INT Ch 6.1

It was the morning of the performance. It was also the day of the rehearsal, and Haewon had set a morning alarm in advance to avoid forgetting.

The sound of the alarm woke him up. Sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains, stabbing his vision painfully against the clear blue sky, devoid of a single cloud.

Haewon groaned, covering his eyes with one hand as he turned over irritably. A sense of lethargy weighed him down, leaving his limbs limp and powerless.

His body felt like a wreck. He wanted to skip his schedule altogether. Performance or whatever—it didn’t matter. He didn’t want to do anything today. His arms and legs felt as heavy as if they were tied down with lead. He didn’t want to get up, not even if someone threatened him with a knife to his throat. But the alarm was so insistent that he had no choice but to rise.

Haewon was sensitive to sounds, and alarms were especially unbearable to his ears. Picking up his phone from the floor, he silenced the obnoxious noise. As the clamor abruptly ceased, his gaze naturally landed on his legs dangling off the bed. He was completely naked.

“Ah…”

The events of the previous night flashed through his mind. It had been a long time since he’d felt so aroused. For Haewon, sex was usually just a tiresome exertion to appease fleeting urges.

But last night, an uncontrollable wave of excitement had overwhelmed him, enveloping his entire body. His rationality evaporated. Even knowing that he was being watched, he hadn’t stopped. The gaze observing him had tingled against his skin, sending shivers that were not unpleasant. Hyun Woojin’s eyes had been a mix of tension and pleasure, blurring the line between the two.

As expected, Haewon found his pants tossed carelessly on the floor like discarded husks and put them on.

He stood up and started tidying the bed. As he smoothed out the sheets, he paused. The toy was nowhere to be seen. He pulled the sheets aside and checked both above and below the mattress, but the toy was missing.

Had he put it in the drawer last night?

He opened each of the three drawers of the bedside table but found nothing. Finding a toy he liked that much wasn’t easy.

Haewon called Hyun Woojin. He didn’t pick up. Annoyed, Haewon muttered to himself, criticizing the man’s tendency to scold others about being attentive when he rarely answered calls himself. It wasn’t until the third attempt that Hyun Woojin finally answered.

“I’m in a meeting. I’m hanging up.”

“Wait…!”

Before he could finish even the three syllables of “wait,” the call was unceremoniously cut off on Woojin’s end. Haewon stared blankly at the phone screen in disbelief. The call had lasted two seconds.

It was 8 a.m. Holding meetings at such an early hour felt like exploitation. Persistently, Haewon called again. After the third attempt, he heard the automated message informing him that the phone had been turned off. Frustrated, he sent Woojin a message.

[Did you take the toy? Bring it back. I like that one. I’ll use it often.]

After sending the text, Haewon flung his phone onto the bed in irritation.

He took a shower, then ate breakfast—cereal with milk. Though the weather was chilly, he didn’t dress too warmly since he usually took taxis. Instead, he made sure to wear gloves and donned a deep brown coat.

Grabbing his violin, Haewon left his apartment. On the way out, he picked up the suit he had dropped off at the dry cleaners a few days ago, planning to wear it for today’s performance. By the time he arrived at the concert hall in a taxi, Woojin still hadn’t responded.

The concert hall was bustling with people—members of the orchestra, the equipment crew, lighting and sound teams, and other staff, all busy preparing for the early morning rehearsal.

Sipping his takeout coffee, Haewon sat in his seat and organized his instrument. He checked the condition of the four strings and inspected his bow. His orchestra bow was too worn for today’s performance, so he brought out his solo bow and applied rosin to it.

As he worked the rosin into the bow hairs, Haewon kept glancing at his phone resting on the music stand. Normally, he would turn off his phone or set it to vibrate and stow it in his bag during rehearsals, promptly forgetting about it. But today, his attention was glued to it.

By the time the conductor arrived and Henry Chang, looking groggy and disheveled, was the last to show up, there was still no activity on Haewon’s phone. Sighing, he powered it off and tucked it into his bag.

Although all the orchestra members understood the conductor’s English, an interpreter was always present.

“We’ll start from the section I pointed out yesterday,” the conductor said.

The interpreter repeated his words clearly. The noise from the bustling staff irritated the conductor, who turned to glare at them from the audience seats. The interpreter loudly requested quiet, and the room fell still. The orchestra began tuning to the oboe’s A.

Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 was one of Haewon’s favorite pieces, a work he hoped to perform as a soloist someday. It was dramatic and majestic.

Eyes on the score, Haewon played along with the conductor’s gestures, letting his bow glide over the strings. When they reached the solo section, Henry Chang’s Guarneri violin filled the empty concert hall with its resonant melody.

