“… … .”
It’s bland.
Lee Han frowned as he looked at Junho, who had quietly retreated before he could respond. I guess it wouldn’t be that bad if it was just a night out with Hae-joon’s friend, but it wasn’t enough to catch the person who left first. Instead, he put the wallet he had taken out to pay off the debt back into his inner pocket.
‘I’m just a debtor.’
Although it would be difficult to give her a pleasant experience in the world, anything that could be solved with money was possible. Lee Han raised his eyebrows as he looked at the empty spot where she had now disappeared, hoping to not make her worry this much in the future.
I hope the moon is brighter than ever today.
◇ ◆ ◇
However, contrary to his expectations, Hae-joon did not seem to take out his handkerchief on a moonlit night. No, her voice on the phone was as cheerful as if she were flying.
– … … So I laughed so hard that my stomach still hurts. You have no idea how much fun it was.
“Ah, I see.”
Lee Han, lying on the bed, covered his eyes with one arm in an extremely indifferent manner. The anxiety that something was going wrong was becoming more concrete.
“Are you that excited?”
– yes! It’s my first time coming to Jeonju.
“Jeonju? “Didn’t you say you were in Mokpo during the day?”
– I asked my mother and she said that Lee Han’s maternal uncle lives nearby. Since we’ve come this far, of course we have to say hello to the adults. I asked to come first, so don’t say anything to your mother. Okay?
“… … .”
Yes, you say you like it.
Lee Han swallowed a sigh of patience. He said he had gone to his mother’s house rather than anywhere else, but he couldn’t show that he was sad about something like that. I don’t know if it’s something I should be thankful for, but for some reason, today the moonlit night was filled with dark clouds.
Shoot!
The next night it poured down with rain. Lee Han, who was answering the phone against the background of a dark sky that showed no signs of stopping, suddenly stood up.
“You can’t come tomorrow? why?”
– yes. My uncle said that since he was here, there were a lot of places he wanted to show me. But Mr. Lee Han, why didn’t you tell me that you can go paragliding at your uncle’s villa?
“… … .”
Because I didn’t know that.
It would be correct to say that I didn’t even want to know, but my mouth was sore right now that I couldn’t say anything. Unlike herself, who waited day after day for her to return, Hae-jun’s voice on the other side of the receiver was as fresh as a flower that bloomed day by day.
– My aunt said that if we go to the sea off here, we can go scuba diving? Also, other relatives are planning to come tomorrow, and we will all be together… … .
Everyone, gather together, embrace each other.
If you look closely, this seal really liked these words of unity. It would be great if it were written just for me, but that wasn’t possible.
– Oh! I have to go up tomorrow, but what should I do?
“What can I do? “It’s been a long time since I’ve been on vacation, so you can do whatever you want, Hae-joon.”
– Really?
Hae-joon, who had been cautious as he belatedly observed his thoughts, asked back in surprise. Just by looking at his unusual breathing through the receiver, it seemed like it was no exaggeration to say that he was coming down to get me, but I didn’t expect him to agree so readily.
– Lee Han, thank you so much. I really didn’t know you had such a big heart!
“If you understand, just look at the moon one more time at night.”
– yes. I’ll watch it 10 times! No, I will watch it a hundred times!
After finishing the phone call with her excited vow, Lee Han quietly covered his eyes. I don’t know if she was thinking properly before answering, but if she thought of him as an ‘understanding husband’, then that wasn’t a bad thing.
“… … .”
No, honestly it was bad.
Lee Han was so excited about this vacation even though he didn’t have a lover. Lee Han was so upset that he had no patience. The only hope for now was that it couldn’t get any worse.
Also, the thought of me might come to mind once in the moonlight that I will look at ten or hundred times.
However, Hae-jun Yoon was always a woman who easily exceeded his expectations. I don’t know how hard she plays, but I couldn’t find any signs of depression in her several phone calls.
‘I can’t help it.’
Lee Han, who had already given up on things like handkerchiefs on a moonlit night, raised his drink expressionlessly. Maybe it’s natural. The only thing he was having fun with was with three of the best people in the country, so it must have been difficult for Hae-joon, who only studied and worked, to escape.
‘okay. ‘I guess so.’
