Then Tell Me—Why Did You Choose Me?

“It’s a shame we came all this way, didn’t get to do much, and now have to leave early.

I think it would be nice to look around a little more and leave tomorrow.”

“We should leave early.

Beomwoo, you have to work tomorrow too, don’t you?”

After deciding to start a relationship, Haejin and Beomwoo had a long conversation by the sea.

It was trivial talk without any particular subject.

But perhaps because they had opened their hearts, even a mundane conversation felt enjoyable, and it ended up lasting a long time.

Because of that, they couldn’t go to the restaurant Haejin had found out about and had to make do with a nearby place, but it wasn’t bad.

Even though things didn’t go as planned, it felt like a special event instead, probably because it was the moment they had confirmed their feelings.

Haejin wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

Even though he was holding the steering wheel, Beomwoo seemed reluctant to go back. While Haejin understood his feelings, it couldn’t be helped, so he answered with his eyebrows drooping in an ‘eight’ shape.

“I’m not going into the office, I’m working from home.

Working from here would be the same.”

“Still. And if I have to work even if I stay in Busan for one more day, it’s all the same.

Let’s go back today as planned.”

“…….”

It didn’t matter when Haejin left since he didn’t have any special schedule, but Beomwoo had to work as usual tomorrow too, so he couldn’t return to Seoul any later.

Beomwoo had said things like since he was working remotely, it didn’t matter where he worked, so there was no problem delaying their return, but Haejin knew all too well how busy he was.

It was obvious he would just work all day like he did the day after they arrived in Busan, only to wait for the next morning to come in a hotel, not at home.

When Haejin said that, Beomwoo fell silent. He thought Beomwoo would try to persuade him more, but this time he was quick to agree.

Feeling surprised, Haejin looked at him, and Beomwoo was staring straight ahead with a face that looked somehow guilty.

Why is he making that face? Thinking about it, it might have sounded like Haejin was criticizing him for not doing anything during the two days he worked in Busan.

That wasn’t his intention… Flustered, Haejin quickly added.

“We, well, we can come to Busan another time when we have a leisurely day set aside to play, right? It’s not like today is the only day.”

“……Are you really going to come again next time?”

Beomwoo seemed not to have expected there would be a next opportunity, as he looked a little surprised by his answer, and asked if he would come again.

It was such a natural thing to say that he wondered why Beomwoo was asking so surprised.

Even in their previous life, when their relationship wasn’t this good, he had gone on business trips with him, and even if not for that, they could come to play like other couples.

Of course, it was possible only if Beomwoo had the time…

As he answered, thinking that he himself had plenty of free time, Beomwoo, who had been surprised, soon seemed to like his answer, and the corners of his lips curled up softly.

“I understand.

Let’s definitely come again next time.

As soon as possible.”

“…….”

His voice was as determined as when he had said at the beach that he would make sure Haejin had no regrets.

It was a voice with weight, but thinking about the content—that they should definitely come play next time—made one corner of his heart tickle.

Even though he thought he might regret this later, it wasn’t bad to feel sweetness from his actions.

As Haejin secretly smiled softly, Beomwoo, who had been watching the road ahead, spoke to him.

“But Haejin, when did you start liking me?”

“Wh, what? Wh, why are you asking that all of a sudden…”

“You were friendly toward me from the beginning, weren’t you? Rather, it seemed like you disliked me, so I was curious about where your feelings changed.”

Why is he suddenly asking something like this? Flustered by the difficult-to-answer question, Haejin showed signs of being reluctant to answer, but Beomwoo seemed to want to hear it.

He seemed to think it was unexpected that Haejin accepted his confession, as from their first meeting until recently, Haejin had pushed him away and seemed to dislike him more than like him.

Judging by how he had hurriedly asked Haejin to tell him his feelings at the beach, he seemed to have noticed to some extent that his feelings were leaning toward him, but it seemed he didn’t know what reason had caused Haejin to open his heart to Beomwoo.

Beomwoo lightly broached the subject as if he wanted to have trivial chatter while driving, but Haejin froze even more in embarrassment.

It was true that he had suddenly changed his mind, so it was understandable Beomwoo was curious, but do people normally talk about this? Isn’t talking about even that too embarrassing…?

So he wanted to dodge the question vaguely, but maybe it was right to talk about it since they were a couple.

In fact, Haejin had never had what you’d call a proper romantic relationship before, so he couldn’t tell if this was normal or if Beomwoo was specifically asking for an embarrassingly shy answer from him.

But he seemed to have read something online, like a post about how a partner asks ‘How much do you like me?’ and makes things awkward, and even if he had dated, Beomwoo probably had more experience than him.

