A Confession I Never Expected to Hear

The grand promise of changing the world was made.

But the world doesn’t change overnight as one wishes.

On the day he decided to punish his aunt and uncle, the lawsuit was initiated.

But perhaps because there were so many charges.

Or maybe because the police station had other matters to handle.

It wasn’t resolved in a day or two.

Neither in his past life nor now did he have any special hobbies.

Most importantly, he needed money to be independent when Beomwoo’s help ended.

So he found a part-time job at a cafe on weekdays and at a convenience store on weekends.

Even without days off, it didn’t feel that hard.

Throughout his past life, he had little experience with part-time work or proper social life.

So there were times when he struggled physically or mentally.

But not to the point of wanting to quit.

Honestly, just not seeing his aunt and uncle while living away from that hellish house made life bearable.

Even during the intense part-time job at a popular restaurant, he felt that the sense of reward from trying to change was greater.

It was better than not knowing how to do anything and just passively going with the flow.

When his part-time wages were taken by his uncle, the sense of loss and powerlessness, as if he had lost everything, was immense.

It felt like nothing changed no matter how hard he tried…….

Thanks to Beomwoo’s help, he was able to escape that feeling faster than expected.

He was living well in his own way.

But…… there was one thing that bothered him.

“U-um……, Beomwoo.”

“You don’t have to come like this…….”

When he returned home in the evening after work, Beomwoo would visit this house.

Today was the same.

Since he visited the day after they decided to proceed with the lawsuit, Haejin thought something might have progressed overnight.

Regarding the matter, it was okay to leave a message via phone or text.

But he wondered if there was something so significant it needed to be delivered in person.

Like last time, things that were difficult to discuss only over the phone.

Such as whether to proceed with the lawsuit or not.

So, without much thought, he opened the door.

Beomwoo suggested they eat.

It was dinner time, and he hadn’t eaten either.

He thought, ‘He probably wants to talk while eating.’

But even while eating the food Beomwoo had brought, he didn’t bring up anything about the lawsuit.

He only asked trivial things like if the food suited his taste.

Or what he usually did to pass the time.

It wasn’t strange; it was an extremely ordinary conversation.

But not the kind of conversation to have with him.

They didn’t have such conversations often.

So he thought, ‘It’s probably not a conversation to have while eating.’

He tensed up, thinking he had come to deliver serious news.

But even after finishing the meal and having another cup of tea, he said nothing.

Then he said it was getting late and prepared to leave.

It was strange.

All they did was eat and drink tea.

Haejin wondered if the news was so difficult that he was biding his time.

He wondered if he was planning for the next meeting.

He couldn’t gauge the content.

But bad news often comes from unexpected places.

If that was the case, he wasn’t mentally prepared yet.

So he just saw him off.

As expected, Beomwoo visited again the next day.

So they shared a meal and drank tea again.

But that day too, Beomwoo silently tried to leave.

He had prepared himself mentally throughout the day, thinking he should listen today.

So he stopped Beomwoo as he was about to leave and asked.

[Didn’t you come for some business?]

[Business?]

[Yes, yesterday and today…….]

[Didn’t you come because you had something to say?]

[I came to have a meal together.]

But contrary to his thoughts, Beomwoo said something unexpected.

Not the business he thought, but simply to have a meal together.

The reason was hard to understand.

Just for a meal?

Why?

Even after hearing the answer, Haejin just looked at him.

He had a face that said he didn’t understand why.

Beomwoo paused for a moment, then spoke again.

[Let’s have dinner together every evening.]

While Haejin was lost in confusion, Beomwoo said he would come again tomorrow.

Not just tomorrow, but that he would keep coming.

He smiled faintly and left the house.

Stunned by the unexpected reason, he stood there dazed.

He was without the presence of mind to either refuse or accept the promise Beomwoo had made.

He hadn’t refused.

Perhaps Beomwoo took that as acceptance.

Because he visited their house every night.

Since he hadn’t properly refused, it effectively became an acceptance.

But him visiting every day was surprising.

It was also a bit…… strange every night.

He wasn’t doing anything weird.

But this had never happened before…….

Anyway, they ate every day.

But it was burdensome.

He also felt bad that Beomwoo bought the food.

So today, Haejin gathered his courage.

As soon as Beomwoo entered his house, he indirectly brought up refusing.

Beomwoo placed what he had bought on the table and spoke.

“Did you have another appointment today?”

“……No, it’s not that.”

“Then?”

He asked for a reason.

As if asking if there was a reason they shouldn’t have meals together.

It’s not like you need a reason not to refuse…….

But if he said it was burdensome, it might seem like he disliked it.

It might hurt his feelings.

So Haejin hesitated, lowered his gaze, and answered.

“I-it’s…… I don’t understand…… why you’re having meals with me…….”

“…….”

Honestly, this was what he was most curious and bothered about during their meals.

The reason Beomwoo visited every night to have dinner together.

He didn’t understand why he insisted on such an inefficient meal.

As far as he knew, the distance from this house to Beomwoo’s main residence was considerable.