It was Henry Chang’s first performance in Korea, and a broadcast crew seemed to have come to film the rehearsal. A reporter fluent in English followed him around with questions, while a cameraman recorded his every move. Though the camera wasn’t focused on him, Haewon avoided them, worried he might accidentally end up in the frame.

After the morning rehearsal ended, a buffet lunch was provided in the cafeteria. Only then did Haewon turn his phone back on.

There was not even a single unexpected outcome. No missed calls or messages. Only useless loan texts and credit card benefit messages were received.

Haewon held his phone while eating lunch, as if he were desperately waiting for a call.

He should have reminded him that today was the performance day. Although he mentioned it yesterday, it might be a good idea to send a message now just in case he forgot. He was the type who would always call back as soon as he had time, even if he couldn’t answer the call right away.

Haewon had forgotten that he called him over a toy and had no intention of inviting him in the first place. He was indignant at his lack of contact on the day of the performance.

He desperately wanted to hear his voice, but it hadn’t even been a full day, just half a day, and Haewon was stabbing his salad with a fork like someone with anxiety.

He wasn’t trying to play hard to get, but he suddenly wondered if Hyun Woojin might be tired of his uncompromising attitude.

Had he made a mistake?

It seemed like there was nothing in the world Hyun Woojin wanted more. His appearance and demeanor were such that his gaze constricted Haewon’s chest.

He was intelligent and kind, but sometimes the wild look in his eyes would suddenly make a person tense up, creating a chilling contrast with his usual self. It was an ideal look for pressuring criminals. When he was sharp, he reminded Haewon of a swordsman who could kill with just a glance. He was a man with no room for intrusion.

Last night, Haewon respected him. Despite seeing that condition, his ascetic behavior reminded Haewon that Hyun Woojin was six years older than him. It wasn’t something he could endure, nor was there a need to, but Haewon couldn’t understand why he was so obsessed with it.

“It’s not the body that matters but the heart,” he said, grasping Haewon’s hair. Such feelings towards Hyun Woojin had already arisen when he had hid him behind him from Lee Jinyeong.

Although it was foolish to swear by eternity, for the time being—at least for now—his heart came first, and he didn’t want anyone else. The vague sense of guilt and insubstantial apologies he felt towards Taeshin became useless after last night. Being conscious of it was rather an act of mocking him. He was dead, and they had met after he died. Haewon kept rationalizing that his feelings for Hyun Woojin had nothing to do with Taeshin.

Regret for not giving him the answer he wanted last night came rushing in late. If he wanted to hear his voice, he had to call him first, and Haewon had already called him nearly ten times.

He didn’t want to call anymore. Haewon had never begged to hear someone’s voice before. If he could avoid doing what he didn’t usually do, he wanted to continue that way. He didn’t want to change his attitude because of Hyun Woojin.

The person who feels the loss will call.

Haewon glared at his phone. The call didn’t come until lunchtime was over.

“What kind of meeting… without even eating.”

Even as the performance approached, there was no contact from him.

Haewon changed into the black suit he had prepared. Black pants and a black shirt. Most of the orchestra wore black suits. Some wore white shirts under black jackets, while others, like Haewon, wore black shirts without jackets. It was an unspoken rule to unify the color in black.

Wearing a jacket and receiving the lights caused sweating due to the heat from the lights. Since he had to keep moving his arms anyway, Haewon found it uncomfortable and rarely wore a jacket.

He sat in the dressing room, staring at the monitor that only showed the empty audience seats and the piano left alone on the stage. It wasn’t yet time for the audience to enter, so only staff checking the sound and stage were busily moving around on the monitor.

“I heard an announcer came by earlier. Did you see her? She came to interview Henry Chang. Her face is so small.”

Said the cellist from Manhattan School of Music. Haewon, who had been staring at the monitor with his arms crossed, shook his head and sat down. Next to him, a violist was fixing his hair with wax. Their eyes met in the mirror, and the violist, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, awkwardly began to explain without being asked.

“I just don’t want it to fall and distract me.”

Although his hair had never fallen and distracted him, Haewon extended his hand.

“Let me borrow some, too. I was worried about my hairstyle.”

“Sure, use it as you like.”

Haewon spread the thick wax on his hands and styled his hair. When he pulled back his hair to reveal his forehead, he looked greasy. He was sitting next to the violist, both of them fixing their hair to look like some trendy style, when the cellist squeezed in between them to borrow some wax too. At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

No one usually knocked on the door of the men’s string instrument dressing room number three. When the cellist responded with a “Yes,” the door opened, revealing a large basket of flowers bigger than a person.