Moreover, based on the Beomwoo he knew, he wouldn’t have asked him for something embarrassing that others wouldn’t do. Hesitating, Haejin cautiously opened his mouth.

“At first, of course… I was very suspicious.

As you told me, Beomwoo, you have a reason for trying to look good to me, right? I thought that reason was big enough to act out love.”

“…….”

As Haejin hesitated, wondering if he should answer that, but then seriously opened his mouth, Beomwoo also listened attentively to his words.

Seeing Beomwoo listening silently made Haejin more nervous, but he carefully continued.

“So, all the kindness you showed me and the help you gave me from the beginning… I liked it all, but… now I want to try trusting you.”

“……You liked it all from the beginning? I thought you disliked me.

You even cried at first.”

Cried? Now that he thought about it, he might have shed a few tears at their first meeting in this life.

At that time, Haejin had hated and resented Beomwoo a lot.

It was shortly after his regression, so memories of the past were more vivid, and he thought Beomwoo was just as high-handed as he was back then.

Remembering that time was embarrassing, but he couldn’t honestly give the reason.

If he said it was because of his previous life, Beomwoo would think he was crazy.

Feeling his face heat up for some reason, Haejin hurriedly made excuses.

“Ah, at the very beginning, I didn’t, didn’t really know anything about you, Beomwoo… My difficult situation seemed like nothing but a means to be used by you and your brother.

It’s true I was negative at first.”

“…….”

“A, and I’m not at an age to think about marriage, and my adoptive parents were trying to marry me off like that, so I felt more antagonistic… and scared…”

“I understand. That’s understandable.”

It felt like Beomwoo would see through it right away if he lied, so he kept adding explanations unnecessarily, and Beomwoo listened for a moment before nodding.

He didn’t seem to have any particular thoughts about Haejin’s first statement, but regarding what followed, he seemed to understand since he knew how high-handed and violent Haejin’s adoptive parents were.

It was half true, and seeing him believe him made Haejin feel relieved.

As Haejin sighed in relief, Beomwoo, who was also curious about his crying at their first meeting, didn’t let go and asked if the real reason wasn’t something else.

“So you didn’t like me from the beginning, right? I’m getting curious about the real reason.”

“…….”

Beomwoo became more proactive than when he first asked.

He had a persistent look in his eyes, as if he would keep digging until he got an answer.

Haejin knew his temperament all too well—that he would achieve what he wanted by any means.

And as he thought earlier, while this was his first time having such a conversation, it might be an everyday conversation for other couples.

Not wanting to appear inexperienced in love, Haejin bit his lower lip in difficulty but then gathered his courage and spoke.

“I’m not sure exactly when…”

“…….”

“But I found myself depending a lot on someone I was only busy suspecting.

And as I said… I wanted to try trusting.”

Because Beomwoo was such an unparalleled person, he exuded a special aura from the first meeting, and the feelings of liking him from his previous life continued.

He tried to let go of his feelings and even tried to hate him, but it didn’t work.

But more than that, the reason he decided to meet Beomwoo was that he began to trust him for the first time.

This feeling was something he didn’t have even in his previous life.

Perhaps he had come to like him more than in his previous life, and even though they hadn’t married yet, he might have already been firmly hooked on him.

Even when he said he wanted to die from loneliness, the infatuation hadn’t lifted, so it seemed it would be the same this time.

As Haejin looked back on his feelings and answered seriously, he belatedly realized how quiet it was around them.

Startled, he lifted his head, which he had unknowingly lowered, and saw Beomwoo staring intently at him.

With an unreadable expression.

Beomwoo often looked at him without saying anything, but since it was an embarrassing moment where he was talking about why he came to like him, his gaze felt more burdensome and made Haejin awkward.

Haejin wanted to salvage the situation, and on the other hand, he felt it was unfair that he was the only one giving such embarrassing answers, so he hurriedly shifted the topic to him.

“Wh, what about you, Beomwoo?”

“……Me?”

“Yes. Wh, what did you like about me? I told you, so you have to tell me too.”

It might be childish, but since he had told him, he had to hear his answer.

And… even if that wasn’t the reason, he was also curious.

What aspect of him did that bland, dry person see that made his feelings stir, and even made him decide to change?

As Haejin looked at Beomwoo and spoke, he looked at him for a moment, then, perhaps because the traffic light had changed in the meantime, turned his gaze back to the front and spoke nonchalantly.

“Actually, I told you one lie.”

“A lie? What kind…”

“I didn’t feel any attraction toward you at our first meeting.”

Beomwoo spoke as if making a confession.