Earlier, when I had refused, he hadn’t even been flustered.
He might have expected some pushback, but he seemed like he hadn’t imagined I would reject him so firmly.
Hyun-nam let out a small “Hmm……” and a quiet sigh, then finally spoke.
“Perhaps my gift isn’t to your liking? Or did I do something wrong? Did I do something that upset you?”
Hyun-nam asked where the problem was in a concerned voice.
While his naturally proud personality meant he didn’t seem flustered, there was a sense that he was gauging my reaction differently than before.
I had firmly stated he could do whatever he wanted with it, but perhaps because I’m not inherently a sharp-tongued person, seeing Hyun-nam act this way made my heart soften a little.
If it were any other time, my heart would have relented and I might have accepted it again.
Nevertheless, Haejin steeled his resolve once more and spoke calmly.
“……No. I know it’s an incredibly wonderful gift. It’s just…… I don’t think this is the right way.”
“I can’t even give such a gift on a date?”
“Even if it’s a date…… This isn’t a normal date like other people have. And honestly…… I don’t think this is a gift given with me in mind. That’s why it feels burdensome.”
Hyun-nam said giving a gift while dating wasn’t strange, but Haejin shook his head again.
If we were in a relationship like normal lovers in love, I might have accepted it even if I felt bad about him spending money, but as I thought earlier, this situation wasn’t normal and was nothing but a bribe.
When Haejin mustered his courage, honestly explained his reasons, and refused, Hyun-nam still wore a flustered expression, scratching near his temple before speaking in a slightly bitter tone.
“I understand what you mean. My intention was truly good-willed but…… I can see how it might come across that way. Still, I’ll keep this watch myself and give it to you again when you feel less burdened by me.”
“…….”
Hyun-nam said his intention wasn’t like that.
He sounded hurt as if his goodwill was being misconstrued, yet he spoke as if he would wait since I felt that way.
……Even if he understood, he still looked like someone who wanted to give it to me somehow.
Haejin briefly thought that, but since he had pointed to the nature of their relationship as the problem, it felt wrong to say anything more about this.
Anyway, he had decided not to accept it now, and since it seemed unlikely their relationship would deepen, he probably wouldn’t have a chance to receive it in the future either.
Haejin decided to stop here and said no more.
Even though he had mustered the courage to state his opinion clearly, it didn’t feel like the problem was properly resolved, leaving a vague unease somewhere in his heart.
****
This time too, the date course was prepared by the other party.
It was probably difficult to plan a date course while exchanging opinions, and since asking Haejin to think about what to do on a date made it hard for them to show their appeal, everyone seemed to want to take the lead in the date themselves.
Since Haejin wasn’t expecting much from the date, he didn’t specifically ask about the course.
When they arrived and he was about to get out, looking outside left him bewildered.
He had been told it was far so he could rest his eyes, but now they seemed to have arrived at some seaside.
A white and blue yacht, the kind you’d see in dramas, was moored ahead.
“Wait, wh-why are we here……?”
“You’ve never been on a yacht date before, right?”
“…….”
“Haha, you’re surprised. I booked it because I thought you’d like it once you tried it. Let’s go.”
As Haejin stood frozen in surprise, Hyun-nam smiled leisurely as if he had expected this.
Somehow, his shoulders seemed to shrug up and down.
Hyun-nam spoke as if it was his first time on a yacht, and while it was true he hadn’t had such experiences in this life, in his past life, he had been on a yacht.
After marrying Beomwoo, he participated in various events as a spouse.
There were times they rode a yacht together as well.
To be strictly accurate, it wasn’t a ‘yacht date’…….
Still, he had privately felt it was like his own little date.
Anyway, in his current life, he had just graduated high school, and with his financial means, a yacht date was unimaginable, so it wasn’t strange to assume he hadn’t experienced it.
But having actually done it, it felt somewhat absurd to be assumed he ‘obviously’ hadn’t.
Still, it felt awkward to say he had been on a yacht.
As Haejin swallowed his words, feeling awkward, Hyun-nam looked back at him, who had stopped, and signaled with his eyes.
“Come this way. I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
“…….”
Hyun-nam reached out his hand as if leading him to another world.
It felt like a scene from a drama where a chaebol falls for a commoner and leads them to a new world……
If he hadn’t lived his past life, would he have found this cool and novel?
Haejin thought he didn’t know, but since he had to follow the date course, he had no choice but to board the yacht.
****
He couldn’t refuse the date course the other had planned, so he boarded, but as they headed toward the vast open sea and watched the land grow distant, his mood grew forlorn.
Staring at the receding land, Haejin glanced sideways at Hyun-nam standing next to him.
Being alone with him in a place where it seemed like only they existed in the world was awkward and strange, and the feeling of being unable to escape made it even more uncomfortable.
Earlier in the car, when he received the burdensome gift, it was difficult to refuse him because only the driver, Hyun-nam, and himself were in the confined space.
On the vast sea, it seemed it would be even more so.
Feeling this pressure, Hyun-nam, whether he knew Haejin’s feelings or not, smiled refreshingly as the wind ruffled his hair.
“How is it? Doesn’t the sea look even prettier from here?”
“Ah, yes……. It’s pretty.”
At Hyun-nam’s satisfied question, Haejin, lost in other thoughts, answered awkwardly.
While the situation was burdensome, the sea itself was blameless.
The weather was good, the sea breeze pleasant, and it was indeed beautiful.
When Haejin answered while looking back at the sea, Hyun-nam’s face lit up even more, as if he had expected this.
“It’s so wonderful, I felt regretful thinking you wouldn’t know about it. I really wanted to show you.”
“R-right……. Thank you.”
Maybe because I view Hyun-nam too negatively, it sounded like he was boasting, ‘You don’t know this world, do you?’
