・・・・・
Gajun decided to order fried chicken after receiving a message from Gaeul saying that her blind date had ended early and that she would be home soon.
Today was a particularly different day than usual. Gajun woke up early on a Saturday morning to a puzzling message from Team Leader Seo, saying he needed to come by to pick up a sample from a client that Gajun had received during a meeting the day before. The item he said he would come to pick up was something that was supposed to be delivered to the office on Monday, and it wasn't even that important.
After replying that he understood, Gajun was waiting when he received another message, this time from Gaeul, who had gone on the blind date. She was already on her way home. Since the date ended early, it seemed like it hadn’t gone well. Recently, Gaeul hadn't been in a good mood, and now that the date seemed to have failed as well, Gajun felt sorry for her and decided to order some fried chicken.
However, by late afternoon, neither Team Leader Seo, who had said he would come to pick up the sample, nor Gaeul, who had said she would come home early, had sent any additional messages.
Gajun decided to go to the convenience store, but when he went outside, he discovered that the elevator was out of order. He sent a message to Team Leader Seo telling him to contact him when he arrived so that he could come down, and he sent a message to Gaeul informing her that the elevator was broken and she would have to walk up. As expected, there was no response from either of them.
It wasn't like either of them to be this late without any contact. To be honest, it didn’t matter much if Team Leader Seo was late, but Gaeul was someone he was waiting for to eat chicken with, so her being late was becoming a bit inconvenient.
"If you're going to be late, at least let me know. She's not even answering her phone."
Gajun put down his phone after trying to call Gaeul.
Lately, Gaeul’s behaviour had been strange.
She seemed to lack energy, which could be attributed to not feeling well, but on some days, she would cry saying the fried chicken was delicious, and on other days, she would cry saying his soybean paste stew was terrible.
In reality, the apartment had poor soundproofing, so Gajun had occasionally heard her crying secretly. He was even more worried because she wasn't in a good state and now she wasn't responding.
Had she been secretly dating someone? If so, he wanted to know who the bastard was that made her cry like that. Still, he hesitated to bring it up, afraid that it might make her situation worse. For now, all he could do was buy her fried chicken until she was ready to open up.
Speaking of which, the elevator was broken so he would have to go downstairs to pick up the fried chicken. To make matters worse, he was hungry because he had eaten a quick lunch. He decided to order the chicken first and wait as long as he could. If Gaeul didn't come home before his patience ran out, he would eat half and save the rest for her.
That was how Gajun ended up going downstairs to pick up the fried chicken, only to encounter an unbelievable scene.
Who would have guessed that the bastard causing Gaeul so much pain was Team Leader Seo?
The three of them sat facing each other across the kitchen table. Gaeul naturally sat down next to Dohyun, and Gajun looked at her with a stunned expression.
Were those two really dating? What could possibly be the connection between them? The only time they saw each other was when Team Leader Seo brought the drunk Gajun home, and even then, it was just a brief moment. Well, maybe on the day Gajun threw up on the floor, they might have spent a little more time together. But since Team Leader Seo left before the siblings woke up the next day, it appeared unlikely that anything significant happened that night.
Wait a minute. This wasn’t a confirmed fact yet.
From the beginning, the assumption was flawed. Why would Gaeul, of all people, suddenly be in a relationship? She could have been crying because her period made her feel terrible, or her hormones could have been out of whack, making her feel drained. His soybean paste stew was indeed awful, so it made sense that she cried that day. Crying while eating fried chicken could also be explained by hormonal changes due to her period.
Moreover, this situation right in front of him could easily be explained as a prank by the two of them to make fun of him.
In the first place, there was no connection between the two except for him. Moreover, there was a significant age gap between them. Team Leader Seo wasn't the type to be interested in younger women, and Gaeul wouldn't date someone ten years older than her, even if there was a gun to her head. Not to mention, both Team Leader Seo and Gaeul enjoyed teasing him.
Yes, this was clearly a hidden camera prank that those two had prepared to mess with him.
Dohyun was the first to speak up.
"Assistant Manager Lee."
"Yes."
"As you can see, I'm dating your sister."
“...”
