Divorce Contract C17

Chapter 17

“Ugh, it’s cold. Hurry, let’s run. Slowly!”

“What on earth does that even mean.”

“I mean run carefully.”

The sight of Go Igyeol draped in his cardigan was pleasing. Because of that, Na Seonwoo couldn’t stop smiling all the way until they reached the parking lot and he opened the passenger-side door for him. When he handed him a tissue as Igyeol buckled his seatbelt, instead of wiping his wet cheeks or hands, Igyeol dabbed at the cardigan.

“Still, I don’t think I got very wet. If I hang this here, it’ll dry quickly.”

“I gave it to you so you could wipe yourself.”

“I’m not that wet. You should wipe a little. Your hair’s soaked.”

Naturally reaching out, Igyeol patted at Seonwoo’s face and hair to wipe away the droplets, then quickly pulled his hand back, realizing it might have been too familiar an action. But Seonwoo just smiled, looking delighted, and shook out his hair.

“Cold.”

“Turn the heater up a bit…”

“I’m not cold.”

“…That’s good then. I’ll set the navigation destination.”

The odd mood sparked by his earlier action made him uncomfortable. It had been a mistake. He had treated Seonwoo too casually. Biting the inside of his cheek, Igyeol entered the address Seo Dohyeon had given him.

“Ah, that place.”

“You’ve been there?”

“Before, with a lover. I know where it is.”

Seonwoo replied flatly as he drove out of the lot. The roads weren’t crowded since it was before rush hour, but the heavy rain made visibility poor, forcing him to drive slowly.

“It’s perfect for a date. You eat at the restaurant, then walk a little along the promenade below… then go to a nearby café for some hot tea or coffee.”

“Ah.”

“You two must be close.”

“It’s not just the two of us. There are a few more.”

Right, right. The indifferent reply drifted across. Seo Dohyeon really did have a few other friends he spent time with.

“Ah, that reminds me. I once saw the person Seunghui hyung liked.”

“Ah… so he was seeing someone.”

“Not exactly. I assumed they were together, but he said they weren’t. Honestly, the atmosphere between them felt like they were dating. But he called him a friend. Maybe he even knows your spouse. Said they hung out together.”

“Really?”

Seonwoo nodded, adding that judging by how he’d been paying attention to his looks recently, they might be getting along again. The idea that Na Seunghui had someone else he had feelings for gave Igyeol a sense of relief. Perhaps those lingering looks full of attachment toward Dohyeon had been nothing more than his imagination.

“Don’t you have anyone you’re seeing?”

“I’m too busy, it’s hard to date. Haven’t even gotten any blind date setups.”

“Really? You sure it’s not because you’re not interested?”

“Do I seem like that? Not at all. Maybe all this work has made my good looks disappear from my face?”

It was clearly a joke, and Igyeol laughed. The two chatted lightly during the ride. When the leisurely conversation finally fell silent, Igyeol’s head, resting against the headrest, tilted to the side. Without realizing it, Seonwoo slowed the car.

Through the foggy rain, a white building glowing with yellow lights appeared at the end of the road. They had already arrived, much to his regret. Parking carefully so as not to wake Igyeol, Seonwoo turned his head and quietly looked at his sleeping face.

He was as beautiful as ever, then and now. That distinct air of melancholy still clung to him, and when he smiled, it was still like cherry blossoms. The faint lilac scent still made his heart race. He studied the finely drawn features when one eyebrow twitched, as if he were about to wake.

“Go Igyeol.”

Seonwoo woke him as if they had just arrived.

“…We’re here? Ah, I dozed off.”

“Wait a sec. There’s an umbrella in the car. Hold on.”

“Here, wear this. Put it on before you get out.”

“The temperature outside is low, so you wear it. You’ll be cold just waking from sleep.”

Rubbing his eyes as if to shake off the drowsiness, Igyeol insisted and pushed the cardigan back to him, but Seonwoo was quicker. Instead of taking it, he got out of the driver’s seat, dashed to the back, and retrieved the umbrella from the trunk. Shielding his face with his hand from the rain, he popped it open and came around to the passenger side, where Igyeol had already opened the door.

“Are you wearing it?”

“You wear it.”

“Pass it to me inside, then.”

After refusing so firmly, it was awkward for him to insist further. And it felt strange to just hold it in his hands while Igyeol kept pushing it back, so he had no choice but to drape the cardigan over his own shoulders. Seonwoo tilted the umbrella toward him and naturally wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Whenever Igyeol tried to move away, Seonwoo would scold him that he’d get wet.

Though they thought they had arrived early, it seemed Seo Dohyeon was already there. Spotting his car in the parking lot, Igyeol pressed his hand to his chest, trying to quiet the stir of unease.

