Was his hypertension acting up because he didnât like being hugged?
Sure, it was strange to be hugged by a fellow man. I was thinking of letting go, but then someone grabbed my waist and pulled me away and towards them. I could only assume the solid sensation against my back that was accompanied by a refreshing scent was someoneâs body.
âWhat are you two doing?â
It was Kwon Jae Hyuk. He smiled while he had his chin resting on the top of my head. I didnât know because I couldnât see his face, but he seemed to be in a good mood.
Whatâs wrong with him?
Jung Yi Joon was angry about something else, he didnât look so good. Since he was angry all the time, it was natural that heâd get high blood pressure. And at such a young age⊠Iâm so sorry for him.
âHe wants to go out.â
âOut? Like, âoutsideâ?â
With Jung Yi Joonâs answer, Kwon Jae Hyukâs voice lowered. I was getting a very bad feeling, he could prohibit me from going out.
No, but come to think of it, am I not in a higher position here? So what if they ground me?
If I want to go somewhere, shouldnât they say, âIâll take you!â and get ready before they judge if Iâm acting like myself?
In my anger, I made a sullen expression. But rather than empathize with me, Jung Yi Joon was just further provoked. Isnât this a rebellion? Is this okay?
âHmm⊠do you need to go out?â Kwon Jae Hyuk asked me.
âUh?â
Noticing that he hadnât said no right away, I had hope.
Ignoring Jung Yi Joon, who stared at me with a look of betrayal, I clung to Kwon Jae Hyuk.
âYes, Hyung. I-I want to go outâŠâ
I clasped my hands together with a wretched expression on my face to make me look as pitiful and compassionate as possible. Jung Yi Joon, who was complaining as if he was surprised, was still being ignored.
âIf Yoon Jae wants to go, he just should.â
Kwon Jae Hyuk gave a satisfactory answer.
âŠItâs funny that Iâd need to get permission, but it was better than him telling me no outright.
âGo with me instead.â
âEh?â
âHuh, really, what nonsense is this?â
âWhat are you talking about? Youâll need a car to get out of here. Yoon Jae canât drive.â
Ah⊠Come to think of it, I was still sixteen. Before I possessed this body, I had a car and could drive, so I thought Iâd drive myselfâŠ
But isnât Kwon Jae Hyuk a minor too?
âDo you have a driverâs license?â To my question, Kwon Jae Hyuk chuckled.
âI got it right after my birthday when I turned nineteen.â
âSo, how long ago did you get your licenseâŠ?â
Kwon Jae Hyukâs smile widened. He once again answered my question as my pupils shook in anxiety.
âItâs been, what? Three months?â
Haha, Kwon Jae Hyukâs fresh smile was like that of the Grim Reaper.
âŠSave me.
* * *
Unexpectedly, Kwon Jae Hyuk was a good driver even though he said he had only passed the test three months ago.
For some reason, Jung Yi Joon said that he âcouldnât let the two of us go alone,â so Kwon Jae Hyuk drove and Jung Yi Joon sat in the back seat.
Jung Yi Joon kept murmuring and complaining as if he was in a bad mood even though heâd followed me because he wanted to, not because I asked him to.
âFuckâŠâ
Whatâs with his attitudeâŠ?
I donât know what there is heâs not happy with. As I was clicking my tongue, Jung Yi Joon suddenly turned his head and looked at me.
I almost bit my tongue in surprise, but Jung Yi Joon gave me a determined smirk.
âIâll get my license after my nineteenth birthday, too!â
ââŠGo ahead.â
âIâm going to buy a better car than this!â
ââŠSure thing.â
Whoâs stopping you? I donât even know why youâre talking to me.
Kwon Jae Hyuk, who was driving, heard our conversation and laughed. Jung Yi Joon turned his eyes back to Kwon Jae Hyuk, staring at him.
âDonât laugh!â
Bang! A foul-tempered guy who couldnât stand some teasing kicked Kwon Jae Hyukâs seat with his foot.
I had no choice but to stop him.
âDonât do that!â
Right now, your life and mine are entrusted to the person driving!
As I tried desperately to stop him, he once again turned his gaze to me to see what he was mistaken about.
âAre you taking his side?â
âWhat are you talking aboutâŠ?â
There is only one âsideâ in this world, and Iâm the only one on it, so what is he talking about? If I could, Iâd like to throw both you and Kwon Jae Hyuk out of the window and disappear from this world, but I mostly hoped he would stop talking nonsense.
âYoon Jae, where do you want to go?â Kwon Jae Hyuk asked.