“Is Moon Haewon here?”

“Yes?”

Haewon, who had been absentmindedly looking in the mirror and fixing his hair, turned his head. The delivery man, seemingly surprised that Haewon was not a woman, hesitated for a moment, confirmed the name again, and then brought the flower basket inside. He got Haewon’s signature for receipt.

There was only one person around Haewon who knew he was performing today.

“Wow, who is it? Haewon, do you have a lover? This is amazing. I’ve never seen a man receive flowers before. But this is really cool. I should ask my girlfriend to send me a flower basket too.”

The violist exclaimed on Haewon’s behalf, seeing the large flower basket. Haewon, with a subtle expectation, took out the card nestled between the roses and hydrangeas. The emotions that had been fluctuating towards him throughout the half-day suddenly settled.

How could one explain the amplitude of these ever-changing emotions?

[Congratulations on your performance. And I’m sorry. Really sorry.]

The person who sent the flower basket was not Hyun Woojin but Lee Jinyeong. More than disappointment surged in. Beyond disappointment, Haewon realized he felt hurt and resentful towards Hyun Woojin.

“Who is it?”

“A stalker.”

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Haewon crumpled the card and threw it into the trash. He pushed the flower basket into a corner of the room.

It meant that Lee Jinyeong was coming to see the performance today. It was already revealed that he was not a runaway music student, and it was likely that his lawyer had informed him of who Haewon was.

Haewon stopped himself from sending a message to Hyun Woojin. He barely restrained himself from asking how he would handle another person ignoring his threats. He didn’t want to deal with him, but the fact that he approached like this was extremely tiring.

“Oh, it looks like they’re letting people in.”

The audience filling the seats could be seen on the soundless monitor. It was now thirty minutes before the performance.

He checked the condition of his instrument one last time and confirmed that the order of the sheet music had not changed. The VIP seats were not visible on the monitor, and neither Hyun Woojin nor Lee Jinyeong could be seen in the audience.

Looking at the flower basket in the corner, Haewon left the dressing room at the staff’s call. The orchestra, lined up at the entrance of the stage, began to ascend the steps one by one. As the performers appeared, applause erupted from the audience. Haewon, who sat at the very back of the second violins, was the last to follow the flute and piccolo onto the stage.

The applause continued until the orchestra took their seats. The audience was not visible due to the lights. If they had come, they would be sitting somewhere. Whether it was Hyun Woojin or Lee Jinyeong.

At least Lee Jinyeong sent a flower basket. Whether Haewon performed well or not wouldn’t significantly impact today’s performance, but shouldn’t he at least send a message of encouragement? There was no contact from Hyun Woojin until Haewon went on stage, and he bit his lip, shaken by an unknown feeling driving him. He felt a violent urge to grab Hyun Woojin by the collar and tell him not to play games with adults.

When the oboe played an A note, everyone began tuning. After the orchestra finished tuning, the conductor walked out. Applause erupted. The orchestra members stood to greet the maestro. The first part was the orchestra’s regular concert, and the second part was a collaboration with Henry Chang.

No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t see anyway, so Haewon focused on the performance, ignoring the audience. The magnificent sound of the orchestra filled the grand concert hall. Time passed, and he couldn’t tell if he was playing or just pretending, as his mind was already filled with other thoughts.

After the first part of the performance, there was a fifteen-minute intermission.

There was still no contact on the phone left in the dressing room, and Haewon was getting increasingly angry. He stared intently at the monitor showing the bustling audience, but he couldn’t see the person he wanted. He had to suppress the urge to call him repeatedly.

He used the fifteen minutes efficiently by going to the bathroom and drinking water, then went back on stage for the second part. When Henry Chang and the pianist appeared, gasps and thunderous applause erupted.

The audience, seeing Henry Chang in person, was excited by his youthful appearance.

The first piece was Beethoven’s Violin Sonata Kreutzer. The spotlight fell only on Henry Chang and the piano. The orchestra was shrouded in darkness. Only then did Haewon look up at the VIP seats. He could barely make out the figures, but couldn’t identify anyone.

As he lowered his gaze, he made eye contact with someone. It was an illusion that he made eye contact. They couldn’t see Haewon from there. Lee Jinyeong was sitting in the second row, looking precisely in his direction. From such a close seat, he must have seen Haewon performing in the first part. Even though it was the corner and the last row, he could still be seen.

The eye that Haewon had stabbed was fine. He seemed to have lost some weight. He didn’t look slim, but his jawline was more pronounced, giving him a sharper impression. He no longer looked like an athlete. Haewon looked at him and then turned his gaze away.

