Love for Love's Sake - Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Why did a 2 hour bus ride feel like an eternity? By chance, there happened to be two unoccupied seats on the subsequent bus, leading Cha Yeowoon and me to once again sit beside each other.
Due to our early departure, we reached Jebudo before noon.
The closely spaced streetlights along the sea path, which were revealed as the seawater receded, were the first things I noticed.
It seemed like the seawater was just barely undulating, but in fact, when the water levels rose, the sea path would be submerged.
“I read that the sea path opens only during low tide.”
Cha Yeowoon pointed excitedly at the shallow waves.
“It should recede completely in about 30 minutes.”
“How do you know?”
“I checked an infographic.”
As a famous tourist spot where visitors could walk to the island, anyone could easily find an infographic detailing the times when the water would recede. In the past, I had waited for quite a while, not knowing the times.
“Have senior been here before?”
I had in the past. It wasn’t for leisure, and it wasn’t particularly pleasant either.
But I felt like Cha Yeowoon would be disappointed if I answered like that.
“No. It’s my first time.”
I consoled my conscience that I wasn’t lying because I had never come here when I was 19.
“I did some research to come with you today.”
Cha Yeowoon’s ears were visibly red, even as he pretended to look out at the sea without replying.
Once I noticed, it couldn’t have been more obvious. His emotions were laid bare. It made me feel awkward just watching.
“I read that there’s a restaurant with delicious kal-guksu. I also did some research of my own.”
“Kal-guksu is good. But isn’t it clam kal-guksu? You don’t like seafood.”
“How did you know?”
How did I know? Because I read it in the novel. I avoided eye contact, feeling like I was a student who had cheated.
“I just thought you would. A feeling. Uh, an impression you give off.”
“I give the impression that I don’t like seafood?”
“Since you prefer mountains over the sea, it seems like you wouldn’t like seafood either.”
As the lie flowed, I started blabbering and sat down. Cha Yeowoon was staring at me intently. Cold sweat trickled down my spine. If he insisted, I could double down.
“Senior, it feels like you know me too well sometimes. Should I say it’s like someone you used to know?”
True. I guess so. Since I really knew him.
“But this is my first time meeting someone like senior.”
My conscience pricked at the poignant remark.
“I think we can go now! Let’s go.”
“It’s not even 30 minutes since senior mentioned…”
“Why wait longer? It’s enough to walk.”
Transparent sea water surged right next to the sea path. There were very few people, so it felt as if it was just the two of us walking in the middle of the sea.
“Senior.”
“Yeah?”
“I think I know why senior like the sea.”
Cha Yeowoon quietly confessed as we walked.
“I’ve come to like it too.”
On that subject, there were many things to dislike; the seafood, the smell of the sea, and the sticky sea breeze.
Walking through the shallow seawater, Cha Yeowoon resembled a painting.
I didn’t want to come here, but nonetheless, I was glad that I had. That was what I truly believed.
* * *
Sure enough, Cha Yeowoon and the sea weren’t compatible.
“You can order something else.”
He ignored me and stubbornly slurped up the kal-guksu noodles with a bitter expression.
“Everyone says this place is the best.”
“Well, it’s delicious. But so what? You don’t like clams.”
“Senior, is it delicious?”
“I like it. I’ve always enjoyed eating clams.”
“Then that’s enough.”
What was he saying? It was enough that only I was enjoying it?
In the end, half of Cha Yeowoon’s kal-guksu was left uneaten as we exited the restaurant. Despite the renowned deliciousness of the clam kal-guksu, if he could barely eat half, it seemed he really didn’t like clams.
It was tactless to insist on coming here knowing he couldn’t eat it. But he didn’t even consider such a thing. His only thought was to feed me the most delicious food.
Seeing him proudly paying the bill despite not having eaten his fill made me wonder what to do with him.
It had been like this ever since I heard what he wanted most.
I was expecting something like financial comfort. Perhaps it was a guess from a worn-out member of society. Or maybe something related to his track and field performance, or at least something related to his grandmother.
But I never thought it would be me.
It felt strange to have someone’s thoughts revolve around me as if I was their priority.
“There’s also a famous cafe here.”
Here it came. I quietly swallowed a sigh. Since it was a famous tourist cafe, I thought Cha Yeowoon might bring it up.
“Let’s drink something other than coffee. We should go to Jebuland. We can have drinks inside.”
“We can buy and go. They have many other drinks besides coffee. Their signature menu is famous here.”
Cha Yeowoon passionately explained everything about the cafe. Just as he had wanted me to eat the seafood kal-guksu for its fame and taste, he probably wanted me to try this place too.
It seemed like he had sincerely researched and prepared for this trip.
For me.
💕