By Zephyria 
“Hyung.”
How much time had passed? Seo Baek-han, who had been leaning on Joo Tae-hyun, his whole body collapsing, barely raised his head at his quiet call. It felt like an eternity, but a quick glance at the wall clock showed that only about two minutes had passed.
What would happen now?
He couldn’t postpone his return home right away, and Joo Tae-hyun wouldn’t be on the same plane as him.
Joo Tae-hyun had clearly said he would give him a chance to apologize. Could that ‘chance’ possibly mean that even if they lived without seeing each other and happened to run into each other, he wouldn’t avoid him…?
“I thought it would take five minutes… but it wasn’t. Finish preparing for your departure, Hyung.”
“…Huh?”
Joo Tae-hyun, checking his phone, didn’t convey any hidden meaning. It was a literal farewell. I’m leaving, so you have a good trip too.
“I’m sorry for taking up your time when you’re busy, Hyung.”
Wait, really?
Is this the end?
“You’re leaving? Now?”
“An uninvited guest should leave now… right? Weren’t you all in the middle of examining something? It looks like an important document at a glance.”
Joo Tae-hyun gestured towards the documents on the table. At the top of the paper his gaze reached, the words ‘Removal Prohibited’ and ‘Strict Disposal’ were written in large, bold letters.
“Hmm. I wondered what ulterior motive you had for giving Hyung a VIP lounge, but, as expected-.”
“No, wait. Just a moment.”
Seo Baek-han still looked up at Joo Tae-hyun, kneeling on one knee.
“Tae-hyun, where are you… going?”
Is this the end? But Joo Tae-hyun blinked for a moment, as if he couldn’t understand Seo Baek-han’s desperate question.
“Yes. I need to get back to the lab now……”
Perhaps uncomfortable with being looked up at, Joo Tae-hyun carefully removed Seo Baek-han’s hand from his knee. Even as he obediently stood up at his gentle touch, which contained no force at all, Seo Baek-han was dumbfounded.
“…Hyung.”
“Huh?”
“Surely… you didn’t think I was trying to return home with Hyung?”
“It wasn’t that far, but… I thought we’d at least make some kind of promise about when we could see each other again.”
…Let’s be honest.
He knew it was impossible in his head, but he had secretly hoped. He didn’t dare dream of returning home together, but he imagined that Joo Tae-hyun might stop him from leaving… at least that much.
Haa. Seo Baek-han ran a hand over his face a few times.
Seo Baek-han, you crazy bastard, get a grip.
It hasn’t been that long since you heard from Tae-hyun, and you’re already jumping way ahead again.
“…It seems like it’s not not that.”
“It’s really not, I did imagine canceling my ticket though.”
“…Hyung.”
“It’s true. If you asked me in this situation if you could stay a few more days… how could I refuse?”
Yes, Joo Tae-hyun had only said that he would try to forgive him. In the process, he didn’t say he would stop the ongoing divorce proceedings or live with him again as before.
Isn’t the process of forgiveness itself full of things he has to endure unilaterally? Making a next date appointment, or even a dinner appointment, with the person who committed the wrong, and enduring the trouble of spending time together? Why would Joo Tae-hyun go that far?
“I got too excited, sorry.”
When he readily admitted his mistake without making excuses, Joo Tae-hyun lightly narrowed his brow.
“…What I meant was-.”
“Yeah, I completely understand. But I was hoping on my own.”
“……”
“You know best how greedy I am.”
Seeing him sigh softly as if he hadn’t expected anything from him in the first place, Seo Baek-han felt a little embarrassed, but… he couldn’t help but laugh because Joo Tae-hyun was so cute.
Ah, now that he thought about it… was it okay to say sorry to Joo Tae-hyun now? They were at least on that level now, right?
“My plans haven’t changed. I’ll finish my doctorate here and then pursue an MBA.”
Joo Tae-hyun’s words that he couldn’t just take over the scholarship foundation just because he was the youngest son of the DH chairman were completely correct.
“Considering the mental distress my family in Seoul went through because of me, I’m planning to build my career step by step, so I don’t have any plans to return home for the time being. I won’t stop Hyung from coming to America during vacation though……”
“You’re not coming back at all until you get your degree?”
“Well. I’ll watch until people’s interest dies down. And even if I do go in-.”
“It’ll only be briefly during summer vacation or Christmas.”
And even then, he’d be spending time with his family at the main house…….
