In the memory of a long time ago, a man was smiling affectionately under a plum tree in full bloom.
‘Gyeom-ah, what do you think fate is?’
How did he answer that broad question? Given that he couldn’t remember, he must have given a nonsensical answer. The man pointed his finger at the ground. The red petals that had fallen from the plum tree were embroidered here and there, like drops of blood, on the dirt floor the man pointed out.
‘Look at this. At first glance, it looks like it fell randomly, but in fact it fell precisely in its place. This is what fate is. Even the trivial event of a petal falling to the ground is the result of fate.’
The boy, who had been alone since birth, had to constantly prove to himself why his man chose him. Why did he take me? Because I’m a strong gwijae? Why did it have to be me? Because he was smart and clever? What would have happened if I hadn’t been a gwijae and not smart and clever. Still, would he have kept me by his side?
‘Even a single petal finds its place and falls.’
To such a boy, the man’s words were a huge gift and comfort.
He said that even a brush of a collar was fate. And he was the one who took off the robe he was wearing and put them around his shoulders. It felt like the warmth of his clothes wrapped around his frozen body. The boy who recalled that sensation thought vaguely. Fate was a warm thing.
The man who was his mentor, parent, and the only friend who taught him a lot. About humans, spirits, and this world. The boy was no longer alone. Young Jaegyeom looked down at the dirt floor for a while with his head down, pretending to watch the fallen petals. Their meeting was predestined from the beginning, like petals falling. His heart was pounding and he felt like he was going to cry.
It was like that but,
‘Betrayer.’
He didn’t know it then. The fact that fate was a word that includes ‘ill-fated relationships’.
The man cursed Jaegyeom.
***
Left alone, Jaegyeom felt pain at the sight of a small stone or even a petal. There were days he madly wanted to die, and days he madly wanted to live. He hated him now that he was not by his side, and he missed him bitterly. The disorienting rage and hatred slowly ate away at Jaegyeom over the years.
In this way, Jaegyeom passed countless seasons.
After the one hundred and seventh autumn, Jaegyeom stopped counting the seasons that had passed. When he came to his senses, the flowers were blooming, and as soon as the flowers withered, snow piled up before he knew it. Everything was alive and changing, but only Jaegyeom had stopped somewhere between a boy and a young man. The unchangingly beautiful and strong boy watched the passing scenery every day with an insensitive gaze.
In the meantime, many beings passed Jaegyeom’s side. Jaegyeom always remained where he was, repeating the cycle of meeting and parting countless times. If this cursed body that cannot grow old has been given any fate, it might be a bad one. Just like the first and only relationship once. As a natural result, Jaegyeom was reluctant to make connections with humans.
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.
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Buried in his lethargy, the boy closed the door to his heart and spent a long time confined to a corner of his room.
At that, Jeongju felt a pain in his heart that he couldn’t bear to show. To Jeongju, Jaegyeom was a lifelong benefactor and precious friend. He was grateful that he was alive like that, but he couldn’t help being greedy. Like sometime in the past, he wanted to see him smiling brightly under the dazzling sky once more…
‘Jaegyeom-ah.’
Not that kind of figure peering into a game console under a cramped roof.
‘Is it that fun?’
Pop. Pyong. Pop…
Jeongju’s low question was drowned out by the loud sound coming from the game console. Jaegyeom was listening and shaking the game console. Jeongju sighed as he looked at the back of his head, absorbed in his game. At that time, the calm Jaegyeom suddenly started slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand.
‘Ah, I could have broken it!’
Jaegyeom glared at Jeongju with a bloody gaze.
‘Fuck… I died because you talked to me.’
If you die, it’s my fault… Jeongju silently averted his eyes and picked up the remote control. He didn’t have the strength to argue, and he thought about watching TV. On TV, a daily drama that was trendy was airing in full swing. Who turned it on? Jeongju muttered to himself and was about to change the channel. Jaegyeom, who straightened his posture again and fixed his game console, glanced sideways at Jeongju.
‘Don’t change the channel.’
‘You’re not watching TV because you’re playing games.’
‘But I am watching?’
‘Liar. What is it about?’
‘That man, in order to inherit the property, faked his identity and became a son-in-law to a rich family, but the woman noticed something was strange and hired someone. It’s an important scene, so don’t turn it off.’
Jaegyeom, who was narrating the plot like a rapid-fire gun, snatched the remote control from Jeongju’s hand. He turned up the volume on the TV three or four levels. Jaegyeom was performing an uncanny feat, fiddling with the game console and glancing at the daily drama at the same time.