For a moment, Seo Dohyun's expression was so serious that Gajun almost believed it.
Gajun gave an awkward laugh.
"Haha, that's funny. Good joke."
Gaeul interjected with a puzzled look.
“Why would that be a joke? We even held hands. You saw it too, Brother."
"Why are you acting like this as well? Did you two plan this?"
"It's true. Right?"
"Yeah, we're really dating."
Gajun's gaze shifted to Dohyun.
“Be honest. You two made a bet about me, didn’t you? I knew it. Haha, how much did you bet, Team Manager? And you, Gaeul? When did you two get so close? Wait, maybe it wasn’t money. Unless you two kissed or something, I wouldn’t fall for something as simple as holding hands.”
"Kiss?"
Dohyun looked at Gaeul. As Gaeul's pupils trembled and she waved her hands, he curved his lips into a smirk.
Seeing this, Gajun let out a sigh of relief.
"Ah, see... as expected..."
Peck.
Caught off guard, Seo Dohyun kissed Gaeul on the forehead. Gaeul, embarrassed, rubbed the spot where his lips had touched, her face flushing red.
“Damn it,” Gajun muttered a curse under his breath. He spoke up in a sharp voice.
"Team Leader, aren't you thirty-three?"
"That's right."
"Gaeul is twenty-three."
"I know."
"What the hell... You know that and you’re still doing this?”
Gajun's voice rose in intensity.
Gaeul interrupted with a sulky face.
"Why do you keep cursing at my boyfriend, Brother?"
"You haven’t done anything right either, so stay out of it."
Gajun stood up, his expression hardening, and Dohyun stepped in front of Gaeul, blocking her with one arm in a protective gesture.
"Gaeul did nothing wrong. I was the one who pursued her."
"Do you think I’m an idiot, Team Leader? Anyone could see that Gaeul got dumped. No wonder she cried at the smallest things."
Gaeul's face turned crimson.
"What?! When did I ever cry?!”
"...Really?"
Dohyun looked at Gaeul with a meaningful expression, and the corners of his mouth curved mischievously.
“Why are you smiling after making her cry?”
“I was the one who got dumped. So I was wondering why Gaeul was crying.”
A look of puzzlement appeared on Gajun's face.
“...Really? Hey, then why were you crying?"
“Does that matter right now? The important thing is that I’m dating Seo Dohyun. He’s the one who pursued me, so hurry up and focus on that.”
At Gaeul's words, Gajun quickly realised his mistake and turned his anger back towards Dohyun.
"...Anyway, Team Leader, do you have a conscience?"
"I sold it."
“...”
"Since I don't have one, I'm chasing after a woman who's ten years younger and hasn't even graduated from university yet, not to mention that she's the younger sister of a subordinate."
It was a precise self-assessment.
As Gajun stammered, at a loss for words, Gaeul looked at Dohyun with a newfound sense of admiration. He truly had a knack for shutting people up. When she was on the receiving end, it was just frustrating, but now that he was on her side, his shamelessness felt reassuring.
"Have you always been someone who can't act your age?"
"At least I make up for it with my looks."
“...”
It was a valid point, so Gajun couldn't argue back. He, too, had eyes and knew very well that Dohyun was handsome. Honestly, aside from the fact that he was his superior and the age difference, there was no real reason to oppose this relationship.
"I'll take good care of her, so please give me a chance."
"How exactly are you planning to do that?"
"How should I treat you well?"
When Dohyun asked Gaeul, she cautiously replied with a question.
"Will you listen to everything I say?"
"I'll listen, but you can't go meet your blind date again."
"Do you think I'm crazy?"
"You're not crazy. If anyone is, it's me."
He casually curled his lips into a smile, and Gaeul smiled back. Gajun, who had been watching them, felt his face stiffen in real time.
"Wait a second. It's hard for me to watch, so could you two please refrain from having a conversation in front of me?"
"Why? Isn't it a good thing for you, as her older brother, if your younger sister is getting along well with her boyfriend?"
"The problem is that the boyfriend is the Team Leader."
"Besides age and rank, what's the problem?"
Gajun replied in a firm tone.
"Your character."
