Waking up, Jaegyeom first looked for his phone by the bedside. These days, the first thing Jaegyeom does upon opening his eyes is to groggily turn on Friends Pang.
Jaegyeom furiously tapped the screen, even using the hearts he received as gifts,
Game Over!
As always, the result was a failed record-breaking attempt.
"Fuck..."
At that moment, a message popped up on the top banner.
[Hyomoon: Hey Seven-seven~~]
Until recently, the only people Jaegyeom had been in contact with were Yoon Taehee and Jeongju, just the two of them. However, since starting Friends Pang, he had installed a messenger to easily gather hearts and saved the numbers of people around him, leading to a natural increase in communication with others. One of them was Lim Hyomoon.
Lim Hyomoon would send trivial messages several times a day.
[Hyomoon: When are you going to work today? I'm going in the morning~~]
Jaegyeom had somehow started to hang out with Lim Hyomoon quite often. In the past, Lim Hyomoon's chatter had annoyed him, but after they went to the movies together, it seemed he had gotten used to Lim Hyomoon's incessant talking, and now Lim Hyomoon didn't feel as bothersome as before.
[Kim Jaegyeom: Me too. Morning.]
[Hyomoon: lol want to go to work together?]
Jaegyeom hesitated for a moment.
[Kim Jaegyeom: K]
***
Arriving at the bus stop, Jaegyeom boarded the 7212 bus heading to Jongmyo. As soon as he sat down in an empty seat, he took out his phone and sent a text to Lim Hyomoon.
[Kim Jaegyeom: Here]
How many stops had they gone? The front door of the bus opened, revealing a bright yellow bleached hair.
"Seven-seven!"
Lim Hyomoon, showing off his bright red gums, came over to jaegyeom. There was a reason Jaegyeom hadn't rejected Lim Hyomoon's suggestion to go to work together. He had something to discuss with Lim Hyomoon. As soon as he sat down, Jaegyeom got straight to the point.
"What? She said she loves you?!"
Lim Hyomoon, hearing Jaegyeom's story, opened his eyes wide like a rabbit and screamed. The passengers on the bus glanced over at the two of them. Jaegyeom frowned in annoyance.
"Speak quietly, you idiot."
Jaegyeom had just briefly explained to Lim Hyomoon about what had happened between him and Yoon Taehee up until now. Of course, he rolled the stone to avoid specifying who the other person was. He omitted some details and adapted the story. To summarize, they had been on bad terms, but somehow things had improved a bit, and they were getting along reasonably well again, but suddenly, Yoon Taehee said he loved him... that was the gist of it.
The core of the consultation was, "What should I do about the occasional embarrassing behavior?"
"Wow... so she confessed..."
It was only recently that he had advised Seven-seven to maintain a neutral stance. He had expected that the person who lost interest in Seven-seven would naturally drift away. But to confess directly... could it be that she was truly sincere about Seven-seven?
"So? What did she say when she confessed?"
Lim Hyomoon asked, swallowing hard.
"What do you mean, what did he say?"
"She said she likes you; that can't be the end of it, right?"
Jaegyeom replied with a blank expression.
"That is the end."
"What? That's it?"
Lim Hyomoon exclaimed in disbelief.
"Hey, if you confess to someone, you should establish the relationship clearly. What does it mean to say she doesn't want anything? You should have either accepted or rejected her properly!"
"So I asked him last time."
"What did she say?"
"Just, um... What does he want from me."
"And then?"
"He said he doesn't want anything."
Lim Hyomoon closed his eyes with a devastated expression and rubbed his temples.
"Do you believe that? Why confess if she doesn't want anything?"
"He said just eating together and drinking tea is enough."
At Jaegyeom's addition, Lim Hyomoon frowned. It was a typical repertoire of someone who didn't want to develop the relationship but also didn't want to lose the other person!
"Hey, Seven-seven. That person is really selfish."
"Why?"
"Why? Because there's no consideration for the other person at all!"
Lim Hyomoon shook his head and opened his mouth.
"What kind of confession is that? In the end, nothing has changed. Is just saying she likes you enough? She doesn't care about how you feel, only expresses her own feelings unilaterally, making things uncomfortable for others; that's selfish!"
Lim Hyomoon placed a serious hand on Jaegyeom's shoulder.
"Seven-seven, you need to keep your wits about you during times like this."
"What do you mean?"
"What do I mean is, don't get dragged along and draw a clear line."
"I drew a line. But even after drawing a line, he keeps crossing it."
"I'm not a sodomite like you, you know," Jaegyeom had clearly said a few days ago. Yet nothing had changed.
Yoon Taehee didn't hide his feelings. He still followed Jaegyeom around, showering him with embarrassing compliments, and occasionally kissing him.
"Seven-seven, people stretch their legs according to the space they have."
Just as Jaegyeom was looking at Lim Hyomoon with a confused expression, Lim Hyomoon continued.
"Crossing the line after you've drawn it might mean you didn't draw it properly in the first place. You're being ambiguous and leaving room for her."
I left room? Jaegyeom slightly furrowed his brows.
"So what should I do?"
"You need to push her away with all your might."
Jaegyeom turned his gaze to look out the window.
"..."
In fact, Jaegyeom didn't dislike spending time with Yoon Taehee. It was convenient when Yoon Taehee drove to pick him up or dropped him off. Sometimes, when Yoon Taehee acted embarrassingly, it was awkward and surprising, but it wasn't bad to continue like this. So, he thought it was a good thing for both of them to get along well as they were.