‘…’
In the end, Jeongju sighed bitterly.
When Jaegyeom snooped around the TV for the first time, it had been a welcome sight. Jeongju was happy that the guy who had been bedridden for so many years had found some kind of joy, and he was relieved to think that he had finally regained his vitality. He also had the expectation that he might regain a lively daily life. However, Jeongju’s expectations were not met, and the situation went in a very wrong direction.
Jeongju was very interested in modern human civilization. As interested as he was, he was able to adapt quickly. A television, a microwave oven, they were brought in for Jeongju himself to use initially. However, while Jeongju got a separate residence in Seoul to prepare for his debut in the entertainment world, all his belongings in his country house naturally passed into Jaegyeom’s hands.
Maybe it was because he was stuck being a boy forever, but Jaegyeom unexpectedly had the same absorbent power as a sponge. TV, radio, game console, refrigerator… No matter how unfamiliar it was, if you tell him how to operate it, he would say, ‘I’m not interested in it, it’s difficult, it’s annoying’. Just like that, the strong and beautiful boy became a perfect hikikomori…
Jeongju, who had a lively personality, couldn’t leave such a Jaegyeom alone.
‘Jaegyeom. They say cafes are all the rage outside. Would you like to go to a cafe?’
‘No. Can’t be bothered.’
‘Jaegyeom-ah, you like the National Singing Contest. Do you want to go on it too?’
‘Why would I do that? Are you crazy?’
‘Jaegyeom, would you like to open a flower shop? Mesani is good with flowers.’
‘Nonsense.’
There have been countless attempts to bring homebody Kim Jaegyeom out. It all ended in failure…
However, there was no tree that could not be felled by taking ten shots, and Jeongju did not give up easily.
[Yeah, you’re right. It’s all lies.]
[You… how…]
[Everything I said about loving you is a lie. Are you happy now?]
‘A bastard like that should be fucking killed. What wrong did that woman commit?’
While waiting for the new episode to start, Jaegyeom frowned fiercely while watching the drama.
‘If you’re going to do it, why don’t you just do one thing at a time? If you’re going to watch TV, sit here and watch it with me.’
Jeongju, who was sitting on the sofa, tapped on the seat next to her, but Jaegyeom didn’t listen. This time, it seemed that he was immersed in the game. Jaegyeom sat with his back straight on the sofa. Jaegyeom always sat on the hard floor, leaving behind the expensive and good sofa that Jeongju had airlifted. He was quick to adapt to new things, but was stubborn in the wrong places.
Inside the TV screen, a couple of men and women were arguing. Jeongju watched the couple fight in clear quality with bored eyes. The content was obvious and childish. What the hell was so interesting about that? Jeongju couldn’t understand Jaegyeom’s taste. Then the scene changed and students in school uniforms appeared on the screen. They were the same age as Jaegyeom, who stopped growing since a long time ago.
Jeongju asked indifferently, half-lying on the sofa.
‘Jaegyeom, how about going to school? If you were born in the modern world, you would have been in high school by now. Aren’t you curious about how ordinary people your age are doing?’
Jaegyeom, as usual, refused without hesitation.
‘Don’t be like that, just go for three months. I’ll grant you one wish.’
Jeongju added a condition without much expectation.
‘…’
But for some reason, Jaegyeom couldn’t refuse. Jeongju widened his eyes. Oh? A guy who would normally refuse was quiet for some reason. He only attached one condition, saying that he would grant his wish, but it was a tempted look. Jeongju knew Jaegyeom’s personality well, so he never asked anything more than twice. But, maybe this time…
His intuition as a fox sparked, as when he was examining the gaps in his prey.
‘Then make it one month instead of three! Let’s go for a month!’
Whatever, Jeongju took advantage of Jaegyeom’s hesitation and made a hot decision. After thinking about it for a long time, Jaegyeom nodded, and the deal was finally concluded.
Jeongju made a fuss about him and repeatedly asked if he was serious. Jaegyeom pushed Jeongju away and picked up the game console again with a nonchalant face. A wish that came to mind in a moment lingered in his mind.
‘Keep your promise. I’ll tell you my wish then.’
T/N: A little tidbit (✿◠_◠) Jaegyeom may seem prickly but he’s actually very innocent and soft… ><
Thank you for the update translator ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for the chapter! 💗💗💗
So he’s the boy in the first chapter then I wonder what did that man do to betray him? Was he cursed to live for eternity? Stopping his time in his youth..
💗💗💗
Jeongju seems like a sweet guy! Hope we see more of him and his debut in Showbiz lol