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“Senior, what are you so curious about?”
Unlike when she was with Jinhan, Bomi was usually cynical like this. I-young, who had known this as her original image, stretched his lips into a thin line.
“It’s just surprising that you’re using ‘Oppa’.”
“He’s the son of my mom’s friend. I’ve known him since I was little.”
“Even so, what’s with the hearts in your eyes?”
“Oh, seriously! What hearts?”
Bomi, annoyed, bristled. Regardless, I-young’s tone remained flat.
“You were practically melting in front of that guy, weren’t you?”
“I told you, I’ve known him since I was a kid. He’s seven years older than me.”
“He’s an old man. He’s ancient.”
Bomi’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Unable to take it anymore, Bomi pushed I-young out beyond the partition.
“If we finish by this weekend, we’re done, right?”
“There will probably be revisions.”
“I only agreed to do the main work, so you’ll handle the rest, Senior.”
Bomi only wanted to finish her work quickly and rest. Nothing else mattered as much as her date with Jinhan. Just imagining it made her heart flutter, but I-young kept bothering her, making her shut up.
That night, Bomi went home and slept. She woke up early the next day, thinking Jinhan might suddenly appear. She arrived at the studio first and immediately aired it out. As people started to arrive at the studio one by one, a man in casual clothes entered. His striking presence brightened the dim interior of the studio. In a flash of doubt, the man approached, and it was indeed Jinhan.
“Oppa Jinhan!”
“I bought coffee. And this is a sandwich.”
“Thank you.”
“Keep up the good work today.”
“Wait a minute!”
“Why?”
“Let’s have coffee together...”
Jinhan, who had turned to leave, came back to Bomi. He bent his head to her height and whispered softly.
“Come to my place on your day off.”
“...”
“Because I can’t go out freely due to my father’s situation.”
“Ah!”
“I’m going now.”
Bomi’s face turned beet red, lost in the fantasies that had preceded Jinhan’s words. He was so cool as he turned and lightly waved his hand. Currently, Bomi’s mind was a complete flower garden. Just as she was lost in thought, I-young suddenly started complaining.
“Ugh, what’s wrong with this coffee?”
“Why are you drinking that, Senior!”
“Didn’t your ‘Oppa’ give it for everyone to drink?”
“No!”
Bomi snatched the takeout coffee from I-young’s hand. I-young had carelessly drunk the coffee Jinhan bought, ruining her morning.
“Senior, mind your own business.”
“Don’t let outsiders keep coming into the studio.”
“They’re my guests.”
“Don’t you know the rules here?”
“I’m the one who rented the studio in my name!”
I-young, usually playful and kind, became strict whenever Jinhan visited. Bomi clenched her fists, annoyed by the nagging that even her father didn’t do.
“Last time, all your friends came over and made a lot of noise, too.”
“Wait! Are you wearing lipstick?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“She keeps doing things she doesn’t normally do. It’s weird, wipe it off.”
I-young pulled out a tissue and tried to wipe off the lipstick on Bomi’s lips. Just then, a message came in on Bomi’s phone. It was Jinhan.
[Your lip color looked pretty today.]
Bomi’s heart thumped! She immediately snatched the wet wipe from I-young’s hand and threw it in the trash.
“You said you were busy? Go back to your seat.”
“Do you like that old man?”
“Are you going to keep talking like that?”
“He looks like an office worker. He doesn’t suit you.”
Their voices had gradually risen. Other people sharing the studio looked on in surprise at their argument. Bomi had no choice but to drag I-young up to the rooftop.
“Senior, are you going to keep doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Why are you picking a fight about everything?”
“Because you’re doing things you don’t normally do.”
“It’s my private life! It’s none of your business.”
“You haven’t answered my question yet. I asked if you liked that person who came this morning.”
“Why are you asking that?”
“Answer me.”
I-young had been acting so strange yesterday and today. Girls from his university class, juniors and seniors alike, were all desperate to get close to him day and night. Recently, even women he knew as clients showed the same symptoms. Bomi was used to I-young’s behavior. As always, he never accepted any advances from women who liked him, no matter how much they pursued him. She didn’t know why. She just thought I-young wasn’t interested in dating. But suddenly, he was picking a fight about Bomi’s love life. It was maddening.
“Yes, I like Oppa Jinhan.”
“What?”
“I’ve liked him for a long time. Since high school, actually, it’s been a crush.”
“Hah!”
“I begged my mom and went on a blind date recently, and it seems to be going well. Are you satisfied now?”
I-young took a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth, then crushed it. His face flushed as if he were angry. Bomi tensed up at I-young’s expression and the intimidating atmosphere she had never seen before.
“Are you stupid?”
“What did you say?”
“You’ve had a crush for years, and you think it’ll work out overnight just because you went on a blind date?”
“Why do you keep saying mean things?”
I-young ran a hand through his hair. His efforts to regain his composure were clear to see.
“If you say that, what does that make me?”
“...”
“Why can’t you see me, who’s been looking at your back for years?”
“Senior!”
“Like a stupid fool, I didn’t even know you were thinking like this, and I...”
After returning to school, I-young had drifted around until he grew close to the easygoing and cynical Bomi. More specifically, he was drawn to Bomi because she was his ideal type. Unlike other women, Bomi never emotionally tormented him or made things difficult. Attracted by her unique easygoing charm, he had even considered confessing. But if rumors spread that they were dating, Bomi might suffer. Due to I-young’s useless popularity, he had postponed his confession until after graduation, which brought them to this point. Now, just as he was trying to find the right moment, some suit-wearing guy showed up and interfered.
“What do you mean by that? Senior, you and I are friends.”
“What crazy guy is friends with a woman?”
“What?”
“To a man, women are only two types: mine, or someone else’s.”
“...”