Weâd just left the mansion and were driving without a destination. At that moment, I was going to say that any place would have been fine. I felt comfortable just being away from the house.
AhâŠ
The view outside the window was familiar. It was the neighborhood where I had worked part-time. My heart suddenly started beating. There was no difference between the neighborhood in my memory and Ki Yoon Jaeâs neighborhood in the present.
I wonder if it -is- here?
My former residency was so small that itâs embarrassing to compare it to Ki Yoon Jaeâs house, but it was the house where I would lie down and rest.
I thought there would be no way it was actually there, but I couldnât stop the small hope rising from the corner of my heart.
â237-1 Gaun-dongâŠâ
As I told him my former address, Kwon Jae Hyuk typed it into the GPS system without asking where it would lead.
The navigation system began to cheerfully guide us with, as Kwon Jae Hyuk turned the wheel according to the navigation instructions.
The closer we got, the height of the tall glass buildings sunk as the old buildings rose higher. Jung Yi Joonâs expression changed along with the scenery.
Thereâs no way Ki Yoon Jae would know a place like thisâŠ
Ki Yoon Jae, who grew up only looking at high quality, expensive things, could not have known about this so-called shanty town. I wondered what my response would be when asked how I knew about such a place, but neither Kwon Jae Hyuk nor Jung Yi Joon asked.
âHere⊠Cars wonât be able to enter from hereâŠâ
Kwon Jae Hyuk turned around with a troubled face. The alley to reach their desired destination was steep and too narrow for a car to enter.
âThen, drop me off here.â
âWell, Iâll park in the public parking lot down there then. Wait here with Jung Yi Joon.â
âOkay.â
Even though I answered, Kwon Jae Hyuk also said something to Jung Yi Joon as if he wasnât relieved.
âJung Yi Joon, keep Yoon Jae safe.â
âFuck, who are you to commands me what to do?â
Jung Yi Joon kicked Kwon Jae Hyukâs seat again, spewing out more abusive language. Jung Yi Joon also pulled my arm as I stared at the spectacle he was making out of himself.
âHey, get off.â He said.
I was stunned by Jung Yi Joon, who demanded that I not command him, but was the one ordering me around. Kwon Jae Hyuk drove away without making a noise, assuming that heâd agreed. Standing at the spot where I got off, the cold air swept across my cheeks.
Come to think of it, itâs winterâŠ
Normally, Iâd have been busy preparing briquettes as kindling around this time of year⊠There was no need to prepare for such a thing while I lived in the mansion, it was always so pleasant⊠but Iâd forgotten about it.
I must have already adjusted well to Ki Yoon Jaeâs life, even though I have not been in this body for a long time. My mouth tasted bitter.
âHey, dâya know youâre really strange?â
âWhat?â
âEverything youâve been doing lately. How do you know about places like this?â
Jung Yi Joon looked at me with a sullen face. He was curious, but I kept my mouth closed. It was too hard to explain.
When I refused to answer him, Jung Yi Joon turned his head and clicked his tongue. There was a prickly air hovering between us.
I couldnât stand the awkward atmosphere and opened my mouth.
âI want to eat some ice cream.â
âHuh?â
Jung Yi Joon looked back at me, wondering if I was in my right mind. Well, we were in the middle of winter after all.
Just standing here made me feel cold enough, but ice cream? Normally, I would act like Jung Yi Joon, but unfortunately I couldnât because I was the one whoâd made the remark. Instead, I spoke confidently.
âA Melona one.â
""
ââŠâ
âHurry up and buy it.â
I reached out my hand and pointed to the corner shop down the hill. Jung Yi Joon alternated his gaze between me and the corner shop, clicking his tongue when I urged him to âHurry up,â once more.
âIâll buy it, so you stay here. Okay?â
âOkay.â
âHaa⊠fuck. Heâs never eaten it, how does he know about Melona?â
Jung Yi Joon grumbled and went down the hill. What the hell is he thinking of me?
He must have never eaten Melona beforeâŠ
Iâm assuming that Ki Yoon Jae had definitely eaten Melona when he was younger. But Iâve only known him as a young adult, and as I followed him in the novel, I noticed I hadnât seen him snack much.
Ki Yoon Jae seemed like someone who should eat Yubari Melon Sherbet rather than Melona. Heâs literally a young master who grew up nicely.
Because of Jung Yi Joonâs absence, I could look around and see an alleyway up in my view. I chuckled.
Go up here and turn rightâŠ
Turn left once, turn right once again, then go straight. Enter the alley next to the blue gate and find the third house with a green roof. That was where I lived.