By Zephyria 
Min-ho tidied up his things roughly and rummaged through a drawer. Inside was an envelope stuffed with gift certificates. He took out a few and moved them into a new envelope.
“What are you doing?”
“A gift.”
“What? For whom?”
He closed the envelope and pondered briefly about what message to write, but soon put down the fountain pen.
“Sowon-nim. It’s his wedding anniversary.”
“……Huh, wow. How do you know that? Are you the husband?”
Gyu-oh, who had been lying sprawled on the sofa, jumped up and placed both hands on his hips. He looked like someone coming to argue, or perhaps like he was out collecting debts.
“Don’t you remember saying that the office password and Sowon-nim’s wedding anniversary were the same, and that you and Woowon were destiny or something?”
He had set the password to the date of his first day at the office, and that date happened to overlap with Sowon’s wedding. At the time, Won Gyu-oh had been rambling about destiny throughout the wedding hall, so Min-ho had scolded him, saying, ‘Why don’t you just write the office password on the meal tickets?’ That was only a year ago, but Won Gyu-oh looked as if he had amnesia, having completely forgotten.
“……Did I?”
He tilted his head while keeping his hands on his hips.
Yes, Won Gyu-oh was that kind of guy. No matter how close they were or how much he acted like a friend sharing his heart, he never gave deep, lasting attention. It was simply amazing that such a guy remembered every single tiny detail about him.
“Right. At least say congratulations.”
“Hmph. Our chemistry is too good to just settle for that.”
Gyu-oh seemed lost in thought for a moment. Then, he opened his phone and quickly typed something. Min-ho wondered what he was searching for, and after about 30 minutes, a bulky baldie arrived at the office.
“Oh, thanks. Good job.”
“Yes, sir.”
The top of the guy’s head, as he bowed deeply, was briefly visible through the door gap before disappearing. Gyu-oh lifted the received shopping bag high.
“I’ll give it to him when I give yours, Hyung.”
“You give it to him.”
Min-ho had intended to deliver it through another secretary if Gyu-oh wasn’t available. He didn’t want to make it too obvious that he was taking care of him, and he thought it might make the other person uncomfortable.
Gyu-oh readily took the envelope of gift certificates. He headed straight for the office door, and Min-ho thought he was just going to deliver it, but Gyu-oh poked his head out and called Sowon.
“Sowon-nim. Come inside for a second.”
“…….”
Why is he calling him inside? That defeats the purpose of asking him to deliver it. Min-ho adjusted his glasses and observed the strangely unfolding situation.
“Yes, Team leader.”
“I heard today is Sowon-nim’s wedding anniversary. This is from Director Cha, and this is what I prepared.”
Gyu-oh went out of his way to emphasize that he had also given a gift. Immediately, eyes filled with emotion turned toward Min-ho. Feeling awkward again, he pushed up his glasses.
“Actually, I didn’t remember, but the Director told me, so I just prepared this.”
“How could you remember all this….”
Sowon’s eyes grew slightly red as he repeatedly expressed his gratitude. Flustered, Min-ho bolted upright from his seat. However, unable to approach or comfort him hastily, he simply tossed off his glasses.
“It’s hard to forget because it’s the same as the password. Anyway, congratulations on today. Wrap things up early and go home.”
“I’m taking a day off tomorrow, so it’s fine. Thank you so much.”
Thanks to Gyu-oh asking if he was going on a trip, the teary eyes finally shifted away.
“Yes, I’m going on a trip over the weekend.”
“Then you should get ready quickly. Leave at 3. I’m leaving around then too.”
Since today only required handling urgent matters quickly, Sowon beamed at Min-ho’s words.
“Is that really okay?”
“Yeah. Just say yes before I change my mind.”
Sowon whispered to Gyu-oh loud enough for everyone to hear, and soon a response of agreement came back.
“Thank you, Director. And Team leader too. You’re really the best.”
Such praise was always unfamiliar, but it felt good. As he awkwardly curled the corners of his mouth, Sowon gave him a thumbs-up. Sowon continued to express his gratitude until he completely left the office.
“See. He loves it because Hyung took care of him. It’d be such a waste if people didn’t know what a sweet person you are.”
“……There are plenty of things that would be a waste.”
Scratching his eyebrow in embarrassment, he pulled over a chair and sat down. The image of those teary eyes looking up at him surfaced again. Had I lived my life drawing too many lines? It’s not bad to be a bit more comfortable and close.
“Hey, you love it.”
If he had been alone, he wouldn’t have even tried, but thanks to Gyu-oh, he was able to do one more thing that felt good. He began to hope that as long as he was with Won Gyu-oh, warmth would gather around him one by one.
“…….”
His eyes, which had been fixed on the monitor, shifted to the side. The day to turn the last page of the calendar was approaching. It also meant that the promised one month was nearly over. Of course, the result would likely be in the direction they both expected.
“Company dinner? Absolutely not!”
“Why? You were nagging me to increase them before.”
Perhaps because it had been a while since he came to work, he found it quite pleasant to see those two bickering over words. After returning from lunch, Mu-gyeong stormed into the office. This time, the topic was the company dinner.
“That’s old news.”
He didn’t know what conversation had passed between the two, but for some reason, a deal to increase the company dinners seemed to have been struck.
