Chapter 34 (1/2)
Chapter 34.
Eejun Bae whined loudly, “Gosh, finally! Do you realize that this is the first time we are eating a proper meal in three days? We have barely touched our food budget for this trip! Don’t you think that’s crazy?”
“…”
“This is why I hate going on business trips with Assistant Manager Woojin Choi.”
Woojin was quietly eating french fries dipped in mayonnaise. Eejun smiled at him.
Shin Kim took a sip of his beer and looked around the pub. It was a pub-restaurant located near their Hamburg hotel. The restaurant seemed a bit dark and empty.
In Germany, most stores closed by 10 PM, so they were worried they might not get much time to eat. However, when asked, a blonde woman at the bar replied coldly that they closed at 11 PM.
Eejun continued to grumble, “I am so sick of eating sandwich bread and cold coffee!”
Woojin replied, “Just eat your food.” Woojin ate quietly as he looked around the bar as well.
He showered recently; his hair was still a little wet. It looked very light. With his vanilla colored sweater, Woojin looked like a college student. His eyes looked puffy all day, but they now seemed a little better.
Eejun turned to Shin and asked, “Did you know that Woojin Choi graduated from a university in Germany?”
“…”
Woojin seemed indifferent as he drank his wine. This was already his second cup and Shin was getting a bit worried about him.
Shin replied, “Is that so?”
“I guess you didn’t know. Woojin and I have been friends since childhood.”
“…”
Suddenly, Woojin stated as he cut into his steak, “We aren’t friends.”
Eejun asked, “What? Then what are we? Brothers?”
“Just acquaintances from the same neighborhood.”
Shin wondered if Woojin was a bit intoxicated. He still had a calm blank face, but Woojin seemed a little less tense.
Eejun’s eyes widened, “Did you hear that. Mr. Shin? He said we are acquaintances from the same neighborhood! Hahaha!”
“…”
Woojin mumbled, “What’s so funny?” Shin studied him and he was now sure that Woojin was a bit drunk. It made sense; Woojin was so thin and lost even more weight during these last 3 days.
And when Woojin ordered wine, Shin heard clearly Eejun mumbling, “You are going to get drunk so fast, Woojin.”
Eejun ate a piece of his salad and whispered to Shin, “Woojin has always tolerated hard liquor well, but he is very weak against wine. He has been like this ever since we were young.”
Woojin protested, “Don’t talk like you know me.”
Eejun grinned, “Look at you acting all grumbly and stubborn.”
Woojin was looking at Eejun with a pouty annoyed face. Shin had never seen Woojin looking this way, so he stared in amazement.
Light brown eyebrow, pink lips, and slim fingers that held the wine glass.
Shin couldn’t help staring at Woojin. There was just something about him.
Woojin mumbled, “Excuse me.” He wiped his lips with the napkin and left to go to the washroom. When Shin followed him with his eyes, Eejun smiled oddly and said to him, “He is so drunk. He is insisting he isn’t, but he totally is.”
“You guys must be very close.”
“I think so, but Woojin doesn’t.”
“…”
“We pretend we don’t even know each other when we are at work.”
Eejun was smiling, but oddly, his eyes looked said. Shin watched him silently and Eejun took a sip of his beer.
“I wanted to tease him a little.”
“Assistant Manager Choi?”
“No, you, Mr. Shin.”
Eejun smiled and continued, “You didn’t seem surprised when I told you Woojin’s family owns the company.”
“… I was surprised.”
“Then I guess you are very good at hiding your emotions? You don’t usually show your feelings?”
“I’m the complete opposite. My emotions usually show very clearly on my face.”
Shin replied calmly and drank his golden ale. The bubbles seemed like they reached and knocked on his heart.
Eejun asked, “Hmmm… Then you were surprised but you pretended not to be for Woojin’s sake? Because you were afraid he might worry about it?”
“…”
“Woojin Choi is astonishing.”