PA 50

“I just kept sleeping.”

“Good for you.”

“Ah… right, Wooju hyung!”

Only then did Yejun, who remembered that Wooju had to leave early in the morning, urgently look at the clock. However, the clock hands had already passed noon and were approaching one in the afternoon.

“Don’t worry. I drove him to the airport.”

“Ah… why didn’t you wake me up?”

“I tried to wake you… but Wooju hyung said you must be having a hard time and told me not to wake you.”

“Ah……”

At that moment, everything from yesterday came flooding back to Yejun. Gyeongchan pretended not to notice Yejun’s stiff expression, placed the food he was holding on the table, and continued speaking.

“Have you eaten anything?”

“No, I just woke up, so I haven’t eaten anything….”

“Then let’s eat this. I stopped by a Korean restaurant and got takeout on my way back from the airport.”

Gyeongchan spoke and acted as he usually did, as if nothing had happened.

“…You were really surprised yesterday, weren’t you?”

However, Yejun was not the type to slither over the wall like a snake. He cautiously brought up the subject while warming up the food Gyeongchan had bought.

“About what?”

Gyeongchan asked back nonchalantly as he placed a spoon on the table.

“Just… everything.”

“What about it?”

Gyeongchan took the plate of warmed-up food from Yejun and placed it on the table. From yesterday’s events, Gyeongchan had learned that Yejun liked men. However, he didn’t press Yejun for details about what happened, nor was he disgusted that he liked the same gender. Yejun was grateful to Gyeongchan for that.

“It’s been seven years since I left Korea like I was running away… even a bad wound would have healed by then….”

“That’s not something to be pathetic about.”

“I’m sorry for deceiving you all this time.”

Yejun couldn’t bring himself to look at Gyeongchan. Gyeongchan sighed and then suddenly asked Yejun.

“So how are you?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking how you are. Are you really okay like this?”

Only then did Yejun slowly raise his head and look at Gyeongchan. He couldn’t easily answer Gyeongchan, who was looking at him with a rather serious expression.

“Me?”

“Yes, you, Lee Yejun.”

“Ah… me.”

“……”

Yejun gazed at the distant sky beyond the window and said nothing for a moment. Gyeongchan waited patiently for Yejun, who was struggling to speak.

“Actually, I’m not. It’s been seven years, but I still miss him sometimes.”

“……”

After hesitating for a long time, Yejun for the first time told him the real reason he had left Korea. With his eyes growing moist, Yejun even held his breath for a moment, as if to suppress his trembling voice.

“At first, I thought if I just cried my heart out… then it would be an emotion that would wash away completely.”

“…But?”

“Even so… even after crying so much… when he suddenly comes to mind, a corner of my heart still aches.”

“……”

“I’m really foolish, aren’t I?”

Gyeongchan ducked his head and began to eat. They said nothing for a while.

“Yejun.”

“What?”

As the meal was nearly finished, Gyeongchan’s gaze, which had been fixed on the food, turned toward Yejun.

“Should I kill that bastard for you?”

“…No.”

Gyeongchan’s expression was quite serious. Yejun chuckled and slowly shook his head.

“What can I do to make you feel okay?”

“I just…. I don’t really know.”

“You’re too soft, Yejun.”

“He must have forgotten all about me by now.”

“……”

“I’m really pathetic, aren’t I?”

Yejun, with eyes that looked like they might burst into tears at any moment, shifted his gaze from the distant sky outside the window to Gyeongchan and, for the first time, gave a bright smile.

☂︎

It felt as if he had slept for two whole days. Junhyuk, who had barely managed to fall asleep under the influence of sleeping pills, slowly raised his stiff body, which still felt unrested. Junhyuk, sitting on the edge of the bed, pressed the call button on the headboard.

“Are you awake?”

A moment later, Junhyuk’s dedicated medical team entered the hospital room. While the medical team meticulously checked Junhyuk’s physical condition, Secretary Jung stood by with the schedule displayed on a tablet screen. Junhyuk asked Secretary Jung about his next appointment.

“It is the Taejin Electronics new product launching showcase.”

Junhyuk had intended to cancel his next schedule if it was a meeting with the executives or something of that sort. However, the showcase was the day to widely publicize a new product being released to the world for the first time. As such, not only reporters from various media outlets but also selected influencers and customers would be in attendance. In other words, it meant that the eyes of a huge number of people would be on it. If Junhyuk, the influential next leader of Taejin Group, did not show his face at such an event, he could be subject to all kinds of gossip.

