Projection Novel (Completed) - Chapter 76

The cookies Sejin had eaten were the ones Doyoon had given him. Cookies that his elder sister had ordered with him, near his family home… Unaware of how things would turn out, Cheon Sejoo had given every single one he received to Sejin, and now he didn’t even know where they were sold. He didn’t even know where Doyoon’s family home was. He seemed to have mentioned it a few times, but he couldn’t remember.

When he trailed off, Sejin turned his head in confusion. “Where did you say that?”

At the repeated question, Cheon Sejoo had no choice but to sigh and smile. “Those… I’m sorry. They were a gift from Kang Doyoon.”

“…”

He knew Sejin would figure it out even if he tried to evade the question, and he couldn’t lie. Sejin’s face stiffened unhappily at his calm confession. The smile that had been on his pale face vanished, and his lips protruded.

Cheon Sejoo cursed under his breath as he approached Sejin. He transferred the heavy items from Sejin’s cart to his own, continuously talking to him. Sejin quickly adopted a sulky expression and seemed deeply upset. Only monosyllabic replies like “yeah” or “no” came back to every word. In that atmosphere, like walking on thin ice, the two finished their grocery shopping, and Friday passed.

Kang Doyoon Ah, hyung! LOL. No, I hadn’t heard from you lately! It was raining that day, so I called, but you answered and didn’t say anything. I happened to be passing by, and I wondered if you were sick, so I stopped by your place. I rang the bell and waited, and someone answered the intercom. I thought it was you, but since no one said anything, was it Sejin? Your brother, I mean… Then it hung up without a word, and suddenly I felt like I’d crossed a line, so I just went back home! Since you didn’t say anything after that, I thought you were mad, but you blacked out? XD 8:29

I was so out of it from the company dinner yesterday that I’m only replying now! If you have time today, shall we meet? 8:30

A reply from Doyoon arrived in the morning. Cheon Sejoo, who had finished his morning workout and returned early, checked the message and pressed the keypad, glancing at Sejin, who was eating breakfast.

“No, Doyoon. I’m sorry, but I can’t now…”

However, Cheon Sejoo, after typing that much, realized he couldn’t end a three-year relationship like this and finally pressed the call button. When he switched to the speakerphone, Sejin raised an eyebrow and looked at Cheon Sejoo at the sudden sound of the dial tone. To try and cheer Sejin up a little, he hung on his back as Sejin sat on the high chair, placing his phone on the table and talking to Doyoon.

“Yes, Hyung!” 

“Hey. Got a minute?” 

“Of course, of course. How have you been? Did you see my message?” 

“Yeah. I called after seeing that.”

Sejin’s hands, which had been deftly using his chopsticks, slowed down. If Sejin were a cat, his ears would visibly twitch. Cheon Sejoo, aware that he was focusing on his and Doyoon’s conversation, lightly kissed his nape. Then he spoke to Doyoon.

“I don’t think I can see you anymore.” 

“Oh my god.”

At that simple remark, Doyoon let out a shocked gasp, almost a groan. Then, he quickly asked again in an excited voice.

“Do you have a boyfriend? Is it him? The guy you have at your house.” 

“…Yes.”

It was Sejin who was surprised by Doyoon’s incredibly casual reaction. He had secretly considered Kang Doyoon his rival in love, but what was this reaction, like someone hearing news about a stranger? Sejin frowned, glaring at the phone on the table, as Doyoon continued.

“Wow. Really… that’s amazing. Congratulations, Hyung. No, wow…”

Doyoon couldn’t speak for a while, wondering what had surprised him so much. Then, after a moment, he said with envy.

“Seriously, to meet someone like Hyung, they must be that amazing. Wow. You two really suit each other perfectly. I was surprised when I saw him too. He was so beautiful that I wondered who someone like that would end up with. And it was you, Hyung.” 

“Yeah, that’s how it turned out.” 

“Well, it can’t be helped, right? I actually expected it a little. We haven’t seen each other for well over six months, so it would be foolish not to expect it.”

Doyoon giggled and then said to Cheon Sejoo in a cheerful voice.

“Anyway, I get it. Thanks for telling me, Hyung. Take care, and if you ever find someone suitable to introduce me to later, please let me know.” 

“Alright. You take care too.” 

“Yes, yes. Have a beautiful love life.”

