Swallow Hunting

Haejun tilted his head and looked down at his phone. He even wondered if the message had really come from Yohan.

The man who always claimed twenty-four hours weren’t enough for work was suddenly asking him out for drinks. Sure, grabbing a single can of beer at a convenience store after work wasn’t unusual. But actually settling somewhere properly like this? That was rare.

More than anything, the place he’d been called to felt unfamiliar. Haejun pulled his bike to the roadside for a moment and called Yohan. After two rings, Yohan answered with an excited, “Yeah!”

“Where is this?”

—I sent you the address.

“I know.”

That was the problem. It wasn’t a convenience store or some cheap pub. It was clearly the address of an expensive bar. A guy who pinched pennies and always picked the cheapest side dish was suddenly inviting him somewhere like that — Haejun couldn’t figure out why.

As if sensing his suspicion, Yohan continued immediately.

—Remember Eom Daehyeon? That rich kid from high school? We got back in touch recently. He opened a bar and told us to come by.

“Was there someone like that?”

Nothing came to mind right away. Probably one of the guys who hung around Yohan and, by extension, hung around him too.

His high school memories weren’t clear. He’d worked part-time every evening, and whatever time was left had gone into dodging loan sharks.

At school, he’d mostly slept. “Friends” were just people he ate lunch with. No wonder he didn’t remember much.

—Yeah. See you tonight.

“What about work?”

—Took the day off.

“Since when?”

—I’m human too. Gotta rest sometimes. If you work too hard, you die early. I’m planning to live long. Thick and long.

The same guy who’d been whining about his liver the other day. When Haejun asked if he’d be okay drinking, Yohan said drinking with friends was different. Alcohol for work was poison; alcohol with friends was medicine.

“Let me check first.”

He pulled up a familiar contact. Asking Lee Kangjoo came first. From the receiver came the sound of Yohan clicking his tongue.

—Can’t you just lie and come out?

“Nope.”

He answered sweetly, then texted Lee Kangjoo asking if he’d be coming tonight. He wondered if calling would be faster, but before he decided, a reply came.

Haejun’s eyes lit up as he checked it — then his shoulders drooped. Maybe he’d secretly been hoping Lee Kangjoo would come. The short sentence saying he had another appointment stung more than it should have.

Either way, his evening was free. Yohan, who’d been waiting on the line, immediately asked:

—What’d he say?

“He’s got plans tonight.”

Yohan practically jumped with joy. He coughed halfway through like he was trying to restrain himself, but it was obvious. He really didn’t like Lee Kangjoo.

For a brief, ridiculous moment, Haejun wondered if putting them in the same room might improve things.

—Then see you later. Don’t be late.

“Yeah.”

He hung up and started his bike. Just as he was about to turn the handle, his phone vibrated again.

A message from No Eunjae. Asking if he was free tonight.

Instead of replying, Haejun pressed the accelerator. He could answer later.

* * *

He felt awkward going in alone, so he waited at the entrance for Yohan. Right on time, Yohan arrived on his bike. Not even heading to work, but he’d dressed up anyway. He took off his helmet, fixed his messy hair, and hurried over.

“Been waiting long?”

“Just got here. This is the place, right?”

Haejun looked up at the building uncertainly. He’d seen photos beforehand, but in person it looked far more luxurious. Most of the people entering were dressed neatly.

He ducked his head and shoved his chin into his worn jumper. Even if he couldn’t remember the guy, he was supposedly a classmate. He didn’t want to look shabby.

“He was that rich?”

“Probably the richest in our year. Bought us bread and milk all the time. You seriously don’t remember?”

“Well, I’ll know when I see him.”

“His face is... well. No, looks aren’t everything. If you’re kind, rich, and generous, that’s enough.”

Excited about seeing an old friend, Yohan talked nonsense. Rubbing his hands together like a fly complaining about the cold, he dragged Haejun inside as if tying him down so he couldn’t run.

They passed through a maze-like hallway and arrived at a room. When the door opened, vaguely familiar faces were mixed with people he’d never seen.

He could’ve sworn he’d graduated from an all-boys school. Yet there were several women there too.

Yohan threw both arms up and smiled brightly. Haejun knew that expression. He’d seen it when he’d first followed Yohan around at the host bar. The customer-facing smile.

“Park Yohan! Cha Haejun!”

