By Zephyria “Bangkok…?”
[Even if it’s a business trip, you’re working too hard, Hong-seo. You’ve been cooped up in the hotel even on your days off, right?]
“……”
[I figured I should go and play with you a bit.]
He wanted to see him. He wanted to meet him. He wanted to hide in his arms. He wanted to cling to him.
But at the same time, he couldn’t meet him now. He couldn’t ask him to hide him, to carry his burden for him.
[You promised to be my guide in Bangkok, right? Jatujak Market, Khao San Road… Sky Bar, was it? You’ll take me everywhere, won’t you?]
“Ah, that’s… I don’t know when I’ll have a day off during my business trip…”
[I’ve asked CEO Myeong to adjust your schedule so you can have about two days off in Bangkok.]
The moment his name, Myeong Do-hoon, came out of his lips, Choi Hong-seo’s heart plummeted as if falling from the 27th floor.
To ensure Choi Hong-seo could stay comfortably, Lee Hae-sung must have been paying Myeong Do-hoon, paying UB, under the guise of investment. UB, Myeong Do-hoon, the group, wouldn’t have provided such a hotel just because they gained some popularity. Choi Hong-seo knew. This comfortable environment was undoubtedly Lee Hae-sung’s consideration.
Even if all that money was spent entirely on him, as Lee Hae-sung intended, the thought of Lee Hae-sung talking normally without knowing Myeong Do-hoon’s true nature pained him, making him feel like he was deceiving him.
“You’re busy with the new product. If you’re going to the trouble of coming to see me…”
[The advantage of being part of the owner’s family is only apparent in times like these. If the company would collapse just because I’m away for two days, then it would be a real problem, wouldn’t it?]
Biting his lip, Choi Hong-seo, who had been facing the floor-to-ceiling window, saw the door slightly ajar. The manager cautiously opened it and peeked his face through the gap. He was likely checking if Choi Hong-seo was using his phone for internet.
Choi Hong-seo gestured to the phone, indicating he was still on a call, and then waved his hand to tell him to leave. He then went into the bathroom and locked the door.
[This is the first time we’ve been apart for this long. I thought I had to make time to come see you at some point.]
Listening to his affectionate voice, Choi Hong-seo sat down diagonally on the edge of the large marble bathtub. The opposite side of the tub faced the floor-to-ceiling window, allowing him to enjoy the Jakarta night view, just like in the bedroom.
“If you’re worried because of Go Ji-woon’s news… thankfully, it was an attempted suicide and… I’m better than I thought.”
[Yes, that’s fortunate… But I don’t think I’m as okay as I thought.]
A voice with a faint, bitter smile could be heard.
[I didn’t used to pay attention to the entertainment industry, but now that you’re in it, I find myself paying close attention to related news… Seeing the comments and people’s reactions, it feels like it’s not just someone else’s business…]
“……”
[If people say such… harsh things about you, Hong-seo, I don’t think I could bear it.]
Choi Hong-seo tightly gripped the marble steps surrounding the edge of the bathtub.
“Why would people say… such things about me?”
And then, pretending to be calm, he comforted Lee Hae-sung. He heard his low chuckle.
[I think I’m getting too emotionally invested. I imagine all sorts of things.]
“Stop watching the news and comments. I’m the experienced one in that field. Listen to the advice of an experienced person.”
Whether the joke worked, his laughter fortunately became a little lighter. Choi Hong-seo took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, without making a sound, dividing the inhaled breath.
[If something like that were to happen to you, Hong-seo.]
“……”
[Let’s run away together, far away.]
Choi Hong-seo’s trembling breath paused for a moment.
[To Mauritius or Samoa… or one of the Polynesian islands, places so remote you can’t get a direct flight and have to change planes two or three times by small aircraft. We could run away there and live, maybe running a bakery. I’ve even thought of that!]
“Why… a bakery?”
He asked, feigning amusement at the absurd imagination, but his eyes were already misty, blurring the scenery before him.
[Because you like it, Hong-seo. Madeleines, macarons, financiers…]
“……”
[I also thought I should let you sleep as much as you want, and let you eat all the food you like.]
Choi Hong-seo wiped away the heavy tears cleanly and laughed.
“That sounds more like a vacation already.”
Fortunately, he could produce a bright voice without having to force it. It felt liberating, as if something had been cleared after crying so much.
Let’s run away together, far away.