Tolstoy wrote a novel inspired by Beethoven’s Violin Sonata Kreutzer. The protagonist of the novel kills his wife. The novel is a shocking story told from the perspective of a man who killed his wife. Tolstoy described the scene where the violinist and the wife played Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata as a sexual act between a man and a woman.

The protagonist was convinced that the intense exchange between the piano and violin, and their musical interaction, was an affair. He believed that while playing music, they were having a mental affair. He cursed music, questioning what music really was, if it was originally like this, and claiming that music was terrifying. He blamed Beethoven’s sonata, saying that it was because of it that he killed his wife.

It was too dark a theme for the young Henry Chang to express and capture. While his finger accuracy and technique on the fingerboard were impressive, the complex emotions beyond that were not conveyed.

After Kreutzer ended, Henry Chang and the pianist left the stage to great applause. The stage crew came out and dragged the piano to the back.

Haewon let out a small sigh as the lights illuminated the entire stage. Lee Jinyeong was sitting quite close, so his face was visible even from there. Haewon deliberately avoided looking in that direction.

The conductor and Henry Chang came out again. It was the highlight of the performance. Brahms’ Violin Concerto began.

∞ ∞ ∞

The performance ended successfully. The orchestra’s performance was excellent, and Henry Chang, performing with them for the first time, was indeed worthy of being called a genius. His honest and concise expression and precise phrasing couldn’t deeply dissect Brahms, but his technique alone was enough to convey Brahms’ depth.

Apart from Isaac Stern, there hadn’t been a violinist who greatly attracted him, but Henry Chang’s performance was so good that he personally looked forward to his performances ten and twenty years from now. Thanks to this, he didn’t know what he was doing during the first part, but he was very focused during the second part, and didn’t think about Hyun Woojin or Lee Jinyeong at all.

In addition to the three encore pieces prepared, Henry Chang played “Spring in My Hometown” as the final piece, saying he wanted to express his gratitude to his homeland. It was a cliché repertoire, but it always made his nose tingle whenever he heard it. The audience sang along to Henry Chang’s violin performance, decorating the finale and ending the performance.

Despite the touching performance, Haewon felt Lee Jinyeong’s presence, mechanically clapping and staring intently at his face.

Haewon returned to the dressing room after the performance. He took photos with the orchestra and shook hands with Henry Chang. The after-party was prepared at a nearby hotel banquet hall. The cellist, who had finished packing his instrument first, waited for the slowly moving Haewon and the violist, suggesting they ride together to the banquet hall. The cellist glanced at the flower basket Haewon had received.

“Haewon, aren’t you taking that?”

“I’m allergic to flowers.”

“Then can I take it?”

“Do as you please.”

“I’ll load it in the car. Come down when I call.”

“You two go ahead. I’ll follow shortly.”

The violist and cellist left the dressing room. The cellist couldn’t carry both the cello case and the flower basket at the same time. The violist slung the cello case over his shoulder for him. The flower basket was so large that it was cumbersome to carry alone.

Once they left, the surroundings became quiet. The footsteps and chatter that had been noisy outside gradually diminished over time. Haewon looked at his phone, but it was still silent.

“……”

More than just disappointment, emotions welled up like water. Throughout the night, he held his hand while looking at the night view. He called late at night to say goodnight and kissed him all night long. When he said not to touch him, he fixed his upper body with his arms to avoid touching him and kissed him. When it became difficult to hold on, he suddenly did push-ups to relieve muscle pain and kissed him softly without showing any signs of fatigue.

He took him to a hotel, fed him, and lay on the bed, saying they would only kiss, but created an indecent atmosphere with a full erection.

He said that the heart was important, and that he should say it when he wanted to undress only in front of him. He endured even last night, when he wouldn’t have minded whatever happened to him.

He said there was only this life, no next life, and spoke sweet words.

Haewon, looking at his gloomy face in the mirror, stood up without hesitation. Waiting was now meaningless.

He put on his coat and packed a shopping bag with clothes. The dry cleaner’s plastic and hangers were sticking out. He slung the violin over his shoulder and left the dressing room. No one would notice if one person was missing from an after-party with over a hundred people.

The concert hall, now empty of the audience and orchestra members, was deathly quiet. A few staff members were raising their voices to adjust the position of expensive speakers.

As Haewon descended the stairs, he encountered a bassoon player.

“Are you going to the after-party now? Everyone left earlier. I forgot my wallet in the dressing room.”

Without being asked, she showed Haewon a black wallet and smiled.

