By Zephyria 
“Let’s get some sleep.”
As Hui-won spoke with a sigh, Kwon Young-je gave a small smile and left a short kiss on Hui-won’s lips. Then, without any lingering regret, he stood up.
Though it was called a bedroom, it was separated from the living room by only a single partition wall, so they reached the bed in no time. The snow-white bedding looked brand new to anyone’s eyes. This was because a few days ago, the original blankets had been cleared away and replaced to suit Kwon Young-je’s taste. Even an extra pillow had been added.
Despite knowing about these changes, Kwon Young-je pretended not to notice as he pulled back the covers and lay down. The bed, which had been just right for one person, became cramped once two adults lay in it.
Even though the location had changed, the way they lay down was exactly the same as when they used to share a blanket before. They each lay in a comfortable position and interlaced their fingers. Hui-won lay on his stomach, hugging a pillow while fiddling with their joined hands.
“I’ll be incredibly busy starting tomorrow. It’ll be really hard to see my face, so make the most of it while you can.”
“…Who told you to set your schedule like that?”
“I know. I’m doing things I’ve never done before because I’ve lost my mind over Kim Hui-won.”
Hui-won let out a hollow laugh at the self-deprecating remark. Soon, he closed his eyes and breathed comfortably.
He wondered if he could fall asleep with the daylight filtering in, but the warmth of Kwon Young-je wrapping around his fingers completely disarmed him. Along with a sense of comfort he hadn’t felt in a long time, he was gradually consumed by drowsiness.
He woke up after exactly two hours of napping. As Kwon Young-je had said, there was no time to waste. After changing clothes quickly, they decided to head to 7th Avenue, a thirty-minute walk away, for a late lunch.
Despite having lived in Boston for several months, Hui-won didn’t know any of the local hotspots. On the contrary, Kwon Young-je knew them all by heart, so Hui-won left the choice to him.
The seafood restaurant they entered was not only steeped in history but was a place people traveled from afar to visit. After trying the lobster roll, which was the house signature, Hui-won’s eyes widened in surprise. He thought it would be a simple crab sandwich, but the umami was incredible.
“Is it that good?”
“…Yeah. It’s delicious.”
Kwon Young-je smiled and lightly swirled his wine glass. Dressed in a thin linen shirt and slacks, sipping white wine, he looked overflowing with leisure and sophistication.
Before he knew it, Hui-won had finished his portion of the lobster roll. Seeing the look of slight insufficiency on his face, Kwon Young-je ordered more to satisfy his craving. As Hui-won began cutting the bread with renewed vigor, he started asking the questions he had been keeping inside.
“Are your parents doing well?”
“Same as always. Nothing special.”
“Is the Chairman healthy too?”
“If anything, the problem is that he’s too vigorous.”
The conversation, which began with inquiries about the family, gradually expanded to the staff of the secretary’s office and the current state of the company. Just as Hui-won’s curiosity was being satisfied, Kwon Young-je fell into deep thought for a moment. He swallowed a sip of wine and spoke with some difficulty.
“Aren’t you curious about how Kwon Young-ho is doing?”
“…….”
At those words, the smile vanished from Hui-won’s face. Just hearing the name Kwon Young-ho made him lose his appetite.
“Not really.”
Hui-won gave a short reply and continued cutting his food diligently. He showed his complete lack of interest by chewing only the lobster meat soaked in sauce. However, even that didn’t last long.
Eventually, he set down the cutlery in both hands. As soon as he rinsed his mouth with wine, a sigh escaped him. His body, leaning against the chair, visibly lost its strength. Hui-won ruffled his hair and pressed his hand against his heated forehead.
“What happened to him?”
“He’s currently in a detention center.”
“…….”
“He committed a DUI while under investigation. After being forcibly arrested at the airport while trying to sneak overseas, he’s now stuck in the detention center waiting for trial.”
Kwon Young-je recounted the events in detail. According to him, Kwon Young-ho was practically erased from society. Even if he came out after serving time, would he ever be able to make a comeback? Since he had already been purged from the Kwon family, there seemed to be no hope.
“No matter how good a lawyer he hires, it’s useless. That bastard is never getting out.”
He refilled the wine in Hui-won’s glass. Despite the calm declaration of revenge, Hui-won remained silent. Whether he should feel happy about this or troubled… his heart grew increasingly complicated.
“I don’t think I can forgive him, even if he spends time in prison.”
“Why forgive him? Live your life cursing him forever.”
“…Bastards with many sins usually have long lives.”
“Don’t worry. Kwon Young-ho’s life will be like hell from now on. I’ll make sure of it.”
Hui-won lifted his lowered gaze. Sitting opposite him, Kwon Young-je was lifting his wine glass with a crooked smile. He looked exactly like a villain plotting a scheme. It was so absurd that a laugh escaped Hui-won.
Hui-won slumped halfway in his chair, nursing his headache. Still, his expression was much softer than before.
“I often think it’s a relief that the Executive Director is on my side.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That I should absolutely never make you an enemy.”
“Husbands and wives are originally one body and soul. You and I are on the same side until the day we die.”
That was quite reassuring. Hui-won smiled and picked up the wine glass in front of him. The white wine with a hint of carbonation was enough to soothe his stifled chest. Perhaps it was because the person in front of him had cleared the blockage in his heart.
After finishing the meal, they bought a few bottles of wine at a nearby liquor store. On the way back home, walking slowly to digest their food, they happened to run into Nancy, who was walking with a friend.
As soon as she saw Hui-won, she raised her left arm brightly in greeting. At the same time, her eyes grew wide upon seeing Kwon Young-je standing beside him.
