TYW Ch 4.1

“Oppa Woogeon, I like you. We’ve known each other since five years ago when you were in high school. I hope Oppa can understand about love.”

‘Is love really necessary? Love is ultimately just a hormonal game, so I don’t believe in it. If we can fulfill each other’s needs perfectly, that’s love.’

“Woogeon, I think love is looking in the same direction. When we look in the same direction, a strong affection arises, and we can’t live without each other. That’s love, I think.”

He thought only men liked to flirt. After hanging up the phone, Woogeon stared at his cell phone screen for quite a long time. No, maybe he never thought that a relationship beyond innocence was flirting.

“Woogeon, you have a forest.”

Woogeon felt his head was a bit dizzy. He lowered his head and placed his palms on his forehead. With a plain face, without a bit of melanin, with clear light brown irises, the words spoken so purely couldn’t escape his mind, and now he felt a bit confused. Woogeon was far from romanticism, and not a romantic man. Although he enjoyed watching movies and reading novels, he didn’t have a heart soft enough to seek romantic things. He preferred to seek truth and logic, easier to understand clear formulas and definite answers than pointless long debates.

For Woogeon, Yeon Rieul’s love confession, who was nine years younger than him, was the most romantic of all the confessions he had heard in his 31 years of life, so he felt surprised. Woogeon liked trees. Although lately there’s a trend of simple furniture, Woogeon preferred furniture made of old wood. He even collected historical Chippendale furniture from England. Dozens to hundreds of years. With countless roots, steadfast and unchanging, Woogeon felt respect for that unwavering consistency. Something that remained the same even as time passed, something that remained in its place like an inanimate object.

That was the idealism that Woogeon also held. He wanted to stay in one place, unchanged, and protect it. Always wanting to take root and grow bigger in that place, not the type of person who liked to wander aimlessly here and there. He had become accustomed to the strong smell of wood in his room, to the point that he didn’t notice it anymore. When someone occasionally said that the wood smell was nice, he just took it as it was. After all, rarely did women speak so meticulously.

Woogeon felt like a fighter who had just taken a counter punch in the MMA octagon arena, and couldn’t come to his senses for a moment.

‘Yeon Rieul, you’re really a fighter. A tame cat climbing onto the kitchen, that’s you.’

***

When she returned to Wooheonwon’s house, his grandfather was walking in the living room while pulling a support device. His mother was beside him.

“Grandfather! I’m home.”

As she entered the hall and greeted the adults cheerfully, his mother welcomed her warmly.

“Rieul came?”

The grandfather looked healthier, his face a little fuller than a few days ago, and greeted Rieul with a smile.

“Is it okay for grandfather to walk like this?”

“No problem. I’ve been very annoyed, I’m not a baby, so I can still do it.”

Rieul chuckled. The grandfather laughed playfully. Sometimes, that mischievous smile felt like a young man’s smile.

“Why is grandfather laughing like that?”

“Did your date go well?”

“Ah, Father, don’t interfere in the children’s affairs.” His mother scolded the grandfather, and the grandfather laughed mischievously again. That laughter was very similar to Woogeon’s, so Rieul smiled faintly. Maybe this grandfather really loved Woogeon.

“Rieul, have you had breakfast?” The mother asked gently.

“Yes, Woogeon called someone to cook, and I ate very full.”

“My goodness, Woogeon said that?”

“That kid?”

Both were surprised and confirmed again. Rieul smiled faintly and nodded. Then, they looked at each other and laughed.

Rieul helped the grandfather lie down on the bed. “Grandfather.”

“Yes, Rieul.”

“You must be curious, right?”

“Ah, no.”

“Ah, grandfather can’t hide his face.” The grandfather laughed heartily.

“Last night, I didn’t sleep with Woogeon.”

“Why?”

“I expressed my feelings to Woogeon yesterday.”

“What? Expressed feelings? Rieul?”

“Yes, is there something wrong?” Rieul looked at the grandfather who was lying in bed with a confused look.

“Shouldn’t it be the man who expresses feelings?” The grandfather clicked his tongue seriously.

“Grandfather, this is the modern age.”

“Even so, if a male wants to get the attention of a female, he has to shine more, be more conspicuous, and seduce the woman. Don’t give that Woogeon any more chances.”

