LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Seo-jung finished preparing for work and opened the door, heading down the stairs. Since he left a bit later than usual, Song Joo-ah was not visible in the living room. Ki Seo-jung crossed the quiet living room, heading straight for the entrance.
He wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible before running into anyone. Just as Seo-jung neatly arranged his indoor slippers and was about to step outside, the door lock clicked open.
Seo-jung reflexively stepped back as the front door opened. The person entering was Cha Yoon.
Their eyes met in mid-air. Even though Cha Yoon was the person Seo-jung wanted to avoid the most right now, he habitually scanned Yoon’s face.
Yoon’s face was damp with sweat as if he had just finished exercising, but what caught Seo-jung’s attention were his bloodshot eyes. Seo-jung slightly frowned.
On days when Cha Yoon lacked sleep, his eyes would invariably be bloodshot.
So what those red eyes implied was clear: Cha Yoon really hadn’t come into the room last night. It was the moment when suspicion turned into certainty.
Cha Yoon had been trying to protect Song Joo-ah from Seo-jung, following him around. But after sending that message, which nullified all those efforts, he must have been furious beyond endurance. He might have found it unbearable to be in the same room. Thinking about it this way, the whole situation made sense.
Cha Yoon had given up sleep because he didn’t want to be with him. To think he had believed such a person would have bought medicine for him. It was laughable how foolish he had been. As if his illness meant anything to Cha Yoon.
Yet, at the same time, he was worried. Knowing how Cha Yoon tended to be more subdued than usual on days he couldn’t sleep. Imagining how Cha Yoon would struggle throughout the day.
But Seo-jung had no right. Worrying about Cha Yoon wasn’t his place. It was Song Joo-ah’s.
Seo-jung, who had been about to say something, closed his lips into a straight line. This silence was all that was allowed to him.
Seo-jung was the first to break the prolonged eye contact. If they continued this standoff, he didn’t know when his emotions might twist and lead to an argument. So it was best to leave this place as quickly as possible. Just as he was about to pass by Cha Yoon and open the front door—
“Ahem. …Are you leaving now?”
After an awkward cough, Yoon’s voice, lower than usual, flowed out smoothly.
For a moment, Seo-jung thought he had misheard. He had considered the possibility that Cha Yoon might speak to him first. That was why he had tried to leave quickly.
But he thought it would be at most the foundation for an argument. Not a gentle greeting like asking if he was leaving now.
Seo-jung blinked and slowly turned his head. Cha Yoon, who had asked the question, looked equally strange.
Seo-jung couldn’t take Cha Yoon’s words at face value. Was he preparing for some new kind of confrontation? He raised his guard and observed Cha Yoon.
“Yes.”
Convinced that there must be some ulterior motive, he answered briefly, unable to hide his suspicious gaze. Then, as he reached for the doorknob again—
“Um, you walk to the bus stop, right?”
Once again, it was Cha Yoon who stopped Seo-jung from leaving. This time, a similar but different question was thrown.
“The weather is pretty… I mean, quite cold today.”
“…”
“It might be hard to walk.”
What is he talking about? Seo-jung unconsciously furrowed his brow. Even though it was the change of seasons and the temperature difference between day and night had increased, it was barely early autumn weather. It was an exaggeration to describe it as cold.
As Seo-jung stood there with an incomprehensible expression, Cha Yoon, seemingly embarrassed by his own words, cleared his throat with an “Ahem.”
“…I’m bored, is there nothing to do?”
Cha Yoon muttered to himself, swallowing hard and putting his hands in his pockets. Then he abruptly pulled out his car keys and started fiddling with them. Though he wasn’t making a sound, it was almost as if he was shouting, “Look here!”
Seo-jung’s expression hardened when he saw the car keys in Cha Yoon’s hand. Suddenly, the screeching sound of tires and the thunderous crash of everything shattering echoed in his ears. Seo-jung took a sharp breath.
He caught sight of his own face reflected in the mirror behind Cha Yoon. A completely tense expression. And unlike himself, Cha Yoon’s face looked unbothered. Cha Yoon, who had been behind the wheel on the day of the accident, seemed to have moved on and was doing well, while he himself was stupidly still stuck in that moment. In a way, it was natural, and perhaps fortunate.
If he could, Seo-jung wanted to snatch those keys away right then and there. But he wasn’t in a position to stop him. Ki Seo-jung had no power over Cha Yoon. Knowing this all too well, Seo-jung painfully swallowed the words he wanted to say.
It seemed he should leave now. Seo-jung opened his mouth with a composed voice. The corners of his mouth trembled as he awkwardly raised them.
“Then I’ll be going. Take care.”
With those final words, Seo-jung hurriedly left the X House. The front door closed with a thud.
Left alone in that brief moment, Cha Yoon stared at the closed door. His hand gripping the car keys tightened.
***
[Moon Post] When life is boring, it’s time for G-bing Original “Please Take Care of My X” Moon Post 11th round
Dopamine do do do pamine heaven, My X Please Moon Post!
1993 comments
– Finally heading to the Talking Room
– Soo-ho’s gloomy mode still hasn’t turned off
↳ It’ll probably reset tomorrow
– The atmosphere feels really depressed
– It must feel really weird, people who’ve been laughing and chatting until now are going on dates with my ex on the weekend
↳ And if you still have lingering feelings for your X….
