By Zephyria These were messages exchanged just 20 minutes ago.
After returning from his business trip to Europe, Lee Hae-sung was handling a busier schedule than before to organize the trip’s details and incorporate them into his business. ARA Electronics’ management was holding emergency meetings daily, and Lee Hae-sung, who used to commute to Yeoksam only three to four times a week, had increased his commute to receive reports on the meeting outcomes.
Because of this, despite being a couple, they hadn’t been able to secure enough dating time. Thirty minutes, or at most an hour. It was barely enough time spent traveling in the car.
Furthermore, starting tomorrow, they wouldn’t even be able to have short meetings for at least three days.
The CEO of a semiconductor equipment manufacturing company from the Netherlands was visiting Korea at Lee Hae-sung’s invitation.
This company was the sole global supplier of essential equipment necessary for semiconductor manufacturing, and not only ARA but also global semiconductor companies in the US and Taiwan were fiercely competing to secure equipment from them.
The fact that he succeeded in inviting the CEO of such a company was evaluated as a significant achievement of Lee Hae-sung’s recent trip. Thanks to this, ARA Electronics and all other ARA affiliates’ stock prices had been rising since Lee Hae-sung’s European trip.
Lee Hae-sung had only mentioned that a very important guest from the Netherlands was coming, so the rest was what Choi Hong-seo had researched and studied from the news. He had no interest in economics and no time for it, but lately, he found himself frequently searching for information about ARA. Almost as often as he searched for Choi Hong-seo.
During this visit, Lee Hae-sung planned to personally guide the guest through ARA Electronics’ headquarters, the PR center, and the Gwangju factory, and he would also accompany the CEO on some private tourist itineraries.
They had agreed to meet with more leisure once the schedule was over and he could catch his breath.
But he wanted to see him. He wanted to meet him, even for a very short while.
Having someone you want to see when you’re going through a difficult time.
In other words, having someone to rely on.
That itself was an unfamiliar sensation for Choi Hong-seo. Until now, his emotional pain couldn’t be alleviated by meeting someone. It was better to be alone, and he had mostly found relief by locking himself away in the practice room.
But why did he start wanting to see that person? Would meeting him solve his problems? It wasn’t like that, so why did he want to meet him?
Thinking it was strange, he fiddled with his phone and impulsively sent a message.
《Do you happen to have time today? Even late at night is fine, even just for 10 minutes, I’m okay.》
《Why? Do you want to see me?^^》
Even though he said he was working, ‘Carrot Seller’s’ reply was immediate. And while Choi Hong-seo was contemplating his reply, the next message arrived shortly after.
《You still have some time before your schedule, right? I’ll call you in about 10 minutes. Can you receive it?》
《Yes.》
Why? Do you want to see me?
He could vividly picture the face that would be smiling brightly and playfully if he were next to him.
A VIP who, instead of being bothered by a request for even a short 10-minute meeting, reacted enthusiastically without a moment’s hesitation.
From his childhood to the present, no adult around him had ever treated Choi Hong-seo in such a way. There were only adults who neglected, ignored, abused, deceived, or exploited him…
Or perhaps, is it because we are lovers? Do all lovers in the world treat each other like this? He wondered. But he didn’t think so. He felt that no one could be as kind as Lee Hae-sung.
Before he knew it, the car had arrived at the salon. Eager to answer his call, Choi Hong-seo hurried more than usual and practically ran into the salon.
“Hyung, I need to take an important call before I get shampooed.”
“Important call?”
“Yeah. It won’t be long. It’s Room 3, right?”
The managers sometimes jokingly called Choi Hong-seo the ‘Sales Director’ of ‘Layered.’ Without knowing the nature of the ‘sales’ Choi Hong-seo conducted, they assumed he was favored by the ‘important people’ due to his innate social skills and affability. It was a rule among UB managers to cooperate with Choi Hong-seo’s ‘important calls’ or ‘sudden appointments,’ understanding them as ‘sales’ approved by CEO Myeong.
“Coffee? Should I get you coffee?”
The manager, talking to the salon’s general manager at the concierge, shouted towards Choi Hong-seo, who was running up the stairs.