“You were a woman to me from the beginning, and you always will be.”
For Bomi, it was a thunderbolt of a confession. For the first time, I-young felt distant, a truth she wished she hadn’t known.
“Change your mind now. Bomi, you’re not suited for a man who lives a normal office life.”
“How would you know that, Senior?”
“Why wouldn’t I know? Have we been together for a day or two?”
“...”
“It’s been years between us. Please, just think about me.”
Looking back, she really did see I-young every day. They even worked on their graduation project together, so people around them even wondered if they were dating. Regardless, Bomi had never felt any romantic feelings for I-young whatsoever. From the very beginning, he was nothing more or less than a senior from school. The reason was simple: Jinhan had always been in her heart. Bomi had always dreamed of the day she would meet him as a lover.
“I just...”
“The kids in our department practically think you and I are married.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
“They already think we’re dating. We’re always together, why wouldn’t they?”
“Are you crazy?”
“Give up on that man now.”
Bomi slowly shook her head. Her eyes, now resolute, showed no intention of giving up on Jinhan. The more I-young acted like this, the more she felt repulsed.
“I didn’t know you thought of me that way, Senior.”
“Now you know.”
“I’m sorry, but it has to be Oppa Jinhan.”
“Bomi!”
________________________________________
Contrary to her calm tone, Bomi was agitated. The unexpected truth burdened her, and she was angry that I-young was criticizing Jinhan. Bomi turned and went down from the rooftop, taking her seat. Without looking back, she busily worked to finish the remaining tasks as quickly as possible. Afterward, she barely spoke to I-young. She even ate her meals haphazardly at her desk, and thanks to her hard work, she was able to finish the project earlier than scheduled.
“Senior, is this good enough? I’m taking tomorrow off.”
Bomi was on the verge of collapsing. She barely made it home and then passed out until the next day.
The next morning, as the long-awaited day dawned, she wrote the message she had been anticipating to Jinhan.
[I’ll go to your place later, Oppa.]
Before pressing the send button, Bomi clasped her hands together. Just thinking about Jinhan made her heart pound like crazy.
“What if Oppa is busy and can’t see me?”
Being told to come to his house made her even more nervous. While she thought nothing much would happen, it was also true that she had a vague sense of expectation. Bomi gathered her courage and carefully pressed the send button. From then on, her heart raced.
“Ugh, sent it!”
Bomi was beside herself, pacing frantically around the room. Just as she thought there was no reaction and looked at her phone, a call came from Jinhan.
“Kya!”
Startled by the ringtone, she squealed for a moment, then composed herself. She began the call as if everything was normal.
“Oppa Jinhan!”
-Are you done with your busy work?
“Yes. But did I send the message too early in the morning?”
-It’s fine, I’m home these days.
Bomi was also aware of the recent Chairman Yoo incident. She worried if she was bothering Jinhan unnecessarily, but also wanted to comfort him.
“Can I really go to your place, Oppa?”
-Yes, I’ll pick you up.
“No, it’s okay. I can go by myself.”
-It’s just that reporters sometimes hide around the house.
There were a few reporters following Jinhan. Due to Chairman Yoo’s incident, his entire family home had become a mess, and they were under surveillance. He minimized going out and worked from home as much as possible. Originally, he had wanted to date Bomi in a nice place, but it had become difficult.
-Call me when you’re outside.
Bomi, trying to appear natural, paid more attention to her appearance than usual. As she waited in the living room, her mother asked.
“Aren’t you off today?”
“Oppa Jinhan wants to meet and have a meal.”
“Are you two on a date?”
“Yes! Oppa even came to my studio.”
“Well, I’ll be. I thought Jinhan wasn’t interested in you.”
Her mother thought Bomi was finally dating. Having married late and having a young elementary school daughter, she hadn’t been able to pay close attention to her eldest daughter. Excited, she immediately opened her wallet.
“Take this.”
“Why the card?”
“If you get a meal, you should at least buy coffee.”
“I have money.”
Just then, Jinhan’s call came in. Bomi dashed to the front door and answered the phone.
“Yes, Oppa!”
-Come out.
Outside, a sleek sports car with dark tinting stood with its engine running. Bomi hesitated, uncertain, and then Jinhan emerged from the driver’s seat.
“Get in quickly.”
He walked closer and personally opened the passenger door for her. The subtle scent that wafted to her nose made Bomi’s heart flutter uncontrollably. She absolutely must not show that she liked him. She had to act appropriately aloof and nonchalant, but would it work?
“This is a different car from last time.”
“I feel like I’m getting a neurosis from my father’s situation, so I don’t like going out with my face exposed.”
“I guess so.”
Jinhan had lost weight compared to before. Thanks to that, his skin was thinner, and his muscles were more defined. Even with clothes on, his firm physique was fully visible, making him look manly.
“I’ll cook you something delicious at home.”
“Oh!”
“Is the work completely finished?”
“My part is done. The rest is Senior I-young’s responsibility.”
“I-young? So the guy in the hoodie was I-young.”
“Yes.”
As I-young’s name was mentioned, the smile on Bomi’s face faded. Jinhan noticed this and changed the subject.
“Aren’t you curious about me?”
“Oppa, you see a lot of celebrities, right?”
“You could say that.”
The company he managed, GN Entertainment, was home to the top stars. As the conversation shifted towards celebrities, Jinhan’s shoulders tightened slightly.
“Are you close with group A-One?”
“...”
A-One was a rival company’s representative idol group. He thought it was strange that she would ask about another company’s celebrity, but Jinhan told her what he knew.
“Yes, I know them, but we’re not close.”
“A-One is the best, though.”
“What about the celebrities under GN Entertainment?”
“I don’t really like the celebrities from that agency.”
At that moment, Jinhan felt a subtle twist in his gut.
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