If he pushed him away harshly and their relationship soured again... After a moment of contemplation, Jaegyeom hesitated and said.
"Anyway, in two months, I won't see him anymore."
"Hmm? Why?"
Lim Hyomoon asked with a puzzled expression. He had heard that they had to see each other for a while even if they didn't want to, but this was the first he had heard of them parting ways in two months.
"Just... it was something we promised from the beginning when we first met."
Jaegyeom, who had been mumbling, fidgeted with his hands.
"Anyway, it would be nice to get along without fighting during the remaining time."
Lim Hyomoon sighed deeply.
"Ugh, you really are something...."
In the end, it was a circular argument. He understood that Seven-seven thought highly of that person. When they had met in the break room once, Seven-seven had opened up about wanting to be friends with that person and to get along well. There must be some invisible circumstances making it hard to let go of the bond. Ultimately, it seemed clear that without a definite trigger, he would continue to be dragged along.
"Fine. Just enjoy it."
"Enjoy what?"
"Enjoy the fact that that person likes you."
What? Just as Jaegyeom frowned slightly.
"Anyway, you're saying you're okay with things as they are right now. So what's the problem?"
Lim Hyomoon said with a look of exasperation. This is why relationship advice is the most useless thing in the world. No matter how much you talk about it, in the end, they will do as they please.
"Anyway, Seven-seven, what I want to say is this."
Lim Hyomoon pointed his finger dramatically and spoke seriously.
"Everything has its time. If you keep getting dragged along without drawing a clear line, there will come a moment when it becomes too much for you to
handle." Lim Hyomoon paused, his face serious.
"If you won't have any dealings in two months, it would be better to get along. I understand how you feel. But, thinking the other way around, wouldn't it make more sense to keep your distance?"
Lim Hyomoon reached out and pressed the stop button, looking at Jaegyeom.
"The more you get along with that person, the harder it will be to part ways."
***
After getting off the bus, Jaegyeom and Lim Hyomoon stood at the crosswalk. While waiting for the green light, they were chatting when a black sedan passed in front of them, stopping by the roadside, and the driver's window slid down.
"Hey! Jaegyeom!"
At the unexpected call, Jaegyeom and Lim Hyomoon's gazes turned to the same spot.
"Manager Kang?"
Kang Yibin leaned out, waving happily at Jaegyeom.
Manager? So Seven-seven's senior... Lim Hyomoon was alternating his gaze between Jaegyeom and Kang Yibin when Kang Yibin said something to the driver and opened the passenger door.
Jaegyeom's eyes widened in surprise as he saw Kang Yibin get out of the car. Normally, she would be dressed in a formal suit, but today she was wearing a light chiffon dress with no sleeves. It was surprising to see her in such a different outfit. Kang Yibin approached them, her heels clicking on the pavement.
"Who's this?"
Kang Yibin glanced at Lim Hyomoon beside her and gestured to Jaegyeom. Suddenly, Lim Hyomoon, who had been standing at attention, whispered a greeting.
"Hello. I'm Lim Hyomoon, a trainee exorcist from the Undercover Department, Team 4."
After finishing his discreet introduction, Lim Hyomoon bowed politely.
"Seven-seven's... I mean, I'm a classmate of Jaegyeom."
"Oh, so you're Jaegyeom's classmate? It's nice to meet you."
Kang Yibin extended her hand for a handshake.
"Hello. I'm Manager Kang, Jaegyeom's manager."
Lim Hyomoon, bowing like a sycophant, said cheerfully.
"Please just call me Hyomoon."
Kang Yibin replied, "Sure, sure, Hyomoon," shaking his hand enthusiastically. Jaegyeom watched the two shake hands with a dazed expression.It was surprising to run into her in front of the headquarters, and her different outfit was also surprising. After finishing the introductions with Lim Hyomoon, Kang Yibin turned to Jaegyeom.
"Jaegyeom, why do you look like that?"
Kang Yibin laughed heartily and pinched Jaegyeom's cheek.
"Are you surprised because it's the first time you've seen me in a dress?"
Jaegyeom awkwardly lowered his gaze and nodded.
Then Kang Yibin, as usual, ruffled Jaegyeom's hair and shrugged her shoulders.
"I've never worn this kind of outfit in my twenty-six years of life."
At Kang Yibin's playful remark, Lim Hyomoon suddenly had a spark in his eyes.
What? Twenty-six years? That means Yibin is twenty-six years old... Lim Hyomoon found himself alternating his gaze between Jaegyeom and Kang Yibin.
Wait, since Yibin showed up, Seven-seven has been talking less. But he can't even look at Yibin properly! That wasn't all...
"Don't I look pretty today?"
"Uh... yeah..."
He seemed to be awkwardly shy since earlier, suddenly becoming a blushing mess.
"Jaegyeom, you should come along with me and Chief Yoon since we're heading out."
..What?"
"Jaegyeom, your training period ends in two months.
With only two months left, you need to pay attention to your performance evaluation. What if you fail and get dropped from the Exorcism Department? I told Chief Yoon that you should come along, and he agreed."
That's right! Now that I think about it, two months from now is when his training period ends!
"W-wait...!"
Lim Hyomoon covered his mouth and looked at Kang Yibin.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Kang Yibin looked at Lim Hyomoon with a puzzled expression.
"No?! I mean, ah... it's nothing! I'll be going now!"
Lim Hyomoon suddenly bowed deeply and ran off somewhere.
"Hmm? Okay, take care... see you next time."
What was that? Kang Yibin waved goodbye to him with a bewildered expression.