A man presumed to be Eom Daehyeon jumped up and hugged Yohan. Built like a bear, but with a surprisingly gentle face.

Haejun searched his blurry memory. The impression was... no. The face itself had changed a lot. Only the lower half seemed the same.

Like Yohan said, Eom Daehyeon had treated them often. More accurately, Yohan had milked him dry.

“Wow, you haven’t changed at all. Guess I’m the only one who aged.”

“You got handsome. Took off the glasses.”

“Had surgery. Eyes and nose. Was gonna shave down my jaw too, but my mom objected.”

He casually listed his cosmetic work and offered them seats. Haejun felt strangely awkward. He used to live in places like this, but after dealing only with Lee Kangjoo, it felt like a distant past life.

“Make sure you get everyone’s contact info. If possible.”

Yohan leaned in and whispered low.

“What?”

“I handpicked them.”

“What are you even talking about?”

But Yohan was already busy greeting others. It almost felt like he was deliberately ignoring him.

People next to him started talking, so Haejun couldn’t press further. He had no choice but to look away from Yohan.

Maybe because he’d been focusing on delivery work lately, talking ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) to strangers felt strangely hard. For the first time in a while, he pulled out his old host persona — Hajin.

“Ah, not me — him? That’s Cha Haejun. Handsome, right?”

Out of nowhere, Yohan slung an arm around Haejun’s shoulders while chatting with a woman. He laughed exaggeratedly and even poked Haejun in the side.

“Can I use my real name?”

Haejun whispered. Yohan nodded quickly. It wasn’t the bar, after all. No reason to hide.

He bowed slightly to the women with the smile that used to earn him endless affection.

“You’re really handsome. You could be an idol. Why didn’t you try?”

“Can’t dance. No matter how much I practiced, I just couldn’t get it.”

He’d shaken his hips plenty for customers, but he’d never gotten any better. One customer even told him to forget dancing and just sing.

For a second, he almost said, “Maybe I should’ve tried. You might’ve liked me.” It slipped to the tip of his tongue — the sweet talk he’d mastered as a swallow.

Before, he would’ve smiled beautifully and flirted for more attention. That was his job. The only talent he believed he had.

But now he didn’t feel like it.

Making an effort to win someone over felt uncomfortable.

There was a time he’d craved even a coin and a warm glance so badly that he’d acted cute and pliant for anyone. When had that changed? fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm

Even he didn’t know.

As alcohol flowed, the room grew loud. Games, probing questions, subtle evaluations disguised as jokes. People showing their cards while pretending not to.

He used to do this every day. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

Now it just felt exhausting.

After playing along for a while, his chest felt tight. He made an excuse about using the bathroom and stood up.

“Where are you going?”

Yohan caught it immediately and grabbed his sleeve. When Haejun said he’d be back in a minute, Yohan told him to leave his coat.

“What are you, some woodsman? Why do you need my coat?”

“So you don’t run.”

“If I freeze to death out there, that’s on you.”

“Stop talking nonsense and hand it over.”

Unbelievably thorough. Judging by Yohan’s stubborn lips, he wasn’t backing down. Haejun surrendered his coat like a hostage and stepped into the hallway.

The corridor was dim. After wandering around searching for the restroom, he finally reached it with a staff member’s help.

He emptied his full bladder and forced his reluctant feet back toward the room.

As he turned a corner, someone suddenly stepped into his path. He twisted his body against the wall just in time to avoid crashing.

“...Hyung!”

The voice dropping from above his head was painfully familiar.

He looked up.

A brightly smiling face he definitely knew.

“You didn’t even reply to my text!”

No Eunjae pouted.

Small world. Of all places to run into him.

Haejun blinked. No Eunjae swayed like a reed in the wind, grinning loosely. He must’ve downed several bottles already — alcohol, cigarettes, and cologne drifted off him.

“Hyuuung, you working here? No, this isn’t that kind of place. Then... with your boyfriend?”

“No. With a friend.”

“Our hyung doesn’t have a boyfriend?”

“If you’re drunk, go home and wash up and sleep.”

“Can’t I go into your room? Ours is boring. Bad crowd. No one as pretty as you.”

No Eunjae rubbed his forehead against Haejun’s shoulder and clung to him. Then suddenly lifted his head and grabbed Haejun’s wrist.