Kofi thanks to: dagoer
His ears were ringing at the roar.
“Why, because Tae Muwon likes you, he supports you, and that’s why you’re dining there, isn’t it?”
The other day as well, Hwang Ran had said something similar to Oh Jisam. It made some sense coming from Hwang Ran, who had seen Cheongyeon at a high-end restaurant, but he couldn’t understand why Oh Jisam was acting this way. Could it be because of the one time he went to the Canal Inn’s restaurant, a baseless rumor had spread? If so, it was utterly ridiculous. Honestly, Cheongyeon was poor, but this was an unfair judgment.
“Why are you even curious about that?”
Because of this, Cheongyeon’s tone became sharp.
“Wow, you’re baffling, seriously! See, you’re just like the rest.”
“So what are you talking about?”
“You turned away all the people who said they liked you, but in the end, you fell for looks too!”
“…”
Cheongyeon’s jaw dropped. Oh Jisam, whose face had turned red with anger, seemed like a volcano about to erupt lava. He even stamped his feet, spurring the volcanic eruption.
“You’re just another materialistic person!”
It was a remark that would have been misunderstood by anyone to mean that Oh Jisam had confessed to Cheongyeon.
“Hyung… I don’t even understand what you’re talking about. Calm down and let’s talk this through.”
“Don’t play dumb!”
“I’m not!”
Cheongyeon raised his voice, unusually. Oh Jisam hesitated. Cheongyeon looked at the other who was about to explode coldly, as if blowing an eternal frost. At least, that’s how Oh Jisam felt.
“You’re receiving support from Tae Muwon. I heard Tae Muwon beat up a server at the Canal Inn for ignoring you. And that’s not all, you know? Peira wasn’t surveilling you; they were protecting you! There was even a time when all of Peira gathered just for you!”
Cheongyeon tried to make sense of the flood of words. He had seen the server get knocked out, but to say it was because the server ignored Cheongyeon? That couldn’t be right. Surely, the server had done something to offend Tae Muwon.
“Hyung, about that server-”
“Tae Muwon trashed the restaurant over the steak you left behind, saying it was so badly made. What’s this denial!?”
The explanation was more agitated than calming.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The idea that Peira was protecting, not surveilling, Cheongyeon was laughable. Peira gathered not for Cheongyeon but because Tae Muwon’s subordinate fired a flare by mistake. However, Cheongyeon felt no need to explain any of this to Oh Jisam.
Lf rajgfv mbivis ja atf oewlcu Yt Alrjw.
“Snfc lo fnfgsatlcu sbe rjlv kjr agef, ktja vbfr la tjnf ab vb klat sbe? Qts jgf sbe rb jcugs klat wf?”
Yt Alrjw’r mtffxr agfwyifv klat lcvlucjalbc.
“P pera…!”
Jtfbcusfbc kjlafv mjiwis obg tlw ab mbcalcef.
“Dfmjerf P vlvc’a kjca sbe ab vb atf vlgas atlcu bo rfiilcu sbegrfio!”
“If I say I didn’t, would you believe me?”
Cheongyeon sat down and glared at Oh Jisam unblinkingly.
“Really?”
“Please leave. I have nothing more to say to you.”
Cheongyeon was boiling inside. Whether he sold his body or not was none of Oh Jisam’s business.
Cheongyeon had been grateful when Peira hinted at surveilling him. Although he was not as friendly as when he was young, he expected that they would be able to live with some degree of friendliness in the future.
But now, Oh Jisam reminded Cheongyeon of the hardware store owner who followed their nanny around. He would come to the flower shop every day, shouting about how the nanny flirted with other men. He was someone who policed the nanny even though he had no relationship with her.. Even if there had been a relationship, such an uproar was wrong. Oh Jisam was no different from the hardware store owner.
The hardware store owner… in truth, it was almost like Cheongyeon had killed him, but he had no regrets, not in the past and not now.
“Everyone in Cheonghwa Town thinks you’re Tae Muwon’s lover. Just be aware of that. You don’t even have friends to share such news.”
“I would have been better off not hearing it.”
Cheongyeon stood up. Oh Jisam noticed the bruise on the temple and widened his eyes.
“But why is it, did Tae Muwon…?”
“Hyung, please, just leave. I’m already struggling without any customers; if you keep this up, it’ll get even harder to make a living.”
Cheongyeon drew a firm line. Oh Jisam clenched his fist.