The grandfather’s face was serious. “Huh? Rieul, listen carefully to grandfather’s advice. You have to be more dominant than him.”

Rieul laughed heartily. “Huh? Just say it!”

“Grandfather, do you know?”

“What do you mean?”

“Grandfather and Woogeon are very similar.”

“Ah, you!”

Rieul chuckled lightly. The grandfather looked a bit sullen for a moment.

“If that kid is like me, what’s the problem? His character isn’t like mine.”

“I think it’s similar.”

“Is that so? Does he look like someone with great ambition?”

Rieul laughed casually. “Grandfather, it seems like you actually care about Woogeon, right?”

“He has everything he needs, but he’s not greedy. He doesn’t have human warmth, very cold, and harsh.”

Rieul held the grandfather’s rough hand gently. “I don’t think you know.”

“Really? I don’t know, huh?”

“Yes, Woogeon is very loving. He’s not cold, he’s warm, and very friendly. It’s just an outer appearance.”

“Then, let Rieul make him warmer. Be the reason for his life, so he can become softer—”

Rieul looked at the grandfather for a long time. “Is that possible?”

“Does he know how to take care of other people?” The grandfather laughed heartily.

“What does that mean?”

“That kid doesn’t really care who feeds him. He doesn’t even care if the food goes in through his mouth or nose. And now he says he prepared food?”

“But he helped prepare the food—”

“Grandfather also asked someone else to do it. That kid is indeed an interesting person”

The grandfather continued to laugh heartily, and Rieul just laughed along with him.

***

Woogeon felt very busy, but the woman appeared around him. Often, even all day long, he kept hearing the sentence “Woogeon, you have that forest,” which made his head even more dizzy. Really, he didn’t understand what it meant.

The wedding was planned to be held on a small scale in a small gallery in Buam-dong, with only close family attending, due to the grandfather’s illness. Today, Rieul, Rieul’s mother, and the grandfather would go to the gallery that had been prepared for the wedding and check the condition of the place, then set the right time for the ceremony.

Since morning, Woogeon had only stared at his silent cell phone screen. The woman was awkward in terms of romance. If Woogeon didn’t text or call, she wouldn’t contact first either. Woogeon pressed the keypad, entered the woman’s number that he knew very well, and habitually pressed the call button, but was immediately surprised. Unable to avoid it, he answered the phone and put the earpiece to his ear. The ringtone didn’t last long and was immediately connected to the receiver.

—Yes?  Rieul’s voice sounded monotonous.

Although he was very busy, he called, and Rieul didn’t respond enthusiastically like other women who might feel honored. There was only one word, Woogeon frowned.

—Hello?

“I heard you’re going to the gallery today.”

—Yes, I’m on my way now with grandfather and mother.

Rieul spoke in a newsreader-like voice that sounded very formal, as if it were suitable for a classic radio broadcast at 2 PM, but Woogeon knew, when she was happy, her tone could be bright and cheerful like a peer.

—Woogeon? Do you have something to say?

Actually, there was nothing he wanted to say, but he didn’t want to say it directly—that he called just because the woman kept appearing around him and he didn’t want to look like a man who was carried away by feelings.

“I just wanted to say, since I can’t go, I hope you see everything well.”

—Yes, I’ll see it well.

“Then, I’ll hang up.”

Woogeon hung up the phone and sighed heavily, feeling burdened in his chest. There was so much work he had to finish for the delayed wedding, but why did he spend time calling? This was very annoying, how could he feel so happy or sad just because of the woman’s words? However, Rieul’s monotonous voice felt so pleasant, to the point that he was reluctant to hang up. Although he didn’t mind listening to Rieul’s bright voice like a teenager, the monotonous voice actually made Woogeon want to talk more with Rieul. Woogeon immediately frowned.

He took the elevator to the afternoon meeting with Rieul following him with small steps behind. When Rieul kept talking non-stop, Woogeon gave a sharp look as a signal for her to be quiet. Jung Eunseop gave a brief report on the order of events in the meeting.

‘Woogeon, you have a forest.’

With a plain face and speaking calmly, Rieul kept disturbing his mind, until Woogeon felt almost crazy.

‘What forest… What is she talking about…’

Unconsciously, Woogeon rubbed his face with both hands while mumbling. Jung Eunseop asked.