“Oh? Coffee, please!”
“Iced Americano?”
“Yes, Iced Americano!”
As Choi Hong-seo ascended the stairs, giving a perfunctory reply, the general manager said in a voice tinged with laughter from behind him,
“Hong-seo, why is he running around in such a hurry? I’ve never seen him like this.”
Entering the private room on the second floor, Choi Hong-seo, unlike usual, locked the door from the inside. Almost simultaneously as he sat on the chair in front of the mirror, a call came from ‘Carrot Seller.’
“Yes. It’s me.”
Instead of words, laughter was the first thing he heard from the other end of the line.
“…Why?”
[You answered the phone and replied so quickly, as if you were waiting… it’s cute.]
“Ah…”
Even for such a trivial action, someone calling him cute was a first, besides his fans. He was the eldest in his group and the leader, and he wasn’t the type to rely on others, so no one around him ever saw Choi Hong-seo as cute.
“But, weren’t you in the middle of work earlier?”
[Yes, I was. But it wasn’t a meeting, just a simple report and listening session in my office, so it’s fine. Everyone seemed happy when I suggested a short break.]
His hair was only partially washed, so his reflection in the mirror looked messy. He ran his hand through his disheveled, spiky hair and made an excuse.
“Um… you don’t have to mind the message from earlier. It was too impulsive.”
[It was impulsive because you wanted to see me.]
“……”
[Even if it was just for 10 minutes.]
“……”
[Wasn’t it?]
His way of speaking was direct, which made him flustered, but not displeased. He eventually had to admit it. He was just a little embarrassed.
“It’s true… but… Vice President, you have an important schedule starting tomorrow. We already agreed not to meet for three days… I wasn’t trying to throw a tantrum.”
[I wish Hong-seo-ssi would throw a tantrum at me.]
“That would be bothersome.”
[Even if it’s just 10 minutes, saying ‘I miss you so much I can’t focus on work.’ When your boyfriend says that, how could it be bothersome?]
His face, visible in the mirror, was visibly turning red, so much so that he could see it with the naked eye. Even though he wasn’t looking, he mumbled, pretending to hide his face by rubbing his cheek.
“I… I didn’t say it to that extent.”
[It’s so cute when you make that slightly grumpy sound sometimes.]
From the other end of the line, he let out a low, pleasant laugh. After his laughter subsided, he spoke in a soothing, sweet tone, reassuring him not to worry and confirming it kindly.
[Let’s meet today. I miss you too.]
The words “I miss you too” were like magic.
“Then… I’ll come to your place.”
[To my house?]
“Because I’m the one who pushed for it unreasonably.”
[Alright. Hong-seo-ssi coming to my house is always welcome.]
His inner turmoil, which had been shaken by reading the comments, already felt like it was healing. Normally, he would have been sensitive and distressed for several days until the article faded from public attention.
Looking at his reflection in the mirror, which showed an unfamiliar expression, Choi Hong-seo wondered. Does all love in the world have this kind of power? Or is our love, is he, special?
■
Since it was a sudden home date and late at night, the options were limited. The next day, both of them had schedules, so drinking was out of the question, and they decided to watch a movie together.
As soon as Choi Hong-seo arrived, Lee Hae-sung led him to the movie room on the second floor. True to his reputation as a film enthusiast, the room was meticulously designed solely for watching movies.
“Because there are no windows, it really feels like a movie theater.”
Choi Hong-seo marveled at the walls decorated with rare original movie posters, the large screen that didn’t look like it belonged in a home, and the speaker set.
Lee Hae-sung’s house was the highest penthouse in the apartment complex, so naturally, all rooms should have had windows. However, like the camera storage room, the movie room also had no windows. This made both rooms feel like his own secret base, separated from the world.
They felt like spaces that served a secret role, allowing him to shed the obligations and responsibilities of ARA and return to being the human Lee Hae-sung.
“It’s a space I don’t often invite people to. You might be the first, Hong-seo-ssi.”
Lee Hae-sung said, looking at Choi Hong-seo as he operated the remote to bring up the screen.