Doyoon hung up the phone with a laugh, leaving a comment like a wedding planner. It was an incredibly clean ending. This should be fine, right? Cheon Sejoo breathed a sigh of relief and stretched his neck to look at Sejin’s face.

But the face he thought would be fine was once again sulkily puffed up. He hadn’t called him Doyoon, nor had he responded affectionately as usual, so why was he like this? Cheon Sejoo swallowed dryly and tightened his arm around Sejin’s neck. Sejin frowned and turned his head to look at Cheon Sejoo.

“This person… doesn’t like you?” 

“He doesn’t like me. It was truly without feelings, just… a relationship. We started it knowing we’d stop immediately if either of us got a significant other, and we never crossed any lines.”

Cheon Sejoo didn’t particularly want to talk about this in front of Sejin, but since he knew about Doyoon’s existence, it was better to address it clearly. Cheon Sejoo confirmed to him that there were no lingering feelings between him and Kang Doyoon. He thought this would be enough to calm Sejin’s anger. However, Sejin’s reaction was unusual.

“How could he not like you? What is he?” 

“…What?”

Sejin was getting angry about something strange. Cheon Sejoo, who couldn’t immediately understand his reaction, stood up, leaned his back against the island bar, and looked down at Sejin. Sejin wore a thoroughly displeased expression, lost in thought.

“How could he not like you when you treat him so kindly? Is he a psychopath?” 

“…”

Sejin genuinely couldn’t understand. Cheon Sejoo had brought Kang Doyoon home when he was drunk and let him sleep there, and he had been incredibly gentle when they had sex that day. Given Cheon Sejoo’s usual behavior, he probably would have been just as kind even when they weren’t having sex, so it was unbelievable that Kang Doyoon didn’t like such a perfect man who was handsome, kind, and had a good personality.

If he were in Kang Doyoon’s position, he would have cried and begged and caused a scene with the words “we can’t see each other anymore,” but “have a beautiful love life”? How could he say such a thing? Sejin, feeling suffocated, gulped down the water on the table and looked up at Cheon Sejoo.

A faint smile graced his handsome face. Instead of his usual cool gaze, the corners of his eyes softened, and the left corner of his lips was slightly upturned. Cheon Sejoo always raised the left corner of his mouth first when he was in a good mood. Sejin stared at it intently, meeting his gaze.

“If it were me, I would have come to you, knelt down, and begged you. Begged you to be with me.”

Cheon Sejoo let out a small laugh at Sejin’s displeased remark. He frowned and chuckled, then lowered his head and gently kissed Sejin’s forehead. The hand holding his shoulder moved slowly. He felt a strange sensation as Cheon Sejoo’s fingertips lightly brushed his collarbone. Sejin, his face flushed, reached out his arms. With trembling hands, he grabbed Cheon Sejoo’s waist and touched his skin beneath his T-shirt. Then he raised his head to kiss Cheon Sejoo, but Cheon Sejoo naturally straightened up, as if remembering something he had to do, and pulled away from Sejin.

“…”

Sejin, his eyes narrowed into triangles, glared at Cheon Sejoo and bit his lip. Cheon Sejoo, unconcerned, smiled and removed Sejin’s hand from his waist, kissed the back of his hand, and then released it.

“I’ll go wash up.”

Between lovers, saying “I’ll go wash up” might imply the next act, but Sejin knew this was Cheon Sejoo’s way of avoiding him.

Why? He had said it was good that day, but was it because he was truly, truly bad? That couldn’t be. Sejin shook his head. He had watched many videos and done a lot of mental rehearsal in his dreams, so it seemed unlikely that his performance would be the reason for their lack of sex. In fact, hadn’t Cheon Sejoo enjoyed it very much that day?

…Or perhaps he just wasn’t in the mood yet? Sejin thought carefully and nodded, recalling Cheon Sejoo crying at the columbarium. Indeed, now that he could finally face the past, he might need more time to sort out his thoughts. Or perhaps, since tomorrow was the 49th day ceremony for his mother, he was being considerate of Sejin. Cheon Sejoo was a kind person, after all.

Sejin concluded this and began cleaning the kitchen, thinking he should wait patiently for Cheon Sejoo until he approached him first.

