OTC Chapter 13

Dawn broke, and rain began to fall. The world was shrouded in darkness beneath the steady drizzle. Jaeheon woke up before his alarm and put on a tracksuit and a thin windbreaker.

Pulling up his hood, he stepped outside. Under the dark, blue-tinged sky, he saw other people heading out for exercise. 

They’re all crazy.

With the dark, rippling Han River on his left, Jaeheon started running. It was the same route he’d run almost every day since being discharged from the military.

But today, he left home earlier than usual. He felt like if he didn’t expend this energy somehow, he would do something stupid and reckless again, something he couldn’t control.

The rain intensified, drenching his face. Water splashed from the puddles forming on the ground, and people huddled under the bridge, seeking shelter from the rain.

He ran through the Han River park, pushing himself until his lungs burned, and only returned home after the Gangbyeonbuk-ro highway was filled with morning commuters.

He stripped off his wet clothes, tossed them into the washing machine, and headed to the bathroom, massaging his tense muscles.

He turned on the hot water, and steam quickly filled the air, momentarily blurring his reflection in the mirror.

Just like the steam that had obscured Jung Eunkyo’s face yesterday.

“Haeda’s sleeping at my place right now. I’ll get it from you tonight.”
“He was so drunk he couldn’t function, so I just told him to sleep it off until lunchtime.”

Ha, what the hell. Kim Haeda.

Something snapped inside him when Eunkyo said she had let Kim Haeda sleep at her place. He didn’t want to show it, but if Kim Haeda had been there in front of him, he might have thrown a punch.

Something inside him, something that had been simmering, suddenly boiled over. He knew Jung Eunkyo wouldn’t do that, but he was angry nonetheless. That’s why he pressed her.

Looking down, he stepped into the shower and stood under the hot water. He leaned against the wall with one hand and gripped his penis. He stroked the thick head and rubbed the ridged shaft, a groan escaping his lips. He felt like a dog in heat.

Water cascaded over his head, streaming down his body. His broad shoulders and ribcage, encased in tightly packed muscles, swelled. His six-pack abs and long legs, extending down from his hip bones, were as perfect as a sculpted statue.

His height was genetic, but his physique was the result of hard work. The change in his life had started with Jung Eunkyo and was still ongoing.

“Hello.”

Had it been ten years ago when he first heard that voice? A slender body, unusually fair skin, and light-colored hair. Her eyes were a light brown, and she didn’t have the scent of cosmetics that other girls her age wore.

“Fuck…”

His downcast eyes darkened, and a vicious curse slipped through his teeth. Jaeheon slammed his fist against the tiled wall. For a moment, it seemed like he could see Jung Eunkyo’s face before his eyes.

He was definitely losing his mind. He had held back for so long…

His lips pressed together, his jaw tightening, as he looked down at his hand, coated in slick, disgusting semen.

After showering, Jaeheon quickly downed a bottle of water and lay back on the bed.

It was 9:30 a.m. As if on cue, a message arrived.

「Your birthday is coming up soon. Is there anything you want? If not, I’ll send you a car this time. It’s about time you got a new one.」

Scoffing at the condescending tone, he dropped his phone onto the bed, only for it to vibrate again with another message.

「Seo Jaeheon, come see your father sometimes. This isn’t right between a father and son.」

It had been a while since his surname had changed to Lee, yet his biological father still stubbornly called him Seo Jaeheon.

It was when he was seventeen. Or probably when eighteen. 

The sudden discord had torn apart a couple who had lived together for nearly twenty years. He had chosen his gentle, tenderhearted mother over his overbearing and incompatible father.

He had abandoned his surname without hesitation.

He became Lee Jaeheon, not Seo Jaeheon, and gained a new family and siblings when his mother remarried.

“I saw you. Yes, I saw it! I saw you… masturbating while calling my name. That’s why I’m trying to date! Because I don’t want to fall for some younger guy who’s desperate to seduce me!”

She had seen him. That he was a desperate bastard trying to seduce her.

He wasn’t embarrassed or upset that she had seen through him. He was actually happy. He was almost proud of Jung Eunkyo for finally starting to see him.

He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again, it was well past noon.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

“The rain won’t stop.”

Eunkyo, mopping the floor for what felt like the twelfth time, spoke as she wiped her forehead.

No matter how many mats she put down, the rainwater brought by the customers soiled the cafe floor and made it slippery.

It couldn’t be helped when it rained or snowed, but she was worried someone might slip and get hurt.