“Vice Director, can you please repeat that?”

Woogeon closed his eyes and massaged between his eyebrows. He was just talking to himself, very embarrassing. “No, just continue the report.”

‘This decision from this chaos, please get out of my head.’

***

The gallery was like a greenhouse with a glass ceiling, where light entered so much that it seemed to be poured in. On the concrete-colored gallery ceiling, some parts were covered with white fabric that hung like curtains. On the wedding day, the wedding planner cheerfully informed that this place would be filled with fragrant flowers. Beautiful flowers. How beautiful those flowers were, how many flowers were there? It would surely be a moment full of happiness, beauty, and joy—something she had never experienced in her life, making Rieul’s heart full of hope.

When the grandfather asked what time the wedding should start, Rieul said she wanted to hold it at 4 PM when the sun began to set. The gallery was located on the slopes of Buam-dong, and when Rieul, her grandfather, and her mother-in-law visited it, it was already 2 PM. The sunlight entering from the glass ceiling was very bright, but when the wedding was held at 4 PM, the sunlight would become redder, as if it would spread to every corner of the gallery. Her mother-in-law, who was very romantic, liked that time.

On the day before the wedding, Rieul and her mother-in-law treated their skin with aromatherapy oil, then had a relaxed dinner before returning. Her grandfather and parents told her to rest early, so Rieul was alone after 9 PM. Her future husband, Woogeon, was busy so there was no news at all. Even when they went to see the gallery the next day, Woogeon only called her reluctantly. It seemed, he really felt forced to marry. When Rieul expressed her feelings that she liked him, Woogeon didn’t feel happy at all, instead felt uncomfortable and burdened.

“This is my first confession, so I feel confused now.”

“Like a dog in heat, my body feels hot. No matter if this is the first time or not, what I feel now is wanting to enter you, Rieul.”

Did that mean he liked or disliked her? Rieul thought hard, then hesitated whether to text the man. As she stared at her phone, she worried that Woogeon would feel disturbed, so she canceled her intention. When she was changing TV channels, her phone rang, and with curiosity, she immediately reached out.

Woogeon.

Rieul excitedly answered the phone. “Yes, this is Rieul.”

—Are you busy?

“No, I’m resting in my room.”

—Want to go out?

“Where?”

—In front of the house. In front of the fence.

Rieul felt a warm sensation that unintentionally appeared inside her, as if a warm liquid seeped into her heart. It was almost 10 PM now. Autumn was getting deeper, and the air in Seongbuk-dong, which was located in a high area, felt cold. Woogeon might just leave because he felt cold, so Rieul carefully went out wearing jogger pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

As she expected, the autumn night was clear and cold. When Rieul passed the park, she saw Woogeon sitting on a rock while eating something. As soon as Woogeon saw Rieul, their eyes met. Woogeon sat on a rock, exhaling cold breaths while chewing a chocolate bar ravenously. Since yesterday, he felt like Rieul was constantly present in his mind, and he thought it was because of an energy deficiency after not eating due to being busy. He had often skipped meals due to being busy, and maybe his body, which he had been proud of, was starting to show signs of fatigue. Or maybe because it had been a month since he had sex, or maybe…

Woogeon looked at the woman who was approaching quickly from the entrance.

‘Is that his taste?’

Under hair rolled up round like children her age, appeared a forehead and face that looked very white and smooth under the moonlight. When smiling, her eyes curved beautifully like a crescent moon. The lack of melanin made those pale eyes appear to have large irises that sometimes looked sad like a puppy or indifferent like a cat. Her very thick lips, maybe would feel sweet if kissed. The woman who approached looked at Woogeon with an attractive face. Woogeon looked at the woman seriously. Because of the sudden situation, she did look like a rare beautiful woman. Currently, she was wearing a loose shirt and pants, but when wearing a dress, her ankles looked very slender, as if they could be grasped with just one hand. Maybe that was his taste too.

“Haven’t you eaten?”

“Yes, I didn’t have time to eat.”

“Then why are you eating a chocolate bar?”

Rieul frowned. Although her body was small, her long and white neck and regular collarbone, with curved shoulders, looked very beautiful and very delicate. Apart from her small body, she was the type of woman he liked.

“I seem to be lacking energy.” The woman smiled gently at the sound.