This time, it seemed like Dohyun was impacted as he made a slightly taken-aback expression.
"...I may have committed some sins, but not anymore. I've completely turned over a new leaf."
"How can a person change overnight?"
“Isn’t that the power of love?”
“...”
Gajun, who was standing as if nailed in place, opened his mouth after a long silence.
"I'll go buy some soju."
Gaeul added, almost out of habit.
"Brother, bring some Melona when you come back." [1]
"Lee Gaeul, what do you think you've done to deserve this…?!"
"I'll have a Marlboro Gold." [2]
“...”
When Gajun glared at Dohyun with a sharp look, Dohyun calmly stood up from his seat with an indifferent expression.
"...Since I'm on my way to buy something, this Oppa [3] here will grab the Melona for you."
“Fuck…” Gajun muttered another curse under his breath.
Gaeul looked at her sibling with a sympathetic expression. If she were in his position, she thought it would be hard to stay sane too.
She asked Dohyun as he walked around the table.
"Are you going to buy cigarettes?"
"Why? You don't like it?"
“The smell is a bit..."
"I'll quit."
This time, Gajun looked at Seo Dohyun with a face full of disbelief. He wasn't a chain smoker who carried cigarettes like an oxygen tank, but he was definitely someone who smoked quite a lot.
"Team Leader will?"
"It's about time I quit."
"Got it. Quitting smoking is up to you, so do as you wish. Then, I'll go to the convenience store by myself."
"Why? I still have something to buy."
When Gajun looked at Dohyun with a ‘What now?’ expression, Dohyun calmly replied with an indifferent face.
"Melona."
“...”
"Then the two of you can go together and get along. It would be even better if you make up and become closer in the process."
At Gaeul's added words, Gajun couldn’t hold back and charged towards her. Dohyun, standing in the middle, grabbed Gajun by the back of his neck before he could reach her.
"She said to go together. Talk to me instead."
He dragged Gajun along and headed outside.
・・・・・
The two of them arrived at a street food stall near the apartment.
Since they were going to drink at home anyway, Dohyun suggested they drink outside first, and Gajun agreed. They ordered three bottles of soju, fish cake soup, and spicy stir-fried pork. Gajun, who was hungry regardless of whether his younger sister was dating the Team Leader, added a bowl of rice to their order.
The soju and fish cake soup arrived first. Gajun, as if determined to eat and drink to death, poured soju into a beer glass and handed it to Dohyun. Then he poured himself a glass in the same way. In no time, one bottle was gone.
"You were practically dripping with honey. Shouldn't you at least buy Gaeul a Melona?"
"I already did."
"When?"
"Just now, I used an app to order seasonal fruits and a few other things from a nearby mart and had them delivered. I even included the World Cone [4] that Assistant Manager Lee likes."
Anyway, as expected of Seo Dohyun, his handling of the matter was thoroughly meticulous.
“...Is this perhaps a bribe?”
"Something like that."
"Ha..."
Gajun rubbed his face with a troubled expression.
Dohyun, who had been looking at his phone, let out a low chuckle.
"My girlfriend is asking if she can eat the chicken left on the table."
"Why is she asking the team leader to relay that to me?”
"Maybe she's scared of you."
"Tell her to eat it all by herself."
"She says she'll eat it gladly, thank you."
As Dohyun put down his phone, Gajun spoke with a serious expression.
"Can I hit you just once?"
"You haven’t drunk yet, have you?"
"Exactly, I want to do it sober."
"Hit me anywhere but the face. Assistant Manager Lee’s sister likes my face."
"...Never mind."
Gajun sighed deeply and poured Kangsoju [5] into his empty stomach. Dohyun, matching his pace, emptied his own glass in one go. Gajun, who had only drunk about half his glass before putting it down, was startled to see Dohyun’s glass completely empty.
“I didn’t mean for you to drink it all at once...”
“It’s fine, just open another bottle. It's actually harder for me to stay sober right now."
Gajun glanced at Dohyun’s expression. By now, the smile had disappeared from his face as well. After receiving his second glass, Dohyun put it down and pulled a cigarette pack out of his pocket.