Well… Joo Tae-hyun’s degree became somewhat ambiguous because he changed his career path to Pyeongyang University to marry him. He should definitely support him in finishing his studies. After all sorts of incidents, he was able to settle back into the lab. He wouldn’t have enough time even just to study.
And the MBA too……. It’s good to complete it to build connections, regardless of the foundation’s practical operations. Joo Tae-hyun will focus on shifter welfare projects, so he can’t neglect connections with overseas figures. Will he get an MBA at the current university and then return home? Or another school in the Americas? Europe?
Roughly how long will it take to complete all his studies? Joo Tae-hyun is smart, so he should be able to get his doctorate quickly.
Seo Baek-han calculated the time in his head and swallowed a short sigh. It seemed certain that he would return home after completing his studies in the United States, so that was enough for now. From Pyeongyang to Seoul? That wasn’t even a long distance.
“Hyung.”
“Hmm? Ah, sorry. I was requesting to work from home on Thursday and wondering if there were any regulations against working on the plane.”
“…Pardon?”
“You don’t dislike me coming to Washington to see you, right?”
You’ll meet me if I come, right? When he asked with a playful voice, Joo Tae-hyun pressed his lips shut as if he had a premonition.
“Even if every weekend is difficult, I’ll come to Washington every two weeks.”
“Pardon?”
“I want to come every week if I could, but it’s the early days of the Crown Prince’s enthronement, so I can’t guarantee anything right now. But I’ll definitely go every two weeks.”
Afterwards, he said that as soon as the domestic situation stabilized, he would take a plane every week, and that it would be okay even if he could only see him for a short time, less than a day, and Joo Tae-hyun let out a dumbfounded laugh.
“Ah, but I’m not going to interfere with your work. You might have conferences or seminars on the weekends, so… I won’t follow you there.”
“…That’s not the problem.”
“Of course, if you really don’t like it, feel free to say so. There will definitely be times when it’s uncomfortable to have someone visiting your house when you need to concentrate.”
“…….”
“Sorry, I still don’t know how to ask for forgiveness.”
So you shouldn’t have accepted me when I was just waiting in front of your house. As he joked and casually touched his shoulder, Joo Tae-hyun looked back and forth between his face and his hand before letting out a long sigh.
“Do as Hyung pleases.”
“Oh, really?”
“Once every two weeks? Easier said than done.”
Try it if you want, then.
Joo Tae-hyun seemed to think that he was just saying whatever came to mind because he was excited, but Seo Baek-han was sincere enough. He didn’t know it, but this plan was something he had seriously considered before. Moreover, unlike when he was just running simulations on his own, now he even had Joo Tae-hyun’s permission. There was nothing he couldn’t do.
“I’ll contact you when I arrive. I’ll probably be using the in-flight Wi-Fi the whole time though……”
“…I’ll contact you when I get to the lab too.”
“…Okay.”
This is a problem…….
Saying he’ll contact him when he arrives. He was laughing like a madman even at a routine greeting that friends, and even mere acquaintances, often used.
Come to think of it, he didn’t seem to have ever properly said goodbye to Joo Tae-hyun when they met and parted. Not only when they lived together as a couple, but even after that. In the past, he always thought he could see Joo Tae-hyun anytime, so he didn’t cherish these moments.
“Then go in carefully.”
Seo Baek-han, who had thought that far, said once more with emphasis.
“Sorry I can’t see you off.”
“…No, it’s fine.”
“I’ll be back soon, but I’ll still miss you.”
“…….”
Was it because the farewell he had never given before felt new? Joo Tae-hyun didn’t react much. He just gave a short nod.
Halfway down the hallway, he could hear the voices of him and Joo Tae-hyun’s secretaries, and the airport staff, who still seemed to be in conflict in front of him. The bodyguards seemed busy blocking people who occasionally approached out of curiosity.
“Tae-hyun.”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
The commotion, which he had never been happy about in his life, now felt quite pleasant. It seemed that it would always be like that if it was related to Joo Tae-hyun.
*
Ⅹ – Error Correction
As soon as he opened the door to the Assemblyman’s office, a heavy jade paperweight came flying. If it had hit him, he might have broken a bone somewhere.
“Seo Baek-han!”
“Are you not feeling well? Your energy isn’t what it used to be.”
“Is that what you say in front of your father?”
As Seo Baek-han clicked his tongue at the paperweight with broken decorations and cracks here and there, Assemblyman Seo Hong-gyu couldn’t help but slam his desk hard. It was definitely rare for him, who valued his image, to act this wild.