“Cold?”

“No, not cold.”

“Not here yet? I don’t see Seunghui hyung’s car.”

Staring at Seo Dohyeon’s car, Igyeol adjusted his pace to match Seonwoo’s. Then he stepped on a protruding stone wrong and stumbled.

“Ugh—!”

“You okay?”

As he caught Igyeol’s shoulder to steady him, the umbrella slipped to the ground. Seonwoo placed a hand over his head, checking his face to make sure he hadn’t been too startled.

“I’m fine. The umbrella…”

“Wow, I was really, seriously shocked just now. Thought you were going down.”

Suppressing a curse, he laughed while rubbing his chest. Igyeol whispered a soft apology. Together they climbed the short steps and stood side by side under the long eaves. Sliding the umbrella into the stand, Seonwoo tapped the droplets clinging to Igyeol’s cap.

“You got wet.”

“Really?”

“You should take it off and shake it out.”

Smiling unconsciously, Igyeol removed his cap. His softly brushed hair fell down in damp strands, carrying a faint fragrance mixed with the humid air. The ticklish scent teased Seonwoo’s nose every time the fine hair swayed.

“Still, thanks to that, you didn’t get too wet. Good thing. Go inside first, I’ll just hit the restroom.”

“Oh? Ah, okay.”

Without waiting for a reply, Igyeol left, and Seonwoo was left standing alone outside. His face was hot. He had thought his one-sided feelings were over, but they refused to fade, leaving him troubled.

“Ha.”

Brushing back his clumped, damp hair, he looked up at a sky as murky as his future.

Guided by a server, Seonwoo moved to the second floor. He considered waiting for Igyeol to go up together but thought that might only make him uncomfortable. The interior was nearly empty, perhaps because of the weather. Looking around, he spotted Na Seunghui by the window, lifting his hand slightly in greeting. The man seated opposite, with his back turned, must be Igyeol’s spouse.

“You’re here? Not far, right?”

“Ah, yeah.”

“I was totally surprised when Dohyeon suddenly said to call you and Igyeol too. He doesn’t even know your face, honestly, so funny.”

Seonwoo answered vaguely and sat down beside Seunghui, who looked faintly disappointed. When he turned to offer a polite greeting to the other man and saw his face, Seonwoo froze in shock.

“Ah…”

It was him. The man he had once mistaken for being in a relationship with Seunghui.

“Hello, I’m Seo Dohyeon.”

A pleasant voice resonated. He remembered hearing the exact same greeting back then. Hiding his discomposure, Seonwoo clasped the hand extended toward him.

“I’m Na Seonwoo. Haven’t we met before?”

“Well. I think this is our first time.”

Releasing his hand after a light shake, Seo Dohyeon stared at him intently, almost rudely. It was because the sight of him walking side by side with Igyeol in the rain was burned into his mind. Did Igyeol really not notice the feelings behind those smiles and the protective gaze?

“What is it?”

“I saw you walking in with Igyeol, but you came up alone.”

“He went to the restroom. He’ll be right—ah, there he is.”

Seonwoo gestured toward the stairs. Following behind the server, Igyeol came up, looking especially youthful. After murmuring his thanks, he bounded over with light steps.

“Hello.”

He greeted Na Seunghui politely and slid naturally into the seat beside Seo Dohyeon, holding his cap in his hands. Apparently he had decided it didn’t suit the occasion and had tidied his damp hair with water.

“It hasn’t been that long, has it?”

“Yes, I suppose not.”

Answering with a soft smile to Seunghui’s casual wave, Igyeol looked composed.

“You stayed outside that whole time?”

Reaching toward his damp hair, Seo Dohyeon smiled at the sight of him swallowed up in the oversized sweatshirt.

“Yes, ever since you called me earlier.”

“Ah, so you were with him the whole time.”

The gentle tone vanished quickly. At Igyeol’s answer, Seo Dohyeon’s expression chilled. He couldn’t understand why his mood had soured, and the fact that he didn’t know only irked him further. Still wearing that guileless expression, Igyeol startled when Dohyeon rubbed his cheek. He studied the innocent eyes for a moment, then met Seonwoo’s gaze across the table.

“Na Seonwoo-ssi, were you and Igyeol close? I never heard about any friends.”

“We were in the same department, but not that close. Recently we ran into each other by chance and got a little closer. As I remember, Igyeol was pretty shy—he only had one or two close classmates. Right?”

“Ah… was I? I just… thought I got along fine with everyone.”

It was obvious he disliked being the topic of conversation. Scratching his cheek, Igyeol searched his faded memories, then instinctively glanced toward Dohyeon before lowering his eyes. That was when Dohyeon suddenly grasped his hand.

“It must be uncomfortable eating like this.”