NOVEL NEXT chapter 77
“Here’s the ointment.”
When Chae Yu-jeong finally came back, his face looked much calmer than before. Contrary to my worry, his eyes weren’t red—doesn’t seem like he cried.
Resting on his big palm was a small, crumpled tube of ointment. I checked what he handed me.
“This is the kind you put on cuts.”
“…Will this not work?”
“I’ve got a bruise.”
He blinked, flustered.
“I—I didn’t know. I’ll run to the pharmacy now and buy one. Do I just say it’s for a bruise?”
“Leave it. I don’t need it.”
“I’ll keep it ready next time….”
Next time, my ass. As if I’m going to have a reason to come back here again.
I sighed, pushed the tube back into his hand, and touched the question that’d been bugging me.
“The place is clean, but it doesn’t look like you own much. And the only medicine here is some dried-out tube. You said you’ve lived alone for a long time?”
“Yeah….”
“How were you living to end up like this?”
Maybe he felt awkward about the almost-empty tube, because he hid it in his hand and gave a sheepish smile.
“I don’t really get hurt… After I turned twenty I moved into team housing, so I only came here once or twice a year. I never had time to set it up. A housekeeper comes by to clean.”
If he moved to team housing after twenty and was away a lot… then he started living here before he turned twenty?
“Didn’t you take a year off after the Hold Cup last year?”
“The coach and head coach both know I live alone, so even during my break I split my time between here and the team place.”
At least LVS kept some eyes on him. Good thing one of the coaches is his cousin.
‘He said his parents aren’t the affectionate type. And it’s a remarried family.’
Even if you remarry and you’re indifferent, who tells a kid who isn’t even an adult yet to live alone? Or is there something else going on?
My face must’ve been hardening, because Chae Yu-jeong seemed to take it the wrong way. He fidgeted, then asked carefully:
“Hyung, are you really okay? There’s a pharmacy nearby—I can go buy it right now.”
“It’d be funnier to put ointment on something I banged. Can you stop worrying about my ass now?”
Yeah, yanking my arm was his fault and I scolded him for it, but I didn’t want him stuck reading my mood forever.
I tossed in a joke on purpose. His snow-white cheeks flushed like peaches and he shook his head fast.
“W-what? N-no. I’m not interested in your, uh, ass, hyung!”
Oh really? Are you sure?
One dumb wordplay and he’s mortified. I tapped his shoulder and headed into the bedroom.
*****
The packing went as fast as expected.
It was just clothes and small stuff—sort them and box them. Even taking it easy, an hour was plenty.
“Hyung, are you really going to head out without eating?”
The whole time he kept sneaking glances at me, and the moment I dropped the cover on a box he asked right away.
“There’s a decent spot if we drive a little. How about it?”
Maybe because he’d messed up while begging me to eat with him, he pushed again, looking anxious.
A “decent spot”… Don’t tell me it’s like that last beef place.
Sure, he’d screwed up more than a few times, so I took the beef then. This is different. I don’t want to mooch something pricey over helping pack.
I thought for a moment, folded my arms, and said:
“Instead of going out, I’ll eat here and then go. Getting in the car and moving around is a hassle.”
“Really? I’m fine with eating at home! What should we have?”
“Delivery’s fine, or we can just throw something together with what you’ve got. Is there anything in the fridge?”
“Heh… I’ll order delivery.”
Figures. As he pulled out his phone, I asked as casually as possible:
“Mind if I look around until the food gets here?”
“Yeah! Make yourself at home.”
Never seen someone so happy about me poking around their place. I stepped out of the bedroom and started from the living room, taking ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ my time room by room.
All the doors were open, so it wasn’t inconvenient to look around. Honestly it felt like he’d opened them on purpose—like, go ahead, take a look.
The more I looked, the more the lack of furniture and décor stood out. No plants or flowers, obviously; not even a calendar or a clock. The whole place felt empty, without warmth.
But it wasn’t like no one lived here at all… The dressing room had plenty of clothes, a phone charger was plugged in, and books were scattered on the table. In short: he lives here, but he doesn’t seem attached to the space.
“I ordered chicken and pizza—felt safest. That okay?”
“Good call.”
He spoke up behind me while I was checking a book tossed on the sofa. I tossed him a light compliment, and his eyes sparkled; he grinned.
“I’m going to take a quick call.”
His phone buzzed. He asked for a moment and headed back to the bedroom. If it was work, that would explain why his voice turned low and clipped, nothing like a minute ago.
Once he disappeared into the bedroom, I also took out my phone.
[Yu Chae: Hyung this is super cute]
[Yu Chae: (link)]
[Yu Chae: A puppy you like hehe]
[Yu Ji-han: lmao, cute.]
[Yu Chae: >_<]
Messages I got this morning before meeting him.
I tapped my thumb on the screen, hesitated, then steeled myself and opened Yu Chae’s profile. I hit “Call.”
It was the messenger’s voice-call feature, so I didn’t need his number. I lifted the phone to my ear; the little ring-ding tone played as it started to connect.
While I waited, I focused on whether I’d hear a vibration or alert from some other phone somewhere in the apartment. Nothing.
“……”
I waited until the ringing stopped. No connection. I’d suspected as much, but I couldn’t help being disappointed.
I took a long breath, stared at the messenger screen as it ended automatically, then turned the display off. Right then, Chae Yu-jeong finished his call and came back into the living room.
“Sorry. I told the team I’d be packing and moving boxes today. They called to check.”
“It’s fine. It’s your place—no need to watch my mood.”
“Still. There’s time before the delivery gets here—want to play something? If not the PC, I’ve got a PlayStation and an Xbox. Or we can install a game….”
Chattering with a shy smile, he looked like he was simply enjoying the situation.
I’d thought it since the PC bang—this guy really loves playing games with me. That was when my phone buzzed in my hand with a new message.
“…!”
The preview made my eyes go wide.
[Yu Chae: Hyung?]
My hand trembled a little around the phone. I couldn’t hide my reaction as I stared at Chae Yu-jeong, shocked by a scenario I hadn’t even considered.
How… is this possible? He wasn’t holding a phone, and the messenger doesn’t have a schedule-send feature. Even if it did, hitting timing like this would be practically impossible.
‘A decisive piece of evidence that Yu Chae and Chae Yu-jeong are different people….’
I had no idea how to react. I’d gotten proof they weren’t the same person—but why did it feel so complicated?
I stood there, mind knotting up, and he must’ve sensed something was off. He gripped my shoulder, face tense.
“Hyung, what’s wrong?”
“…It’s nothing.”
I shoved the phone into my pocket and forced a smile. His eyes narrowed.
“Nothing? You were really startled. What happened?”
“It’s nothing big.”
“Is it something you can’t tell me?”
Why is he so persistent. I looked away and threw out the first excuse I could grab.
“You remember the guy I explained about in the car? I forgot to block him, and he just pinged me.”
“Kim Ui-chan… that guy? He contacted you again?”
“Yeah. I’m blocking him now, so don’t worry about it.”
Right then, the doorbell rang—the delivery. He looked like he had more to ask but gave up and went to get the food.
Watching his back head for the entryway, I yanked my phone back out of my pocket and typed a reply to Yu Chae.
[Yu Ji-han: I’ll log into Xenorise tonight, so wait for me]
[Yu Ji-han: We need to talk]