Pr: K
The atmosphere gradually became more relaxed.
The team members were casually enjoying drinks and lively conversations while Jaegyeom sat like a folding screen without participating in the conversation. Nevertheless, the team members showed warm interest in him. He seemed to want to break the awkwardness by occasionally asking trivial questions and telling jokes. Everyone on the team took great care of Jaegyeom.
When the meat was cooked, they were the first to put it on his plate, and when he reached for a side dish that was far away, the others pushed the plate closer. As it was a meeting ceremony for new recruits, the main character of the event today was definitely Jaegyeom.
However, Jaegyeom felt awkward and embarrassed by the friendly attitude of his teammates, so he deliberately focused only on eating. In a friendly atmosphere, Jaegyeom ate meat quietly and very intently. He ate a generous amount of wrapped perilla leaf, dipped it in oil and ate it, and drank some refreshing drinks.
By this time, he was full. There was no room for more. Jaekyeom put down his chopsticks, feeling quite satisfied. Exhaling, he straightened his waist. Suddenly, his gaze shifted diagonally. However, the seat where Yoon Taehee should have been sitting was completely empty.
What, where did he go? He was there just a little while ago.
He was so absorbed in eating that he didn’t notice that he was gone. He turned his head here and there to look around, but Yoon Taehee was nowhere to be seen. Before he knew it, the inside of the store was empty as some customers had left as the night got later.
“Jaegyeom, what’s wrong? Should I order something else for you?”
Jaegyeom shook his head in response to Kang Yibin’s question.
“Nope, the Chief…”
“Ah, where did the Chief go?”
Even though he didn’t say anything, Kang Yibin realized Jaegyeom’s intention.
“He went outside for a moment to answer a phone call.”
“Now that I think about it, you’re a little late…”
Pyo Jiho stretched out his upper body and looked outside.
“You didn’t get a call from the main office, right?”
As Kang Yibin tilted her head, Pyo Jiho made a serious face.
“No way! It can’t be! Then who’s gonna pay the bill!”
Pyo Jiho put his hand on Jaegyeom’s shoulder and said, “Youngest, check if the Chief is outside.” He spoke in a solemn voice. Jaegyeom, who had been sitting quietly, stood up awkwardly.
Jaegyeom opened the store door and stepped outside. After being in front of the fire the whole time, the outside air felt refreshingly cool as he took a deep breath. He scanned the alley but could only see heavily intoxicated office workers trudging by, drunkenly singing and supporting each other, while Yoon Taehee was nowhere to be seen. Wondering where he suddenly disappeared off to, Jaegyeom scratched his head.
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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“Lfs.”
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“Oh, who might this be…”
After a while, Yoon Taehee slowly opened his mouth. His speaking tone was strangely more languid than usual. Jaegyeom stared back at the other man blankly, wondering why he was like that. Yoon Taehee, wearing only a white shirt and no jacket, sat loosely with his arms draped across his knees.
“What, are you drunk?”
Just when Jaegyeom wanted to take a step closer, Yoon Taehee interjected, “Do not come.”
“Why?” When Jaegyeom paused and asked, Yoon Taehee tilted his head crookedly.
“I just put out my cigarette.”
It meant not to come because of the smell. It didn’t really matter. After standing still for a moment, Jaegyeom walked up to him. Yoon Taehee didn’t say anything. Instead, his eyes followed him persistently. He soon squatted down beside him.
“Why did you come out?”
In response to Yoon Taehee’s question, Jaegyeom looked up at the black night sky.
“…Because it’s hot.”
Jaegyeom thought about telling the truth, saying, “Pyo Jibak or Pyo Jipan or whatever his name was was worried that you might have gotten away with not paying the bill,” but he just made up an excuse. To be fair, it wasn’t necessarily a lie. The inside of the store was full of subtle heat and it was quite stuffy.
“Why are you like this?”
Jaegyeom, who was pulling the knot of his tie, slowly turned his head and asked.
“…”
Yoon Taehee rested his cheek on his draped arm, his eyes fixed on Jaegyeom.
“Do you usually eat that well?”
“What?”
“You were eating so deliciously….”
Yoon Taehee did not answer the question and kept mumbling something else.
What, is he really drunk? Jaegyeom, with a doubtful and suspicious glance, observed him silently. For a drunk person, he seems to have clear pronunciation and good posture… But there was a subtle difference from his usual self.
“Well, it was delicious.”