“I don’t feel well, so I’m heading home.”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“I guess I was really nervous.”

“I was so nervous today too. I went to the bathroom twice. During the second part, I wanted to go to the bathroom so badly that I broke out in a cold sweat. Isn’t Henry Chang’s performance amazing? Considering it was a regular concert, I think this performance was top-notch in both the pieces and the playing.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work. I’m going to leave now.”

Haewon nodded at the woman who was sharing unnecessary information and walked in the opposite direction. He stopped his steps toward the taxi stand.

Through the glass door, he saw Lee Jinyeong exhaling white breath. He tried to avoid him, but got caught in his gaze as he turned around. As Haewon hesitated and stood still, Lee Jinyeong pushed the glass door and came inside. In the quiet place, the sound of Lee Jinyeong’s footsteps echoed.

“I’m sorry.”

“……”

“I didn’t know what hands meant to you back then. That’s what I’m most sorry about. I can’t believe I tried to do that to you.”

He apologized without hesitation. Haewon looked at him with pursed lips. Despite losing weight, indicating he had been through emotional distress, his originally strong build didn’t make him look haggard. Instead, he even seemed mature from enduring mental suffering. More than anything, his sincere apology softened Haewon’s resistance towards him.

“Haewon.”

“Okay, I get it. Stop now.”

“Haa… I guess I really wanted to hear that. My heart feels like it’s shrinking.”

As if to show what he meant, he grabbed his left chest tightly. He then looked up.

“Everyone seems to be going to the after-party. Aren’t you going?”

“I’m tired, so I’m going home.”

Haewon walked past him. He pushed the glass door open and descended the wide stairs. Lee Jinyeong followed him.

“Haven’t you eaten dinner? You must be hungry.”

“I had a snack.”

“I’ll buy you something delicious. Have dinner with me as a sign of accepting my apology.”

“Aren’t we past that point?”

Haewon stopped and looked back at him. They had threatened to sue each other and report to the police, and he had almost lost his sight because of Haewon. Even though both of Lee Jinyeong’s eyes were intact, he stopped walking.

“I’m not trying to do anything with you. I just want to buy you dinner. I really enjoyed the performance today. It was moving.”

He spoke sincerely. To avoid closing the distance between them, he intentionally stayed two steps away. Haewon turned around without responding and quickened his pace, heading to the main street.

“Did you get the flowers?”

“I threw them away.”

“I’m sorry. I should have given you something else.”

“I don’t need it.”

“My thoughts were short. I’m sorry.”

He apologized repeatedly like a parrot, making Haewon turn his head sharply.

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

“What?”

“Why do you keep making it uncomfortable?”

“Sorry.”

“……”

His dullness was frustrating. Lee Jinyeong sighed deeply as if dejected, and white breath spread around his chest.

“I’m not in the mood to have dinner with anyone right now. It’s not because of you, so don’t worry.”

“Okay. I was too… hasty, wasn’t I? Then let me at least give you a ride. Wait a moment. I’ll get the car.”

“No need. I’ll take a taxi.”

There wasn’t a taxi to be seen in the area outside the music hall. The occasional taxi that passed by already had passengers. Despite Haewon telling him to leave, Lee Jinyeong stood by and waited for a taxi with him.

He was more eager than Haewon, craning his neck to spot a taxi. He raised his hand excitedly at every taxi, even those without a vacant sign, and even reached out riskily when a taxi with passengers drove by.

“It’s hard to catch a taxi here,” he said worriedly. Rubbing his cold hands together anxiously, he glanced at the distant cars stopped at the traffic light.

“I’m fine on my own, so just go. It’s cold.”

“Aren’t you cold?”

Even in the middle of winter, Haewon didn’t wear thick padding or parkas because the distance from the taxi to the front of the officetel was minimal.

Lee Jinyeong, looking back at Haewon standing without a scarf in his coat, had red ears. He wore a wool trench coat that seemed to be for style, with only a black turtleneck underneath. His ungloved hands were also red from the cold.

“Just go.”

“Wait a moment. I’ll call a taxi for you.”

“I said it’s fine.”

“It’ll come quickly if I call.”

“……”

He sniffled as he took out his phone and made a call. Lee Jinyeong’s face hardened seriously as the call taxi didn’t answer. Haewon sighed.

“Bring the car.”

“What?”

“I said bring the car.”

“Got it. Just wait a bit. I’ll be right back.”

He smiled brightly and hurriedly turned around. Haewon watched his back as he ran to the parking lot.

