By Zephyria 
As he stepped out of the bar, a phone call came through at just the right moment. Hui-won checked his wristwatch before answering. 7:32 AM, Korean time. Exactly the time Kwon Young-je would be heading to work.
“Hello.”
-You’re drunk.
The moment he heard the voice, he gauged the level of Hui-won’s intoxication. What exactly was he listening for to tell? Hui-won let out a sudden burst of laughter.
“I’m not drunk.”
-Where’s Eric?
“Um… he’s walking about a meter away from me right now.”
Eric was fulfilling his duty. He was walking a few steps behind the person he was guarding, but upon realizing Hui-won was on the phone with Kwon Young-je, he tactfully widened the gap even further. It almost felt like he was running away in slight disgust.
“Just how much did you discipline him for him to be like this? He’s properly drilled. The kid is a total FM.”
-I believe I showed maximum generosity just by letting him drink with you.
Hui-won laughed vacantly. Was he laughing at such trivial things because he was drunk, or because his heart felt light? Regardless, he felt good that Kwon Young-je had called at exactly the right moment. As he let out a silly, giggling sound, the man on the other end of the line let out a scoffing laugh in response.
-You looked miserable in the photo earlier, but I guess you’re in a good mood now.
“Yeah, I am.”
-I should tell you this while you’re in a good mood.
“Tell me what.”
-A business trip to Boston is scheduled for next month. It’s a ten-day itinerary.
Hui-won, who had been walking slowly but steadily, came to a dead stop. As he remained motionless as if rooted to the ground, Eric, who was following behind, cautiously approached, wondering if something had happened.
“A business trip?”
-I have to renew the GMP for Quintech. There are also some additional contracts to handle.
“…Ah, um. I see.”
It was clear that this wasn’t a trip taken on a whim. And here he was, thinking the man was using it as an excuse to visit. Hui-won felt a flush of heat and absentmindedly scratched the tip of his nose.
-Should I book separate accommodations?
“…….”
He brought up the main point suggestively. Even though he wasn’t drunk, it took a long time for the meaning to be interpreted. Ultimately, it meant he wanted to stay together during the trip.
The place where Hui-won lived was far from the city center, making it unsuitable as a base for business. Especially for someone like Kwon Young-je, for whom time was gold.
“Do you… just mean for me to let you sleep over?”
-It would be reassuring if Kim Hui-won assisted me by my side, but I can’t make someone who’s on a leave of absence work.
“…….”
-Just let me sleep there. I’ll take care of the rest.
Choosing to stay at a house tucked away in the outskirts instead of a five-star hotel was an obvious ploy to anyone. However, Hui-won had no choice but to agree. So what if it was a ploy? They were married; it would be more ridiculous to act like strangers.
“Then I’ll see you soon.”
-I suppose so.
Without realizing it, he began to feel fluttery. Hui-won tapped the back of his neck with his fist, trying his best to act nonchalant.
“…Let me know once the schedule is fixed. And… have a good day at work.”
-I will. Secretary Kim.
He called Hui-won by his old title, despite Hui-won’s stiff demeanor. It really felt like they had gone back to the time when they worked together.
Once the call ended, Eric asked what happened. Hui-won shook his head as if it were nothing. As he started walking again, he opened his mouth after some deliberation.
“Eric, do you happen to have a car?”
“I do.”
“Could you lend it to me for one day when you have time? I have a lot of shopping to do, so I think I’ll need a car.”
If Kwon Young-je was going to stay, there were many things that needed to be bought and brought in. The bedding needed to be changed, and he would need a change of clothes, underwear, and even daily necessities like cutlery and a razor. Ah, he also had to do a deep clean. Kwon Young-je was a neat freak.
Even though the date of arrival was still far off, he couldn’t stop the anticipation from swelling. Hui-won walked briskly, carefully engraving the list of things to prepare in his mind.
He had arrived at the airport early and was waiting for Kwon Young-je. The flight he was on had already been marked as ‘Arrived.’ Hui-won leaned against the fence of the arrivals hall, trying to suppress his nervousness.
He had been so excited the previous night that he hadn’t slept a wink. Consequently, his skin looked dull and there were dark circles under his eyes.
Hui-won pressed his aching eyelids with his fingertips and suddenly scanned the people standing next to him. Since it was a flight from Korea, most of the people waiting were also Korean. Everyone was staring at the automatic doors with flushed faces, clutching bouquets and pickets.
Am I the only one empty-handed…?
Hui-won felt awkward and rubbed both hands against his trousers.
While his heart was just as welcoming as theirs, the visual comparison was inevitable. He thought about displaying something on a phone app, but decided against it, knowing Kwon Young-je wouldn’t like that.
About five minutes passed. As the automatic doors opened and passengers began to emerge one by one, Hui-won straightened his slouching posture.
