By Zephyria “Can I lean on your shoulder for a moment?”
It was such an unexpected question that I couldn’t answer immediately. After gazing at his face for a moment, Choi Hong-seo tapped his left shoulder instead of replying. He smiled broadly and rested his right side of his head on Choi Hong-seo’s left shoulder. Due to the height difference, he had to extend his hips far out to the edge of the sofa. Even so, he looked very comfortable.
“How about you, Hong-seo?”
His right hand touched the area near Choi Hong-seo’s left elbow. His hand moved further down, towards the sleeve of the jacket. As Choi Hong-seo quietly watched the slow movement, he changed the subject.
“Tell me what you saved me as.”
“Didn’t you want to see me?”
“Are you really not going to tell me?”
“Look at you, changing the subject because you’re shy even though you wanted to see me.”
“If you know… please just let it go.”
“……”
Lee Hae-sung’s fingers, which had been hovering at the end of the sleeve, paused for a moment. Then, he gently intertwined his fingers with Choi Hong-seo’s, which were curled inward. He softly and slowly stroked the back of his hand.
They didn’t say anything to each other. Gazing down at their joined hands, they simply felt each other’s emotions and tremors through the rise and fall of their breaths and the warmth of their skin. The melody of the live jazz piano played from the garden, heard from afar.
Still leaning on Choi Hong-seo, Lee Hae-sung took a deep breath, expanding his chest.
“The carrot buyer is tormenting me so much. Really.”
Then, boldly, without hesitation, he moved the hand that had been carefully resting and firmly clasped Choi Hong-seo’s fingers. The pressed palms and interlocked fingers felt like a miracle.
As they watched the wondrous sight, footsteps approached from around the corner of the hallway. Choi Hong-seo was the first to subtly let go of his hand. The person who appeared around the corner was Manager Kang, Lee Hae-sung’s personal attendant, the only one who knew the current state of their relationship. Manager Kang, after briefly bowing to Choi Hong-seo, reported to Lee Hae-sung.
“Vice President, Mr. Aihman is here.”
“Gaspard? Here, now?”
It seemed like quite unexpected news, as he asked with wide eyes.
“Yes, he stopped by briefly at Director Kang’s invitation while staying in Hong Kong.”
“Then of course I must greet him. I didn’t even know he was in Hong Kong.”
As he stood up, his voice was filled with delight. He lightly stroked Choi Hong-seo’s cheek as he stood up to follow.
“Someone I know is here, so I’ll go talk for a bit.”
“Yes, please do.”
“If you’re tired, just stay here and rest.”
He fastened the buttons of his tuxedo jacket, which he had loosened, as he sat down, and then hurried out of the hallway with Manager Kang. He had told me to rest in hiding, but Choi Hong-seo was curious about who the person he was so happy to see was.
Leaving the hallway, I took a seat on a stool by the bar and eagerly searched for him.
He was crossing the garden, with Manager Kang leading the way.
His steps stopped near a beautifully branched pine tree, by a group of people talking. Then, he placed his hand on the left shoulder of one of the foreign men and announced his arrival.
The man who turned around had his face light up with joy for a moment. It wasn’t the polite smile one makes for social reasons at a party. As they shook hands, they also lightly embraced and patted each other’s backs. It was clear they weren’t just business associates.
Although he hadn’t known Lee Hae-sung for long, this was the first time he had seen Lee Hae-sung show such genuine affection to someone else. More precisely, it was the first time he had seen Lee Hae-sung treat someone other than himself with such affection.
It seemed like he was someone close enough to be allowed into the real living room inside the entrance, not just the reception room of his house.
The man and Lee Hae-sung left the group and moved to the edge of the garden, talking. The man, who was shorter than Lee Hae-sung but easily 185cm tall, with curly dark blonde hair reaching his shoulders, looked about five or six years younger than Lee Hae-sung. He appeared somewhat free-spirited, yet his demeanor and posture exuded a basic elegance.
What can I say. The two of them looked very good together.
Not necessarily as lovers, but as human beings, there wasn’t a significant gap between them.
The height difference wasn’t pronounced, the age difference didn’t seem vast, and they treated each other with comfort. The man didn’t seem to be gauging Lee Hae-sung’s mood or reactions like most people. It was natural, like talking to an old friend.
Watching the two talk, Choi Hong-seo vaguely understood that the foreigner was a man who had lived within the upper-class circles, in an environment not much different from Lee Hae-sung’s.
He felt strange.
