By Zephyria 
“I can forget it quickly. If I’m buried in documents for a few more days, I’ll probably forget whether it was you or someone else I rolled around with.”
“Why… why do you go that far?”
His tone was one of suppressing emotion. Since he was a guy who rarely showed emotion, it was a voice he didn’t hear often. He had expressed his interest in his own way, and since it was being trampled upon, his pride must have been hurt, but someday he would be grateful. He would say, ‘I snapped out of it thanks to Hyung.’
“Because it’s the truth.”
I’ve just lived my life rolling around with whoever I wanted when I felt like it. So it doesn’t matter who the partner was. Even if it was you.
Gyu-oh gave no answer to the following words. What kind of expression was he making now? Min-ho was curious, but for some reason, he couldn’t remove the hand covering his eyes. A long silence followed. After a few sighs, Gyu-oh’s voice drifted in.
“Fine. Let’s say it was a mistake as you said, and just curiosity.”
“…….”
“If that’s how you feel, is it not okay for me to be by your side?”
What did Won Gyu-oh want to do with him? A guy who had been in a surprisingly ordinary and stable relationship—unlike himself—what did he want with a piece of trash like him? Romance and love were things he couldn’t do in the first place.
“Yeah. Even having those feelings isn’t okay.”
“Ah, Cha Min-ho!”
His voice finally grew loud. Min-ho slowly pushed himself up from the sofa. Now that he was ready to compose his emotions, he removed the hand covering his face.
“Did I ask you to date me? Did I ask you to marry me?”
“Lower your voice—”
“I didn’t even ask to have a baby!”
The sound was so loud it made his head ring, so he double-checked the closed door. This strange conversation must not leak out.
“I’m just saying I’ll stay by your side while pretending to have no ulterior motives!”
“…….”
“No, honestly, it’ll probably show. If you give me an opening, I’ll take it.”
He knew this would happen. Min-ho almost let out a hollow laugh at Gyu-oh’s attitude, mumbling the actually important parts in a very low voice.
“I won’t give you an opening.”
“You will. Then I’ll let you be on top like last time, or we’ll drink together—”
“Hey.”
His own voice grew loud. The fact that Gyu-oh was so sure he’d give an opening was a problem, but the mention of being on top like last time really rubbed him the wrong way. The image of Gyu-oh’s face, flushed and eyes spinning while pinned beneath him, naturally came to mind.
“Did I say anything wrong?”
“Seriously, this kind of…”
Knock. Just then, a half-hearted knock sounded once, and the door swung open. Min-ho barely managed to contain the words he was about to pour out in a heated tone. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and turned his head.
“Why is the atmosphere like this again?”
The one standing crookedly, holding the doorknob, was Mu-gyeong.
“What brings you here suddenly?”
“The Director told me to come.”
“…….”
Ah, he remembered that he had said he’d contact him after meeting the reporter. Since there was no feedback, it seemed he had come down to check personally.
“You guys are really strange lately.”
Mu-gyeong narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing them. He was already quick-witted, which was troublesome, and the surrounding air felt strangely heated.
“What’s strange? Have you not seen us fight for a day or two?”
Min-ho answered as nonchalantly as possible. Gyu-oh, who had a very wronged look on his face, jumped up and headed toward the window.
“Is it a lovers’ quarrel this time, or something else?”
“……Son Pro is an outside party. Seems he’s blackmailing the Executive Director with that. But Won Gyu-oh says he’ll take it on alone and settle it.”
He just blurted out whatever came to mind, but it turned out to be a fairly proper answer. Shifting his gaze, he saw Gyu-oh’s broad back as he opened the window.
“You should hear it too, Hyung. I’m right, aren’t I?”
Gyu-oh, who had wiped away his confused expression in an instant, turned around. As a cool breeze leaked through the open window, he finally felt like he could breathe a little.
Fortunately, the atmosphere changed with Mu-gyeong’s appearance. As expected, talking about work was much more comfortable than an awkward conversation. Mu-gyeong, after hearing all of Son Pro’s atrocities, also sided with Gyu-oh. If Min-ho stepped forward to settle it, even if they won the contract, it wouldn’t feel like they had earned the recognition.
“Then I’ll contact the Executive Director first. I’ll figure out his intentions and either pressure Son Pro together with him or meet him alone.”
“Don’t act alone again.”
Min-ho, who had been listening quietly the whole time, suddenly interrupted. It was because the image of Gyu-oh recklessly crashing the car often came back to him even after that day. At that moment, he truly thought he had gained one more nightmare.
“……Alright.”
Gyu-oh, fiddling with his forehead, answered reluctantly. Mu-gyeong and Min-ho had decided to begin the process of subtly altering the information Son Pro had gathered through his friend.
