By Zephyria ■
His walk-in closet was like a men’s department in a luxury department store.
The sheer volume of clothes was immense, with suits and casual wear stored in separate areas. As the face of ARA, he couldn’t afford to neglect his image when appearing in the media.
The ties, estimated to be around 200 to 300, were neatly organized on dedicated hangers, allowing him to scan them at a glance without having to take each one out. The section dedicated solely to striped ties alone was that extensive.
“Usually, I don’t pick out clothes that meticulously, but for important events, I wear what the stylist chooses. The suit hanging over there is for tomorrow.”
Following his fingertip, my gaze shifted to a gray suit hanging there.
“But for such occasions, I always choose my own tie. Specifically, a diagonally striped one.”
He continued, running his fingertip over the row of ties. Like his hobby of collecting cameras, this was also information not found on Wikipedia.
“Just like how Hong-seo-ssi has a habit of counting numbers with your fingers before going on stage.”
“Huh? How… how did you know that?”
“What’s so surprising about this? Even novice ‘Caspers’ know that.”
“Caspers?”
Caspers. The unexpected remark made Choi Hong-seo burst out laughing.
‘Casper’ was the fandom name for ‘Layered’. It was derived from the character
“I guess I qualify as a Casper too, then. I practically know everything about Hong-seo-ssi’s career now.”
“Still, it sounds so unfitting when the Vice President calls himself a Casper.”
“I’m even considering looking for a cheering stick on Carrot Market.”
Lee Hae-sung buying a ‘Layered’ cheering stick on a used goods app. Choi Hong-seo had to shake his shoulders to keep from bursting into laughter.
Lee Hae-sung, who had been continuing his joke with a completely serious expression, laughed along with Choi Hong-seo’s laughter.
“Anyway, just as Hong-seo-ssi counts numbers with his fingers, I always wear a diagonally striped tie for important events.”
“……”
“I don’t have any particular superstitions or routines, as I don’t believe in religion or superstitions. Yet, I’ve somehow kept this one.”
His gaze softened for a moment. As if recalling a faint, distant memory.
“The first time my father praised my qualities as a businessman, I was wearing a diagonally striped tie. That’s probably when it started.”
Lee Hae-sung picked out one of the many ties and held it in his hand.
“Sometimes, I feel so scared and overwhelmed. I doubt whether this decision will truly bring about the results I expect. I question myself whether I’m doing the right thing.”
“……”
“I want to find psychological stability by believing that this tie will bring me luck.”
Having said that much, Lee Hae-sung changed the mood and looked at Choi Hong-seo. His face, which had briefly held a dark light, was once again soft as usual.
“This one… and this one. Which one do you prefer, Hong-seo-ssi?”
Holding the two ties in his hands and alternating them below his chin, Lee Hae-sung asked.
“My fashion sense isn’t great.”
“Anything is fine. What’s important is that Hong-seo-ssi chose it. It will give me more confidence than usual.”
“Then… this one.”
Choi Hong-seo chose a tie with red stripes on a navy background. Lee Hae-sung immediately returned the other tie to its place. Then, he went to the suit hanging up and held the tie Choi Hong-seo chose against the shirt collar to see.
“My boyfriend has good fashion sense. I’ll have to wear only ties Hong-seo-ssi picks from now on.”
Exaggerating praise for a trivial matter, he turned to Choi Hong-seo and smiled. Choi Hong-seo approached him. And, taking a step back, he said with courage,
“To me, Vice President… it feels like you can do anything… like you can control the whole world.”
He slowly turned around.
“So, whatever happens, it will work out as you wish.”
From the seat of honor in Director Kang’s drawing room where we first met, in news articles, and at the opening ceremony of the party… at no moment did Lee Hae-sung not appear to Choi Hong-seo as the master of the world.
Though he felt ashamed and regretful that he could only speak like this, lacking education and not being particularly smart, he wanted to tell him. How dazzling he was in his eyes. Not just because he was going to be the owner of ARA Group, not because of that position, but because he was a person worthy of such a position, that he was dazzling.
As far as I knew, he was the only person who fit the dignity of the name VVIP.
Lee Hae-sung, with the tie draped over his shoulder, cupped Choi Hong-seo’s cheeks with his hands. Then, he lowered his head and gently touched his forehead to Choi Hong-seo’s.
“You know now that there are things that don’t go my way.”
His fingers softly traced his forehead, the corners of his eyes, the tip of his nose… Choi Hong-seo knew that wherever his fingertips passed, he wanted to kiss that spot. He looked up at him. He was still a mysterious person.
Now that we were officially dating, he could do as he pleased.
“But… we’re dating now, will you keep calling me Vice President?”
His hand, which had been caressing his lips without kissing, reluctantly let go. Then, he invited me to sit on a sofa in a corner of the dressing room. Simple drinks were also prepared on the table.
“Then what should I call you?”
“Hmm, what would be good?”
He seemed to be enjoying himself as he opened a bottle of sparkling water and poured it into Choi Hong-seo’s glass. Then, his eyes lit up as if a good idea had occurred to him, and he proposed.
“To bridge the distance, how about Hyung? Haesung Hyung.”
“Still, how can I say that to the Vice President.”
“Strictly speaking, I’m not Mr. Hong-seo’s Vice President either. Isn’t it too unromantic to call your boyfriend by his title?”
Though my mind understood that we were in a romantic relationship, it still didn’t feel real. We exchanged messages whenever we had a moment, reported on each other’s day, tried to spend even a short amount of time together, and now I was coming and going from his house like this for dates… but sometimes, I wondered if he was just doting on me and finding me cute, like a much younger sibling.
He would pat my head, hold my hand, and sometimes even hold me carefully, but nothing more.
While I understood his intention not to rush into physical intimacy, I also needed more confirmation of our relationship as lovers. While the pace of physical contact didn’t necessarily indicate the progression of a relationship, it did blur the sense of us truly being lovers.
After taking a sip of the sparkling water he poured, Choi Hong-seo placed his cup on the table and said,
“Then, ‘Uncle’?”
“……”
He put on a deliberately angry expression. A very solemn one at that. Which, ironically, made me laugh.
“That’s not sexy at all. Who would want to kiss an ‘Uncle’? Rejected.”
The word ‘kiss’ that left his lips felt like a full-body embrace. It was thrilling just knowing that he was considering… things like kissing me.
I tried my best to act nonchalant, but I couldn’t look at his face.
“The Vice President was the one who first called me ‘Uncle,’ though. Several times.”
“Ah, you’re right… I dug my own grave there.”
He chuckled, his voice a low rumble. Then, he gently covered Choi Hong-seo’s hand, which was loosely holding a cup on the table. His fingers softly intertwined, naturally pulling Choi Hong-seo’s hand away from the cup. The sensation of his fingers weaving between mine and interlocking felt like a ticklish caress.
“Won’t you stay the night today?”
“……”
My heart pounded at the unexpected proposal. This time, I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide my trembling.