“If you let us date for a while, Gaeul will probably break up with me on her own when she realises I’m too old for her,”
“...”
He opened the pack, took out the last cigarette, broke it in half, and threw both pieces into the trash can under the table. Then he handed his used Zippo lighter to Gajun, who was sitting across from him.
"I didn't know her age when I fell for her, and I never intended to treat her lightly or mess around with her. I treated you like crap, so I understand why you'd oppose it. I’ve never had a good personality, so I won’t make excuses. I have no conscience. I'm a piece of trash, a pervert, right? Especially since I like someone ten years younger."
Dohyun lifted his head, met Gajun's gaze, and continued speaking.
"So don’t say anything to Gaeul. If you’re going to be angry, direct it at me. If you're going to hit someone, just hit me instead. What could a small girl possibly have done to deserve being scolded like that? Don't crush her spirit."
Seo Dohyun’s expression showed no sign of wavering.
In fact, Gajun knew that too. While Seo Dohyun could be a bit harsh with his words when working, he wasn’t really a bad person. At first, Gajun thought to himself, ‘How can there be such a crazy guy in the world?’ But as he drank with him, he got to know more about the human side of Seo Dohyeon. Surprisingly, Seo Dohyun took good care of his people, had affection for the company, and was a responsible person.
"...Honestly, in this day and age, it's ridiculous for an older brother to interfere in his younger sibling’s relationship. Gaeul is smart, so she'll handle it well on her own."
“I know. Gaeul is smart. That's why she rejected me. And you only have to endure seeing my face for two more months until the original team leader returns.”
"...If the team leader comes back, where will you go?"
"Who knows."
Gajun's expression became troubled at Dohyun's answer. The fact that he was dating his younger sister still didn’t sit well with him, but thinking that he would be leaving soon made him feel unexpectedly reluctant.
“Honestly, I thought you would stay longer than Team Leader Cha, who joined the company at the same time as you.”
"Why would I?"
"Because you're the Chairman's grandson."
Dohyeon, who was raising his glass with a calm expression, stopped moving.
"How does Assistant Manager Lee know that?"
"During my early days at the company, I overheard Team Leader Cha from Marketing Team 3 talking on the phone while I was on my way to the break room to get coffee. A little while later, you joined the company. Looking back, the pieces started falling into place. I kept quiet, thinking you might leave if it got discovered. But you managed to keep it hidden from the others, so why are you moving so soon? I’ve heard that people usually leave after getting caught."
Dohyeon, who had stiffened slightly in surprise, let out a hollow laugh. He never expected that it would have been discovered even before he joined the company.
"That was the condition. After showing meaningful results within six months, I’ll leave, and then, depending on the situation, I'll decide where to go next and what to do."
"I see. The atmosphere in the company was strange since the beginning. You came here to fix that, didn’t you?"
"You're perceptive."
"At the start, I couldn’t understand you at all, so I tried to make sense of it, and this is how it turned out."
In front of Gajun, stir-fried pork and a bowl of rice were placed. He put the stir-fried pork on the fluffy rice and began his meal.
"Why did you stay silent when you knew? I treated you like crap, and you hated it. If you didn't like me, you could have kicked me out a long time ago."
"I wanted to be properly recognised before you left. Honestly, you're good at your job, Team Leader."
As Gajun grumbled and continued eating, Dohyun curved the corners of his lips into a slight smile.
"Excluding me, among the electronics department team, Assistant Manager Lee is the best."
"I won’t accept flattery just because of my younger sister."
"You think so too, right? Lately, people around you seem to have started noticing."
"It sometimes feels unsettling because it seems like you’re the one who made it that way. I’ve never seen anyone as skilled at handling people as you, Team Leader."
"There is someone I can't handle. Your younger sister."
Dohyun's response made Gajun's frown ease a bit.
"No one can break Gaeul's stubbornness. She doesn't listen to me, let alone our parents. I told her to join a university club to make some memories besides studying, and she joined a startup club. Good grief."
Gajun, who had quickly finished half of his bowl of rice, paused for a moment and let out a sigh.
Dohyun replied with a voice tinged with laughter.
"At least she joined a club."
