Chapter 39: Excuse Me.

Everytime Daehyun went to Busan, he stayed in an inn, but this time he stayed in the suite of a five-star hotel. The suite featured a balcony overlooking the city, one dining room, one living room and two bedrooms with their own bathrooms. Daehyun thought for a moment he had to share bed with Youngjae, that’d be the end of him, he barely survived the road trip, and it wasn't fun like Himchan promised. IT WAS HELL.

    Daehyun spent five hours looking at Youngjae without blinking like some stupid teenager in love. Youngjae wore driving glasses, he looked smart, and he played with his hair from time to time while driving, Daehyun never paid attention to those gestures, but now he was hooked on them. Youngjae had the habit of puffing his cheeks out and clenching his teeth and making annoying noises, to Daehyun everything was cute and appealing, and found himself wanting to jump him and kiss him, play with his hair and pinch his cheeks, and then he had to slap himself in his mind, he had to have self-control, because in real life, Youngjae didn’t love him and he wasn’t going to kiss him back.

    “Hey, Daehyun, you up?” Youngjae asked, behind the door.

    “Yes?” Daehyun replied, alarmed, in his bed. He had woken up hours ago, but he didn’t want to get out of bed.

    “I'm calling room service, you want anything special for breakfast?”

    “You...”  

    “What?”

    “Anything is fine”

    “I'll order French toast and scrambled eggs, is it ok for you?”

    “I said anything is fine”

    “You're grumpy in the morning”

    “Just leave me alone” Daehyun sat up and threw a pillow at the door, it's not like the pillow could hit Youngjae though. He climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom to take a cold shower, because Busan’s weather was hot, he himself was hot, everything was hot.

By the time Daehyun got to the dining room, Youngjae was in his PJs, eating already. The younger noticed his presence and looked up, the photographer was wearing a white t-shirt, red shorts and black sneakers, and carried the backpack with the camera in one hand.

    “The toast is good” Youngjae brought a toast to Daehyun's mouth.

    “I can eat on my own” Daehyun slapped his hand away, but it was too late, Youngjae's fingers brushed his lips and sent an electrical charge through his body.

    “You’re right” Youngjae shrugged and took a bite of the toast “Why are we in Busan?”

    “You came all the way and you don't know?” The elder put the backpack aside and took a sit.

    “Himchan just gave me the car keys and told me to take you to Busan”

    “And you left everything you were doing to take me to Busan?”

    “What I was doing it’s not so important, it’s just work”

    “Your work is Ego, the next issue’s out in a few days, how’s that not important?!”

    “There’s some details to be worked out” Youngjae said “Jooe can do that. So tell me what are we doing here?”

    “You're going to say it's stupid”

    “I won't”

    “There's a photo contest, people take pics of their favorite places and professionals will select the best and put them on a book”

    “Your favorite place is in Busan?”

    “Aren't you going to say it's stupid? You think my hobby is a waste of time, you said I must get a real job”

    “I don't remember saying those things” Youngjae slicked back his hair “What's your favorite place?”

    “My parents used to take me to a beach every summer and we had the best vacations ever”

    “So we're going to that beach?”

    “We're? No, I’m going alone”

    “I got the car”

    “I’ll take the bus”

    “Why? I got the car” Youngjae got up from the chair “I'll go change, don't go anywhere without me”

    Daehyun thought of running away while Youngjae was in the bathroom, after all, he didn't want to spend any time with him, he was afraid of saying or doing something stupid like “I love you” or just kissing him like his life depended on it. What would happen if Daehyun kissed Youngjae in real life? The answer was simple: Youngjae would kill him for being a weirdo. However he stayed and waited for him, the stupid in love part of him wanted to spend time with Youngjae, he didn't care if the other didn't like him that way or didn’t like him at all.

    “You haven’t finished your breakfast” Youngjae returned to the dining room and saw a very deep in thought Daehyun.

    “I'm still full from Himchan's ramyeon” Daehyun took a look at Youngjae who was fashioned in a black t-shirt with white stripes, white shorts and dark blue sneakers.

    “I still can't believe you ate six cup noodles”

    “They were small cups, technically, I just ate three cups”

    “If you say so”

    “Whatever, I'm leaving” Daehyun stood up from the chair and tossed the backpack over his shoulder.

    “What’s the rush? The beach isn’t going anywhere” Youngjae followed Daehyun through the hall, heading for the elevator. They right past a young woman talking to an old couple, none of them paid her any attention, however, she caught a glimpse of Youngjae and then she said goodbye to the old couple and chased after him.  

    “Hey, Yoo Youngjae, is that you?!” she called as Youngjae and his companion waited for the elevator.

    “Yeah, do I know you?” Youngjae raised one eyebrow.

    “Ha, ha, very funny” she nudged him “It's me! Lizzy!”

    Youngjae opened his mouth and looked at her up and down.

    “Lizzy? Oh my gosh, you look different...”

    “I let my hair grow and dyed it black again” She said with her hands on her hips “And I lost a few pounds as well” Lizzy wore a white blouse and a short black skirt with a split that revealed her leg and then she pointed her foot directly toward him to show him her leg.

    “You look great” Youngjae leaned over and kissed her cheek.

    Daehyun didn’t know what the hell was going on, but when he saw Youngjae’s lips on her cheek, he boiled with jealousy, those ing lips meant to be on his lips, not on her cheek!!!

    “What are you doing here? I thought you were somewhere in Europe” Youngjae said.

    “I wish!!!” She said “I studied hospitality management to travel the world, but ended up in my hometown” she pouted and reached out her hands to Youngjae “I need a hug” The younger hugged her. Daehyun really didn’t know what the frock what was going on. Who was that young and pretty woman? Why was she so flirty and familiar with Youngjae?

    “I’m not complaining, this hotel is high class, the pay’s pretty good”

    While they flirted, the elevator doors opened, Daehyun got on and waited for Youngjae, but he was very busy whispering things in her ear, she burst in laughs and slapped his arm.

    “I’ll see you later” Youngjae said as the elevator doors began to close.  

    “I'm always at your service!” she waved her hand.

    Inside the elevator, Youngjae still got the stupid smile from his conversation with Lizzy, Daehyun died to know who she was. Everything was easier when he was in denial and pretended Youngjae was just a friend, but now that he admitted he was in love with him, he couldn’t help feeling jealous, bitter, scared, confused, mad, insecure, unhappy…  

    “Who was she?” Daehyun asked with the calmest tone he got. It was hard, he had to bit his tongue to keep from yelling “Ex-girlfriend? How many ex-girlfriends do you have?”

    “I only have one ex-girlfriend and it’s Nahyun” No matter how much Daehyun tried to use an easy-going tone, he raised his voice enough to startle Youngjae “Lizzy and me went to the same college in the states, we didn't have any class in common, but her dorm was next to mine and there were always parties... I had a crush on her friend Nana... Lizzy is pretty now though, tall and thin like a model”

    Daehyun regretted asking, there was not only a Lizzy, but a Nana, and it didn’t matter if Youngjae had nothing with any of them, he couldn’t help being upset and angry.

lizzy/park soo ah is in kim is a genius/kim seul gi genius, she's famous for orange caramel, after school, and she's from busan...