By Zephyria After parting ways with the bodyguard in the parking lot, Choi Hong-seo unlocked the door lock of the entrance connected to the parking lot and entered the house. After changing into slippers there, he could use the elevator inside the entrance to go directly to the third floor, which he shared with Lee Hae-sung, without encountering anyone.
The elevator led to the third-floor hallway. The third floor, spanning 500 square meters¹), was equipped with Lee Hae-sung’s master room and bathroom, a dressing room, a living room, a study, and a kitchen with most appliances and furniture, making it a self-sufficient living space.
The two rarely left the third floor. Moreover, Lee Hae-sung had made arrangements so that other employees, besides Manager Kang, rarely crossed paths with Choi Hong-seo, making Choi Hong-seo feel as if he were living almost entirely alone.
Even if he didn’t cook, food was prepared in the kitchen, the house was always tidied up like a new one upon returning from an outing, and the laundry basket was emptied automatically… Nevertheless, he was adapting to life in Bundang better than he had worried.
Still, when the elevator door opened on the third floor, he would cautiously step out, wondering if he might run into someone.
“Tiffany.”
As soon as he stepped onto the third floor, Choi Hong-seo looked for Tiffany first.
Lee Hae-sung had decorated a room for Tiffany not far from the master room. It was a dreamlike space for any cat, filled with various cat towers, cat wheels, hideaways, bridges, and countless new toys. If cats could wish for things, that is.
“Tiffany, I’m here. Where are you?”
Even so, she didn’t spend much time in that room. Unlike Choi Hong-seo, who only stayed on the third floor, the entire spacious house was her playground, so it was understandable.
Tiffany was nowhere to be seen in the living room, bedroom, bathroom, dressing room, kitchen, or Lee Hae-sung’s study. She had been sulking since Choi Hong-seo returned from the US. She seemed very angry about him being away for nearly a week, leaving her with Yong-jae. Moreover, the move immediately followed, so her displeasure was understandable.
Giving up on finding Tiffany and about to leave the study, Choi Hong-seo suddenly stopped in front of Lee Hae-sung’s desk.
Among the various books neatly spread out in a fan shape on the desk, a noticeable magazine caught his eye. The clear letters ARA drew his attention. Upon closer inspection, it was a Spanish magazine featuring an interview with Hae-Seong Lee.
Choi Hong-seo’s eyes, tired from searching the entire third floor for Tiffany, suddenly regained their sparkle. He wanted to read it.
He took out his phone from his coat pocket to ask for permission. Thinking he might still be on a call, he opted for a message instead of a call.
Me: There are a few magazines on your study desk, can I read them? (11:42 PM)
Just as he was about to leave the study to change, a reply arrived from him. Sometimes, it felt as if he was just waiting for messages from Choi Hong-seo, given how quickly he replied.
Carrot Seller: Of course. You can read whatever you want. (11:44 PM) Me: Does that mean you’ve already hidden anything I shouldn’t see? (11:45 PM) Carrot Seller: Our smart Baby ^^ (11:46 PM) Me: When are you coming? (11:46 PM) Carrot Seller: On my way. Don’t shower first and wait (11:47 PM)
Choi Hong-seo, standing frozen in the middle of the study, rubbed his burning ears and chuckled. It was Lee Hae-sung’s teasing, reminding him of their promise when they started living together: to always shower together unless there was a special occasion.
He placed his backpack and coat on the sofa and sat down at the desk. He pulled the chair close and opened the magazine.
His heart pounded as he flipped through the pages, searching for his interview.
“……”
After the article detailing the entire process of separating Hanseo Group and ARA Group, complete with diagrams, Lee Hae-sung, the Vice President, finally appeared on the back page.
He’s really handsome, my Darling. He could afford to be a little less handsome.
Looking at Lee Hae-sung’s gentle yet confident appearance, with a barely perceptible smile against the backdrop of Seoul’s skyline, Choi Hong-seo’s lips curved into a smile.
The Spanish text was incomprehensible except for Lee Hae-sung’s name and the words ARA and HAN-SEO. Choi Hong-seo took photos of the article, which was divided into several parts, using a translation app. The app quickly translated the dense, two-page interview into Korean.
It was a somewhat superficial interview, asking about his feelings on the recent successful spin-off and his aspirations as a global leader for the Asian and world markets. However, for Choi Hong-seo, every line was new and fascinating. He even looked up words in a Spanish dictionary for parts that were not smoothly translated, completely engrossed in the text, losing track of time.
