MYFL | Chapter 1.3

Suddenly, Beomchan recalled how Seungjae used to bring his own coffee to each class, a committed coffee drinker who always left a sip or two in the cup. Knowing it was wrong, Beomchan had impulsively tasted Seungjae’s leftover coffee once.

That day, his heart had raced uncontrollably all day long, so much that he couldn’t sleep properly. At the time, he thought it was the guilt from his impulsive act, but years later, he discovered he had a caffeine sensitivity.

“Here, the landlord is a friend of my father’s. He’s a good person,” Beomchan subtly laid the groundwork.

“Is that so?” Seungjae responded, looking intrigued.

Seizing the moment, Beomchan rummaged through the pockets of his training clothes. He usually stuffed taekwondo dojo business cards and flyers in various pockets, but, as luck would have it, they seemed to vanish precisely when needed most. He contemplated pulling out his own phone but instead extended an empty hand.

“Teacher, could I borrow your phone for a second?”

Seungjae, understanding the request, unlocked his phone and handed it over. Beomchan’s fingers trembled slightly as he entered his number—a detail only he would notice. He could dial it with his eyes closed, having never changed it since his childhood, but he double-checked to make sure he hadn’t made any mistakes. He had used the same number since high school, after all. However, as expected, his number wasn’t saved in Seungjae’s phone.

If he pressed the call button now, Seungjae’s contact would appear on his own phone. Beomchan hovered his thumb over the green button, then reluctantly handed the phone back without pressing it.

He wanted to press it a hundred times over—it was something he deeply desired. And the person in front of him had already disappeared once. By just handing over his contact information and walking away, he might end up waiting indefinitely again.

Even so, Beomchan wanted to give him the choice. This time, he didn’t want to impose any burden or pressure. He knew from experience that the desire to pull away often stemmed from feeling weighed down.

It’s easier to run away. It was a gamble to deliberately create space, trying not to lose him again. This act of consideration was purely for his own sake.

“If you’re interested, please contact me. I’ll help you as much as I can.”

“Alright, I’ll think it over and get in touch,” Seungjae nodded with a smile. On the outside, Beomchan returned the smile, but inside, he knew the agitation was all his own. ‘I’ll think it over and get in touch.’ That noncommittal phrase started to make him regret his restraint. He felt anxious.

“…Even if you’re not interested, please reach out.”

Beomchan added cautiously, avoiding eye contact. He sensed a steady gaze on him, followed by a light chuckle.

“Yeah, let’s have a meal together sometime.”

Beomchan’s head snapped up at Seungjae’s words. Could there really be another meeting? He knew well that the casual suggestion to ‘have a meal’ was often just a polite gesture, not always meant to be taken at face value, but his desperation made it impossible to dismiss the offer lightly.

“Yes.”

After all, when faced with even a sliver of possibility, it’s natural to cling to hope.

“Oh!”

Right before going to bed, Beomchan saw Seungjae’s name added to his messenger’s recommended contacts list. No profile picture. Not just that—his cover photo was also left as the default. A bit disappointing. But at the same time, it suited him.

Seeing these little details that reminded him of how he used to be, Beomchan finally started to grasp the reality of meeting him again.

He turned off his phone and placed it beside his pillow. Staring blankly at the empty ceiling, he slowly closed his eyes.

It felt like all the emotions he had forgotten were coming back to life. A lot of time had passed, but Seungjae was still just as beautiful. Just seeing him again was enough to shake him to his core.

Back then, when Beomchan was still a minor, Seungjae never once saw him as a romantic interest—not even in the slightest. Thinking about it now, it was only natural. But back then, that reality felt so unfair and frustrating.

Maybe it was because age wasn’t something he could change no matter how hard he tried. That’s why he thought that once he graduated and became an adult, his chance would finally come. At least, that’s what he believed—until Seungjae suddenly disappeared from his life overnight.

A first love that ended so emptily, without even getting the chance to do anything about it.

All he could do now was hope that their encounter wasn’t just a fleeting coincidence.

It was five days later when Seungjae finally reached out.

The sudden vibration of his phone made Beomchan pick it up with a disinterested expression. After five days of cycling through excitement and disappointment from his friends’ messages and spam texts, he had already given up on expecting anything.

“…No way.”

The moment he saw the sender’s name on the screen, Beomchan shot up in surprise. He clamped a hand over his mouth and checked again, making sure he wasn’t seeing things.

Beomchan-ah
It’s me, Seungjae
11:21 AM

Without hesitation, Beomchan tapped on the message.