– Damn, I tried imagining myself in there? I think I’d go crazy for real
– Why is Cha Yoon looking at Seo-jung like that?
↳ He was acting weird even before leaving the house lol
↳ Seems like he’s in a bad mood again..
– Is Cha Yoon shooting laser beams from his eyes?
– If you have something to say, just say it, why are you protesting with your eyes ㅠㅠ What’s the use of having a mouth
– Wow, Seo-jung must be really uncomfortable
↳ If it were me, I would’ve said “F*ck, stop it already!!”
– Yeah, it’s better to just have an honest conversation
– Da-jung, good thinking, let’s find out why he’s acting like this
– Huh?
– Suddenly Song Joo-ah????
– Is this really Cha Yoon and Joo-ah?
– Look how they start talking as soon as they’re alone, amazing
– Wow, the production team’s direction is on point, it felt like a drama just now lol
↳ Right after Cha Yoon asks “Did you pick Song Joo-ah?”, it fades out and shows their pre-meeting
↳ Even the direction is perfect
↳ It’s really fun, seriously
– So it was really Cha Yoon X Joo-ah
– Wow, childhood friends???
– They’ve known each other since elementary school? The friend>lover cliché is real, damn
– No wonder they had such a close friend vibe, there was a reason
– Cha Yoon, wow, they said he was from a rich family, it was true. Look at the size of that house….
– Joo-ah being the daughter of a huge church really doesn’t suit her, to me, a pastor’s daughter = a very devout and kind Christian, but Joo-ah is nothing like that ㅜㅜㅜ
↳ Same for Cha Yoon lol Their whole family is Christian, born and raised in faith, and they attended Joo-ah’s church, it’s really surprising;;;
– Wait, is that why their names are like that? Christians often name their children based on their religion
↳ Probably something like “Child of the Lord”
↳ Right, looking at it this way, they seem super devout
– These two must have had a lot of on-and-off relationships lol
1) Dated for 3 days in elementary school and broke up
2) Dated for 1 year in college and broke up
3) Recently dated for 3 months and broke up again
↳ lol I agree
– But with this backstory, aren’t they basically family?
↳ 2 Is it even possible to break up like this? They’re practically married
– They dated for 1 year, 3 months, and 3 days, but have known each other for 20 years, damn
– Hmm, but for knowing each other for 20 years, there are too few photos or videos
↳ Right? It’s really weird, they only have photos from when they were forced to take pictures as kids
↳ If they don’t like taking pictures, it could happen. I was like that
↳ 222 I don’t like taking pictures either, so I have less than 5 photos with my ex-boyfriend
↳ But Joo-ah’s SNS is full of her own photos
↳ Maybe Cha Yoon doesn’t like it..ㅠ;; Cha Yoon doesn’t even have SNS
– I don’t like how they’re subtly trying to frame it as fake, like there were fake contestants last season
↳ 2222
↳ 33 It’s not polite
↳ 4 For real, let’s keep the presumption of innocence;
– Finally arrived at the Talking Room
– The guys’ faces look almost dead, unlike the pink atmosphere of the room ㄷㄷㄷ
↳ Damn ㅠ lol
– Doesn’t Soo-ho’s expression look like he’s about to burst into tears when chatting?
↳ True, Soo-ho looks sad but why do I find it so funny ㅠ lol
– Oh, Cha Yoon and Seo-jung show their faces to each other while chatting
– I’m so curious about what they’ll say to each other
– I feel nervous because it seems like Cha Yoon might show something really interesting
– Look at Seo-jung’s preparedness lol He wrote down questions on paper
↳ He’s really thorough ㅠㅠ
– ??
– Did I see that wrong?
↳ My eyes must be wrong too
– Damn, he’s really picking a fight like that..?
– Seo-jung must be dumbfounded too, this guy is really something lol
↳ So annoying lol
– I wonder how the Lord gave him such a talent for being a demon..
– I find it hilarious that Cha Yoon is a born and raised Christian but seems possessed by a demon
↳ Same lol That’s my laugh point
↳ It’s so funny lol
– But if he answers like that, is there any point in chatting?
– Does Seo-jung like sashimi?
↳ Why suddenly sashimi?
↳ Because he keeps trying to eat him raw..
↳ ……..
↳ ;;;
– No matter what, he should answer sincerely. I’m getting annoyed and it’s not even my business
– Poor Seo-jung ㅜㅜ..
– Enduring that is really angelic
– If it’s going to be like this, just close the chat between them…
↳ 2222
↳ 3
↳ 44 Ah, Seo-jung must feel so drained
– ??? Why did Cha Yoon suddenly press the button?
– What’s going on? Why is he like that?
– Wow, he’s bringing up the wish ticket again now?
– Cha Yoon really holds grudges
– The wish ticket thing Joo-ah mentioned must have… really affected Cha Yoon
– Why isn’t the “typing…” showing up, come on, come on..;
– Look at Seo-jung’s expression, damn ㅠ
↳ His expression of being totally, completely fed up is killing me with laughter
– Seo-jung might be tired, but I’m having fun watching. Keep going lol
– Oh, chat ended
– Seo-jung ends without explaining
– (GIF) Seo-jung’s face leaving the chat room looks so satisfied
↳ He seems proud of landing a good hit lol
– But wait, they’ll run into each other again when they go home, right? Is this really okay? ㅠ
↳ Seo-jung is just excited without thinking ahead OMG