Kim Hajun
“Hello, Jisu’s mom!” Jiwoo Seonbae greeted as the four of us walked into the fried chicken restaurant.
The middle-aged woman was all smiles to see her. “Oh my, if it isn’t Jiwoo. Are you here with your friends? Let me go call Jisu for you.”
My ears immediately focused on the name Jisu. Perhaps I was mistaken, and it was a totally different Jisu. It was a common name after all, and one for both boys and girls. However, if this Jisu actually was him, I didn’t know how to feel. I wanted to see him, but not with Hayun Seonbae acting so obvious around me. How would I explain myself?
It just had to dawn on me now that this was the first time I ever kept a secret from him, and it was weighing heavily on my conscience.
“The Delicious Chicken Place?” Hyunwoo said, reading the sign. He snickered. “That’s quite a straightforward name.”
“I hope you mean that as a compliment,” Jiwoo Seonbae said. No, warned might have been a better way to put it.
It was a warning for me, too. I was right to have been worried…
Hyunwoo reacted first. “H-Hello, Jisu Seonbae!”
He walked out of the kitchen in complete surprise. It was clear he was the most surprised to see me. While I hadn’t made any mention of my weekend plans to him—and so technically, I’d never lied to him about anything—it still didn’t take away from the fact that my purposely unmentioned plans were to go on a double date I wished wasn’t a double date. But he didn’t know my intentions yet!
“Hello, Jisu Seonbae…” I quietly choked out.
It saddened me that I didn’t even have to think before switching back to using seonbae in front of the others. As they knew it, Jisu Hyung and I were no better off than strangers. We never talked at school, at least not when people were around anyway. For all of them, it should’ve been natural for us not to share a relationship of any kind, let alone a romantic one. Yet here we were defying everyone and doing the unnatural.
The four of us sat at a table by the window, Hyunwoo contently next to Jiwoo Seonbae and I not so contently next to Hayun Seonbae. Jisu Hyung brought us a menu. He wouldn’t look at me.
Fuck…
“My mom said to order whatever you want,” he seemed to be telling everyone except me. “It’s on the house.”
“Alright!” Jiwoo Seonbae said. “Leave it to me, guys. I know all the best stuff on the menu.”
“Seonbae, this kindness will never be forgotten!” Hyunwoo reached out to grab Jisu Hyung’s hand in order to further show his appreciation.
Jisu Hyung quickly pulled away. Could his thoughts have been the same as mine, that his hands were supposed to be only for me to hold? I hoped so. My hands were solely for him to hold too, which I was growing more and more impatient to remind him of. I really didn’t want him to get the wrong idea here.
With an unreadable rigid face, he said, “Just continue to work hard in the student council…”
“Yes, sir!” Hyunwoo saluted him before moving on to flipping through the menu with Jiwoo Seonbae. “This one looks tasty, noonim!”
“You have a good eye, lackey. Let’s order it.”
Meanwhile, Hayun Seonbae was sitting so close to me that our legs constantly brushed up against each other. Right when I hoped Jisu Hyung wouldn’t turn our way, Hayun Seonbae said, “Wow, Jisu, I had no idea your parents ran a restaurant.”
A crooked grin forced its way up Jisu Hyung’s face as he looked in my direction. “Yeah, they’ve had this place for a few years now. I always help out on the weekends whenever I can.”
“So, you practically live in school during the weekdays, and you work on the weekends?” Hayun Seonbae said, as impressed as I was. “I don’t know how you’re able to stay sane.”
Jisu Hyung gave a modest shrug. “I’m used to it, I guess.”
“Still, don’t you ever want to have time to do something else?” She tilted her head with a grin. “Maybe like dating?”
Jisu Hyung’s gaze immediately shifted toward me, but he just as quickly turned away. A faint blush colored his cheeks. “I mean…”
Hayun Seonbae chuckled at how shy he got. I tried my best to appear indifferent, even though he looked so cute right now.
