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“Would you like some of this?”
One of the filming staff held out a plate of fruit to Inseop. Inseop said thank you and took the plate. But he didn’t feel like eating.
“Mr. Inseop. What are you doing?Let’s go swimming.”
Lee Dayoung, who was swimming in the pool, waved her hand. It was her, not Lee Wooyeon, who stood at her door when he gathered the courage of his life and opened the door. ‘We’re going to have a party at the pool with the staff, so won’t you come?’ she asked Inseop. Today was the first and last night because the staff will return to the plane tomorrow afternoon. Lee Wooyeon and Choi Inseop would be the only two left in Hawaii. Since today was the last day, Lee Dayoung grabbed his arm and pulled him out to have a drink and talk.
If he hadn’t opened the door from the beginning, he would have pretended not to be there, but he met her just as he was getting ready to leave, so Inseop was dragged out.
He was just going to say hello to the people and go back to his room. He didn’t feel like partying with people he wasn’t close with.
“Come in quickly. If not today, when will we get to swim in Hawaii again.”
“I don’t like swimming.”
Inseop answered by pulling up the zipper of the jumper he was wearing. He didn’t feel well, so his body was trembling. But his answer was perfect to stimulate people’s playfulness.
One of the staff came up behind Inseop’s back and grabbed his shoulder.
“What are you doing… … !”
Before Inseop could finish speaking, his body was thrown into the pool. People laughed and liked it. Inseop could not control himself properly because of his hands and gulped down a mouthful of water. He coughed and came out to the other side of the pool and brushed his wet hair.
“It must be refreshing.”
Lee Dayoung, who was smiling and laughing, saw Inseop like that and threw a word.
“It’s not.”
When Inseop’s chill answer came back, Dayoung’s expression hardened. Inseop brushed off the water in his shoes, bowed his head to the people, and left the place. Lee Dayoung followed after him and called out, “Wait a minute.”
“I’m sorry. Mr Inseop. It was a little harsh.”
“… … .”
“I called you to change your mind and I’m really sorry for making you feel bad.”
He knew she was giving him a sincere apology. Inseob knew that his anger towards her was wrong.
“No. I am… it’s just that I’m not feeling well. I’m sorry I ruined the party atmosphere.”
“No. I’m sorry. I’ll bring you a towel.”
“I’ll just go straight to my room. Never mind.”
“Still… … .”
Lee Dayoung was in tears. Choi Inseop forced a smile and nodded his head saying it was okay.
“If Dayoung continues to do that to me, I’ll feel even more guilty. So go back. I will go up to my room and rest.”
“Are you really okay?”
“Yes. I’m fine.”
Inseop laughed. He couldn’t even remember the last time he laughed properly. He used muscles he hadn’t used in a long time, and his face cramped. He said goodbye to Lee Dayoung and walked out.
Actually, none of it was good. He fell into the pool with his clothes on, and his body trembled, and he felt as bad as the wet clothes stuck to his body. The hand held by Lee Wooyeon was also throbbing and it was painful. Most of all, he felt like a huge fool as he walked while dripping water.
“I’m so stupid… … . the biggest fool in the world.”
The road from the hotel pool to the lobby felt very far away. He thought that Lee Wooyeon had come to visit him and opened the door.
He saw a public phone booth while walking helplessly. When he put his hand in his pocket, he grabbed the coin he put in earlier. Inseop approached the phone as if possessed, inserted a coin, and dialed.
After a few beeps, a familiar voice was heard.
<Hello.>
“… … ”
The moment he heard his mother’s voice, a cry and a hot feeling rose in his throat.
<Hello? Who is this?>
<It’s me. Peter.>
<Peter? Peter, where are you? What is this number? Have you come back from Korea?>
<Yes. For a while, because of work…>
Even while he was talking, water dripped from his clothes and pooled on the floor. Inseop grabbed the hem of his shirt and squeezed the water out. That didn’t reduce his pitiful self, but he wanted to squeeze out as much water as possible.
<Then you should come home. Where are you?>
After a moment’s hesitation, Inseop answered, <Hawaii.>
<Don’t you want to see Mom? When are you coming? Everyone is waiting for you to come.>
<I will come. Soon.>
<How soon? You said you were coming last weekend, so everyone prepared and waited at home. Aunt Stacey was here, and so was Grandma.>
<After this week or so… …>
A hand reaching out from behind dropped the receiver. When Inseop turned around in surprise, Lee Wooyeon was standing there smiling.