“Boss, since it’s raining, can we have pajeon (scallion pancake) and makgeolli (rice wine) for dinner tonight?”

Seontae subtly suggested to Haeda, who was making a hand-drip coffee. Kim Haeda glanced outside and chuckled.

“It’s probably better if you eat that with your friends. Neither Jung Eunkyo nor I can function when it rains.”

“Low blood pressure?”

“Probably.”

“Wow, how can you two be similar in that too? You’re really not dating, are you?”

“I told you we weren’t. Stop saying weird things.”

Seeing Kim Haeda’s expression turn cold, Seontae wisely shut his mouth. Then, as usual, he proceeded to take photos of the cafe and post them on social media.

Perhaps because of the rain, the cafe was quite full. Whether the weather was good or bad, they always had a lot of customers. Eunkyo, looking around the crowded cafe, noticed an SUV pulling up in front of the building. The owner of the large, white, boxy SUV was Lee Jaeheon.

He got out of the car without an umbrella and walked straight into the cafe. He briefly shook off the rain under the awning, and Eunkyo waited with a mop in hand.

They weren’t strangers who would never see each other again, and Eunkyo had been planning to have a serious conversation with him about the previous night when they next met. She waited nervously for him to approach.

“Oh? Jaeheon oppa! Over here, over here!”

All eyes in the cafe turned towards the customer waving from the window seat.

Jaeheon briefly met Eunkyo’s eyes and nodded in greeting before walking towards the table. He sat down next to one of the two women and smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

It was such a kind and gentle smile, one she had never seen before, that a scoff-like chuckle escaped her lips.

“Ah, I thought so. I noticed they were waiting for someone. That person owns the basement studio, right?”

“Is that so?”

Eunkyo replied indifferently, picked up the mop, and started wiping up the trail of water Lee Jaeheon had left. As she casually passed by their table, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed hers.

“Hello.”

Lee Jaeheon greeted him shamelessly with an indifferent expression as if nothing had happened. Eunkyo, conscious of the curious gazes directed at them, nodded curtly. He stood up and followed her as she headed towards the counter.

“One iced Americano, please. To go.”

Eunkyo reached for the card Lee Jaeheon offered, but a hand intervened, blocking the transaction.

“One free drink per day for tenants. Just go back to your seat, and I’ll bring it to you.”

“You don’t have to do that. You already installed the air conditioner.”

Lee Jaeheon’s lips twisted into a crooked smile as he scanned Kim Haeda with a subtly cold gaze.

“That’s something I should do as the landlord. Consider the free drink as a perk.”

They were at a standstill, one insistent on paying, the other refusing to accept payment. Exasperated by their inexplicable behavior, Eunkyo stepped in.

“I’ll pay. I’ll give you a slice of cake as a service, so please take it to your girlfriend.”

She pushed Kim Haeda aside and reached out for the card, but he frowned and withdrew his hand, folding his fingers around the card.

“What did you say?”

“Huh? I said I’d give you a slice of cake.”

“Not that, the other thing.”

“Ah… your girlfriend. They’ve been here for quite a while. They even ordered drinks twice while waiting for you, so it would be nice to give them some cake.”

He stared at her lips, then let out an amused scoff and handed her the card. He returned to his table without another word.

Eunkyo nudged Kim Haeda, who looked dumbfounded, and said, recalling as much as she could,

“The third one you sent me. I think he’s the best option. But is he really a decent guy?”

“He’s a good friend, but as for dating… I don’t know. You really… want to be set up?”

“Um, yeah. I might as well meet him. He might not even like me.”

“Alright. I’ll set something up.”

For some reason, she felt a pang of annoyance. She made the coffee and deliberately chose the prettiest slice of cake to bring to Lee Jaeheon’s table.

Lee Jaeheon looked up at her, his eyes turning subtly cold.

“Wow, thank you! Oppa, we’ll enjoy this.”

“Can you show us your studio after we finish this?” 

“Hey, oppa must be busy…”

The girl trailed off, glancing at Lee Jaeheon, a pretty smile on her face.

Early twenties, the age where one looks beautiful from every angle. A strange pang of jealousy shot through Eunkyo’s chest, and she picked up the mop again.

“Let’s go, I’ll show you the studio.”

Jaeheon, who hadn’t taken a single sip of his coffee, stood up, and the excited group followed him out.

His expression as he left was subtly cold, but the girls were impeccably polite, bowing in thanks and neatly tidying up their seats. In a way, they were perfect, flawless, beautiful young women.