Separation Anxiety

14.

#Clothes in the Closet

During that period, Hayun became busy learning about the company work, and their chances to meet face-to-face decreased. Dawoon thought it was rather fortunate. He didn’t want to be caught wondering if Hayun might be like the other kids whenever he felt the duplicity of his classmates.

That’s how the distance between Hayun and Dawoon naturally grew.

“What are you thinking about?”

After walking in silence for a while, Ui-hyeon nudged Dawoon’s arm, probably finding it strange.

“Nothing.”

Pushing down the sudden memory of middle school that had surfaced, Dawoon smiled faintly. Lee Ui-hyeon was the only one among them who didn’t try to impress Dawoon. He treated Dawoon the same as other kids, and Dawoon found that comfortable. They naturally became close over a long time as they entered the same high school and ended up in the same class consecutively.

Ui-hyeon stared at Dawoon’s “nothing” response. He seemed about to say something, his lips moving slightly, but then just sighed and shook his head.

“What?”

“I’m wondering how much of what you say I should believe.”

At Ui-hyeon’s words, Dawoon thought for a moment and then burst into laughter.

‘Dawoon could help a bit. He’s the third generation of Haedo Group, after all.’

‘For our year-end party this time, can’t we use the Haedo Group banquet hall? I heard it’s really nice.’

Some who knew enough about Haedo Group were sometimes more blatant than the public school kids who knew nothing.

‘These idiots. Is he the chairman of Haedo Group? What banquet hall for middle schoolers’ year-end party?’

It was Ui-hyeon who stepped in when Dawoon was at a loss, unable to outright refuse. Most of the kids who brought it up were from families whose names everyone knew. They were kids who knew how influential Haedo Group was. That’s why they ignored Ui-hyeon.

‘You seem to be misunderstanding something. To match our level, that’s the bare minimum.’

At someone’s brazen response, Ui-hyeon burst out laughing.

‘By your logic, isn’t Jeong Dawoon the only one who matches that level? Why are you trying to ride on Haedo Group’s coattails? How vulgar.’

‘You…!’

The other party flared up but couldn’t properly refute. After that day, that group completely split from Ui-hyeon, but Ui-hyeon didn’t care at all.

‘If you don’t like it, you should say so properly. You’re being treated like a pushover because you stay quiet.’

Ui-hyeon said a word to Dawoon too. But that was it. Neither before nor after did he ever mention Haedo Group to Dawoon. Sometimes he even said that Haedo Group is Haedo Group, and Jeong Dawoon is Jeong Dawoon, what does it matter?

Ui-hyeon seemed to know that Dawoon found the name of Haedo Group burdensome. So whenever Haedo Group was mentioned, he was even more on edge than Dawoon. Even though such incidents had decreased since entering high school and the environment changed, he was still looking out for Dawoon.

“It’s really okay. Na-eun is different from those kids back then.”

“Even so, if it’s a no, reject her clearly. She won’t give up on you easily.”

“I did reject her. Properly, at first.”

At Dawoon’s answer, Ui-hyeon frowned. He also knew that Dawoon had properly rejected Na-eun when she confessed.

“She just wants to be friends, I can’t tell her not to do even that.”

‘Who am I to…’ Ui-hyeon frowned even more, seemingly understanding the unspoken words. Jeong Dawoon was different from other chaebol kids. Since middle school, being in private schools full of such kids, there were plenty of guys who were annoyingly overconfident, but strangely, Jeong Dawoon, said to be from the best family among them, lacked self-confidence.

Ui-hyeon guessed it was because of all the rumors, but he couldn’t understand. What’s wrong with his mother being a second wife? Second wife or not, they would have registered him in the family register since he’s of their bloodline. Whatever the adults’ circumstances, Jeong Dawoon was just Jeong Dawoon, and Ui-hyeon didn’t think that was a reason for Dawoon to shrink back.

Moreover, although he appeared indifferent and quiet on the outside, Jeong Dawoon was actually quite sensitive. The fact that he couldn’t coldly cut off Kim Na-eun was proof of that. He never hurt anyone. As a result, he often ended up at a disadvantage.

“You seem resolute but you’re soft. You seem soft but you’re stubborn.”

Dawoon just quietly laughed at Ui-hyeon’s words as he clicked his tongue.

“What’s this, what are you two talking about so seriously? Don’t tell me you’re gossiping about me?”

Na-eun, who had somehow caught up and was standing close by, thrust her face in front of Dawoon and asked.

“It’s burdensome. Move away, will you?”

Ui-hyeon pushed her face away on Dawoon’s behalf.

