident.”

Eejun’s eyes widened, “What...?”

“You know as well as I do that it wasn’t an accident.”

“...”

“It has got to be either Jihoon Kang, or...”

“Or?”

“That woman.”

Woojin trembled a little, but he took a deep breath to control himself. Still holing Eejun’s wrist, Woojin continued, “You are the only one I can trust, so that is why I am asking you.”

“Don’t worry.”

Eejun looked at Woojin confidently and soon, they began to walk again across the garden.

It was a moonless night.