‘Ah, again. Can her eyes curve like that?’

Woogeon frowned. The lower part of his body felt stiff and tense.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Rieul, your husband is quite old now. If you lack energy, you can start seeing unreal things.”

“Unreal things?” Rieul looked at Woogeon with a strange look.

‘Do you know how annoying it is to have Rieul constantly following me all day?’

“Were you with grandfather all day today?”

“Um, today I received an aromatherapy oil massage with mother.”

“Don’t lie. Near me, you keep mumbling, ‘Lee Woogeon, you have a forest.’“

“Lee Woogeon…?”

“I’m so hungry that I’ve been disturbed by hallucinations and delusions all day”

Yeon Rieul’s face was immediately filled with worry. “Don’t you need to go to the hospital?”

“It’s not that bad. I’ve found the cause.”

“The cause?”

“Yes, there’s someone who sounds like a chick, cheep-cheep.”

Woogeon finished the rest of the chocolate bar quickly, biting it hard. After standing up and patting his butt, Woogeon frowned again. In Woogeon’s eyes, Rieul’s legs were visible. White bare legs, not sneakers, but sandals.

“What’s wrong?”

“Since when have you been wearing sandals? It’s very cold now.”

“It’s okay, I just came out for a moment.”

“A moment?”

Yeon Rieul moved her eyeballs slightly.

“Ah, is it not?”

“That’s right, I just came for a moment to see your face. Even so, your feet will feel cold.

You could get sick, going out so thinly dressed.”

“It’s okay.”

“Go inside.”

“Why?”

“Your body could get cold, your feet could freeze too.”

“Isn’t it troublesome to greet the adults?”

“Is that important?”

Woogeon grabbed Rieul’s hand and strode towards the entrance. Rieul felt her face turn red. Lee Woogeon, who said he didn’t want to greet the adults, now quickly entered the house, claiming that Rieul’s body would freeze, and strode quickly into the house. Fortunately, there was no one in the living room, but even for a moment, Rieul’s feet felt frozen from the cold weather in Seongbuk-dong, and warmth soon arrived. Lee Woogeon checked around the living room for a moment, then quickly pulled Rieul’s shoulder and went up to the second floor. Rieul just followed what Lee Woogeon did.

Arriving at Woogeon’s room, he opened the room door, observed the outside, carefully closed the door, then turned on the light. Rieul smiled without taking her eyes off Woogeon.

“What’s so funny?”

Lee Woogeon said without much feeling while looking at Rieul.

“Like a scene in a spy movie.”

“Interesting, isn’t it?”

“Yes, don’t you dislike greeting adults like that?”

“That’s not it.”

Lee Woogeon, who was staring blankly, took a breath for a moment, seeming a bit hot as sweat started to appear on his forehead. He suddenly looked at Rieul again.

“What’s wrong?”

Lee Woogeon put pressure on Rieul’s arm that he was holding. When Woogeon’s strength pressed Rieul’s arm, she felt pain and grimaced.

“Ah, it hurts.”

Lee Woogeon smiled crookedly with a serious face, then moved the Adam’s apple in his throat.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Lee Woogeon exhaled a long breath, pushed Rieul, then leaned against the door and took off his jacket, placing it on the sofa chair, while loosening his tie a little.

“Do you feel hot?”

“A little. Rieul, do you feel warm?”

“Yes, but you seem to really dislike greeting adults.”

“I don’t like it because they’re noisy.”

“Adults?”

“They act like there’s a special event just because I came to see Rieul. It’s very annoying.”

“They do set a schedule. Tomorrow.”

His bent fingers touched Rieul’s cheek, and Rieul’s heart raced.

“That’s right, tomorrow.”

Rieul couldn’t avoid it and lowered her gaze slightly to look at Woogeon’s chest.

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Just a bit.”

“Just a bit?”

“I couldn’t contact you today.”

“Thank you, for considering that. Actually, I was waiting.”

Rieul spoke obediently. At that moment, her chin was slightly lifted, and she felt a very soft sensation. It was a very familiar touch. Only for a moment. Only for a moment their lips touched, then parted. In an instant, Rieul’s body trembled. Lee Woogeon’s big hand returned to circle Rieul’s chin under her ear, touching Rieul’s lips gently, then slowly moved his lips away. Rieul looked at him with trembling eyes. Her breathing was ragged, and her heart was beating so fast, as if afraid. Rieul took a deep breath, then swallowed her saliva. Lee Woogeon’s eyes looked blank, but as if piercing her irises.