“Why! I wasn’t getting in your face!”

Na-eun retorted with a pout, then turned back to Dawoon with a grinning face.

“What should we eat for lunch? Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Not really…”

“Why are you only asking him? I have something I want to eat.”

Knowing that asking Jeong Dawoon what he wanted to eat would never yield an answer, Ui-hyeon intervened between them again.

“You just eat anything!”

“Didn’t you ask what we want to eat?”

“I wasn’t asking you, you know?”

As Dawoon watched the two bickering unnecessarily, he shook his head and made eye contact with Na-eun’s friend. Although it was their first meeting today, she said they went to the same school. Come to think of it, they hadn’t properly introduced themselves as they rushed into the movie theater right after meeting.

“What’s your name?”

At Dawoon’s question, she pointed at herself with her finger. When he nodded, she answered, “Hyejin.”

“I’m…”

“I know. Jeong Dawoon. You’re famous, you know.”

He smiled bitterly at her response. Not that she had heard often from Na-eun, but that he was famous. No matter how much he tried to live quietly, the name “Haedo Group” didn’t allow it.

***

He thought he could go home after lunch. But why was he now being dragged around a shopping center? And why were they looking at girls’ clothes, of all things? He couldn’t understand at all.

“Since we’re out anyway, buy something if you need anything too.”

Ui-hyeon, seemingly half giving up, rummaged through the clothes hanging in the store.

“Aren’t these all women’s clothes?”

At Dawoon’s point, Ui-hyeon finally made an “Ah” sound and moved to the corner with men’s clothes. Glancing back, Na-eun was engrossed in looking at clothes with her friend. There was nothing to do here, so Dawoon followed Ui-hyeon.

“Do you want to buy one too?”

Ui-hyeon asked, holding up a T-shirt with a famous character printed on it. Dawoon smiled and shook his head. The large printed character was burdensome, but he had never bought clothes himself before.

“It’s not because you don’t have money, and surely you don’t have a separate brand you buy from?”

Ui-hyeon said that considering which family’s son Dawoon was, it might be possible, though it wasn’t apparent at all usually.

“I don’t know about that.”

At this answer, Ui-hyeon looked at him with an expression that seemed to ask what this meant.

“I just wear what’s hanging in the closet.”

“Wow.”

Although Ui-hyeon usually forgot that Dawoon was a Haedo Group heir, this time he couldn’t help but be surprised. Dawoon wasn’t a little kid anymore, but a high school student. At this age, people usually develop their own tastes and prefer to buy clothes themselves rather than wear what their parents buy.

“I’m not sure which part I should be surprised about. Should I be surprised that you still wear what’s bought for you, or that despite that, you don’t even know the brands of the clothes you wear?”

In school, it wasn’t noticeable because they wore uniforms, but when they met outside like this, the clothes Dawoon wore always looked expensive at a glance. It was clear they weren’t brands commonly seen in boutiques or shopping malls like this. But it was surprising that he knew nothing about them.

“I’ve never paid attention to it.”

“Don’t tell me, does someone pick out your clothes for you in the morning?”

Dawoon chuckled and shook his head at this absurd question.

“Seriously, it’s not like someone chooses them and leaves them on your bed, right?”

“No, it’s not.”

“For someone who says he’s not interested, you dress pretty well. Is it the hangers?”

Ui-hyeon seriously pondered, looking Dawoon up and down.

“Then who buys the clothes for you?”

Normally, one would think it’s the parents, but in Dawoon’s case, it couldn’t be his parents. That’s why Ui-hyeon was even more curious.

“Well…”

He had never thought about it before. When the seasons changed, the clothes in his closet changed, and the sizes changed as he grew. The servants probably changed the clothes, but he had no idea who bought the new clothes. As he thought about it, Dawoon suddenly became curious too.

“Maybe the butler…”

It didn’t seem likely that the mansion’s servants would know his exact clothing size. The butler was the one he bumped into most often, but it seemed odd for the elderly man to personally buy clothes.

“What about your brother? Does he buy his own clothes?”

“Probably…”

He couldn’t be certain this time either. Seeing Hayun in different suits every time, he was probably getting new suits made constantly. Since they were suits, Dawoon thought he might just have his measurements taken once and then order based on those sizes.

“Don’t tell me your brother buys clothes for you?”

“Huh?”

It was an assumption he had never considered before. Would that busy person have time to go shopping for his clothes?

“Probably not.”

“Are you sure?”

Dawoon couldn’t understand why Ui-hyeon thought it might be his brother.