It was enough for him to be devoted to Haewon, to love him, and to fill his emptiness. He couldn’t say there was no resentment towards Hyun Woojin for not contacting or visiting on such a day. Haewon didn’t want to use verbs for any feelings towards Hyun Woojin, but it ended up that way.

Haewon hated him, disliked him, was angry because of him, missed him, wanted to hug him, and wanted to kiss him.

Using Lee Jinyeong due to his rising resistance towards Hyun Woojin, Haewon realized he was constantly thinking of him in verbs.

Lee Jinyeong’s car exited the parking lot and approached with a right turn. The car stopped in front of Haewon. He rolled down the window.

“Get in quickly.”

As Haewon moved to put his luggage and violin in the back seat, the movement of a car approaching with headlights flashing was unusual. Before Haewon could turn his head, a gray car crashed into the rear of the white SUV.

Bang―!

Haewon was startled and took a step back. His whole body stiffened.

With a thunderous sound, the back of the SUV was crushed, and the hood of the gray car was crumpled. White smoke rose from the hood. The rear windows of the SUV were completely shattered. Lee Jinyeong, who had his face buried in the steering wheel, groaned and raised his upper body. Not wearing a seatbelt, he had hit the steering wheel directly, causing his nose to bleed. He grabbed the back of his neck and staggered out of the car.

A person also got out of the gray car. Hyun Woojin, looking unscathed, got out of the driver’s seat. Looking like someone who couldn’t possibly be the driver of the crashed vehicle, Hyun Woojin approached the trembling Lee Jinyeong, who was leaning against the SUV, and unbuttoned his jacket as if showing some courtesy.

“Are you okay?”

“Damn… What kind of crazy bastard…”

“Oh dear, you’re quite injured.”

Lee Jinyeong, holding his bleeding nose, turned his head and flinched as soon as he made eye contact with Hyun Woojin.

“Should I call the insurance company or an ambulance for you?”

“……”

Lee Jinyeong shook his head in disbelief. No matter how much he shook his head and looked, it was indeed Hyun Woojin standing in front of him. His eyes twitched as he looked at Hyun Woojin.

“Or you can just leave.”

“……”

Blood filled his nose, making Lee Jinyeong cough. Blood splattered on Hyun Woojin’s shirt. He looked down at the bloodstains on his shirt. Lee Jinyeong took a few steps back, staggering.

Hyun Woojin made two phone calls. Within minutes, an insurance company employee arrived. Leaving the accident handling to him, Hyun Woojin approached Haewon, who was standing frozen and pale.

“Did you wait long?”

“……”

“There were too many meetings today.”

“……”

Haewon looked at him with a face on the verge of exploding. While the insurance company employee was attending to Lee Jinyeong, a car approached. The black sedan stopped behind the gray car. A man got out of the car, saw Hyun Woojin, and approached him.

“Sunbae.”

“Give it here.”

“Yes. Is this the right size?”

The man handed over a department store shopping bag. Hyun Woojin took it without checking the contents. The man handed Hyun Woojin the car keys.

“Good job.”

“Please go inside.”

The man bowed deeply. Hyun Woojin grabbed Haewon’s wrist, almost dragging him. Glancing back, Haewon saw Lee Jinyeong leaning against the car, holding something like a handkerchief to his nose.

Hyun Woojin loaded all of Haewon’s luggage and violin into the back seat of the black car.

When Haewon didn’t get in, Hyun Woojin opened the passenger door and pushed Haewon’s head down to force him in. He walked around the hood and got into the driver’s seat. The man who brought the car bowed again to Hyun Woojin, who didn’t even look at him.

As Hyun Woojin stepped on the accelerator, the accident scene receded. Haewon looked at Lee Jinyeong, barely standing, leaning against the car through the side mirror. When he was out of sight, Haewon turned to Hyun Woojin.

“Why.”

“……”

Without looking back, Hyun Woojin asked. It was the first time Haewon had seen a car crash up close, and more than anything, he had been reaching for the back seat door handle, unaware of the impending collision. If Hyun Woojin had been a little later, Haewon’s right hand could have been injured. He clenched his gloved hand tightly. He barely restrained himself from punching Hyun Woojin in the face.

Hyun Woojin, who had been driving silently, stopped the car at a deserted intersection. He turned on the hazard lights and got out, opening the shopping bag the man had brought. Inside was an unopened dress shirt. After checking the size, he hung his jacket on the open car door and took off his blood-stained shirt. It was the first time Haewon had seen him shirtless since the hotel pool. His waist was slim with no excess fat, and his chest and shoulders were broad. His abs moved slightly, revealing defined lines, possibly from the cold. It was a balanced physique that could captivate even the most discerning eye.