“Anyway, it’s really pointless. Every time my friends see Gaeul without makeup, they all fall for her, so I barely ever invited anyone over when she was home. But now, someone completely unexpected ended up taking her."
"You let me in just fine though.”
Gajun looked a bit embarrassed and cleared his throat.
"Well, anyway, I’ll let her handle her own relationship. But what if Gaeul insists on getting married? Our family isn't poor, but there's still quite a gap between our families and yours."
"Is it truly my loss, having lived this long, or isn’t it more of a loss for someone as young as Lee Gaeul? My grandfather’s been begging me to settle down and live a stable life, so I’m thinking about just moving forward quickly. What do you think, Brother-in-law?”
Once the words left his mouth, he thought maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to just sign the papers and tie the knot so she couldn’t escape. Gaeul's age might be a concern, but her potential certainly wasn't. He had been restraining himself from kidnapping her and taking her to his house, but Gajun had made a good point.
Perhaps sensing the sincerity in his words, Gajun’s expression hardened into a scowl. After finishing the remaining half of his rice, he slammed his spoon down on the table with a sharp sound.
"I think I’m going to swear a lot today, so I’d like to ask for your understanding in advance."
"I came prepared to hear a lot, so go ahead and say what you want."
"And, no matter how I think about it, 'Brother-in-law' feels like a bit of a hasty title."
"True, I guess proposing to Gaeul should come first."
Unable to hold back any longer, Gajun muttered another curse under his breath.
・・・・・
Knock, knock.
When the door was knocked, Gaeul, who had been in the middle of a face mask, hurriedly got up and went to the front door. She opened it with a big smile.
Standing at the door were Gajun, drunk and leaning on Dohyun, and Dohyun, smiling at her.
"You're wearing the horn-rimmed glasses I bought you."
"I'm going to wear them at home from now on. Did you guys drink a lot?"
"Yeah. I told him to drink moderately, but he ended up throwing up in the restroom at the bar."
"He almost died."
Gaeul glanced sideways at Gajun. Dohyun laid Gajun down on the living room floor.
"We'll deal with him later. Let's take care of the urgent matter first."
"...What is it?"
Dohyun removed the face mask from Gaeul's face and tossed it onto Gajun, who was sprawled on the floor. Then he cupped her face with both hands.
"I should greet my girlfriend."
He pressed his lips to hers.
・・・・・
The next day, Gajun, struggling with a hangover, opened the door and stepped out, only to stop in his tracks at the unbelievable sight before his eyes, forgetting even his need to go to the bathroom.
Seo Dohyun was cooking in the kitchen of his home.
He was even wearing Gajun's new tracksuit that he had borrowed before, with his blue apron on top.
"...I guess I'm still a bit drunk, and maybe I'm not fully awake yet?"
"If you're awake, wake Gaeul up and come sit down.”
"This is strange. There's no way this can be real..."
"If you're not going to deal with your hangover, I'll wake Gaeul."
"I'll wake her up."
Gajun replied that way and, with a bewildered expression, went to wake Gaeul. She emerged from the room in a half-dazed state, as if she hadn’t had a wink of sleep, even though she hadn’t drunk any alcohol.
On the dining table, well-fermented kimchi was neatly sliced and ready to eat, with a few side dishes arranged attractively. In addition, a steaming bowl of dried pollock soup was placed at each person's seat.
"This must be a dream. Besides, we don't have any pollock at our house."
"I ordered it along with the Melona for delivery yesterday."
"Is this... really reality?"
Gajun stared blankly, questioning reality, while Gaeul calmly picked up her spoon.
"Thank you for the meal."
She took a spoonful of the dried pollock soup and smiled contentedly. Seeing this, Gajun quickly followed her, scooping up the soup, and then widened his eyes in surprise.
The soup was as refreshing and delicious as something found at a restaurant. The rice went down easily, it was almost gone before he knew it. As he was having the hangover soup, his mind started to clear. The clearer his mind became, the more irritated he felt. He should be questioning why Dohyun was here, but the dried pollock soup was so good that he couldn't bring himself to do it right away.