Even VIPs must have private lives, and they could have close friends or acquaintances. He wasn’t looking at the man with the same adoring eyes as when he looked at me. Yet, the intimacy felt between the two made his mouth dry. His chest felt tight and constricted, he felt anxious as if being chased, and annoyed like when things don’t go well. But none of these feelings perfectly fit.
Choi Hong-seo turned his back to the two of them. He downed the remaining champagne in his glass and ordered a stronger drink.
“Why is the lead actor acting like this here?”
Suddenly, feeling a hand stroking his back, he turned to the side. Chairman Jo had approached and was looking down at him.
“Hello, Chairman.”
As Choi Hong-seo stood up to greet him, Chairman Jo wrapped his arm around Choi Hong-seo’s waist and pulled him down.
“Sit, sit. Stay seated.”
He then pulled a stool closer to Choi Hong-seo’s side and sat down.
“Hong-seo, congratulations on your casting.”
“Thank you.”
Chairman Jo, who had called the bartender and ordered whiskey with ice, patted Choi Hong-seo’s thigh next to him and said.
“Even if it’s a small amount, I’m a shareholder of
“I apologize. There were more guests than I expected today…”
“Did CEO Myeong train you like that? To ignore everyone below Lee Hae-sung because they’re all insignificant?”
“No, sir. That’s not possible.”
“Well, it’s not your fault, is it? It’s all about the interests of the adults.”
Chairman Jo, looking down at his neatly trimmed fingernails, was served an Ondaroks. After a couple of sips, he swirled the glass in his hand. The clinking of ice sounded like a warning sound effect.
“Anyway, we’re in the same boat with
“Ah…”
Choi Hong-seo’s gaze naturally fell downwards.
“Even though I felt like shit after being taken by Lee Hae-sung that day. You didn’t leave my mind.”
Chairman Jo’s hand suddenly reached out and touched his ear. It rubbed his earlobe, then moved down to his ear. Lee Hae-sung’s body heat, which had been so close just moments ago, felt dreadful from Chairman Jo.
Slipping his upper body away from the hand, Choi Hong-seo showed his discomfort as much as possible.
“For matters like this, you should speak with my CEO, not me…”
“What’s the point of going through CEO Myeong?”
Chairman Jo cut off Choi Hong-seo’s words and interjected.
“It’s just a commission fee in between. What’s the problem when two adults hit it off and want to set sail together?”
He put down his glass and turned his body completely to face Choi Hong-seo.
“I have my own code of conduct, and I know how this industry works, Hong-seo. I’m not like those old geezers who reek of desperation, throwing themselves at pretty boys without any sincerity. I don’t skimp on money for you guys.”
Chairman Jo’s hand rested on Choi Hong-seo’s thigh.
“I want you to dance that song from last time again, when it’s just the two of us. Naked.”
Choi Hong-seo’s body stiffened as his hand slid between his legs. He didn’t know how to refuse. He wasn’t in a position to refuse, and it wasn’t a situation he had refused before. But he wanted to refuse.
Chairman Jo, gripping Choi Hong-seo’s crotch firmly over his pants, massaged his genitals in his hand and whispered, resting his chin on Choi Hong-seo’s shoulder.
“If you dance that naked, what will happen to your… here.”
Gripping Chairman Jo’s wrist and pulling it outward, he mustered all his courage.
“Please speak through my CEO. I’m truly uncomfortable.”
“It’ll be incredibly loose, right? Ha, fuck… I’ll give you money. I said I’ll give you money! If you put your tongue in here and kiss me right now, I’ll give you another five hundred.”
Chairman Jo’s face, which had been leaning in as if to engulf Choi Hong-seo’s face, suddenly recoiled. Both Choi Hong-seo and Chairman Jo looked up sharply. Lee Hae-sung, with a cold, hardened expression, stood there holding Chairman Jo by the scruff of his neck.
Chairman Jo slapped away Lee Hae-sung’s hand and stood up abruptly.
“Fuck… what the hell are you doing, Vice President? Huh?”
“What are you doing, Chairman Jo?”
“Can’t you see? We’re in the middle of a romantic encounter. Vice President, this is incredibly rude behavior. It’s not right to humiliate me in front of this… commoner, is it? Huh?”
“Commoner?”
Unlike Chairman Jo, who was fuming, Lee Hae-sung stood rigidly, his brow furrowed as he repeated Chairman Jo’s words. Then, with a snort, he added coldly.
“Don’t you think you’re also a commoner to me?”