Yoon Taehee laughed at the belated response, making a dimple in one of his cheeks. Jaegyeom, who had his head down fiddling with his shoelaces, spoke in passing.
“You don’t seem to eat much.”
“Is it? I ate a lot too.”
Jaegyeom raised his head with a serious expression.
“Is that so? Is your stomach naturally small?”
Stomach… Yoon Taehee buried his forehead in his arm and laughed.
“How can you use your strength by eating like that?”
“Our Bride is worried about me again.”
“…”
Jaegyeom rolled his eyes fiercely. This bullshit again… Even if he gave in and assumed it was true on-site, he was not even wearing a mask, so there was no reason to be called a bride.
“I told you not to call me that.”
When Jaegyeom harshly rebuked, Yoon Taehee placed his chin on his arm.
“Why? I like saying ‘Bride’.”
“If you like it that much, just do it yourself. Change your mask.”
Jaegyeom frowned and shot back.
“No way… You are the Bride, and I am Imae.”
Yoon Taehee seemed to be smiling, but then shook his head.
“Did you know? Imae is the scholar’s servant.”
In the masked performance, Imae played the role of a servant to a proud and arrogant scholar. He was slow and always smiling, but he was also not insignificant. Imae was a character whose behavior was naive and foolish, and who always ended up being bullied by others.
“He is not a commoner in terms of social status, but a good-natured person. If he wants to, he can leave the scholar’s side and live freely. However… Imae never seems to consider leaving. People laugh at Imae, calling him foolish and childish, but he just goes around smiling as though everything is good.”
Jaegyeom suddenly raised his eyebrows, wondering what was going on. It seemed that Yoon Taehee was indeed drunk. The atmosphere felt much quieter and more subdued than usual.
By the way, if Imae was such an insignificant and unimpressive character, why did Yoon Taehee insist on wearing the Imae mask? He chose a precious Bridal mask for Jaegyeom…
“But I think I know why he did that… ”
Yoon Taehee suddenly opened his mouth as if he had read Jaegyeom’s mind. Having buried his face in his arms, he tilted his head to one side and looked at Jaegyeom. His bangs fell loosely around his eyes. Through his slightly curly hair, Jaegyeom could see his cold eyes that resembled the cool night air.
Why didn’t he leave the scholar’s side?
“Actually, isn’t everyone being deceived by Imae?”
Yoon Taehee whispered in a low voice.
“Imae wants to take revenge on the scholar.”
Imae was waiting for a chance to kill the scholar with his own hands. He deliberately pretended to be an idiot and he was fooling everyone. The arrogant and noble scholar would not even know in his dreams that his secret weapon was hidden in the arms of Imae.
“What is foolish and ignorant are people who believe in the smiling face of Imae.”
Jaegyeom, who was listening attentively, looked at Yoon Taehee with a puzzled expression. Although he was clearly talking about masks, words with Yoon Taehee were somehow meaningful. Yoon Taehee interpreted the Imae from a new perspective. Although he sounded plausible at first glance, Jaegyeom had the illusion that he was talking about himself.
Reflecting on the story carefully, Jaegyeom suddenly asked a question.
“So what happens after he gets revenge on the scholar? What happens next?”
“Well. I haven’t thought about that. What will happen…”
With a soft laugh, Yoon Taehee gently ran his fingers through his hair and rested his cheek against the arm that was casually draped over him.
“…”
After being silent for a while, his face deep in thought, he muttered quietly.
“Should I run away with the Bride…?”
Their gazes were precisely aligned. Only then did Jaegyeom become certain. It was true that Yoon Taehee was drunk. While quietly looking at Jaegyeom’s face, the man slowly closed his eyes at some point.
Jaegyeom watched the sight of the other person quietly sink into tranquility.
The sky was dark, the night air was chilling, and the wind seemed to be blowing from somewhere. It seemed like Yoon Taehee’s lingering scent was faintly mixed in the wind. His bangs fell lonely over his straight forehead. Jaegyeom stretched out his hand without realizing it. He hesitated and stroked Yoon Taehee’s head once. It was rich and soft, just as he had expected. Yoon Taehee did not open his eyes.
The night in the city deepened.
Yes definitely, Yoon Taehee you should definitely run away with the bride in you arms- 😌🙌
Thank you!
I like the atmosphere! <3
For some reason while reading I thought about Taehees Ghostbros. I want them to become friends with Jaegyom lol
Thank you!