That evening, after preparing the food for the memorial table, Sejin took out the memorial portraits of Kim Hyunkyung and Cheon Hyein. The two portraits were placed side by side on the ritual table. They weren’t blood relatives, but that didn’t matter.

Cheon Sejoo had become quiet from the moment he started preparing the memorial food, and by midnight, when the 49th day ceremony began, he wore an expressionless face. Instead of making unnecessary conversation, Sejin silently held his hand. As if that warmth alone was enough, Cheon Sejoo held Sejin’s hand and smiled weakly.

The memorial table was piled high with food meticulously prepared by Sejin. The brightly yellow-fried jeon were garnished with red chili peppers and crown daisy, and the fruits, diligently wiped with a dry cloth, gleamed. Kim Hyunkyung’s favorite braised beef ribs, Hyein’s beloved spicy stir-fried chicken, and even Sejin’s confident seasoned vegetables… The memorial table boasted a splendid appearance, enough to be mistaken for a table from a prestigious family home.

After midnight, they both bowed together to the two portraits. Although it was generally against etiquette to bow to a younger sibling, Cheon Sejoo had to bow to Hyein while bowing to Kim Hyunkyung, so he simply knelt without hesitation.

Burning incense, offering alcohol. As the series of rituals passed, neither of them spoke a word. After the ceremony, despite the late hour, they sat facing each other and ate, then fell asleep holding each other dearly in bed.

On Sunday, they left early in the morning by car. Carrying a simple package of memorial food just in case, they arrived at the memorial park where Kim Hyunkyung’s memorial tree was located. There, they held another small ceremony in the designated memorial room. Finally, they spent some time at the arborvitae tree planted over her urn before heading back to Seoul.

Sejin was brave and didn’t cry. “It’s okay to cry,” Cheon Sejoo whispered, but he only shook his head. He had cried enough already and didn’t want to worry Kim Hyunkyung any further, he said.

However, he couldn’t help his melancholic feelings, so Sejin leaned his head against the window and stared blankly ahead during the drive to Seoul. He couldn’t say anything, occupied with organizing the memories of his mother that flooded him.

Upon arriving home, the two spent a peaceful day. If he had been alone, it would have been very lonely and solitary, but because they had each other, Sejin and Cheon Sejoo had no time to feel loneliness or sadness. They were simply too busy talking and envisioning their future together.

After much deliberation, Sejin decided to resume his studies. He hadn’t yet decided on a major, but convinced by Cheon Sejoo, he decided to prepare for the Suneung (college entrance exam) again. Sejin was going to fulfill Cheon Sejoo’s wish for Hyein to have a splendid career. He also wanted to become a useful member of society himself.

However, they decided to change his study method slightly. Since Cheon Sejoo couldn’t be with Sejin every day, he decided to send Sejin to an academy while he was at work. Sejin seemed reluctant to attend the academy, but he decided to do so after Cheon Sejoo told him to try it for just one month.

Thus, on Tuesday afternoon, after lunch, Cheon Sejoo left work early, and together with Sejin, he registered at a cram school near Gangdong-gu. Although it was quite a distance from their home, Sejin chose that location to commute with Cheon Sejoo every day.

“Yes, then we’ll see you on the 2nd of next month.”

The regular classes for the repeaters’ course started on specific dates every three months. Sejin, who was to start attending the academy next month, greeted the counseling manager with Cheon Sejoo and exited the registration office.

“The academy is really nice.” “Yeah.”

The cram school, which had just been renovated, had a bright and cheerful atmosphere. Given the nature of cram schools, there would likely be many dispirited students, but once inside, the atmosphere was so lively that you couldn’t help but regain your spirits.

Cheon Sejoo worried if Sejin would adapt well as they got into the elevator. Taking advantage of the empty space, he lightly kissed Sejin’s earlobe, then led the blushing Sejin to the parking lot.

Cheon Sejoo’s SUV left the academy parking lot and did not head home. Seeing the car moving towards Gangnam downtown instead of Gangbuk, Sejin belatedly turned to Cheon Sejoo and asked,

“Where are we going?”

Today was the day. The day to compensate Sejin for their disappointing first night. Just thinking about it made his lower abdomen ache. When Cheon Sejoo hummed “Well, I wonder,” and smiled with his eyes, Sejin looked at him suspiciously.

“What is it…?” 

“You’ll know when we get there.” 