He nonchalantly looked around to see if anyone was watching and put on the new dress shirt. He tucked the hem into his pants and straightened his tie. He put his jacket back on and got into the car.

“What happened?”

“……”

“Are you crazy? Do you have two lives?”

“……”

“Hyun Woojin…!”

“Shut up.”

He spoke sharply in a tone Haewon had never heard before. Haewon looked at him in surprise.

“Stop talking and keep your mouth shut. Just because I’m not angry doesn’t mean I’m not angry.”

It was a frightening tone Haewon had never heard before. Even Haewon, who wasn’t afraid of him, felt his heart sink at the cold tone. His low voice, with no variation in pitch, was like a sharply honed blade aimed at his chin. Haewon’s emotions were in turmoil.

“…Why are you angry?”

“Shut up.”

“Who should be angry, and why are you angry?”

“……”

He didn’t tell him to shut up or be quiet anymore. He stared straight ahead with a hardened expression. Haewon’s fists, clenched on his lap, trembled.

Today was the performance, and he didn’t even send a message or call to wish him well. Whether he saw the performance or not, Haewon didn’t know, but to him, it was as if Hyun Woojin hadn’t seen it and hadn’t come.

He was disappointed in his attitude. The cold weather, which made it hard to stand waiting for a taxi, made him feel sad and upset, and he didn’t want to expect anything anymore. Expecting Hyun Woojin to come, expecting his car to appear from somewhere. If you expect, you get disappointed. If you don’t expect, there’s no disappointment.

He was upset, but he had no intention of doing anything with Lee Jinyeong. He hadn’t even come to see the performance, and he left Haewon in the cold, yet Hyun Woojin was treating him as if he had done something wrong. He crashed his car into another’s, destroying both cars, as if he had a death wish.

His car arrived in front of the hotel where they had ordered room service the previous night. He said the heart was important, but in the end, it seemed Hyun Woojin had other priorities. Haewon’s eyes hardened as he looked up at the lavishly decorated hotel building through the car window.

Hyun Woojin got out of the car first. Haewon didn’t get out. Waiting for Haewon to get out, he opened the opposite door and leaned against the car when Haewon didn’t move.

“What are you doing? Get out.”

“I’m not getting out.”

“Get out.”

“Stop telling me what to do.”

He sighed, a faint breath spreading around his face.

“Hurry up and get out. We’re late.”

“I’m not getting out. Why should I?”

“It’s better if you just get out.”

“What if I don’t? Are you going to crash into something again? I almost hurt my hand earlier!”

Haewon shouted at him. Leaning deeper, he stared at Haewon’s face.

“Just get out. Or I’ll drag you out and carry you over my shoulder.”

It was an empty threat.

“I don’t care about that. It would be a problem for a public official like you. Just the rumor of you carrying a man into a hotel would end your career as a prosecutor.”

Haewon glared at him, daring him to do as he pleased.

“It wouldn’t end my career, but you have a point.”

“I’m not getting out. Got it?”

“I won’t get angry. Just get out.”

“……”

“I won’t get angry.”

His voice softened. He thought Haewon was scared of his anger. It was ridiculous. Haewon wasn’t afraid of him, no matter how angry or furious he got.

“I won’t get angry, so get out.”

“Why are you angry? What did you do right? You wrecked someone else’s car, broke someone’s nose. That’s a crime.”

“Stop provoking me and get out.”

“I told you to stop telling me what to do.”

Haewon grabbed the door handle and tried to close the door. His hand was faster. The door didn’t close, held by Hyun Woojin’s hand.

“I really won’t get angry.”

His voice had softened considerably. Still, Haewon couldn’t trust him. He had definitely felt a murderous intent earlier, like a sharp blade aimed at his chin.

The hotel staff, who had been waiting to park the car, noticed their argument and disappeared to another car.

“How can I trust you? I saw you looking at me like you wanted to kill me.”

“What will it take for you to trust me?”

“Nothing you do will make me trust you.”

“Nothing I do will make you trust me, and nothing I do will make you get out?”

“Right. It’s cold, so close the door.”

When Haewon pulled the door handle, it surprisingly closed easily. He saw Hyun Woojin standing outside the window. After a moment of thought, he suddenly opened the back door and grabbed Haewon’s violin. Haewon turned around in shock.

“What are you doing…!”

“Come and get it.”

He closed the back door and walked into the hotel with the violin case. Haewon, who had been stubbornly refusing to get out, quickly and nimbly got out of the car.

“Hey!”