But his intention was likely to give me a good experience too.
That was a good intention.
Beomwoo had said things, and I had memories from the past, but I should try not to view him only negatively, and just accept the pure goodwill.
As Haejin tried to think this way, Hyun-nam placed a hand on his shoulder.
When he held the bouquet earlier and touched my hand, it was burdensome.
Now, holding my shoulder and even pulling me slightly toward himself made my body stiffen even more.
Haejin reflexively flinched, but Hyun-nam, whether he didn’t notice or was pretending not to, gripped his shoulder firmly and spoke softly.
“The sea breeze is quite chilly, aren’t you cold?”
Hyun-nam said the sea breeze was cold, implying it would be warmer if I stayed close, and held my shoulder, pulling me toward him.
Haejin was already displeased that he had arbitrarily grabbed his shoulder, and being pulled closer only increased his discomfort.
It was true the sea breeze was a bit cold as he said, and he was only holding my hand or shoulder, not touching a sensitive area, but we weren’t that close.
Above all, because I sensed his intention, I couldn’t help but feel even more displeased.
It wasn’t because he felt comfortable with me or as an expression of closeness, but because he saw me as a marriage prospect and was touching me with that meaning.
Haejin flinched, looked at the hand gripping his shoulder, and then as naturally as possible, slipped his shoulder out of his grasp.
“I-I think I’m fine.”
“……Still, if you stay here like this, you’ll get cold.”
“Hmm, I’m not as bothered by the cold as you might think.”
Whether Hyun-nam realized Haejin was deliberately avoiding his hand or not, he spoke as if staying close would be better, but Haejin put up an iron wall and smiled awkwardly.
He didn’t want to show that he found it burdensome and disliked it, but as he felt earlier, if he didn’t make it clear, the other would probably continue pretending not to know and engage in skinship.
In truth, this couldn’t be called a direct refusal either, but when Haejin showed his reluctance in his own way, Hyun-nam seemed to understand this time and awkwardly lowered the hand he was about to place on his shoulder.
Having been refused, Hyun-nam, perhaps feeling sheepish, averted his gaze and then turned and went into the cabin.
Left alone on the deck, Haejin watched Hyun-nam go and bit his lip.
‘……Is he deliberately acting that way because I refused him now?’
No one feels good about being rejected, so I understand he might be upset, but I didn’t think he was the type to show it so overtly.
The thought that I made someone else uncomfortable felt like sitting on pins and needles, but upon reflection, refusing was the right thing to do.
There needs to be a line between people.
Telling himself this was right and trying to steady his heart, even though he felt uncomfortable, Hyun-nam soon came out of the cabin.
Pretending not to be watching, Haejin quickly turned his gaze back to the sea when he felt something warm draped over his shoulders.
“At least drape this over yourself. You might be fine now, but it’ll get chillier in the evening.”
“Ah……. Th-thank you…….”
Flustered by Hyun-nam’s consideration, Haejin answered awkwardly.
Even though he had refused so obviously and he must have been hurt, Hyun-nam seemed more genuinely concerned that he might be cold, draping a blanket over him.
This…… makes me feel even more sorry.
While the intention behind his earlier action was clearly impure, this was definitely genuine consideration.
Seeing Hyun-nam treating him affectionately, Haejin felt he might have been too wrapped up in prejudice and felt apologetic.
As Haejin held the edge of the draped blanket in his hand and bit his lip, Hyun-nam, as if knowing his feelings, smiled and said to him.
“You can continue enjoying the sea view from inside too, so come over here now.”
“…….”
Saying they should start heading inside, he led Haejin.
Going inside would likely make him feel even more like they were alone, which was burdensome, but he had just been thinking, ‘Was I too prejudiced?’ and feeling sorry.
Because of that, it was hard to refuse.
And he couldn’t just stand outside forever.
Since he mentioned it getting chilly in the evening, it seemed he planned to enjoy the yacht date until then.
Anyway, since I accepted the date proposal, I have an obligation to cooperate.
Though a bit uncomfortable, Haejin followed his words and went into the cabin together.
The yacht looked luxurious even from the outside, and the interior was no different.
It was equipped with everything to the point where one could think living here would be fine.
Since this wasn’t his first time experiencing something like this, there was no need to be newly amazed, and it was about time he got used to their wealth…….
Perhaps because he had returned to his past life and lived frugally, it felt amazing again.
As Haejin looked around the cabin, glancing here and there, Hyun-nam chuckled and said to him.
“Take your time looking. Sit here. I’ve also prepared some snacks.”
“Ah……”
Did I look around too obviously? Being told to take my time looking felt somewhat embarrassing.
Feeling awkward, Haejin sat down.
Hyun-nam said he had prepared snacks, and indeed, luxurious refreshments were laid out on the table.
Since Haejin usually liked sweet things, they looked truly delicious just by sight.
However, not being the type to shamelessly dig in, he just watched and stayed still when Hyun-nam spoke again.
“Shall we talk while we eat?”
“Ah, yes…….”
Having had very few one-on-one conversations with Hyun-nam even in his past life, it was burdensome……
But perhaps because there was delicious food before him, or maybe because his heart had softened a bit from the blanket incident.
He had thought being alone together in the cabin might be strange, but instead, he felt more relaxed than before.
Around the time his body, chilled by the cold sea breeze, was soothed by tea and his wariness subsided with the sweet refreshments, Hyun-nam stopped eating and opened his mouth.
“How was your last date?”
“Huh? The last one?”
But this is my first date.
Thinking it was strange, he asked back, and Hyun-nam spoke again.
“I heard you had a date with Beomwoo last time. I was curious what you did then.”
“Ah…….”
“Here you are, having a luxurious yacht date with me. I’m curious what you did with that guy.”