He had wondered why Gaeul cried over his soybean paste stew, but if she had been fed something like this, it made sense. When did Dohyun even feed her something like this? He thought to himself that if Dohyun planned to tame him with his cooking, he should never fall for it. Yet, his body couldn't stop eating.
Eventually, Gajun finished his bowl and, with a serious expression and rice still on his lips, cleared his throat.
"But Gaeul, don't bring your boyfriend over like this. This is a shared space, after all."
Gaeul, who had been eating, looked up with a look of disbelief.
"Unbelievable, you’re the one who always brings him over.”
Dohyun, who had been matching his eating pace to Gaeul's, calmly added:
"Also, it was Assistant Manager Lee who told me to stay over last night."
Gajun looked dumbfounded.
"...What?"
“If something were to happen to me while I was drunk and taking a taxi alone, Gaeul would probably cry again. So, you told me to sleep in the guest room. You even took out your tracksuit for me."
"I did?"
"Yeah. You said that after you woke up from sleeping on the living room floor yesterday."
When Gaeul added that, Gajun placed his hand on his forehead. He had nothing to say.
"Also, I’ve never invited my boyfriend over to this house. But maybe my older brother did, though.”
Gajun cursed inwardly. He felt so embarrassed that he wanted to die.
He wanted to find a place to escape, but the house was so small that the only place he could go was his own room, which reeked of alcohol. Going there now would make him seem too pathetic.
Just then, Gajun's phone rang. With a look of relief, he hurried to the living room and answered the call.
As the call went on, his expression grew more and more troubled. Meanwhile, Gaeul, unfazed, finished her breakfast and ate Melona alongside Dohyeon.
"How is it? Is it delicious?"
"It's delicious."
Dohyun smiled at Gaeul. Gaeul, facing him, curled the corners of her lips into a smile.
After finishing the call, Gajun went to the refrigerator, took out a Cornetto, [6] and returned to the dining table. He opened his mouth with a troubled expression.
"Hey, Lee Gaeul."
"What?"
"This apartment is going to be redeveloped."
Gaeul's eyes widened in surprise, and she spoke up.
"Really? When does it start?"
"They’ve chosen the construction company, so it’ll be soon, I think. I guess our parents didn’t tell us because they were worried we'd be upset."
Gaeul and Gajun's faces darkened.
Dohyun spoke calmly.
"That's something to celebrate. Isn't it good news? Why do you both look so glum?"
Gajun shook his head.
"Honestly, it's good news for our parents, but not so much for us. We've been living comfortably and cheaply here, but now we have to find a new place."
"...Is that so?"
At Gajun’s words, Dohyun smiled with a meaningful expression and looked at Gaeul. Gaeul, in turn, flashed a strange smile and met Dohyun's gaze. As their eyes locked, Gajun let out a startled shout.
"...Team Leader, why are you looking at her like that? That's not acceptable. Gaeul, why are you acting like this again? I told you, no!"
"I haven’t even said anything yet."
"Exactly. You don’t know what we're thinking."
"Either way, it’s not allowed!"
In the old apartment, the anguished cry of one person and the cheerful laughter of two others echoed.
It was an ordinary autumn day, with a cool breeze and the leaves changing colour.
Translator's Corner:
[1] Melona is a popular Korean melon-flavoured ice cream bar.
[2] Marlboro Gold is a type of cigarette within the American brand called "Marlboro."
[3] Dohyun is referring to himself as "Oppa." Oppa is a term used by Korean women to refer to an older brother or a close older male friend. In this case, the meaning is the latter.
[4] World Cone is a popular Korean ice cream cone.
[5] Kangsoju (강소주) refers to drinking diluted soju without snacks. Diluted soju, being alcohol mixed with water and sweetener, lacks a deep flavor and has an unpleasant, industrial alcohol smell, often compared to hand sanitizer. It's rarely enjoyed for its taste. Those who drink Kangsoju are typically seen as dealing with significant emotional pain, using it to get drunk quickly and escape their feelings.
(Source: https://en.namu.wiki/w/%EA%B0%95%EC%86%8C%EC%A3%BC)
[6] Cornetto is a popular Italian brand of ice cream cone.
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