Kwon Young-je was a head taller than others, making him easy to spot. Despite the long flight, his handsome face showed no signs of fatigue. The moment he saw his face, a glow returned to Hui-won’s pale complexion. Just as he was about to raise his arm to acknowledge him—
The moment their eyes met, Kwon Young-je strode over with his long legs and hugged Hui-won tightly without a word of greeting. It was a moment that rendered the fence between them meaningless. As a breath filled with relief, accompanied by a familiar scent, dampened his cheek, Hui-won also reached out and wrapped his arms around the man’s broad back. Though he hadn’t expressed it, he too had missed Kwon Young-je dearly.
“What are you doing? You knew I’d come to pick you up.”
“How long have you been here?”
“…Not long.”
“You look very tired.”
Hui-won smiled and lowered his head for a moment, wondering how he would react if he told him it was because he stayed up all night waiting for him. Only then did his sense of reality return. Naturally, there were others accompanying Kwon Young-je.
Secretary Lee and the staff who had accompanied him on the trip were waiting a few steps away, watching the couple’s embarrassing reunion.
“Ah… Secretary Lee, it’s been a while.”
When their eyes met, Secretary Lee covered her mouth with her fist and cleared her throat. She only stepped forward after seeing the entangled bodies separate.
“Hello, General Manager. Have you been well?”
“You worked hard getting here.”
Hui-won gave a slight bow to the other staff members. Since they were all familiar faces, the embarrassment doubled. While he was awkwardly shifting his gaze, Secretary Lee handed the garment bag and a silver suitcase she was holding to Kwon Young-je. The way she handed over the luggage was quite cautious.
“Vice President, the opening schedule begins tomorrow at 9 AM. I will have the vehicle waiting on time.”
“Good job. You may leave.”
“I will see you tomorrow.”
With a polite greeting, the employees left, pulling their respective suitcases. They were all scheduled to stay at a hotel downtown.
“Shall we go now?”
Kwon Young-je walked around the fence, carrying luggage in both hands. Hui-won instinctively tried to take the bags, but he gathered the bags into one hand and extended his empty hand toward Hui-won.
“…….”
Hui-won stared blankly at the extended hand and then gave a weak smile. Rather than complaining, he chose to clasp hands with him.
As soon as the luggage was taken out of the taxi trunk, Kwon Young-je strode toward the front door. Having visited for the second time, there was no hesitation in his actions.
Now, he had finished showering and was organizing his suitcase. Having changed into a short-sleeved T-shirt and comfortable pants, he truly looked like someone who lived in this house.
Hui-won was staring at Kwon Young-je’s business trip schedule with a serious expression. The itinerary starting tomorrow was packed from morning until evening. Just looking at it gave him a headache.
Hui-won was more familiar with Kwon Young-je’s business trip schedules than anyone. Planning the itinerary had been his role, and he had accompanied him on every single trip. However, the timeline that proceeded without a moment’s rest was difficult to understand no matter how he looked at it.
“You said it was a nine-day trip. But the schedule only covers four days?”
Even after examining it closely, no further schedule was visible. Thinking it might have been omitted, he asked Kwon Young-je, who answered nonchalantly while locking the empty suitcase.
“That’s all of it. I intentionally crammed it in.”
“…What? Why?”
“What do you mean why? Do you expect me to come all this way and really only work?”
Kwon Young-je approached and plopped down on the sofa next to him. Hui-won still had a face that showed he didn’t understand.
“No… do you realize this is a truly nonsensical schedule?”
“I know. I’m the one who made it.”
“The GMP audit alone takes five days.”
“You know that’s something the staff will handle anyway. As for the contracts, I’ve already coordinated the schedule with Quintech, so there won’t be any problems.”
Kwon Young-je answered each point sincerely. However, that didn’t resolve the curiosity. Hui-won scanned the schedule once more. Wow… this was at a level where the entire itinerary would collapse if even one thing went slightly wrong.
“Secretary Lee will have to stay sharp…”
As he muttered to himself in a voice full of worry, Kwon Young-je pushed away the tablet in Hui-won’s hand and grabbed both of his cheeks, lifting them up.
“Can’t you look at me? Why are you paying attention to something else when there’s a person right next to you?”
“…Huh?”
Hui-won blinked his eyes, his cheeks squished.
“You said you couldn’t sleep because you were so excited.”
“It wasn’t… to that extent.”
While taking the taxi, he had yawned a few times and confessed that he had stayed up all night. Kwon Young-je also mentioned that while preparing for the trip, he had only slept three or four hours a day. There was a reason both of them had bloodshot eyes.
“…….”
With his cheeks held in place, Hui-won had no choice but to stare blankly at Kwon Young-je. His face, seen up close, was so vivid. The density was certainly different from what he had been imagining in his head all this time.
For some reason, his face felt like it was roasting. Feeling embarrassed by the thought that the burning temperature of his cheeks must be fully transmitted to the man’s palms, he gently pulled his wrist down.
“Shall we sleep for just two hours?”
He tilted his head loosely to the side.
“The word ‘sleep’ has two meanings in the dictionary.”