“Okay, we’re ready to order!” Jiwoo Seonbae called out.
Jisu Hyung focused extra hard on every word Jiwoo Seonbae said, perhaps to keep himself busy and distracted. It was impossible for me to read his neutral face. I would give anything to be able to hear what he was thinking right now.
Was he mad at me or not? It was frustrating being stuck here so helplessly.
After jotting down Jiwoo Seonbae’s extensive list of menu items, Jisu Hyung disappeared into the kitchen. Shortly after, I caught him heading for the restroom.
“If you’ll excuse me,” I cut in during the two seonbaes and Hyunwoo’s group laughter, “I’m going to go use the restroom.”
Hyunwoo was still smiling from whatever joke Jiwoo Seonbae had made. At least he was having fun. “Don’t be too long though, or the food might be gone.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I brushed off, getting up from my seat. I turned around and let out a sigh of relief not to be next to Hayun Seonbae anymore.
I hurried into the restroom and caught Jisu Hyung in the middle of washing his hands. He lifted his head at the sound of the door clicking shut. I locked it behind me as well just in case.
“Hajun—”
I wasn’t sure what came over me then. Perhaps it was the fear of having upset him, of having screwed things up to the point he’d want to leave me. I was completely in the wrong here for not telling him about my plans today beforehand. I wouldn’t make any excuses for that. Instead, I would do whatever it took to find forgiveness.
It started with a kiss.
“Hajun…” Jisu Hyung sighed over my lips.
I noticed just how hard I had pushed myself onto him. He was leaning over the sink with his hands tented back on it for support. I pulled him forward into a hug. His chest felt so warm pressed against mine.
“I’m sorry, hyung.”
He rested his head on my shoulder. “It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for anything.”
“No, I do. I should’ve told you that Hyunwoo wanted me to come on this double date today. And I should’ve told him no.”
I felt him shake his head. “He’s your friend. I understand that it would’ve been difficult for you to tell him no.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that I came out here today even though I already have a boyfriend. I have you. I’m so sorry…”
Jisu Hyung sighed again, relaxing his entire body into my own. “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you, Hajun. Don’t worry. I was just a little surprised to see you, that’s all.”
I pulled away from our embrace and took a long look at him. His face really did show no signs of disappointment. I gave him another kiss. “I’m not going to keep things from you anymore, I promise.”
He nodded. “I won’t, either.”
We smiled at each other, and just for a moment, I felt safe. But then, I remembered my current situation.
Tilting my head to the door, I said, “I really can’t stay out there any longer. I want to spend the rest of the day with you. Do you think you can get off work early?”
“Yeah, I probably can. My mom’s been pushing me to go rest at home today as is, what with the exams having just ended. But will that really be okay with you? What about Hyunwoo?”
“Hyunwoo is having more than his fair share of fun already without me, I assure you. It’s settled, then.” I headed for the door. “I’ll leave first, and you can come out a little later not to raise any suspicion.”
“Alright.”
“See you soon, hyung.”
I walked out of the restroom and back to the table. I couldn’t hide my smile thinking of soon being free from this uncomfortable setting.
Hyunwoo noticed my much brighter expression. “Did something good happen in the restroom? What’s with you?”
If only he knew how right he was. I repressed my smile once I had the two seonbaes’ attention, too. With an apologetic look, I said, “I’m sorry, but I have to get going.”
“Now?” Hayun Seonbae said. “But the food hasn’t even come out yet.”
“I’m really sorry, seonbae. It’s a bit urgent.”
As I rushed for the door, Hyunwoo called out, “Hajun, message me later, then!”
“Okay,” I said and gave a bow to the seonbaes as goodbye.
Hayun Seonbae looked pretty disappointed to see me go. Though I did feel a bit guilty for just up and leaving like this, I didn’t want to give her any more of my attention. Once I was outside the building, I immediately sent a text to Jisu Hyung.
Your turn, hyung.
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