It took only five minutes before Lee Hyun returned, which Yujin did not expect.
He was shocked to see him carrying a brown paper bag, and when the aroma inside wafted through his nose, he realized that the vice president brought him food.
"Is that for me?" Yujin asked, his eyes looked at Lee Hyun expectantly, and they sparkled with joy and excitement after smelling the food.
Lee Hyun paused for a moment, but he soon gave a curt nod. He handed the paper bag to Yujin who accepted it gratefully.
"Thanks, Hyun," Yujin gleefully replied, oblivious to the slight surprise in Lee Hyun's face after being called by his name so casually.
With his stomach grumbling, the orange cat in his lap jumped and sat on his side, scratching its head, as though giving Yujin space to eat his lunch. Yujin quickly opened the bag and took two plastic containers—one was for rice, and the other was a plastic cup with its lid tied with plastic and rubber.
"Where did you buy this? Does the canteen sell ramyeon?" Yujin asked, wondering where the vice president got it.
Lee Hyun sat across from Yujin, expressing no hurry to run back to class. "We have stock in the student council's office. The rice is my…leftover. If you don't want it—
"So, this extra-large box container was yours? It could even fit the cat inside! How much do you usually eat?" Yujin interrupted the vice president's words.
He snapped the chopsticks into two and picked a portion of rice, then ate it, unbothered whether it was a leftover or not. He then took off the rubber and plastic that held the lid in place, and the pungent smell of spicy broth and noodles made his stomach growl even more.
Lee Hyun slightly frowned at the question. "I share it with my brother, but these days, he's preferring to eat the cafeteria food rather than the home-cooked meal we packed."
Yujin sipped the broth from the cup, and swallowed his food before answering, "Why is that? I'm sure your lunch box is full, healthy, and delicious. And do you cook them yourselves or do you have a personal chef?"
"Personal chef."
"I knew it. You guys are rich," Yujin exclaimed.
"Not really."
Yujin gaped at the guy. "Says the one who got picked up by an extremely expensive car and a driver! Also, your belongings are all signature brands. Don't deny it."
"When did you—
"Once. When we walked to the gates together, I saw you getting picked up by that car, and being called 'young master'. So, are you like an heir to a chaebol family?" Yujin looked up while sipping the noodles, and saw Lee Hyun slowly nod.
He froze. The noodles hung on his lips as he stared at Lee Hyun with wide eyes. He blinked twice, sucked the noodles, and swallowed, then he pointed his chopsticks to the vice president and remarked, "How can you easily admit that to anyone?! I assume no one knows that you're a chaebol scion. What if I spread rumors about you?"
Lee Hyun cocked his head. "They know. And even if they don't, I don't think you're someone who spreads rumors like that."
"Well, if they know, then there's no point in spreading it," Yujin answered jokingly, acting dejected that he couldn't take advantage of that information.
Watching Song Yujin acted disappointed while his lips and cheeks were reddish from the spicy food, the tip of Lee Hyun's lips curved upward ever so slightly. He looked away, trying to hide that slight fracture in his cold demeanor, but he was surprised to see Yujin's head peeking over his shoulder.
Lee Hyun, startled, instantly looked back, but that mere movement almost closed the gap between them. However, his silent astonishment was clouded by the sound of loud burping, right in his face.
Yujin's eyes widened. "Ah! Sorry! I couldn't hold it! Sorry, sorry!" he quickly fished his handkerchief into the back pocket of his pants and wiped Lee Hyun's face. Although he just burped and did not spit, the fact that he did it right in his face might put Lee Hyun off and disgusted, so he made sure to make him feel cleaner again.
Lee Hyun's body stiffened. In his light-colored eyes, the vague memories alongside indecipherable murmurs that he sees and hears became somewhat clear.
"Yuze," a man's voice, velvety and soft-spoken, echoed in a bustling street in China steeped in tradition and vibrant with life as the evening descends in the background.
The street is narrow, and lined with historic architecture featuring traditional Chinese wooden facades, ornate carvings, and gracefully curved eaves. The cobblestone path underfoot is worn smooth by countless footsteps over the centuries.
The man who was called Yuze looked back, a wide smile on his face as he waved his hands back, the sleeves of his clothes fluttering in the air as he did so.
The man who called him, the only face blurred in that memory spoke again, "Please, wait for me."
Yuze stopped and extended his right hand, inviting the blurred character to hold him. The unknown man held out his hand—a slender hand unlike that of a man, with slim and pale fingers.
The man named Yuze smiled and intertwined their hands, then he looked ahead and gently pulled the unknown man as they walked in that street that transformed into a luminous spectacle, filled with red lanterns hanging from every available space—draped across the facades of shops, strung between buildings, and glowing warmly from the eaves.
Their soft, crimson light casts a warm, inviting glow, reflecting off the polished surfaces and adding a magical ambiance to the scene.
Yuze and the smaller man following behind him stopped in a few stalls, checking and buying the rich aromas that seeped through their nose—skewers of grilled meat, fragrant dumplings, and steaming bowls of noodles.
Vendors in traditional attire call out their wares, adding to the lively atmosphere. The street was alive with the chatter of locals and visitors alike, mingling as they explored the array of shops selling handcrafted goods, antiques, and traditional crafts.
As the night deepened, the two figures joined by hands disappeared in the crowds of people, their black and blue robes drowned by the red hues as the film slowly fades into nothingness.
"Lee Hyun!"
Yujin's voice pulled back Lee Hyun into the present. His eyes blinked, lost and unfocused. Yujin panicked. The vice president suddenly stopped moving and no matter how loud he called out, he wasn't responding.
Yujin was almost tempted to slap Lee Hyun's face but held back after looking at the handsome face. After a few attempts, finally, Lee Hyun went back to his senses.
Yujin sighed in relief. "Thank goodness! What the hell happened to you?"
Lee Hyun heard his question, but even he, couldn't understand what happened to him. The events he saw before weren't as vivid and long as that, but this time, Lee Hyun felt like his soul was going to that place, watching that memory unfold right before him.