He shouted and chased after him. Hyun Woojin was crossing the lobby with the case. Hearing Haewon’s shout, he glanced back and entered an opening elevator, holding up ten fingers twice. His lips seemed to say “twenty.”

“Wait, wait…!”

Oh no. The violin was being taken hostage. Haewon ran, but couldn’t catch the closing elevator. He quickly pressed the button and anxiously waited for another elevator. He got into the first one that arrived and pressed the button for the twentieth floor.

Haewon frantically pressed the close button to prevent anyone else from getting in. Fortunately, the elevator went straight to the twentieth floor. He squeezed through the half-open doors before they fully opened.

On the 20th floor was a French restaurant. Hyun Woojin waited for Haewon at the restaurant entrance. Rushing to catch up, Haewon snatched the case from his hand. He handed over the violin without resistance.

“Come on.”

He gently placed a hand on Haewon’s shoulder, guiding him into the restaurant. When he didn’t move, he gave him a little push. Haewon reluctantly walked ahead, carrying his violin. Seoul’s top French restaurant was fully booked.

Heading to a VIP room that couldn’t be reserved even a year in advance, Hyun Woojin took Haewon’s arm. An employee recognized him and knocked on the door, opening it for them.

Haewon followed him inside. Seated in the VIP room were HanKyung Group President Kim Jeonggeun, a middle-aged woman who appeared to be his wife, Henry Chang, and Henry Chang’s mother.

Wide-eyed and unsure of what was happening, Haewon looked at Hyun Woojin. Hyun Woojin greeted them with a respectful bow.

“I’m sorry. I was a bit late bringing a junior.”

“Ah, yes. Right. Prosecutor Hyun said he had a junior in our symphony, didn’t he?”

Already tasting the wine poured by the sommelier, President Kim Jeonggeun asked. Henry Chang recognized Haewon and waved.

Hyun Woojin sat down and offered the seat next to him to Haewon. Haewon shot him a look as if to ask what this was all about, but Hyun Woojin just gave him a soft look that told him to sit down.

“Haven’t we met before? I think I’ve seen you somewhere,” President Kim Jeonggeun kindly asked the hesitant Haewon. Haewon managed to calm his anger and replied.

“We met at a hotel party last time.”

“Ah, that’s right. I remember. You were Prosecutor Hyun’s junior? What a coincidence.”

Reluctantly, Haewon greeted President Kim Jeonggeun and sat down. An employee swiftly set the table and brought appetizers. Various types of cutlery were laid out on the table.

“Prosecutor Hyun’s junior?”

President Kim Jeonggeun’s wife asked.

“Yes. We went to the same school.”

“Then you’re an alumnus of mine as well?”

When Hyun Woojin answered, President Kim Jeonggeun chimed in. Haewon only now realized that he and Hyun Woojin had attended the same school. The law school and the music school were quite close, so they might have crossed paths, but Hyun Woojin was six years his senior, and even if they attended at the same time, it would have been for a very short period.

President Kim Jeonggeun introduced Hyun Woojin as a close friend to Henry Chang. Hyun Woojin greeted Henry Chang and his mother politely.

When the food was served, Hyun Woojin glanced at Haewon. He picked up a spoon, seemingly teaching Haewon table manners, worried that he might make a mistake with so much cutlery.

Haewon frowned at him, annoyed that he thought he couldn’t handle basic etiquette, and ate on his own.

The conversation mainly centered around Henry Chang and his mother, who had devotedly supported him. President Kim Jeonggeun and his wife, Henry Chang, and his mother seemed to know each other well. The atmosphere wasn’t tense or awkward.

The conversation was mostly in English. Having learned it from a young age and having prepared for studies in the U.S., Haewon had no difficulty participating. He was intrigued by stories of Henry Chang’s concert tours, collaborations with famous conductors, and behind-the-scenes tales of performances in London and New York.

“What was your name again?”

Suddenly, President Kim Jeonggeun’s wife asked Haewon, seemingly displeased with having someone she considered insignificant present.

“I’m Moon Haewon, a violinist with the HanKyung Cultural Orchestra.”

Hyun Woojin answered on his behalf, and she glanced at him before turning her attention back to Haewon.

“I’ve never heard of Moon Haewon. How old are you? Which competition did you win?”

“What does it matter?”

President Kim Jeonggeun said, frowning at his wife’s rude questions.

“I haven’t won any competitions. I joined the symphony and then left, but fortunately, there was an opening due to someone’s imprisonment, so I rejoined.”

Haewon answered, causing President Kim Jeonggeun and his wife to look up from their foie gras simultaneously.

“Who in the orchestra was imprisoned?”