“Director Cha, keep maintaining your relationship with those two and let us know how the atmosphere changes.”
“Yeah.”
The roles were cleanly divided, and now all that remained was to move forward. In the process, no matter how overwhelming it became, they could not sympathize with Gyu-oh’s confusion, nor could they leave any room for doubt. This was going to be far more troublesome than expected.
Min-ho let out a low sigh and stood up. He rummaged through the pocket of the jacket hanging on one side and grabbed his cigarettes and lighter.
“Let’s dismiss for now.”
Without waiting for an answer, he walked straight across the office and stepped out. Strangely, he felt at ease leaving another person behind in his own space.
* * *
“…What’s with that look?”
Min-ho, who was leaving the conference room with a file tucked under his arm, paused. His bloodshot eyes, visible behind his glasses, slowly scanned Gyu-oh from head to toe.
“How is it? Not great?”
Since it was the day he was meeting the Executive Director, whom he had been testing the waters with via contact for a while, he had put more effort into his appearance than usual. Hair slicked back with wax and a perfectly fitted suit. Even shoes so polished he worried about getting dust on them every time he walked. It all felt awkward and unfamiliar, but he thought it wasn’t a bad way to appeal with a new look.
Gyu-oh endured the slow gaze scanning him and lightly touched his stiff, waxed hair. Min-ho’s red lips, which had been quietly closed, twitched slightly. Gyu-oh, sending a persistent gaze through that gap, finally swallowed dry spit.
“Greasy.”
It was a ruthless critique, but Gyu-oh wasn’t hurt. Between them, calling someone “greasy” was often a term used for those with a gentle nature.
Min-ho’s secretary had said so. That the act of taking off clothes isn’t a biting wind, but warm sunshine. So, being greasy probably meant looking kind, or something like that. He let out a silly giggle, interpreting it however he pleased.
“Whoa, really? Then I succeeded.”
“What are you talking about. What are you going to do by being greasy?”
Despite his words, he probably thought Gyu-oh looked quite neat right now. Though he never showed it, Min-ho had mentioned feeling a certain pride in his own face and body. Of course, since he’d heard it through someone else, he wasn’t sure of the exact wording.
“Alright, alright. I’ll come like this more often.”
“Are you not listening to me?”
Uh-huh. Sure. No matter how much Min-ho put up a wall, the corners of Gyu-oh’s mouth kept curling up. Even after boarding the elevator, Gyu-oh stuck close to Min-ho’s side. With the slightest movement, their shoulders brushed and parted; they were close enough to hear each other’s breathing clearly.
“What are you doing after today? Let’s have dinner.”
“I already ate dinner.”
He answered coldly without even glancing at him. Gyu-oh checked his wristwatch. Confirming it was not long after lunch, he shrugged.
“Dinner already? Then coffee.”
“I quit.”
“Hong-ju-ssi told me everything—that you drank one with an extra shot this morning.”
Of course, it was a lie. Hong-ju, who worked on the first floor of the company building, probably hadn’t even clocked in yet. Despite this, Gyu-oh replied brazenly, and this time, Min-ho was the one to shrug.
“Then, a movie?”
“I saw it.”
“How did you know which one to see alone?”
He’s shutting down everything I say. The ruthless wall continued, but it didn’t hit that hard. Seeing him act this way toward him, he figured Min-ho would have drawn an even harsher line with a jobless bum he’d slept with once. In fact, a sense of relief washed over him.
“I don’t know.”
“Then give me some of your time after work, Hyung.”
Only then did Min-ho’s gaze, which had been stubbornly fixed forward, reach him. It was a dry look devoid of any affection, but even that was welcome.
“Since when did you start liking me this much?”
To Won Gyu-oh, Cha Min-ho was like a shadow. His best friend, a brother, and a good boss. They were in a relationship where they could reveal their weaknesses without hesitation. While he acted like a nice person to others, he could pour out everything in his heart in front of Min-ho. That must be why Hyung had shared such secrets with him.
“It’s not like I’m crazily in love with you.”
“…Hah.”
No matter how far the line had been crossed, love suddenly sprouting in a relationship like this would just be a sudden plot twist. He, too, didn’t have the courage to call it love. Unless the name of the emotion that was already there was transforming into love.
“I’m just… interested? That’s about it.”
“Keep that to yourself.”
“Can you even do that, Hyung?”
The elevator doors opened. Mixed with the cheerful ding, Min-ho’s low voice followed.
“I could.”
As expected, Min-ho left behind only an indifferent and dry response and quickly passed by his side. The faint scent of hand cream touched the tip of Gyu-oh’s nose.