At a particular passage, Choi Hong-seo’s back bent further. If he had studied like this, he wouldn’t have had to meet Myeong Do-hoon or Lee Seo-kyung. He chuckled at the thought and dove deeper into the magazine and the phone app. Perhaps because it wasn’t a Korean media outlet, it wasn’t just filled with predictable Q&A.
Interviewer: Every successful person has a story, a narrative. Their own rising action, climax, and falling action as they overcome trials to achieve success. Many people probably think that because you come from a chaebol family, your life must have been free of hardship and adversity. Do you have a story?
Lee Hae-sung: To be honest, it’s true that I lived without such a story for a long time. I failed at marriage, but marriage or divorce didn’t leave me with hardship. They weren’t wounds or setbacks to overcome. However, I think I have a story now.
Interviewer: Your PR representative, who is watching this interview, looks flustered. May I ask what kind of story it is?
Lee Hae-sung: There was an experience that made me deeply consider my personal needs, not as a corporate appendage focused solely on efficient profit generation. For me, who had only lived according to given duties, it was a world-shattering experience. Or perhaps, I am still going through that experience.
Interviewer: What were your personal needs, as you looked into them?
Lee Hae-sung: Well… Faith and devotion towards unseen concepts?
Interviewer: That sounds like the word love.
Lee Hae-sung: If it sounds like that to you, then perhaps it is love for you.
Knock knock. A knock on the door made him look up.
Lee Hae-sung was leaning against the open doorframe, arms crossed. He didn’t look like someone who had just arrived.
“What are you looking at so intently? I’ve knocked several times, but you didn’t hear.”
“When did you arrive?”
“I watched you here for about 2 to 3 minutes.”
“If you had told me you were arriving, I would have come down.”
Choi Hong-seo rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed, and hastily tidied the magazine and phone.
“It’s nice to have you greet me, but it’s also nice to watch Hong-seo here.”
Lee Hae-sung pushed off the doorframe and walked into the study. Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong, Choi Hong-seo pulled the magazine, its cover now hidden, towards himself. Lee Hae-sung pressed his middle finger on the cover and slid it back. Then, glancing sideways at the magazine, he reached out towards Choi Hong-seo, who stood across the desk.
“Shall we go shower?”
Relieved that he wasn’t asked about his thoughts on the magazine’s content, Choi Hong-seo quickly stood up and took his hand.
“But I haven’t seen Tiffany yet. She’s not coming out no matter how much I call her, I don’t know where she’s hiding.”
“Tiffany? She was downstairs with Manager Kang.”
Lee Hae-sung pointed downwards with his index finger as they left the study and headed towards the dressing room connected to the bathroom.
“With Manager Kang?”
“Manager Kang was holding her when he came to greet me. Should I bring her?”
“No. It’s enough to know where she is.”
Choi Hong-seo’s voice and expression seemed to dim slightly with that reply.
Although they had grown much closer since their first meeting, he had never carried Tiffany in his arms. But to be held by Manager Kang, who was coming to greet Lee Hae-sung, made him feel a pang of sadness, even if he didn’t want to.
As he entered the dressing room and stared blankly at Lee Hae-sung’s back as he took off his jacket, Choi Hong-seo suddenly remembered something he had forgotten.
“By the way, what did you talk about with Seonbae Seo Jun-yeong?”
As he loosened the knot of his tie and slid it out from behind the collar of his shirt, Lee Hae-sung replied nonchalantly.
“Ah, Seo Jun-yeong has decided to leave
“What?”
“I told you. I said I’d make sure anyone who wronged Choi Hong-seo would reap what they sowed. He was already on thin ice, but this time he truly crossed the line.”
This time, as he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off behind him, Lee Hae-sung spoke in a monotone voice.
“From when did you start listening?”
Lee Hae-sung, having removed his shirt entirely, tossed it into the laundry basket and turned towards Choi Hong-seo.
“Hmm… Vice President graduated from a prestigious university with excellent grades…”
“Ew, Eek!”
Choi Hong-seo, whose eyes widened for a moment, let out a strange scream and lunged at him. His earlobes turned bright red as he covered Lee Hae-sung’s lips with his hands.
“If you had just appeared then, you wouldn’t have had to fight, would you?”
He said it in a resentful tone, unable to look him in the eye. Lee Hae-sung gently pulled Choi Hong-seo’s hands away and looked down at his lover with a smile as soft as his touch.
“Because Hong-seo was passionately defending me. I enjoyed listening to that.”
¹ 500 square meters: Approximately 150 pyeong.