PA 17

“No.”

“What?”

Yejun turned around and pushed Junhyuk away with all his strength.

“I have to study.”

“Just a little, the exams are over now.”

Junhyuk did not back down. Instead, he pulled Yejun into his arms, holding him tightly without a single gap. Yejun resisted, pushing against Junhyuk’s firm chest, and Junhyuk let out a resentful sound of disappointment. He felt anxious about Yejun’s behavior, who still would not express himself even after a fair amount of time had passed.

“Lee Yejun, are you really going to be like this?”

“Th-that’s…”

“Why? Do you not like doing it with me?”

“…”

At the sight of Yejun, who remained silent, Junhyuk seemed to be growing impatient. Junhyuk lifted Yejun in a flash, sat him on the dining table, and met his eyes.

“Yejun.”

“Yeah…”

Junhyuk looked for a moment at Yejun, whose face and even his ears had turned red.

“Do I make you uncomfortable? Do you dislike me?”

“N-No.”

Meeting Junhyuk’s intense gaze, Yejun did not know what to do and lowered his head. Junhyuk gently cupped Yejun’s chin and made him look at him.

“Then I’ll ask you simply. Do you like me, or hate me?”

“…I like you.”

After a long hesitation, Yejun answered in a small voice. Junhyuk, who was staring into Yejun’s exceptionally clear eyes, pulled him into a tight hug, as if trapping him in his arms. Yejun, unable to do anything, simply stayed in his embrace, then gently put his two arms around Junhyuk’s broad chest.

“Then what’s the problem?”

Yejun had been very confused all this time. He could not properly judge if it was okay to feel this good while being held in a man’s arms.

Still, I like Junhyuk.

Yejun resented his own uncontrollable heart. Yejun pressed his face against Junhyuk’s chest and listened quietly to the sound of his fiercely beating heart.

Is it really okay to like him?

Yejun’s chest felt heavy with a vague fear. What about what other people would think? Yejun’s mind was filled with questions. Drawn by the faint woody scent coming from Junhyuk, he buried his face deep in his chest. Junhyuk’s hand stroking his back felt endlessly warm and welcome. He rubbed his face against Junhyuk’s wide, firm chest.

I don’t want to be apart.

Yejun started to feel a little greedy for Junhyuk. No matter how much he scolded himself, he could not calm the fluttering excitement he felt for him.

What if I can’t see Junhyuk starting from tomorrow?

Eventually, at the absurd hypothetical question, Yejun’s heart seemed to drop. He gripped Junhyuk’s clothes tightly and tried to calm himself for a moment. But at that moment, thick teardrops streamed from Yejun’s two eyes. From then on, Yejun held his breath quietly, trying not to make crying sounds, but he could not hide the flowing tears and his trembling shoulders.

“Lee Yejun, are you crying?”

Junhyuk was flustered at the sight of Yejun suddenly bursting into tears. Yejun eventually started sobbing like a small child, his shoulders shaking as thick tears fell drop by drop. Junhyuk, instantly anxious, took a step back and grabbed Yejun’s shoulders with both hands.

“Even if you say you don’t want this, I can’t let you go. No, I won’t let you go.”

Junhyuk spoke firmly without any hesitation.

“I’m…”

“…Tell me anything.”

“Everything is a first for me. But… is it really okay for us to be like this?”

Junhyuk finally realized what Yejun’s hesitation was about. For Yejun, sharing love between two men required an enormous amount of courage. To Junhyuk, the sight of Yejun looking at him with his clear eyes was so incredibly lovely. It was also absurd. He let out a smirk at Yejun’s pureness.

“Come here.”

“J-Junhyuk.”

Yejun sensed Junhyuk’s suggestive touch and pushed him away.

“I’ll make it so you won’t even have thoughts like that.”

Junhyuk pulled Yejun’s t-shirt off in one motion. Startled, Yejun struggled with all his might, but Junhyuk simply laid him down on the dining table.

“Cha Junhyuk, Junhyuk!”

Junhyuk pinned Yejun down with his strength, then pulled off his pants and underwear at the same time. Then he began to slowly take in the sight of Yejun’s body, which had become naked in an instant.

“You’re beautiful.”

Junhyuk muttered with a satisfied smile.

“It hurts, I’m telling you it hurt.”

“So you didn’t like it?”

No, I didn’t dislike it.

Yejun could not bring himself to say those words and glared at Junhyuk resentfully.

“Cha Junhyuk, you jerk.”

“Then shall we go to the bed now?”

Junhyuk gently lifted Yejun into his arms and walked toward the bedroom.

