Divorce Contract C22

Chapter 22

Staring hard at the credit card transaction history, Go Igyeol stepped out of the academy and tapped on the new message that had just come in. It was from Na Seonwoo, asking where he should go. Wanting to leave as little trace as possible, Igyeol chose to call instead of replying by text.

“Hey, where are you right now?”

– I’m almost at your place. By the big intersection.

“I’m outside. At the intersection—do you see a yellow building with a coffee shop in front? Just go in there and wait.”

– I see it. Let’s meet there.

He got into the elevator and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. He didn’t like the sensation of descent. The floating feeling of fighting gravity finally settled. Were elevators this fast these days? Did they drop one floor per second? Too bad. By the time he was lost in the thought, the elevator had already reached the first floor. Igyeol stood there blankly, pressing his palm against his chest, and only moved once the doors were fully open.

Maybe it was because he hadn’t been able to sell the watches, but his mood was sinking. He sighed out of habit as he glanced at the yellow building that could be seen just by turning his head. A few steps ahead, the crosswalk signal was blinking green. If he ran, he could make it. But Igyeol chose not to hurry and instead walked as slowly as he could. By the time he came to a stop, the light had turned red.

He adjusted his cap and brushed dust off his sweatshirt. Was Seonwoo already there? Just as he wondered, someone came to stand right beside him. Instinctively, he shifted a step away, only to hear a mock-offended voice. He turned his head reflexively to find Seonwoo looking down at him with an exaggeratedly wounded expression.

“Wow, you know you just hurt me, right?”

“……”

“I thought you were going to cross, but then you just stopped, Igyeol.”

“I just thought… if the light changed while I was running.”

He muttered a flimsy excuse, eyes betraying his confusion. Why was Seonwoo here…?

The two stood side by side, waiting for the light to change again. Minutes felt like tens of minutes. When the signal finally turned green, Igyeol’s face lit up as he looked up at Seonwoo.

“Shall we go?”

“…Yeah.”

“But why are you coming from this side?”

“It just happened. I parked over here.”

Igyeol nodded in understanding, only to be startled when Seonwoo suddenly tugged him inward by the arm. His wide eyes shot up at him.

“You’re about to bump into someone. Watch where you’re going—look ahead, not just at the ground.”

“Ah… thanks.”

Awkwardly pulling his arm free, Igyeol quickened his steps. As he pushed open the glass doors, the warm air mingled with the rich scent of coffee beans, pricking at his nose. He wondered briefly—he couldn’t eat food, but coffee seemed fine? When he turned back in curiosity, Seonwoo only opened his mouth in a low “Oh,” looking impressed.

“What do you want to drink?”

“I’ll pay.”

“Just grab a seat. Decaf for you, right? A latte?”

“…I’ll have an iced Americano.”

Seonwoo lightly tapped his shoulder, pointed toward the window seats, and only headed for the counter once Igyeol started moving. Sitting alone, Igyeol looked toward Seonwoo once, then around the café, and then at the crosswalk outside, watching the light change over and over. On the third cycle of green, Seonwoo returned with drinks.

“Want something else to eat?”

“…No.”

“It’s cold. Drink it slowly.”

Meeting his eyes as Seonwoo set the cup down, Igyeol nodded. They sat in silence for a while, neither knowing how to start. While Igyeol sorted through what to say in his head, Seonwoo spoke first.

“What you said back then—it was all lies, wasn’t it?”

“……”

“Does Seo Dohyeon-ssi not want the baby?”

Igyeol bit his lip as he stared at the condensation sliding down the untouched glass. Both were true answers, so he couldn’t say anything.

“What do you want to do? Can I help you? Do you need help?”

“…Who else could help with this but Seo Dohyeon.”

The short, simple explanation ended with a weak laugh. When he finally lifted his eyes, Seonwoo’s gaze met his. Swallowing hard, as if resolved, Igyeol spoke.

“I don’t want anyone to know about this, Seonwoo. Honestly, I don’t even know why we’re talking about it right now. We’re… we’re nothing. Not even friends. We weren’t close. Just… classmates.”

His voice was careful, steady. Seonwoo hadn’t wanted to confirm their relationship this way, but Igyeol was right. A one-sided crush meant they really were nothing at all.

It made sense that Igyeol found it absurd. With only his feelings, Seonwoo was barging into his life—it was small, it was pathetic. Seonwoo’s face stiffened for a moment before he nodded.

“Now that you’ve drawn the line… it makes me want to be something to you, Igyeol. Back in college, I should’ve pushed to be your friend instead of just the class rep. At least then I’d have some right to meddle, to… to care about you.”

“…What does that even mean.”

“Why should you have to explain yourself to me about your marriage… You shouldn’t. But I guess—after eating with you again, drinking coffee, I tricked myself. I thought maybe we were close enough to have this kind of talk. But it was just me, imagining things.”

A mistake. His calm tone was heavy with apology. Smiling faintly, embarrassed, he went on.

“Still, if it gets too hard, call me.”

“……”

“I know it’s not much help… but they say two’s better than one. Even a sheet of paper is easier to carry together.”

He was trying hard not to make it a burden. Igyeol kept his head bowed, staring only at the black coffee. At last, he lifted his head and met Seonwoo’s eyes.

“You look so lonely.”

“……”

“You look fragile.”

Igyeol walked up the familiar road. He couldn’t remember what he had eaten—other than the coffee, nothing. He couldn’t recall exactly what truths he’d confessed to Seonwoo or what he’d evaded. The questions—Would he tell Dohyeon? What was he going to do from now on?—blurred in his memory. What he did remember was dodging or mumbling through most of them.

Perhaps because his return overlapped awkwardly with Kwon Heekang’s schedule, Igyeol ran into him at the entryway the moment he stepped inside. Heekang, holding a damp rag, smiled warmly with his eyes when he saw him.

“You’re home early.”

“Ah… you haven’t left yet?”

“It’s not time. I still have some cleaning left.”

At his kind voice, Igyeol nodded.

“You can head home now, it’s fine. I’ll take care of dinner myself.”

“Mm, understood. I put sandwiches in the fridge—have some if you get hungry.”

Even two years into the marriage, Igyeol still seemed uncomfortable with him. Heekang smiled faintly and bowed. Other than noting that dinner was already prepared and could just be reheated, no more words were exchanged.

Igyeol excused himself awkwardly and retreated straight to the bedroom, leaving Heekang standing alone in the living room. If only Igyeol could be a little more at ease, he thought. But getting him to speak was harder than with Seo Dohyeon.

Contrary to what coworkers from the main house had said about him, Igyeol was overly cautious, uncomfortable with everyone. Many days, he didn’t come out at all during Heekang’s working hours. Even when Heekang prepared meals, he refused, and he never ordered him to do anything.

Heekang couldn’t understand why people called such a quiet man discourteous. How could one judge manners without talking? The only thing Igyeol ever asked for was something cool to eat. Last week it had been chilled noodles. He remembered how color had returned to his pale face after eating.

“Doesn’t seem like he’s eaten much today either…”

The sight of Igyeol’s frail frame shuffling across the living room lingered in Heekang’s eyes. Maybe if he made something, he would eat? But it felt presumptuous, so he hesitated. Just then, the bedroom door opened. Igyeol peeked his head out.

“…Um…”

His face was bright red. What on earth was he about to say? Heekang took a step closer.

“Do you need something?”

“…That… what you made last week.”

“Pardon? Last week… the chilled noodles?”

“…That… that…”

Watching him swallow nervously, Heekang spoke first.

“Shall I make it for you?”

“…But you’re about to get off work.”

“It won’t take long. Just wait a moment.”