“…”

Where were they going that he’d say such a thing? Sejin had no idea, so he simply kept his mouth shut and stared straight ahead. The car was heading towards Songpa. After about 20 minutes, Cheon Sejoo’s SUV finally stopped below a tall building that Sejin knew well.

It was a place that housed both a hotel and a shopping mall. There, Cheon Sejoo handed the car keys to a hotel employee and got out. A perplexed Sejin also followed him out of the passenger seat. He scurried to Cheon Sejoo, who was waiting for him at the entrance to the lobby, and tugged on his arm.

“Where are we going? Are we going shopping for clothes?” 

“Let’s sleep here tonight.” 

“At the hotel?” 

“Yeah.”

Sejin’s eyes widened. Cheon Sejoo smiled with his eyes, lightly patted his head, and then turned and walked towards the hotel lobby.

“Sleep at the hotel…? Is this a date?” Sejin mulled over the fact blankly, then belatedly followed Cheon Sejoo inside.

Passing through the large, silently rotating revolving door, a dazzlingly opulent interior came into view. Sejin, who had only ever visited department stores as the most extravagant place in his life, couldn’t hide his surprise and looked around. Then, worried he might lose Cheon Sejoo in the crowd, he quickly ran and grabbed his sleeve, walking while still looking up at the ceiling.

Magnificent and dazzling chandelier decorations glittered, reflecting the light. The ceiling was so high that even if he jumped with all his might, he wouldn’t be able to touch it, and various decorations hung from it. The floor was marble, and sunlight streamed in through the windows on the walls. The air inside was warm, and the staff walking around were all impeccably dressed in suits. Sejin, feeling a strange sense of tension, followed behind Cheon Sejoo.

The check-in area was upstairs, so the two took an elevator to the upper floor. The check-in counter was in a place that overlooked the Seoul city center, so much so that it could be mistaken for an observatory one had paid to visit. Sejin bit his lip and quietly shifted his gaze. He felt as if he didn’t belong there. However, unlike the nervous Sejin, Cheon Sejoo was completely at ease, as if he had been there many times before.

“Hello.”

Cheon Sejoo approached the VIP reception counter, smiling faintly as he took out his membership card from his pocket and handed it to the employee. The employee, after checking his card, bowed politely with a smile, then led the two to an adjacent lounge, asking them to wait there for a moment.

Unlike the bustling exterior filled with regular guests, the VIP lounge was quiet. After they settled into the seats indicated by the employee, fragrant tea and refreshments were soon prepared. This was a service Sejin had never experienced. Overwhelmed and merely observing, he saw Cheon Sejoo pour tea into a cup and place it in his hand.

“Drink.” 

“…Okay.”

Sejin, somehow feeling sulky, tried hard to suppress his pouting lips as he took the teacup. The golden tea had a fragrance he had never smelled before. As he drank the tea, feeling as if he were chewing raw flower petals, Sejin snuck glances at Cheon Sejoo. His face, leaning comfortably back in the chair and looking out the window, seemed pleased, while Sejin’s mood was plummeting in real-time.

Sejin sat opposite the perpetually relaxed Cheon Sejoo, wondering how many people he had brought to this hotel before. The difference in experience due to their age gap was undeniable, and Cheon Sejoo was the type of person who attracted others even when he did nothing. So, ten people? Twenty people? Sejin’s brow furrowed as he thought.

Kang Doyoon had probably been in and out many times, and who else was there before him? Were there sex partners before that? Or had he dated anyone? Before joining the organization, he was busy studying at medical school and working at the hospital, so perhaps he had never dated anyone until now? Sejin, thinking such thoughts, soon realized it was absurd and pouted.

It was an excessive wish. The idea that Cheon Sejoo had never dated before was less realistic than the guess that he had dated about 80 people. As Sejin gloomily speculated about the number of men who had passed through his life, the check-in was completed.

“Welcome, customer. I am Manager Kim Jaehwan, here to assist you with check-in today. Please allow me to guide you.”

A middle-aged man in a neat suit approached and bowed to them. Unlike Sejin, who bowed back in embarrassment, Cheon Sejoo smiled faintly, rose from his seat, and gave a light greeting. At his calm and composed demeanor, Sejin bit his lip, trying to prevent it from pouting again, and followed behind them.