Nancy’s friend was equally surprised. “Fucking so hot…!” An exclamation bordering on a curse was heard.
“…….”
Hui-won glanced sideways. Kwon Young-je was indeed handsome. A striking face is a universal language.
Feeling a mix of embarrassment and pride, Hui-won quietly scratched the back of his neck. Just as he was about to step forward and introduce them, since staying still felt awkward—
[Hello, Nancy. This is….]
Kwon Young-je took a step forward and extended his hand to Nancy first.
[Thank you for everything. Please continue to take good care of Hui-won.]
[Don’t mention it! Please don’t worry. Oh! Thank you so much for your help the other day.]
[Was the problem resolved well?]
[Thanks to you! It was a huge help!]
Though it was clearly their first meeting, the two were as friendly as if they had known each other for a long time. The conversation they shared consisted of things Hui-won knew nothing about.
[How long are you staying?]
[I plan to be here until next week. I’m visiting for business, so I can’t stay long.]
[Oh, I see!]
Nancy covered her mouth and giggled. It wasn’t even a funny story. It seemed she just burst into laughter whenever she looked at Kwon Young-je’s face. Then, as if suddenly remembering, she turned her gaze to Hui-won.
[Hui-won, I know he’s your husband. You don’t need to be on guard.]
[…I wasn’t.]
Hui-won had been watching this scene in bewilderment for a while. He touched the corners of his mouth, wondering if his expression looked strange, but his facial muscles were completely relaxed.
[I hope you two have a wonderful time together. Oh, and please stop by the shop. I’ll bake a delicious pie as a gift!]
Nancy left abruptly, leading her friend away. Left behind, Hui-won still had a look of incomprehension, and Kwon Young-je took care of him as they started walking again.
On the way home, they encountered several neighbors. Each time, Kwon Young-je exchanged friendly greetings with them. He knew that Kwon Young-je was deeply involved in Boston life, but seeing it with his own eyes doubled the absurdity.
“What’s with him… Is he some kind of social butterfly?”
Knowing Kwon Young-je’s usual indifferent personality, Hui-won found the situation simply amusing. As he entered the house first, leaving him behind, he happened to meet the grandmother from next door who was out in her garden.
As soon as Alberto saw Hui-won, he barked a happy “Woof!” While Hui-won stopped to greet the grandmother, Kwon Young-je also approached and acknowledged her, politely handing over some of the wine they had bought.
[Oh my! What is this! My goodness… it’s Château Margaux! Can I really accept such a precious wine?]
[It is nothing compared to the meals you’ve provided for us.]
Hui-won was starting to get used to the harmonious atmosphere. Fine, just do whatever you want. Hui-won let out a hollow breath in a state of half-resignation.
Meanwhile, Alberto went wild with excitement. The clever dog opened the gate himself and lunged toward Hui-won. He propped his front paws up on Hui-won and slobbered everywhere; he weighed so much that Hui-won staggered, barely maintaining his balance.
Pant pant pant pant!
“Sorry, I can’t play with you for a while. I’ll play with you a lot next week instead.”
As soon as Alberto hugged him, he was already a mess of saliva and fur. Worried that dog hair might fly toward Kwon Young-je, who had allergies, Hui-won quietly patted Alberto’s lower jaw. When he threw the rubber ball the dog usually liked into the front yard, Alberto ran off excitedly. In the meantime, Hui-won quickly locked the gate and went inside first.
After taking a quick shower and coming out, he saw Kwon Young-je standing blankly in the living room. He was covering his mouth with his hand, sneezing repeatedly.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Let me see.”
He immediately checked on Kwon Young-je. His eyes were slightly swollen, as if the allergic reaction was already kicking in. His pupils were red, too.
Seeing that the situation was serious, Hui-won’s expression quickly turned grave.
“Did you touch Alberto?”
“What was I supposed to do when he lunged at me?”
“You should have dodged!”
Hui-won pushed Kwon Young-je into the bathroom, telling him to wash up quickly. Water was dripping from his hair, which he hadn’t dried yet, but now was not the time to worry about that.
While Kwon Young-je showered, Hui-won urgently searched the cabinets. He grabbed the allergy medication and artificial tears he had kept just in case, and gathered all the clothes they had been wearing and threw them in the washing machine.
Click. As the bathroom door opened, his body reacted as if it had been waiting. He strode forward, but the moment he saw Kwon Young-je wearing nothing but a single towel around his lower body, he froze.
His body shimmered faintly, holding onto the moisture. Tiny droplets of water flowed down his ribcage, and the line extending from his broad shoulders to his waist was lean and well-defined.
When he usually wore a suit like a second skin, he looked like an iron wall, but when he was half-naked like this, he was incredibly sensual. Facing that discrepancy after a long time, Hui-won couldn’t regain his composure. His mouth went dry, and he unconsciously swallowed.
“Hui-won.”
“Ah, clothes.”
Hui-won snapped out of it a split second late and handed over underwear and a change of clothes. His hands were quick in providing them, but his gaze wandered aimlessly, staring only at the floor.
When the towel slipped and fell to the floor, his gaze reflexively followed it. Seeing Kwon Young-je’s member for the first time in several months, it boasted an extraordinary presence even in its flaccid state. Still the same… that huge thing.
“Do you have the medicine?”
“Yes. Here.”
Hui-won quickly turned around and brought the medicine and a glass of water. His brisk movements and the tone of his voice were exactly like Secretary Kim’s, making Kwon Young-je smile slightly as he popped the pill into his mouth.