That statement, as much as a confession of love, filled the furrows of Choi Hong-seo’s life.
There was no need to ask about the company, or if he could abandon his responsibilities. His love needed no verification.
[It’s nice to hear you laugh.]
He liked Lee Hae-sung’s voice even more when he said that. Seemingly relieved, he said his final goodbyes, setting a date for their meeting.
[Khao San Road, Jatujak Market. I’ll be looking forward to it, okay?]
‘Investor’s’ call log, lasting just over five minutes, was displayed on the phone screen. Choi Hong-seo, gazing down at it for a moment, brutally wiped away the lingering traces of tears from his eyes.
As he was about to immediately access a portal site, Choi Hong-seo noticed a notification.
It was an alert that an email titled ‘:)’ had been received from Destiny. It was Lee Seo-kyung.
His fingertips trembled so violently that clicking the notification was not easy. After missing twice, he finally managed to open the email.
Hello.
My Hong-seo, has your mental fortitude developed some calluses? You’re holding up longer than I expected even after seeing the scandal break? Or are you still holding out, believing in the Vice President?
But Hong-seo, as you know, I’m a pervert. The longer you resist, the more I look forward to what’s to come and enjoy myself. What should I do? Because no matter how long you hold out, you’ll eventually run out of strength, and the game is always mine to win.
Come to Shanghai by the date. If you don’t listen again… I don’t know what will be released on YouTube this time. It might not end with just rumors; perhaps audiovisual material of X-Boy will be attached? Even if the face is deleted, well… wouldn’t the Vice President recognize it as Hong-seo right away? Or, I could provide X-Boy and the Vice President as a set. If you love someone, you should always be together.
A dog should live on all fours like a dog; if you try to walk on two legs, you’ll fall, Hong-seo.
The ticket is first class. I won’t accept any more excuses about overseas schedules. This is my last act of grace. Can Hong-seo hold out this time? What do you think? 🙂
Choi Hong-seo’s trembling gradually subsided as he read the contents.
Attached to the email was a plane ticket from Bangkok to Shanghai, with the date and time fully specified.
Closing the email app, Choi Hong-seo faced the darkness outside the window.
When the X-Boy scandal first broke, the first person to call him was actually Hyun-soo. Hyun-soo, realizing that the X-Boy being discussed on YouTube was targeting Choi Hong-seo, was in an extreme state of excitement.
[You idiot, just tell that person! You were caught in a trap set by CEO Myeong, and you were dragged by that dog-like bastard Lee Seo-kyung, forced to do all sorts of dirty things, photographed and filmed… and then threatened with it! Just tell them!]
Although in a similar predicament, Hyun-soo, like Choi Hong-seo, was not the type to lament his situation or wallow in sentimentality. This was the first time Hyun-soo had ever raged emotionally, revealing his fear.
Shouting over the phone, Hyun-soo was clearly crying.
[You said yourself that person loves you. You said they weren’t your sponsor. Damn it, if a chaebol loves a mere idol, they should protect them from these dirty scandals! Isn’t that what love is?]
Hyun-soo didn’t need to consider Lee Hae-sung’s position. He didn’t feel disappointed by Hyun-soo either. He felt relieved and grateful that Hyun-soo had spoken those words for him in his anger. He knew that was Song Hyun-soo’s most profound way of showing friendship.
At that time, Choi Hong-seo had asked Song Hyun-soo in return:
“If protecting someone is love… then shouldn’t I protect that person too?”
Hyun-soo, who had paused for a moment, shouted without hesitation that the person with more should protect. Hyun-soo was certain of that, but Choi Hong-seo still couldn’t know.
He had to decide for himself what constituted love for him. But he lacked the criteria to determine what was valuable love.
What would he, Lee Hae-sung, have done?
For Choi Hong-seo, love was entirely what he learned from Lee Hae-sung, so he had no choice but to cling to that imagination.
What would he, Lee Hae-sung, have done?
He felt that Lee Hae-sung would never have asked him to share the heavy, terrible burden he carried. That was all Choi Hong-seo could know about love.
“Choi Hong-seo! Choi Hong-seo, open this! Choi Hong-seo!”
The manager was banging on the bathroom door as if to break it down.
Before opening the door, Choi Hong-seo turned off his phone. The city’s hedonistic lights, built on material abundance, seemed to plunge into darkness along with it.
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