What should he even say?

Asking if he’s been doing well felt pointless since they had just seen each other. Asking if he got home safely that day felt awkward since too much time had already passed.

While he was hesitating over what to reply, another message popped up from Seungjae.

I meant to text you that day, but I totally forgot ‘cause I was so busy ㅠㅠ
11:22 AM

“It’s… fine.”

It’s fine ㅎㅎ
11:23 AM

It wasn’t fine at all, actually. Waiting endlessly for his message had been far from okay. But Beomchan forced himself to reply like it was nothing.

I just got off the phone with the landlord
Like you said, they seem like a good person
11:25 AM

Seungjae followed up with news that he had spoken with the landlord. The place was well located between apartment complexes, with no key money required and the rent was quite affordable. He suspected it might be priced low because the building was a bit old. Seungjae had arranged to meet the landlord at the real estate office on the ground floor of the building the next day. Beomchan left him a message hoping things would go well.

Although he tried to appear calm, Beomchan was actually quite excited. Up until just moments ago, he had been unsure whether their reunion was mere coincidence or fate, but now he was convinced—it had to be destiny. No one else had said it, but to Beomchan, it felt undeniably true. It didn’t make sense any other way.

After putting down his phone and kicking the blankets a few times to calm down, Beomchan naturally began to imagine a somewhat distant future. Working in the same building, they’d likely run into each other often. Perhaps they could even sync their schedules to have breakfast or lunch together. If Seungjae needed help, Beomchan could lend a hand, or they could grab dinner nearby. Or maybe, like the times he used to with kids on the wooden platform in front of his house, they could grill meat together. He wondered if Seungjae liked drinking.

“Ah, damn…”

⋆˚🐾˖°

Lying around the house all weekend seemed to be fueling wild fantasies. They hadn’t even signed the lease yet! Finally, to settle his soaring spirits, Beomchan got up.

After leaving the house before noon and running enough to feel satisfied, the sun was already high in the sky. As he headed home hungry, he spotted Boss Im coming out of an empty shop.

“Hey, uncle.”

“Ah, Beomchan.”

When Beomchan called out to him, Boss Im turned and responded warmly. Boss Im was an old friend of his father and had known Beomchan since he was a snotty kid. Thanks to this connection, Beomchan had taken over the taekwondo dojo his father had established in this building.

“You’re out on the weekend?”

“Yeah, there’s someone interested in moving in, so I came to check things out.”

Boss Im half-turned and gestured towards the empty shop.

“Did you just come back from training?”

“Yes.”

Beomchan quickly replied and then hesitated a bit before casually mentioning that the person interested was someone he knew.

“Oh, really? Did you refer them?”

“Not exactly. I just happened to see them around and recognized them.”

“Small world, huh?”

“Please take good care of them.”

“You don’t need to tell me that. I wouldn’t treat them badly. People might think I’m some kind of wicked landlord. They said they want to open a café. Would a café even do well here?”

Boss Im, who usually knew only about instant coffee, looked at the shop with a mix of skepticism and concern.

“There are apartments everywhere around here, lots of schools too. I think a lot of students and parents would come. Don’t you think? And if a café opens on the ground floor, it would really enhance the building’s appeal. It’d look nice.”

“You’re the one who gets heart palpitations and can’t even drink coffee.”

Beomchan looked past Boss Im’s shoulder at the empty shop. Although Boss Im spoke gruffly, Beomchan knew he was probably happier than anyone else about this.

The faded and tattered ‘For Lease’ sign had been a problem, so replacing it with a newly printed one had been done just a week ago. Despite being in an alley rather than on a main road, with so many apartments nearby, Boss Im had been lamenting over drinks that it was unexpected for the inquiries to be so few. Hence, it was understandable why he would give up his weekend to come and take a look.

“I’ve already hinted that you’re a good person.”

“You’re just showing off.”

The corners of Boss Im’s mouth curled into a slight smile.

⋆˚🐾˖°

Beomchan had dinner with his family at his parents’ house for the first time in a while. Even though his current rooftop room was only three bus stops away from his family home, his weekdays were so packed with work that finding time wasn’t easy.

His parents, both career-long workers, understood Beomchan’s situation well, but his older brother, Beomjin, did not share this understanding. On days like today, when Beomjin came down from Seoul, Beomchan had no choice but to make time.

“It’s nice to have a meal with my sons after so long. I’ll pack some side dishes for both of you to take when you leave, so don’t forget, okay?”