“Rieul.”

Unconsciously, Rieul licked her lips and felt the touch that had just passed with her tongue. Lee Woogeon’s hand, which was holding her chin gently, touched her face, then bent down slowly again to find her lips. The kiss was long, warm, and affectionate. Lee Woogeon, so gentle like that, pulled Rieul into his arms.

“You’re small.”

His tone sounded a bit dissatisfied, so Rieul smiled. Since they first met, Lee Woogeon didn’t seem to like Rieul’s small body very much.

“Don’t you like it? Does it burden you?”

Even though she said that, Rieul’s face felt hot. Lee Woogeon’s hot body temperature made her face heat up too. Rieul placed her hand on the man’s chest.

“I’m afraid you’ll break.”

Rieul smiled slightly.

“I’m just afraid because I’m too strong, so I’m worried Rieul’s smallness will break.” “Don’t worry like that. I’m not an ant.”

Lee Woogeon laughed while hugging Rieul. He bent his back again and touched his lips on Rieul’s cheek.

“Like a butterfly.”

“Like it’s about to fly away.”

Rieul found it difficult to laugh or say anything, her throat felt tight.

“I’m a little worried.”

Too, too sweet. Rieul felt her heart pounding.

“I’ll go.”

Lee Woogeon pulled his back straight, sighed, and said.

“Might as well stay.”

Rieul unconsciously opened her mouth. Lee Woogeon looked at her.

“Just sleep, let’s.”

Lee Woogeon’s sharp and handsome gaze was visible.

“After all, tomorrow is the wedding.”

“Is just holding hands difficult?”

“No, nothing is difficult.”

Rieul smiled faintly. Lee Woogeon went to the bathroom to shower. Meanwhile, Rieul was confused what to do, sat on the bed for a while, stood up, paced around the room, then changed into comfortable clothes and had to face the man who came out of the bathroom with hair rubbed with a towel.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah, I’m waiting for Woogeon.”

“Go to sleep immediately. Tomorrow is the wedding, sleeping late will be troublesome.”

Rieul carefully got into bed following Woogeon’s words. She also hurriedly dried her hair, turned on the light, turned off the main light, and got into bed. Rieul tried to calm her racing heart, lying on her side while looking at Woogeon. Woogeon closed his eyes and held Rieul’s hand. Woogeon’s hand was very warm, even hot. However, Rieul didn’t mind.

“Why are you staring like that?”

“Is it obvious?”

“I can feel it.”

“Because it’s weird.”

“What’s weird?”

“Because this is the first time I’m sleeping with a man.”

Lee Woogeon opened his eyes and looked at Rieul.  “Why first again?”

“I don’t know.” Rieul smiled faintly.

“This is much more shaking than I thought.”

“Are you trembling?” He laughed as if it was a pleasant thing.

Rieul didn’t stop smiling either. Only the dim lights were on, and the room was silent.

“There’s something I want to ask.”

“Please.”

“Why is Rieul so good at speaking?”

“Me?”

“Is speaking difficult?”

“Since you were born in America, your English should be fluent. Your pronunciation is good, your intonation is good too, not like someone who just came from America. And your way of speaking is very regular—”

“Ah, because my grandmother hardly speaks English, I was forced to be good at Korean. At first, I didn’t have much trouble because my parents are Korean, so it’s not that I couldn’t speak Korean, but grandmother used dialect and old language, so it was very difficult. Because of that, I took Korean language courses, and interacted with immigrant children from Korea.”

Lee Woogeon listened to the story while closing his eyes for a long time. Soon, he started breathing regularly and fell into a deep sleep. His breathing was very regular and deep, making it seem very tiring.

“Lee Woogeon seems very tired.”

Rieul spoke while looking at Woogeon. His sleeping face looked flat and calm. Rieul smiled. She got out of bed, turned off the light, then returned to bed and tried to sleep. Whether in sleep or waking up, Lee Woogeon reached for Rieul’s hand and held it. The hand was warm, but gave a feeling of comfort.

***