“What about my clothes?”

“They have been prepared.”

After taking a quick shower, Junhyuk changed into the clothes his secretary had prepared and left the hospital room. Secretary Jung followed behind Junhyuk and began to recite the schedule in order of importance.

“Isn’t that Executive Director Cha?”

At the somewhat familiar voice, Junhyuk slowly raised his head. Doctor Park, who was in charge of Sanghyeon, came into Junhyuk’s line of sight.

“Yes, Doctor Park, what brings you here?”

“Ah… I have an important surgery coming up, so I came to ask for some advice.”

“Is that so?”

“As for you, Executive Director Cha….”

“I just came for a routine check-up.”

Junhyuk gave a slight nod and then got on the VIP-only elevator.

“Chairman Cha also had a check-up this time. But….”

The elevator doors closed while Doctor Park was in the middle of saying something, and Junhyuk could not hear the rest of his words. Moreover, as soon as the doors closed, Secretary Jung began to list off the tasks that Junhyuk absolutely had to review. Junhyuk’s attention immediately shifted to the tablet Secretary Jung was holding.

“Please come this way.”

Junhyuk, who arrived at the showcase venue on time, was guided by a staff member to the VIP section and sat down. Not long after Junhyuk took his seat, the surroundings went dark and the audience fell silent.

“The new product we will be introducing today is….”

Along with the host’s excited voice, dazzlingly bright lights turned on all at once, and an image of the new cell phone appeared on an overwhelmingly huge white screen.

After the grand introduction was over, the new products were displayed in various spots throughout the audience seating. Most of the people invited to this event were famous celebrities or influencers. Those who got to see the product in person before the general public began to post their reviews on social media. Junhyuk also mingled among them and began to observe the reactions.

It was then. Junhyuk, who happened to run into Wooju among the celebrities, was momentarily unable to speak. Wooju also said nothing. He just stared at Junhyuk with a sharp gaze.

“Thank you for coming to the showcase.”

“……”

Junhyuk was the first to offer a greeting, but Wooju did not say a word. However, it seemed the manager standing behind them was constantly poking Wooju in the side.

“Thank you for inviting me.”

“……”

Unable to resist his manager’s urging, Wooju gave a slight nod and offered only a cliché greeting.

“By any chance….”

“If it’s a question about him, I have absolutely nothing to say.”

Junhyuk had so many things he was curious about regarding Yejun.

Is Yejun… doing well? Does he start his stories with that clear smile like he used to?

However, he couldn’t bring himself to say Yejun’s name. Wooju noticed that Junhyuk’s cold and arrogant eyes were faintly trembling. But Wooju averted his gaze from Junhyuk.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

Wooju had to suppress the anger that was slowly rising from the pit of his stomach.

This bastard is living so well even after doing that to Yejun.

The image of Yejun, still unable to forget Junhyuk, came to mind, and Wooju’s thoughts grew heavy. Wooju could in no way be favorable towards Junhyuk.

“…Shit.”

“Wooju, why are you swearing when you never do? Did something happen?”

“No.”

“There are a lot of reporters and influencers filming here. You have to watch what you say.”

“I know.”

Wooju was frustrated with his situation, unable to either convey or not convey Yejun’s feelings, and in the end, he let out a curse in a small voice. The manager following behind Wooju was startled by Wooju’s unprecedented behavior and had to look around nervously.

☂︎

Gyeongchan wished that Yejun would show interest in someone else. However, Yejun had no interest whatsoever in anything other than his work and his immediate surroundings.

“That person over there says he likes you.”

“……”

An attractive man with green eyes and light brown hair gave Yejun a slight nod and a faint smile. Gyeongchan, with a displeased expression, stretched his hand out in front of Yejun. Today, too, a small note was precariously placed on his palm. Yejun, as usual, walked past it and slipped into the back of the kitchen.

“I’m telling you to at least show some interest in who on earth is giving you these notes.”

Gyeongchan, who had followed him into the kitchen, grumbled continuously as he crumpled up the few notes he had received today on Yejun’s behalf and threw them into the trash.

“Lee Yejun, just try dating someone, anyone.”

“……”

“People demand to know if I’m dating you!”

“They did? Oh my….”

Yejun’s voice was quite serious, but his gaze was focused solely on the task of making coffee.

“So just date someone, I don’t care who it is.”