☂︎

South Korea’s most prominent business leaders were entering the lounge on the twenty-eighth floor of the Taejin Hotel one after another. Just before getting off the elevator, Sanghyeon looked at his reflection in the mirror and straightened his clothes.

“Chairman Cha, you’ve arrived?”

The hotel’s general manager came out personally, greeted Sanghyeon politely, and then guided him to the main hall of the lounge. As Sanghyeon entered the dazzlingly golden main hall, people’s gazes focused on him all at once. Women in glamorous party attire approached Sanghyeon as if iron filings were drawn to a magnet.

“Chairman Cha, you’ve come as well.”

“Yes.”

Sanghyeon answered briefly, as if indifferent. Nevertheless, the people surrounding Sanghyeon continuously smiled and kept striking up conversations with him.

“My, I’d believe it if you said you were in your early thirties.”

“How do you manage to take such good care of yourself?”

“Please tell us your secret.”

They seemed like people who had gathered to get into Sanghyeon’s good graces somehow. Sanghyeon found it bothersome to even answer, but he put a smile on his lips and continued to speak very gently.

“You’re too kind. I try to exercise regularly and mostly eat food that is good for my body.”

Even at Sanghyeon’s perfunctory reply, people laughed excessively and praised him nonstop.

“Who here doesn’t do that much?”

“I think you were just born with it, Chairman Cha.”

After dealing with the people who had flocked to him appropriately, Sanghyeon slightly turned his head and looked at Secretary Song. Then, Secretary Song and the hotel manager discreetly approached him.

“Where is Chairman Yoon?”

“He is chatting with the guests who have attended the gathering.”

Following the manager’s guidance, Sanghyeon entered the room where he was scheduled to have a meal with Chairman Yoon.

“Secretary Song.”

“Yes.”

Secretary Song, who had been standing right outside the room, came in and stood before Sanghyeon.

“Is the matter I asked you to look into last time still pending?”

“I apologize for the delay. CEO Song Youngsik will be visiting you later regarding the High Entertainment investment matter. And Mr. Yejun’s father has acted as expected.”

Sanghyeon nodded nonchalantly, and Secretary Song, having finished his report, watched for the right moment and then went outside.

It was then. The door opened and Chairman Yoon Geonhyuk, the head of Taejin Group, appeared. Sanghyeon approached Chairman Yoon and bowed his head in greeting.

“You’ve arrived?”

“Yes, Chairman Cha, you’ve also gone to great trouble to come.”

Chairman Yoon handed the cane in his hand to his executive secretary and sat down. Watching Chairman Yoon sit, Sanghyeon also took a seat. A brief silence flowed between the two awkward men for a moment.

“It’s already been ten years since our Junghui passed.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Today was the birthday of Chairman Yoon’s only daughter and Sanghyeon’s late wife, Junghui.

“Is there anything as futile as counting a dead child’s age?”

“…”

Sanghyeon could not offer any words to his father-in-law, who was missing the deceased Junghui. So, Sanghyeon decided to remain quietly silent as usual. Then he quietly watched Chairman Yoon, who was staring into the air with a distant expression.

Food was placed on the table one by one, and they no longer needed to make small talk. As they continued their meal in silence, it happened.

“So, how long are you going to remain single?”

This old geezer, spouting words he doesn’t mean. As if he doesn’t already know everything.

“I have no thoughts of it yet.”

“You’re not young anymore, either. You should have the support of an official wife now.”

“I will handle it myself.”

“Yes…”

It seemed Chairman Yoon was not displeased with Sanghyeon, who was still keeping his daughter’s place empty.

“How is Junhyuk? Is he doing well in school?”

Chairman Yoon thought the world of Junhyuk, his only blood relative.

“He is attending school well.”

“Yes, he’s such a bright kid, he must be doing well.”

With that, no further conversation followed between the two men. Sanghyeon only responded to the occasional words Chairman Yoon offered.

“Let the young people enjoy today’s gathering. This powerless old man will be taking his leave.”

“…”

Chairman Yoon, who had hosted today’s gathering, stood up after finishing his meal and spoke. Sanghyeon did not argue and came out to the hall to see Chairman Yoon off.

“I heard you’re staying at the hotel here today?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve sent a gift to your room.”

“…Yes.”

For a moment, a look of annoyance was evident on Sanghyeon’s face, but Chairman Yoon just let out a smirk.

☂︎

After the gathering, which had felt exceptionally long, was over, Sanghyeon moved to the suite on the top floor. He loosened his tie halfway, as if tired, and stepped into the room. In the living room of the suite Sanghyeon entered, a woman could be seen kneeling, clad in a nightgown so sheer that one could see right through it.