“The busy period is over and no one is sick. Why?”
“No, that’s to keep him from doing other things……”
Gyu-oh trailed off and subtly checked Min-ho’s reaction. The reason for pushing the company dinner was probably because of him. Was the plan to feed him alcohol instead of letting him rely on sex?
Until now, there had been many important matters, and because he had lived behind a wall, it must have been difficult to bring up the word ‘company dinner.’ Now that the headache-inducing issues were mostly sorted out, Mu-gyeong seemed to have burst in to fulfill that promise.
“Other things?”
“Anyway. Seriously, why is someone who should know better acting like this?”
The two continued their childish squabble for a long time. Seong Mu-gyeong wasn’t exactly a guy who clung to company dinners, so seeing him persist so tenaciously, he might just find the current situation amusing.
“Let’s build a strong bond of brotherhood. You like that stuff.”
“Forget it. This is enough brotherhood. There’s something more important right now.”
“What’s so important?”
“There is. Something very, very, very important.”
Min-ho, who had been letting the continuous conversation flow in one ear and out the other, rolled up his sleeve to check his wristwatch. The appointment time was slowly approaching. He saved the file he was looking at and tidied up his surroundings.
“Cha Min-ho accepted you?”
At that moment, his movements stopped abruptly at the sudden mention of his name. Moreover, his eyes widened at the sound of “accepted,” which seemed to accurately grasp their current relationship. As he turned his head with a creak, he locked eyes with Gyu-oh, whose eyebrows were twitching.
What. As he silently mouthed the words, the guy winked one eye and acted greasy.
“It’s not a final ‘done deal’ yet, but you could say he’s almost won over.”
“I knew this mess would happen since they’re both guys who only look at faces.”
Tsk, Mu-gyeong, standing with his weight on one leg and arms crossed, muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
“…….”
How much does that bastard know? His heart sank as if he had been caught stealing, but he didn’t let it show on the outside.
“Faces? Our Mu-gyeong Hyung only knows one thing and misses the second?”
The guy, who had been responding crudely until a moment ago, suddenly curled the corners of his mouth. Then, he faced Mu-gyeong with a triumphant expression. At that, Mu-gyeong’s eyebrows twitched. Sensing that a second round was about to begin, Min-ho hurriedly stood up.
“Why are you blocking the door and making a fuss. Fight outside.”
If you’re going to talk, sit down and do it; why are these big guys blocking the doorway?
Waving his hands, he pushed the two of them out. Gyu-oh resisted, but Mu-gyeong stepped back obediently. Since they didn’t seem to have a real will to set up a dinner, it seemed best to wrap things up. It would be better if the conversation about his relationship with Gyu-oh didn’t continue.
“Gyu-oh, aren’t you going to the cathedral? I’ll drop you off on the way.”
Gyu-oh, claiming he only needed his phone, followed immediately with both hands raised. Mu-gyeong, watching this scene with his head tilted, let out a hollow laugh.
“What a sight.”
It was embarrassing, but that guy had been like that for two years. It was such a sight that there was no comparison…. Min-ho decided to just be brazen and leave.
“It’s unfair to hear that from you. Go to a cafe and finish your fussing.”
“Hah.”
Laughing as if it were absurd, Mu-gyeong also followed behind him. Walking out in a cluster with those big, dark guys behind him, it almost felt like the days when he used to act like a gangster.
“Director Cha, coming in tomorrow too?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I should come back tomorrow to keep pestering you. Let’s coordinate schedules?”
Perhaps thinking he had definitely found a lead, Mu-gyeong’s voice was quite excited. Seeing him like this already, he wondered how much advice he would try to give once the two of them started dating seriously. Just imagining it gave him a headache.
“After 2 PM.”
“Okay.”
He answered vaguely, thinking it would be less noisy if Mu-gyeong came when Gyu-oh wasn’t there. Still, this guy knew when to stop at the right time, so if he ignored him to some extent, he would lose interest.
Mu-gyeong, whose destination was a cafe, got off on the first floor, and Gyu-oh and Min-ho headed for the underground parking lot. Gyu-oh, walking with a slouch and hands in his pockets, tapped his shoulder.
“Mu-gyeong Hyung really doesn’t know what’s important.”
“What’s so important?”
“Hyung looks at the body more. I guess Seong Mu-gyeong doesn’t know that part.”
Listening to it, it wasn’t even that important. Whether Cha Min-ho valued the body or the face, why was that such crucial information that he wore such a triumphant expression?
“Try doing your work like that.”
He replied indifferently and walked toward the parked car. Then, Gyu-oh took his hands out of his pockets and suddenly wrapped his arm around his shoulder.
“Getting to know Cha Min-ho is more fun, important, and rewarding than work.”
“…….”
“I’m telling you, the day goes by so fast when I review each thing I’ve studied.”
Following that, he began to list out Min-ho’s personal preferences and information that hadn’t even been asked for.
“Cha Min-ho likes doing it raw. Looking for a condom is just to stall for time.”
“Hey!”
“He likes being on top. Maybe he actually prefers being tied up—” Ack!
Min-ho drove a fist into his lower abdomen. A dull thud echoed, and Gyu-oh bent his waist.