“Where are you going?”
“… … .”
The voice that spoke with so much coldness broke the gentle air around him.
“Who said I would send you after this week?”
“… … After this week, isn’t the promise with Lee Wooyeon not over?”
“Right. It’s over. But no one knows if Inseop will return to the United States or if he will be imprisoned.”
Lee Wooyeon glanced at Inseop up and down.
“You seem to have enjoyed swimming at night.”
Embarrassed thinking about himself falling into the pool with his clothes on, Inseop could not even raise his head and grabbed the hem of his robe with his hands.
“I was drinking and I just came out.”
“… … .”
“The whole time I was drinking, I thought that Choi Inseop might be crying in the room, so the taste of alcohol was bad.”
“I didn’t cry.”
Inseop lied.
He wanted to pretend he was okay. He wanted to pretend to be okay in front of Lee Wooyeon, even though he looked like a fool who drowned in the pool, water dripping down from his wet clothes.
“I see. I was worried for no reason. Someone was having fun without me.”
Lee Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s hand. Inseop groaned and bent down. Lee Wooyeon pulled back his sleeve and checked Inseop’s left wrist. Twice as much as usual, the swollen wrist was a bluish, black color.
“Are you here to swim with this hand?”
Lee Wooyeon asked.
“When Dayoung called, did you want to go out with these hands?”
“… … . It was fine before.”
“Even if it was okay before, it looks like this now… …fuck. Really.”
Lee Wooyeon shook his head and swallowed swear words. Whatever the reason, he was the one who made Inseop’s wrist like this. Lee Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s hand and pulled him away.
“Let’s go to the hospital.”
“It’s fine. If I steam it, it will be fine.”
“If it’s swollen like this, it could be a crack in the bone.”
“It’s fine. I will figure it out.”
Choi Inseop hated Lee Wooyeon. He really hated Lee Wooyeon for hurting him but now expressing his concerns with kindness. He hated Lee Wooyeon because he was so moved by that single word that he hated himself for thinking like an idiot that this person might be really worried about him.
Choi Inseop shook off Lee Wooyeon’s hand. However, Lee Wooyeon persistently stood in the way of Inseop.
“Go to the hospital.”
“It’s fine.”
“Listen to me.”
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not okay.”
“It is. If I steam for a day… … .”
“I’m not okay.”
Lee Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s shoulder and said. Passers-by began to glance at the two of them. Although not as much as Korea, there were many Asians, so there were quite a few people who recognized Lee Wooyeon. Nevertheless, Lee Wooyeon did not let go of his hand holding Inseop.
“Why are you doing this? … .”
Inseop’s voice was choked. He couldn’t follow Lee Wooyeon’s heart. Unbelievably, Lee Wooyeon was sometimes kind to him. By the time he got used to that kindness and leaned on it without realizing it, he threw Inseop without mercy. Inseop wanted to be loved by this person, so he didn’t know what to do. When he hugged him, he suddenly wanted to give his heart away and he couldn’t stand it.
Inseop was more hurt by the fact that Lee Wooyeon injured him without blinking an eye than his swollen wrist. In the end, he could only become that kind of existence to Lee Wooyeon.
“I’m sorry. I love Lee Wooyeon, … … If you don’t like me and are trying to hurt me, then you don’t have to do it any more. ’Cause I’ve taken all the hurt I can take… .”
Inseop said in a weeping voice and pushed Lee Wooyeon away. Lee Wooyeon, who was watching him quietly, asked.
“Do you want to go home?”
“… … . … … .”
“Do you want to go home?”
Inseop nodded his head. Tears flowed down every time he moved his face, but it quickly filled up again, blurring his vision.
A verse from a book came to mind. It said, ‘If you love someone too much, you will get sick.’ Inseop’s heart ached. It seemed that the miraculously successful heart surgery would go in vain if it went this way.
Lee Wooyeon sighed and wiped Inseop’s tears. Inseop didn’t like his friendly touch, so he shook his head over and over again, trying to avoid his hand. After Lee Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s chin and made him unable to turn his head, he wiped Inseop’s tears with his palm.
“You can’t go.”
“… … .”
“Mr. Inseop. You can’t go. Anywhere. So, go on… … Make me like you.”
‘Make me like you.’
At the last words added like a sigh, Inseop choked. He lowered his head in despair, pain, and excitement like a drug that he was addicted to.