✓LOVER BOY | hwang hyunjin

57. Our Own World

Yeseul hated herself down to the smallest atoms that contributed to her existence. She stood outside the pub, heart a frantic animal for Hyunjin. This was not going to end well. She shook off the images of his face. How lifeless he looked from exhaustion. Taking a sharp breath in, she put her foot on the danger area.

Yeseul ascended a gracefully winding staircase that seemed to hang from the ceiling like an ethereal pathway, guiding her through a pub owned by Japanese owners, known for its unique ambiance. The dimly lit interior was an artistic fusion of traditional and modern elements, with lanterns casting a warm, inviting glow amidst the soft murmur of patrons. Every now and then, the darkness was playfully interrupted by flashing lights, creating an enigmatic atmosphere that hinted at the lively energy within.

As she made her way up, she couldn't help but notice the striking centrepiece of the establishment: a clear glass floor that separated the dancers below. This allowed her to peer into the rhythmic movements of revelers as they grooved to the beats of the music, all while savoring the thrill of feeling suspended above this mesmerizing display.

Escorted by a waiter, Yeseul gracefully ascended a staircase that led to a quieter haven within the establishment. As she climbed, the music gently waned, allowing the subtle rhythm of her own footsteps to resonate in the hushed ambiance. Hyunjin had apparently secured a secluded corner, which she soon located, standing before partially drawn sheer curtains. She pulled back the curtains, revealing a cozy, intimate cubicle. The reassuring realization that he had not arrived yet granted her a moment of solitude.

There was a champagne bottle standing in the centre. Yeseul knew how weak she was when it came to handling herself after drinks. She poured herself some water instead, hydrating her dry throat. Like a fool she pulled her phone to text him about her whereabouts, but she put it down when she remembered he was still blocked. "Idiot."

It didn't take long enough for Hyunjin to arrive. He looked anything but haggard. There was an old charm to the air that he brought along. His hair were slicked back by pomade, and he smelled so heavenly. The glasses he wore were a reminder of school days. Yeseul found herself momentarily captivated, her gaze drawn irresistibly to his magnetic presence, only to quickly avert her eyes as she fought the distraction. "You're late."

"Sorry." He gave her a smile that held more. She didn't know what. "I thought you'd never come."

"I'm a fool, what can I say?" Yeseul clutched at her fingers, trying to make sense of where this could lead. She watched Hyunjin hold the champagne, and pour the liquid in two slim glasses. One holding a smaller quantity. He held it towards her. She gave in and took it.

"You remember."

A soft low chuckle. "You talk as if a decade has passed."

"It feels so." She took a sip instead, washing the bitterness off of her tastebuds. "How have you been?" Yeseul decided to take initiative tonight.

Hyunjin fell solemn for a bare second. Then a small smile oozed out. "So so." He helped himself with another glass. "It's good. I am where I wanted to be. This is what I had worked so hard for," he looked at her, finding a new realisation show up in Yeseul's eyes, "and I'm glad. I hope someone is proud of me. I did it for a special one only."

Yeseul daringly poured herself some more drink, ignoring Hyunjin's concern about it. She downed it in a swig. Her chest burnt from the drink, but she took it like a Viking. "Do you want to know anything about me?"

Hyunjin drew circles on the wooden table with his fingers, deep in thought. The music beneath them laced their senses in a softened melancholy. "Did I do a bad job at being your boyfriend?"

Yeseul felt a bullet of weird feelings hit her heart. She tried steadying herself. The drink was already making his voice sound so near, like a whisper down her neck. She pushed the heels of her hands against her eyes till she saw white dots. "No."

A relief. "Then why...?" Hyunjin sat closer, his hand resting closer to her. "Is this about me ignoring you?"

"I don't have the right to complain, Hyunjin." Yeseul let go of her face. She tried focusing on his eyes. The intensity of his stare bewitched her. She was a fool for him. This was so unfair.

"You have every right to." Hyunjin's voice was low, hesitatingly soft. He was so careful he didn't break anything inside her again. "Be mad at me openly, I'll take it all."

"You're stupid." Yeseul laughed. Her eyes stung from his sincerity. She poured the drink in both the glasses. Hyunjin held her wrist down, stopping her from taking another sip.

"You should drink water. This is too much for one night." He placed the glass of water against her palm.

"I'm not drunk." Yeseul protested, but she drank the water nonetheless. "You made me feel scared."

Hyunjin watched Yeseul's gaze fall on her hands in her lap. "How come?"

"I was lonely here. And I had thoughts about us breaking up by the end of semester because of the long distance. Then you started a short lived silence between our conversations. I didn't think too much about it, but it went on for a month and just kept getting longer. I don't blame you. But I was scared because of it. There felt a drift between us. I hated it." Tears streamed down her cheeks as she ended her unintended rambling. The embarrassment was quick to surface.

Hyunjin held in his breath for the longest. His chest ached for her. The silence was too unbearable. He slid beside her, hand sliding behind her head. He pulled her in a hug, trying what he could do to erase the sorrow from her. "I came here for you. Because I knew how lonely you felt. I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you."

Yeseul didn't know if the courage inside her was from the alcohol. "I missed you."

Hyunjin pulled away, smiling at her, eyes upturned. "You will have to unblock me now."

Yeseul winced at this. She set her forehead on his chest. "Don't remind me. I hated not texting you."

As they locked eyes, a sudden wave of reality enveloped them, the music now a gentle, distant melody. The gravity of the moment sank in swiftly, their proximity almost overwhelming. Hyunjin had longed for this, his desire palpable. He delicately adjusted his glasses, his gaze moving from her eyes to her lips, then back, in a silent confession.

Yeseul, ever the perceptive one, sensed his longing. Without hesitation, she closed the distance between them, her lips tenderly meeting his. The kiss held a gentle sweetness, an intimate journey through the echoes of their shared past and the history they had inscribed. A contented happiness welled up within Yeseul, and as she felt the curve of Hyunjin's smile against her lips, her heart tumbled into a delightful flutter of butterflies.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, he pulled her closer, and in that moment, everything felt undeniably right.