Lee Han, who felt like he would go crazy if he didn’t think like that, poured the next glass. First of all, all the fault lies with my family who are crazy about playing. The innocent Hae-joon will be caught up in their schemes and struggling, unable to escape. It may only be fluttering its pitiful wings like a butterfly caught in a spider’s web.
Nevertheless, Lee Han’s eyebrows shifted significantly as he checked his cell phone once again.
[Save me, brother!]
“… … .”
Did I send it wrong?
Lee Han snorted at the message from Yuhan. It’s already been a year since the last time we exchanged text messages like any other normal siblings, and even then, the only content was ‘I’m in the alley with my friends, so don’t act like you know me and pass by.’
Then, to send a message like this, unless it was sent by mistake, was just an obvious ploy to ‘get a ransom and all.’
However, his expression became a little more serious after checking the next message.
[Lee Han! Please do it Haejun!]
This time it was my aunt. It looked like she was going on for something more, but her abruptly interrupted words were unusual. It was her mother who put an end to this situation, which she could not even fathom.
[Mom, can you come down to Samcheok’s aunt’s house right now? We can’t survive like thisㅟᅡᆮ]
“What is it again?”
Finally, Lee Han closed his eyes and pressed the call button. I don’t know what the three of them are planning, but they are already on the verge of going crazy, so I had to give them a warning not to do anything like that. But for some reason, my mother’s voice on the phone was as urgent as the message.
– Lee, Lee Han! Are you Lee Han? You are Lee Han, right?
“… … Is something really going on?”
Lee Han, who thought it was just a practical joke, also changed his expression. Now that I thought about it, the voice that seemed to be whispering from somewhere hidden made me even more anxious. He got up quickly, grabbed his car keys, and went down the stairs.
“I will be there soon, so please wait there. “Hae-joon, is there any problem?”
– no… … Hae-joon… … . He, that is, Hae-joon,
“Is there something wrong with Hae-joon?”
Lee Han stopped at the top of the stairs and asked back as if he was yelling, shifting the receiver to his other hand. Her hands became sweaty as she became more nervous. As his mind went completely blank and he was about to check again, the other side of the receiver became busy.
– Do it, Hae-jun! What are you doing here?
– For some reason. We were all supposed to be together, but since my mother wasn’t there, I came out to get her. But why are you here? Who are you calling… … . Ah, Lee Han?
“Yoon Hae-jun!”
Lee Han finally heard her voice and leaned on the railing. I felt like I was going to lose my strength and collapse, but I didn’t let go of my phone.
“Hae-joon, are you okay now?”
– Ah, of course. Of course I’m fine.
“But just now, my mother…” … .”
-Your mother? You have been playing Yut with me inside since last night until now, right? He seemed very happy, um. By any chance, mother. If it’s because you’re having a hard time… … .
Only then did Hae-joon look at Mrs. Cha as if wondering, “No, that can’t be possible!” A strong woman’s voice was heard. Well then. Hae-joon smiled brightly and said hello to him.
– Your mother is all good. Then we’ll go back in! Everyone is waiting to get together and have more fun together. Well, hello Lee Han!
“… … .”
hi.
There was no time to even say a hello. Lee Han took a long breath, clutching the cell phone that had already been hung up as if it were about to break.
There was a rumble, and a terrifying bolt of lightning struck outside the large window behind us.
◇ ◆ ◇
“I’m leaving first!”
Junho greeted the staff and left the operating room. As a professor of emergency medicine, I did my best to stabilize the patient and control the situation until specialists from other departments arrived, so I successfully performed my duties today. As soon as he entered the locker room, he stretched out proudly and finally checked out the window for the first time in hours.
“Umm, it’s raining.”
Well, it’s not bad.
As I was going back and forth between the emergency room and the operating room all day, I had no time to even check how the sun would rise and set. At least I saw a rainy sky today, so I’m lucky for that alone. He hummed, even hummed, and swallowed his saliva as he changed his clothes.
‘On a rainy day, it’s makgeolli and green onion pancakes!’
Just thinking about that fragrant smell whetted my appetite, but I felt miserable eating it alone. If Hae-joon were here at a time like this, he would have been the first to come to me like a beggar with only chopsticks, but now that I regret it, he is someone else’s lover before he is my friend.
