Chapter 8.1
Haewon had never maintained a steady relationship with anyone for more than half a year. After a few times together, the tension in the relationship would wane, and as more time passed, the fantasies and expectations he harbored would disappear, leaving him no longer curious about the other person. He typically got bored much faster than average.
Thus, he only ever had fleeting relationships, like with Kim Jaemin, who would soon return to America, or Choi, who kept a certain distance and never got too close.
Haewon thought of himself as someone who easily became bored and lacked patience. Aside from playing the violin, he never consistently committed to anything and quickly lost interest, especially in people.
The idea of sustaining excitement or affection for several months seemed impossible, but Hyun Woojin was an exception. Perhaps because Hyun Woojin was busy and they couldn't meet often, or because he never used clichéd expressions of affection like saying he was in love, or maybe because he didn't try to win favor with expensive gifts—whatever the reason, Haewon felt like he was fishing for a catch that, no matter how enticing the bait, would just swim around it but never bite.
The fish he wanted to catch was beautiful in shape and color, and he could imagine all the delicious ways he could enjoy it—grilled, sautéed, fried, making his mouth water.
Haewon was aware of his growing impatience and the feelings he harbored towards him. Hyun Woojin, who remained constant no matter the circumstance, was so different from him that sometimes Haewon wanted to grab him by the collar and demand to know exactly how much he liked him, quantified.
His phone rang, and he searched through his jacket pocket. It was Hyun Woojin.
"Hello?"
—Turn around.
As he left the concert hall, Haewon turned around. He saw Hyun Woojin's car. Haewon got into the car.
As usual, Hyun Woojin placed Haewon’s violin in the back seat.
Haewon, who had thought the car had just been repaired after an accident with Lee Jinyoung, only recently realized that Hyun Woojin had actually replaced it with a new one. It was the same model and color as before, but after finding out, he noticed that the interface and the exterior seemed slightly different.