It was not on the way, so he had to make a special trip.

Considering his personality, which valued efficiency extremely, this behavior was even more incomprehensible.

When Haejin mustered the courage to ask honestly, Beomwoo, after putting down his bag, silently looked down at him for a moment.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“I thought…… you might be lonely if you were alone.”

“…….”

“……I was going to say that, but I guess that won’t work on you.”

Beomwoo spoke as if he had come considering Haejin’s feelings.

Then he immediately changed his words after seeing his expression.

He seemed to have read Haejin’s expression, which became more meaningful after hearing the reason.

As if even he thought it was a stretch, he gave an awkward cough mixed with embarrassment.

Then, cautiously, as if checking Haejin’s mood, he opened his mouth again.

“I just wanted to have a meal with you.”

“Is that…… unpleasant for you?”

“……Just that?”

“I genuinely have feelings for you.”

“Wanting to see someone I have feelings for every day, wanting to have meals together…… doesn’t seem that strange.”

“…….”

He thought, ‘What kind of frivolous reason is ‘just that’?’

But at Beomwoo’s following words, Haejin was left speechless.

The reason for the inefficient and bothersome meal was to win his favor.

He knew Beomwoo was trying to win him over for marriage.

Although there seemed to be a bit of sympathy in his offer to help.

He was helping because he thought Haejin might consider him if there were no other obstacles.

He knew Beomwoo had a purpose.

He knew rationally that these words were also said to seize an opportunity…….

But he had no resistance to such words.

Especially hearing such words from someone he had loved…….

Thinking rationally was…… too difficult.

Feeling his heart start to float against his will, Haejin tried hard to remain calm.

He managed his expression with all his might.

When he not only didn’t react but almost scowled, Beomwoo looked at him and smiled bitterly.

“If it was unpleasant, I won’t visit anymore.”

“…….”

“As I said before, I have no intention of forcing you.”

“I don’t want to be disliked either.”

Beomwoo said he had no intention of making him uncomfortable.

He said that if he disliked it, he wouldn’t come anymore.

Just moments ago, Haejin had brought it up intending to refuse from now on.

But seeing Beomwoo suddenly become passive…… he felt a pang of conscience.

More than that, it felt like his heart was being wrung.

He had only ever seen him confident and assertive.

Perhaps seeing him like this had a significant impact.

When he acted assertively, Haejin could firm his resolve to be more decisive.

But not now.

Feeling like he was the bad one, Haejin hesitated, then shook his head.

“……No, it’s not that.”

“Actually, you coming every day and always buying food…….”

“It was on my mind.”

“That’s why I mentioned it.”

“If that’s the case, you don’t need to mind.”

“As you know, I’m someone who makes money even while idle.”

“Buying one meal a day doesn’t change anything for me.”

“…….”

When he said it wasn’t unpleasant, just that he felt sorry, Beomwoo asked if that was it.

He became assertive again.

It was as if he was saying, ‘When did I ever act passively like ‘you can refuse……’?’

Seeing him change his attitude so quickly, Haejin thought, ‘Did I say something unnecessary……?’

But he couldn’t take it back.

Since his confidence had a solid foundation, there was nothing to say.

He just looked at him, feeling a bit absurd.

Beomwoo, having regained his confidence, smiled subtly.

He began taking items one by one from the bag he had placed on the table.

“I thought eating bought food every time might not be great, so today I brought ingredients.”

“Wait a bit until it’s ready.”

“Huh?”

“You’re going to…… cook, Beomwoo?”

“Yes.”

He had thought the bag Beomwoo brought when entering the house was larger than usual.

Beomwoo was taking out meat and vegetables from the bag.

He was already surprised when Beomwoo said he would cook himself.

But seeing what he had bought from the bag, he couldn’t hide his surprise even more.

Haejin looked at the unexpected scene with a surprised face.

Noticing it, Beomwoo gave a hollow laugh and asked him.

“Is it strange that I cook?”

“I-it’s not strange, more like…… I’ve never seen it…….”

“There hasn’t been a chance to show you.”

“I don’t do it often because I lack time, not because I can’t.”

“Don’t worry.”

Beomwoo, perhaps thinking Haejin was doubting his cooking skills, spoke confidently.

But Haejin wasn’t flustered because he was afraid of how the food might taste.

He was flustered because he had truly never seen him cook.

In this life, as Beomwoo said, there hadn’t been an opportunity.

But even throughout his past life, he had never seen it.

Of course, in his past life, there was a separate lady who cooked at that house.

So there was no reason for him to cook personally anyway.

Regardless, he couldn’t bring up his past life just because he was flustered at never having seen such a sight.

So as Haejin stood silently, unable to say anything, Beomwoo smiled subtly and said.

“Look forward to it.”

“I’m confident.”

“…….”

After speaking, Beomwoo tightly tied an apron that was in the kitchen around his waist.

He had thought all sorts of things could happen while living a second life.

But to see him tying an apron and cooking…… and not because he had asked him to…….

Haejin, while surprised, was also curious.

He had no reason to refuse, so he sat down.