“Fucking hell, I worry and take care of you, and this is how I’m treated! Don’t regret it later, huh? How long do you think Tae Muwon will be interested in you? I know you’re damn pretty that you turn heads, I know, so I treated you well when we were young, didn’t I? Then do you know why we almost become like strangers?”
“Seriously, stop, I get it, so stop it.”
Yet, he didn’t stop. Cheongyeon couldn’t silence the loudly shouting Oh Jisam. The shop door was open, so the sound spread outside.
Cheongyeon wondered if he should close the door now. Just when he anxiously looked towards the door, he saw Muwon standing at the entrance, smiling.
“You will also get tired of seeing the same thing over and over. Ha! A lover?! How long do you think Tae Muwon will last!”
“Really? I’m not tired yet.”
He was wearing a suit jacket with a much more flamboyant rose pattern than usual. However, his appearance caught the eye more than his clothes. His hair was a bit neater than before, as if he had arranged it, yet casually disheveled, embodying his rebellious nature. Even his hair seemed to perfectly reflect his personality.
“Hyung, just go. Please.”
Upon noticing Muwon, Oh Jisam instantly turned from a volcano into a stone statue. Cheongyeon strained his voice at Oh Jisam and then looked at Muwon.
“If Muwon-nim… is here to buy medicine, then please just buy the medicine.”
Tae Muwon stepped in boldly. Now that Cheongyeon noticed, he was carrying a wooden box at his side.
“My lover says so, so fuck, should I just let it go?”
Slam, he placed the box he was carrying on the counter.
“But I’m not here to buy medicine.”
Surprisingly, the box contained lobsters.
“I’m going to enjoy eating lobster with my lover, so go, you bastard.”
Snap, he mimed biting as if to emphasize his point. Oh Jisam, who had been breathing heavily as if he’d lost the air to breathe, quickly swallowed his breath and rushed out of the apothecary. Cheongyeon sighed deeply as Oh Jisam disappeared in a hurry. The rumor that Cheongyeon was receiving support from Tae Muwon had spread widely in Cheonghwa Town…
“Did you know?”
“Yeah, could you tell just by the smell?”
“But why don’t you correct it?”
“Correct what?” Muwon took a deep breath as if smelling the apothecary shop’s scent again. His chest, nestled inside the rose suit, swelled significantly. Cheongyeon had touched his chest before; it was incredibly firm. He shook off the lingering sensation, chiding themselves for such thoughts.
“Isn’t it my tonic?”
Cheongyeon finally understood what he meant.
“Maybe brew some more herbal medicine or something.”
He had come for the medicine. Cheongyeon was shocked.
Normally, he wouldn’t brew medicinal tonic unless a customer requested it, but this time, he had unconsciously started the process. Could it be… he had kept Muwon’s words in mind? Preparing the medicine for him, not knowing if he had left on the Peira ship or when he might return?
“…This is for another customer, not for Muwon-nim.”
Cheongyeon quickly lied. Saying it was Muwon’s medicine would seem like he was waiting for him.
“So, the business not doing well was all a lie, huh?”
Business wasn’t booming, but Cheongyeon didn’t deny it and changed the subject.
“Anyway, what is this?”
“Lobsters, ten of them.”
He mimed with his right hand as if pinching. As if anyone wouldn’t know…
“I mean, why did you bring this?”
“Some fucker paid 700 hwan and left.”
Indeed, at the canal restaurant, after indulging in lobsters and shrimp, he had left 700 hwan on the table.
“And what about that?”
He had simply paid for what he consumed.
“That day, the boss paid.”
“Out of apology and to offer a meal and drink, would that be alright?”
Cheongyeon remembered the words about the boss treating them. So, was this his way of making up for it? It was a thoughtful gesture for someone trying to settle the account precisely. Cheongyeon felt strangely about the unexpected behavior of the normally reckless Muwon. Had Tae Muwon not mentioned it, Cheongyeon would have remained unaware.
“Just give me the money.”
Cheongyeon deliberately sounded indifferent. He didn’t want to reassess their opinion of Muwon. Cheongyeon wasn’t sure why he was looking for the Hwa clan, but it surely wasn’t for a good reason. He couldn’t let his guard down; he was Tae Muwon of Peira, after all.
“Wow, greedy for food and money, only lacking in lust?”
“Thank you, I will eat well.”
“Good at blocking bullshit too.”
Seems he knew his own words were bullshit. Cheongyeon unwittingly pursed his lips, barely holding back a smile.
Pr: Sasa
aaawww,he’s slowly falling 🤗
I just love their dynamic so much